Pro-business climate

A broad-based group of state leaders composing the Strategic Planning Council established goals and priorities for the state to achieve by the year 2010. This included a focus for developing business in Iowa in three industries: information solutions, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. The research by SRI International showed that Iowa’s best bets for future growth will be in these “cluster” groups. In other words, suppliers and  vendors will tend to “cluster” around companies in certain product areas.

The “clusters” form around advanced manufacturing companies, such as Rockwell Collins in avionics; Kemin in life sciences; and ABC Virtual Communications, in insurance/financial services and software development.

The state’s newest business incentive program offers tax credits for investment and creation of new jobs. Last year $324,631,726 was invested in the state through the New Jobs and Income Program, creating 1,389 new jobs. Iowa was named the best managed state in the midwest by Governing Magazine in 2001, and ranks fifth lowest in the nation for “cost of doing business.”

Iowa is one of the first states to implement the national economic development standards for “just-in-time”, in-depth response for corporate decision-makers.

Public-private partnerships are common here. Great examples include Cargill and its training program at Indian Hills Community College and the Human Resource Recruitment Consortium, which matches applicants to jobs through its Web site.

A well-educated workforce

Over 78 percent of Iowa high school graduates in 2000 intended to pursue postsecondary education or training at a 2-year or 4-year college. Over 60 percent of Iowa students participating in the ACT Test scored higher than the national average. In 2000 Iowa moved up from a rank of third and tied with Minnesota for second in the nation. (Measuring Up 2000: The State-by-State Report Card for Higher Education-Progressive Policy Institute). A very high proportion complete certificates and degrees putting  Iowa in the top ten states for graduates earning BAs in advanced degrees.

Employer satisfaction with Iowa’s public schools preparing students for college is 60 percent vs. the national 43 percent. Employers also say a typical Iowa college graduate has a high level of skills and knowledge.

We are blessed with three excellent universities, 28 community college campuses, and 35 independent colleges. We need to keep their graduates, probably our state’s finest “products”, working for Iowa businesses.

World-class university research  Iowa’s universities are renowned for discoveries in agricultural science, medical research, biotechnology and computing solutions. Did you know you can make paper out of cornstalks, and foods into vaccines? Or that soybeans may help to prevent cancer and osteoporosis? Or that genetically-altered milk may heal injuries and help extend life? These advances are happening here in Iowa.

In the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor, business parks are being built to house health care-related companies sparked by University of Iowa medical research. And the Plant Sciences Institute in Ames is just one of ISU’s  research facilities that will result in new products, new companies and new jobs. And the University of Northern Iowa has an Ag-Based Industrial Lubricants Research program that makes soy oil into industrial lubricants.

Unbeatable lifestyle

Most of us would not give up our clean, safe, uncongested communities and affordable cost of living. This year we are ranked the third most liveable state. We have an average of one minute per mile on our daily commute. Sports, the arts, history and entertainment here are exciting and varied.

This summer the Lieutenant Governor visited 36 of the hundreds of Iowa attractions during her week-long Discover Iowa Tour. And golf! Iowa has the largest number of nine-hole golf courses per capita and is a popular place  for tournaments. It’s also conducive to hiking, skiing, hunting, fishing, canoeing, boating and sightseeing – and, of course, biking, our favorite “week-long” in-state vacation.

The New Economy is here

In the new economy, the most important factors for business success are “innovation, quality, time-to-market and cost.” Knowledge is key, and the competitive edge goes to those who can create the next evolution of a process or a new application to solve a problem.

Across the state I see community leaders in private and public roles are working together like never before to make the dreams for their regions into realities. But first they said, “Let’s get real. We need to change.” But mainly, they never give up.

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