Volume 27 I October 2014 I Number 10

In this issue...Greetings . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Member Spotlight . . . .3

Renewing Members . . .4

Chamber Calendar . . . .5

New Members . . . . . . . .6

Biz Bits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Ribbon Cuttings . . . . .12

ACCREDITATIONUNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CHAMBERNewsCHAMBERNewsLife with a river viewLife with a river view

CHAMBER STAFF

Nathan SondgerothPresident

Joni KrogmanDirector, Chamber Operations

Karen FriisAdministrative Services Coordinator

Jennifer RogersBusiness Manager

Carrie DonaireDirector, Convention & Visitors Bureau

A Message from the President...

October 2014CHAMBERNews www.clintonia.com2

By Nathan Sondgeroth, Chamber President

In September, I was very proud to be in our community whenI watched the American Queen, the largest steamboat everbuilt, dock for the first time on the Clinton riverfront. There towelcome the ship were representatives from the cities ofClinton, Camanche, and Fulton.

Captain Brent Willits is a native of Camanche and the captainof the American Queen. In talking to Captain Willits, I was

struck by his comment regarding our local riverfront. He said, in the opinion of some-one who travels the entire Mississippi River for a living, he would put our riverfronts upagainst any other town's. That insight also made me proud to live and work in theClinton Area.

As summer firmly becomes fall, the Summer of 2014 is now just a memory. We are for-tunate to have not only the access to the river, but also the amazing amenities as well.Whether it is the LumberKings, Showboat Theater, remodeled bandshell where we cannow enjoy even more our Finally Fridays and Clinton Symphony Orchestra concerts, weare a region blessed with amazing riverfront choices.

Add in the Sawmill Museum in Lyons and Eagle Point Park and you have so many recre-ational opportunities. Enjoy fall and I look forward to writing again in November.As always, if you are interested in me visiting your business, please never hesitate toemail me at nsondgeroth@clintonia.com

Until next time, I'm at your service,

Nathan

Meet Our Board Members...

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New Member SpotlightGX Cleaning Solution

GX Cleaning Solution offers professional and dependable cleaning services that you can trust. We understand theimportance of a clean environment. Cleanliness projects an image of professionalism. Quality performance isessential to us. Also, we hold ourselves to a high standard of values and integrity. GX Cleaning Solutions is basedout of Sterling, Illinois and is proud to service the Clinton Iowa area along with other cities.

Our services include the following: residential and commercial window cleaning, office cleaning, power washing,carpet shampooing, and more. We offer weekly and monthly services. Contracted service receives special rates. Formore information please contact us at 815-202-9413.

Dr. Karen Vickers

Karen Vickers is currently serving as the chair of the Clinton Area Chamberof Commerce. A thirty-year resident of Clinton, she has worked for ClintonCommunity College since coming to Clinton. Karen serves as President ofCCC and Vice Chancellor for Student Development for the Eastern IowaCommunity Colleges.

Since living in Clinton, Karen has been involved in a variety of communityactivities and organizations.

Karen earned her BS from Iowa State University, MSEd in Counseling fromWestern Illinois University, and PhD in Higher Education from Iowa StateUniversity. She lives in Clinton with her husband Dave.

Jennifer Boysen

Jenny Boysen serves as the Treasurer of the Clinton Area Chamber ofCommerce. A Camanche resident, Jenny is the Internal Auditor & ExecutiveVice President of Operations at Clinton National Bank. She was appointed tothe Clinton National Bank board of directors in July of 2008.

Jenny received her BA in Accounting from St. Ambrose University. She alsoserves on the YWCA board of directors.

In her free time, Jenny enjoys baseball, basketball, golf, exercising, sight-see-ing, hiking and fishing with her husband and two sons.

October 2014CHAMBERNews www.clintonia.com4

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

The Chamber would like to thank the following members for renewing their memberships during the month of September 2014.

100+ yearsCollis, Inc. 114Boegel's Men's Wear 106

60+ yearsHowes & Jefferies Realtors, LLP 63Darling International 61

40+ yearsEastman House Furniture 52Determann Asphalt Paving, LLC 48Plaza Bowl of Clinton 40

30+ yearsAllied Business Accounts, Inc. 36Clover Hills Appliance Center 34Target 34Alverno Health Care Facility 32Don's Jewelry, Inc. 32Quality Concrete Co. 32Zirkelbach Refrigeration, Inc. 32Midas Auto Service Experts 30

20+ yearsRJS Electronics Inc. 29Kurtz Glass Co., Inc. 28Lamar Advertising of Dubuque 23Library Pawn Shop 23Classic Bodyworks, Inc. 22Bunge North America 20

10+ yearsKwik Trip/Kwik Star, Inc. (all locations) 18Tom McManus Backhoe & Truck Service, Inc. 18Company One Fire Suppression &

Safety Solutions 14Dependable Drain & Plumbing 14Affordable General Maintenance 12

Quad City International Airport 12Clinton Harley-Davidson, Inc. 11Grannys Sugar Shack 11Cardiovascular Medicine, P.C. 10Felix Adler Memorial Association/Children'sDiscovery Center 10

1+ yearsFarm Bureau Financial Services 9LaFeria Mexican Restaurant 9Coupe DeVille 'The Cadillac of Rock & Roll' 7City of Camanche 6The Bicycle Station & Jensen Oil 6Hoff Resume and Career Counseling Services 5Big River Packaging 4Culver's of Clinton 4Burger King 3Burger King (West) 3Infinity Medical Group 3Laundry Max 3Tree of Life Chiropractic 3River Bluff Community Foundation 2T2 Productions, LLC 2The Home Depot 2The Painted Rooster 2AdvoCare 1Independent Investment Services 1ITC Midwest 1Junior Achievement of the Heartland 1Kendrick General Pest Control 1

Do you know of an employee at an area

business who goes above and beyond in the area

of customer service?Nominate that person for the Clapper Award

by contacting The Clinton Area Chamber

of Commerce at (563)242-5702 or

chamber@clintonia.com.

Watch this spacefor the next

award winner!

Clapper Award

T hank you!

October 2014CHAMBERNews www.clintonia.com

October Chamber Calendar 2014 - 2015Executive CommitteeDr. Karen VickersClinton Community CollegeChairperson

Nate KreinbrinkNelsonCorp Wealth Management1st Vice Chair

Tom MoserMedical Associates2nd Vice Chair

Jennifer BoysenClinton National BankTreasurer

Dr. Mark SchroederIowa State University ExtensionPast Chairperson

Board of DirectorsShane BuerMercy Medical Center

Dean BrainerdADM Corn Processing

Diane ChristensenThe Insurance Group

Gerry FreudenbergIowa-American Water Co.

Lori FreudenbergSisters of St. Francis

Eric HeldingNestle Purina PetCare Co.

Daniel HousengaLyondellBasell

Charlie MinnickAshford University

Sara MisiewiczClinton National Bank

Rich PhelanManagement Consultant

Mike RastrelliRastrelli's Restaurant

Kevin SteinesHonkamp & Krueger & Co., P.C.

Breton WilliamsFirst Wealth Financial Group

Meetings are subject to change. Watch your mail for details or check with Karen at (563) 242-5702 before attendingany regularly scheduled Chamber event. Reservations are required for most noon meetings held at the Chamber office.

5

1 Monet Handbags, 6:00 p.m., Chamber of Commerce

2 Nestle Purina, 11:00 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.Ribbon Cutting, 4:00 p.m., Slop's Neighborhood Bar & Grill, 1015 13th Avenue North.ABC's of Essential Oils, 6:00 p.m., Chamber of commerce.

3 CVB Technology Committee, 9:00 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.Ribbon Cutting, 11:00 a.m., Iowa-American Water Company, 2020 Manufacturing Court.Nestle Purina, 12:00 Noon, Chamber of Commerce.Ribbon Cutting, 4:00 p.m., Vinnie's Lounge, 224 5th Avenue South.

7 Women in Business Committee, 8:00 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.Ribbon Cutting, 10:30 a.m., Wings N Things, 1615 Lincolnway.LEAD, 11:30 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.Leadership Committee, 12:00 Noon, Chamber of Commerce.

8 Community Image Task Force, 10:00 a.m., Sterling Federal Lyons Community Room.Local & Government Affairs Committee, 12:00 Noon, Chamber of Commerce.CVB Weigh & Stay Committee, 2:00 p.m., Chamber of Commerce.Comprehensive Rehab, 6:00 p.m., Chamber of Commerce.

9 Clinton Board of Realtors, 9:00 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.Business Park Corporation, 10:00 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.

13 Miss Clinton County Board, 6:00 p.m., Chamber of Commerce.

14 Ribbon Cutting, 1:30 p.m., Lutheran Services in Iowa, 315 5th Avenue South.

15 Clinton County Development Association, 7:30 a.m., Wild Rose Casino.Gateway Area Foundation, 12:00 Noon, Chamber of Commerce.

16 CVB Board, 12:00 Noon, Chamber of Commerce.Rejuvenation Station Day Spa, 5:30 p.m., Chamber of CommerceCandidate Forum for County Candidates, 6:00 p.m., DeWitt Community Center

21 Tri-City Building & Construction Trades Council, 9:30 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.LEAD, 11:30 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.Executive Committee, 12:00 Noon, Chamber of Commerce.Young Living Essential Oils, 6:00 p.m., Chamber of Commerce.

22 CRDC Board of Directors, 11:30 a.m., Rastrelli's Avanti Room.

23 Girl's Night Out, 5:00 p.m., Vista Grande.Candidate Forum for State Candidates, 6:00 p.m., DeWitt Community Center.Clinton Landlord's Association, 6:30 p.m., Chamber of Commerce.

24 Budget & Finance Committee, 12:00 Noon, Chamber of Commerce.

27 Ribbon Cutting, 1:30 p.m., Rejuvenation Station, Chamber of Commerce.

28 Essentials4u, 6:00 p.m., Chamber of Commerce.

30 Board of Directors, 7:30 a.m., Chamber of Commerce.

31 Ambassadors, 12:00 Noon, Chamber of Commerce.

CHAMBERNews is published by theClinton Area Chamber of Commerce, anot-for-profit corporation, serving thebusiness communities of Clinton and

Camanche, Iowa and Fulton, Illinois.

Phone: 563-242-5702Fax: 563-242-5803

E-Mail:chamber@clintonia.com

Web Address:www.clintonia.com

6 October 2014CHAMBERNews www.clintonia.com

New MembersW elcomeW elcomeChamber Website

Information

Did you know that yourmembership includes

the following:

Job PostingsHot Deals

News Releases

Call for more informationon how to put this on

our website.

Like us on facebook –look for Clinton Area

Chamber

American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is the nation's oldest, largest voluntary organization devoted to fightingcardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Our Mission: Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Our mission drives every-thing we do.

We're the nation's leader in CPR education training. We help people understand the importance of healthylifestyle choices. We provide science-based treatment guidelines to healthcare professionals to help ensurethe best treatment for every patient, every time. We educate lawmakers, policy makers and the public aswe advocate for changes to protect and improve the health of our communities. Call Christine Taylor at309-737-0339 or Christine.taylor@heart.org.

Clinton Moose 363/474

The Moose is an international organization dedicated to caring for young and old, bringing communitiestogether and celebrating life. Our local lodge is available for parties. Ask how. Call Jo Ann Huff at 563-242-6102 or chapter474@mooseunits.org. www.mooseintl.org

Country Financial

Country Financial knows how important it is to have auto, home and life insurance, but insurance is onlyone part of financial security. We can help you with your insurance needs and help you plan for your finan-cial future. Stop in for a quote today at 1320 11th Street NW, Suite G, Clinton, IA, to meet financial represen-tatives Brandon Ridley or Nicoel Graham or call 563-241-1066 to set up an appointment. We are right nextto Fareway. Brandon.ridley@countryfinancial.com and nicoel.graham@countryfinancial.com

WQAD

WQAD News 8 is the local ABC television affiliate covering news, weather and sports in 17 counties in east-ern Iowa and western Illinois. 309-764-8888, www.wqad.com

Ribbon Cuttings

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UnleashStrengths and Bent Business Marketing –Congratulations on your new business and two year

anniversary of Bent Business Marketing.

Gabel Chiropractic – Congratulations to Dr.Gabel on her new location!

Studio 529 Salon –Celebrating their successful business in

downtown Clinton – congratulations!

Country Financial – Brandon Ridley and Nicoel Graham –Celebrating their new membership – Welcome!

October 2014CHAMBERNews www.clintonia.com8

Mark YourCalendars!

Legislative Events

Candidate Forum forClinton County

CandidatesOctober 16th, 6:00 p.m.,

DeWitt Community Center

Candidate Forum forState Candidates

October 23rd, 6:00 p.m.,DeWitt Community Center

Election DayNovember 4th

Clinton County Day in Des Moines

February 5, 2015

Chamber Industry Trends with JoniJoni Krogman, Director, Chamber Operations

Creative Destruction………It's that time of year again for our Events Committee to start planning for2015. I know, already!Have you ever wondered why different events come and go?

• If we don't keep our events fresh and what our members want,• if we don't try something new that no one else is doing,• if we don't keep our events relevant to our Chamber mission, we will not have successful events for our members, their employees and their families.

After every event we send out a survey to gather information from the sponsors and attendees anduse that information to either improve the event for next time, remove it from our list, or keep it theway it was. Some great examples of how we used survey feedback: Our 3rd Annual Girls' Night Outevent has added a style show component; we brought back ShamROCK because several membersrequested it on their survey; and next year's golf outing we will continue to kick off the event withlunch - huge success per the survey results.

New this year: Chamber Night at the Ballpark and Welcome New Families NightRemoved this year: Family Pool Party, Family Flying Fest and Jingle Bell JamBrought back this year: ShamROCK

We continue to innovate our events such as Girls' Night Out. As mentioned above we are adding astyle show component titled “How to Dress for Success without Breaking the Bank!”We are alsocharging a small fee to attend and activities include light hors d'oeuvres, a glass of wine, shoppingand great ideas on how to dress for success on a budget. (Including wine and food came from oursurvey feedback last year.)

What Can You Do?At Institute in June I sat in on a session called “60 Ideas in 60 Minutes”. We are using this list to see ifwe would like to try any of these great ideas from other Chambers around the country.Please pass on any event ideas you have so we can continue to improve our service to you ourmembers.

Don't hesitate to give me a call at (563) 242-5702 or send me an email at jkrogman@clintonia.com.Your events committee volunteers would love to hear from you

Biz Bits

9

Do you have a “Biz Bit” to share? Submit your 100-150 word article to Karen Friis at chamber@clintonia.com by the 10th of the month for possible inclusion in the following month’s newsletter. We reserve the right to edit for space.

INSIDE Public Accounting Honors HK as IPA 100firm and Fastest-Growing FirmHonkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. (HK) has been named an IPA 100 firmand IPA 100 Fastest-Growing Firm by INSIDE Public Accounting.Specifically, HK has been ranked as the 74th largest CPA firm in thenation according to IPA's Survey and Analysis of Firms, up from num-ber 81 in 2013. This is IPA's 24th annual ranking of the largestaccounting firms in the nation.

Jon Thoms, CPA, partner-in-charge of the Clinton branch, states,“Ourgrowth is a reflection of our commitment and partnership with ourclients; they are our best source of referrals. Being a relationship-driv-en firm, we strive to provide an exceptional experience for ourclients. At the end of the day, our employees make us successful. Thisis a people-business, and our employees are the reason for our suc-cess.”

For more information about HK's ranking, contact Nicole Gantz at888.556.0123.

Woodcuts and Lithographs on Display in AshfordArt GalleryAnother season of great art begins in Ashford University's CortonaArt Gallery with “Inked Grooves: Woodcuts and Lithographs,” anexhibit of works created by Cecilia Lieder. Her pieces will be on dis-play through Thursday, Oct. 9. A reception for the artist will be held inthe gallery, also on October 9, from 3-5 p.m.

The gallery is open to the public, free of charge, every weekday from10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and for private showings by appointment. For fur-ther information, please call 563.242.4023.

Necker's Jewelers Diamond Dash Took Over LeclaireSaturday, August 23rd And Raised Thousands ForQc Paws! Neon Pink and Green shirts literally took over the city of LeClaire,Iowa on Saturday, August 23rd, 2014, at the 5th Annual Necker'sJewelers Diamond Dash! Many LeClaire businesses, as well as spon-sors from all around the QC Area, hosted the hundreds of DiamondDash participants (and over one hundred volunteers) at clues alongthe Dash course throughout the 2 hour scavenger hunt dashthrough the city.

Despite the weather starting off a bit shaky with the large stormsrolling through the area, it was a fun-filled day for all where partici-pants competed in teams of 2 to win over $50,000 in prizes, with thetop prize being a $10,000 Hearts On Fire diamond ring (or a $10,000Shopping Spree to Necker's)! The team of Stephanie Spragg (TaylorRidge, IL) and Amanda Jared (Milan, IL) took home the grand prize bygetting the highest amount of points in the fastest time! All of theproceeds from this one of a kind event went to QC Paws; thanks tothe Diamond Dash sponsors and participants, Necker's was able todonate thousands to this amazing charity! This year, for the first time,Necker's Jewelers' fans chose the Diamond Dash charity through aFacebook contest, and QC Paws came out on top!

Necker's Jewelers has 2 locations: Davenport and DeWitt. They havebeen the top rated local jeweler for over a decade! Necker's Jewelersprides itself on providing exceptional customer service while meet-ing all of your jewelry needs, including repairs. Necker's is also heavi-ly involved in the Quad Cities' area communities through the Gift OfGiving Program.

If you have any questions, or are interested in sponsoring theDiamond Dash next year and helping local charities, contact AbbyRock, 563-359-3941, or abby@neckersjewelers.com.

Clinton Back and Neck Family Wellness, PC OffersFree Wellness Screenings and Health TalksClinton Back and Neck Family Wellness, PC would like to offer yourbusiness free monthly, quarterly, or yearly wellness screenings, as wellas health talks. Our focus is to be proactive and not reactive tohealth.

How does this benefit your business? If your employees are healthier,that means less missed days of work due to sickness or injurybecause they recover faster due to a properly functioning body.

How does this benefit your employees? They suffer less from lostwages due to sickness or injury. These screenings and talks can leadto fewer visits to the medical doctor, ultimately saving them money.

With these free wellness screenings and health talks, your employeeswill feel cared for, which helps facilitate a positive environment foreveryone. Our goal is to educate and create health in the communi-ty rather than focusing on disease care and symptom care. Our well-ness screenings will include: taking vitals such as blood pressure,pulse and respiration, as well as posture analysis and spinal screen-ings. Our health talks will cover a variety of topics ranging from chiro-practic care, nutrition, injury prevention, when to use ice vs. heat, etc.Call Abigail Rose at 563-242-5375.

Beaudry Returns to Artistic Director at Timber Lake PlayhouseThe Board of Directors of Timber Lake Playhouse has announced thatcurrent Executive Director, James Beaudry, will be returning to theposition of Artistic Director for the theatre company's 2015 summerseason. The company is beginning a search for a new ExecutiveDirector, who will work with the board of directors, overseeing allbusiness operations of the company which just completed its 53rdsummer in Mount Carroll.The Board hopes to fill the new position by November 1, 2014 follow-ing a national and regional search. Information about the job and thecompany can be found at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org

Local Rainbow International® Business ReceivesInternational Award Kevin and Joy Beirne, owners of Rainbow International of The QuadCities, received the Top Gun Award and Franchisee of the Year Awardfrom Rainbow International corporate during The Dwyer Group®International Conference held Sept. 7-10 in Orlando, Fla.

This award goes to franchise owners who achieve top sales andreach operation benchmarks. The Top Gun recipients represent thetop 10 percent of Rainbow International franchise owners acrossNorth America.

The Franchisee of the Year Award is the highest honor that can bebestowed upon a franchisee. This award is presented to the fran-chisee that has consistently grown through proper training and man-agement of their organization and has had a consistently high levelof sales through quality, professional service.“We are honored to receive these awards,” Beirne said.“We are com-mitted to working hard every day to provide timely, courteous andprofessional cleaning and restoration services that meet and exceedour customers' expectations.”

Nominate a Hero for the Heroes Game Supportedby the American Red Cross The American Red Cross encourages our community to take advan-tage of the next three weeks and nominate a local hero. The RedCross is looking for common citizens, the unheralded and unselfishpillars of our community who have performed an extraordinary actof courage or dedicated countless hours to a special cause.

A hero from both Iowa and Nebraska will be honored before a crowdat Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, IA when the Iowa Hawkeyes andNebraska Cornhuskers play the Hy-Vee Heroes Game on Friday,November 28, 2014. Go to www.hy-vee.com or visit your local Hy-Vee Store to nominate your hero today.“There are Heroes walking among us every day-the people who putothers above themselves-and it is our pleasure to work with Hy-Vee,the University of Nebraska and the University of Iowa again to recog-nize Heroes across Iowa and Nebraska,” said Leslie Schaffer, RegionalExecutive of the American Red Cross serving Greater Iowa.

A hero must be at least 18 years of age and live, work or go to schoolin either Iowa or Nebraska; however, the act of heroism or good deedneed not have occurred in either state. One person from both Iowaand Nebraska will be selected to represent each state at the Hy-VeeHeroes Game on Friday, November 28th in Iowa City, receive fourtickets to the Iowa vs. Nebraska football game and have his or hername and hometown inscribed on the Heroes Game trophy.

Nominations will close on Tuesday, October 14, 2014. Nominationforms, rules, and further information can be found online at www.hy-vee.com or may be picked up at local Nebraska and Iowa Hy-Veestores. Hero nominations not selected for the Heroes Game will beconsidered for recognition at the Annual American Red Cross Heroesof the Heartland events in selected Nebraska and Iowa cities andtowns in 2014.Nominations may be filled out online or mailed to the Des MoinesRed Cross office, 2116 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312, or faxedto (515) 244-8012 by midnight on October 14, 2014.

CCC Listed as #9 on list of Iowa's Top WorkplacesClinton Community College is pleased to announce that it has beenselected as one of Iowa's Top Workplaces, listed 9th on the annuallist. This is the third consecutive year the college has been recog-nized for the honor.

The Top Workplaces are determined based solely on employee feed-back. The survey is conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, a leadingresearch firm on organizational health and employee engagement.WorkplaceDynamics conducts regional Top Workplaces programswith more than 30 major publishing partners and recognizes aNational list of Top Workplaces. Over the past year, more than 4,500organizations and 1 in every 100 employees in the U.S. have turnedto WorkplaceDynamics to better understand what's on the minds oftheir employees.

Clinton Community College employees commented on their workenvironment with one person stating,“I like the diversity of my job.The staff is customer and team oriented. Any questions or situationsthat arise, we work together toward solutions.” Another employeesaid,“I love my job because it has been very rewarding to help thestudents, faculty, and staff.” And this comment describes whatemployees enjoy about CCC,“The family atmosphere in our work-place.”

Dr. Karen Vickers, Clinton Community College President, commented,“We are blessed that our faculty and staff have created a positive andwelcoming environment at CCC. Our employees work together tomeet the needs of our students and our community. This recognitionis a wonderful validation of our work.”

For more information about the Top Workplaces lists andWorkplaceDynamics, please visit www.topworkplaces.com andwww.workplacedynamics.com.

2014 Officers for the CorporationSteve Howes (Howes & Jefferies), CHAIRRon Gutierrez (Clinton Herald), VICE CHAIRJohn Eisenman (Abstract & Title Guaranty Co.), VICE CHAIRTom Fullerton (Retired), VICE CHAIRBruce Christensen (U.S. Bank), OFFICERSteve Shupp (Alliant Energy), OFFICERBob Simpson (Big River Packaging), SECRETARYBrig Tubbs (Gateway State Bank), TREASURERRich Phelan (Management Consultant), PAST CHAIR

2014 Board of Directors:Curt Allen (Clinton County Farm Bureau)Jeff Beckwith (Beckwith Commercial Roofing)Christopher Cain (LyondellBasell)Terry Callahan (Agri-King)George Chamberlain (Direct Packaging)Pete Clausen (Clausen Companies)Mary Connell (Air Control)Tom Determann (Retired)Lou Egging (Egging Company)Gerry Freudenberg (Iowa-American Water Co.)Rick Gustafson (Leslie Electric)Bill Hare (Clysar)Eric Helding (Nestle-Purina)Thomas Hesselmann (Retired)Bob Holesinger (Quality Concrete)Charlie Minnick (Ashford University)Casey Moore (Union Pacific Railroad)Tom Moser (Medical Associates)Eric Rant (Rock-Tenn)Thomas Soenksen (Citizens First Bank)Steven Thacker (Clinton National Bank)Jon Thoms (Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C.)Ryan Veenstra (Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes & Crematory)Dr. Karen Vickers (Clinton Community College)Sean Williams (Mercy Medical Center)Jim Woll (ADM Corn Processing)City of ClintonCity of CamancheCity of FultonCity of Low MoorClinton CountyClinton Community SchoolsDavid Rose (Iowa DOT Commissioner)

Ex-Officio'sCity of Low MoorCamanche Community SchoolsIowa State University ExtensionClinton Area Chamber of Commerce

October 2014CHAMBERNews www.clintonia.com10

Teamwork"Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work,a civilization work."

As we continue to work to build the future economy of our region, I'm reminded frequently of this famousquote from legendary football coach Vince Lombardi. The hard truth of the matter is that the lack of team-work lies in direct proportion to the potential for failure in any venture. The more an individual seeks toforce his or her will upon any group effort, the more likely that the cohesiveness of the group will be eroded.

We need to continually remind ourselves that our future is vested in our ability to work together towards acommon goal. The Lincolnway Industrial Rail & Air Park (“Railport”) project provides an excellent example ofthis principal. Originally conceived two decades or more ago, the project has only become reality throughthe participation of multiple entities - all of which shared the same vision.

Clinton County, the City of Clinton and the Clinton Regional Development Corporation have all played cru-cial roles in moving this project forward. While not all have been engaged in the same activities, each hasinvested significant effort and financial resources to create an asset to enhance our region's economicopportunity.

The next step to advance our efforts is to develop a plan for extending water to the Railport. McClure Engineering has been tasked with that role bythe City of Clinton. We expect to have their final project report prior to the end of 2014.

A firm plan to extend water to the Railport within a six-month period is essential to moving forward with site certification from the State of Iowa.McCallum Sweeney Consulting - one of the most prominent site selection firms in the world - assists the Iowa Economic Development Authority withthis program. Having worked with other states to implement certified site programs, McCallum Sweeney is a recognized leader in such programs.

Upon approval of our water proposal, we will advance to the third and final level of the site certification process. At this point, we'll be required toupdate or recomplete a variety of studies and reports related to environmental and other aspects of the Railport. Once these projects are complete,we will be prepared for site certification. Because the State of Iowa awards site certifications on an annual basis in mid-December, we will likely receiveour site certification in December 2015.

Site certification significantly enhances the Railport's marketability and positions it for priority marketing by the State of Iowa. This effort, in additionto our robust marketing program, as well as potential broker representation, significantly amplifies the economic opportunity the Railport represents.To be successful, though, we need to remember that it's essential to remain a team - in practice and conduct as well as in image and reputation.

Since we are positioned along the Mississippi River and many bird species migrate through our region, we might take a lesson from the teamwork suc-cess factors for a flock of geese:

Have a Common Direction - As geese flap their wings, they create an uplift for the bird following. By flying together in a V formation, the flock's flyingrange is 71% greater than that of any bird flying alone. When we share a common direction and sense of community, we can get where we are goingmore quickly and easily because we are traveling on the energy of our partners.

Stay in Formation - When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly returns to the for-mation to take advantage of the lifting power of the birds in front. When we have as much sense as geese, we will stay in formation with those whoare headed where we want to go; we will be willing to accept their help as well as give ours to others.

Encourage One Another - The geese in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. When the lead goose gets tired it rotatesback into formation and another goose flies out the point position. When we take turns doing the hard tasks, when we encourage others, we becomestronger through shared leadership.

Help Each Other Through Challenges - When a goose becomes sick or is wounded, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help andprotect it. They stay with it until it is able to fly again or dies. They then launch out on their own to find another formation or to catch up with the flock.When we have learned the value of teamwork, we too will stand by each other in challenging times. Let us fly in formation and remember to drop backto help those who need it.

It seems to me that we can learn a lot from the geese.

In the words of Andrew Carnegie, famed industrialist,“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individualaccomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

Today, our region has so much opportunity for progress. Working together using principles practiced by the geese which fly overhead, we can attainuncommon results.

Mike Kirchhoff, CEcDPresident & CEO

News From the CRDC

11

Carrie Donaire, CVB Director

Behind the Scenes with the American Queen

It was so exciting to see the American Queen in Clinton mid-September. Wehad a beautiful day at an already beautiful time of year, and what an impressive show of community support! Fromthe Convention & Visitors Bureau, we are especially thankful for all of the Clinton area residents who took time awayfrom already-busy fall extracurricular activities -- and other demands on their schedules -- to come to the banks ofthe river to celebrate the arrival of this majestic steamboat.

Let me tell you a little bit about our process at the CVB, and how we prepared for the whistle stop by the American Queen. With just a weekto prepare, we focused on two things.

• The first was a press release from our office, to notify the community of the opportunity to view the ship. We knew that once it was out inthe Clinton Herald, local radio and via social media that the buzz would build - and it did! On the Visit Clinton, Iowa Facebook page, we hadover 200 shares, reaching thousands of Facebookers. How awesome is that?! Thanks for helping us spread the word and thank you for yourpart in the community effort!

• Once the word was out, we focused our efforts on a print marketing piece to hand-deliver to the staff of the American Queen, to invitethem back for a longer stay. The American Queen is accompanied on its travels by four charter busses that take the passengers on outingsby land. The Clinton area is perfect for this type of tour, and we made the most of our opportunity to articulate this to the team and crew atthe American Queen. We want them to know they are welcome back any time and when they come, we hope they will work with us to getto know the area and enjoy our heritage, scenery and area attractions. We knew that the whistle stop would be short and sweet, and wehope it was the first visit of many.

Our message to them went a little something like this:

Clinton, Iowa and our surrounding community is the perfect stop on the journey along the Mississippi River. See how a 21st century river townembraces its history and scenic beauty to give visitors an unforgettable experience every time. Come, learn about our heritage as the lumber capitalof the world, enjoy an ecotourism excursion, or just indulge in the local shopping, winery and attractions.

For your local tours, we have a few recommendations for you, including: A Heritage Tour; A Scenic Tour; Farm to Table Tour; Wine & Dine in Clinton;and a Shopping & Casino Tour.

We sign off by saying,

We look forward to working with you to create an itinerary that caters to your guests' preferences for the American Queen 2016 calendar andbeyond. The Clinton area provides the setting, history and opportunities to explore, that will offer unforgettable travel experiences for your passen-gers. Help them remember the charm and beauty of Iowa with a few getaways in Clinton. All of the destinations we have described in this packetare within a 20 minute drive of where the American Queen will be docked at the Clinton Marina. We hope to see you again in Clinton, Iowa realsoon!

News From the Convention & Visitors Bureau

P.O. Box 1024, Clinton, IA 52733-1024

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Building our community through membership.CHAMBERNews

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Mercy Medical Center –Commemorating 125 Yearsheritage and their new healing garden – well done.

Sterling Federal Bank – Celebrating their new renova-tions to the Main Avenue location – looks great!

Renaissance Resale Boutique –Congratulations on their Chamber member-

ship and new store. Best wishes!

Fisher House Bed & Breakfast – Welcome to the firstClinton Bed and Breakfast – well done!

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