Inside this issue:• Business Long Term Recovery • Linn Area BizPAC Endorsements

• Good Morning Cedar RapidsNov

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©2010 Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce

2010-2011 Board of Directors

OfficersChuck Peters, SourceMedia Group, ChairNancy Kasparek, U.S. Bank NA, Chair ElectBrad Hart, Bradley & Riley PC, Immediate Past Chair Rob Frederick, The AEGON Companies, Secretary William Vincent, Clifton Gunderson LLP, Treasurer Shannon Meyer, Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, President

Board of DirectorsJill Ackerman, Marion Chamber of Commerce, Honorary DirectorDawn Ainger, Genova Technologies, DirectorThomas Anderson, Merrill Lynch, DirectorTodd Barker, NAI Iowa Realty Commercial, DirectorDavid Benson, Cedar Rapids Community School District, Director Barry Boyer, Van Meter Industrial, Inc., Chair Priority OneScott Byers, NAI Iowa Realty Commercial, DirectorLijun Chadima, Thorland Company, DirectorRon Corbett, Mayor, City of Cedar Rapids, Honorary DirectorChris DeWolf, Lil’ Drug Store Products, Inc., DirectorJeff Elgin, J & T Elgin, LLC, DirectorJames Ernst, Four Oaks Inc. of Iowa, DirectorGary Ficken, Bimm Ridder Sportswear, DirectorRonald Fielder, Grant Wood Area Education Agency, DirectorKristie Fisher, Kirkwood Community College, DirectorDon Garland, Chair Marion Chamber, Honorary Director Scott Gasway, J.P. Gasway Company, Inc., DirectorBernard Gill, Ascott Transcription Services, Director Shannon Hanson, ImpactCR, Honorary Director Tom Hobson, Rockwell Collins, Inc., At Large DirectorBeth Houlahan, Mercy Medical Center, DirectorTim Kintner, Bankers Trust Company, DirectorChristine Landa, Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, Inc., DirectorRobb Loftsgard, Wells Fargo Bank, DirectorCurt Nelson, Entrepreneurial Development Center Inc. Honorary DirectorDoug Neumann, Cedar Rapids Downtown District, Honorary DirectorRon Olson, Paulson Electric Company, DirectorHazel Pegues, Diversity Focus, Honorary DirectorMark Seckman, Priority One, President Priority OneJohn Sheehan, St. Luke’s Hospital, DirectorTim Spain United Fire Group, Director Vernon Squires, Leadership for Five Seasons, Honorary Director Michael Sundall, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C., Director Paul Treangen, Alliant Energy – Interstate Power & Light Co., DirectorMonica Vernon, Cedar Rapids City Council, Honorary DirectorWilliam Vernon, Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC, DirectorBrandt Worley, Worley Warehousing, Inc, Director

Table of ContentsArticle PageFeatured Member of the Month ...........................................4ImpactCR .............................................................................5Linn Area BizPAC Endorsements ........................................6New Members ......................................................................7Calendar of Events ...............................................................8Video Partnership .................................................................9Business Long Term Recovery .................................... 10-11Sales Roundtable ................................................................12Breakfast of Champions ....................................................13EDC ....................................................................................14Developing Leaders With Chamber Institute ....................15Legislative Preview Luncheon ...........................................16America’s Small Business Summit ....................................17October PM Exchange Recap ............................................18PM Exchange .....................................................................18Good Morning Cedar Rapids .............................................19

November 2010Volume 80 No 3 (uSPS558-200)

Chamber Report (ISSN 108-50775) is published monthly by the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, 424 First Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401.

Subscription price of $35 per year is included in an annual chamber membership.

Periodicals postage paid at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Postmaster: Send changes to:Chamber Report Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce424 First Ave. NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401-1196

Chair: Chuck PetersPresident & CEO: Shannon MeyerEditor: Kari Stillman

Contact the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce at 319-398-5317 for reprint permission.

2 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010

From the Chairman’s Desk:

Chamber’s Prosperity AgendaThe two key pillars of this Chamber’s Prosperity Agenda are developing a

culture of innovation and regional collaboration. Richard Longworth (Senior Fellow at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs) confirmed those pillars during the Iowa City Area Development Group’s annual meeting in September (www.corridor2020.com). In essence, if this region is going to compete in the new global, knowledge based, economy, we need to develop the spirit, culture and support systems for innovation to develop an effective regional economy. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the United States

Department of Commerce has come to the same conclusion, and has created a fund to support the development of a regional Innovation Center.

So, to fulfill our mission, we are deep into the planning of the Innovation Center. It will be located on the current land owned by this Chamber at the corner of 1st Avenue and 5th Street in downtown Cedar Rapids. It will house other organizations and other programming critical to developing a culture of innovation. This space, and the programming contained within it, will be unlike anything that exists in our area. Those working on the plans are very excited about the possibilities of this new space.

Given all that excitement, I am amazed by the myths I still hear about this center:1. The Chamber diverted flood recovery money away from the most needy in this community. The

federal and state support for this project is from funds that are not available for flood recovery. If this building is not built, the money will go to other communities for similar purposes.

2. The building design is extravagant, and too costly, particularly in this tough economic environment. We are designing this building for the next 50 years, and it will be built at a cost per square foot comparable to many recent buildings in the area.

3. The Chamber is building a “palace” for itself. The actual space the Chamber staff have for personal offices today will be reduced, in favor of more open, collaborative spaces that can be used by many in the community for programming that will advance the entire community.

4. There is no need for a new building, when there are so many vacant buildings downtown. This will be a unique space, which cannot be developed within an existing building. The EDA and state recognized this, which is why they are supporting this project.

If you would like more information on this project, contact our President, Shannon Meyer, at smeyer@cedarrapids.org.

Thanks,

Chuck PetersChairman, Board of Directors

November 2010 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3

4 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010

Events

Featured

At Work

New

5110 North River Blvd. NE • Cedar Rapids, IA 52411 • (319) 743-4000 • Email: sales@skyworksinc.com

www.skyworksinc.com • NASDAQ: SWKS

The Skyworks Advantage■ Broad front-end module and precision analog product portfolio

■ Market leadership in key product segments

■ Solutions for all air interface standards, including CDMA2000,

GSM / GPRS / EDGE, LTE, WCDMA, WLAN and WiMAX

■ Engagements with a diverse set of top-tier customers

■ Analog, RF and mixed-signal design capabilities

■ Access to all key process technologies: GaAs HBT, PHEMT,

BiCMOS, SiGe, CMOS and RF CMOS and Silicon

■ World-class manufacturing capabilities and scale

■ Unparalleled level of customer service and technical support

■ Commitment to technology innovation

Skyworks SolutionsSkyworks Solutions, Inc. is an innovator of high reliability

analog and mixed signal semiconductors. Leveraging core

technologies, Skyworks offers diverse standard and custom

linear products supporting automotive, broadband, cellular

infrastructure, energy management, industrial, medical,

military and mobile handset applications. The Company’s

portfolio includes amplifiers, attenuators, detectors, diodes,

directional couplers, front-end modules, hybrids, infrastructure

RF subsystems, mixers/demodulators, phase shifters, PLLs/

synthesizers/VCOs, power dividers/combiners, receivers,

switches and technical ceramics.

Headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA, Skyworks is

worldwide with engineering, manufacturing, sales and service

facilities throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

New products are continually being introduced at Skyworks.

For the latest information, visit our Web site at

www.skyworksinc.com.

A Culture That Breeds SuccessThe Skyworks culture is designed to promote fast decision

making, uninhibited sharing of best practices, and a sense of

individual ownership, so we can create unparalleled products

and respond quickly to customer needs. These values lead to

business agility and customer cen tricity — essential ingredients

for success. We are an equal opportunity employer supporting

diversity in the workplace.

Career OpportunitiesSkyworks’ Cedar Rapids Design Center is currently hiring Design Engineers.

For a complete listing of all of our openings, please visit www.skyworksinc.com.

November 2010 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5

❖ Ugly Sweater Contest 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., December 4Dublin City PubImpactCR continues the Fire & Ice Festival festivities by hosting its

annual Ugly Sweater Party from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Dublin City Pub, 415 1st Street SE. This annual event encourages everyone to bust out their ugliest holiday ensemble for this hilarious ImpactCR event. Admission is free with an optional $5 participation fee for a “Best of Ugly” competition.

Competition is fierce as proven by last year’s photos.

❖ Celebrate the CommunityWatch for upcoming detailsImpactCR will hold its annual meeting - Celebrate the Community, in late January, 2011. The evening event fea-

tures a review of the past year and an energetic preview of things to come in 2011. The 2010 Corridorians of the Year (COTY’s) will also be announced recognizing three individuals for their outstanding contribution to supporting “now” and “next gen” individuals in our community. Businesses who wish to engage and retain young talent will not want to miss out. Stay tuned for upcoming details. Last year’s cruise-themed event was enjoyed by many.

6 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010

Releases 2010 Candidate Endorsements

The Linn Area BizPAC, a political action committee affiliated with the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, announced its endorsements for the November 2010 Iowa House of Representatives and State Senate elections.

The endorsed candidates were selected through a process of questionnaires, interviews and research by the Linn Area BizPAC Board. To be considered for endorsement, candidates must complete the Linn Area BizPAC questionnaire and participate in an interview with the BizPAC Board. The BizPAC also used criteria such as support of a pro business agen-da, leadership positions and electability to make the final decisions. We believe our endorsements will lead to a greater Cedar Rapids and a better Iowa for business growth.

As this community continues to work toward recovery, our endorsements are not as obvious as in the past when we worked to prevent certain anti-business positions supported by the Legislature’s majority party. We hope that working together for jobs and recovery initiatives in this community will be the priority of all of our endorsed and recognized can-didates.

ENDORSEMENTS2010 Candidate Endorsements – Iowa LegislatureIowa House District 29: Shawn Graham

Iowa House District 33: Kirsten Running-Marquardt

Iowa House District 35: Kraig Paulsen

Iowa House District 36: Nick Wagner

Iowa House District 37: Renee Schulte

Iowa House District 38: Tyler Olson

We did not endorse any senator candidates this year. We believe recognizing our Senators is the right thing to do for the business community.

RECOGNITION

We had a number of incumbents who championed flood recovery efforts and the effort to fund the match for the EDA grant. Sen. Robert Dvorsky (Senate District 15), Sen. Wally Horn (Senate District 17) and Sen. Robert Hogg (Senate District 19) and Representative Todd Taylor (House District 34) who are up for re-election all receive our recognition for their work on behalf of the community in flood recovery. We appreciate their commit-ment to this community and all of their work on disaster recovery and other community priorities.

Sen. Rob Hogg and Sen. Wally Horn, running unopposed, chose not to complete the survey or participate in the inter-view process.

2010 Candidate Endorsements – Linn County Board of SupervisorsLinn County District 1: Lu Barron

Linn County District 5: The Linn Area BizPAC will not be endorsing a candidate in this race. We appreciate the work of Jim Houser in recovery work. His opponent John Harris completed our survey with a pro business theme, but was unable to complete the interview process due to unforeseen circumstances.

You can find the full endorsement release on The Chamber’s Website at www.cedarrapids.org

Linn Area

November 2010 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7

Events

Featured

At Work

New

ACP, Inc.225 49th Avenue Drive SWCedar Rapids, IA 52404Mary Nedved Potter, Vice President MarketingPhone: 319-368-8120Web: www.acpsolutions.com

ACP, Inc. is a leading producer of commercial high speed ovens under the Amana Commercial and Menumaster brands. ACP offers a complete line of high-performing commercial microwave and high-speed comination ovens for the global foodservice industry.

Chiropractic Health Care Associates515 7th Avenue SECedar Rapids, IA 52401Christopher A. Bowers D.C., C.C.E.P., Associate ChiropractorPhone: 319-366-2225Web: www.chiroassoc.com Email: bowers@chiroassoc.com

Dr. Christopher A. Bowers joined Chiropractic Health Care Associates in January 2010. He is a Cedar Rapids native whose number one goal is to increase the health and quality of life for his patients and the community. Services include spinal and extremity adjustments, active and passive rehab, sports injury, nutritional consultation and weight-loss, core strengthening and massage. Accepting new patients.

Harmsen Marketing, LLCStacey Harmsen, PresidentPhone: 319-361-8200Web: www.harmsenmarketing.comEmail: Stacey@harmsenmarketing.com

Harmsen Marketing, LLC is a promotional products distributor offering thousands of unique promotional solutions that creatively and consistently communicate your message. We assist businesses in branding themselves through the use of promotional products.

Martin Design, P.C.700 11th Street, Suite 200Marion, IA 52302David F. Martin, PresidentPhone: 319-377-7604Web: www.martindesignpc.comEmail: info@martindesignpc.com

Martin Design, P.C. is a full service architectural firm. We’ve been providing excellence in design, master planning, and consulting in eastern and central Iowa for more than 25 years. Anytime that you have a question about our services, our projects, construction in general, or just what an architect does, I hope you will feel free to contact us.

WWS Environmental Services640 63rd Avenue SWCedar Rapids, IA 52404Mark Lob, PresidentPhone: 319-247-2403Web: www.wwsenvironmental.comEmail: marklob@gmail.com

WWS provides disposal, recycling and consulting services for many types of industrial waste. This includes chemical treatment for many waste streams, and recycling of oil prod-ucts into a supplemental fuels program. With over 30 years of Haz-waste experience and regulatory environmental issues, WWS also provides environmental consultation and phase I & II real estate environmental audits.

CornerHouse Gallery & Frame2753 First Ave SECedar Rapids, IA 52402Mary Suess, PartnerPhone: 319-365-4348Web: www.cornerhousegallery.comEmail: info@cornerhousegallery.com

The CornerHouse Gallery & Frame offers art by local and regional artists and giftware. We have an experienced staff to assist you with any art project from selection and design lay-out to framing and installation. We have a certified appraiser for insurance, estate or donation appraisal needs.

8 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010

Events Calendar

For the latest listing of events or to register and pay on-line please

visit www.cedarrapids.org

Sponsorship Opportunities Available Contact Candy Nanke

for details 319-730-1417 or cnanke@cedarrapids.org

November December ❖ Wednesday, November 3

ImpactCR Siren Wednesday5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Cedar Rapids Fieldhouse

1140 Blairs Ferry Road NE

Siren Wednesday provides a casual atmosphere for ImpactCR members and friends to network and meet new people.

Complimentary

Sponsored by

❖ Thursday, November 4

PM Exchange5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Marion Hy-Vee

3600 Business Hwy 151 Marion

Member Networking Event

Complimentary

❖ Thursday, November 11

ImpactCR - Dinner in Nifty Eateries (DINE)6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Hamburger Mary’s

Join ImpactCR for dinner to enjoy, connect and support a local restaurant in the area.

❖ Tuesday, November 30

Chamber Academy - Business Succession11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Chamber Boardroom

This academy will help business owners thinking about retiring to establish a suc-cessful transition plan.

$30 Members, $45 Future Members

Sales tax included, lunch provided.

January

❖ Wednesday, December 1

Good Morning Cedar Rapids7:15 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

Cedar Rapids Ice Arena

1100 Rockford Rd SW

This breakfast event offers plenty of entertainment while acknowledging our key businesses in a variety of industry with the annual BRAVO award.

$35 per person, $350 package of 10

Sponsored by

❖ Friday, December 3

Legislative PreviewNoon – 1:00 p.m.

Chamber Boardroom

Attend the Chamber’s legislative preview and hear about upcoming priorities during the 2011

Complimentary

Sponsored by

❖ Saturday, December 4

ImpactCR Ugly Sweater Holiday Party7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Dublin City Pub

Continue the Fire & Ice festivities and bust out your ugliest holiday ensemble for this hilarious downtown tradition.

Admission is free.

$5 participation fee for a “Best of Ugly” competition.

❖ Thursday, December 16

PM Exchange5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Crowne Plaza

Member Networking Event

Complimentary

❖ Friday, January 21

Legislative LunchNoon – 1:00 p.m.

Chamber Boardroom

Member Networking Event

Complimentary

Sponsored by

Follow us on

Upcoming Signature Events

❖ Good Morning Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids Ice Arena December 1, 2010

❖ Ag Business Luncheon The Hotel at Kirkwood Center

March 9, 2011

❖ The Gala Theatre Cedar Rapids

April 29, 2011

“It’s about respect.”

221 Third Avenue SE319-896-7777

400 Blairs Ferry Road NE319-221-1230

www.bankerstrust.com

Iowans Mike and Lynn lived out East for years, then moved

to C.R. days before the flood. They loved the positive Iowa

response. Mike says, “It verified our decision to come back.

And Bankers Trust was wonderful.” Lynn adds, “They go

so far above and beyond. I’m just very impressed.”Member FDIC

Mike SundallChief Executive OfficerPhysicians’ Clinic of Iowa

Lynn SundallWatercolor Artist

BANKERS TRUSTprivate banker:Elizabeth Daly

Highlight Your Business with Online VideosThe Chamber has teamed up with MVP Video

Production and StratosFour to provide members an addi-tional way to promote their company on The Chamber’s online business directory. Videos will be produced by MVP Video Production and hosted by StratosFour. Consider enhancing your company’s presence on the web by incorporating a video that will highlight your business.

To see an example, various Chamber staff created vid-eos for our website. Simply visit www.cedarrapids.org and

view staff videos by clicking on Staff under The Chamber. The Business Directory is the most viewed Chamber page following the home page, people are looking to do busi-ness with Chamber members and a 30 second video is a great way for you to share your message with potential customers. Studies show, 63 percent of consumers are more likely to buy from Chamber member businesses and 59 percent of businesses are more likely to buy from Chamber member businesses.

Video Overview:★ New members can have a video produced for FREE

if done within 3 months of joining The Chamber.

★ New members will have their video hosted for the first three months FREE.

★ Existing members can produce a video for $100.00.

★ Videos can be hosted for $50/year for existing members and new members following the first three months of free hosting.

★ Videos will be up to 30 seconds in length.

★ You will be given an electronic copy of the video.

★ All videos will be filmed over a green screen at MVP Video Production.

Our partner organizations are very willing to work with you and create an end product that you will be excited about. Contact MVP Video Production at 319.364.8900 and schedule your video today.

November 2010 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9

10 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010

The future continues to look brighter for Cedar Rapids flood affected businesses. Business Long Term Recovery (BLTR), an initiative of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, has received more good news that will help dis-tribute funds to businesses quicker while also making the pro-cess to receive funding a little easier. The State of Iowa announced last month their decision to increase the cap on the Equipment and Inventory Reimbursement Assistance Program to $300,000. This gives businesses an extra $225,000 in fund-ing for equipment/inventory losses sustained in the 2008 disaster. The state had originally offered up to 75% in reim-bursement for equipment and inventory with a maximum reward of $75,000.

In addition to increasing the cap, the state is also easing its requirements on proving ownership of equipment and inventory owned pre-flood. Businesses were originally required to provide documentation that proved ownership of specific items claimed as losses. This proved to be a near impossible task as many businesses lost documentation papers, as well as equipment and inventory, in flood waters. Now the state asks that businesses just prove they owned equipment prior to the flood, which can be done through a tax return. Receipts to replace items purchased post-flood are still required in order for businesses to be eligible for the money.

“This is a big deal for many of our flood affected businesses,” said Case Management Team Leader Bob Harschnek.

“Providing documentation of equip-ment and inventory owned before the flood has been an enormous hurdle. It tied up a lot of money that these busi-nesses desperately need to stay afloat. With these modifications, we will see more money going out.”

The recent announcement follows the September decision made by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to no longer consider private loans a duplication of benefits in order to receive assistance. In addi-tion, HUD determined that while Small Business Administration (SBA) loans are a duplication of benefits, funds may be applied towards the SBA loan. HUD had origi-nally said that if flood affected businesses received private and/or SBA loans, the amount of the loan would be subtracted from assistance the businesses would be eligible to receive.

In 2008 financial estimates suggested Katering Kitchen, owned by Alex Hadjis, would have had a record year had it not been for the flood. Now Katering Kitchen has relocated and is up and running, but they still have a ways to go. Prior to the flood, the catering company was known for its involve-ment in community organizations including March of Dimes, Taste of Cedar Rapids, Freedom Fest, Marion Arts Festival,

the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, American Heart Association, Festival of Trees, Linn Mar High School Foundation, KCCK Jazz Under the Stars, the Farmer’s Market, and Washington High School’s Patrons of Performing Arts and Athletic Club. Hadjis said that because of the slow but gradual flood recovery, he has not been able to offer support as he has in the past. With continued increase in sales, he plans to offer that community support again.

“It’s important to me to be part of the community and I feel terrible that we can’t do these kinds of things right now. I hate to blame it on the flood, but the fact of the mat-ter is we had to draw a line somewhere,” Hadjis said. “I never had to say no before – this was something I really enjoyed.”

Hadjis is another recipient of funds that helped with some of the costs incurred from the 2008 disas-ter. Yet Hadjis was not as receptive to the funds at first.

“I felt guilty taking the money; it felt like a handout,” Hadjis said. “Once I realized how long it will take to take to get my business back, I knew that without that money, my business wouldn’t have survived at all.”

Harschnek believes some businesses may be hesitant about connecting with BLTR because of the type of guilt Hadjis first felt.

“We recognize the outstanding work Cedar Rapids businesses have done to keep going during this tough time. It’s been a double whammy for them with the flood and then the economic downturn,” Harschnek said. “We’re only here to help;

whether that’s through applying for funds, or offering sugges-tions that the businesses haven’t thought of yet. Our services really have proven to be helpful.”

Helping flood affected busi-nesses come back is exactly the purpose of the Chamber’s BLTR. Case managers conduct business assessments, which help determine programs that may provide financial assis-tance. Funding is administered by Jump Start 2, and businesses that received money from Jump Start 1 may still qualify for Jump Start 2.

Business Long Term Recovery — Putting the Pieces Together

The application deadline for all programs is December 31, 2010

and awards are administered on a

first-come, first-served basis.

November 2010 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11

Harschnek said case managers work hard to make the pro-cess hassle-free. Applying for assistance can be done online and case managers will even help with the application process.

“We want to make this as easy as possible for our flood affected businesses to get the assistance they need,” Harschnek said. “We know they have been through a lot in the last 28 months. We want to help alleviate some of the stress they are feeling.”

BLTR also has mentors avail-able through a partnership with Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE) and the

Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to offer business counseling assistance.

Mark and Shannon Debner of DPI Quality Custom Finishes have been working with a business mentor and say without their mentor, Scott Loggins, they wouldn’t have been aware of all of the assistance available to them or laws that have changed over the last 28 months.

Loggins, in addition to serving as a mentor and now work-ing for BLTR as a case manager, is a former flood affected business owner. He owned Kieck’s Career Apparel at the time of the 2008 disaster. The Debners feel Loggins’ firsthand experience of the devastating aftermath involved with having a flooded business has given them reassurance that he under-stands what they’ve been through and it makes them appreci-ate his advice even more.

“Scott doesn’t dictate to us,” Shannon Debner said. “He approaches mentoring as an opportunity to give advice and he has multiple suggestions for resolving a situation.”

“No business wants someone from the outside to come in and say: ‘This is what you’re doing wrong and you should do it this way,’” Harschnek said. “We don’t approach mentoring that way. Sometimes it means helping businesses with their marketing efforts or assisting in developing a business plan. Other times we are helping them cope with the emotional rollercoaster they ride to stay in business.

The businesses that have utilized mentoring services have learned new ways to strengthen their company and they have been very apprecia-tive of this service.”

Harschnek said businesses should make note that time is running out to apply for these funds. The application dead-line for all programs is December 31, 2010, and

awards are administered on a first-come, first-served basis.“People should not wait – the time to act on this is now,”

Harschnek said. “Our case managers are reaching out to flood-ed businesses, but by all means give us a call if you’re not involved in this process yet and we will get someone out to you right away.”

BLTR may be reached at (319) 731-5864. You can also connect with BLTR online at www.cedarrapids.org, on Facebook at: CR Biz Comeback; Twitter: CRBizComeback; or Blog Spot: http://crbizcomeback.blogspot.com.

Business Long Term Recovery — Putting the Pieces Together

Business Long Term Recovery Team:: Front row, left to right: Brittany Oglesby, Jerri Whitters, Bob Harschnek, Jennifer Jentz, Linda Manary; Back row, left to right: Bill Bennett, Gary Carleton, Scott Swenson, Steve Hunter, Scott Loggins.

The application deadline for all programs is December 31, 2010

and awards are administered on a

first-come, first-served basis.

12 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� November 2010

ROUNDTA B L E

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2011 Sales RoundtableConsider attending a monthly meeting that can instantly

provide you with new insight and knowledge to make you bet-ter in your current position. By becoming a part of The Chamber’s Sales Roundtable you will be placed in a small group setting of non-competing sales professionals providing a forum to discuss successful strategies and best practices to increase your organization’s sales.

The monthly meetings will follow an agenda of predeter-mined topics relevant to the sales professional today including lead generation, conversion rates and client retention. Driven by group discussion, participants will receive tips and advice, learn from others and of course, grow their network.

PROGRAM FACTS• Program meets monthly from Jan. – Nov.

• The annual participation fee is $90

• Roundtables are open exclusively to Chamber members

• Registration is available online at www.cedarrapids.org

For questions or additional details, please contact Jeff Schamberger at 319-730-1402 or jschamberger@cedarrapids.org.

Sales Roundtable

Kickoff Date:

January 11, 2011

Nuclear Energy’s Place in our Community

Thursday, December 9

7:00 a.m – 8:15 a.m.

Cedar Rapids Marriott1200 Collins Rd NE, Cedar Rapids$20 Members, $30 Future Members

D UA N E A R N O L D

Join us for December’s Breakfast of Champions hosted by NextEra Energy Duane Arnold Center. NextEra Energy Resources took majority ownership of the Duane Arnold Center in 2006. This nuclear power plant began operations in Palo in 1975 and generates enough electricity to power about 500,000 Iowa homes.

The plant is currently in the processing of extending its operating license for an additional 20 years, which would extend to 2034.

This major employer in Linn County employs approx-imately 600 people and pays property taxes of nearly $3 million annually. The Duane Arnold Energy Center plays a major role in our region not only as an employer but also a community partner donating more than $100,000 annually to charitable causes such as United Way.

NextEra Energy Resources is currently the largest owner and operator of wind turbines in the US, owns or co-owns 13 natural gas fired power plants in the US, three nuclear power plants and is also co-owner of the world’s largest solar site.

Corn Belt Power Cooperative is a generation and transmission cooperative that provides electricity to 10 rural electric cooperatives (RECs) and one municipal electric cooperative. These utilities provide power to farms, rural residences, small towns and commercial/industrial customers in 41 northern Iowa counties.

Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) is a member-owned, not-for-profit, generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative serving 13 rural electric cooperatives and associations. As Iowa’s largest coopera-tive energy provider, CIPCO serves approximately 311,700 Iowans in 58 counties; with headquarters in Cedar Rapids, transmission offices in Wilton and Creston, and generating facilities in Montpelier (Fair Station) and Creston (Summit Lake).

Registration is required, on-line registration and payment is available on-line at www.cedarrapids.org. For additional details regarding the Breakfast of Champions, contact Jeff Schamberger at jschamberger@cedarrapids.org or 319-730-1402.

Sponsored by:

November 2010 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13

ENTREPRENEURS’ CORNERJosie Heskje, VP Marketing, Entrepreneurial Development Center

Marketing Collateral Material – It’s More Strategic than You ThinkYour marketing collateral (printed /printable materials used to share information about your business, products

or services) can be a significant component of how your business is perceived by prospects and customers; impact-ing your brand. You can be instantly judged by how professional (or not) your materials look and read.

Here are some key considerations to make when you are in the planning phase for creating marketing materials for your company.

Strategic Need / Goals of the Marketing Piece – There are many reasons for having collateral material devel-oped, but clearly identifying why you need the marketing piece developed, for whom and what goals it should achieve will help ensure your money is well spent.

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• Why do you need to develop a marketing piece in the first place? Will it help you provide credibility for your business? Or help your sales team influence a decisionmaker? etc.

• Who is the intended audience (or audiences) for the collateral? This will impact everything from the message you create, how technical or simple your copy will be written, which benefits you will emphasize, to the images used in the design.

Once you understand the goals of the piece, everything you do should keep those goals in mind. From this point, I recommend answering a series of questions regarding: 1) Key Messages/Copy (i.e. Have you provided too much information, leaving no reason at all for the prospect to contact you? etc.) 2) Design and Layout (i.e. Does the layout need to be innovative to keep with your brand and achieve the goal of the piece? etc.)3) Managing the Marketing Collateral Project (i.e. Do the design /printing costs adhere to your budget? What is the production

schedule? etc.)

When preparing your written communications, think strategically. With the right amount of thoughtful planning, your marketing collateral should carry out your company’s brand and serve as an effective tool in your marketing and sales arsenal.

For a more complete list of questions and considerations addressing marketing collateral, visit www.edcinc.org and click on the Resources tab.

14 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010

319.369.4955

November 2010 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15

Developing Future Leaders: The Key to Business SuccessUtilize the Chamber Institute to Ensure Future Success

The number of managers available to step into leader-ship roles will drop dramatically in the coming years, according to a recent study by Egon Zehnder International the average company will be left with just half the talent it needs by 2015. Why? Demographics – there just aren’t that many people around with the right type of skills and experience. Surveys conducted by the firm indicate that the number of managers in the right age bracket for lead-ership roles will drop by 30% in just six years.

Companies will have little choice but to identify talent at an early stage and develop prospects at a fast pace. This means that companies are going to have to get a lot better at identifying and nurturing talent from within, as recruit-

ing externally is going to get tougher and more expensive. This is the process of succession planning, and not many companies do it well. In fact, only 36 percent of organiza-tions have programs in place to immediately fill leadership positions.

It takes effort to identify qualified candidates to fill current and future leadership roles. In addition to this, companies and senior management often lack the tools and techniques to develop their teams through a leadership program and prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow. However, it is something that managers should be doing – especially now.

(continued on page 16)

The Chamber Institute

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16 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010

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ALWAYS HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITYCEDAR RAPIDS METRO YMCAwww.crmetroymca.org

Legislative Preview Luncheon with Area Legislators

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.December 3

Chamber Boardroom

Attend this legislative preview to hear about the upcoming legislative session.

There is no cost to attend. Feel free to bring your own lunch, drinks and dessert will be provided.

Registration is available online at www.cedarrapids.org or email Sara Mentzer at smentzer@cedarrapids.org

Sponsored by:

(Developing Future Leaders: continued from page 15)

Leadership DevelopmentEven if your company doesn’t have a formal

succession planning program, you can still build a development plan for your key team members. Research shows that the most successful leadership development schemes recognize and understand the type of leadership style needed for their culture, then align leadership development with overall corporate strategy. Developing effective leadership using a consistent talent management program at all levels across the organization can return significant business value.

Chamber InstituteThe Chamber Institute is a talent development

program to strengthen future business leaders through an innovative fusion of action, interaction and mentoring. Each session offers individuals the opportunity to benefit from experienced mentors focusing on practical applications and skills necessary to become an effective business leader.

Sessions are held quarterly, for a full day, and include four segments totaling 16 key business topics that center around the pillars of business – customer, employees, owner-mindset and you, the individual. Each of the four segments will be led by an executive, who is focused on bringing action-oriented learning, and arms participants with the skills to take away three to five relevant business tools which can be immediately applied in the workplace.

Learn more about this innovative leadership program by contacting Julie Stow at

jstow@cedarrapids.org or 319.730.1409

November 2010 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 17

www.stratosfour.com

StratosFour client Judy Lubben, Controller & VP of Administration at Raining Rose, Inc., said:

“When we were looking at another software upgrade and the additional costs associated with it, we were initially hesitant on making a change to a new custom-built system. Would people embrace it? Could we really go paperless? Will support be there for us when we are done? Will there be any real cost savings? StratosFour has answered all these questions and so much more.

With the software they built, our company is saving over $150,000 a year!! StratosFour has been there to really listen and hear what we are saying. They come up with solutions to situations that we didn’t think were available.”

With custom-designed software from StratosFour, your company will save money by eliminating seat licensing and reoccurring fees. The StratosFour team will work with your staff to ensure the solution matches your business processes and needs – helping to fi t a square peg into a round hole.

Does your operational software make you feel like you’re always trying to fi t a square peg into a round hole?

Contact StratosFour, Inc. today for a consultation and free initial needs analysis at 319-734-6400 or info@stratosfour.com

U.S. Chamber Of Commerce – Regional Government

Affairs ConferenceSara Mentzer, Vice President of Public Affairs

recently attended the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 11th Annual Regional Government Affairs Conference held in Dallas, TX October 6-8. The Conference provided an abundance of information and the opportunity to focus on the emerging issues that will have a profound impact on the business community in the coming year. Numerous topics were discussed ranging from healthcare reform, taxes and the economy. Many of the same topics will be addressed in the upcoming America’s Small Business Summit allowing businesses to hear first-hand details affecting business and advocate for pro-business policies while in Washington D.C.

America’s Small Business SummitThe Chamber is already in preparations to bring a

delegation of area businesses to America’s Small Business Summit 2011, May 23-25. This annual event brings together more than 470 small business owners from across the country. Cost for attending is $2,000 and includes three nights hotel, airfare, some meals and transportation. Meetings with our delegation and their staff on key issues are arranged as well as the opportunity to hear from nationally recognized speakers provided by the U.S. Chamber during the conference.

The Chamber has nominated five local employers for the DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award. The award goes to a deserving small business recognizing them for their dedication, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Local nominations will be judged and regional win-ners will be selected. All regional winners are showcased at the event and the winner is announced during the Small Business Summit.

The Chamber has nominated the following companies for the 2011 Award:❖ Genova Technologies ❖ Bimm Ridder Sportswear ❖ Metro Studios ❖ Raining Rose ❖ Lil Drug Store

The reservation deadline for this event is early March to ensure booking of necessary items. Registration is available online at www.cedarrapids.org. For additional details on this event feel free to contact Sara Mentzer at smenzter@cedarrapids.org or 319-730-1404. More information on America’s Small Business Summit and the DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award can be found online at www.uschambersummit.com

America’s Small Business Summit is sponsored locally by:

18 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010

October PM Exchange Recap

More than 340 guests enjoyed the October PM Exchange held at Homewood Suites by Hilton. Homewood Suites, located at 1140 Park Place NE, celebrated their ribbon cutting and grand opening event with an abundance of refreshments and hors d’oeuvres and tours of their new hotel.

NovemberPM Exchange

The Marion Hy-Vee welcomes you to the 2010 Holiday Show and Samplefest during

the Chamber PM Exchange.

Stop in and browse our showcase of holiday party ideas and enjoy delicious holiday

appetizers and beverages.

For more information visitwww.marioncc.org

Marion Hy-Vee Holiday Show and Chamber PM Exchange

Thursday, November 4, 20105:00 - 7:00 p.m.

3600 Business Hwy 151 East

November 2010 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 19

Wednesday, December 1

7:15 a.m. – 8:45 p.m.

Cedar Rapids Ice Arena1100 Rockford Rd SW

$35 per person, Package of 10 for $350

Zany Has Gone Zamboni!The same zany, lively, entertaining Chamber event has taken Good Morning Cedar Rapids to the ice as we present

three fabulous businesses with the 2010 BRAVO Award and highlight two organizations demonstrating extraordinary service to our community during the Community Spotlight.

Join us as we get up close and personal with local business owners receiving the BRAVO Award due to their unique, local appeal, and Chamber commitment.

You are sure to enjoy this fast-moving event so treat your staff to a morning of entertainment and enjoy the opportunity to laugh, network, and honor area businesses on December 1st.

Sponsored By:

Special thanks to: • Creative Talent & Production - SPT Theatre & Mike Humbert• Awards Assembled & Provided by InTolerance• Video Production – KCRG-TV

Get Your Seats Now!

_____ Reservation(s) at $35 per person _____ Table(s) of 10 at $350 Amount Enclosed $____________

Business:___________________________________ Phone: ________________________________________________

Name(s): _________________________________________ _____________________________________________

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_________________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Card: Visa Mastercard AmEx (circle one) Expiration: _______ V-Code _______

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Signature: _________________________________ Email: ________________________________________________

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