The City of Slater has approved an application for $100,0000 in support from their economic development revolving loan fund. These funds will support the renovation and establishment of a new business in an historic building in the community’s downtown. Home Kneads, LLC is a locally owned sourdough bakery dedicated to…
Housing is more than rooftops and floorplans. It is workforce strategy. It is downtown revitalization. It is quality of life. Across the Alliance four-county region, communities are confronting the same reality: growth depends on having places for people to live. This year’s Housing Impact Award, presented by the Ames Regional…
This April, I will celebrate 20 years as CEO of the Ames Regional Economic Alliance. Candidly, when I started in April of 2006, I envisioned staying five to seven years. But life happens. Kids grow up, schedules fill, and you learn quickly what you do not want to disrupt. Before…
When people think of Italian cuisine, the Barilla name often comes to mind. Founded in Parma, Italy in 1877, Barilla has spent more than four generations perfecting the craft of pasta making. But while its heart may be Italian, one of its most important homes is right here in Ames,…
In 2025, Harold Pike Construction (HPC) marked a remarkable milestone: fifty years of shaping Ames and communities across central Iowa. Founded in 1975 by Harold and Julie Pike, the company began with a simple but powerful mission: to meet the construction needs of homeowners, businesses, developers, and Iowa State University…
For Eric Chriswisser, owner of All Star Auto Glass in Ames, great service starts with local pride. “We wanted to build a company that people could trust; not just because of our work, but because they know we’re part of the community,” Chriswisser says. “When you call us, you’re talking…
Nestled in the heart of Downtown Ames, Bandshell Park has been a cherished gathering spot and musical landmark for nearly a century. What started as a modest wooden bandstand has evolved into an enduring symbol of the city’s spirit and community pride. The site first became public land when the…
The Ames Regional Economic Alliance is excited to welcome Jennifer Luengas-Otto as a new Director of Economic Development. In this role, Jennifer will lead Story County outreach and also serve as the Executive Director of the Nevada Economic Development Council (NEDC), supporting business growth, retention, and community development efforts throughout…
As we wrap up the month, I want to take a moment to reflect on one of the most meaningful gatherings of the year to date for the Ames Regional Economic Alliance: our 2025 Annual Awards celebration. Since 1987, this event has served as more than a ceremony, but as…
A new celebration of nonfiction storytelling is coming to Ames. The Ames Regional Economic Alliance, Octagon Center for the Arts, and Ames Main Street is excited to announce the launch of the Ames Documentary Film Festival, debuting September 27, 2026, in conjunction with the long-standing Octagon Arts Festival. The festival will feature short…
For more than four decades, Hawkeye Molding has been quietly shaping the world from the heart of Iowa. What began in 1979 as a rural custom thermoplastic injection-molding shop has grown into a diversified manufacturing operation supplying components for everything from coffee makers and lighting fixtures to agricultural and industrial…
From the outside, American Athletic’s Jefferson, Iowa, facilities look like any other advanced manufacturing hub in the Midwest. Inside, however, technicians are shaping the future of sports, hand-crafting world-class gymnastics and basketball equipment trusted from high school gyms to NCAA and professional arenas and Olympic stages. American Athletic, Inc. (AAI)…
This April, I will celebrate 20 years as CEO of the Ames Regional Economic Alliance. Candidly, when I started in April of 2006, I envisioned staying five to seven years. But life happens. Kids grow up, schedules fill, and you learn quickly what you do not want to disrupt. Before…
As we wrap up the month, I want to take a moment to reflect on one of the most meaningful gatherings of the year to date for the Ames Regional Economic Alliance: our 2025 Annual Awards celebration. Since 1987, this event has served as more than a ceremony, but as…
As we close out another year, I want to take a moment to reflect on one of December’s highlights for our organization. If you attended our Annual Event earlier this month, I hope you enjoyed our keynote speaker, Valerie Grubb, an internationally recognized keynote speaker and author on leadership. I…
As we close out November, I’m reminded that this season naturally brings a sense of gratitude and we have much to be thankful for across the Ames Regional Economic Alliance. We’re in the season of many of our affiliate organizations hosting their annual events, giving us the opportunity to recognize…
As we near the end of another busy month, I’m reminded of a saying I used recently: “Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan.” I’ve been told I have a lot of these sayings. I credit President Kennedy with this one, but it certainly applies to our organization and the momentum…
This past month has been another strong reminder of the incredible role Iowa State University plays in the life of our community and our regional economy. Few things highlight this better than the national attention Ames received when FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff show came to town for the Cy-Hawk football game. The…
Years ago, when I was only months on the job here in Ames, I held one of my first board meetings and timidly outlined a new direction for the organization. I was timid because I wanted to honor the amazing work that had already taken place while instilling new ideas…
I recently attended the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) annual conference in Philadelphia. It’s a conference that I attend often, as do others within our organization. The programming is always excellent, and it gives our team an opportunity not only to learn from others but also to reflect…
As a leader, I try to spend most of my time shining a light on the many positive things happening across our region. And truthfully, that’s easy to do—we live in a community filled with innovation, collaboration, and momentum. But the reality is, not everything we do succeeds. Failure is…
Earlier this month, we proudly broke ground—ceremonially, at least—on the highly anticipated Daisy Brand project in Boone. Though the rain kept us from putting actual shovels in the dirt, it didn’t dampen our excitement or the significance of the moment. We celebrated a $1.2 billion investment coming into our region…
On Episode #004 of the AREA Podcast, Jill Klindt, Chief Financial Officer of Workiva said, “If you’re not building something new, then you’re not growing. So, it’s really important to find the next thing.” I think about this often because it gets at the heart of what drives the Ames…
One of the greatest responsibilities of leadership is building a strong team. Over the years, I’ve learned that the best way to do that is to hire people who are better than you in key areas—and then give them the authority to lead. Too often, leaders hire for comfort rather…
In March, the City of Ogden and Ogden Legacy announced that they were again partnering to provide homeowners the opportunity to apply for matching funds to make exterior improvements to their Ogden residences. In addition to funding for exterior work, the City and Ogden Legacy were successful in their efforts…
Recognizing the desire of Ogden to accelerate its housing interests, the Ames Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has come to an agreement with the City of Ogden for an enhanced level of support beyond those that would generally be expected. The agreement comes as a result of the City of Ogden’s…
The Ames Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has entered into a contract of services with the Boone County Economic Growth Corporation (BCEGC). With the addition of this new contract, the Ames Economic Development Commission will now play a role in strengthening the BCEGC organization while building stronger partnerships across Boone County…
The Ames Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that the 2022 State of the Community will be held at the Ames Community School District Administration Office on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. The State of Community, sponsored by the Ames Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of…
The Ames Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome Emory Widlowski and Caroline Stewart as new additions to their staff. “I am thrilled to have two brand new graduates of Iowa State University joining our team,” says Dan Culhane, President & CEO of the Ames Chamber of Commerce. “Emory’s event…
An end of year message can be challenging because it always aspires to condense the year that was, which is impossible. Therefore, I will not attempt to summarize the past twelve months, but rather talk about how our organization connects with our community as we move into 2023. I have…
In leadership, the axiom goes that “you’re only as good as your team.” In my career, I have grown to appreciate and understand how true this is. This week, we welcomed two new members to our Ames Chamber of Commerce team. I am incredibly excited to see what they will…
Earlier this week, the board of directors for the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Ames Economic Development Commission met together for a joint meeting. We annually have this joint meeting as a way to bring together the two parts of our organization for not only the business meeting, but a…
Greetings from the Ames Chamber of Commerce! For those in attendance, I hope you enjoyed listening to Brian Dieter, President & CEO of Mary Greeley Medical Center, speak at our State of Healthcare event that took place on Friday, September 23. I know I did! He discussed a wide range…
In 2022, YSS, focused on creating hope and opportunity by putting kids first, launched its Ambassador Program with Gabe Kalscheur as their first-ever YSS Ambassador. Kalscheur, a member of the Iowa State men’s basketball team at the time, engaged in volunteer activities such as helping at the local YSS youth…
Name, image and likeness — more commonly known as NIL — has rapidly become an integral part of collegiate athletics over the past couple of years. The adoption of NIL stems from a 2021 court case, and subsequent NCAA rules change, that allows student-athletes to monetize their personal brand and…
Lincolnway Energy, located between Ames and Nevada, celebrated the milestone of 1 billion gallons of ethanol produced in January 2023. Originally formed in May 2004, the plant started as a 50 million gallon per year dry mill ethanol plant. Today, it produces close to 95 million gallons of ethanol a…
Evie Peterson is a roll-up-her-sleeves type of entrepreneur who requires little sleep, a lot of coffee, and is not afraid to tackle the next big thing. Over the past 17 years, she has grown a successful catering business into a quintet of companies that has transformed Main Street Nevada. She is relentless…
The Ames Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Program focuses on educating and engaging members on key legislative issues and initiatives impacting the Ames MSA. Maintaining strong relationships with federal, state, and locally elected officials is a key tenet of the Ames Chamber of Commerce, and a service we are proud…
