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)…
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…
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…
One of the things I love most about our team is that we never stop searching for the next opportunity. Whether it’s connecting businesses through networking, driving new housing developments, or expanding the ways we tell our region’s story, our passion for making a positive impact never fades. Economic development…
If you’re anything like me, you’re eager to fully embrace 2025. Now that we’re already a month into the year, 2024 feels like a distant memory. While I tend to focus on the future, I encourage you to take a moment to review our 2024 Annual Report if you haven’t…
The end of another year is now here, and I can tell you that 2024 has been nothing short of transformative. As we look back on the past twelve months, it’s clear that this year has been filled with opportunities and milestones that have shaped our organization and the communities…
As we approach the end of the year slow down, I can say that it feels nothing like a slow down around the Alliance office. Each week feels more hectic than the last. From end of year events to working with prospective companies who are interested in locating to the…
This fall, the hosts of the Discovery Channel’s show, “RV There Yet?” visited our region to record an episode for season four of their popular show. It’s a project that we had been working on for months, and it was an exciting week for our team when they were in…
I recently returned from northern Minnesota where I presented for two days at the Upper Midwest Economic Development Course. I’ve had the honor of presenting there several times over the years and it is always an event that I look forward to. Speaking to emerging economic development leaders from around…
Earlier this month, we announced that the hosts of the Discovery Channel’s popular show, “RV There Yet?” will visit the Ames area in early October to record an episode on our region. The show will feature local amenities in Boone and Story County, including the Rail Explorers in Boone, Reiman…
Earlier this month, I attended the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) annual convention, this year held in Dallas, Texas. It was wonderful to connect with colleagues from across the country and to take time to think about the work we do. As our new Ames Regional Economic Alliance…
Earlier this week marked a significant moment for our organization as we officially launched our new brand: Ames Regional Economic Alliance. The new brand is not just about a name and a logo, it is about a collective commitment to growth, collaboration, and prosperity across our three-county area. For over…
As we move into June, the summer season is officially here. For many of us, that includes entering the season of being busy. Gatherings with family and friends, weddings, and vacations, often get condensed into a three-month window of time. If you’re anything like us, when we get to the…
Earlier this month, it was announced that Daisy Brand, a Dallas, Texas-based company, is planning to build a new state-of-the-art, 750,000 square foot facility in Boone in 2024. The makers of cottage cheese and sour cream, Daisy is a national brand that had the choice to land anywhere across the…
Pioneer Property Management and the City of Boone celebrated the groundbreaking of The Villas at Fox Pointe, located at the northwest corner of 22nd Street and P Avenue in Boone, Iowa, on Thursday, October 6, 2022. This groundbreaking ceremony marked the beginning of a two-phase, $19 million investment in Boone….
The Iowa Finance Authority recently approved a senior housing tax credit project for the community of Boone. The $7.6 million new construction project will include 30 total units, all two-bedroom, for community members 55+ years of age. Twenty-seven of those units will be identified as affordable housing units while three…
The Ames Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2022 Inter-City Visit from August 17-19, where city and community leaders from Ames, Boone, and Nevada toured Marion, Cedar Falls, and Dubuque and met with their community leaders. “The purpose of the trip is to bring business, civic, and community leaders together to…
The Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission is excited to welcome Eric Smidt to the team as Vice President of Marketing & Communications.“I am excited that Eric decided to join our team here at the Ames Chamber of Commerce,” said Dan Culhane, President and CEO of the Ames…
Governor Kim Reynolds has recently announced eight recipients of the Iowa Health Careers Registered Apprenticeship Grant Program. The Boone Community School District has been awarded over $410,000 to further expand their existing apprenticeship program. The Health Careers Registered Apprenticeship Program is a new grant opportunity built on an innovative learning…
The Ames Economic Development Commission is pleased to announce that both the City of Boone and City of Collins have received funding for Downtown renovation projects. The Iowa Economic Development Authority has awarded both cities with $100,000, respectively, for projects that will transform an underutilized building into new commercial and…
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…
Last year, we helped develop Build a Better Boone, a collaboration that brought together key organizations across the Boone community on a regular basis. The key entities include the City of Boone, Boone County, Visit Boone County, Boone Community School District, Boone Chamber of Commerce, and the Boone County Economic Growth…
Earlier this month, we recognized individuals and businesses who have shown exemplary service and commitment in their profession or in the community at our Annual Awards ceremony. This is a tradition that has continued since 1987, and it’s an event that I look forward to each year. This year’s awards…
Author Tommy Spalding was the keynote speaker at our Annual Luncheon event on December 5, 2023, held at Cornerstone Church. His message of servant leadership is one that resonates with me, and I was excited to hear him speak. Leadership is something that I think about often, always aspiring to…
This year’s Inter-City Visit to Lafayette / West Lafayette, Indiana, October 18-20, was an overwhelming success. This was the sixth Inter-City Visit that we have hosted, and each one has delivered on the purpose of learning from comparable communities. When selecting communities to visit, we always try to find those…
This past weekend, I walked my daughter Katie down the aisle and gave her hand to her husband (and my new son-in-law) Hugh. The ceremony and reception were perfect, and I could not be more proud of them as a couple. For some reason, I scheduled my annual physical examination…
I recently finished the book Fans First: Change the Game, Break the Rules, & Create an Unforgettable Experience by Jesse Cole. It was a book that was recommended to me by a colleague, and I must say it is an exceptional (and quick) read. Jesse Cole is the owner of the Savannah…
In July, the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, known to all of us as RAGBRAI, once again visited Ames as an overnight stop. This was the 50th anniversary of the Iowa summer tradition and Ames has been part of it from the beginning. Ames was an overnight stop…
The President & CEO role of many organizations must look at the “big picture,” or serve as the visionary leader. Part of that is focusing on the culture of the organization, establishing and maintaining relationship with stakeholders, putting into place a strong team, and moving forward the big rocks that…
Every other month, we have an all-staff meeting where we get together for lunch, laugh on a personal level, and cover a variety of business along the way. Even though we see each other on a weekly basis, these meetings are great ways for us to connect, provide updates, and…
Next month, May 8-12, we will celebrate Economic Development Week. It is a hallmark week for our organization as we pride ourselves on being a driving force of economic development for our region. In many ways, we have already started the celebration. If you follow our social media accounts, you…
One of the three pillars that leads our work here at the Ames Chamber of Commerce is advocacy, or our ability to publicly support or privately recommend a course of action related to a particular cause. We want local businesses to succeed, and it is our responsibility, and honor, to…
I recently came to the realization that my job has changed. I still hold the title of President & CEO of our organization, but how I spend my time on any given week has shifted. I am not entirely sure when that happened, or necessarily how it happened, but I…
On any given weekend, people will arrive at The Slater Station in Slater, Iowa, by car, bicycle, or the preferred method of a golf cart, to enjoy the outdoor atmosphere, conversation amongst friends, and a cold one. This summer, the bar celebrated its one-year anniversary of selling drinks in a…
Iowa State University (ISU) was recently named the #1 Entrepreneurial University of the Year for the Americas by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities. This latest recognition of Iowa State’s entrepreneurship program is the third national or international award in as many years and is the result of…
In 1996, Anne Taylor and Roger Ossian launched A & R Marketing, a custom screen printing and embroidery company, located in Campustown. For the past 27 years, they have served the business and Iowa State community with apparel marketing needs. Thinking back to those early days, Ossian said “the company…
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…
