Midland National Life Insurance Co. plans to move its West Des Moines-based annuity division at 4601 Westown Parkway into a larger vacant building in the city early next year. The private company, based in Sioux Falls, S.D., is seeking a loan of $125,000 from the state. The $9.28 million expansion project will enable Midland Life to create 86 new jobs over the next three years, the company said in its application. The city of West Des Moines approved a five-year, no-interest loan of $25,000 to Midland National for the project at its Sept. 8 meeting. The Iowa Department of Economic Development’s board of directors is scheduled to consider the request tomorrow. Company officials could not be reached for comment.

KemPharm Inc., a biopharmaceuticals start-up company in North Liberty, announced this morning that it has closed a $3.8 million round of financing that will enable it to advance clinical testing of its attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and pain drugs. Clive-based DeWaay Capital Partners led the financing round, which brings the total raised to date by the company to $7.6 million. KemPharm uses a technology that enables it to create new chemical entities from existing drugs, providing potentially shorter development timelines and reduced development costs, the company said. Click here for related story.

Rockwell Collins Inc. received a $33.5 million contract from the Air Force for a communication, navigation and surveillance program for the KC-135 aerial refueling tanker, the Pentagon said late Monday. Shares of the Cedar Rapids-based company gained 17 cents to $48.69 in midday trading Tuesday.

The Iowa Coalition for Innovation and Growth has launched the Iowa Career Hub, a social networking forum on Facebook. The page “is designed to be a resource for soon-to-be high school and college graduates, new job seekers, parents, teachers, counselors – anyone who desires to learn about the exciting career paths and rewarding job opportunities Iowa has to offer,” said Elliott Smith, executive director of the Iowa Business Council, in a press release. The Iowa Career Hub page can be found at www.facebook.com/iowacareerhub.