If Michael Blouin could use some of Trans Ova Genetics’ technology to clone himself, he’d probably consider it. Even though he works 10 to 15 hours a day, Iowa’s economic development director says he’s not accomplishing as much as he would like.

It’s a new day at the Iowa Department of Economic Development, where the workload is “growing dramatically,” and his staff is “fired up,” Blouin said.   The main reason: Twice the number of companies – about 140 – now say they have Iowa on their “short list” of states for relocation, compared with about 70 at the end of 2002.

It’s a big change for a department that’s weathered big budget cuts and the firing of its last director.

Nobody’s complaining about working harder at the IDED, said Blouin, who’s been in the key job about eight months now. The Business Record recently caught up with him for a 15-minute interview, squeezed between two meetings.

“I think people are fired up, excited about where we’re heading, excited about having a meaningful role to play in the future of this state,” Blouin said. “Thanks to the governor and the Legislature, we have a full tool box; we have the ability to be change agents. That’s what everybody’s here for.”

The key new tool in that box, and the reason for much of the excitement, is the Grow Iowa Values Fund. The fund provides about $220.5 million to assist businesses in expanding or relocating to Iowa. It also earmarks $27 million for university research and development, $25 million for workforce training and $5 million toward quality-of-life issues such as state parks funding.

“Although it’s substantially different than what the governor asked for and different than what the House passed originally, it is a far better tool than anything we’ve ever had,” he said.

The legislation establishing the fund specifically targets the bulk of the growth to come from three industries: advanced manufacturing, life sciences and information solutions. That emphasis provides focus and a direction for Iowa, said Blouin, who at his appointment described Iowa as being “at a crossroads.”

Now, the Values Fund “gives us a road map, if you will, to be able to navigate that crossroads,” he said. “That’s a very positive move.”

Another factor that’s helping Iowa is the state’s financial stability compared with nearly every other state, Blouin said.

“It sends a message to companies that taxes aren’t going to double to balance the budget. We’ve weathered that storm, and we’re back on the path of real solid financial footing. I think it’s made it a lot easier for companies to call Iowa, because it’s almost safe haven.”

With much of the public’s focus on the Values Fund, Blouin acknowledged that sometimes people forget it’s just one of several economic development tools. In each of the three projects approved for funding so far, the Values Fund won’t provide the largest piece of funding, he noted.

Additionally, the list of companies being considered for funding is constantly updated, so that any business with a plan for creating jobs and growing a segment of the economy has a chance to become No. 1 on the list, he said.

Blouin said at least three to four years are needed to evaluate whether the Values Fund is successful in growing Iowa’s economy. If after that time it’s clearly not working, then the state must shift gears and do something else, he said.

“Governments don’t change that fast, but I think we should take a page from the private sector and be just as adaptable. But you need that three- or four-year run to be able to demonstrate whether it works or not, because you’re talking about re-creating an economy. And unlike selling a product, that takes a little longer.”

Personally, Blouin said getting back into government after 20 years in the private sector has been his biggest frustration. Before his appointment by the governor, Blouin had served as the first president and chief executive of the Greater Des Moines Partnership since its creation in December 1999.    In his earlier political life, Blouin was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1968 and 1970. He served a half-term as a state senator before being elected as the U.S. House of Representatives in 1975. After an unsuccessful re-election bid, Blouin served in several private-sector economic development roles in Cedar Rapids through the 1980s.

“Government is frustrating in itself,” he said. “But I’ve been here before and I know there are different things you have to do for public credibility, because it is public money.”

Blouin said what he thought would be the biggest frustration has actually been a pleasant surprise – a professional staff.

“This is a far better staff than I ever gave them credit for,” he said. “There are people here who are pros, who work for much less than they would in the private sector, who work long hours and know their stuff, and that makes it fun.”

Another frustration: Not being able to get to as many places in Iowa as he’d like as he works to get reacquainted with the entire state.

“It’s a much bigger state than people realize, bigger in the sense that there are many different Iowas, different pockets of the state that have different ways of thinking,” he said. “It’s a hands-on game in that sense, and that just takes a lot of time. So not having time to do things becomes a sense of frustration. I’m not getting out as much as I want, and I’m out a lot.”     Most workdays, he’s going 10 to 15 hours, as well as working on weekends as needed, but it’s still not enough, he said.

“That would be extremely frustrating if there weren’t really good people here I can hand it off to … and they’re giving the same quality of message.”

One of the things that’s taking longer than he had hoped is developing a marketing strategy for the state. The Values Fund legislation reserved $20 million of the $220.5 million business development and assistance fund to implement a marketing strategy for the state.

“But as I work with that committee on occasion I can understand why (it’s taking so long),” he said. “We’re trying to create something new, that’s the marketing of Iowa to the world. … We’re trying to do it in a way that presents a seamless brand.”

Does Blouin have any aspirations to get back into political life after serving as economic development director?   “No, no, thank God,” he said with a laugh. “Those were great years, but they were a long time ago, a different era. No, it’s not on my list. It has nothing to do with why I’m here. I’m here because the governor asked me to spend a few years here to help him and help the people of Iowa. And have a little fun in the process.”

Overall, the framework that’s been put in place with the Values Fund is starting to work, he said. The indicator is the interest it’s grabbed statewide.

“Whenever people start to argue about whether they’re going to get a chance to play the game, it tells me they want to play the game,” he said. “And all of Iowa wants to be part of the economic development game.”

Blouin said he sees the Values Fund as the climax of a process that began with Vision Iowa, and that continued last year with the passage of venture capital fund legislation.

“I think Iowans are excited about it. That’s in part why the entire department’s excited about it. It’s exciting to be in the center of the storm, especially when the storm’s a positive thing.”