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Economic Development

Greater Des Moines Partnership square logo

Six companies receive Economic Impact Awards

The Greater Des Moines Partnership will honor six companies during the annual Economic Impact Awards, held during the 2025 Regional Summit on Sept. 17 at the Iowa Events Center.

Now in its 43rd year, the awards recognize …

Goss

Iowa’s Rural Mainstreet Index drops 14.2 points

Image courtesy of Creighton University

The Rural Mainstreet Index for August fell for the 10-state Midwest region and lowered significantly in Iowa. Iowa’s exports, however, were up.

For the overall region, the index fell to …

June jobless rates map

Interactive map shows July jobless rates of Iowa communities

Adair, Carroll, Osceola, Sioux and Taylor counties have the lowest jobless rates among Iowa’s 99 counties with 2.8% of workers unemployed, new data from Iowa Workforce Development shows.

Among Iowa cities, the Carroll micropolitan statistical …

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Education leaders discuss Iowa’s career readiness gaps

Local education stakeholders discussed how to better connect students with career opportunities in Iowa at the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce’s recent August luncheon.

Meredith Murphy, the chamber’s director of future workforce, led the …

BioConnect Iowa logo

BioConnect Iowa CEO announces retirement

Steve Brody, president and CEO of BioConnect Iowa, announced Friday he will retire. He will remain involved during the transition period until a successor is appointed. BioConnect Iowa is the state’s public-private partnership for economic …

ieda logo

IEDA supports $65M Mount Pleasant manufacturing expansion, new Keosauqua sports amenities

The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board approved awards for a manufacturing expansion in Mount Pleasant and a quality of life project in Keosauqua. At its meeting Friday, the IEDA board also awarded a grant for …

JBS USA logo

JBS plans to buy new equipment, redesign Ankeny plant

JBS USA will purchase new equipment for a production facility it plans to buy in Ankeny and redesign and expand some areas of the plant, a company spokesman told the Business Record.

“The facility previously …

unemployment

Iowa’s jobless rate remains unchanged at 3.7%

Iowa employers added 300 jobs in July, the first increase since April, new data from Iowa Workforce Development shows.

Job gains were in the education and health services private sector, with 6,000 jobs added, and …

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JBS opening production facility in Ankeny

JBS USA announced it will buy an idle food production facility in Ankeny that currently is owned by Hy-Vee Inc. Photo courtesy of Google Inc.

Food processing giant JBS USA has reached an agreement to …

West Des Moines Chamber Logo

Speaker lineup announced for WDM women’s conference

The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce has announced the mentor lineup for its eighth annual Mentoring for Women Conference on Sept. 19 at the West Des Moines Marriott. The event aims to give Central Iowa women …