What is your name and position in the company/business? 
Mike Espeset, President 


What year was your company started/founded?
1934


Where was the business located when it started?
In our early days as James Thompson & Sons, we were located where our Warehouse and Small Projects team are now - 222 E 3rd St here in Ames.


When did it relocate to its present location?
We've been in our current building along S Bell Ave since 2017, and previously we were just down the road from here.


How many employees do you have now?
145


In the simplest of terms, what does your company do?
We're a general contractor, construction manager and design-builder in commercial construction markets.


What type of jobs are there within your business?
It takes a full team to run a construction company. We have construction workers, foremen, superintendents, equipment operators, construction engineers, project managers, and project coordinators, but also positions in accounting, architecture/design, IT, marketing, estimating, training and development, safety, warehouse staff and other support positions.


Where can people review current job openings with your business?
www.storycon.com/careers 


What accomplishment or milestone is your business most proud of?
87 years in business is tough one to beat. We're proud of our long-standing presence in the Ames community, and each additional year is a real opportunity to continue making a difference.


What are some ways your business and its employees have engaged with members of the community?
Our business and our employees are members of the communities we serve. They serve on school boards and community organizations, they volunteer for local causes and charities, their kids go to school in the Ames and surrounding districts, and they support other local businesses. As a company we reflect that engagement by supporting those same organizations that our employees care about.


What do you believe your business is best known for?
We believe we're best known for leading projects. (And our red pickup trucks you see driving around central Iowa.)


Why is Ames/Story County a great place for your business to be?
The people and businesses of Story County make it a great place to live and work.


What’s the best way for people to learn more about your business – do you post on social media or keep up a website?
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Written By: Josie Lickteig, Marketing Intern, Ames Chamber of Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
Moving to a new place may be scary. The unfamiliar faces and places, and the beginning of a new chapter are certainly a lot to handle. If you are considering moving to Ames or you have just moved here, this guide will be perfect for you. By building your community, getting involved, and exploring Ames, your new life will build a promising future.

Often, when you first move to a new place, it can seem really big while you feel very small. However, by building your community and getting connected with others, you can make your community feel closer and your presence feel larger. In Ames, there are many opportunities for you to get connected with others. Volunteer opportunities are available across multiple organizations in Ames! The Fourth of July Parade, Reiman Gardens, Ames Public Library, Raising Readers, the Ames Farmers’ Market, the Volunteer Center of Story County, and many other organizations are accepting volunteers and offering you the chance to support your new community.

Another way to feel like a true member of your community is by joining clubs for hobbies that you already enjoy. If there isn’t a club for your like-long favorite hobbies, this is also a perfect time to try something new and expand your horizons! There are many clubs that involve outdoor activities and take advantage of nature, while others utilize indoor activities. With the wide variety of clubs for people of different interests, you are certain to find people that you connect with.

There is one more extremely important step to familiarizing yourself with Ames: exploring the city! Spend a day in each area of Ames. In Downtown Ames, discover the Farmers’ Market and enjoy the history of Ames along with shopping and eating experiences. In Campustown, try a new restaurant and explore Iowa State University. Up in North Ames, check out the North Grand Mall and catch some fresh air at Ada Hayden. Lastly, see West Ames and further uncover the attractions that this city has to offer.

After building your community, getting involved, and exploring Ames, you will be on the right track to feeling at-home. Have confidence that you chose a wonderful town to call your home!

Written By: Josie Lickteig, Marketing Intern, Ames Chamber of Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
Have you ever had your family’s summer plans cancelled at the last minute by an unexpected storm? Having your plans cancelled may leave you bored and confused for your upcoming day - the weather can be our worst enemy sometimes. However, with this list of the best activities to do in Ames on a rainy day, your family’s day will be saved.

1. Reiman Gardens
Reiman Gardens will give you the feeling of enjoying nature while still being protected from the weather! There are many indoor activities that will provide your kids with great experience and learning opportunities, including the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, where you can emerge into a tropical butterfly sanctuary. Additionally, the Hughes Conservatory contains many tropical plants and seasonal displays that will completely encapsulate you in nature’s beauty. These are just two of the many indoor attractions that Reiman Garden offers.

2. Perfect Games
Perfect Games is the place to go for a day full of fun, food, and family! Perfect Games offers a wide range of attractions that is sure to keep your family full of high-energy. Their weather-safe activities include bowling, laser tag, and a video arcade, as well as a full-service restaurant and a sports bar. Family memories are sure to be made at Perfect Games!

3. North Grand Mall
North Grand Mall is another great location for a rainy day. Their broad spectrum of stores is sure to keep you and your family busy! From gift stores, to electronics, to apparel, and beauty, you will get all of your shopping done successfully. After your day of shopping and exploring the mall, you can head over to the North Grand Cinema and relax and eat popcorn while watching a film.

4. Iowa State University Memorial Union
The last rainy day activity is located within the Memorial Union on Iowa State’s campus. There are many chances for your family to get creative and learn. For all of your arts and crafts endeavors, check out the Workspace, where you can attend events such as walk-in crafts, pottery, art and dance classes, and more!

When rainy weather hits, your plans for a fun day do not need to be let down. Thankfully, our wonderful town provides us with these great rainy-day activities to keep you and your family entertained!

The Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market is in its 11th season this year and continues to be a community favorite from May to October.

Over time, the Market has evolved into so much more than a traditional Farmers’ Market. Year over year we see the Market grow with more vendors, more activities and more visitors from all over central Iowa.  Vendors are sold out by 10am, parents wait in long lines with their kids for the petting zoos and balloon animals, and folks of all ages stop to soak up the live music. The Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market is truly an experience, one designed for all community members to enjoy and feel welcome.

 “Your market has truly been a special spot for us over the years and last week we reflected on this as we drove home,” said long-time Market musicians, Brad & Kate. “What stands out to us about playing at the Ames Market is the beautiful display of diversity. When we play at a winery or a wedding there is typically a more narrow demographic that attends. During the market, we get the opportunity to play for all ages, as well as people with a wide array of political views, different nationalities and races, perhaps a variety of spiritual traditions, and likely a diversity of financial situations. It's not uncommon for us to have a heartfelt moment or teary-eyed interaction with a new fan. Seeing people with differences enjoy the togetherness of a morning with live music is at the core of our passion. It's a treat for us to experience this in Ames. Thank you!"
​
Next Saturday morning, grab your friends and family and head down to the 300 & 400 blocks of Main Street to experience the Market for yourselves. We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Written By: Eddie Wei, Business Engagement Collaborative, Ames High School
_______________________________________________________________________
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit just over a year ago, local businesses across the country scrambled to keep their doors open. Uncertain about what was to come, business owners had to develop new strategies, face new challenges, and overcome all the odds. 

While we can all agree that this pandemic has brought more harm than good, many of us do not realize how impactful the lessons we learn from this economic crisis will have in the future. 

Recently, we interviewed several Story County business owners to better understand the challenges, successes, and failures placed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, we hope to highlight what economic development is like in Story County in a time like this.

Fenceline Beer Lab—a nanobrewery and restaurant in Huxley—had to face the challenges of the pandemic only two months after their grand opening. Co-Owner and Head Brewer Susan Frantz says that Fenceline Beer Lab “had to do many pivots.” As a small business that relied on face-to-face interactions and communal relationships, Fenceline had to completely change their original plans to garner sales during the pandemic. In only two weeks after the initial shutdown, Fenceline transitioned to to-go sales and started canning their beers. Their quick thinking and adaptability allowed them to continue business, even if it was in an unconventional way. However, while they were able to push through the initial shutdown, Fenceline had to close and re-open several times throughout 2020 to accommodate to COVID-19 restrictions. Only in October of that year were they able to open long term.

Burke Corporation, a manufacturer of fully-cooked meats headquartered in Nevada, provides insight on how COVID-19 has impacted larger organizations. As an industry, Burke had to deal with changes to the supply chain and the delivery of raw materials. These unique challenges required them to quickly adapt and find creative solutions. For example, Burke shifted some of their focus onto different selling points that were still effective during the pandemic. In particular, they expanded their business in the retail space. They also stayed successful in their main selling point: pre-cooked meats for restaurants and other eateries. By helping out struggling customers like sit-down restaurants, Burke Corporation was able to increase their own business.

On an internal level, Burke combatted quickly-changing COVID-19 protocols and guidelines by streamlining messages in a transparent way to their team members. One way they did this was by using new technology. Rather than just emailing and phone calling, Burke embraced new video conferencing services to communicate internally and externally. In fact, the incredible advancements in video conferencing also allowed Burke to reach international customers in an intimate and personal way that wasn’t possible before.
​
While COVID-19 has placed unprecedented barriers to businesses large and small, economic development in Story County has not slowed down. Fenceline Beer Lab and Burke Corporation have shown us how to adapt to changing circumstances and succeed in a time like this.

Written By: Olivia Heindel, Business Engagement Collaborative, Ames High School
_______________________________________________________________________
Students in Ames High School’s Business Engagement Collaborative course have had extraordinary opportunities to innovate with local area businesses and solve real-world problems. 

Some recent examples of the phenomenal projects that have been completed in this class include: 

• The creation of a promotional video for the Ames Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the project was to highlight the uniqueness of the city of Ames and encourage young adults to live here. The video has since been shared with the Ames Chamber of Commerce workforce and relocation contacts, gaining over 1,600 views. 

• Students also worked with the local non-profit startup, Be Rare Initiative, to create a business plan to give to potential investors. The goal of the project was to create a written statement outlining the business, predicting financial forecasts, creating marketing plans and strategies, and a detailed description of the non-profit’s solutions to local problems. The plan will serve as an outline for the business going forward. 

• Students also partnered with Homestead 39, a nonprofit organization in Burlington, Iowa, to create a budget and research plan for a butterfly garden. They examined the best plants, care, and positioning of butterfly gardens in hopes of best supporting the ecosystem. 

• A redesign of the Story County College Access Network (SCCAN) logo and creation of a website has been an activity in which students helped bring a modern look to a nonprofit organization. Students also envision themselves working to create a social media presence to reach the organization’s target audience. 

• Students also familiarized themselves with the workings of the Ames High School Store, The Storm Shelter, to create a detailed video of the screen-printing process. This video will be used to educate future classes on safety and proper workings of the screen printing equipment. 

• Students also collaborated with Rock Rapids Church and Food at First to provide food-waste prevention and awareness solutions to businesses and organizations throughout Ames.

​
The Ames High School Business Engagement Collaborative Class has provided thorough and diverse opportunities for juniors and seniors at Ames High School in order to begin thinking about their future. The experience gained will be a tremendous asset to future employers. If you have a project that you would like to propose to this class, please contact Niki Schieffer via email at niki.schieffer@ames.k12.ia.us

Written By: Bryce Bearson, Business Engagement Collaborative, Ames High School
_______________________________________________________________________
Tucked in the small, quaint town of Huxley, Iowa lays Fenceline Beer Lab, a nano-brewery and restaurant. Famed for its craft beer and food, this locally-owned establishment is located at 107 South Main Street. The owners, Susan and Jonathan Frantz, bought the property in late 2017 and worked nights and weekends to renovate the building until it was finally finished in 2019. 
​
The Frantz’s had always wanted to open a brewery and when they moved to Iowa in 2013, their dream became even more possible. With an actively growing community, Huxley presented itself as the perfect place to start the beer lab. One short block away is the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail, which brings in business from cyclers, hikers, and runners. The couple’s focus has always been committed to a community-forward atmosphere and a place where families could gather to share a meal. 

Fenceline opened for business in January of 2020, which unfortunately was right as the global pandemic hit, but that did not stop the Frantz’s. They instantly introduced “to-go” beer sales two weeks into the shutdown. Towards the end of June 2020, they slowly began offering “to-go” foods. Unfortunately, due to the derecho that wreaked havoc across the state and the COVID-19 pandemic, they were forced to close for all in-house sales in September. Thankfully, in October, in-house seating was reopened and continues to be available today.

Nick Sorensen, Director of Community & Economic Development Outreach at the Ames Chamber of Commerce stated, “Fenceline Beer Lab is located right off the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail and presents a new stop for cyclists in Old Town Huxley. It brought back life to an underutilized building and gave residents another place to spend their time and invest locally.”

Fenceline Beer Lab is committed to creating a welcoming atmosphere. They plan to continue to achieve this goal by expanding their patio area in the near future. When Susan and Jonathan were in the planning phase of their business, they decided that they wanted to become active members of the community. “We are thankful for the support of the community and the wonderful help from others during this challenging time.”

To access Fenceline Beer Lab’s unique list of craft beers and menu, visit  https://www.fencelinebeerlab.com/

Written By: Madison Wiertzema, Business Engagement Collaborative, Ames High School
_______________________________________________________________________
Nevada, IA: a small-town with a charming atmosphere. With the close proximity Nevada has to Ames, Ankeny, and Des Moines, economic growth has been booming in Nevada this past year. Today’s featured business is Burke Corporation, which has been located in Nevada since the mid-1980s. Burke Corporation manufactures pizza toppings, and other fully cooked meats as a subsidiary of Hormel Foods. They originally chose Nevada as the location for their plant due to the growth mindset of Nevada and Story County. There are currently over 600 employees at the Nevada location, with increasing employment throughout their expansion process. 

If you’ve traveled on Highway 30 to Nevada recently, you might have noticed construction happening at Burke Corporation. They are currently in the middle of an expansion to support the growing product and employment demand. They began the 150 million dollar expansion in 2018, which is the biggest expansion in Hormel Foods’ history. Each phase of the project brings in 50+ new team members to support the growing company.

In order to accomplish a project of this large scale, Burke has formed close relationships with the Nevada Chamber of Commerce, Ames Chamber of Commerce, Story County officials, and State of Iowa officials for support during the expansion. Economic development and projects at this size cannot be completed without a strong foundation system and the support of economic growth from the surrounding communities.

Local restaurants, convenience stores, daycare centers, and housing operations have already seen higher demand in the Nevada and Story County area due to the expansion. In the long-term, Burke hopes to bring even more people to Story County and add value to Nevada businesses through ongoing employment.

 John Hall, Vice President of Business Development at the Ames Chamber of Commerce stated, “Burke Corporation has been a pillar of the Nevada community for years and their expansion reiterates their commitment to being a desired employer in Nevada. The expansion project will add 210 new jobs and reflects a $150 million capital investment creating a tremendous economic impact on the community. Burke’s impact in Nevada doesn’t end with their economic contribution and job growth. They actively encourage employees to be engaged in their communities as volunteers and sponsor programs and events in the area.”
​
To find out more about Burke and their operations, click here.

Written By: Madison Wiertzema & Niki Schieffer, Business Engagement Collaborative, Ames High School
_______________________________________________________________________
Located on the south side of Ames, the Iowa State University Research Park (ISURP) is a growing economic community for new and expanding businesses. ISURP provides its 90 tenants access to technology, a variety of resources available at the University, facilities, equipment, and infrastructure. The park spans 400+ acres and has more than 800,000 square feet of developed buildings. 
​
The Research Park brings local and global businesses to Ames to provide for our community. More than 2,000 employees work at the various companies within the Research Park and bring value to Ames and the surrounding communities through supporting the growing demand for housing in Ames, and the surrounding areas. 

Performance Livestock Analytics, located within the Iowa State University Research Park, was founded in 2015 to provide a digital platform for the livestock industry. While their main office is located in Ames they have a strong remote team throughout the country. Powered by the industry’s leading cloud-based platform, Performance Beef and Cattle Krush, provides 24/7 access to accurate, real-time data and analytics from anywhere. Livestock production plays a critical role in the agriculture industry but had previously been underserved by ag technology providers.

Performance Livestock Analytics offers an innovative platform that combines cloud-based technology with on the farm information which simplifies data collection and provides powerful analytics for livestock producers to make better marketing and management decisions.

Performance Livestock creates economic value to the Ames community through the creation of job opportunities and increasing the demand for goods and services.

John Hall, Vice President of Business Development at the Ames Chamber of Commerce stated, “The Iowa State University Research Park (ISURP) provides unique value to economic development in our region. From entrepreneurs who are just getting started to established Fortune 500 companies, the capacity for innovation and growth is limitless. The Park is poised to help companies like Performance Livestock Analytics to achieve new levels of research and development. The ISURP also drives our local workforce by offering diverse career opportunities, ever-advancing technology and research partnerships with Iowa State University. Much of the future growth in Ames and Story County will stem from the Research Park.”