 The Ames Chamber of Commerce and affiliate organizations is excited to announce the 2022 Annual Award winners. The award recipients will be honored at an event on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at Prairie Moon Winery in Ames.
Since 1987, the Ames Chamber of Commerce has recognized individuals and businesses who have shown exemplary service and commitment in their profession or in the community. The Annual Awards represents the combined efforts of the Ames Chamber of Commerce and its affiliate organizations that include the Ames Economic Development Commission, Ames Main Street, FUEL, Ames Seed Capital and The Ames Foundation. Join us in congratulating the 2022 Annual Award recipients:
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The Ames Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the participants who have been selected for Leadership Ames Class XXXVI:
Leadership Ames is a program of the Ames Chamber of Commerce that offers the opportunity for participants to gain experience in civic leadership responsibilities and cultivate relationships with other local leaders and community members. Tri-Chairs for Leadership Ames Class XXXVI are Tom Mortice, South Story Bank & Trust, Abbie Schaffer, US Bank, and Jessica Krupicka, Chevron Renewable Energy Group. Participants in this year’s class will participate in twelve day-long sessions designed to develop informed, involved and concerned leaders. "We are very excited to once again connect businesses and people together, to convene leaders for a common cause,” says Jan Williams, Vice President at the Ames Chamber of Commerce. “This energetic class will learn from one another but also hear from business leaders throughout the community, gaining an understanding of various businesses and industries and how they impact where we live, work and do business. This program dives into professional development growth, but shares numerous educational opportunities that will generate leaders for tomorrow.” Classmates will hear presentations on important topics, debate issues, participate in class activities, visit with area leaders, tour facilities and get to know other individuals representing a broad cross-section of the community. Session begins January 12, 2023. For more information on the Leadership Ames program, visit AmesChamber.com. Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission Announce New 2023-2027 Strategic Plan1/3/2023  The Ames Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Commission is excited to announce our new 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. Created by Ames Chamber of Commerce leadership, in collaboration with the executive members of each board of directors, the plan is designed to guide the organization, and affiliate organizations, for the next four years to positively impact all the communities within the Ames Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
Guided by this plan, our efforts will focus on the three key pillars the drive our work: Leadership, Engagement, and Advocacy. Leadership:
Engagement:
Advocacy:
Our targets by 2027 include:
“I want to thank the board of directors for the Ames Chamber of Commerce and the Ames Economic Development Commission for helping shape this vision,” said Dan Culhane, President & CEO of the Ames Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Commission. “This strategic plan is a snapshot of the work that we must pursue to drive business and community vitality across the Ames MSA.” To view a PDF version of the 2023-2027 strategic plan, click here Ames Chamber of Commerce and Ames Economic Development Commission Announce 2023 Board Chairs1/3/2023  The Ames Chamber of Commerce and Ames Economic Development Commission are excited to introduce the 2023 Board Chairs for their respective Board of Directors. Reynolds Cramer will serve as the Board Chair for the Ames Economic Development Commission and Michelle Vogel will serve as the Board Chair for the Ames Chamber of Commerce.
Reynolds W. Cramer is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Fareway Stores, Inc. He began working at the company at the Boone store in 1985 when he was 16 years old. During college, he moved and worked in the Decorah Fareway store in the meat department for three years. After working in two stores as assistant manager, he was promoted in 1997 to store manager, opening a new Fareway store in Des Moines. In 2000, he was promoted to district supervisor at the corporate office in Boone, Iowa. In 2008, Cramer was elected to the Real Estate Committee, and has been instrumental in choosing the strategic placement of new Fareway locations ever since. In 2009, Cramer was elected to the Board of Directors for Fareway, in 2010 he was named as a regional vice president, and in 2012 as an executive vice president in charge of all retail operations. Cramer’s promotion to CEO for Fareway occurred in February 2014. In addition to his responsibilities with Fareway, Cramer is active in many charitable organizations, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, ChildServe, UnityPoint Health Foundation, and he has served as President for Variety-the Children’s Charity. Cramer is also a board member of the Iowa Business Council. He is an advocate for animal rescue, having adopted several animals from various rescue organizations. A native Iowan and graduate of Boone High School in 1987 and Luther College in 1991, Cramer has a daughter Ashley, 23, and a daughter Zoe, 18. Reynolds and his wife, Sheila, live in Norwalk with their son Benny, 5. Michelle Vogel is the President of Sigler Companies, an Ames business that has been family-owned since inception in 1958. Michelle began working part-time at Sigler in Customer Service while attending Iowa State University (ISU). Michelle earned her degree in Production Operations Management and upon graduation from ISU in December 2001, she continued working at Sigler in a full-time capacity. Vogel was invited to join the leadership team in 2008 and held various positions within the company prior to being named President in the fall of 2018. Michelle has seen a great deal of growth and change during her time at Sigler, with the most recent business expansion coming in the form of acquisition when the company welcomed Alpha Copies and Express Signs to its family of brands in November 2022. A Carroll, Iowa native, Michelle resides in Ames with husband, Jake, and their three children. In addition to the busy schedules of two professional parents and the many activities of their kids, Michelle is an active member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), has a personal interest in the Iowans for Adoption non-profit organization, and is a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church. Michelle has served on the Ames Chamber of Commerce Board since 2019.  The Ames Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce promotions for two team members: Steven Lawrence and Sarah Dvorsky.
As Director of Marketing, Steven Lawrence will support the marketing efforts for the Ames Chamber of Commerce and affiliate organizations. Lawrence has been with the Ames Chamber of Commerce for over a year and was essential in maintaining the marketing efforts of the organization during times of transition. In this new position, Lawrence will curate content and monitor analytics for the many social media platforms that the Ames Chamber of Commerce operates, manage website updates, and coordinate the content and distribution of weekly e-newsletters. He previously served as Marketing Coordinator. As Director of Research & Economic Development Events, Sarah Dvorsky will support the ever-expanding economic development projects and events. In this new position, Dvorsky will monitor and track economic development prospect activity, perform Location One Information System (LOIS) updates, and support the business retention & expansion (BRE) program. Additionally, Dvorsky will assist with the delivery of responses to “requests for information” that come from various sources such as the Iowa Economic Development Authority, utility partners, and others. She will also collect and assemble data for quarterly reports for members, affiliate board members, and investors, and continually monitor and track economic development prospect activity. Dvorsky previously served as the Executive Director of Ames Main Street and has been with the Ames Chamber of Commerce for three years. Congratulations to both Steven Lawrence and Sarah Dvorsky on their promotion. The Ames Chamber of Commerce Welcomes Crystal Davis as New Executive Director of Ames Main Street11/30/2022  The Ames Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome Crystal Davis to the team as Executive Director of Ames Main Street (AMS).
“Crystal understands what it takes to lead our main street organization because she understands Ames,” said Dan Culhane, President & CEO of the Ames Chamber of Commerce. "For much of her career, she has been embedded in our community in a variety of ways, including here at the Ames Chamber of Commerce. I am excited to welcome Crystal back.” As the Executive Director of Ames Main Street, Davis will serve as the primary public relations person for Ames Main Street and will oversee the daily operations and programming. She will actively work with the Ames Main Street Board of Directors, the City of Ames, and private investors, to help make Downtown Ames better. This includes property development, business recruitment, and long-range planning. This position also serves as the main point of contact for the Campustown program. Prior to joining the Ames Chamber of Commerce, Davis most recently worked with the Mary Greeley Medical Center Foundation as their Donor & Corporate Engagement Officer. She was responsible for donor and corporate relations programming while leading the marketing and communication efforts of the Foundation. Prior to that, Davis worked for the Story County Medical Center Endowment Foundation, as well as the Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau. In that capacity, Davis worked both in Member & Visitor Services and communications. "Downtown Ames is the heartbeat of the Ames community, full of arts and culture, history, vibrant shopping, unique dining experiences, and is a large part of what makes Ames the place to live, work and play,” said Davis. “I am excited to work with Ames Main Street businesses to create an even more vibrant destination for residents and visitors alike!" Davis began her position on November 30 and can be reached at crystal@ameschamber.com  The Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission is excited to welcome Shannon Thiele to the team as Director of Member Retention & Affiliate Programming.
“Shannon is a wonderful addition, and the right fit, for our Ames Chamber of Commerce team,” said Dan Culhane, President & CEO of the Ames Chamber of Commerce. "Earlier this year, we passed 700 members, and Shannon’s ability to engage our members, as well as lead our affiliate programming will be essential as we continue to grow.” As the Director of Member Retention & Affiliate Programming, Thiele will assist with the cultivation of existing members, the identification and solicitation of prospective members within the Ames MSA for both membership and sponsorship. This position will also serve as the staff liaison to two affiliate organizations: FUEL, the young professionals’ organization, as well as the Ames Foundation. Additionally, Thiele will assist with Campustown programming by collaborating with the Executive Director of Ames Main Street. Prior to joining the Ames Chamber of Commerce, Thiele most recently worked at RE/MAX Real Estate Center as a Closing Coordinator, as well as a Client Services Coordinator. In that capacity, she worked with realtors, lenders, and clients throughout the Ames and Des Moines area and communicated milestones through the entire closing process. “I am extremely excited to join as the new Director of Membership Retention & Affiliate Programming and build relationships with the members of the Ames Chamber of Commerce,” said Thiele. “I have considered Ames home since attending Iowa State University and my passion for the surrounding area has grown over the years. I am thrilled to continue building the community of businesses that already make Ames such a great place to live.” Thiele began her position on November 28 and can be reached at shannon@ameschamber.com  SmartAsset ranked the Ames MSA as the #1 Best Place to Work in Manufacturing. The 2022 ranking analyzed nearly 400 metro areas across topics such as manufacturing employment, income, and cost of living.
Local manufacturing can provide high wage jobs, be essential for innovation, help reduce the national trade deficit and contribute to environmental sustainability, according to The Brookings Institute. However, U.S. manufacturing jobs have been shrinking over the past few decades (down more than 35% between 1995 and 2020). Given this trend, SmartAsset annually highlights the areas of the country that have been and continue to be strongholds for manufacturing. To do this, SmartAsset analyzed nearly 400 metro areas across topics such as manufacturing employment, income, and cost of living. The 2022 ranking marked the seventh study by SmartAsset on the best places to work in manufacturing. Key findings show that Midwestern and Southern metro areas comprise the majority of the top 10 places. These areas rank well for historical job and income growth over one- and three-year periods. No Northeastern metro areas cracked the top 10. Additionally, manufacturing industries are shrinking in more than half of metro areas. Of the 378 metro areas that were compared, 165 places saw a decline in the number of manufacturing workers between 2019 and 2020. This marks a significant change from last year’s study when only 113 metro areas saw a decline in manufacturing jobs between 2018 and 2019. Ames, Iowa claimed the top spot in this year’s ranking after significant growth in both manufacturing employment and income over a one-year period beginning in 2019 - both of which increased by more than 13%. Over a longer period of time (three years), Ames also ranks top 30 for both of the aforementioned topics. Roughly 17% of the workforce is in the manufacturing industry and the area as a whole has a low unemployment rate of 2.4%. You can read more about the SmartAsset ranking and methodology on their website.  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 look at places that are often aspirational markets,” said Dan Culhane, President & CEO of the Ames Chamber of Commerce. “There are many communities that have done wonderful things to make their community better and we can draw on their vision and leadership and apply those concepts in Ames.” The first stop on the 2022 Inter-City trip was Marion, Iowa. The group toured the newly constructed YMCA, new fire station, and the beautiful Lowe Park, a $1.7 million project that was funded with local, county, and state level support. Our team then toured the Marion Uptown, a Main Street Iowa community. Uptown is a vibrant placemaking project full of art, a streetscape project, and new commercial and residential construction. The next day, the Inter-City trip brought our delegation to Cedar Falls where our team visited with Cedar Falls Community Main Street and gained insights about their downtown redevelopment including their River Place Project. Cedar Falls has spent over a decade making improvements to their downtown area that now includes robust commercial offerings, a community plaza, and residential living. The final stop was the amazing river city of Dubuque. Greater Dubuque Development Corporation led our tour and talked about how both public and private investments led to the revitalization of the Mississippi Riverwalk, Port of Dubuque, and the Historic Millwork District. One of the major themes that was reinforced for our delegation was the importance of public and private partnerships related to investment. Other observations and aspirational ideas surrounded the concept of placemaking; transforming public spaces to strengthen the connections between people and our community. These spaces are often used socially and their vision is shared across the community. This is the fifth Inter-City trip that the Ames Chamber of Commerce has hosted. Previously visited communities include Manhattan, KS, Bloomington, IN, Columbia, MO, and Fort Collins, CO. Thank you to Sarah Dvorsky, Ames Chamber Executive Director of Ames Main Street and Affiliate Programming, for organizing this event. And a special thank you to the Marion Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), Uptown Marion District, City of Marion, Cedar Falls Downtown District, Grow Cedar Valley, City of Cedar Falls, Great Dubuque Development, City of Dubuque, Dubuque Main Street, and the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce. It was an amazing 3 days for our entire delegation. A special thank you to our sponsors who helped make this trip a reality: 10Fold Architecture + Engineering, Keen Project Solutions, Discover Ames, Hunziker Companies, and City of Boone.  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 Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission. "He is creative and highly skilled in communications and I believe will serve us well in this role while also providing valuable leadership and insight into our programming and the work we do throughout the Ames MSA.” As the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Smidt will oversee the overall marketing and communications strategies and implementation for the organization. "I am incredibly excited to be able to continue to serve our community through communications, now focusing on business and economic development through the Ames Chamber of Commerce," said Smidt. "I’ve built my career on telling the amazing stories that are all around us. Ames is a Smart Choice and I’m excited to continue the vision that the Chamber has developed and share those stories across our community." Smidt has spent the past five years as the Director of Communications for the Ames Community School District. During that time, he coordinated the communication campaign that led to the successful approval of the $110 million bond referendum for the new Ames High School. He also launched several new communication channels including the Amazing magazine that has a quarterly distribution of 12,000 copies across the Ames community, and the district’s award-winning Amazing Education Podcast. Smidt began his position on August 15 and can be reached at eric@ameschamber.com |
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About the Ames Chamber
Centrally and conveniently located in the heart of the Midwest and Iowa, Ames is known for its healthy, stable economy, flourishing cultural environment, and the world-renowned Iowa State University. With over 700 members, the Ames Chamber of Commerce strives to make Ames a better place to live, work, and do business by strengthening the economic vitality and the quality of life in the Ames community. |
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