CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa—Members of the three boards of directors for the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Priority One and the Downtown District announced the successful merger of the three organizations last night at a joint annual meeting.
At the event, the new organization also revealed its new name, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, and vision for the future.
“The new organization will provide better integration of resources for economic development,” said Dee Baird, CEO of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance.
“Our goal is to be one of the top economic growth areas in the country. This merger brings us closer to that goal.”
“We are stronger together,” said Doug Neumann, executive vice president for the new organization. “Our new name reflects our new integrated effort at aligning community goals and presenting them with one unified voice for economic development.”
Another key reason to unite the three organizations is to create a more coordinated and proactive public policy effort.
“We are seeing that the most successful communities have built and supported one regional organization,” said Nancy Kasparek, a representative of the nine-member “Unification Council.” The Unification Council was appointed to formalize the new organization’s name, bylaws and mission.
“We will continue to focus on a strong downtown, within the regional framework of economic development,” said Tom Anderson, a former Downtown District board member and member of the Unification Council.
The structure of the new organization includes four “innovation” councils that will support key efforts and shape strategy for the region. The four councils are Large Investors; Business Support and Innovation; Community Development; and Economic Development. The councils will feed into a nine-member policy board for the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance.
“We’ve seen the successful reorganization of other communities including Des Moines, the Cedar Valley and Siouxland,” said Baird. “Now is the time for the Cedar Rapids metro area to refocus and expand our economic development efforts.”
