Leadership
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New Bank Iowa CEO: big banks saturating Iowa is good for business

Bank Iowa has a new CEO. South Dakota farm kid, Jason Herrboldt grew up 10 minutes from Iowa and the state finally captured him. He answers Bank Iowa’s crypto plans, and addresses rising competition from big National Banks saturating Iowa, stable coins and FinTech threats. Herrboldt explains their investment mix, how they plan to stay…
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Who’s hiring who? Ai is screening resumes but is that good?

Who’s hiring who? Ai is screening resumes but is that good or bad for candidates and companies? Adam Viet of Big Creek Growth pulls back the curtain on broken HR processes and how Ai could help companies recruit better, but could just as easily hurt recruiting if CHROs aren’t careful. For years, recruiters have used…
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Apprenticeship week: parents still pushing 4 year degrees?

As we recognize apprenticeship week and the massive opportunity it brings, we learned an alarming number of parents are still pushing students to get 4-year college degrees. Why? Tim Felderman, Chair of the Iowa Apprenticeship council and Superintendent of Hampton-Dumont school district is concerned. Felderman explains why Iowa’s process is far more adaptive to business,…
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Fractional executives surge 5400%. An Iowa leadership stopgap?

Iowa’s talent gap has long been a headache for local businesses, but Michelle Book, CEO of Altus CXO, reveals a “shot in the arm” solution that is currently seeing a 5,400% surge in LinkedIn roles. Unlike traditional consultants who simply hand over a plan and leave, these fractional leaders embed themselves directly into the C-suite…
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Energy joins healthcare as growing business Iowa concern

The ABI Survey results are out and energy is now a growing concern alongside healthcare and talent acquisition for Iowa leaders. Nicole Crain, President of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI), breaks down fresh Q2 survey data out today. To be clear, energy is cheap and accessible in Iowa, but Iowa business leaders…
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As restaurants close, Hyper Energy Bar grows. Why?

Can an Iowa-based drive-through brand focused on energy drinks survive? Can it take on the likes of Starbucks? Apparently the answer is yes. After building numerous stores across Iowa, the founder of Hyper Energy Bar, Chris Whalen, is expanding throughout the midwest. Service runs in Whalen’s blood. As a kid he was surrounded by hotel…
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The reason young talent is leaving Iowa Workforce. And how to reverse it.

Iowa’s young talent has been leaving the state for decades, but the “baby boomerang” gave Iowa employers a sense of peace. Iowans know leaving students will return to start a family. But that’s no longer happening. Anna Mable, of Association of Business and Industry asks why Iowa employers are ignoring a proven solution. As ABI’s…


