Fort Dodge Messenger, IA
03-31-06
Conference looks at community branding
Future grown of region discussed
Those who lead Iowa’s communities can learn something from the folks behind
Altoids and Starbucks, says a man who’s studied marketing for decades.
The mint-makers and sellers of pricey coffee have created brands that are both
unique and relevant to their customers, according to Mike Wagner, president of
White Rabbit Group, a consulting firm from West Des Moines.
On Thursday, he told an audience at the Mid-Iowa Community Development
Conference in Fort Dodge that cities and local businesses must do the same
thing to survive.
‘‘If your community understands this, if your business community understands
this, you’ve got a shot at success and sustainability,’’ he said.
Wagner’s presentation launched the conference at the Best Western Starlite
Village Inn and Suites, which was attended by about 120 government officials,
business leaders and community activists.
Sharing success stories, exchanging new ideas and networking were the key
goals of the daylong session, said Jim Patton, the conference chairman.
Patton said the conference draws people from within a 100 mile radius of Fort
Dodge.
Thursday’s session was the 16th consecutive version of the conference. Patton
said it’s the longest running conference of its type in the Midwest.
Wagner’s advice to stress the things that make a community both different and
relevant to people wasn’t the only thing on the session’s agenda.
Renewable energy in the form of ethanol, biodiesel and wind power was
discussed.
Biodiesel is ‘‘the hot thing in renewable fuels,’’ according to Jim Venner, of Ag
Visions Enterprises in Breda.
‘‘The green crowd are really love with this product,’’ he said, referring to high
profile environmentalists such as singer Willie Nelson.
All small businesses must face a transition to new ownership at some point, and
making that transition successful was described by Lars Peterson, associate
state director of small business centers. He said that, nationally, 39 percent of
small businesses will need new leaders in the next five years.
Making those transitions smoothly equals economic development because
keeping an existing business going is easier than starting a new one, Peterson
said.
Businesses and local governments want energy efficient buildings, and Bill
McAnally, head of the carpentry program at Iowa Central Community College,
offered some insights on that kind of construction. His classes have built 12
dormitories at the Fort Dodge campus that are the ‘‘most energy efficient in Iowa
by a long ways,’’ he said.
He advised people interested in a new energy efficient building to seek out an
architect or engineer ‘‘well-versed in sustainable design.’’
The dairy industry, Iowa vineyards, wastewater treatment and community
betterment funding were also discussed.
The conference was planned by the city of Humboldt, Corn Belt Power
Cooperative, Hamilton County SEED, Iowa Department of Economic
Development, Iowa State University Cooperative Extension Service Mid Iowa
Growth Partners, MIDAS Council of Governments, Northwest Iowa Planning and
Development Commission, Region 12 Council of Governments, U.S. Department
of Agriculture Rural Development, and Wright County Economic Development.