The Iowa Area Development Group (IADG) on behalf of Iowa’s rural electric cooperatives and member municipal electric systems has honored eight distinguished Iowa companies with the Iowa Venture Award. The Iowa Venture Award ceremony is among the longest running business recognition events in Iowa. IADG has recognized and honored over 170 of Iowa’s finest business leaders and companies with the prestigious Iowa Venture Award.
The Iowa Venture Award was presented to Van Ess Dairy LLC, in Sanborn, Iowa. The Van Ess Dairy is a family owned dairy that moved their operation from Idaho. They have built a state of the art facility that is environmentally friendly for the land and cows. Early in 2008 the Van Ess Dairy began milking their 3,300 dairy herd operation that produces 30,000 gallons of milk each day. There are four sons that are involved with the operation that will continue the family tradition near the western Iowa community of Sanborn. Van Ess Dairy was nominated by North West Rural Electric Cooperative.
“The Iowa Venture Award is highly regarded as a business success recognition awards event with a strong history. Since 1988, IADG has recognized Iowa’s leading companies that have helped sustain and grow the Iowa economy. Iowa Area Development Group is grateful to have the opportunity to honor and recognize these outstanding Iowa companies,” said IADG president, Rand Fisher. “Each year we honor business leaders and entrepreneurs with the Iowa Venture Award. Our ceremony allows our sponsors to thank these accomplished companies for their commitment to Iowa through capital investment and job creation,” added Fisher. Since 1985 the Powerful Partnerships and economic development efforts of IADG and their sponsoring utilities have helped generate over $5.6 billion dollars of capital investment and over 38,000 jobs for Iowa.
The Iowa Venture Award was also presented to the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines for “Distinguished Leadership.” The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines has played a pivotal role in establishing and growing the Community Foundation network and rural philanthropy. There are 30 rural county foundations across Iowa that have partnered with the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines to help grow their local foundation efforts. Since 2004 the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines and IADG Community Foundation and the 30 county foundations they serve have grown their assets by nearly $10 million dollars. More importantly the counties themselves have granted over $6.5 million dollars to local non-profit organizations.
Iowa Venture Awards were also presented to six other businesses for their significant contributions in diversifying and developing Iowa’s economy. These 2008 Venture Award recipients include: American Eagle Accessories Group, Garner; Dakota Pack, Inc., Estherville; Involta, Cedar Rapids; ITC Midwest, Perry; Phoenix E-Waste Solutions, Marshalltown; and Roorda Dairy LLC, Paullina; Iowa Department of Economic Development, Director Michael L. Tramontina assisted IADG in presenting the Iowa Venture Awards.
IADG is the business and community development leader for Iowa’s rural electric cooperatives and member municipal electric utilities. The 2008 Iowa Venture Awards ceremony was held at the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives’ annual meeting in West Des Moines.