About the Mason City Economic Development Corporation

2005-06 Goal Setting Session Priorities Strategic Plan

1. The North Central Iowa Growth Partnership – Implement the Plan
• Continue to implement the principles of the partnership and marketing plan focused on the four business target groups.
• Follow the protocol for maintaining communication between NCIGP board and the board of the MCEDC
• Build upon the solid working relationship with the Clear Lake EDC, which may ultimately lead to other joint ventures
2. Speculative Building Program - Grow the MCEDC Speculative Building Program
• Implement the marketing plan focused on the site selection community that will create leads for the existing 30,000 square foot building
• When the building is sold perform a study of the market need for another building, size, design, etc.
• Develop a strategy for long-term financing of the program
• Secure a marketable location via option for the construction of a second building
3. Business Retention - Promote the Retention and Growth of Existing Businesses
• Develop a plan for the Annual Existing Industry Call Program
• Prepare an approach for effectively recognizing Mason City industry in an ongoing basis Mason City industry in an ongoing basis
• Communicate the benefits of incentives, MCEDC loan fund, Iowa Human Resource Recruitment Consortium to the existing business and industry community
• Partner with other allied organizations to incorporate their needs for information from the business community into the survey instrument and communicate the findings of the annual survey with allied organizations such as the Pappajohn Center, Iowa Workforce Development, Mason City Chamber of Commerce, etc.
4. Viable Airport - Promote the Mason City Municipal Airport
• Meet with the airport commission to formulate an effective plan on how to enhance the airport and its facilities in partnership with the Mason City Chamber of Commerce
• Develop a protocol for connecting the North Iowa business community to timely information related to the airport
• Partner with the airport commission to increase awareness in the North Iowa business community
• Work in partnership with the Mason City Airport Commission and the Mason City Chamber of Commerce to build relationships with the FAA, Northwest Airlines, and other potential partners and service providers
5. Business Attraction – Recruiting New Industry and Jobs to Mason City
• Create a strategy to build upon target industry clusters from the joint marketing initiative with Clear Lake known as the North Central Iowa Growth Partnership
• Aggressively work leads generated by IDED, Alliant Energy and other economic development allies
• Foster new and existing relationships with the real estate and site selection community in major markets around the United States
• Continue to pursue ways to incorporate the utilization of the North Iowa Venture Capital Fund and the expertise of the John Pappajohn Business & Entrepreneurial Center into our business attraction efforts
6. Focus on Regional Partnerships –Building Relationships
• Enhance the network of partners with mutual interests
• Develop a strategy and fee structure for bringing in other economic development organizations into the marketing efforts of the NCIGP
• Continue to build the relationship with the Clear Lake E.D.C.
• Continue to build ties with the Mason City Council, Cerro Gordo County Supervisors, Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center, North Iowa Area Community College, North Iowa Labor Council, Society for Human Resource Managers, and other similar groups
7. Help Make Mason City a “Wired” Community and Promote Continued Investment
   in Sound Infrastructure
• Work to implement the ideals of Opportunity Iowa in conjunction with the Mason City Chamber of Commerce and other allied partners
• Develop data on location of fiber optic telecommunication infrastructure that will enable Mason City to compete for technology sensitive projects
• Support the efforts of NIACC and JPEC to develop a Business Incubator in North Iowa
• Support and encourage the efforts of the City of Mason City and Cerro Gordo County to invest in infrastructure improvements that will better position the region to compete for projects
  
8. Communicate the efforts of the MCEDC
• Meet semi-annually with local elected officials to communicate the work of the MCEDC
• Publish ToDate, the MCEDC quarterly newsletter
• Publish the Quarterly Economic Report (QER)
• Present the work of the MCEDC to local service clubs as opportunities are presented
• Submit relevant opinion/editorial content to the Mason City Globe Gazette as opportunities come forward
• On request, be available to speak at Mason City Council Listening Post’s and other relevant public forums