MONDAY, JULY 29, 2019  |  IN THIS ISSUE  
The MERGE space on Iowa City's Pedestrian Mall. FILE PHOTO 
The Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce will kick off its move to a new office at MERGE tomorrow with a two-day "Bucket Brigade Moving Party."
 
The chamber in March announced it would transition from its longtime home at 325 E. Washington St., to the coworking and innovation space on the Pedestrian Mall in a bid to reduce costs and engage more effectively with its members. The new office will open on Aug. 1.
 
"We're excited for the new era that is ahead of us. While we've enjoyed renting our current office space for the past 30 years, we're looking forward to moving our headquarters to MERGE, which many refer to as the 'living room' of Iowa City," said Kim Casko, president and CEO of the Iowa City Chamber, in a release.
 
In addition to officing at MERGE, the chamber will have two satellite office spaces - CoWork @ 808 in Coralville and the IC CoLab in North Liberty - which Ms. Casko said will allow the organization to better serve its members throughout Johnson County.
 
At MERGE, the chamber will be sharing the coworking space with entrepreneurs, startups and remote workers, as well as its economic and community development partner, the Iowa City Area Development Group, and the chamber's largest member, the University of Iowa.
 
The chamber offices will be closed July 30-31 as the team moves to the new space. Friends of the chamber are invited to join staff on Tuesday from 11 a.m.-noon for the "bucket brigade" at the old Iowa City Chamber offices. Pizza and drinks will be provided for helpers.
 
Sara Bearrows 
Sara Bearrows, formerly chief deputy treasurer in the Linn County Treasurer's Office, has been named the county's new budget director, effective today.
 
In her new role, Ms. Bearrows will develop and administer the county's annual operating budget, review departmental budget requests, provide recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, elected officials and department heads on financial decisions, and implement procedures to effectively manage the allocation of county resources.
 
"Sara's skills and experience in public sector accounting, investment management, and property taxes make her ideal for this role," said Linn County Finance Director Dawn Jindrich in a release. "I am excited to welcome Sara to the Finance and Budget Department where her experience and professionalism will continue to benefit the county and our residents."
 
Ms. Bearrows is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where she earned a bachelor's degree in accounting. Prior to her appointment as chief deputy treasurer in Linn County, she worked as a governmental auditor and tax preparer for Wright, Ward, Hatten & Guel, CPAs in Gulfport, Mississippi.

The CBJ is seeking nominations for its 2019 Forty Under 40 class. These annual awards recognize 40 leaders under the age of 40 who have made a significant impact in their business and community early in their careers.
 
A panel composed of 2018 honorees will select this year's class. Honorees are selected based on the totality of their career, past and present civic, corporate and nonprofit activities, and leadership roles.
 
The CBJ will spotlight these 40 outstanding individuals at an Oct. 17 awards banquet and in the Oct. 21 issue of the weekly Corridor Business Journal.
 
To access the online nomination form, visit corridorbusiness.com/events/forty-under-40/. Nominations must include the nominee's recent resume or bio, a brief statement about why they should be selected, and an additional letter(s) of recommendation. All nomination materials must be submitted together. Nominations are due Aug. 15.
 
The 15th annual Forty Under 40 awards banquet will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex. Tickets are $55 per individual and $550 per table of 10. To register, visit corridorbusiness.com/events.
 
For more information about the nomination process, contact Tracey Godon at (319) 665-6397, ext. 319, or [email protected].
 
With harvest season approaching, the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and Urbana-based US Cargo Control have partnered to create an Aug. 1 event designed to equip farmers with the knowledge necessary to safely and efficiently transport ag commodities within the state.
 
Two officers from the Iowa Department of Transportation will provide training on properly securing cargo, and a member of the US Cargo Control team will provide a presentation on safe practices within equipment recovery. Timpte, Bodensteiner, Truck Country and Patten Equipment will provide the equipment for training and display.  
 
"Regulations for the farm can vary slightly from regular over-the-road commerce," noted ICGA Director Lance Lillibridge in a release. "Being well-informed and receiving excellent training will decrease costs, increase efficiency, and most importantly, improve the safety of the farmer, employees and the general public. This is a perfect opportunity for farmers to get updated and have questions answered."
 
This free public event will be hosted by Clickstop, the parent company of US Cargo Control, at its campus in Urbana from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Aug. 1. Registration can be completed online or at the door.

West Bancorporation last week reported flat income growth but higher loan balances during its second quarter, as it embarks on a new expansion in Minnesota.
 
The West Des Moines-based bank reported net income of $6.7 million in the second quarter, or 41 cents per diluted common share. That compared to net income of $6.8 million, or 41 cents, from the second quarter of 2018. Wall Street analysts had expected earnings of 42 cents per share, according to Markets Insider.
 
Loan balances, meanwhile, grew by nearly 17 percent between June 30, 2018 and June 30, according to President and CEO Dave Nelson.
 
The bank earlier this year announced its new growth strategy in three Minnesota markets, and has since opened full service branches in Owatonna, Mankato and St. Cloud. Compensation, professional fees and occupancy costs related to the growth strategy totaled $1 million on a pretax basis for the first six months of 2019, the company reported.
 
" We have successfully executed the opening of three new full service branch offices in Minnesota and are encouraged by the new business activity in those new markets," Mr. Nelson said in a release. "We have assembled teams of experienced bankers that are building relationships with local business owners and business leaders. Using those relationships, we have assembled local community boards to guide our efforts in these three new markets. This approach is consistent with the path we have taken in other new market initiatives. We are confident that this expansion sets us on a path for building shareholder value."
 
In a conference call with analysts, Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer Harlee Olafson noted that the bank has seen a 22 percent increase in its commercial and industrial (C&I) balances, and a 9 percent increase in commercial real estate balances. He added that loan balances are at a "record-high level" and the bank's loan pipeline currently exceeds $450 million - about double what it was at the same time last year.
 
Locally, Eastern Iowa Market President Jim Conard reported that the bank's year-to-date loan portfolio growth reached 11.2 percent in Eastern Iowa. He credited much of that growth to the addition of Ryan Murphy, formerly of Hills Bank, to West Bank's commercial banking team.
 
 
July 30
Chamber Bucket Brigade Moving Party, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 11 a.m.-noon, Chamber of Commerce, 325 E. Washington St. Suite 100, Iowa City. Join this moving party from the chamber's old office to the new office at MERGE. Pizza and drinks provided. To register, visit bit.ly/2Z3O9EF.
 
July 31
1 Million Cups, by 1MC Cedar Rapids, 8:15-9:15 a.m., Geonetric, 415 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Join for community connections, free coffee, and presentations by entrepreneurs, established companies, experts and more. Free. For more information, visit facebook.com/1MCICR.
 
1 Million Cups, by 1MC Iowa City, 9-10 a.m., MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Join for community connections, free coffee, and presentations by entrepreneurs, established companies, experts and more . Free. For more information, visit   facebook.com/1MillionCupsIC/ .
 
Ribbon Cutting: Schultz Strings, by Marion Chamber of Commerce, 11 a.m., Schultz Strings, 1190 Twixt Town Road, Cedar Rapids. Join Schultz Strings to celebrate the opening of its new location. Free. For more information, visit bit.ly/2Irvtsn.
 
Aug. 1
Wake Up Marion: Wickwire Chiropractic, by Marion Chamber of Commerce, 8-9 a.m., Wickwire Chiropractic, 955 29th Ave., Suite B, Marion. Get to know Dr. Colt Dewitt and team while meeting other Marion Chamber members. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/31T3vgV.
 
Taking Care of Business, by South Slope Cooperative, 4:30-6:30 p.m., South Slope, 980 N. Front St., North Liberty. South Slope is thanking local businesses for their impact on the community with an evening of free drinks, appetizers and socializing. For information, visit bit.ly/2xPUvvm.
See and Be Seen

in the CBJ Book of Lists - THE definitive resource guide for business leaders. Ranked information on Corridor companies by sector, regional market facts and profiles of the most influential people under one cover. Don't be left out - Be Seen! For advertising information, contact Andrea Rhoades at  [email protected] .

Note: The CBJ is now observing summer hours through Aug. 30. The CBJ offices will be open Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Fridays, 8 a.m.-noon. 
Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
 
The world's largest steam locomotive is rolling into Eastern Iowa on Tuesday, including an overnight stay in Cedar Rapids. Union Pacific's "Big Boy" steam locomotive No. 4014 has been touring the Midwest for much of the summer. It's commemorating the transcontinental railroad's 150th anniversary. On Tuesday, the Big Boy first stops in Clinton at 12:45 p.m. before leaving at 1:30 p.m. The train is also stopping in Wheatland from 2:45-3:30 p.m. before making its way to Cedar Rapids. The Big Boy will finally stop at 4900 General Mills Road in Cedar Rapids at 5:15 p.m. It's staying in the Corridor for the night and taking off at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. On Wednesday, it will make stops in Belle Plaine, Marshalltown and Elkhart before stopping in Des Moines. For exact times, you can look at the full schedule here.

A truck caught fire on Interstate 80 early Monday morning in Poweshiek County. A CBS2/Fox 28 viewer sent in video of the fire which happened near Malcom. The Iowa Department of Transportation says a crash between exit 182 and exit 191 caused a backup heading eastbound. There's no word yet on any injuries.
 
T hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28 
CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails' Weather First Forecast

A cold front will continue to move through today and clear the skies. Temperatures will warm into the low 80s and the humidity will drop through the day. It will be mostly clear tonight and temperatures will drop into the mid to upper 50s by morning. High pressure will settle in for the rest of the week. That means it will be dry and comfortable with relatively low humidity. There will be plenty of sunshine with temperatures in the upper 70s Tuesday, and near 80 Wednesday.