Kirkwood-sponsored study reveals entire seven-county region’s makeup in 13 categories
The Corridor Business Alliance (CBA) recently partnered with the University of Iowa Graduate College of Regional and Urban Planning to collect and report regional demographic data. The report is the first of its kind for this seven county area and is a fundamental step in creating a regional economic development strategy.
“When this alliance formed two years ago, it was our vision to create a vital regional economy, but we needed a starting place.” said Dee Baird, chair of the CBA and President of Priority One in Cedar Rapids. “This gives the CBA a common platform of information and an understanding of what changes are occurring on a regional scale.”
The report analyzed Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties in thirteen statistical areas.
ICAD Group President Joe Raso noted that this regional report will be an important economic development tool. “The data paints a clear picture of how our region rates in relation to the state and the nation,” said Raso. “The breadth of data is also valuable as it covers broader, traditional economic development factors as well as specific, community‐level data.”
Among the major findings in the 2010 Regional Data Report:
The seven counties which comprise this region were among only thirty in the state to gain population in the past 30 years
This region’s share of the state’s population is on track to surpass 15% in the next few years
Educational attainment remains a strong Corridor economic indicator, remaining above the U.S. and State of Iowa educational attainment measures
The largest industry sectors in the region are healthcare, education, retail and manufacturing each with around 30,000 employees each (2009)
Comparative to the state, the Corridor boasts higher percentages of its workforce in education, health care, social assistance, information, and transportation/warehousing industry sectors.
“Having access to regional, relevant labor market, industry employment, and demographic data provides an understanding about the regional workforce supply and demand which impacts educational program development and graduate placements,” said Kim Johnson, Vice President of continuing education and training services at Kirkwood. “Workforce development is a critical element of our regional economic strategy.”
The report was underwritten by Kirkwood Community College.
In addition to this report, the CBA is currently working on multiple projects. Task forces have been created to establish a regional brand for what is currently called the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Technology Corridor, to address flood recovery in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City and to create a comprehensive, regional economic development plan for the region.
All of this work is ongoing and updates are provided on the www.Corridor2020.com website. The regional demographic report is also available at www.Corridor2020.com.
About the Corridor Business Alliance (CBA):
In December 2008, twelve organizations in the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City area started discussing a regional approach to economic development and the work of these groups has evolved into the formation of the Corridor Business Alliance (CBA) with a shared vision, shared purpose and initial goals.
Members of the CBA include: Alliant Energy, Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Entrepreneurial Development Center, Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, Iowa City Area Development Group, Kirkwood Community College, MidAmerican Energy, Priority One, Kirkwood’s Small Business Development Center, the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Iowa, University of Iowa Research Foundation and University of Iowa Small Business Development Center.
The CBA Vision is to create a vital regional economy through the creation and growth of business.
The CBA Purpose is to improve and strengthen strategic collaboration among member organizations to achieve our collective vision.
The CBA Strategic Position Statement is to harness and leverage corridor resources to achieve our vision as well as to recruit and keep talent in the region.