Chris Giesen

Lake Byllesby Park Campground (Goodhue County, MN) RFP

Available through 2/1/16.

(Harmony, Minnesota) – The Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) is excited to announce that First Southeast Bank and Community & Economic Development Associates (CEDA) have been selected as one of seven Strong Communities Award finalists vying for the opportunity to receive $15,000.

FHLB Des Moines challenges communities to rally behind their community’s project during a public vote from October 5 – October 16 on Strengthening Communities Together™ at www.fhlbforcommunity.com/voting. The voting will serve as a component of the selection process to award a $15,000 stipend to support small business and economic development growth in their community.

FHLB Des Moines member First Southeast Bank partnered with CEDA to assist in the expansion of Harmony Enterprises, a major community employer. The efforts resulted in the creation and retention of 73 full-time jobs. The project also grew the city tax base, improved public infrastructure and impacted manufacturing in other surrounding communities.

The Strong Communities Award honors the projects, the people and the programs that promote small business growth and retention in their communities.

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The Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines is a member-owned cooperative that provides funding solutions and liquidity to nearly 1,500 financial institutions to support mortgage lending, economic development and affordable housing in their communities. Serving 13 states and three U.S. Pacific territories, FHLB Des Moines is one of 11 regional Banks that make up the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Members include community and commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, thrifts and community development financial institutions. The Des Moines Bank is wholly owned by its members and receives no taxpayer funding. For additional information about FHLB Des Moines, please visit www.fhlbdm.com.

Jessica Ganrude

Jess joined the team in February 2015. She grew up in Southeastern Minnesota, attending Winona State University and received a BA in Sociology. She also holds a MPS in Community and Economic Development from Penn State where she gained insight into community and economic development practices/techniques, community structure, land use, leadership development and more.

Jess truly enjoys helping others and often volunteers in and around her local community and aboard. She spent a year in the United Kingdom volunteering with an organization called Community Service Volunteers, has volunteered in Japan while studying abroad, and currently volunteers with Project Fine of Winona.

 

Josh Sande

Josh joined CEDA in March 2015.  He grew up in Duluth, MN, but also has deep roots in Rochester, having lived there for the first 8 years of his life.

After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, MN with a BA in Political Science and Philosophy, Josh taught 2^nd Grade in Kansas City, Missouri as a member of Teach for America. He has also worked as a political organizer in Duluth, Saint Peter, and Mankato.  Most recently he completed an internship at the White House in Washington DC.

Josh is passionate about public service, and believes that advocating for rural communities and small businesses provides for the public good.  He is committed to contributing to the important work that CEDA does in Southeastern Minnesota and beyond.

Josh currently assists the Lewiston EDA.

 

Don Farrow

Don Farrow joined CEDA in March 2015 as a Community and Business Development Specialist. He holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin Madison and has previous archaeological field experience in Israel.  Having spent most of his life in smaller communities, he is committed to helping small towns be the best they can be.

Don currently assists the Fillmore County EDA.

 

Kelli Gosch

Kelli Gosch joined CEDA in August 2015 working with Howard County Business & Tourism as Event Coordinator. Before joining CEDA, Kelli worked in the medical accounting field. Kelli left the patient setting for the corporate medical environment, excelling in finance operations and government contracting. For 7 years Kelli traveled to federal institutions, breaking a part their financial operation weaknesses and putting them back together with sound financial processes and procedures.

Kelli is originally from Jacksonville, Florida and holds an associate degree in elementary music from Florida Community College, Jacksonville.

 

Deann Baker

Deann joined CEDA in August 2015.  She holds a bachelor of science in business management with an emphasis in finance and has over twenty years in customer service experience. In her previous career, she worked more than five years operating an office for a certified financial planner.

Deann and her husband have three daughters and six grand kids, with a 7th in December 2015. Living in the Twin Cities until the last nine years, she now calls  Rushford, MN home.

Deann and her husband also own a used car lot and U-Haul business in Rushford and she likes to make beaded jewelry in my spare time, selling them in a craft store in Caledonia.

Deann currently assists the City of Lewiston.

 

Article written by Tom Monson

Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) was provided a $65,000 grant by two Minnesota Farm Credit organizations. AgStar Financial Services, a Mankato-based Midwestern leader in agricultural loans, and AgriBank, its St. Paul-based funding bank, presented the grant at a media event at Emerging Hmong Farms north of Cannon Falls, Minnesota.

Land access is a major hurdle to prospective crop-producing farmers. CEDA will construct an inventory of farmable public lands to be made available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, and Karen. Additionally, CEDA will catalog tools – such as technical and financial assistance – available to help secure and develop farms.

“We are excited to begin establishing a tool to help emerging farmers easily access available farm land. It will fill a void in determining accessible land for farmers,” said Ron Zeigler, President and CEO of Community and Economic Development Associates.

“Emerging farmers lack availability of technical assistance, capital and land,” said John Monson, chair of the AgStar Fund’s Board of Trustees. “AgStar has worked hard to address availability of technical assistance and capital, but land has remained a challenge to find.  This will help address that challenge.”

 

 

Article written by Tim Jacobson

 

The Boscobel Developers nominated Nu-Pak for the “Economic Driver Award,” to recognize its continued investment in Wisconsin. Businesses in the category demonstrate the following:

• Continued investment and job creation in Wisconsin
• Commitment to advancing their business models and product development efforts
• Commitment to their employees and being an employer of choice
• Commitment to the communities in which they operate
• Commitment to worker safety and the environment

Kwik Trip was nominated for an award by the La Crosse Area Development Corporation.

At the awards ceremony at SentryWorld, Nu-Pak was represented by Rich Uselman and his wife Melissa (an employee of Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospitals and Clinics), and the Boscobel Developers were represented by Ken Schweiger and CEDA Community and Business Development Specialist Tim Jacobson.

Rich gave an excellent acceptance speech which credited the vision and dedication of the company’s owners, the work of the Developers and the city, the commitment of employees, and collaboration with other companies, such as Sargento, which are willing to invest in Boscobel and Nu-Pak’s capabilities.

This was an excellent venue for promoting Boscobel’s positive business environment to business and government leaders from around the state.

 

Congratulations to the award-winning businesses!