MP Chamber launches Young Professionals group

Young professionals are invited to a social gathering at Central Park Coffee Company hosted by the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance on Friday, Feb. 1, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The Young Professionals group is being brought back to the Chamber by Mikayla Mabeus and Timber Roden, Chamber employees who want to connect emerging leaders in their careers to each other.

Young Professionals is for anyone who is starting their first job in their 20s to 35-year-olds. The first event is a time for anyone interested to ask questions and get to know each other. An RSVP or Chamber membership is not necessary to attend.

Mabeus, who grew up in Mt. Pleasant, said the Young Professionals group is one the community needs.

'I think it's pretty obvious Mt. Pleasant is an aging community, so developing those young leaders to step up and take roles is important,” Mabeus said. 'Young professionals don't know where to go or where to meet other young professionals. This group is a gateway for that.”

Roden, who moved to southeast Iowa about three years ago, said Mt. Pleasant is a charming, thriving town. There's a lot of opportunities for young professionals who are looking to take the next step in their professional career, she said.

'There are jobs here. You don't have to go to a much larger city for a career,” Roden said. 'I think (the Young Professionals group) can help people want to stay here, raise their families here and stick around because of what Mt. Pleasant has to offer.”

While a Young Professionals group existed in the past, Mabeus and Roden hope to revamp it this time around.

Younger members of the Chamber have been asking about a Young Professionals group for a while now, Roden said. That was the push they needed to say, 'Let's try this again.”

'We have a different crowd,” Roden said. 'These people are already younger leaders in their businesses, and they want to talk among other business professionals.”

The group will have social events monthly along with quarterly professional development workshops. They will offer workshops over everything from how to start a 401(k) to how to effectively use social media in your business, Roden said.

For area professionals over 35-years-old who have a fear of missing out, the Chamber is also planning on launching an Emerging Issues group in February.

The Emerging Issues group is for people to talk about issues in the community with area business leaders and the Chamber. There will be more information to come about this group.

Those who attend the Emerging Issues group do have to be Chamber members.

For more information, call the Chamber at 319-385-3131.