State economic development head tours local companies

Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham accompanied by members of Fairfield Economic Development Association, including executive director Tracy Vance, and Fairfield Mayor Ed Malloy, went on a whirlwind tour of Cambridge Investment Research Inc. Tuesday afternoon.

Appointed director by Gov. Terry Branstad a year ago, Durham said this was her third visit to Fairfield.

?I spend three days of the week traveling, visiting communities and their workplaces to help market Iowa,? she said. ?I see myself as a salesperson for the state.?

Cambridge had a lot to show at its 60-acre campus with two modern buildings, four-acre pond and a walking trail used by employees. The entourage first met with Cambridge board members before visiting several departments.

Assistant Vice President of Human Resources Peggy Fisher and Morgan Caves, liaison of public relations and creative marketing, highlighted the auditing, compliance and accounting departments as well as its advanced solutions, risk assessments, imaging and package services and call center.

Durham was impressed with Cambridge?s use of multiple marketing tools when Fisher pointed out that Cambridge was the first broker-dealer to use social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others.

?We?re still working to figure out how to make the best use of social media,? said Durham.

Durham also was impressed and complimentary about a mentoring partnership offered to its advisors. Cambridge will connect advisors wanting to plan retirement and a continuation of their business and client services with younger financial advisors who can gain from the mentoring partnership and be groomed to take over the business in the future.

She shared in Fisher?s enthusiasm about Cambridge?s summer 2012 internship program.

?We have 15 approved internship openings for next summer throughout our home office,? said Fisher. ?These are paid internships for eight to 10 weeks. We?ve been recruiting at Iowa?s regent universities, as well as at a college in Dubuque and more locally at Iowa Wesleyan [Mount Pleasant].

?We are hoping to hire some local applicants. We want to entice Iowa?s younger people to see the opportunities and benefits of working here and staying in the state.?

Fisher added she has 120 qualified applicants to date for those 15 internships.

And Cambridge is looking to add about 20 permanent employees by the end of this year.

The tour didn?t make it to all the departments on Fisher?s list Tuesday. The economic development group had another appointment to visit Revstone Castings Fairfield and left for its next tour as Cambridge employees began exiting at the end of the their workday.

?It?s important for me to visit each region of Iowa because our regions are so unique,? said Durham. ?I need to be acquainted with the companies to be able to do my job to help promote Iowa. And Fairfield is unique in itself. I have to come back here for one of your 1st Friday Art Walks!?

Durham toured Agri-Industrial Plastics Company today.