Washington Economic Development Group

Mission Statement and History

To create and promote an environment for Economic Development.

Established in 1986, WEDG is a public private partnership; it represents a merging of interests from both the public and private sectors and operates as a non-profit development corporation with a volunteer board of directors and one staff person. It operates as a 501(c) 6 non-profit corporation.

Board of Directors 2021

Terry Engelken, Washington State Bank (President)

Ron Lutovsky, Iowa Renewable Energy (Vice President)/Ryan Levy Mose Levy

Connie Larsen, RE/MAX Affiliates (Secretary)

Brent Hinson, City of Washington (Treasurer)/Kelsey Brown, City of Washington

Amanda Russell, Bazooka Farmstar (Past President)

Brett DeWolf, Riverside Casino and Golf Resort

Kelly Grout, KCTC

Kelly Litwiller, City of Wellman

Mike McVey, Civco Medical Solutions

Corey Oswald, Eichelberger Pork

Bob Yoder, Washington County Board of Supervisors

Ex-officio WEDG board members

Sarah Grunewaldt, Main Street Washington

Tera Pickens, Kirkwood Community College

Michelle Redlinger, Washington Chamber of Commerce

Ryan Schlaubaugh, City of Kalona

Christine Yancey, City of Riverside

Mark Schneider, Mid-Prairie Community Schools

Willie Stone, Washington Community School District

Nancy Snaadt, Alliant Energy

Staff

Mary Audia, WEDG Executive Director

WEDG 2021 Year in Review:

In 2021, WEDG got a lot of work done. We traveled to over 100 investor businesses to introduce Mary and find ways to best serve our businesses.

Mary attended over 40 City Council meetings in Washington, Ainsworth, Kalona, and Riverside as well as met with the members of the Brighton and Wellman City Councils. Mary also served on the Community panel for the search for a new City of Washington administrator and facilitated many meeting with our elected officials including Senator Grassley, Senator Kinney, as well as our county supervisors to help them understand issues that our businesses face.

WEDG has been working with Kalona on the South Town development as well as the addition of trails and commercial uses for the former Shiloh property. Mary has also brought in her connections at the East Central Iowa Council of Governments for Community Visioning to assure that Washington County is part of the vision of the future for the Corridor.

In addition to all these meetings, volunteers were hard at work keeping the LOIS system continuously updated with commercial properties and sites that are available helping WEDG to provide options for expansion or relocation of businesses to our county.

WEDG has been able to assist in road improvement and paving projects that allow businesses like Farmers Hen House and Premier 1 to better serve their customers and move product more efficiently. WEDG focused our work on several categories that affect our businesses the most, spreading our efforts across the county. Those categories include workforce, childcare, and housing.

Real Estate – WEDG had a hand in helping several properties redevelop this last year. We are very proud of the sale of the following building in Washington.

• Crane Valve Building- sold and occupied by Sterling Ammunition, will create 60+ jobs.

• Syngenta Building and Land- two local businesses have relocated and expand their business.

• LiquidGro Building and Land- sold to a local business for their expansion.

We still have lots of opportunities with the redevelopment within the county. Two of the largest projects being the YMCA building in downtown Washington as well as the Washington Middle School as it becomes available. WEDG will continue to monitor these properties as well as invite tours of the space for reuse.

Workforce – WEDG worked with Iowa Workforce Development and the Workforce Learning connection to connect them with large employers throughout our County. These meetings led to great conversation, trainings, and resources to assist in finding solutions to our workforce challenges. Finding employees to fill our vacant positions is the largest issue Washington County faces for employers.

Housing- WEDG reconvened the Housing Initiative group which meets to discuss challenges and opportunities in Washington County. This has led to better partnerships with the East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund and several Housing Rehabilitation and Down Payment Assistance grants through Iowa Economic Development Authority/CDBG. These grants open home ownership to our workforce that is safe, well maintained and raises the level of all our housing stock.

The Housing Initiative Group hopes to create new housing as well as free up underutilized housing throughout the county whether those are single family homes or upper story apartments. WEDG has also been assisting the communities of Ainsworth, Riverside, Washington, and Kalona with the development of new subdivisions that would add many buildable lots to our towns.

Childcare - Childcare is one of our largest workforce issues Washington County faces. WEDG commissioned a study to be conducted by First Children's Finance with collaboration of six cities throughout Washington County, ECICOG, Alliant Energy and WEDG. The study revealed vital information which will help us focus on where to spend our energy and resources. In addition, childcare grant applicants get extra points for having a current study done in their County. This study led to the award of a Childcare Challenge Grant that assisted with Little Ducklings Daycare in Ainsworth being able to place 49 children in the former Ainsworth Elementary School.

Mary Audia is a Member of the Following Boards and Committees:

ECICOG Board

ECIHTF Board

Main Street Washington, Ex Officio Board

Washington Chamber of Commerce, Ex Officio Board

Kalona Economic Development Group Board

Community Foundation of Washington County Board

Washington County First Responder Advisory Committee

Washington Noon Rotary Board

Envision Iowa Advisory Panel