October 2021 Business Connection

A NEWS JOURNAL OF THE

Marion Chamber of Commerce, Uptown Marion, and Marion Economic Development Corp.

TChoenBnuescintieoOCsTnOBERs2021

Marion Chamber Annual Meeting
Friday, October 22, 2021

Cedar Rapids Marriott
Noon – 1:00 pm, doors open at 11:30 am
Register at marioncc.org/annual-meeting

The Business Connection Getting back to

Adifferent businessAs much as we may want, there’s no going back to January of 2020 and how
life and business were interwoven. It’s now fall of 2021, and we’re not going
back to business. We are, however, returning to a different business! There
are new expectations. New wants. New demands. New expectations. They
require us—and our businesses and communities—to think differently and act
differently. While we can’t control too much of what happens externally, we
can be equipped internally to make the most of change.

Join the Marion Chamber of Commerce at the 84th Annual Meeting. Keynote
speaker Aaron Putze will offer three keys you can use to unlock the potential
of each moment, relationship, and opportunity. He will share timely insights
guaranteed to make you laugh and reflect while looking to the future with
greater clarity and positivity! You will also hear from past Board Chair Paul
Phelan as he shares comments on the past year and current Board Chair
Matthew Skogman looking ahead to the coming year.
Aaron Putze was raised on a farm near West Bend, Iowa, Aaron Putze is a
26-year veteran of the agricultural communications profession. He currently
serves as Sr. Dir. of Information & Education for the Ankeny-based Iowa Soy-
bean Association. It serves Iowa’s nearly 38,000 soybean farmers by helping
them grow and market soybeans more profitably and sustainably.

AARON PUTZE He’s a popular speaker, work-life coach and the author of two books.
“Destined for Greatness: The Story of Chuck Long and Resurgence of Iowa
Hawkeyes’ Football” was published in 2017. More recently, Aaron published
“YOU Are Destined for Greatness: Stories of Inspiration & Empowerment.”
The latter shares 16 success themes distilled from conversations with more
than 25 inspiring personalities, all with Iowa roots.

ONE THE COVER: Katie Culver, Marketing & Business Development Manager at Culver’s Garden Center & Greenhouse, delivers a fall mum
to a customer’s vehicle. Culver’s implemented a designated curbside delivery and online pick up space for customers who placed orders
online or via phone. Many businesses have continued to offer these services even as public health restrictions have lifted.

Chamber Ambassadors joined the Member Milestones
City of Marion members of the Bicycle

and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
to celebrate the completion of the

reconstructed railroad bridge over
Indian Creek. The bridge pays tribute

to Marion’s railroad history.

FSB Investments celebrated their move to a new building, 880 13th St,
adjacent to Farmers State Bank’s main branch. FSB purchased the 1,800
square foot building from longtime Marion dentist Dr. Peter Nopoulos.

City leaders, elected officials celebrated the completion of 6th Avenue
and a significant portion of Marion’s Central Corridor Project.
Indian Creek Nature Center, 5300 Otis Rd SE, celebrated the
re-opening of the Sycamore and Woodland Trails with a unique
cutting of a vine. The trails sustained significant damage in the
August 10 derecho.

Lindale Mall, 4444 1st Avenue NE, celebrated an upgrade to the food
court and partnership with CHOMP Delivery. The new space was
reimagined as a contemporary gathering space for the community.

Members of the Marion Fire Department celebrated the completion of
the new Fire Station #1 and Headquarters located at 100 Irish Drive.
This third station help keep emergency response withing the national
standard.

New owners of The Marion Chocolate Shop, Ben and Katy Davis,
celebrate their first retail debut. The business remains at 1244 7th
Avenue in Marion.

Your Pie Pizza, 2791 7th Ave, celebrated their 1-year anniversary.
The restaurant offers down-the-line fast casual pizza and craft beer.

WRITTEN BY
CORY TOWNSEND, AFSP
LUNDAHL, HATT AND AUSTAD

TAX SERVICE, INC.

CORY
TOWNSEND

cToamx teisptsoaasn20e2n1d

IIt is hard to believe that we are already starting the month of September! Kids have
returned to school, fall sports have kicked off and soon the leaves will be turning to give
us a spectacular color change for a short window of time. With that said, it is not too
early to think about ending 2021 with a strong tax plan. Explained below are a few tips
to consider reducing a tax liability for the 2021 filing season for business owners.
There are many types of businesses, and they are all taxed differently.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 increased the amount of allowable deductible
meals from 50% to 100% from January 1, 2021, through December 31st, 2022. The inten-
tion of the increase in deductible meal expense is to give businesses an incentive to aid
restaurants that had been struggling or ordered to shut down by a government order
due to COVID-19.

To be eligible for the deduction, the business owner or an employee of the business must
be present when the meal is provided, and the expense cannot be lavish or extravagant.
The IRS notice 2021-25 states that the 100% deduction is for meal expenses that are paid
to restaurants that have the sole purpose of preparing food and beverages for immediate
consumption. The food and beverages, however, do not need to be consumed on
the premise to qualify for the deduction.

Prepackaged food from gas stations and grocery that took place regarding your business entity.
stores are not eligible for the 100% deduction. Addi- As tax preparers we want to make sure that a business
tionally, cafeterias that are within a business may not is taking advantage of all the credits available to them.
be considered a restaurant for the purposes of this
special provision. Lundahl, Hatt and Austad Tax Inc., has a long history
of providing quality tax service to taxpayers. Our office
Another tip is that it may be a good time to purchase was founded in 1956 by Vince and Grace (Cira) Hatt
new equipment or other assets that your business may and continues to be operated by members of the Hatt
need. Usually, assets are depreciated over a specified family today to serve those in Marion and the surround-
period depending on the class of asset. However, for ing communities.
qualified assets a business is allowed to expense the
full cost of an asset that is placed into service during At the corner of Highway 13 & 151
the tax year. EastTownCrossing.com

What can be claimed for Section 179? Tangible prop- For more information contact:
erty that is placed into service for a trade or business Jim Angstman, CCIM
would qualify for this full deduction. The TCJA also 319.540.1800
allows a business to deduct improvements made [email protected]
to nonresidential real property. Such improvements
include enlargement of the building, roofs, security Cindy Shipley, AFSP
systems, HVAC and fire protection systems are among Owner
some that are listed by the IRS.
[email protected] www.ClassicTax.net
Vehicles have their own set of depreciation rules. 888 10th St., Suite 2 Ph: 319 447 4429
Depending on the weight of the vehicle determines its Marion, IA 52302 Fax: 319 447 4434
available depreciation. Real property such as buildings,
land, and permanent structures, do not qualify for
Section 179. Buildings would qualify to be depreciated
over the allowed period whereas land is not allowed
to be depreciated at all.

Something to keep in mind when an asset is sold,
traded, or business use of the asset falls below 50%
that previously elected to use Section 179, is that there
may be depreciation recapture. The depreciation that
was taken as an expense in prior tax periods would be
recaptured and taxed at ordinary rates. Gain from the
sale of the asset outside of the depreciation recapture
may be taxed at the capital gains rate.

Some other things to consider for tax planning to
finish out 2021 is to investigate setting up a qualified
retirement account for yourself or your employees.
Prepaying expenses is another tax planning strategy
that may help your business if qualified.

There are many things to consider for 2021 in tax
planning. The COVID-19 pandemic has kept accoun-
tants and payroll providers on their toes. It is always
advantageous to sit down with your tax advisor
throughout the tax year and go through the events

The Business Connection The Open 4 Business Contest

is open to businesses located
in the 54 Main Street Iowa
districts across the state and
aims to develop economic vitality.

The Grill Works
Smokes the CompetitionOn August 2 ,The Grill Works, located in Uptown Marion, competed as a finalist in the

state Open 4 Business competition through the Iowa Economic Development Authority
(IEDA) at the Iowa Downtown Conference in Iowa City. The Grill Works placed 3rd
against four other Main Street Community businesses in the final round: Avoca Flower
Shop (Avoca), Midwest Girl (Dubuque), Bauman’s Clothing (Mount Vernon), and The
Stitchin’ Tree (Woodbine). The top 3 businesses each one prize money with the Grill
Works prize money throughout the competition totaling $14,000 for their business
expansion.

The Grill Works opened in the Uptown District 11 years ago with the primary goal to sell
grills and replacement parts. Over the years their business has grown exponentially to
serve the Marion community and surrounding areas, in all things grilling and smoking.
The shop features over 300 sauces and rubs to sample along with cooking classes to
turn any back yard novice into a pit-master.

O“The team at The Grill Works is excited and grateful that Uptown Marion, Main Street
Iowa, and the Iowa Economic Development Authority chose our ever-growing business
as a finalist in the Open 4 Business State Competition! We are looking forward to using
these funds to expand our offerings on an online platform and grow our classes with
an outdoor demonstration kitchen,” stated Lisa Gilliatt, owner of The Grill Works.
“Our customers mean the world to us and we hope to use this grant to bring new
experiences and products to them!”

The Open 4 Business grants are administered through IEDA’s Iowa Downtown Resource
Center and Main Street Iowa programs with funding to assist business expansion
projects.

The Open 4 Business grant program is part of the Challenge Grant program that is
funded through an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature. Since the first appropriation
in 2002, approximately $6 million in state and federal funds have leveraged more than
$37 million in private reinvestment.

Main Street Iowa

The Uptown Marion Main Street Organization is an accredited Main Street America
Main Street Iowa program. Through this accreditation Uptown and Main Street Iowa
Marion receives extensive resources in business development, Visit Uptown Marion
historic preservation, design services, grant opportunities, and
more from the experts on the Main Street Iowa team. In July, Uptown Marion Main Street hosted Kathy
state design professionals, Maia Fiala-Jessen and Sarah Lembke La Plante, Senior Program Officer and Director
toured Uptown properties to conceptualize and advise on his- of Coordinating Program Services at Main Street
toric preservation and appropriate design. This design service America to review the Main Street program’s
was utilized in 2020 by Frydae Ice Cream amongst other Up- progress and provide recommendations for the
town redevelopment projects. “Main Street Iowa staff are well Uptown district. Main Street America is a national
versed in how to turn historic buildings into vibrant spaces while organization that seeks to revitalize downtowns
retaining the charm and character of historic buildings,” said through preservation-based economic develop-
Brooke Prouty, Uptown Main Street Director; “They can also help ment, and this visit is part of a partnership with
these projects find funding sources and grant opportunities to Main Street Iowa. As part of the partnership
cover the expenses that are unique to historic preservation.” visit, Kathy La Plante toured the downtown and
met with Main Street Advisors and committee
One such project, will be 1370 7th Avenue, formerly Economy members, as well as local elected officials.
Auto, that sustained significant damage during the 2020
Derecho. This property was purchased by Bryan and Nicki “I was impressed with the caliber of staff, board
Guild for their Sweet Cheesecake business that has grown out members and volunteers who are working ex-
of their current home operations. Turning a former auto shop tremely hard for Uptown Marion and the entire
into a cheesecake kitchen and storefront takes some imagi- city. The resiliency of this city is so impressive;
native design but fits in well with the business mix of Uptown to get through the COVID pandemic and the
Marion. Sweet Cheesecake was chosen as the Uptown Marion derecho with new businesses opening, events
Challenge Grant nomination for the potential to win $100,000 happening and tackling a huge streetscape
towards the renovations of this building. State Challenge Grant project,” said Kathy La Plante; “The support and
winners will be announced October 20. cooperation between the City, Chamber, and
Uptown is equally as impressive and we know
that communities that have strong connections,
are the most successful.”

Kathy’s full report can be found at
UptownMarion.com

KATHY
LA PLANTE

Note from Nick Glew

MEDCO President
319-743-4724
[email protected]

Where did all the people go?As our MEDCO team meets with business leadersThe Business Connectionof workforce would put high strain on our ability to
secure talent. One local executive recently suggested to
across the community and region, this is the question of me that the past 18 months have expedited the exodus
the year. “Help Wanted” signs have become pillars in the of some these workers from employment to retirement.
front yards of small business. For my family, one of the This would suggest many of those employees are not
most disappointing signs that we drive by daily is that coming back. It’s one thought. Could be wrong. Our
of our closed neighborhood ice cream shop that simple industry partners have other similar hypotheses that
reads, “Sorry, we tried.” involve topics like education and childcare. We’ll continue
to learn more as we track trends and data points in the
The challenge transcends the story told by local and months to come.
statewide unemployment rates. At the state level, our
unemployment rate has already returned to pre-pandemic But the bigger questions to all of you are these. How are
numbers. Yet the battle for talent is elevated to levels we you investing in the development of your next generation
have not experienced in many years. of talent? How are you connected with your community
to find your next hire? Are you doing more than just
To dig a little deeper into the numbers, the MEDCO putting a “Help Wanted” sign in your front yard?
Board of Directors regularly tracks the size of our regional
laborforce. That’s the total number of individuals with- We are blessed to be in a region that is full of oppor-
in our seven-county region who are either employed or tunities for companies to connect with talent, invest

Aunemployed. Essentially these are people who want to
work. Since the beginning 2021, we’ve seen that number in people, and be positioned for long term success.

increase by an average 0.37% per month. This remains Here are just a few ideas:

16,500 employees below our November 2019 peak. • H ire your interns and partner with Marion Economic

Across Iowa, the state’s laborforce participation rate was Development to fund their final semesters of a college
66.9% at the end of July, the highest since June 2020. Iowa education.

is a leader compared to the U.S. participation rate that • P ost your job profiles to www.communitypromise.org

stood at 61.7% for the same period. By the way, the partic- and let our team promote them to hundreds of high

ipation rate measures the number of people either seeking school students each year.

work or working, compared to the total population. • P artner with innovative education programs like

These continued slow rebounds in Venture Academics to mentor students and provide
labor participation simply are not authentic project-based learning opportunities with
enough to keep up with our growing your business.

economy and high demand for talent. • J oin Workplace Learning Connection as a job shadow
So where did people go? Here’s a or high school internship host.

thought. According to Pew Research, Statistics and trends will continue to ebb and flow.

more than a third of the workforce (41 The battle for talent is here to stay. Our team at Marion

million people) are defined as baby Economic Development Corporation would love the

boomers, born from 1946-1964. We’ve opportunity visit with you further and discuss how

NICK GLEW known for many years that at some we can support you.
point, the exodus of this generation

A few weeks ago, I was rearranging
my business books by topic, and
as I dusted off one of my favorites
I was struck by a simple, yet
profoundly powerful word.

It’s Time to
RefreshYour
“WOW”
It’s been over eighteen months since the pandemic will become contagious - to your team, prospective
forced nearly every business to hunker down, stick to the employees, key prospects, your community, and most
fundamentals, do your best to hold serve, and ride out importantly — your family. How? Simply put, a new pep
the storm. Many companies actually did well during these in your step raises everyone’s spirits.
very trying times - others not so well. But regardless of the
current status you may find your business to be enjoying So, I’ll close by asking – “What’s your WOW?” Is it
or enduring, there is one word that needs to be dusted off knock-your-socks-off customer service that becomes the
and placed front and center on all of our desks. hallmark of your offering? How about your sales team’s
expertise as they strive to become a trusted advisor to
WOW. your distinct clientele? Or could it be the experience your
customers enjoy when they visit your facility? Of course,
I get it. Some of you are saying, “Really, Eilers? I’m bust- you know your WOW, but here’s the litmus test — when
ing it to find people to support my business, adjusting on you get your customers to ask your competitors, “Why
the fly to accommodate my inconsistent suppliers, and can’t you do it like (insert your company name here)?”
hanging by a thread with key clients because my lead is precisely when your WOW has hit the mark.
times have doubled in the last four months, and you think
“WOW” should be a word at the top of my vocabulary?” And one last note - stop fixating on what your competitors
are doing right now and focus on your circle of influence.
I’ll answer that question with another profound three- Nail your WOW and you’ll leave them in the dust. As one
letter word. Yup. of my key trusted advisors likes to say, “When was the
last time your competitor wrote you a check?”
Think about what refreshing your pursuit of WOW can
mean to your company. First, it will reenergize your team, So, refresh your WOW and as you turn the corner into
and instill a fresh view of the future. Second, your custom- 2022, rest assured - the momentum you create will be epic.
ers will see and feel the difference as you place your WOW
dead-center into every engagement. Lastly, your WOW Let the fun begin.

Lee Eilers formerly served as President of Marion Process Solutions and is enjoying retirement while spoiling his
grandchildren immensely. Lee also serves on the board of Marion Economic Development Corporation. He can be
reached at [email protected].

Still have questions?

Watch a short video describing details at
www.medcoiowa.org/pursuitgrant or email
Emily Russ ([email protected]) with questions.

The Business Connection Community Promise Pursuit
Grants Expand EligibilityCommunity Promise is actively creating competitive

advantage for students and young adults who have a
connection with a career here. Community Promise is a
program organized by Marion Economic Development
Corporation (MEDCO) that promotes high demand ca-
reers and educates students and parents about required
training, benefits received and advancement opportuni-
ties within local industry. Part of that program has been
the development of Community Promise Pursuit Grants.

Community Promise Pursuit Grants exist as a commun-
ity investment that supports partnerships between a
CCommunityPoweredby student and business. They were created to fill financial
gaps and support specialized certifications or career
training. Previously, Pursuit Grants were strictly only
available to currently enrolled students or graduates of
either the Marion Independent or Linn-Mar Community
School District. Students who reside in either district
also qualify.

“We began to realize that any young adult who chooses
to start a career in our region should also be invested in,
regardless of whether or not they’re from the area,” said
Emily Russ, Workforce and Communications Specialist
for MEDCO.

A requirement of a Pursuit Grant is selecting a candi-
date that has a partnering business willing to contribute
to the student’s training costs. As many businesses are
hosting college level interns and offering them full-time

PURSUE YOUR CAREER WITH A PURSUIT GRANT! positions following a successful experience, a Pursuit
Grant could be a viable tool for workforce retention.
PURSUE A CAREER HERE! The labor market today is very challenging, and we
The work you’ve done to equip yourself through a job shadow, believe a young adult choosing to live and work in
internship or part time job is paying off! Now we’d like to help Marion is just as vital as ensuring high school
you with funds to pursue skills for long term success!

WHAT IS A PURSUIT GRANT? students are also equipped to choose Marion.

Pursuit Grants financially support student efforts to become Eligibility requirements for a Pursuit
trained and skilled assets to the local workforce. Grants of up
to $4,000 can be used to cover college tuition, certifications, Grant recipient are now as follows:
or vocational training costs.
1lQualifying business partners must be in Linn
WHO IS ELIGIBLE? County, Iowa or uniquely approved by Marion
Qualifying applicants must be a currently enrolled high Economic Development Corporation. Students
school student or a graduate of either the Marion Independent who did not graduate from Linn-Mar or Marion
or Linn-Mar Community School District. Students who reside must agree to initially establish residence in the
in either district shall also qualify. Young adults within 36 City of Marion once full-time employment begins.
months following high school graduation with plans to reside
in Marion also qualify. Must have a business relationship. 2lGrant eligibility continues for a 36-month peri-
od following their senior year of high school.

Read more details: www.medcoiowa.org/pursuitgrant

Welcome Athletico Physical Therapy The Dancer’s Edge
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MNeweCmhbamebresr Marion, Iowa 52302 Hiawatha, IA 52233
319-302-1200 319-892-4340
athletico.com/locations/marion-ia dancersedgeonline.com

Gospel Light Baptist Church Your Pie Pizza
305 2nd Avenue 2791 7th Avenue
Marion, IA 52302 Marion, IA 52302
319-373-2470 319-377-5367
gospellightmarion.com yourpie.com

Prestige Dance Studio
5005 Blairs Forrest Lane NE, Ste D
Cedar Rapids, IA 52302
319-200-4844
prestigedancestudio.com

Pasta with a Smile!®

Est. 1984
®

© Zio Johno’s 20210910

During the Future Focused Celebration: United Through
Recovery, MEDCO presented a $2,000 check to Kiley
Miller, Trees Forever President and CEO. Funds for the
donation were collected from registrations for the
Future Focused Forums.

The Business Connection MEDCO Completes

Future Focused Forums
MMarion Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) Topics discussed varied from remote work and its
launched a new monthly personal development series effect on workplace culture, mental health, develop-
in early 2021 called Future Focused Forums: A Series ment, industry and more.
Transforming Challenge to Resiliency. The monthly
virtual forums began in February and ran through July. Many of the virtual sessions were recorded and placed
The series ended with an in-person evening to cele- on our MEDCO YouTube channel. Read each session
brate and reflect on the one-year anniversary of the description below and check out the recordings
August 2020 Derecho. available online. Recordings can be found by clicking
the YouTube icon found in the header of our website:
Each forum created dialogue around topics that www.medcoiowa.org.
have emerged as companies and employees began to
reflect on 2020 as the calendar was turned to 2021.
NInewvMesEtDoCrOs

Abrasive Innovations

®

Updates at cityofmarion.org

7th Avenue reconstruction has begun! Come out and support
small businesses. You’re going to DIG what we’re doing!

Shopping & Dining in Uptown? Follow me!

8th Ave P Road Closures
7th Ave P Detour Route
Parking
Shopping Access

6th Ave P
P
15th St
P
13th St
12th St
11th St
10th St
9th St
8th St
7th St

Rendering of the 11th Street plaza area, part of the 7th Avenue reconstruction project.

HSEEAERND& Through Marion Community Build, MEDCO will
purchase deteriorated single-family homes
for students from both Linn-Mar and Marion
Independent to complete full rehabilitations.
Learn more at www.communitypromise.org.

MEDCO Board Member and Marion Independent Superintendent Janelle
Brouwer and Gretchen Kriegel, Assistant Superintendent for Marion
Independent School District are seen helping put finishing touches on
the outside of the Marion Community Build Home.

Swamp Fox Book Store Owners Terri
LeBlanc, Amanda Zhorne, and Ursla
Lanphear celebrate the expansion
of their bookstore.

The team from Community Savings
Bank pause for a photo at the
Chamber Annual Golf Outing in July
at Hunter Ridge Golf Course.

Dave DeWalle of Hy-vee, Jeff Selfridge, Chris Wheeler Vic & Pat Klopfenstein attend
of Point Builders, and Kyle Low of Ohnward Bank Eat. Drink. & Be Marion fundraiser to
network during Wake Up Marion at Lindale Mall. support Uptown Marion Main Street.

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