Pictured: Hildreth (L) and Durham (R) pose with Caffrey’s hippo statue after talking economic development in Calhoun County Thursday. Photo credit to Calhoun County Economic Development Corporation.
Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Director Debi Durham toured Calhoun County yesterday (Thursday) and met with the Calhoun County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) to discuss its strategic planning. CCEDC Executive Director Theresa Hildreth says Durham’s visit stems from a Rural Iowa Summit earlier this year, where she was a keynote speaker.
Durham began her visit at Traditions on the shores of Twin Lakes, where they reviewed the county’s strategic plan. Several years ago, CCEDC identified focus points as a guide for economic development initiatives. Those include existing business support, workforce preparedness, community development and capacity, and business recruitment. Hildreth says the feedback from Durham on their priorities and how they’ve pursued them so far was positive.
The business park features 13.2 shovel-ready acres situated at the intersection of four-lane U.S. Highway 20 and Iowa Highway 4. Durham believes CCEDC has been doing all the right things, and Hildreth says hearing that from the state’s top economic development professional is encouraging.
Durham finished Thursday’s visit to Calhoun County at the Twin Lakes Golf Club, where she learned about the historic Art Caffrey concrete animal sculptures. The pieces, which were designed and built in the 1950s, drew thousands of visitors to Caffrey’s farm for years. The statues eventually ended up in the Hildreth family’s possession, which were donated last year to the golf course and refurbished. According to Hildreth, Durham commented that she has the privilege to travel to all corners of the state, and Calhoun County was just another reminder that you never know what you might find in Iowa.
