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Decatur County Development Corporation Receives Award for Business Retention and Expansion Efforts

Pictured L-R: Shannon Erb, Executive Director, Decatur County Development Corporation; Clark Smith, Smart Solutions Group (award sponsor); Tad Whittom, Founder, Freedom Racing Tool and Auto, LLC; Tyler Whittom, Freedom Racing Tool and Auto, LLC; John Henderson, Treasurer, Lamoni Development Corporation; Ethan Pitt, Director, South Central Iowa Small Business Development Center; Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds; Lt. Governor of Iowa Adam Gregg.

Des Moines, IA – May 9, 2019:  The Professional Developers of Iowa (PDI) honored the Decatur County Development Corporation during the SMART Economic Development Conference held in Des Moines on May 9.

The PDI Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) Awards Program recognizes the outstanding efforts of local and regional economic development initiatives in supporting growth and expansion of existing Iowa companies. Decatur County Development Corporation received the 2019 Single Project BRE Success Award. This award recognizes a single event or issue in which a community successfully mobilized to retain or expand an existing business. Consideration was given to the process of identifying the opportunity, collaboration with local, regional and/or state partners and the ability to respond quickly.

Freedom Racing Tool and Auto was established in 2010 in Lamoni and is an industry leading e-commerce business that sells new and pre-owned automotive specialty tools. The company was experiencing rapid growth going from three to 29 employees, leading them to look for locations to expand. Freedom Racing was recruited by communities in Missouri, but the Decatur County Development Corporation teamed with the Lamoni Development Corporation, Iowa Area Development Group, CIPCO, GRM Networks, Aureon, South Central Iowa Small Business Development Center, and the City of Lamoni to put together a great package to keep them home in Lamoni by helping them build and expand their facilities to meet their needs. 

“Supporting Iowa’s existing industry is a key priority for PDI’s membership,” stated Kelly Halsted, PDI President. “The BRE Awards are intended to increase the focus on fostering Iowa business growth by economic development organizations and spotlight BRE programs and projects that have made a significant impact on Iowa communities.”

Founded in 1973, with current membership of over 310, PDI is an organization dedicated to advancing the professionalism of its members through a wide range of programs and services. As an association, PDI provides professional training that helps its members do a better job for their community. PDI creates an atmosphere of support and offers an instant network of seasoned experts for local professionals to seek advice and support. Learn more about PDI at www.pdiowa.com, www.facebook.com/ProfessionalDevelopersOfIowa and www.twitter.com/pdiowa . Learn more about the Decatur County Development Corporation at www.dcdciowa.org and www.facebook.com/dcdciowa.

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Freedom Racing Tool and Auto Expansion

Freedom Racing Tool and Auto is an industry leading business that sells new and pre-owned automotive specialty tools. To the City of Lamoni, however, it is more than just a successful business, it is an establishment of Pride and Progress.

In 2015, Freedom Racing outgrew its downtown location and expanded to a modern 9,000 sq. ft. facility in the Lamoni Industrial Park. The City’s join efforts (LDC, IADG, INS, GRM Networks, CIPCO, and DCDC) made this expansion possible as Freedom Racing is not only one of the most successful businesses in Lamoni, it also helps lead the charge in inspiring the community to grow the local economy.

With this new facility, Freedom Racing was able to increase its employee numbers from 12 to 22. With the expectation to grow to approximately 30 employees in the next few years, DCDC and LDC assisted in securing financing to again expand Freedom Racing’s building with assistance from CIPCO. The 3,800 sq. ft. expansion allows the business to improve and enlarge the packing area and separate shipping and receiving in order to increase efficiencies and flow. This expansion makes room for more employees to work on processing and shipping orders and accommodates a larger work area for receiving and processing inventory.

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Zoomers RV Opens Second Location in Lamoni

Touting its motto, “We make memories affordable,” Zoomers RV opened sales last Friday at its 1905 East Main Street office, former home of Interstate Repair Service.

Operations co-manager Dana Massie proudly displayed Zoomers’ first pair of the initial 70-or-so recreational vehicles that will soon occupy the company’s dual locations in Lamoni’s Industrial Zone, including the second display site immediately south of the Cobblestone Inn and Suites.  Hundreds more are promised over the months ahead.

Dana’s co-manager Eric Bockemuehl, like Dana herself, comes to Lamoni from Spokane, Washington, having served as financial manager for the Wabash office several years previously.  When CEO Mike Weaver decided to start his second site, he immediately asked Eric to find the best operations manager around to join him, and Dana was the obvious choice.

The company will sell all three types of self-contained homes on wheels.  This includes both types of pull-behinds, including “travel trailers” that attach to the bumper of other vehicles and “fifth-wheelers” that sit in pickup truck beds.  The third and largest group are the all-inclusive, driver-operated “motor homes.”  Trade-ins of all types will be accepted.

Although the company will primarily sell new pull-behinds, its motor homes for sale will largely be pre-owned.  Since the service section of Zoomers’ split-use building on its site has 14-foot bays, even the largest motor homes can be serviced indoors (though perhaps requiring airless tires, Dana concedes).

Three newly trained local employees will perform all pre-delivery inspections with needed repairs and appliance replacements prior to sales.  The three firm standards that Dana maintains have set the company apart in Indiana will be continued in Lamoni:

  • No dealer fees
  • No charge for PDIs (pre-delivery inspections) on all RVs sold
  • Affordable pricing established ahead of time.

The company has been a price leader in Indiana and is determined to be so in the Iowa market as well.

Zoomers RV was started in Wabash, Indiana, by its owner, Mike Weaver, with a single used travel trailer 11 years ago and has since grown to over 500 RVs.  He is also preparing to open the largest RV service facility in Indiana.  Lamoni is its second sales location.  Lamoni Development Corporation President Jared Doty, who recently visited the Indiana site, confirms its highly successful operation.

There were four special features of Lamoni’s physical environment that contributed to its selection:

  • The city sat at the crossroads of four major markets: Des Moines, Kansas City, Omaha, and Davenport.
  • Interstate 35 provided easy access.
  • The Welcome Center already drew sizable traffic off Exit 4.
  • The Cobblestone Inn and Suites could provide comfortable overnight accommodations to buyers.

But describing what really made the difference for selecting Lamoni in its search process, Dana says, “It was by far the most welcoming of everyplace we went.  Everyone we met was just tremendously helpful.”  She especially cited Shannon Erb of the Decatur County Development Corporation as extremely accommodating.  “She sent us videos, documents, housing information, and just gave us incredible attention all the time for every need we had.”  Jared Doty provided cost-free access to Graceland’s stock of file cabinets and office furniture.  Dana cited several others for their assistance and advice, including Jeremy Sellars, Barb Stuck, Sherry Adams, Jordan Omstead, and Bill Weabler, who picked up his paint bucket and volunteered in restoring the office décor.

Although sales will continue through the immediate future, Zoomers RV has scheduled its Grand Opening for July 14.  A memorable celebration is promised.

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Two Census Tracts in Decatur County Nominated as Opportunity Zones to Spur Business Investment

On Friday, April 20, Governor Kim Reynolds and Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, along with the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), announced 62 Iowa census tract nominations for Opportunity Zones designation. Opportunity Zones is a new economic development program administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The program was established within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to encourage long-term investments in low-income zones by providing investors with a capital gains tax deferral. The Governor of each state was responsible for nominating Opportunity Zones in their state.

Census tracts eligible to be nominated for this program must have a poverty rate that is 20 percent or greater within the tract, and/or have a family income that is less than 80 percent of the area’s median income. In Iowa, 247 tracts are eligible. In Decatur County, there are three census tracts, and all are eligible to apply for this designation.

The Decatur County Development Corporation, in partnership with the Decatur County Supervisors and City Administrators, City Clerks and Council Members throughout the county worked together to apply for this designation for all three census tracts. The application told stories of our hardships, but also detailed our many recent successes, and expected continued success with the addition of this new incentive tool.

Of the three tracts applied for, two tracts were nominated by the Governor. The two tracts include the cities of Decatur City, Grand River, Lamoni and Leon; as well as rural areas surrounding these cities. This designation will allow economic development agencies in Decatur County to recruit new business to the area, leading to more jobs and capital investment to Decatur County. Decatur County is the only county in Iowa outside of Des Moines to have eligible tracts located on Interstate 35. Other nominated tracts in the region include Centerville, Chariton, Creston, and Winterset.

Nominations must be approved by the Treasury Department, and administrative rules are still being written, but this recognition from the Governor’s Office and other economic development partners throughout the state are evidence that Decatur County is innovate, creative and willing to welcome new business.

More information including a press release from the Governor’s office and a map of nominated tracts can be found at https://iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/opportunityzones.

If you have any questions on this program, contact Shannon Erb, Executive Director of the Decatur County Development Corporation via email at serb@dcdciowa.org, or via phone at 641-442-6511. Follow the DCDC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dcdciowa for continued updates on the business and economic development of the county.

Opportunity Zones Map for Decatur County

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