Corridor Business Journal

08/01/2025

The city of Anamosa lies at the confluence of the Wapsipinicon River and Buffalo Creek, flanked by Highway 151 to the east and the river to the west. Overlooking the junction of these two waterways is Riverside Cemetery, the final resting place of artist Grant Wood, whose paintings famously depicted Anamosa’s rolling hills.

The celebrated artist’s hometown, population 5,450, serves as the county seat of Jones County. It is also the site of a robust downtown rejuvenation project years in the making.

Subscribers can read more about Anamosa's economic development projects on the CBJ's website.

07/31/2025

Streaming has gone hyperlocal – and an Eastern Iowa entrepreneur is leading the way.

Jack Perry, who’s spent decades building broadcast tech companies, has launched Zeam, a free, ad-supported platform connecting viewers to local TV stations and independent streaming creators nationwide. Think ice fishing streams, Broadway updates from Times Square, local podcasts out of the West End Diner – and even a little help from John Stamos.

Find out how this Iowa-based platform is shaking up streaming and why big-name broadcasters are taking notice.....
Subscribers can read the full story on the CBJ's website.

Photo caption: Broadcast television signals from across the country are encoded at Zeam's studios in Marion, Iowa. CREDIT ZEAM

07/30/2025

Here's a look at this week's front page.

Copper Boar in North Liberty has taken the top spot in our Fastest Growing Companies list for 2025 — the first time a restaurant has led the rankings in the award’s 16-year history.

Brandon Pratt, owner of Lion Development Group, has been named Entrepreneur of the Year for 2025. He has grown a company of more than 700 employees while staying committed to “doing right” by his people.

In this week’s Real Success with Nate Kaeding, the father-son leadership team at F&M Bank joins Nate to talk about their century of service in the Corridor.

Subscribers can read these stories and more in print or online on the CBJ's website.

07/30/2025

LAST CHANCE! Nominations for Coolest Places to Work are due tomorrow, July 31, and nominations for Forty Under 40 are due on Friday, Aug. 1.

Learn more and nominate online:
https://corridorbusiness.com/award-nominations/

07/29/2025

: The groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for this morning at the QTS data center site in southwest Cedar Rapids was canceled by company leaders in the wake of the deadly shooting at the Blackstone company headquarters building in New York City.

QTS is a Blackstone portfolio company.

The groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for this morning at the QTS data center site in southwest Cedar Rapids was canceled by company leaders in the wake of the deadly shooting at the Blackstone company headquarters building in New York City. QTS is a Blackstone portfolio company. A QTS spokesperson....

07/28/2025

There’s no requirement that partners in a locally-owned restaurant have a longstanding personal friendship that predates their business relationship, but in the case of the Copper Boar - American Pub in North Liberty, it certainly hasn’t hurt.

Opened in August 2022 by partners Ty Medema, Shane Durian and Zeph Leaton, the restaurant has been named the Corridor Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Company in the Corridor for 2025, with just under 300% reported revenue growth from 2022 to 2024.

It’s the first time in the CBJ award’s 16-year history that a restaurant has finished atop the pack.....
Subscribers can read the full story on the CBJ's website: https://corridorbusiness.com/north-libertys-copper-boar-named-cbjs-fastest-growing-company/

07/22/2025

A new gift shop in Uptown Marion is selling a little bit of inspiration mixed with a side of retro.

State of Mind, opened May 17 at 1107 Seventh Ave. Suite 106, offers a kaleidoscope of colorful novelties and handcrafted keepsakes for those who appreciate a little whimsy in their lives.

“I personally am someone [who] loves to laugh. I like to smile and I like having sort of offbeat and fun things that I think other people are drawn to, as well,” said owner Carissa Starleaf.....
Read more about State of Mind on the CBJ's website: https://corridorbusiness.com/creativity-is-a-state-of-mind-for-this-marion-gift-shop/
Story and photos by Annie Smith Barkalow.

07/18/2025

GreatAmerica Holdings Inc., the parent company of GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation, announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Heritage Bank and has filed an application to establish a national bank.

The acquisition of Heritage Bank, an Iowa state-chartered bank based in Marion with branches in Hiawatha and Delhi, is subject to regulatory approval.

Read the full story on the CBJ's website.

GreatAmerica Holdings Inc., the parent company of GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation, announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire

07/17/2025

Get your nominations in for our upcoming award events! Coolest Places to Work nominations are due on July 31, and Forty Under 40 nominations are due Aug. 1.

Learn more and nominate today: https://corridorbusiness.com/submit/event-submission/

07/15/2025

Listen to the latest episode of the Downtown Dish, wherever you get your podcasts.

07/15/2025

Here’s a look at this week’s front page.

Dows Farm development in Linn County is officially moving forward. The Corridor’s first agri-community has reached a major milestone, with housing units now under construction and occupancy expected by fall.

Nordex USA has reopened its wind turbine production facility in West Branch after a 12-year closure. The return to manufacturing is expected to bring jobs and renewed investment to the region’s renewable energy sector.

Iowa United Volleyball is expanding into the former Pearson campus in Iowa City. The move follows significant growth for the youth volleyball club and provides new space to accommodate teams, training, and events.

Subscribers can read these stories, and more, July 14 print edition or online on the CBJ's website.

07/12/2025

An expansion of Frontier Co-op’s distribution facility signals more than job growth for the rural town of Belle Plaine.

“We’ve continued to grow, and with that growth comes the responsibility to keep investing in the rural communities we live and work in,” Frontier Co-op CEO Tony Bedard said during a July 5 groundbreaking ceremony.

The expansion represents a key step in the co-op’s strategic plan to support continued sales growth.....
Subscribers can read more about the facility, and its groundbreaking ceremony, on the CBJ's website.

Story and photos by Cindy Hadish.