CIRAS routinely connects Iowa companies with technical and business capabilities at Iowa State University, including faculty, research laboratories, and students. One example is the highly collaborative relationship between CIRAS and Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business. Both focus on similar business interests, including business analytics, entrepreneurship, supply chain management, human resources, marketing, and international … Continue reading How the CIRAS-Ivy Partnership Impacts Iowa Companies
Author: jmearp
Manufacturing 4.0 Funding: New Opportunity for Iowa Companies
CIRAS and the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), in partnership with the 4.0 Manufacturing Group and Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), recently hosted a webinar led by Amy Lask, vice president of Business and Community Solutions at NICC. The webinar highlighted the upcoming Manufacturing 4.0 funding set to open in early 2025. The grant will … Continue reading Manufacturing 4.0 Funding: New Opportunity for Iowa Companies
CIRAS Staff News: Meet Heath Reimers
Heath brings over 20 years of industry experience across several sectors, including specialty steel and off-road equipment manufacturing. His areas of expertise include design, process specification control, CAD/CAM design, and prototyping. Heath is also skilled in implementing process improvements, optimizing tooling, and adopting digital solutions to enhance production efficiency. Heath joins CIRAS from John Deere, … Continue reading CIRAS Staff News: Meet Heath Reimers
CIRAS Staff News: Meet Jordan Joynt
Jordan Joynt joined CIRAS as a Marketing Project Manager with the Business Team. Jordan brings a robust skill set to CIRAS, with expertise in digital marketing, marketing strategy, content development, and print marketing. His experience includes creating and executing effective marketing plans, enhancing brand visibility through targeted campaigns, and crafting compelling content across various platforms. … Continue reading CIRAS Staff News: Meet Jordan Joynt
Empowering Leadership in Manufacturing: An Insightful Q&A with Mike Wagner of White Rabbit Group
Leadership is a critical component of success in the manufacturing industry. In this Q&A, we speak with Mike Wagner of the White Rabbit Group, an expert in leadership development, who shares practical insights and strategies to help companies cultivate effective leaders and improve their overall performance. Q: Can you tell me about your background and … Continue reading Empowering Leadership in Manufacturing: An Insightful Q&A with Mike Wagner of White Rabbit Group
Elevating Company Success through Cultural Transformation
The term “culture” is often used differently and invokes various interpretations. When it comes to a business and its workforce, though, we prefer describing culture as the personality of a company. Just like people, those personalities have benefits and challenges. Companies prioritizing innovation and action can align effectively with employees who share similar values, though … Continue reading Elevating Company Success through Cultural Transformation
New Lean Tour Format Offers Lessons for Hosts and Attendees
Go to Gemba with the Iowa Lean Consortium Those experienced in Lean methodology will connect with the word Gemba, which reminds leaders to go and see where the work is done and to talk to people doing the work. Going to Gemba is a core tenet of Lean philosophy, and now the ILC is using … Continue reading New Lean Tour Format Offers Lessons for Hosts and Attendees
Senator Ernst’s Entrepreneur Expo: A Gathering For Growth In Ames
This August, Ames will host the second Senator Ernst’s Entrepreneur Expo, an event for Iowa’s small business community. Supported by CIRAS APEX, America’s SBDC, and Senator Joni Ernst, the expo aims to connect Iowa small businesses and local entrepreneurs with government contracting opportunities and insights into federal innovation programs. Following the success of last year’s … Continue reading Senator Ernst’s Entrepreneur Expo: A Gathering For Growth In Ames
Iowa Company Finds Success in Hawaii
Surveillance equipment provided by an Iowa company and one of its client partners helps address a poaching problem happening at state parks in Hawaii. BizReps, located in Davenport, and two partners recently delivered solar-powered surveillance equipment to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources in Maui. The equipment captures illegal activity and information on … Continue reading Iowa Company Finds Success in Hawaii
Mapping Your Supply Chains: A Guide to Risk Prioritization and Action
A version of this article was initially published in Industry Week. The Strategic Advantage of Mapping Key Products Manufacturers often face supply chain disruptions without knowing their timing or impact. Assessing risks and implementing management practices can seem overwhelming, especially without dedicated staff or tools. A practical solution exists: map the supply chain of a … Continue reading Mapping Your Supply Chains: A Guide to Risk Prioritization and Action