Government contracting is a byzantine business—a long and plodding trek through a jungle filled with complicated regulation, documentation requirements, and new marketing challenges.

Sound impossible? Not if you have help.

CIRAS’ top two administrators have been honored by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) for their work trumpeting Iowa manufacturing.

CIRAS Director Ron Cox and program director Mike O’Donnell, head of CIRAS’ Manufacturing Extension Partnership, jointly received ABI’s Manufacturing Champion Award at a dinner for Iowa business leaders on Tuesday.

Interns at ALMACO get much more than an overview of the company’s custom-built agricultural equipment. They become part of the team.

Brian Carr, ALMACO’s vice president of engineering, said student employees at the Nevada-based company get directly involved in completing projects—from initial design, through problem-solving challenges, to the eventual result.

 “We ask them to participate in every aspect of the development of a product,” Carr said. “It’s all collaborative engineering, and they’re just one more voice in the game.”

One key step toward making Iowa buildings more energy efficient is to place them into the hands of people who know how to find savings. Toward that end, two CIRAS partners have joined forces to help Iowa companies interested in reducing their energy costs.

If you find yourself wondering “what’s next” for Iowa manufacturers, make sure you attend the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) Advanced Manufacturing Conference on September 20. 

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) offers a variety of programs and services to individuals, communities and businesses to attract and grow business, employment and workforce in Iowa.  One of these programs is Iowa’s Targeted Small Business (TSB) program, which is designed to help women, individuals with minority status, service-connected disabled veterans and individuals with disabilities overcome some hurdles to start or grow a small business in Iowa. 

You hear the phrase “learn how the sausage gets made” all the time. But what if you actually want to know how sausage is made? Well, we happen to have one of the world leaders on that very subject here at Iowa State University. 

Continuing our sustainability theme in line with Earth Day on April 22, today, we’re highlighting one of our newest partners, the Iowa Sustainable Business Forum (ISBF).

Nathan Meyer was no stranger to CIRAS, but he wasn’t fully aware of all the technical expertise available at Iowa State University until he took a CIRAS-led tour of campus research labs in the fall of 2017.