Economic Development

Jack Hatch and Des Moines Part One

Former State Senator Jack Hatch has, once again, dusted off his campaign talents to take on incumbent Mayor Frank Cownie. Many have questioned why Senator Hatch who served in the Iowa Legislature and was the Democratic candidate for Governor would want to run for this office. That's where we start and he's got lots of reasons. Here then is Part One: 
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday, hour-long business podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 
Our Sponsors
AARP-Iowa
National Tractor Parts Dealer Association
Oasis - A Paychex Company
Tero International

Jack Hatch and Des Moines Part Two

We kick off part two of my conversation with mayoral candidate Sen. Jack Hatch by talking about poverty in Des Moines. We're talking about real, crippling poverty that nobody seems to want to discuss. We'll move from that into several other issues Candidate Hatch thinks you should know about...click for more. 
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday, hour-long business podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 
Our Sponsors
AARP-Iowa
National Tractor Parts Dealer Association
Oasis - A Paychex Company
Tero International

The Business News Headlines & More 15 October 2019

Yesterday investors weren't so sure about the future of trade talks with China. Today they threw all of that out the window... Welcome to the business news headlines for Tuesday the 15th of October. Just a click away:
What drove Wall Street today;
The Turkish economic sanctions? Yawn;
Could the GM strike be nearing an end;
Two words for used car buyers: Buyer Beware;
Companies that are cool but not making a dime;
The AMC cinema chain to stream...no, really;
In case you've run out of stuff to worry about....
Those stories plus a conversation with Brent Roske the Iowa State Director for 2020 Democratic hopeful John Delaney. A press release from that campaign caught our eye so we sit down with Brent to chat about the Heartland Startup Tour. Mixing politics with...business. Click here to listen. 
Thanks for coming by! 
 

Playing To His Strength - Business

The moment we saw the press release from the John Delaney campaign we thought it was brilliant and reached out to the Iowa State Director, Brent Roske, for details. It's called the Heartland Startup Tour and it's not a typical campaign event but something that plays into the strength of former Congressman John Delaney and that's business and startups. Click through and learn more about this novel way to reach what some might consider non-traditional voters. 
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday, hour-long business podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 
Our Sponsors
AARP-Iowa
National Tractor Parts Dealer Association
Oasis - A Paychex Company
Tero International

Congressman Ro Khanna on Rural Technology and More

This is Part One of my conversation with Congressman Ro Khanna who has been to Iowa nearly as often as some presidential candidates. His efforts have largely been in support of new technologies that will re-imagine Rural America. We talk about that, Silicon Valley, unions and more before we get into Medicare for All in the next segment. 
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday, hour-long business podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 
Our Sponsors
AARP-Iowa
National Tractor Parts Dealer Association
Oasis - A Paychex Company
Tero International

Meet 1,000 Friends of Iowa

You are forgiven if you're not familiar with 1,000 Friends of Iowa...after all they have only been around for a couple of decades.  I know...right? Originally formed as the Rural-Urban Stewardship Project the group changed their name and became a non-profit, tax-exempt organization in 1998. Here Kari Carney the groups Executive Director and Julia McGuire share with you...and me...the reason 1,000 Friends of Iowa is more important today than ever. We'll also talk about the 18th Annual Best Development Awards and how YOU can get involved and nominate a deserving project. Here is that conversation. 
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday, hour-long business podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 
Our Sponsors
AARP-Iowa
National Tractor Parts Dealer Association
Oasis - A Paychex Company
Tero International

The Business News Headlines & More 1 October 2019

Wall Street closed yesterday up on the hope of renewed talks between the U.S. and China and then...today...out came a report on U.S. manufacturing. That story and what happened on Wall Street opens up our first newscast of a new month:
Manufacturing data weak...very;
President Trump calls the Fed "pathetic";
Facebook to sue the United States if Warren is elected;
The "Wealth Tax" is back in the news;
GM lays off thousands more;
Amazon and NEW grocery stores;
Amazon 3rd party sellers pay thousands to talk to a person.
Those stories and a look at what the top 23 employers in Iowa have to say about the economy moving forward. You might say it's a "mixed bag" in this interview with Georgia Van Gundy the Executive Director of the Iowa Business Council done for us by Jeff Stein the News & Program Director of News/Talk 1540 KXEL. Here is that story. 
Thanks for listening! 

Repurposing a Vacant Mall - Immigrants Welcome

Usually Laura Kinnard joins me each week to talk about business events happening in the Greater Des Moines Metro. This week we're changing things up to talk about creating an Iowa Immigrant Welcome Center that would be housed at the, now near empty, Southridge Mall location on the near southside of Des Moines. It's a project from Curated Growth a company started by Laura. Here with her is Patricia Grote from the Iowa International Center. Lots of reasons to like all of this. 
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday, hour-long business podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 
Our Sponsors
AARP-Iowa
National Tractor Parts Dealer Association
Oasis - A Paychex Company
Tero International

Technology & Rural America - The Forge in Jefferson, Iowa

Recently the public was able to view The Forge a training and work center in the rural community of Jefferson, Iowa. The opening of this center has lots of moving parts including Pillar Technology, the city, county and state. There are Silicon Valley folks, Iowa Central Community College, Des Moines Area Community College...it's a big deal. Here, in this brief overview, we chat with the Mayor of Jefferson, Craig Berry, a recipient of a DMACC scholarship, Safora Khan and California Congressman Ro Khanna who had much to do with bringing the parties together. If replicated, this could be a major boost to communities across the U.S.
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday, hour-long business podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 
Our Sponsors
AARP-Iowa
National Tractor Parts Dealer Association
Oasis - A Paychex Company
Tero International

A Conversation with Congresswoman Cindy Axne

It wasn't that long ago that Iowans in the Third Congressional District, which is made up of 16 counties, voted to send Cindy Axne to congress. Here is part one of an extended interview where we talk about some common misconceptions of Washington D.C., her work there, what she's been doing, and what she hopes to do to represent all of the people in this District and the U.S. Here is Part One with Congresswoman Cindy Axne.
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday, hour-long business podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour. 
Our Sponsors
AARP-Iowa
National Tractor Parts Dealer Association
Oasis - A Paychex Company
Tero International