Timeline

Join us for a short journey through time as we highlight our achievements and showcase the business solutions and outreach programs we offer. Many efforts have allowed our experts to help drive growth and facilitate seamless transitions and positively impact countless businesses.

Today, ADVANCE IOWA provides holistic outreach and consulting to small- and medium-sized businesses. The center was established with a vision to deliver comprehensive outreach and consulting programs specifically tailored for mid-sized companies across the state of Iowa. Our mission is to offer holistic solutions that address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by these businesses, ensuring their growth and success in a competitive market.

2012-2013

The Economic Gardening program was started, which later rebranded as ADVANCE IOWA. The brand began in 2012 as a pilot program of the UNI Center for Business Growth and Innovation to provide services to mid-size Iowa businesses.

The program was developed to fill the service gap between the startup stage and large corporations, offering support and resources to help these businesses grow and stimulate the Iowa economy.

2015

2015

Growth: The RBC, SBDC, IASourceLink, and ADVANCE IOWA brands combine efforts into one, becoming the Center for Business Growth & Innovation (CBGI)

Transition: Began work with Business Ownership Transition and related services around it. In 2016, our succession planning services begin.

2018

Growth: CBGI launched the Family Business Forum with panels for multigenerational family businesses

Transition: Conversations initiated with ESOP representatives for need of an Employee Ownership Center in Iowa.

2020

Growth: Reconstructed to better serve you and joined the Building a Better Iowa bandwagon.

Transition: Received Heartland Challenge Grant from the Kauffman Foundation to identify and promote Employee Ownership in Iowa.

2022

The Family Business Center spun off from CBGI and became an official center with support from the Iowa Board of Regents

ADVANCE IOWA announced the launch of the Iowa Center for Employee Ownership (IA-CEO), aimed at supporting and promoting employee ownership as the 21st state in the nation.

Growth: 2022: The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) joined forces with two universities, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), and Youngstown State University (YSU). This FOUNDRY 4.0 Partnership aims to provide American based foundries with the competitive edge in technology while optimizing productivity, output, and product quality, catapulting American-based foundries forward.

Transition: A grant was received from the Invest Taskforce within Empower Rural Iowa to continue Employee Ownership Cooperative work with the support of the Iowa Rural Development Council. In 2022, the Central Standards Grant was received from the Kauffman Foundation. Established partnerships with IRDC, Drake Law, Buena Vista University, and local communities.

2023

Growth: FOUNDRY 4.0 Partnership continues to move forward, assisting foundries and their supply chain to reduce costs, shorten deadlines, and deploy excellence in quality and customer satisfaction for a sustainable, resilient future.

Transition: Ford Foundation grant is awarded to UNI, the Wilson College of Business, and the IA-CEO. The first annual IA-CEO conference is held May 11th in Newton, Iowa.

2024

The Iowa Center for Employee Ownership (IA-CEO), is an independent center and is positioned within ADVANCE IOWA

Growth: FOUNDRY 4.0 Partnership launches the Steps to Success Workshop series kicks-off at Donsco, Inc. on January 10 & 11, 2024 and at Lodge Manufacturing on January 24 & 25, 2024. In September, the DLA project scope of work is completed, however, ADVANCE IOWA continues with the next steps that bridge the skills and opportunity gap of Industry and Foundry 4.0. One step involves the Last Tactical Mile Impact 2.0, which began in the fall of 2024. The focus is on additive manufacturing for metal casting and the workshop series plans to raise the bar on high-impact education and networking for foundries and their supply chain partners.

Transition: Ford Foundation grant is awarded to UNI, the Wilson College of Business and the IA-CEO. In October, employee ownership month, the second annual IA-CEO conference is held on October 16th in Ankeny, Iowa.

2025

Inspired & intentional.
Our team continues to guide business leadership, their team, and communities to achieve their set growth and transition goals by providing the necessary solutions and outreach programs. This year, we strategically intensified our collaboration efforts and increased our conference speaking engagements and panel discussion participation nationwide, which has enabled us to provide additional support and answers to key questions.

Interested in educational opportunities?
A few openings for our popular one-on-one strategic planning workshop package are available. Inquire about our strategic business or succession planning online seminars or other upcoming workshops or events, many of which are at no cost.

Join us for the 2025 IA-CEO Employee Ownership Annual Conference