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  • From left are Gordon Ipson, manager of economic development with Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative, Tod Faris, executive director of AEDC and Bryan Ziegler, director of the Iowa Small Business Development Center at Indian Hills Community College. Ipson, Ziegler and Faris presented the fundamentals of an entrepreneurial development program Tuesday morning to a large group of local professionals assembled at The Continental Hotel in Centerville. Photo by Michael Schaffer/Daily Iowegian

    Entrepreneurial spirit growing in Centerville

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September 3, 2010

Entrepreneurial spirit growing in Centerville

Help for entrepreneurs is closer than most think, but one local corporation is looking to bring it to Centerville's front door.

By Michael Schaffer - Managing editor Daily Iowegian

CENTERVILLE — Between bites of eggs, sausage and toast, 13 local professionals were given a sales pitch for a concept.

Start an entrepreneurial development program in Appanoose County and it may help land the next big project, or it may help a company now working out of a garage or basement to become the next big thing.

"Who's to say the next success story isn't right here in Appanoose County," Gordon Ipson, the manager of economic development with Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative in Palmyra, Mo., said. "What we're really doing is investing in the future."

Ipson said one part of a comprehensive entrepreneur development program is professional support from established individuals in the community.

"Professional support, that's part of the reason we asked all of you to be here," Ipson said. "This would be an organized effort amongst professionals like yourself to work with and help support entrepreneurs and new business startups."

While only 13 of the 23 who committed to attended the 7 a.m. meeting Tuesday at The Continental showed up, Tod Faris, executive director of Appanoose Economic Development Corporation, said the burgeoning AEDC Entrepreneur Development Program would create a network of local professionals to assist entrepreneurs as they attempt to build a business. It would be a loosely defined network of professionals from banking, law, insurance, medical, education and other professions when taken as a whole could offer valuable advise and answer questions posed by entrepreneurs.

"I saw definitely a need here locally," Faris said. "We do have a lot of smaller entrepreneurs that are working out of their garages, basements, backyards."

While Faris is assembling his AEDC Entrepreneur Development Program team, Bryan Ziegler, director of Iowa Small Business Development Center at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, is one established resource available to offer help immediately.

"I can meet with individuals who are starting a business or business expansion," Ziegler said. "We can work on a variety of things like business plans, marketing, finance. All of those areas."

Ziegler's services are free. He covers a 10-county area, including Appanoose County. He can be reached by calling (641) 683-5127, (800) 726-2585, ext. 5127 or by e-mail: bziegler@indianhills.edu.

For more information about AEDC Entrepreneur Development Program, call Faris at (641) 856-3388 or by e-mail: aedcdirector@iowatelecom.net.

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So, the question this week is, “Will it stay or will it go?” The United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. wants to close three Farm Service Agency offices in southern Iowa, which includes the FSA office in Centerville, and consolidate the operations in order to save money. Tuesday afternoon a meeting was held at Faith United Methodist Church to allow farmers and other producers who use the Centerville FSA office to make comments about the closing to John R. Whitaker, state executive director Iowa FSA. Many questioned if the meeting Tuesday was necessary because the decision had already been made.

A. Yes, because Washington will listen.
B. No, because the decision to close the Appanoose County FSA office has already been made.
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