Our Story
Your Local Chamber
Formerly known as the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, the Business Partnership serves as the voice of business for Johnson County, Iowa, uniting businesses and community to maintain a strong economy and quality of life. Our advocacy efforts, networking events, and other member benefits position members, business leaders and the community for success.
MISSION
VISION
VALUES
2020 Annual Report
They say Hindsight is 20/20. While we're all ready to move on from 2020, we should reflect on the remarkable, positive moments we experienced. This report shares our accomplishments and the lessons we learned over the past year.
The Voice of Business for Johnson County
We are a partnership of over 800 businesses committed to making Johnson County the best place to live, work, and learn. We connect members with the resources they need to grow, advocate on behalf of issues important to area businesses, and engage the business community to positively impact our community as a whole. Join the partnership and grow your business, amplify your voice, and strengthen our community. We can do it all – together!
Our Team
Kim Casko
President & CEO
Describe your role in 10 words or less:
Clearing the path for a talented, smart, fun, and passionate team to achieve our mission.
What’s the biggest impact that we’ve made in our community?
Convening and connecting across the various sectors of our community and industries to solve the biggest challenges and tackle the greatest opportunities. For example, in 2017 we helped pass the largest general obligation bond to fund critical infrastructure improvements to our schools and improve the learning environment for our future workforce for decades to come.
Contact: 319.519.6336
Jennifer Banta
VP of Advocacy & Community Development
What words best describe your role?
Advocate. Convene. Policy. Legislature. Involvement. Community. Mentor. Strategic. Future.
What’s the biggest impact that we’ve made in our community?
The Business Partnership has a unique ability to rally the community around important issues like the COVID-19 pandemic, the GO Bond and Child Care.
Contact: 319.325.4902
Beth Meyer
VP of Sales & Marketing
What words best describe your role?
Communicate. Create. Promote. Brand. Engage. Value. Opportunity.
What’s the biggest impact that we’ve made in our community?
The Business Partnership has been able to provide valuable information and resources to our small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Connecting them to loans and essential resources for reopening their businesses has been an important part of our role as a leadership organization in this community.
Contact: 319.519.6343
Emily Wenzel
Director of Events & Programs
What words best describe your role?
Events. Excitement. Logistics. Design. Organization. Gratitude. Edu-tainment.
What’s the biggest impact that we’ve made in our community?
Our Community Leadership Program is the most impactful thing we do, especially now that we have re-instated the class community service projects. Each year we create a tight-knit group of people who have the tools and the connections to make change in our community, and so many of them actually do it. CLP contributed to the creation of the Commmunity Foundation of Johnson County, and has equipped dozens of people to serve on the boards of local nonprofits and associations.
Contact: 319.337.9637
Erin Hoard
Account Manager
What words best describe your role?
Manage. Facilitate. Organize. Communication. Member-Centric. Answers. Wizard.
What’s the biggest impact that we’ve made in our community?
We provide a gateway into the community not only from a business perspective, but for community members who are seeking information and area resources. We take pride in the relationships we forge and the role we play as one of the area’s leadership organizations.
Contact: 319.337.9637
Zoe Trager
Social Media & Communications Intern
What words best describe your role?
Communicate. Plan. Share. Create. Content. Engage.
What’s the biggest impact that we’ve made in our community?
I think we’ve been able to communicate with our member-base often and consistently so that they’re aware of information and resources important to them. I hope to create even more opportunities to share their stories.
Contact: 319.337.9637
What's in a Name?
What changed？
Our name, logo and colors changed. We also took the opportunity to refine the following:
OUR TAGLINE
The Voice of Business for Johnson County
OUR MISSION
Why we exist
OUR VALUE PROPOSITION
What we do
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN
We used a framework called the Entreprenuerial Operating System (EOS), to guide the development of our dynamic plan.
What hasn't changed?
How did you land on your new name?
What does the new logo represent?
Our new logo is comprised of interlocking location pins to symbolize partnership between area businesses as well as our collaborative role throughout the community.
The primary colors of blue and orange were selected for the following reasons:
Blue
One of the most common logo colors, blue conveys a sense of security, professionalism and stability.
Orange
The color is fun, dynamic, and is blue’s complimentary color. Often associated with sports teams, its message tends to communicate energy, life, motivation and activity. It also creates a visual impact on marketing collateral.