Carder re-elected MCDC president
At the annual Montgomery County Development Board meeting at the Red Oak Country Club in October, Ann Carder was re-elected president. Brad Wright was re-elected vice president; Jenna Ramsey, secretary and Lee Haidsiak, treasurer.
The program’s guest speaker was Bill Menner, founder of The Bill Menner Group, which is a consulting firm focused on community development, rural partnerships and economic vitality.
One of the main focuses of Menner’s comments was the lack of fiber optics in areas of Montgomery County and around the state of Iowa.
Menner advised the board and guests that one of the biggest steps MCDC could do to bolster economic development was to work together as a county and follow some of the steps that the community of Stanton is doing to make things happen.
“They have leaders. Not just elected leaders, they have civic and business leaders. The word leader has some element of risk-taking to it. Those towns, like Stanton, have folks willing to be out front, take risks, think forward, and make a change. The status quo is easier, but rarely is it best. Those towns that are doing stuff are doing it because they have a core of folks helping to drive that bus,” Menner explained.