Metro Economic Alliance names new CEO

More than a year after its previous CEO stepped down, the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance has named its new leader.

The Metro Economic Alliance officially named Doug Neumann as its executive director. Neumann has served as interim director since April 2016 when the former leader, Dee Baird, resigned.

'We are proud of the leadership Doug has provided the staff, the organization and the business community, and we are pleased to make this a permanent position for him and the organization,” said Ted Townsend, current chairman of the Economic Alliance Board and president and CEO of UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital, in a statement.

Neumann previously served as the Metro Economic Alliance's executive vice president. He is a native of Wisconsin, but has spent 25 years in Cedar Rapids.

He starts his new role immediately.

New Joint Venture head named

In addition to Neumann's promotion, the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and Iowa City Area Development Group announced the head for a joint venture between the two economic development groups.

Jennifer Daly will lead the joint venture as president and CEO. She previously served as CEO of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council in Peoria, Ill.

She will be responsible for leading efforts in the Corridor to develop workforce and recruit businesses. The joint venture, announced in January 2016, is known as Iowa's Creative Corridor Economic Development Corp.

Daly is the first person to lead the joint venture and will start in early July.

'A lot of hard work has gone into creating this entity, and we have now found the right person to lead it into its next successful phase,” said Tom Goedken, co-chairman of the Joint Venture Board.

The joint venture will have its own office in the Corridor, but a final location has not been determined, Metro Economic Alliance spokeswoman Melissa McCarville said. Staff will come from the two economic development groups.

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