C.R. Metro Economic Alliance announces policy board, officers

CEDAR RAPIDS -- The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance on Friday announced the election of its initial policy board of directors and officers.

Barry Boyer of Van Meter Inc. was elected chairman and Lon Olejniczak of Transamerica was elected vice chairman. Others elected to the board are Lydia Brown, Skywalk Group; Steve Gray, Gray Venture Partners; Nancy Kasparek, U.S. Bank; Jeanine Penticoff, Alliant Energy; Chuck Peters, SourceMedia Group; John Schnipkoweit, RecBob and formerly with Ovation Networks, and Ted Townsend, St. Luke's Hospital.

The board reflects the spirit of the new corporate structure of the Metro Economic Alliance, with representatives of interstate commerce, central business districts, small business and locally-owned businesses. The Metro Economic Alliance was formed by the Jan. 1 merger of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Priority One and the Cedar Rapids Downtown District.

In addition to the election of the policy board, four innovation councils were created to help connect customers to the organization and ensure broad involvement in the shaping of the strategic focus of the Metro Economic Alliance. Each council also will appoint members of the policy board.

For more information on the innovation boards, go to

www.cedarrapids.org and click on the Chamber logo.