Collaborative Growth Initiative’s new talent director will seek to lure workers to Cedar Rapids area

CEDAR RAPIDS — A partnership of Cedar Rapids metro communities will start the new year with a new talent director tasked with growing the labor force and addressing worker shortages.

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Jodi Schafer has been hired by the Collaborative Growth Initiative to be the new talent attraction director. The full-time director-level position at Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance will coordinate public and private sector resources to grow the workforce population.

The initiative was launched in 2023 as a public-private partnership among the cities of Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha and Marion, along with the alliance. The partners funded a report about the region and strategies for growth. It recommended creating a full-time position to focus on implementing growth strategies.

Development Counsellors International conducted market research and identified five areas with potential workforce talent that the Cedar Rapids metro could draw from — Wisconsin, the Chicago area, the Twin Cities in Minnesota, Denver-Aurora-Lakewood in Colorado and Southern California, including Los Angeles.

To attract more workforce talent, messaging could focus on “livability and career-related factors,” including housing availability, cost of living, jobs and salaries, the report states.

The search for a talent attraction director began in June. Schafer will begin work on Jan. 13.

“The Greater Cedar Rapids region is fortunate to have so many vibrant communities with a strong, collective vision for growth,” Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said in a news release announcing Schafer’s hiring. “With Jodi on board, our talent-attraction efforts will accelerate, reaching individuals who have the exact skills our region needs.”

Schafer has nearly 20 years of combined experience in director and talent attraction positions. She has worked in executive level recruitment, internal consulting, strategic planning and leadership development.

Most recently, Schafer was senior director of the Berry Career Institute and special assistant to the provost at Cornell College. Before that, she was director of talent management at CIVCO Medical Solutions, and she spent more than 10 years at the University of Iowa’s MBA department.

“With Jodi at the helm, we’re taking a huge first step toward achieving our collaborative goals,” said Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly. “Each city in the region will play a role in leading specific strategies, but with her guidance, we’re confident we’ll see great results. This is an incredible opportunity to work together as a region and move forward with purpose.”

Hiawatha Mayor Steve Dodson said he’s looking forward to following through on the initative’s goals.

“This is an exciting time for our region as we come together to build on progress,” Dodson said. “With Jodi now part of the team, we’re positioned to harness that momentum and take our efforts even further. It’s a great step forward for all of us.”

Schafer will help coordinate the local initiative with the This is Iowa statewide growth initiative and also will leverage community leadership through a new Workforce Innovation Council of area stakeholders to help bring public, private and non-sector expertise to the effort.