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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
MEDCO President Mark Seckman leverages experience, enthusiasm to move Marion forward
Seckman joined the organization two years ago and is now working to set the community up for continued success.
Aug. 31, 2025 5:30 am, Updated: Sep. 2, 2025 8:35 am
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MARION — Mark Seckman has walked the streets of Greece, eaten homemade meals in Japan and visited with friends in France.
Still, it’s Marion, Iowa, that sticks out.
“There is a vibe and an excitement that you can really feel when you’re here,” said Seckman, president of the Marion Economic Development Corp. “There’s no other community in the area … like this, and it’s something that we continue to build and make even better.”
It was that same energy that two years ago drew Seckman to the Marion Economic Development Corp., or MEDCO, and he’s worked since to further that sense of community momentum.
The MEDCO team — based in Uptown Marion — is responsible for leveraging inter- and intrastate commerce connections to bring new businesses to Marion and to assist those that already exist to thrive and grow.
Led by Seckman, the organization is one of several on the broader “Team Marion” pushing for the city’s success. Its staff work closely with myriad stakeholders in pursuit of that mission, including local government officials, school staff, the Marion Chamber of Commerce and more.
“MEDCO and the chamber are very complementary organizations, ... and we work together in a lot of ways,” said chamber President Jill Ackerman. “With Mark being in the (economic development) business for so long, he’s been a really great fit and a great team player.”
Seckman brings experience, enthusiasm to MEDCO role
Seckman, 61, began his career in economic development more than 30 years ago at Priority One, the then-economic development arm of what was the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce prior to its merger into the larger Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance.
A Cedar Rapids native, Seckman networked his way into the industry shortly after his graduation from the University of Iowa. He was working in industrial sales at the time when a friend recommended an opening at Priority One.
“I thought I might as well look into it, and something just clicked,” he said. “I’ve been engaged in the industry ever since.”
He spent 19 years at Priority One — including 11 as president — and another five years with the Greater Dubuque Development Corp. as the vice president of national marketing. He then spent six years with Alliant Energy before joining MEDCO.
While at Alliant, “I really missed the community development side of things,” Seckman said. “I saw all these really cool things happening in Marion, though, and it really got me excited” about the MEDCO position.
He joined MEDCO in September of 2023, succeeding former president Nick Glew. In his role as president, Seckman oversees the organization’s staff and operations and acts as the main point of contact for its board of directors.
Board president Eric Schmitt described Seckman as a knowledgeable and energetic leader, adding that Seckman’s extensive background in economic development has served the organization well over the past two years.
“Mark’s the kind of guy who cares a lot about results, and he’s someone who focuses on the things that really matter to Marion in particular,” Schmitt said. “He’s been awesome with the board and provided some real perspective.”
Working toward a ‘proactive’ future
In his position at MEDCO, Seckman considers his job to serve as one member of a much larger team working to move Marion forward. That work requires frequent collaboration with other staff members, he said, as well as other community organizations and business leaders.
“We all work collectively and collaboratively, but we all have our specific roles and responsibilities,” Seckman explained. “We’re all going in the same direction, so no one worries about who takes credit. We just want to roll up our sleeves and get the job done.”
Reiterating the “Team Marion” spirit, he credited those collaborations with supporting growth in the city’s business community at large and on specific projects such as the ongoing development of Uptown Marion and the facilitation of new connections between area students and prospective employers.
He cited seeing the development of the second Broad and Main building as a standout of his time with MEDCO, as well as ongoing conversations around the redevelopment of the former Marion Public Library site.
Moving forward, his focus is on transitioning the organization from acting in a “reactionary” manner to preemptively identifying economic development opportunities.
As part of that process, MEDCO is running a $3.5 million Partnering to Move Marion Forward capital campaign. The campaign aims to fuel intentional, long-term growth through investment in foundational areas of economic development such as housing and workforce development.
“We want to be much more proactive in going out and finding those niche opportunities," Seckman said. “There’s a pride and an excitement to being part of building a community, and this is a way to do that.”
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