In The News
2020 Chamber Awards
2020 was a tough year for many of us and our communities. We’ve lost friends. We’ve lost family. Some of our businesses have lost income and individuals have lost jobs. It’s not been easy by any stretch of the imagination. But when I look around, I also see resilience, hope and ambition. I’ve seen compassion, kindness, and generosity against all odds. As a community, we stepped up to support our first responders, health care workers, Helping Hand, and individuals and families who needed help. Many of our small businesses got a boost from secret Santa who stepped forward to share some holiday cheer with them. Thank you to everyone who helped.
Our businesses will respond. Our community will expand. And like every pivotal moment in history, our businesses and community will come back stronger than ever. Our Chamber will be there to help.
So, while we reflect on 2020, it’s time to celebrate. Each year, the Chamber accepts nominations, recognizes and celebrates businesses and individuals who have made significant contributions to our community. We are happy to announce the winners! Congratulations to:
- Distinguished Chamber Leader of the Year –
Karey Bishop. “Karey has year after year given back to our community in many ways. This year is no exception, her leadership and love for our community during this tough year has shined a light of hope and determination to us all.”
- Indianola Emerging Business of the Year – Feed & Foster. “Erin Freeberg & Jane Whalen opened Feed & Foster fulfilling their dreams of opening a store that reminds them of home selling elegant items and fun kitchen accessories, as well as a variety of specialty meats, cheeses, wine and craft beers. We thank Erin and Jane for continuing to prosper, adding a new attraction, and fulfilling much needed retail space on the Indianola square.”
- Steven G. Pfeifer Volunteer of the Year –
Jim Fromm. “For all the organizations and activities in which he is involved in, Jim epitomizes what an ideal board and or committee member should be: present, reliable, committed, hard-working, and never afraid to roll up his sleeves and get involved. If a job needs done, whether it be project-based or spur-of-the-moment, Jim is a go-to person one can always rely on.”
- Educator of the Year – Alison Sauter. “When COVID-19 had the district scrambling to plan and deliver remote instruction, “Ask Ali,” was probably uttered thousands of times. The value she has added to the district and the work she has done during this difficult period is phenomenal.”
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy new year!
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Indianola Chamber President & CEO Joins the Greater Des Moines Partnership Board
Indianola Chamber of Commerce Announces 2024 Annual Award Winners
President’s Message to Indianola Chamber Investors Your investment in the Indianola Chamber of Commerce is so much more than a membership. It’s a partnership that strengthens our community, supports local businesses, and drives meaningful progress for everyone. Thanks to your support, we’ve accomplished incredible things together this past year. Some of our 2024 highlights include: New Businesses: Celebrated 25 new businesses opening their doors in Indianola. New Members: Welcomed 53 businesses to our Chamber community. Member Promotions: Successfully promoted Chamber member news and 543 member events, with a reach of over 300,000 on social media channels and an open rate of over 50% open rate in Chamber in communications. Impactful Events: Hosted events that brought members together and showcased the vibrancy of our community. Main Street Designation: Helped lead the charge to be one of two communities to earn the Main Street designation from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Tourism Launch: Welcomed visitors to Indianola through enhanced tourism marketing and our Experience Indianola campaigns, showcasing the best our community has to offer, including hosting bus tour visitors from multiple states that made a $50,000+ impact. RAGBRAI: Spearheaded efforts to bring over 20,000 RAGBRAI riders to the front door of our downtown business community. Advocacy: Advocated for local businesses by driving initiatives that support growth, visibility, and collaboration. Economic Growth: Provided support to developers who are bringing to Indianola over 500 housing units, commercial development, and attractions that will drive significant economic growth. These achievements are a direct reflection of the investment you have made in the Chamber’s work. Your support matters. It fuels everything we do. Here’s what’s new and exciting for 2025: Major Event Twist: We’re turning Summer Nights Live into something extraordinary— the Dad’s Rock Festival, taking place over Father’s Day weekend! With great band acts, fun experiences, and unique activities like a BBQ competition, Iowa's largest man cave, and more, we expect to draw visitors from all over. This is an incredible opportunity to bring a crowd and for your business to be part of this exciting event. Celebrating the Best of Indianola: At our Annual Chamber Celebration, in addition to a fun awards show recognizing 2024 award winners, we’ve added the Taste of Indianola, a unique experience and competition where a restaurant will be recognized as The Best of Indianola for 2025. This is a fantastic chance to experience the local culinary scene while celebrating our Chamber community. New Digital Marketing Summit: We will continue our popular Business Series events with the addition of a new Digital Marketing Summit. This educational event will help businesses stay ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape and provide valuable insights for growing their online presence. Expanded Advertising Options: New this year, we’re offering enhanced advertising opportunities to include your brand in some of our most highly visible communications. This is a fantastic way to stay top of mind with Chamber members and the community. Tourism Packages: Through the Experience Indianola website and campaigns, your business or organization can shine in front of visitors and locals alike. 100% of the proceeds of the tourism packages will go towards advertising our community. If you are a tourism-friendly business or organization, we look forward to connecting with you to discuss the year ahead and ensure you have every opportunity to participate in this exciting initiative. Enhanced Investor Membership Levels: We’ve added even more value to our investor memberships, with additional advertising, social media promotions, and tourism marketing opportunities. These enhancements are packed with ways to help your business stand out. Be sure to explore our new 2025 Membership, Marketing & Sponsorship packet for information on how you can leverage the Indianola Chamber in 2025. The packet can be found HERE . Thank you for being an essential part of our Chamber family. We’re excited to make 2025 our most impactful year yet—with your partnership leading the way. Enjoy your holidays with your family and Happy New Year! Warm regards, Amanda Zwanziger Amanda Zwanziger President & CEO Indianola Chamber of Commerce 515-961-6269 amanda@indianolachamber.com
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