All Things Greater Burlington

In this episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," host Steven Brody sits down with Brian Johnson and Mike Harris to delve into the impactful Build My Future event organized by the Southeast Iowa Builders Association (SEIBA). This dynamic initiative provides work-based learning activities for students in southeast Iowa, aiming to inspire 7th graders to consider careers in construction....

In this episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," host Steven Brody is joined by guests Michelle AbouAssaly and Chad Palmer from the Community Foundation of Des Moines County. They dive deep into the workings of the foundation, highlighting its crucial role in supporting local nonprofits through substantial grant distributions, which have recently increased from $70,000 to over $100,00...

In this captivating episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," we welcome esteemed wildlife farmer Henry Bohlen to discuss the intriguing inner workings and conservation efforts of Wildlife Lakes Elk Farm. Henry shares his extensive experience in raising elk, from specialized feeding practices that promote antler growth to the intricacies of managing separate pens for powerful bulls. He...

In this enlightening episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," host Steven Brody sits down with Deb Fowler, a seasoned real estate professional and co-owner of Century 21 Property Professionals. With a wealth of experience dating back to 1996, Deb shares her journey from human resources and banking into the real estate world, detailing the steps to become a licensed real estate agent,...

In this episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," join host Steven Brody along with guest, Michelle Caston, owner and operator of seven McDonald's locations in southeast Iowa, as they delve into the fascinating world of running a McDonald's franchise. Michelle shares her journey through McDonald's rigorous "next generation program," the inner workings of managing...

In this inspiring episode of All Things Greater Burlington, we sit down with the vibrant Paige Tennison, who has just been recognized as Young Professional of the Year. Beyond her active role in her church's youth ministry, Paige divulges her journey with the Greater Burlington's Young Professionals group, addressing its networking opportunities, inclusivity, and her leadership development...

In this invigorating episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," host Steven Brody delves into the heart of downtown Burlington's resurgence as they chat with Suann Wells, the entrepreneurial spirit behind The Bean Counter Coffeehouse & Drinkery. From her transition from a chief financial officer to a coffeehouse proprietor after a twist of fate, to the Bean Counter's signatu...

In this captivating episode of All Things Greater Burlington, host Steven Brody engages with the enterprising Chase Gibb, owner of the historic Buffalo Tavern and the innovative Fork Catering Co. Gibb opens up about his humble beginnings as a bartender turned entrepreneur, his strategic diversification into real estate, and the challenges he faced from the pandemic to supply chain issues. Through...

In this captivating episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," host Steven Brody sits down with Chief Matt Trexel of the Burlington Fire Department to discuss the inner workings and the community impact of the city's brave firefighters. With tales of progress and dedication since its inception in 1841, Chief Trexel sheds light on the fire department's commitment to education, tr...

In this enlightening episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," host Steven Brody sits down with Dr. Michael McCoy, the esteemed president and CEO of Great River Health, to discuss the multifaceted challenges faced by healthcare institutions in the post-pandemic era. Dr. McCoy shares insights into the hospital's efforts to combat persistent overcapacity, the expanding utilization of...

In this insightful episode of All Things Greater Burlington, host Steven Brody is joined by Dr. Michael Ash, the esteemed president of Southeastern Community College (SCC), who shares his remarkable journey from his unique interview process to his transformative leadership role at the institution. Dr. Ash candidly reveals the challenges and victories he faced, including fostering significant growt...

In this enriching episode of "All Things Greater Burlington," we sit down with Doug and Heather Beckman, the passionate owners of Beckman Heritage Farms, LLC, to delve into their farm's multifaceted world, as this historic land celebrates 175 years of agricultural legacy. Our guests unravel the serene charm of their farm, recognized as a heritage farm in 2016, discussing their commit...

Host Steven Brody sits down with entrepreneur extraordinaire Brandon Bentz, the visionary behind *The Busted Cup Brewhouse* and *Poppies Specialty Market.* 🍻 In our latest episode, "Brandon Bentz, The Busted Cup Brewhouse," we dive into the story of how Brandon is brewing up a storm in Burlington with his unique blend of German-American cuisine and Midwest hospitality. 🔑 *Key Takeaways...

Listen as Mitch Taylor, Senior Partner, at Cray Law Firm and Scott Cray discuss how they got started in the business, the history of Cray Law Firm, how the Cray family got into law, what sets their practice apart from other attorneys in the area, the history of their involvement in the community, what its like to prepare for the bar today, the Cray tie to the IAAAP plant, and more.

Listen as Allyson Sanders, Chief Lending Officer and Interim Executive Vice President, and Allyson Wooldridge, Chief Financial Officer and Interim President & CEO, discuss what an average day looks like, what sets them apart from other banks in the community, the FSB loan process, the state of the financial industry, being present in the community, and more.

Barbara McRoberts, program director at Burlington Civic Music Association, discusses the history of Burlington Civic Music, acts throughout the years, finding talent for shows, the logistics behind booking, feeding, and getting talent to Burlington, attracting out of country talent, how far in advance acts are booked, selling Burlington to agents and talent, the diverse acts that come to Burlingto...

Ray Delmege, Committee Chairman at Preservation Station, discusses what the Preservation Station is, how they get merchandise for the store, what people search for in the store, salvaging homes, the story behind items, finding amazing pieces during salvage, how Ray got involved with Preservation Station, grants for historic houses, where the funds from preservation station go, and more.

Tony Hazell, president, and Austin Schwartz, president elect & sergeant at arms, of Kiwanis discuss celebrating 100 years of being an organization, what attracted them to being a part of Kiwanis, what happens at a Kiwanis meeting, the Target Children Shopping Spree Program, where funds go raised during fundraising events, the success that was this year’s Pancake Breakfast, the history of the l...

Han Oh, plant manager of Shearer’s Snacks, discusses his career in manufacturing, the science behind making food, the journey of food from the factory to the store, why people are the most important asset of Shearer’s, celebrating their employees, the brands Shearer’s makes products for in Greater Burlington, foods you can find they make at shelves at the local Walmart and Target, being the only c...

Steve Ritter, co-owner of Ritter’s Landscaping, Home & Garder Center, discusses celebrating 50 years of Ritter’s, what has made them successful for the past 50 years, the history of Ritter’s, the challenges of running their business, staying on the cutting edge and building their network in their industry, finding new items other stores don’t have, how COVID affected their business, surprise i...

Cheryl Plank, Chief Executive Officer, Hope Haven Area Development Center, discusses the many services of Hope Haven including housing and employment, partnering with local businesses to find work for clients, her journey to Hope Haven, how she found her passion for the industry, why Hopefully Yours is thriving, how Hopefully Yours and the can redemption businesses help fund their programs, their...

Telisha Fedele, Talent Development Program Manager at the Greater Burlington Partnership, discusses her journey to joining the Partnership, her skillset, working with kids to discover a career that fits them, the Greater Burlington Leadership program, programing she will be working on, working on building the future workforce of Greater Burlington, what she does for fun, and more.

Jon Billups, Mayor for the City of Burlington, Harbor Master at Bluff Harbor Marina, and Development Director at Notre Dame, discusses the state of affairs in Burlington, his role as cheerleader for the community, the City Academy, the angst and majesty of the Mississippi River, life at Bluff Harbor Marina, life at Notre Dame, the pace of city government, his journey to mayor, and more.

Denise Hanks, President and founder at Heart Song, Inc., discusses what is Heart Song, the difference between an adult day center and a senior center, who will be their patients, helping the community while helping community organizations, volunteers and staff, future services, funding sources to run the facilities, fundraising, and more.

LJ Pritchard, Owner of Titan Broadcasting & Digital, discusses winning Small Business of the Year, the history of Titan Broadcasting, FCC oversite, the evolution of the radio station, what happens when the radio station goes down, learning the radio industry from his father, staying current with trends and policies, why it is important to be part of the community, the 69 cent sale, Greater Bur...