According to a news release, the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance has announced three new business leaders joining its policy board. Coming from large organizations and locally owned companies, the new board members bring years of experience and leadership to continue creating growth, credibility and sustainability for the regional business community.
The new board members are Dan Baxter, director of real estate development with Ryan Companies; Mayuri Farlinger, vice president of customer and community engagement with Alliant Energy; and Justin Zehr, co-owner, Fun Not Fancy Restaurant Group.
“I’m thrilled to have these three new leaders join the Policy Board as their respective businesses are key staples in the Cedar Rapids metro and across state lines as well,” said Doug Neumann, executive director of the Economic Alliance. “Having the voice of a large developer, key utility partner, and a growing small business will only intensify the strength of the current Policy Board.”
The three new members join existing board members Hugh Ekberg (past chair), CRST – The Transportation Solution; Nick Glew, Community Savings Bank; Ted Kepros, Kepros Physical Therapy & Performance; James Klein, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust; Paula Land, Catherine McAuley Center; Jeff Pomeranz, City of Cedar Rapids; Rocki Shepard, New Leader Manufacturing; Mark Thoeny, GPB LLC; and Anne Parmley with TrueNorth Companies, who was recently named the 2024 chair.
“After coming off of a record membership year in the history of the organization, it’s an honor to lead the policy board into 2024,” said Mr. Parmley, community impact director at TrueNorth Companies and the 2024 Economic Alliance policy board chair. “Our goal is to continue building off the momentum 2023 brought and working collaboratively with all our partners to not only make the business community succeed but increase the quality of life here in the Cedar Rapids metro.”
The Economic Alliance is a 1,200 member-strong nonprofit organization serving the businesses and people in the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan area.
