Lura McBride, President and CEO of Van Meter Inc., has been named the recipient of the 2023 Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award, the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance announced Jan. 4.
Ms. McBride will receive the award and provide acceptance remarks during the Economic Alliance’s annual meeting Thursday, Jan. 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cedar Rapids Convention Complex in downtown Cedar Rapids.
“Lura McBride exemplifies the values we associate with Howard Hall, certainly in the way she leads her company, but also in the way she has elevated community discussions beyond the business world,” Economic Alliance executive director Doug Neumann said in a release regarding the award. “Among many other accomplishments, she has been a tremendous asset to Iowa’s first magnet high school, City View, and continues to be a champion by integrating the public and private sector to better the Cedar Rapids metro.”
The Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award is named for industrialist and philanthropist Howard Hall (1894-1971), who used his influence to create a better local economy and community. Mr. Hall was dedicated to the development of the region and frequently worked behind the scenes to attract new businesses and jobs.
The Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award is the most prestigious honor bestowed by the Economic Alliance. It is given annually to a business leader or couple who exemplifies the outstanding, enduring business values of Mr. Hall and his passion for a vibrant Cedar Rapids.
Ms. McBride has been with Van Meter Inc. for 15 years and has served as the organization’s President and CEO the last eight years. As the leader, her focus is on building strong teams through exceptional leadership and a high-performance culture to create lasting value for customers, supplier partners, communities, and employee-owners.
Ms. McBride is no stranger to the community, as her philanthropic nature has impacted many non- profit organizations. She serves on various boards and committees, including United Fire Group Insurance, the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business and the Hall-Perrine Foundation, and is a founding member of the Grand Impact. She previously served on the UnityPoint St. Luke’s Board, Tanager Board, was the co-chair of the Waypoint Capital Campaign, co-chair of the first Leadership for Five Seasons Corridor Day and has been involved in the Cedar Rapids Community School District.
In the electrical industry, she serves on the Van Meter Board of Directors and the Affiliated Distributors Electrical Board.
In addition to Ms. McBride’s business and philanthropic passions, what she treasures most is her family. She and her husband Ryan, both Iowa graduates, have four children, the oldest of whom is a recent graduate of the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa. The three others are all current Tippie students.
The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance will celebrate twelve years as an organization at its annual meeting. The Economic Alliance was officially formed in 2012, when the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce, Priority One and the Cedar Rapids Downtown District combined forces to become a single entity.
Thanks to the Economic Alliance annual meeting’s Presenting Sponsor, U.S. Bank, and supporting sponsors CRST, Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, and TrueNorth Companies, the meeting is a member-only event. Members may register online at https://www.cedarrapids.org/events/annual-meeting on or before Wednesday, Jan. 10.
