AIM Regional Economic Alliance reports business retention, Daisy groundbreaking and workforce outreach

Adi Maxey, representing the AIM Regional Economic Alliance, delivered the alliance’s quarterly update to the Boone City Council, focusing on business retention work, recent investment and a new digital platform to promote regional jobs and amenities.

Maxey listed completed business retention and expansion visits with local firms and noted ongoing conversations with larger employers. Regarding the Daisy brand project, Maxey described a recent groundbreaking that drew community and political leaders and said site work is ongoing. “We are…actively working to identify additional development ground,” Maxey said, adding that the alliance is prioritizing industrial sites to keep recruitment pipelines active as broader market uncertainty lingers.

Maxey also introduced a new “live, work, play” digital platform the alliance launched to feature regional jobs and lifestyle assets. He said the platform hosts dozens of Boone job postings and highlights attractions on the “play” page, including local venues such as 7 Oaks and the Iowa Arboretum.

Councilmembers asked about themes from the visits; Maxey said the overall message from most employers was steady conditions with some firms introducing new technologies or expanding recruiting teams. He noted some slowdown in statewide request-for-information activity but said federal policy developments could influence future site selection decisions.

Ending: The council received the report and had no immediate action; staff said they may request further details in follow-up meetings if councilmembers want deeper briefings on specific projects.