Spencer Chamber THRIVE Publication - Winter 2022

4 THRIVE Expanding a Legacy DEMCO Manufacturing

14 ENJOY NW Iowa’s Top Outdoor Store No Limits Outdoors

20 INVEST

Say “YES” to the Dress Grand Bridal

26 GROW

Helping Students and Businesses

Spencer Chamber, Spencer Schools

A Note from the Mayor

Welcome to the City of Spencer! Spencer is the economic hub of Northwest Iowa, bringing in shoppers from a 40-50 mile radius. The south side of Spencer has a variety of commercial venues, professional offices and retail outlets. The community is also served by two industrial parks that are home to a variety of manufacturing, warehouses and service businesses. The City of Spencer works together with our partners in the business community and non-profit organizations to create a progressive economic development atmosphere. Whether you would like to start a new business or expand an existing business, the City of Spencer will provide the necessary information and assistance you need.

The community of Spencer also provides the amenities that provide a positive quality of life. The city park system and other recreational venues allow for a multitude of activities including: canoeing and kayaking, biking and running trails, golfing, fishing, and more opportunities in the planning stages. Whether you want to explore local history, take an art class, or participate in some aspect of theater, the arts are alive and well.

Spencer is proud of our outstanding public school system with state-of-the-art facilities including a nationally recognized middle school. Spencer is also a satellite location for Iowa Lakes Community College and is served by two elementary parochial schools.

The Spencer Hospital is an excellent regional care facility and is served by a wide variety of physicians and other health care providers. The hospital is presently in the process of upgrading the Emergency Room facility with a multi-million-dollar project.

Whether you are visiting our community or looking for a place to build a business or raise a family, the City of Spencer welcomes you!

Mayor – City of Spencer

Steve Bomgaars

DEMCO Takes Pride in Community Support, Family Ownership

When most people think of Northwest Iowa and its major industries, agriculture is what understandably comes to mind first. But for many communities in the region, Spencer included, manufacturing is a backbone that provides quality jobs and opportunities for growth for both manufacturers and the communities they call home.

For two Northwest Iowa communities, Spencer and Bodyen, DEMCO has maintained a strong presence for years. Robert Dethmers started what is now DEMCO in Boyden in 1950. At the time, it was called Dethmers Manufacturing Company.

Throughout that time, DEMCO has remained a family-owned company. Bob Koerselman, the current president, is the third generation of family leadership.

“That’s pretty special,” Koerselman said.

Koerselman’s father, Jim, is chairman of the board and still active in the company.

“He’s not necessarily involved in the day-to-day operations,” Bob said. “But he’s here daily.”

The family ownership will continue for the foreseeable future, too. Bob’s son, JC Koerselman, more recently became the fourth generation of DEMCO ownership. That continuity of family ownership of DEMCO is important to the Koerselmans.

The fact that it takes a strong community to support a family-owned, local company for so long is also not lost on them.

“We look at this as certainly a business within the community, but it takes a really good community in order to support our business,” Bob said. “So we do a lot of outreach in the community and try to be really good corporate citizens as well in both communities. There’s not a lot of companies that make it that far.”

DEMCO in Spencer Dates Back to 2000

DEMCO started out making agricultural products when it was Dethmers Manufacturing Company. In the years since, it’s still making a vast array of different equipment for the agricultural industry, but has grown to include a catalog of equipment for semi trailers, RV towing and other trailer components. Today, the company sells its products both domestically and internationally.

Dethmers Manufacturing was already known as DEMCO by the time the company came to Spencer. The business’s history in Spencer began in 2000, when DEMCO and a group of investors bought Maurer Manufacturing. DEMCO purchased out the other investors in 2016 to become sole owner of the company.

DEMCO BOYDEN DEMCO SPENCER

Fast forward to now and you’ll find JC Koerselman representing the family ownership at the Spencer facility. He’s been at DEMCO in Spencer for two years now, where he primarily works in process improvement. Though he spends most of his time here in Spencer, he does make it back to the Boyden headquarters about once a week.

JC said he’s excited to have grown up around DEMCO and now have a large role in leading the company.

“Growing up and seeing my dad go off to work with my grandpa, my uncle and other family members, it’s always been a dream to, at one point, be in it and living it today,” he said. “It’s really exciting. I enjoy being able to work in the Spencer facility now, but also getting more and more involved in the Boyden facility and being able to carry on that tradition of keeping the family aspect of the company alive.”

“It’s fun, exciting and challenging all at the same time. Being two years into it, I look forward to the many more years to come.”

Both JC and his father noted that working with the people in Spencer, and in Boyden, is the best part of operating a business in Northwest Iowa.

“I like dealing with the people in this area,” JC said. “Everyone shoots straight, you know, and is honest with you about their wants and desires. Hopefully we can provide them with what they’re looking for.”

Bob said there’s a strong sense of family throughout both towns.

“Family values are a strong part of these communities,” he said.

Kevin Ten Haken, DEMCO Executive Vice President, added that there are many benefits to living and working in the region.

“In Northwest Iowa, we have small towns with safe communities and leading education options. Compared to most other places in the country, Northwest Iowa also offers a great income to cost of living ratio,” he said.

Community Outreach Emphasized at DEMCO

The Koerselmans don’t just focus on their employees, they strive to make DEMCO a good corporate citizen alongside everyone in Spencer and Boyden through involvement in many different activities and support for organizations. DEMCO accomplishes this in many different ways.

“There’s a vast array of things,” Bob said. “We have what we call dollars for doers for our employees here. There’s a committee that we have at DEMCO where if you’re an employee and you’re passionate about a mission project or something within the community and you want to get involved financially as well as physically, you present your idea to the committee.”

One organization in Spencer that DEMCO has supported is the Shayla Bee Fund, which has a mission of reducing financial burdens for working class families with a child facing a medical crisis.

“We’re a Christian, faith-based company and family owned,” Bob said. “So faith-based, community-based, education-based activities within our communities, we really try to get involved in those.”

The company makes many investments in those areas through the DEMCO Charitable Foundation.

Of course, DEMCO is also involved in Spencer Chamber of Commerce activities, something that not only provides another avenue for community outreach, but also has its own benefits for the business.

“I think the biggest support that we see is just the economic development and their impact on the community,” JC said. “The Spencer Chamber pools businesses and organizations together to work toward a common goal. I think that’s where we see the biggest benefit for us being part of the Spencer Chamber, just the overall collaborative work that all the industries do together to help promote the community.”

Becoming an Employer of Choice

While DEMCO has found success in Northwest Iowa, the region is not without its challenges to overcome. Many of those challenges, such as recruiting workers amongst a workforce shortage, are faced by other predominantly rural regions.

DEMCO tries to overcome that hurdle by establishing itself as a go-to employer for people in the region.

“Some of the initiatives that we have in place are what we call EOC Squared, which is Employer of Choice for Employees of Choice,” Bob Koerselman said. “We try to be humble, but yet bold enough to really mean what we’re saying.”

To do that, DEMCO managers work hard to communicate with their employees so that everyone is comfortable addressing frustrations, but also providing ideas and solutions for improvement. DEMCO leans on its family focus as well.

“DEMCO is a family-owned company that strives to do our best in all,” Ten Haken said. “We desire to maintain a culture that encourages a family-first atmosphere.”

To learn more about DEMCO and to view current job openings in Spencer, visit the company website, demco-products.com.

Place For Fun

90+ YEARS SERVING THE COMMUNITY ROOTS OF CHAMBER DATE BACK TO 1890

COMMUNITY GIVEBACKS

300+ TAKE A BREAK BAGS TO CLAY COUNTY FARMERS CLAY COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT RECEIVED WITH $6K TO WORK-BASED LEARNING

20+ TEACHER GIFT BAGS

PARTNERSHIP WITH SPENCER SCHOOLS FOR WORK BASED LEARNING PROGRAMS NEW STAFF FOR CLAY COUNTY TOURISM THRIVE MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF IOWA AND AVAILABLE IN DIGITAL FORMAT

THRIVE MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF IOWA AND DIGITAL EXPANDED TO INCLUDE CLAY COUNTY TOURISM

CHAMBER DOLLARS OVERHAUL!

WATCH FOR OUR NEW CARD-BASED PROGRAM LAUNCH

2.9K FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS WITH 16% INCREASE

Northwest Iowa’s Top Outdoor Store is Right Here in Spencer

Andy Steffen admits he doesn’t get as much time outdoors as he’d like.

But as the owner of No Limits Outdoors, located at 212 11th Street SW in Spencer, that’s because he’s kept busy running the store he started and owns; and helping other avid hunters and anglers in Northwest Iowa find the gear they need.

“I try to make as much time as possible, but lately it doesn’t seem to be working out,” Steffen said of his time spent hunting and fishing.

When it does work out, though, Steffen is out hunting waterfowl or pheasant – two of his favorite outdoor activities.

“I enjoy hunting ducks and geese and then pheasant hunting, but second would probably be walleye fishing or fishing in general,” he said. “I just love fishing, whether it be open water or ice, especially since my son’s able to do it with me.”

Then there’s deer hunting, of course, another activity popular in the Iowa Great Lakes area that keeps Steffen busy.

The Perfect Outdoor Store Location

However, what keeps him most busy these days is his store. Steffen opened No Limits Outdoors in July of 2010. While he manages the store operations, his wife, Rachel, heads up bookkeeping and accounting.

Now, No Limits Outdoors is known regionally as one of the best – if not the number one –outdoor stores in all of Northwest Iowa. The location in Spencer absolutely helps.

“There’s a lot of opportunity here for an outdoorsman, without a doubt,” Steffen said.

And, as the guy who runs the store, he gets to hear the many stories of those opportunities firsthand from customers of all ages. He said it’s most likely his favorite part of being in the store.

Steffen said, “it makes it worth it, every time you hear about a kid, who went out and shot his first bird, after coming into your store with questions about what they should use or how they should go about that hunt. Same with helping parents who don’t really get outside a lot, but want their kids to, that’s probably the best thing about my job: The people.”

There’s never a shortage of those stories from the regulars who come in to share them or check up on what might be new in the shop.

“We’ve got the guys that come in on a regular basis and we’ve got guys that kind of come in on a semi-regular basis,” Steffen said. “We’ve got great customers.

No Limits Filled a Need in NW Iowa

Before No Limits was around, those customers were lacking a place where they could stock up on hunting and fishing gear, while also speaking to people who have used similar gear themselves. Sure, there were stores to buy the necessary equipment, but there wasn’t always that expert or seasoned outdoorsman to ask about tips, tricks and strategies for how to find success either in the field or out on the water.

“There just was not an outdoor sporting goods store,” Steffen said. He noted that there were places in town where a person could go to buy a bow and archery equipment, as well as a gun store here and there.

But as far as a true outdoor store that specializes in outdoor gear of all kinds? There wasn’t really one until No Limits filled that void.

You could say Steffen was meant for the job. His great grandfather ran a gun and taxidermy shop in Terril for years.

“I’ve been around this stuff my whole life,” he said.

How the Chamber Helps Businesses Like No Limits

Steffen has the experience and the business know-how, but he also has the support of many customers within an hour drive – and of course the Spencer community itself.

Steffen said one of the benefits of being located in Spencer is not only the support of the city and its people, but also from the Spencer Chamber of Commerce. He said the Chamber has shown its value through how it assists small businesses like his.

He cited the popular Chamber Gift Card Program as an example. Through the program, people spend thousands of dollars each year to then be used as gifts for family and friends that can be redeemed at chamber member businesses.

“It’s something you definitely want to be a part of,” Steffen said “So that you can take advantage of that.”

What’s Going On

January 28, February 25, March 4 – Eggs & Issues

January 24 – Lunch & Learn, Hosted by Black Hills Energy

February 3,10 – Bowling Fundraiser

February 20 – Ag Outlook, Vendor Appreciation / Business After Hours

February 21 – Ag Outlook, 38th Annual Northwest Iowa Ag Outlook Trade Show

March 16 – Career Fair

June 9-11 – Flagfest Weekend

June 23 – Golf Fundraising Outing

Spencer Stats

• Population 11,325

• Major retail hub for communities within a 50-mile radius of Spencer

• Named one of the top 10 best small towns in the U.S.A.

• Ranked No. 4 ‘Top 10 Affordable Small Towns Where You’d Actually Want To Live’

• Two Historic Districts

• Spencer is home to the second-largest tourist activity in the state of Iowa, the Clay County Fair, which runs for 9 days and attracts over 300,000 visitors!

• Spencer has a population pull of nearly 70,000 people

Nationally Ranked

• Spencer Hospital celebrates 7th year as one of the Top 20 Rural Hospitals nationally

• Northwest Bank awarded 2022 Top Workplaces USA

• Spencer Middle School named National Blue Ribbon School in 2021

Brides-To-Be Say “YES” to the Dress at Grand Bridal

Denice Schoelerman has dreamed about owning her own bridal store for a long time. She’s living out that dream here in Spencer, where she’s the owner of Grand Bridal.

Located in the heart of Spencer’s downtown at 400 North Grand Avenue, Grand Bridal opened in March of 2021. She finally has the space where a bride can both pick out the perfect dress and have it altered to fit her just right.

“We want them to come in and feel welcome and comfortable,” Schoelerman said. “And have an environment where they can relax and enjoy the process of picking out the dress and not feeling stressed.”

Many of the brides-to-be, as well as the friends and family that are there to support them, say Grand Bridal allows them to “feel at home,” Shoelerman said.

“We want it to be fun,” she added. “We want them to have fun with their friends and family and enjoy the experience.”

A Dream Come True

That experience is something Schoelerman has wanted to provide ever since she was little.

Schoelerman began sewing at eight years old while in 4H. She pursued her passion with sewing lessons throughout childhood and into high school, when she sewed and modeled her own prom dress. At college in Ames, she worked at a bridal store. Then, she was a stay-at-home mom for nearly 20 years and did alterations on the side.

Once the kids grew up and were able to care for themselves, she decided it was time to pursue her passion. She wanted to ensure that every single bride is able to find the perfect dress, get the necessary alterations so the dress fits her perfectly and allows her to walk down the aisle with the utmost confidence.

That process all begins during the first appointment.

Shoelerman said, “After they check in for their appointment, we’ll take everyone to their waiting area to start looking over dresses we have.”

The bride-to-be can then look at all the styles that are available at Grand Bridal. The friends and family that have joined her are able to make suggestions and offer their advice.

After that, Grand Bridal’s staff will take the bride-to-be’s picks into the dressing room. The party will stay on the couches and chairs inside the store, anxiously awaiting their first glimpses at dresses she decides to try on.

“Usually after anywhere from five to eight dresses, she’ll go back and try on a favorite or two,” Schoelerman said. “Then, at that point, once she’s picked the dress, we’ll add the veil and they’re all there to see her say ‘yes.’

A Rewarding Experience

Certainly the hope is that the bride will indeed find the dress to which she wants to say yes. When that happens, it’s a rewarding experience for all involved: the bride-to-be, her family, her friends and also Schoelerman and the staff at Grand Bridal.

“It’s very rewarding,” Schoelerman said, though she noted her favorite part is after every piece of the dress has been altered just so and she can see the final fit.

“The reward for me,” she said, “is to see her walking in a dress that’s nicely fitted and made for her; to see her expression, knowing this is exactly what she envisioned – it’s just a thrill to be part of the process.”

Grand Bridal a Vital Part of Spencer’s Downtown

While Grand Bridal plays a significant role in making big days as special as possible for many women, it also enjoys a role as a significant part of Grand Avenue and the downtown Spencer business community. The store’s location on the corner of 4th and Grand is prominent – and its many windows offer passersby an inviting glimpse at what’s inside.

“I’m fortunate that we have the location that we do,” Schoelerman said. “As people come into town, they’re excited to see the windows. People in town drive around and look at our windows. We change the dresses in the windows on a weekly basis, usually every Saturday afternoon.”

Grand Bridal is also an eager partner in the many downtown events put on by the Spencer Chamber of Commerce and Spencer Main Street. Schoelerman said being involved in both organizations offer business owners invaluable networking opportunities.

“These businesses all go through similar challenges that we may go through and usually we can relate to one another,” she said. “And there’s always collaboration. I’m always willing to collaborate.”

That just goes to show how Grand Bridal is establishing itself as a staple in the Spencer business community.

What’s New at the Chamber?

Popular Chamber Dollars program upgraded to Spencer Chamber Gift Card.

The Spencer Chamber has unveiled its new Gift Card in an effort to keep more dollars local. Sponsored by Spencer Municipal Utilities, the Spencer Chamber Gift Card is a high-tech Gift Card that can be spent with multiple participating businesses in the area, including retail, hospitality, leisure and services.

The new Gift Card replaces the Chamber Dollars system that has been in place for over 20 years, and is available to buy online and from the Spencer Chamber of Commerce office on Highway Blvd, in denominations of $20 - $500.

Sheriffa M. Jones, Executive Director at the Spencer Chamber of Commerce said the new Gift Card will be easier for businesses and customers, and will have a greater economic impact for the area:

“Our new Spencer Chamber Gift Card can be spent just like a debit card across the city with the balance automatically updated. It can be spent in all sectors; groceries, gas and household essentials. Spencer is the largest community in a 60 mile radius. We have a population of 11,000+; however, a retail pull of 70,000. Not only will the Gift Card keep more dollars invested in the Spencer area with Chamber businesses, it will bring new dollars in, from those that want to experience all we have to offer.”

“There has always been a strong shop local community in Spencer,” continues Sheriffa. “Around $20,000 of Chamber Dollars were sold each year. We hope that employers, customers and tourists will use the new Spencer Chamber Gift Card to show their support for Spencer.”

Amanda Gloyd, Marketing and Community Relations Manager at Spencer Municipal Utilities said: “Spencer Municipal Utilities is glad to be part of the new Spencer Chamber Gift Card as it will be a great way to help keep money in Spencer. We are accepting them in our office so they can be used to pay for utilities. They can also be used at other places throughout Spencer, which will make them a great gift.

Scan

Over 40 Business Participating

Chamber Board Member Logan Wood

I have called Spencer home for the past 13 years. In the beginning, I was fortunate to work with many local companies/groups to help grow their online presence. Today, I am a partner in Hansen’s Clothing and Advanced Network Professionals. Outside of work, you can find me with my family, my wife, Darcy, and two children, Wyatt and Emery. Our nights and weekends are generally filled with sporting events, but in my free time, I enjoy a round of golf.

I recently started my 6th and final year of my position on the Chamber board. I originally joined the board to grow my awareness of the community. Since being on the board, I have learned we have a great group of community partners who collaboratively work together to make Spencer a excellent place to own a business and raise a family.

Shop Small, Shop Spencer.

How a Chamber and Spencer Schools Joint Program Helps Students and Businesses

Many high school students – and their parents, too – would probably agree that high school is over in a blur. Blink and it’s done. The student has graduated and it’s time to decide what’s next: college, trade school, apprenticeship or an immediate entry into the workforce. Unlike the homework and tests these students took throughout those last four years, there’s not necessarily a clear right or wrong answer.

But preparation, along with some exploration helps bring into focus those answers for individual students and their unique situations. Spencer High School students benefit from the opportunity to graduate both prepared and having explored different paths through the school’s Work Based Learning Program.

Under the Work Based Learning Program, the goal is for students to have six career experiences before they graduate. Anything from a job shadow or a college visit can count, as can a more in-depth experience, like an internship or what Spencer High School calls Extended Career Experiences. For students to find those opportunities at businesses within the community, a bridge is often needed.

Alex Dreier, Work Based Learning Assistant for the Spencer Chamber of Commerce, serves as that bridge between students wanting to gain experience in specific fields and the Spencer companies and organizations who are looking for eager young minds.

Dreier helps students looking for those Extended Career Experiences (ECEs) by setting them up with businesses that have opportunities that fit the mold of what the student is looking for or interested in.

Valuable Experience for Spencer Students

“Being housed at the Chamber, I get the benefit of all the Chamber’s business contacts,” Dreier said. “That’s been great as we try and continue growing the program. If I have a student who’s super interested in welding, then I’m able to use some of the Chamber’s contacts and relationships with businesses in the area to really try and find welding-specific placements for the student.”

One of the highlights of these ECEs is that the programs last an entire semester, so the student gains experience by either observing or through hands-on learning at several different Spencer businesses in their desired field.

“It’s a semester-long class where a student picks an industry like construction, agriculture, manufacturing (or another industry) and then we place them into maybe six to 10 different businesses in that sector,” Dreier explained. “They’ll spend a week or two at each business and get to learn and do some of the hands-on work at the business and just learn more about what the business does and what the industry is all about.”

Storm Norgaard watches on as a part of his registered apprenticeship with Tecton Industries. Tecton is hosting two students during their junior and senior years.

Nate Wendt (left) has overseen the Work-Based Learning program since joining Spencer Schools as a business teacher in 2018.

Opportunities for Businesses

Dreier noted that the businesses and organizations involved in the Work Based Learning Program and ECEs also stand to benefit from the partnership.

For example, he said that many businesses are short staffed and are almost always actively looking for new employees. This program gives the businesses the chance to gain exposure among interested students.

“This is an opportunity for a business to have an upperclassman, a junior or senior who’s interested in their industry, come into their business,” Dreier said.

He added that could lead to a summer or parttime job after high school graduation – or perhaps a more permanent position down the road.

“It can kind of establish that connection and hopefully help with some of the staffing needs for the business,” Dreier said.

That’s a real benefit many Spencer businesses see value in. Dreier estimated there are upwards of 40 businesses currently participating in ECE opportunities for students.

No Boundaries Offers Deeper Exploration

Spencer students can also benefit from another in-depth program, No Boundaries. While some ECEs are more focused on aspects of a specific job or industry, No Boundaries leans toward creativity and is focused on project management, Dreier said. No Boundaries allows students to apply themselves in more of those problem-solving or outside-the-box thinking areas.

“Over the summer, we went out and talked with area businesses and learned about what projects they’ve had on their dream lists of things that they’ve maybe wanted to try and get going but just haven’t had the time,” Dreier said.

Students in No Boundaries learn a little more about each project and then students work in teams on the two initiatives they are most passionate about.

A True Community Partnership

Spencer’s Work Based Learning Program is a prime example of how schools and businesses can partner with each other. Businesses are able to tackle projects, help students discover their career interests and train them for future workforce needs.

Dreier said the cohesive, symbiotic relationship between businesses and the school district makes the program even stronger.

“More than any other community I’ve been a part of, in Spencer, almost every day I have a super positive interaction with a business who will do pretty much whatever they can to support the schools,” he said. “That’s a really neat thing to witness.”

Here at the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, we want to see our region thrive. Covering Clay, Dickinson, Buena Vista and Emmet Counties, the Corridor assists businesses, communities, and individuals to support the growth of the region. We do this through partnering with our local chambers, cities, and counties on business retention & expansion programming, business attraction efforts, entrepreneurial & small business support, and workforce & community development.

We know that the Corridor region has many amenities to enjoy and is a wonderful place to live, work, and do business. The Corridor staff is here to help you get a taste of life in NW Iowa and Spencer. Whether you’re looking to relocate, expand, own your own business, or learn more about the opportunities in the Corridor Region, we’d love to get to know you!

To learn more, visit our website at www.lakescorridor.com or contact us at info@lakescoridor.com or 712-264-3474.

Stay tuned for upcoming events.

Ayn Thorsen, No Boundaries facilitator, supports the “Fresh Eyes” team as they brainstorm ways to update the aesthetics of various locations in the Spencer Hospital.

Gensley Ball, Olivia Jacobson and Aubrie Stell practice their drone skills to support their “Stories from Agriculture” project in partnership with the Iowa State University Extension Office.

alway  welcom

On behalf of Clay County Tourism and the Spencer Chamber, I am excited to announce our new logo for Clay County! We have been working with F8 Creative to develop an updated logo that represents our county. Offering diverse recreational opportunities, retail, entertainment and many other attractions, Clay County is truly a gem in Northwest Iowa.

You may notice some familiar traits in the new logo. For instance, the square outline -representative of Clay County’s square shape. Other features include patchwork and colors reminiscent of Clay County’s natural assets: grass green, harvest gold, sky blue and barn red, all invoking feelings of Americana - comfort, home and welcome.

Along with this new logo, Clay County Tourism is working on refurbishing its website, social media and many other projects to keep an eye out for. I look forward to helping you and visitors to discover the history and culture of our home here in Clay County, where you’re always welcome.

Sincerely,

Olivia Baxter

Marketing & Tourism Coordinator Spencer Chamber of Commerce & Clay County Tourism

exploreclaycounty.org

Spencer Collaborative: Coworking