Business leaders from across rural Iowa gathered in Mason City for the 2025 Rural Economic Development Summit, hosted at NIACC, to exchange strategies on fostering job creation and strengthening local economies. Organized by First Citizens Bank, the event brought together entrepreneurs and small business owners from various small towns to collaborate on overcoming shared obstacles. n nJeff Gribben, president and CEO of First Citizens Bank in Mason City, emphasized the unique advantages of rural areas, particularly the strong sense of community and personal connections that drive local engagement. He highlighted positive momentum in northern Iowa’s business landscape, attributing part of this progress to the tight-knit nature of smaller populations. n nDespite these strengths, a persistent issue remains: retaining residents, especially younger individuals, within these communities. Gribben stressed the importance of showcasing the quality of life and opportunities available locally to encourage people to stay. n nThe summit serves as a platform for collective learning and networking. Paul Long, one of the keynote speakers and a native of a rural area, shared that events like this fill a critical gap he experienced growing up—where cross-community collaboration among businesses was rare. He noted that sharing best practices not only strengthens individual enterprises but also enhances regional resilience. n nThis year marked the third consecutive edition of the summit, reflecting growing interest and participation. Organizers expressed optimism that the initiative will continue to expand, further supporting sustainable economic advancement across north Iowa. n— news from kaaltv.com
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2025 Rural Economic Development Summit allows Iowa business leaders to discuss economic challenges and goals
(ABC 6 News) — Job growth and community development are big goals all over the area, and those topics were among many discussed by business leaders in Mason City on Tuesday. n nIt was all part of the 2025 Rural Economic Summit at NIACC as business leaders came together to talk shop and share ways to deal with their biggest challenges. n nFirst Citizens Bank in Mason City put this year’s summit together bringing small businesses from several rural communities together into one room. n n“We get involved with their company and learn more about them to hopefully bring more value to our communities,” said Jeff Gribben, the president and CEO of First Citizens Bank in Mason City. n nGribben said some of the biggest positives are being seen with businesses in north Iowa, saying what makes small communities great is how close everyone is with one another. n n“We have the ability to be in our small communities and benefit from all the closeness and the involvement that people have in their communities,” said Gribben. n nHowever, one of the biggest challenges is getting people to stick around in those small communities. n n“Getting individuals to realize what is here, what benefits are here, and how they can live a long-fulfilled life in North Central Iowa,” said Gribben. n nThe summit is a positive step toward figuring out that challenge as well as others. One of the main keynote speakers said the event means a lot to him specifically after coming from a rural community himself. n n“It means a lot to me, because we didn’t get the opportunity to come together collectively as organizations or as businesses and learn from each other so it’s not only important to give back to the community but important for us as a community to connect with one another and share best practices,” said Paul Long. n nOverall, many feel that things have been going smoothly in terms of the region’s economic development, but the hope is to keep making the communities across north Iowa even better. n nTuesday’s summit marked the third year of the event, and organizers hope it keeps expanding in the future.