CLINTON, Iowa – Business leaders in this community got a chance to network, share ideas and praise a local company celebrating a milestone event on Thursday, May 14.
All that came during Grow Clinton’s monthly networking “Biz After 4” event.
The informal gathering is designed for local professionals to connect and collaborate in a relaxed setting, and often hosted by a local business.
“Biz After 4 is a chance for our member business to showcase their business and what they offer. It allows our members to network. … We have had business deals, partnerships, and more (come out of these meetings). For the host, it is often a chance to let someone know a new offering or product,” said Matt Parbs, vice president of Grow Clinton, the organization focused on economic development, business retention, and community growth within the greater Clinton region.
These events are designed for local business owners, managers, and professionals to meet face-to-face in an informal setting after work. The events often lead to referrals, partnerships, and new customers, added Antonia Gerks, Grow Clinton’s director of marketing and event planning.
The latest Biz After 4 gathering was held late Thursday afternoon at the recently updated Bickelhaupt Arboretum and hosted by the Clinton Engineering Company.
The Bickelhaupt – a 14-acre public garden featuring more than 2,000 plant species – recently completed a $5.5 million expansion project. That project created a state-of-the-art center for community, education and business events, as well as improved accessibility, conservation-focused site improvements, new exhibits, and artwork that connects the site’s past with its future.
However, Thursday’s gathering was an especially special event for Clinton Engineering because the company is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
That company, which has about 58 employees, is a full-service general contractor and design-build firm specializing in commercial, industrial, and municipal construction.
The company is getting ready for several other special events in the coming weeks in honor of its 100th anniversary. For instance, there will be a Grow Clinton ribbon-cutting ceremony at the company on Wednesday, June 3. Also, the company will host a day at the ball park for company employees and their families this summer at Clinton’s Nelson Corp Field, said Ryan Birney, president of Clinton Engineering.
The company president added that these are great days for the company as it is staying busy with an array of projects in the commercial, industrial, and municipal fields.
He is especially pleased that some companies seem to be in the mood to pursue construction projects. “There are companies now in the dreaming mood. … People are resurrecting old projects. But they are also keeping an eye on costs,” he added.
Mr. Birney, who has been with the company for four years, said that he is optimistic about the future as Clinton Engineering gets ready to tackle more projects in the future. It is also looking to expand with more work on the local front, and national projects.
In addition to learning more about Clinton Engineering, the Biz After 4 event brought together local business leaders who wanted to meet with other professionals in the community.
“I just like connecting with people in similar fields and any field,” said Billy Trenkamp, a mortgage loan specialist at First Central State Bank, Clinton, who was one of the 50 or so people attending the gathering during its first hour.
In addition to making informal connections, Biz After 4 can also help start conversations that turn into business deals.
For instance, Brian Kelly, president of Clinton Community College, was one of the people in attendance who said previous Biz After 4 meetings started conversations with other business leaders that lead to the formation of new educational programs at the college.
“In a small community like this, networking is everything. This is where things happen. … This is where all the conversations for those programs start,” he said.
