Grow Clinton makes ‘great strides’ to help businesses

CLINTON, Iowa – This community is on a winning path. It’s getting more businesses, more economic development and more tourism with special events such as the recent  2025 Tailgate N’ Tallboys country music celebration. That’s the word from leaders with Grow Clinton, the business advocacy organization that serves the Clinton region. “If anybody says there […]

CLINTON, Iowa – This community is on a winning path. It’s getting more businesses, more economic development and more tourism with special events such as the recent  2025 Tailgate N’ Tallboys country music celebration. That’s the word from leaders with Grow Clinton, the business advocacy organization that serves the Clinton region. “If anybody says there is nothing to do here – man, how far deep is your head in the sand?” said Andy Sokolovich, president and CEO of Grow Clinton, during that organization’s annual meeting and awards ceremony on Wednesday, June 26. That meeting attracted more than 200 people from the business community to the Wild Rose Casino and Hotel here. Much of the meeting focused on an overview of business, tourism and celebration success stories from last year and the first part of 2025. One of those successes, said Grow Clinton leaders, was the Tailgate N’ Tallboys fest held in early June.

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In 2024, the music fest attracted about 35,000 to the riverfront over the three-day celebration. Music fans came from 42 states and two foreign countries – Canada and France. The music festival had a $6.1 million impact to the local economy during the first two years of the celebration, according to economic development leaders. The 2025 festival numbers have yet to be added up, but community leaders have called it a great success. “I’m hearing a ton of positive comments and a ton of people that are really hoping that we bring this back for another contract,” Clinton Mayor Scott Maddasion recently told the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal.  At Grow Clinton’s annual meeting, Mr. Sokolovich said the Tailgate N’ Tallboys fest  is one of the shining examples that is helping drive up tourism in Clinton. He told the crowd that Clinton outpaces the state in hotel occupancy rates, weekend tourism is on the rise and there has been great growth across all social media platforms. Clinton tourism and business are growing because people in the community support efforts to grow and bring tourists to town, he said. “This is a very supportive community, and that’s why I call Clinton home,” Mr. Sokolovich added. In addition to tourism efforts, the annual meeting also focused on local economic development efforts. Those efforts included 33 attraction and expansion inquiries made to Grow Clinton that have led to 10 site visits from businesses that might set up shop in Clinton. Some of the business expansions that have taken place (or are in the works) include a new storage system at Nestle Purina PetCare; and plans by Super 8 Logistics, LLC, to build a new 100,000-square-foot warehouse and intermodal facility led by Clausen Companies CEO Pete Clausen. This project, slated for development later this year, includes a 35-acre land acquisition from the City of Clinton and will utilize Union Pacific rail service – reinforcing the park’s multimodal transportation value, according to a Grow Clinton news release in May.  Mr. Sokolovich also praised the ongoing expansion of Adcraft Printwear, which is building the company’s new headquarters building at 1300 19th Ave. NW in the Lyons Business & Technology Park. That building will be a $5 million, 36,000-square-foot facility, and will also include two leased spaces for other business tenants. That building is currently expected to be complete in mid-September, Colin Sullivan, co-owner and production manager at Adcraft, told the QCBJ this week. A few of the other success stories from the past year reviewed included:

• Clinton has been recognized as one of five cities in Iowa for the Creative Places Accelerator designation.
• There were 82 Grow Clinton podcasts.
• Grow Clinton officials made 32 business retention visits, held 24 ribbon-cutting ceremonies, helped with efforts to bring a Fareway grocery store to nearby Camache, and Grow Clinton staffers serve on more than 20 local boards.

Even though much has been accomplished, there is still a lot of work to do in the coming year, according to a business and Grow Clinton leader. “We have made some great strides, but there is always more work to do,” said Jason Wheat, the immediate past chairman of Grow Clinton’s board, and the executive vice president at Clinton National Bank. In addition to celebrating the area’s successes, the event was held to present the group’s annual awards. Here are the awards winners:

• Karl Schmitz Memorial Award for Outstanding Ambassador – Tricia Kane, Skyline Center, Inc.
• Al Wise Memorial Award for Outstanding Volunteer – Ari Lewerenz, Citizens First Bank.
• Julie Allesee Community Leader of the Year – Gail Grim, Camanche Public Library.
• Small Business Person of the Year – Lindsay Morhardt, Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, The Rusty Barrel Lounge, Glazey Daze Donuts, The Copper Mill.
• Manager of the Year – Brandon Rumler, Skyline Center, Inc.
• Lou Ray was honored for serving as a Grow Clinton Board director.
• Karen Friis was honored for 30 years of service to Grow Clinton.

In other business, Grow Clinton members elected these officers: chair – Drew Mangler; vice chair – Gabi Torres; secretary – Sean Connell; treasurer – Melissa Eversmeyer; immediate past chair – Jason Wheat; and board directors – Shauna Hansen and Carrie Donaire. - Check out the QCBJ's Dave Thompson and Jennifer DeWitt on Grow Clinton Podcast –