Perry Economic Development Inc. (PEDI) held its annual meeting and banquet Monday night at the Hotel Pattee, highlighted by a keynote address by Bruce Nuzum, president and chief operation officer of the Iowa Area Development Group.
PEDI President Jeff Huitt a few of the group’s 2023 successes, including a significant increase in acreage of the Perry Industrial Park and the erection of a new 30,000-square-foot spec building in the park, the continued expansion of Perry’s manufacturing base and — most visibly — PEDI’s transfer of ownership of the Hotel Pattee, the hub of Perry’s commercial culture, to the city of Perry.
PEDI Past President Matt McDevitt welcomed one new member to the 20-member PEDI board: Amy Rathje, a veteran realtor in the Perry area. He also welcomed the attendance of other parties to Perry’s public-private partnership, including the the city of Perry, Bolton and Menk engineers, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the Iowa Finance Authority, the Greater Dallas County Development Alliance and others.
Huitt recognized other PEDI board members in attendance, including PEDI Vice President Jason Levan, Secretary Darren Lindstrom, Treasurer Eddie Diaz and members Dr. Tom Burkgren, Deb Lucht, Terry Nielsen, Scott Finneseth, Jason Levan, Angela Mortoza, Mike Van Houweling, Jackson VanKirk and others.
Diaz, who also directs the DMACC Perry VanKirk Learning Academy, spoke briefly about PEDI’s ongoing efforts toward workforce development, and PEDI Past President Matt McDevitt reviewed advances in the city’s housing sector.
