The Ames Chamber of Commerce has entered a new era, with visions of growing Story County and the surrounding communities.
The local entity, which has recently expanded into Boone and Hamilton County in addition to several Story County communities, has rebranded as the Ames Regional Economic Alliance.
The rebrand was revealed Tuesday morning with the launch of the organization's new website .
The Ames Chamber and the Ames Economic Development Commission are now affiliate organizations of the Alliance. Vice President of Marketing and Communications Eric Smidt said the Chamber's work will continue under the new brand.
"In many ways, this brand is playing catch-up to the work that's already taken place," Smidt said. "As the work already includes all that stuff, now the brand will reflect that."
The rebranding initially started last fall when the Chamber cemented its reach well beyond Story County. They no longer serve only the Ames community, and it was time to reflect that work. With the recent expansion into Hamilton County, the timing reinforced why the rebrand was necessary, Ames Regional Economic Alliance President and CEO Dan Culhane said.
"We've expanded; that doesn't mean we're not still doing the work in the Ames community we've always done, but we've taken on more responsibility across Story County, then to Boone and Hamilton Counties," Culhane said. "Consequently, the organizational name that we've had for all these years didn't properly reflect who we represent."
The CEO said the rebrand better includes all the communities the Alliance is working with, not just Ames.
The organization, which was founded in 1939 as the Ames Chamber of Commerce, is "beyond excited" for its new era.
"There hasn't been a week that's gone by since we've started the project in earnest that we haven't been reinforced in a positive way by the work that's happening in this building, that this is moving in the right direction," Smidt said. "Once we are officially the Alliance, it makes all the sense in the world for the type of work that we do."
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What does the new name symbolize?
"Ames" is featured in the Alliance's new name because the city geographically centers the organization in the region, while "Regional" and "Economic" describe the organization's role.
Whatever community the organization is working in, be it in Ames, Boone or Hamilton County, it simply can be referred to as "the Alliance."
"(The rebrand) is a way to make the region we're working in right now feel more included in the name of the organization," Culhane said. "It is about the Alliance brand being something that's bigger than the Ames community."
When broken down into an acronym, the name spells out "AREA," though Alliance is still the preferred shortened name.
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Rebrand won't impact Chamber membership
Members of the Ames Chamber of Commerce will still receive the benefits they have now, Culhane said. Businesses that are Chamber members and support Ames Economic Development Commission will fall under the Alliance.
The organizationizational boards will remain, Culhane said.
"We like having multiple boards because it gives people lots of opportunities to serve and be engaged in a wide variety of things we do," Culhane said. "We're giving people the opportunity to maintain those options going forward."
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Alliance encompasses three counties
The infrastructure of the Ames Chamber of Commerce and the Ames Economic Development Commission initially stopped at the corporate limits of the Ames community. The organization has expanded in the last 10 years to include communities throughout Story County, like Huxley, Nevada and Story City.
The city of Boone was added into the mix three years ago, and the entirety of Boone County followed shortly after. With the recent addition of Hamilton County, the Alliance now works in three central Iowa counties.
"We're full-time in all these communities," Culhane said. "As opportunities and challenges present themselves, or a variety of initiatives, we can respond immediately."
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Bringing economic opportunities to the region
The Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development engineered 13 regional economic development projects in 2023. According to the Alliance's annual report, that resulted in $18 million worth of approved applications and 484 new jobs.
With the Chamber and Economic Development under the Alliance, the regional organization will continue to assist with economic projects in all its communities. One such project is the Daisy Brand facility coming to Boone, which was announced in April .
The company plans to invest $626.5 million in a 750,000-square-foot facility to make sour cream and cottage cheese. The facility will create 106 initial jobs and anticipates growing to 255 as demand increases. The Alliance is collaborating with the City of Boone, Boone County Economic Growth Corporation, and Iowa Economic Development Authority.
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Bringing Daisy to the region is just the start of what's to come as the Alliance expands its economic impact.
"Given the strength of the organization we have today versus 15 years ago, it's easy for us to pick up a project of that size and magnitude and bring it to fruition, because we've got the expertise and team and place," Culhane said. "That's what the Alliance really is − a team of people to support multiple communities across the region."
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: What is the Ames Regional Economic Alliance? A look at the chamber of commerce’s rebrand
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