by Jill Funke

Coming home can evoke many different feelings and emotions. Returning to friendly, familiar faces and well-known surroundings can bring comfort and a sense of peace. Returning home for the holidays, or moving back home after living far away is a popular notion, and one that is the subject of many songs and stories. Glenn Anderson knows what it’s like to come home. When a variety of Lyon County leaders decided that this area possesses enough potential for economic development to require a full-time Rural Economic Development Director, Glenn was the perfect person for the job. After growing up in Rock Rapids, he lived and worked in other states before happening upon this employment opportunity that brought him back to Rock Rapids.

Designating a full-time Director of Rural Economic Development was an action that was supported by leaders of the communities which make up Lyon County. These interested community members determined that the Director of Rural Economic Development should concentrate on expanding the growth of the business environment in the area. The input from each community in the county determined that the person in the director position should attend community meetings including those held by school boards and city councils, as well as visit businesses who may consider expansion or opportunities to collaborate with other businesses. It was also decided that the director would talk to individuals who have an interest in establishing or expanding a business locally.

Luckily, Glenn was able to use his prior knowledge of the area and familiarity with the residents of Lyon County to hit the ground running when he began his position in July. He says that each community has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to economic development in the county. Iowa and other states utilize federal money that has been earmarked for economic development. Glenn is impressed with the proactive nature of the communities in Lyon County because he sees how well they have worked with state officials to develop the plans which outline how the funding will be used.

Right now, Glenn is spending his time listening to residents in each community as they discuss their needs and wants. He is also paying attention to economic successes in other towns and identifying where they can serve as models for Lyon County or spur ideas for development opportunities here. Considering the global economy of today, Glenn is glad to see that communities can come together as a county to increase their competitiveness in the world market place. He says that biochemical, mechanical, manufacturing and agriculture are the areas that could realize the most growth in Lyon County. At the same time, these are the areas that the government has mandated to be included in state and county economic development plans. In addition to those areas, Glenn would like to see the tourism industry increase. Currently, the state of Iowa realizes about 5 billion dollars in revenue from tourism each year. Knowing that every area is unique, Glenn feels that Lyon County should consider the ways it is unique and build upon those traits to bring a portion of those tourism funds to this area. One example of a county making the most of its uniqueness is Madison County, where the popular movie The Bridges of Madison County was filmed. As a result of the movie, the town of Winterset saw a dramatic rise in tourism, which paved the way for antique stores and cafes that cater to the traveling crowds. Likewise, the town of Dyersville is still profiting from the benefits it reaps as a result of the movie Field of Dreams. Watching those two areas capitalize on their unique features, Glenn feels that Lyon County can take a similar path. He would like to see Lyon County take a step such as becoming the first county of murals. If this were to happen, Glenn could envision that people on their way to recreational hot spots like Lake Pahoja, or Lake Okoboji would have more reasons to stop and eat lunch in Lyon County towns where the money spent would stay in the area.

Glenn believes that one of his functions is to help foster the good relationships between Lyon County towns. That way, other communities can share information and help each other succeed. For Glen, being on the ground level of these efforts is thrilling. Recognizing the amount of responsibility that accompanies a position of this level in the county where he grew up has left Glenn working very hard to do a good job for the people that have demonstrated their faith in him. At the same time, he holds this community dear to his heart, and sees this position as a way to give back to residents of Lyon County. Because Glenn feels that he wouldn’t be doing justice to his job if he wasn’t in constant open communication with the public, he encourages people to contact him with their ideas and feedback. Working together, Glenn sees nothing but avenues for success in Lyon County.