David Wilson of Ryan Companies US, Inc. was elected as Chair of the Grow Cedar Valley Board of Directors and began his term at the annual meeting held July 23 at Lincoln Savings Bank located at TechWorks in downtown Waterloo. Wilson will chair the regional economic and community development organization through June 2026.
“I believe our community has the potential for remarkable growth and transformation,” noted Wilson. “By leveraging our collective strengths and fostering collaboration among local businesses, government agencies, and community organizations, we can drive economic development that benefits everyone. Together, we will strive to create a vibrant and thriving metro area that supports sustainable economic growth and enhances the quality of life for all residents.”
Other officers elected to lead the organization with Wilson are: Vice Chair Renee Christoffer, Veridian Credit Union; Treasurer Vicki Parsons, Farmers State Bank; Secretary Katy Susong, Grow Cedar Valley and Past Chair Mike Mallaro, VGM Group, Inc.; The officers are joined by Mayor Danny Laudick, City of Cedar Falls; Mayor Quentin Hart, City of Waterloo; Fabio Castro, John Deere Waterloo Operations; and TechWorks Campus Chair Dave Deaver to form Grow Cedar Valley’s Executive Committee.
The newly elected members of the Board include: Susan Abernathy, Cedar Falls Utilities; Kim Bear, Cedar Falls Community Main Street; Tavis Hall, Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors / Experience Waterloo; John Huff, KWWL; Ryan Meyer, MercyOne; Phil Nash, Community Bank & Trust; Erica Parks, CBE Companies; Melissa Reade, Leader Valley; and Josh Schmidt, Viking Pump.
Retiring from the board is Gwenne Berry, University of Northern Iowa; Brooke Crosier-Sidebotham, University of Northern Iowa (representing Cedar Falls Tourism); David Deeds, JSA Development, LLC; Katie Hillyer, Wayne Communications (representing Leader Valley); Atul Patel, Open Door Hospitality; and Felicia Smith-Nalls, Tyson Fresh Meats.
