The Iowa Area Development Group (IADG) on behalf of Iowa’s rural electric cooperatives and member municipal electric systems has honored ten distinguished Iowa companies with the Iowa Venture Award, and two of the honored companies are members of North West REC. IADG celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the Iowa Venture Award at ceremonies in Des Moines. The business and community development group has recognized and honored over 160 of Iowa’s finest business leaders and companies.

IML Containers Iowa, Inc., located in Le Mars, is a food packaging firm specializing in wooden, cardboard and plastic containers for the dairy products industry. IML Containers Iowa is part of the Lacroix Group which is a family-owned company based in France. The company has 12 facilities in Europe and one in Canada and now their first U.S. operation is located in Le Mars, Iowa. “IML” stands for “in-mold-labeling” and in their innovative plastic packaging process there is no need for a label as the company makes the label part of the plastic mold and product packaging. IML Containers Iowa is a 24 hour operation and currently employs 15 people.

VeraSun Energy, headquartered in Brookings, South Dakota, is one of the nation’s largest ethanol producers and is nearing completion of a 100 million gallon ethanol production plant in Hartley, Iowa. This northwest Iowa operation will employ over 40 people and complement their other two Iowa facilities located in Fort Dodge and Charles City.

“The Iowa Venture Award has a rich and prestigious history. Since 1988, IADG has recognized Iowa’s leading companies that have helped sustain and grow the Iowa economy. Iowa Area Development Group and our member electric cooperatives and municipal electric systems are grateful to have the opportunity to honor and recognize these outstanding Iowa companies,” said IADG President, Rand M. Fisher. “Each year as we honor business leaders and entrepreneurs with the Iowa Venture Award we also thank these accomplished companies for their commitment to Iowa through capital investment and job creation,” added Fisher.

Since 1985 the Powerful Partnerships and economic development efforts of IADG and their sponsoring utilities have helped generate over $5.5 billion of capital investment and over 37,000 jobs for Iowa.