The frigid winter weather didn’t keep Midwest Partnership Economic Development Corporation from having their annual dinner last night.

The organization recognized departing Board members including Warren Varley and John Rutledge who each served 12 and 10 years, respectively. The Board then elected directors Kristen Renslow, Todd Nelsen, Sara Slater, Mike Underwood, Marty Doud, Julie Zajicek, and Travis Dvorak. This year’s elected officers are Scott Tonderum as President, Laurie Gilbert as Vice President, Travis Dvorak as Secretary, and Jerry Sullivan as Treasurer.

Executive Director Sarah Gomez gave a report on the previous year, and shared these words for the purpose of Midwest Partnership, “I heard a phrase at a conference a couple months ago it was ‘We chase businesses, businesses chase people, and people chase communities,’ and so I believe destination marketing, creative placemaking and tourism all need to be taken seriously and it’s going to take a commitment of the community to make that happen and the Midwest Partnership team is ready to take that challenge.”

The dinner concluded with the presentation of this year’s Guy Powell Award to Dennis Flanery, and an address from guest speaker Hernan Etcheto, owner and CEO of Nutriom, a dehydrated food crystal company that recently relocated to Panora and employs just under 50 people. Midwest Partnership is a nonprofit economic development organization that serves Adair, Audubon, Greene, and Guthrie counties.