DES MOINES, IOWA (September 8, 2019) — On September 9, Governor Kim Reynolds participated in the opening ceremony of the first rural Forge in Jefferson, Iowa. The Forge is a culmination of the power of public-private partnerships and the governor’s initiatives to harness the innovation that exists across Iowa.
“Rural Iowa stands at a crossroads in the digital revolution and harnessing public private partnerships like The Forge is fueling a rural renaissance in small towns across our state,” said Gov Reynolds. “The Forge demonstrates what’s possible when a shared vision meets drive and ambition, and it will serve as a launch pad for cutting-edge careers, a hub for life-long learning, and a model for small towns across our state and country.”
The Forge is a unique destination where Accenture collaborates with organizations on using advanced digital technologies to transform businesses. At the new facility in Jefferson, the company will also help prepare the future workforce for the digital economy by providing local community-college students with commercial software-development training — as physical products become services, and the value shifts from hardware to software.
Earlier this year, Accenture announced a partnership with Corteva to launch a new Rural Scholarship Program through The Forge. This program includes a $187,000 investment to fund 25 awards for Iowans from 39 rural Iowa communities, providing a real and meaningful impact for the entire region.
Gov Reynolds was joined at the event by Lieutenant Gov Adam Gregg; Representative Ro Khanna; Linc Kroeger, Accenture Rural Revitalization and Inclusion; Chris Deal, Jefferson Community Leader; Debra King, Corteva CIO; Regan Lemoureux, Greene County Schools Graduate and University of Iowa Student; Will Castleberry, Facebook Vice President of State Policy; and Chad Jerdee, Accenture Global Strategy.
