WASHINGTON –The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced that Iowa will host the nation's governors for its 2016 Summer Meeting, July 14-17.

"The nation's governors are pleased to bring our Summer Meeting to Iowa, and we thank Gov. Branstad for his gracious invitation," said NGA Vice Chair Utah Gov. Gary Herbert. "NGA meetings are an opportunity for leaders from around the country to come together across party lines to develop innovative and improved approaches to governing." Herbert will serve as NGA Chair during the meeting.

NGA's nine-governor executive committee selected Iowa for its excellent accommodations and venue options, as well as its overall appeal. The state's strong bid demonstrated its ability to meet all of the association's criteria for hosting a Summer Meeting, including central location; hotel and venue space; and transportation, security and volunteer needs.

"I'm pleased to have the opportunity to showcase Iowa to my colleagues from across the country," said Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad. "Iowa will serve as an excellent place for the nation's governors to gather and discuss issues of mutual interest and share best practices, and I'm confident this will be a productive and memorable experience for everyone involved."

The Summer Meeting is one of two official business meetings NGA holds each year. The next Winter Meeting will be held in Washington, D.C., February 20-23. The next Summer Meeting will be held in West Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, July 23-26, 2015.

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Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation's governors and one of Washington, D.C.'s most respected public policy organizations. Its members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key federal issues to developing and implementing innovative solutions to public policy challenges through the NGA Center for Best Practices. For more information, visit www.nga.org.

5001 Tremont Ave. and 1515 E. Kimberly Road
Total Investment: $2.7 million
Total Public Investment:$30,000 IEDC High Quality Jobs Program
Jobs Created: 11-15 (Grace) 3-5 (Letter2Word)
Status: Expansion in progress

Philip Allen is a serial entrepreneur who grew Grace Engineered Products Inc. from a virtual one-man operation into a global manufacturer of electrical safety devices employing 25 here in Davenport. Now, he plans to not only expand that business and add up to 15 new employees, but is helping nurture a start-up called Letter2Word.

Grace is a worldwide leader in electrical safety products, especially the GracePort panel interface connectors, which allow users to either service an electrical cabinet without opening its panels or at least determine whether it is safe to open from the outside. Allen pioneered the application of Safeside voltage indicators into lock-out, tag-out procedures, which help improve worker safety while working on electrical equipment. Customers of this Davenport-based company include such giants as Ford Motor Co., Procter & Gamble and Kimberly Clark.

The company started in 1993, when Allen and some associates were working on a friction welder retrofit project at John Deere. Work was needed on a relatively dangerous machine with an interface in the front and an electrical panel with a 250 horsepower drive and a 400 amp main feed  inconveniently located at the rear. The only way to access the machine for maintenance was to open the doors, but the maintenance supervisor understood this caused a potential hazard.

"The supervisor insisted they keep the door closed," said Allen. "The end result was the panel interface connector, which would become an industry standard."

Now, the company sells all over the world.

"We just got an order for 40 units from Italy and another large order for Australia." About 20 percent of the company's product is exported, about half of it to Canada. This growth, both internationally and domestically, drove the decision to expand. Allen has purchased a building at 1515 E. Kimberly Road, which will house a mix of expanded Grace operations as well as the new and growing Letter2Word operations. The Iowa Economic Development Association board awarded the company $30,000 in direct financial assistance and tax benefits through its High Quality Jobs Program, due to the increase in employment that will result from the expansion.

Grace Engineered Product's unique process - Allen holds several U.S. and international patents for thru-panel electrical safety devices - allow it to mass produce customized products.

"We can get a specific order in one day, even with a specialized logo, and have it out the door the following day in most cases," Allen said.

The 15 or so new employees he hopes to add later this fall will come into a workplace that values employee engagement. It's a pet-friendly office, and several dogs can be seen wandering around at any given time. There is a large, warmly decorated break room and the factory floor and inventory bay are bright, clean and neat. To qualify for the IEDC incentives, starting wages start at $17.47 an hour and include full health benefits.

Allen said he chose to expand in Davenport both because of convenience and because of its outstanding workforce.

"We have good, hardworking people who show up on time, do their jobs and don't quit," he said. "The city was also very responsive and helped us work with the state."

Another reason space was getting tight was due to the growth of Letter2Word, a startup home and business design and decor company co-founded by Allen's wife Jane, her friend Sally Dailey and Dailey's daughter Shannon Evans. The company creates  hand-painted words and phrases that can be hung indoors or outdoors to share unique messages. The letters are created on the same precision cutting machines that Grace uses for its products, making the businesses perfect for co-existing.

Sally said the company has already secured several large accounts, and will need to add 3 to 5 new employees at the new location on Kimberly Avenue to meet the demand for product delivered this spring.

"We have just had such a great working relationship with Phil and his staff," she said. "He calls it cross-pollination of  business and it really seems to work."

Allen said he is an entrepreneur at heart who loves innovation, so stand by for more business ventures in Davenport going forward.

Well, the word is official. Instead of September 5th the Centennial Bridge closing has been extended to October 10th. For now. Won't you drop by this week and show your support for one of the QCA's treasured corners, one that fulfills a place in your heart that is unique and cherished?  And needs your help right now?

Please come by this week - our pain is your gain.  We have a number of items on our 50% off tumble table that need good homes.  There are hand-painted clocks from the Black Forest, colorful wooden mobiles from Germany, lace, t-shirts, toys, decorative items, jewelry, and a host of one-of-a-kind goodies you can't pass up.  A special selection of books will be marked down to $5 and $10.  With these deep discounts the usual 10% off with membership will not apply. 

A great time to stock up on holiday presents or stocking stuffers!

Governor Visits Students on their First Day; Announces State is Moving Ahead with 'Seal of Biliteracy' Program

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today visited students at two Chicago Public Schools on their first day of school to wish all students in Illinois a happy and healthy year of learning. The Governor visited Vanderpoel Elementary Magnet School and Schmid Elementary School on the south side of Chicago. Today's events are part of Governor Quinn's agenda to give every child in Illinois the opportunity for a high-quality education.

"As we kick-off a new year of learning, I wish all our students across Illinois a happy and healthy school year," Governor Quinn said. "There's no more important investment than an investment in our children's education. As we work to try to bring classroom funding to the highest levels in Illinois history, it's important to give thanks to all our teachers who are helping to make a difference across our state."

Governor Quinn also announced today that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is moving forward with an initiative that aims to promote mastery of two or more languages. The state is among the first in the country to allow school districts to award a State Seal of Biliteracy to students who demonstrate a high level of proficiency in one or more languages, in addition to English. The seal will be placed on a student's academic transcript and diploma.

"Language skills are increasingly valuable in today's global economy," State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch said. "The seal will help promote and acknowledge the great value and many benefits that come with being multilingual and multicultural."

Illinois was the third state to pass legislation offering a Seal of Biliteracy, joining California and New York. States such as New Mexico, Washington and Louisiana are among those that have since passed legislation offering the seal as well. Illinois education officials hope the seal will inspire students to pursue biliteracy, recognize students who excel in language skills, and provide evidence of these achievements to future employers and college admissions offices.

"We hope the opportunity to earn this credential will be another tool to encourage schools to offer foreign language earlier in students' education, ideally before high school," Illinois State Board of Education Chairman Gery J. Chico said. "Even with the rigorous process proposed for earning this credential, we expect thousands of Illinois students will attain it within a few years."

School districts will use the language proficiency standards established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) to qualify for the State Seal of Biliteracy program, which is optional for districts. The proposed rules also include standards for proficiency in American Sign Language, which is defined in the law as a foreign language for purposes of qualifying for the State Seal of Biliteracy.

In the 2012-13 school year, Illinois enrolled more than 200,000 English Learner (EL) students, nearly 10 percent of the state's more than 2 million public school students. While the majority of EL students attend schools in Chicago and the collar counties and speak Spanish, EL students in Illinois speak more than 160 languages in addition to English.

Governor Quinn is committed to investing in education across Illinois and making sure that every child has the opportunity for success.

This past week Governor Quinn announced a $10 million state investment in the Safe Passage program for Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The investment will expand the program by increasing routes to 93 schools currently in the program and adding 27 new schools. These schools are attended by more than 65,000 elementary and high school students. The Safe Passage program places trained employees along designated routes to and from Chicago's public schools to monitor student safety and notify school and law enforcement officials of any possible threats.

Governor Quinn is committed to properly funding education in Illinois in order to give every child the opportunity for success. The Governor's budget blueprint includes a historic $6 billion increase in classroom spending over the next five years, doubling the investment in college scholarships for students in need and increasing access to higher education through dual enrollment and early college programs. Over the next five years, the Governor's plan would bring classroom funding to the highest levels in Illinois history.

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