Connect with us.

The Greater IC team works every day to support the companies and entrepreneurs who are creating the jobs the vitality that our communities rely on.

Email us to find resources, partner on strategic initiatives, or build a relationship.

Nancy Bird

President & CEO

Mary Willie

Vice President of Business Support & Operations

Cady Gerlach

Senior Director of Community Development & Executive Director of Better Together 2030

Mackenzie DeRoo

Senior Director of Advocacy

Sarah Thompson

Director of Rural Development

Maria Schussler

Event Operations Manager

Manager of coworking facility at MERGE Iowa City

Connor Gast

Manager of Co-Working Facilities & Operational Support

Lexie Rudolph

Program & Operations Support Specialist

lexie@greateriowacity.com

Evan Doyle

Program Manager for Community and Economic Development

evan@greateriowacity.com

Jason Schrock

Director of Development & Investor Relations

Jesse Wallace

Director of Marketing & Communications

Melanie Bimson

Economic Development Program Manager

Michael Chen

Community Development Program Manager

Aaron Bontrager | Human Resources/Payroll

Aaron is a native Iowa Citian and owner of Payroll Vault, which offers a boutique, full-service, payroll and human resource services designed for small business owners in the Johnson County area. Schedule with Aaron today!

 

Ed Leighton-Dick | IT/Data Security

Ed Leighton-Dick helps small and midsize businesses solve their most challenging database performance, resiliency, and data security issues at Kingfisher Data, the consulting firm he founded in 2014. He has taught thousands of people at over 200 events, including the world’s largest Microsoft data platform conferences, and he has been a leader in the Microsoft data community since 2008. Microsoft has recognized Ed seven times as a Data Platform MVP for his expertise and service to the data community. Schedule with Ed today!

Tom Altman | IT/CFO

Tom Altman is a seasoned Fractional CIO with over 25 years in technology strategy and innovation. He specializes in building scalable tech foundations that drive business growth, helping companies align their technology with strategic goals to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. Schedule with Tom today!

Alex Taylor | Business Coaching

Alex has more than 30 years of business experience working in a variety of entrepreneurial organizations and capacities. Currently he’s the Director of Entrepreneurship for NewBoCo, is completing his 15th year teaching in the Tippie College of Business, and along with his wife co-owns and operates Woofables, a national manufacturing and distribution business based out of Coralville, Iowa.  He’s a seasoned and highly networked business mentor, connector, leader, and coach. Schedule with Alex today!

 

Robin Springer | Financial Planning

Robin Springer’s background includes leadership roles in financial planning and analysis, accounting, program management and systems implementation. Her career has included work with multi-billion dollar global corporations, first-time startups and everything in between. She can help you achieve your business goals by creating financial structure, and by providing the tools and education you need to manage your business and let go of outdated beliefs about money. Schedule with Robin today!

 

Kaitlin Byers | Funding

Kaitlin serves as the Capital Access Manager for Kiva Lending Iowa, a community-backed loan program for small business owners to gain access to early capital, at zero interest. Kaitlin connects entrepreneurs to lenders who value character and community over a credit score. Her goal is to make sure business owners from diverse backgrounds have access to capital through the power of crowdfunding. Schedule with Kaitlin today!

Paul Heath | Business Coaching – Small Business Development Center

Paul Heath is a seasoned leader and advisor in small business development, bringing over three decades of expertise to his role as Regional Director at the SBDC, part of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. He is a certified management accountant, a certified business advisor, and a certified public accountant. With a commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth, Paul combines his deep financial expertise and business acumen to guide small businesses in achieving their goals. Schedule with Paul today!