On January 10th, 2020, Business Expansion and Strategic Trends (BEST) released their annual report and BEST of Iowa Excellence Awards. BEST is a collaboration of local economic development groups, Alliant Energy, Black Hills Energy, the Iowa Area Development Group, MidAmerican Energy, and the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The collaborative focuses on strengthening policies and programs that support Iowa businesses and communities. The annual report is a compilation and analysis of Synchronist business interviews conducted throughout the year. In 2019, 800 interviews were conducted across 66 counties in Iowa. Greater Dubuque Development received a BEST of Iowa Excellence Award for goin...

On November 29th, 2019, Cottingham & Butler and Heartland Financial USA announced plans to purchase the Roshek Building at 700 Locust Street in downtown Dubuque. The two companies have formed a partnership, Roshek Property LLC, in order to make the purchase from Dubuque Initiatives. Together, they have plans to invest an additional $2.85 million to improve the building for their respective operations. They have collectively committed to creating at least 32 new full-time jobs through the project.  Cottingham & Butler is the 25th largest insurance broker in the country, employing more than 700 individuals in Dubuque. They currently have offices acros...