As part of an end-of-year pandemic relief package, Congress has passed several changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and created a “Second Draw” PPP for small businesses who have exhausted their initial loan. Other changes impact eligibility for initial PPP loans, the loan forgiveness process, and the tax treatment of PPP loans. At this…
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Applications now open for Spring 2021 Venture School
The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center is now accepting applications for the Spring 2021 cohort of the University of Iowa’s Venture School program. The Spring 2021 program will be held as a hybrid in-person/online on Thursday evenings, and will kick-off live on February 4th at the NIACC Pappajohn Center and continue virtually for the next…
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#IAmAnEntrepreneur Spotlight – Dean & Marcia Sonquist, Plas-Tech Tooling
Plas-Tech Tooling was founded in 1993 by Dean and Marcia Sonquist of Garner, Iowa. Dean graduated from the Tool & Die program at the Des Moines Area Community College. After working in a few shops for several years, Dean decided he wanted to build his own business. Plas-Tech Tooling began as a side project located…
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#IAmAnEntrepreneur Spotlight – Staci Ackerson, Shankland Insurance
In April 2015, Staci Ackerson saw an opportunity to expand and began working with the North Iowa Area SBDC to help make her vision come true. Shankland Insurance was based in downtown Charles City, Iowa, but Staci had her eye on a new location. The Charles City Western Railroad depot was built in 1910, but…
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