Professional Developers of Iowa (PDI) Elects Joe Raso to Board of Directors

Raso Elected to 3 Year Term

(Des Moines, IA):   At the Annual Business Meeting of the Professional Developers of Iowa (PDI) in September 2008, the membership elected Joe Raso, President, Iowa City Area Development Group, Inc. as a Director on the PDI Board of Directors.   Raso will serve a three-year term.

Founded in 1973, with current membership of over 350, PDI is an organization dedicated to advancing the professionalism of its members through a wide range of programs and services.  As an association, PDI provides professional training that helps its members do a better job for their community.  PDI creates an atmosphere of support and offers an instant network of seasoned experts for local professionals to seek advice and support. 

According to Lynn Harkin, PDI Executive Director, "As an organization, PDI fosters cooperation among its members to produce the best results for Iowa. As individuals, every PDI member makes his or her community a better place to live and work. Our board is committed to taking the organization to the next level."

About Joe Raso

A native Iowan, Raso has lived in Iowa’s metro areas including the Quad Cities, Waterloo/Cedar Falls and Des Moines. Prior to joining Iowa City Area Development Group in November 2000, Raso was director of economic development for Delaware County, Iowa, where he was honored by Governor Vilsack for his comprehensive workforce development and value-added agriculture programs for Delaware County. Raso was also director of the national-award winning Cedar Falls, Iowa, Mainstreet Program from 1995-1997.  During his eight years as President of the ICAD Group, the organization has assisted more than forty-five primary sector businesses with expansions and relocations that have created more than 3,000 jobs for the area economy. 

Raso, 39, is a member of the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and The Workplace Learning Connection Board of Directors.  He also frequently reports to numerous economic development groups and committees serving our area.  Raso received a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. His advanced studies and post graduate work focused on economic development with an emphasis on state and local government.

Raso and wife, Kim, have two children, Payton,12, and Bailey, 8. They live in North Liberty, Iowa.

About Professional Developers of Iowa (PDI)

Professional Developers of Iowa are headquartered in the offices of Association Management, Ltd. (AML), a Des Moines-based association management company providing full-service management to non-profit trade associations and professional society associations since 1976.

About Iowa City Area Development Group

Now in its 25^th year, the Iowa City Area Development Group is a private, non-profit economic development organization serving the business development needs of primary sector companies in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, Solon, Tiffin, Tipton,  the Amana Colonies, West Branch, Kalona, West Liberty, and Johnson County.  The organization works to connect businesses with federal, state, and local resources to enhance and simulate area economic growth through business retention, expansion and attraction efforts, and advocates on behalf of the area’s workforce.