Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame inducts three laureautes, entrepreneurial couple

The event is planned for Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Bien VenU Events Center in Cedar Falls. 

Tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis. For tickets or additional details, contact Junior Achievement at (319) 862-1100 or email Emma Disterhoft at edisterhoft@jaeasterniowa.org.

Three laureates will be inducted into the Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame, joining the elite group of past honorees.

“We are proud to sponsor the 30th anniversary of the Junior Achievement Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame, and we cannot wait to celebrate the accomplishments of these great honorees. Their dedication to the community is admirable and deserves the recognition," said Jim Miller, Cedar Valley market president of First Interstate Bank.

Through leadership, vision, and innovation, the laureates have influenced much of our community’s economic development and social welfare.

The 2024 laureates are: R. Hovey Brom, INVISION Architecture (retired); Dr. Jane E. Hasek, Allen College (retired) ; and Thomas J. Poe, Crystal Cold.

Entrepreneurs are Emsad & Edita Begic of Vine Valley Real Estate.

These distinguished business leaders were nominated by community members, and then selected by an independent committee.

These individuals have lived and worked in Eastern Iowa and epitomize five key standards of excellence:

• IMPACT on their industry or organization;
• INTEGRITY as an ethical business leader;
• COMMITMENT to bettering the COMMUNITY as a whole;
• LEADERSHIP qualities, which allow them to be exemplary role models for all of us – especially the children of Iowa;
• ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT in starting or significantly advancing local businesses.

Junior Achievement programs empower young people to own their future economic success by enhancing the relevancy of education. Not only do our programs help young individuals realize what they can become, but they also help them see what they can change in the community around them.

The Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame honors Eastern Iowa businesspeople who have shown by example the importance of achieving a high level of success both personally and professionally.