CEDAR FALLS --Kade Hoppenworth is not only a banker, but a builder.
Take a drive down Commercial Street once its current reconstruction is complete, or peek out the window when you’re sitting at SingleSpeed Brewing Co., and you’ll see a prominent example of Kade Hoppenworth’s handiwork.
In partnership with Dan Cooley, Hoppenworth, 36, has restored the 110-year-old building at 302 Commercial St. that housed Friedl’s Bakery and a host of local businesses over the years into a new development called Urban Lofts at the Bakery.
As prominent as that project is on the west-side downtown landscape, there’s more to Hoppenworth’s work than meets the eye.
He’s a first vice president at Lincoln Savings Bank, with more than a decade of lending experience, working in the bank's downtown Cedar Falls office. He’s a product of the Cedar Valley Leadership Institute and the University of Northern Iowa. And he co-founded a nonprofit organization called Impact Outdoors, initiating a number of conservation and outdoor recreation and sportsman activities. He also invented Scrape Stick, a product for the hunting industry used to attract, pattern and position whitetail deer. It's now fully patented and been sold in 40 states and Canada.
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Compared to his other activities, "the banking stuff is boring!" he protests self-effacingly. But it’s led to his involvement in many of those other things.
"I feel like I have some of the best clients in the community to work with here in the Cedar Valley," Hoppenworth said, which motivates him to give back though initiatives like Impact Outdoors.
"It's a local conservation group. We help raise local dollars and give back to the community in conservation efforts," he said. Also, he said, "I've volunteered in various boards and other organizations." The motivation, he said, is "the passion of just giving back and staying involved in the community and trying to hopefully make it a better place and wanting to be a part of doing something better."
"Where we live is our lifeblood," he said. "You do a lot of these things not to get recognized, you just put in the hard work and the efforts."
He comes by his volunteerism naturally. He was born and raised in Parkersburg and is a 2003 graduate of Aplington-Parkersburg High School, having played football for inspirational late A-P coach and community leader Ed Thomas. He then attended Hawkeye Community College and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. He started working at Lincoln Savings bank right after college.
"I work with a lot of different individuals, and I pride myself in that," Hoppenworth said. "I'm able to work with small mom-and-pop shops, to large real estate investors. What's neat about it is the relationships I've built in all the different industry types. Seeing their success is almost like my success, in a way:"
And that's in part what inspired him to get into the development business with Dan Cooley.
"Bridging the gap and taking the learning opportunities and seeing what clients have done has taught me an understanding in a way that (I) could also individually give back and do various projects within the community.
"Investing in relationships, the community and following your passions. That's kind of what I would say would be my mantra," he said. "Passionate about what I do at the bank; passionate to serve my customers. Building relationships and partnerships that have been successful in business for me in real estate, creating Impact Outdoors, we've been able to raise over $250,000 that has been invested back in the community."
“Kade is special,” said LSB colleague Jason Walters, who nominated Hoppenworth for 20 Under 40 recognition. “His passion for his customers and his coworkers – I have personally learned a lot from him. This is no surprise to those that are friends with Kade or work with him professionally. He has the talent, heart and charisma to impact a culture. That’s exactly what he has done for LSB in the Cedar Valley.
“Kade has a distinct kindness, unlike many others and puts small business in the Cedar Valley above all else," Walters said. "Kade was also crucial for LSB with the vision of our new office space at 302 Main in Cedar Falls.”
“Beyond his professional career, Kade is an amazing family man (he and longtime girlfriend Shelby Riehm, have a three-year old son) and has a significant desire for philanthropy," Walters continued. "His efforts with the nonprofit Impact Outdoors has helped create energy and funding for many Cedar Valley outdoor recreation projects and a special focus for our Cedar Valley youth.
Kade is also an investor in Cedar Valley real estate and rehab projects and also helps direct the Cedar Valley Sports Show at the Dome we all enjoy.
“On a personal note, "Walters added, "My 8-year-old has always referred to Kade as ‘Kade the hunter’ because he has been so generous helping me as ‘Dad’ learn and expose my children to the rewarding experience of hunting.
“The Cedar Valley should know more about Kade Hoppenworth and hope we can find and retain more people like him," Walters said. "We are all better off if we do.”
"He has had his hand in so many things that have bettered our community," co-nominator Melissa Walton said. "He has always been a go-getter and works incredibly hard."
