Allen announces departure from JEDCO to helm Iowa Utilities Association

Chaz Allen is leaving his post as executive director of the Jasper County Economic Development Corporation to lead the Iowa Utilities Association.

The IUA announced Allen’s hire as its executive director in a press release Thursday morning. The former state senator has held his position at JEDCO since 2012. In July 2018, Allen announced that he would not seek a second term in the Iowa Senate where he served from 2014 to 2018 representing District 15, which includes Newton, the western half of Jasper County, Altoona and the eastern third of Polk County.

Allen, who also served as mayor of Newton from 2004 to 2012, and as a lobbyist for Iowa Telecom before its 2009 acquisition by Windstream Holdings, Inc., said in a written statement Thursday he feels his experience in state and local government will be an asset to the IUA.

“The Iowa Utility Association has a long and successful history of partnering with local governments, citizens and regulators to ensure that the energy needed to power our economy is readily available as well as affordable,” Allen said. “I look forward to the opportunity to join this team. I hope my experience with local, state and national governing bodies brings value as we engage in the ongoing process to properly oversee this important industry while ensuring a regulatory environment that allows our members to innovate and develop so they can deliver the best service to Iowans.”

The IUA was founded in 1971 to develop, organize and promote the common business interests and public policy of Iowa’s investor-owned electric, natural gas and transmission utilities, according to a group spokesperson. IUA’s member companies include Alliant Energy, Black Hills Energy, MidAmerican Energy, ITC Midwest, Liberty Utilities and NextEra Energy Duane Arnold Energy Center.

“Chaz is the best person to help the IUA move forward and advance important statewide utility policies that will allow the state to maintain its progressive leadership position,” Krista Tanner, the chair of the IUA board and president of ITC Midwest, said. “The board is excited to welcome him to the team.”

Allen said he intends to serve as an interim board member at JEDCO and will continue his duties as director while the nonprofit works to fill his position.

In an interview Thursday morning, JEDCO Board Chair Doug Bishop told the Newton Daily News the board will meet in March to examine what the JEDCO director position will look like in the future.

“The perfect time to revamp your organization is when a change like this takes place,” Bishop said. “Chaz landed a bunch of large projects. Our main goal is economic growth in Jasper County and the creation of new housing and jobs in order to increase the tax base and lower the tax burden for our citizens.”

Allen led the city of Newton during the Maytag Corporation’s 2007 departure and in the wake of subsequent job and economic losses. During his time with JEDCO, Allen facilitated talks to attract larger employers to Jasper County, including a $15 million investment by Beck’s Hybrids in Colfax and a 70,000-square-foot expansion of Janco Industries in Sully.

JEDCO board members see Allen’s efforts to bring the proposed Iowa Department of Transportation Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Training Center to Jasper County as his biggest accomplishment to date.

If approved by IDOT, the $11.78 million plan would span 70 acres that once housed the former county care facility off Interstate 80. It would feature a one-mile track with lane barriers to simulate highway crashes, hazardous materials spill and traffic stop training. Plans for TIM also include a two to four-lane simulated highway exit ramp to practice traffic enforcement safety in that environment.

Allen currently sits on the IDOT TIM Training Center board.

“His position as a board member on the TIM project, no matter where he goes from this point forward, he’s still going to be part of that process trying to land the TIM center here in Jasper County,” Bishop said.

Contact Mike Mendenhall at 641-792-3121 ext. 6530 or mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com