CREW Iowa Members Create Workforce Housing to Serve Storm Lake Community

Karie Kading Ramsey, CEO of Kading Properties, is constantly looking for opportunities to partner with and support her fellow CREW members. As immediate past president and an active member of CREW Iowa for six years, Kading Ramsey says it’s easy to do. When she received a call about a workforce housing need more than 150 miles outside of her established footprint, she listened. With an understanding of the importance of affordable housing, she knew it would help those in need. This project in Storm Lake, Iowa would become part of 24 other communities in which Kading Ramsey had served.

The call came from fellow chapter member Jackie Johansen, Shattered Glass Development CEO and a broker whom Kading Ramsey had known for years, having partnered on multiple ventures. When they first established their relationship, Johansen took the time to really understand the Kading Properties vision and mission. Kading Ramsey commends Johansen in being intentional in helping the community understand how projects will serve them. In this case, Tyson Foods desperately needed workforce housing at two northwest Iowa processing plants. CREW Iowa members brought this dream to reality, including two women who became members because of the work they did together. Once members learned Kading Ramsey and her company were involved in this project, they also wanted on board. The nearly $20 million USD project broke ground in summer 2021 and the first phase will be completed fall 2022.

It is clear that Kading Ramsey listens to her clients; in this project that created a physical connection from the workforce housing to the Tyson plant, even putting in a trail system so employees could walk and bike to work each day without disturbing surrounding neighborhoods. Empowered by her CEO Kading Ramsey, Carrie Woerdeman, Kading Properties development director, brought together the city of Storm Lake, Tyson Foods, two local colleges and community leaders to make this project happen.

Other CREW Iowa members involved in this project include: Melissa Sisler, Partner, RSM US LLP; Susan Pfeil, President, Susan Pfeil Consulting; Heather Miller, CEO, Freedom Financial Bank; Michele Stevens, SVP, Central Bank; Madeline Sturms, Community Development Director, City of Pleasant Hill; Kara Sinnard, Attorney, R&R Realty Group; and Bill Kalianov, Senior Commercial Loan Officer, Veridian Credit Union.

Kading Ramsey exudes a heartfelt warmth and genuine care about her clients, her business, family and fellow CREW members. She loves one on one meetings, having met with over half of the CREW Iowa chapter’s 152 members for coffee or lunch and growing the chapter with a 90% retention rate during a pandemic. Kading Ramsey recently formed a mentor group for young women entering the male-dominated field of commercial development. She and other professionals help recent female college graduates by counseling them and helping them make connections as they break into the industry.

CREW members involved in this story:

 

Lisa is a Senior Wealth Advisor with Comerica Private Wealth serving clients all over the country with offices in Austin, TX. Her fascination with getting to know people, a penchant for planning and love of solving puzzles led her to become a Trust and Estate Attorney (currently non-practicing) over 25 years ago. She spends time learning about each clients’ passions, fears, dreams and principles to help ensure they are reflected in their financial pursuits while building a team around them that may consist of specialists in Trusts, Investments and Lending. Before joining Comerica, Lisa spent time at various financial institutions and served for over 10 years in an executive leadership role at a Fortune 500 company. She has had multiple articles published in academic and trade journals, been interviewed for a range of diverse media channels and conducted seminars on various topics. Lisa also serves on several boards and is passionate about serving others while giving them tools to control their own destiny. She graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law and obtained her Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation from Villanova Law School. As avid crossfitters, Lisa and her husband have instilled in their two daughters the importance of physical fitness, resilience, and community; teaching them from an early age that whether you believe you can or you believe you can’t, you are right.

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