Oct. 16

The Greater St. Cloud Development Corp. received a bronze Excellence in Economic Development Award. The corporation received the award due to its 2015 project in the category of Special Purpose Website for communities with populations of 25,000-200,000. The honor was presented at the International Economic Development Council awards ceremony Oct. 6 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Greater St. Cloud JobSpot is an online talent portal designed to attract, develop, retain and expand the talent pool within the region. For more information visit thenewsleaders.com and click on Oct. 16 People.

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Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation Receives Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council

The Greater St. Cloud Development Corp. received a bronze Excellence in Economic Development Award for its 2015 project in the category of Special Purpose Website for communities with populations of 25,000-200,000 from the International Economic Development Council. The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Oct. 6 during the IEDC annual conference, which was held in Anchorage, Alaska.

“From localized community projects to large-scale endeavors, economic development efforts have played a vital role in the global economy,” said JoAnn Crary, CEcD, chair of the IEDC and president of Saginaw Future Inc. “As we address new and longstanding challenges, these efforts continue to take on even greater importance. The award serves as a salute to pacesetting organizations like the Greater St. Cloud Development Corp. for leading the charge.”

Greater St. Cloud JobSpot (www.GreaterStCloudJobSpot.com) is an online talent portal designed to attract, develop, retain and expand the talent pool in our region through three objectives: develop and showcase the skills, experience and talent attributes of the region; reduce the brain drain; attract alumni back to the region. It’s unique in that jobs posted are limited to jobs located in our three-county area. Between seven institutions of higher education, our community enjoys the benefit of having more than 30,000 college and university students in our midst. However, most of them come here to learn and then leave for jobs elsewhere. This situation is exacerbated by students being unaware of the career opportunities available to them in our community. Every local college and university participated in the development of JobSpot, with the goal of raising student awareness of local jobs, as well as facilitating local internships and networking. JobSpot is intended to be more than a simple job board. Through our expansion plans, it will become a comprehensive talent resource for all workforce stakeholders in the region. Enhancements will include resources to support job-seekers, trailing spouses, workforce training, professional development and career advancement.

Recipients of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development Awards demonstrate to an experienced panel of judges that they are at the forefront of the economic development profession. They are recognized as the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials and the year’s most influential leaders. These awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban and rural communities.

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Northstar Link Commuter Bus will now allow its users to pay their fares with the same Go-To fare card used on the Northstar Commuter Rail and Metro Transit systems in the Twin Cities, effective Oct. 12. The Go-To card can be loaded with stored value which will be protected if the card is misplaced or stolen. Customers may still continue to pay their fare using cash or day passes. For more information visit thenewsleaders.com and click on Oct. 16 People.

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Northstar Link Commuter Bus will now allow its users to pay their fares with the same Go-To fare card used on the Northstar Commuter Rail and Metro Transit systems in the Twin Cities, effective Oct. 12. The Go-To card can be loaded with stored value which will be protected if the card is misplaced or stolen. Customers may still continue to pay their fare using cash or day passes.

A Go-To card looks like a credit card and can be loaded with stored value. Cards can be used on Northstar buses and trains, but each service is paid separately. Customers will have to tap the card to the reader each time before boarding a bus or train.

“The Go-To Card is easier to use than digging for cash, and there is comfort in knowing you can register the card for free to protect its stored value if it’s lost or stolen,” said Metro Bus Executive Director Ryan Daniel.

“With only one fare card to keep track of between the two services, commuting between St. Cloud and Minneapolis will be even easier,” said Leigh Lenzmeier, Stearns County commissioner and chair of the Northstar Corridor Development Authority. “And it’s a good example of two transit systems working together to provide the best service possible for the people of Minnesota.”

Metro Bus worked with Metro Transit to bring the Go-To Card payment option to the Northstar Link buses.

“This step in the evolution of the Go To Card and our partnership with Metro Bus is just the latest way in which we have come together, working to ensure that taking transit is the most efficient way of connecting our community as they travel to work, school and to visit all the region has to offer,” said Metro Transit General Manager Brian Lamb.

Pre-loaded Go-To Cards may be purchased at the Metro Bus Transit Center, in downtown St. Cloud. Cards may also be purchased online from Metro Transit or at any of Metro Transit’s retail outlets in the Twin Cities.

Northstar Link customers may continue to pay their fare using cash, 10-Ride Pass or 31-Day Pass. The Go-To Card is not valid on St. Cloud Metro Bus Fixed Route or Dial-a-Ride services. More information about Northstar Link, Fares and Go-To Cards may be found at catchthelink.com.

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International pub crawl a huge success

An international pub crawl was held Sept. 24 at the Good Shepherd Community for the United Way Day of Caring. The event spanned the entire 30-acre campus and featured stops at 10 “countries,” including the United States, France, China, Germany, Africa, Mexico, Spain, Russia, Peru and Italy.

More than 50 United Way volunteers made the event possible. They escorted more than 125 residents and tenants through each of the locations across the campus where they sampled beverages and snacks from each country.

Each of the 10 stations also featured a display board with fun facts about the country, artifacts and souvenirs.