The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce has hired three key new staff in recent months to help tell the story of the area and strengthen the local economy. Lindsay O’Brien is the new Coordinator, Marketing & Social Media. She supports the sales, marketing, communications and events of the Chamber through marketing, promotions, social media and multi-media creation. A native Quad Citizen, O’Brien earned a Graphic Design degree at St. Ambrose University. As a freelancer, she created content, campaigns and graphics for the entertainment industry, including musicians and shows such as “The Tonight... Read More

The 2021 Alternating Currents festival will showcase 120+ live performances, film screenings and art-related events from Thursday to Sunday, Aug. 19-22, at more than 30 venues across three downtown Quad Cities: Davenport, Rock Island and Moline. Designed to showcase the vibrant culture of our downtown areas, the annual event features a variety of indoor and outdoor events including musical acts, film screenings, a comedy lineup and many art-inspired activities. Alternating Currents is a festival featuring more than 60 national, regional and local acts over the four-day event at locations across... Read More

Davenport-based Total Solutions announced today it has hired Kristin Glass as its new president. Glass will replace Melissa Pepper, who has held the position since 2019. Glass currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer at the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce. She has worked at the Chamber since 2006, where she started as a marketing intern. Over the past 15 years, she has worked in various roles, including Vice President, Membership; Vice President, Investment Relations; and Interim CEO from 2017-2018. In her current role, she integrates the chamber’s strategic work plan into the organization,... Read More

Paul Rumler, President & CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber, has been designated as a Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). Based in Alexandria, Va., ACCE is a professional society with more than 1,600 chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations as members. Rumler is one of 16 chamber professionals to earn the CCE designation in 2021. This year’s class represents chambers in 11 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia,... Read More

E-commerce behemoth Amazon on Wednesday announced plans to open its second robotics fulfillment center in the state of Iowa, creating 1,000 new full-time jobs in Davenport that will provide employees with at least $16 per hour and comprehensive benefits. Amazon announced it will build a 640,000 square-foot robotics fulfillment center in Davenport that will create 1,000 new full-time jobs when operational. The center will be located on 158 acres in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center along Interstate 80. Crews already are doing site work in preparation of construction to begin later this summer according... Read More

One month after Quad-Cities environmentalist Chad Pregracke announced his ambitious Bison Bridge plans, the creative concept has earned over 27,000 supporters online, an endorsement from The Chicago Tribune editorial board, and a strong social-media shoutout from TV’s Mike Rowe. “This is VERY cool. My old friend Chad Pregracke – whom many of you will remember as the self-appointed garbageman of America’s rivers – is on a mission to create a brand new National Park on the Mississippi River,” Rowe (well-known for cable’s “Dirty Jobs”) posted on Facebook late last month... Read More

Nearly six years after launching the Q2030 regional action planning process, leaders of Q2030 are creating a new stand-alone nonprofit organization. They’re seeking its first executive director, to start this summer, and raising $400,000 to implement the long-range plan. The new organization – announced Thursday — includes a diverse board representing the business, government, nonprofit and education sectors within the Quad-Cities. The first four champion organizations – Quad Cities Chamber, Quad Cities Community Foundation, United Way Quad Cities and Visit Quad Cities – have strengthened... Read More

Living Lands and Waters’ Chad Pregracke talked at length with us about the new Bison Bridge project — a National Park slated for the old I-80 bridge, which is set to be replaced over the next six years. Pregracke told us about his ideas which led to the bridge, how the project got kicked off, and what comes next over the next 5-7 years of the project in the latest episode of our podcast QCUncut! Check out the link below and listen to the entire conversation to get the scoop! QC Uncut: Chad Pregracke (Episode #103)  Read More

When Jack Cullen first visited Rock Island in 2008, to look at Augustana College, he fell in love with downtown. After he graduated from Augie in 2013, downtown is one reason he decided to settle in the Quad-Cities. Come April 1, the enthusiastic 30-year-old (who grew up in Madison, Wis.) will return to Rocktown as the first downtown Rock Island director for the Quad Cities Chamber. Under a new two-year-contract with the city, Cullen will provide place management services for the historic riverfront business district and create a new downtown organization. “It’s really gonna be filling... Read More

The Bison Bridge Foundation debuted a new video today of the proposed site for the future National Park! The video displayed a panoramic view of the current bridge and the future spot for the National Park, as previously reported on QuadCities.com, which would include a bison crossing, breathtaking views and other amenities. The video can be seen here. The foundation also posted the following on its social media: What will be the location of the new I-80 Bridge? The Iowa and Illinois DOT is in the first phase of replacing the current I-80 Bridge, which includes an environmental study. They... Read More