SANTA! We know him! It was a fun, festive Quarterly Coffee on Dec 20 at the Surf Ballroom & Museum, where guests wore their best ugly Christmas sweaters Zarren Egesdal with Coloff Media took home the coveted prize for his jolly getup
Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Stacy Doughan; Clear Lake Community School District Superintendent Doug Gee; Clear Lake City Mayor Nelson Crabb and North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corp President and CEO Chad Schreck provided updates on their respective organizations
Plus, new employees and new members were introduced, upcoming events were shared and business accomplishments and updates were celebrated
Miss the event? Find the full video online here, and mark your calendars for our next one on March 21, 2024!
Upcoming Chamber Events
Friday, Jan. 17 | 10-11 a.m.
Membership 101 Chamber, 205 Main Ave
Let's start 2025 with a fresh focus on health and wellness at NIP Fitness' Business After Hours! N I P is way more than a gym They have a lot of ways to help you feel your best
Fridays, Jan. 3, Feb. 7, March 7 | 910 AM
Social Media Power Hour
Location Varies
Join Marketing & Communications Specialist
Maddie Anderly and Tourism Director Libbey Hohn for this opportunity to take your social media game to the next level and unlock new opportunities for your business! Limited spots available, so RSVP to libbey@clearlakeiowa com
Fridays, Jan. 10, Feb. 14 & March 14 | 10 AM
Monthly Senior Chamber Coffee Chamber, 205 Main Ave
Learn how to maximize your member benefits, optimize your business directory listing, and more RSVP to stacy@clearlakeiowa com
Thursday, Jan. 23 | 2-5 PM
Building a Bright Future Annual Meeting, Visitor Guide Reveal and Awards Celebration
Surf Ballroom, 460 North Shore Dr
Let’s celebrate the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce’s accomplishments of 2024 together and kick off a new year!
Event Schedule: 2-3 PM Surf Ballroom Music Experience Center tours
2:30-3:30 PM Happy Hour and appetizers
3:30-5 PM Annual Meeting, Visitor Guide Reveal and Awards Celebration
Tickets are $50 per person or $350 for a reserved table for 8 Register online here or contact Ashley Weiss at 641-357-2159 or ashley@clearlakeiowa com to reserve your seat! Please RSVP by Friday, Jan 17
Thursday, Jan. 30 | 4-6 PM
Business After Hours
One Vision Campus, 600 Glen Oaks
Dr
Join One Vision as it hosts a night of fun, food, and friendly competition with Seth’s Jeopardy! Don’t miss this chance to connect with fellow Chamber members, relax, and cheer on your favorite contestants
Saturday, Feb. 15 | 11 AM-4 PM
Color the Wind Kite Festival
Seawall and Downtown Clear Lake
Join us for the largest and most vibrant event of its kind in the Midwest The festival showcases an awe-inspiring collection of gigantic inflatable kites, masterfully flown by dedicated kite enthusiasts from all corners of the United States
Friday, March 21 | 7:30-9 AM
Quarterly Coffee
Surf Lounge, 460 North Shore Dr
New hire, promotion, award, recognition or event you'd like to share? Email ashley@clearlakeiowa com to get on the agenda
3 Must-Read Blog Posts
Plan Your Perfect Clear Lake Reunion
Clear Lake offers the perfect mix of activities, amenities, and charm to suit any group Whether you’re planning a family reunion, a getaway with old college friends, or a gathering for your alumni group, it has something for everyone
New Spots to Eat, Sip & Unwind
Clear Lake is buzzing with exciting new businesses opening across town, bringing fresh dining, entertainment, and wellness options for everyone
Get Ready to Rock: Winter Dance Party 2025
Step back in time and experience the legendary energy of rock ‘n’ roll history at the Winter Dance Party 2025 at the iconic Surf Ballroom
Get Weiss: Making the Most of Your Chamber Benefits
By Ashley Weiss Membership Engagement Director
A new year means a new opportunity to engage with the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce! And there are a variety of ways you can do so
Whether it’s networking, marketing or sponsoring one of our events, we have information about all three and more in our 2025 Membership Guide.
In recent years, we’ve had separate books for membership, sponsorship and marketing, and this year, we decided to simplify it for you and ourselves (if we’re being honest) by consolidating the books into one 22-page publication that can be shared with prospective and current members
We hope you’ll find the book easy to navigate and informative, and perhaps you’ll learn something you didn’t know about the value Chamber membership provides to you and your business.
For example, when we launched our Marketing Opportunities book last year, which essentially outlined ways we could
expand our members’ reach, we found that many of those who asked for it were surprised to learn about the free opportunities available to them with membership and were pleased with the results of the paid offerings You can find more information about them on pages 18-21
The guide also details information about our Chamber and community events and the sponsorship opportunities available to support them. The events, which draw hundreds of thousands of people to Clear Lake each year, wouldn’t be possible without our generous sponsors and volunteers Thank you to those of you who’ve given your time or money to make our community a wonderful place to live, work and visit More information about sponsorships can be found on pages 9-16
There is also updated material about your member benefits on pages 7 and 8
If you have questions about the 2025 Membership Guide or your membership benefits, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at 641-357-2159 or ashley@clearlakeiowa com I’m always happy to help!
Whether a First Mate delivered your 2025 calendar or you received it in the mail, you should have also got a Membership Profile sheet for your respective business or organization to review to ensure your record is accurate and up-to-date in our database. If you haven’t already, please log in to the Member Information Center Thank you to those who’ve already submitted your changes We will be updating those throughout the next month
Volunteers Needed
Are you looking to give back to our beautiful community while getting to know other people and have fun in the New Year? If so, the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce can help! Our organization hosts 17 signature events throughout the year Color the Wind, Earth Day, TRI Clear Lake, July 4th Celebration, Harvest Festival, Christmas by the Lake and 10 fabulous Thursdays on Main and they wouldn’t be possible without people stepping up to give of their time and talents to support our team
So, consider volunteering at Bingo during the July 4th Celebration, signing up to help with TRI Clear Lake, enlisting in wine or beer pouring at Harvest Festival, or reaching out to learn of other volunteer opportunities by calling Jenny Fasbender at 641-357-2159 or emailing her at jennifer@clearlakeiowa com
Man Cave Cuts | Friday, Oct. 25
T-Mobile | Friday, Oct. 11
Marcy’s Munchies | Friday, Oct. 11
Hygeia Wellness & Tanning Spa | Friday, Nov. 15
Stone & Steel | Friday, Nov. 22
Ribbon Cuttings
+ Updates
Anders joins First Mates
Jameson Anders, a real estate salesperson at Hertz Farm Management, is the newest member of the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce First Mates
He joined Hertz Farm Management in May 2024 in the Mason City office, where he sells and acquires properties for landowner clients
Jameson graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business in May 2024 He has a deep passion for the outdoors, specifically bird hunting and musky fishing He was raised in Waterloo and looks forward to getting involved in the community. Please help us in welcoming him when you see him out and about this year!
The First Mates, or ambassadors, promote the Chamber’s mission among the membership and the community You’ll find them celebrating member businesses at ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings and business events as well as volunteering at the Chamber’s community events and delivering calendars
Destination Clear Lake Visitor Guide coming soon
It has been a busy few months behind the scenes for Tourism Director Libbey Hohn as she has been working diligently on the 2025 Destination Clear Lake - The Official Clear Lake Visitor Guide, and the cover and its contents will be unveiled during the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce’s Building a Bright Future Annual Meeting, Visitor Guide Launch and Awards Celebration on Thursday, Jan. 23, at the Surf Ballroom & Museum
This year’s visitor guide was designed and printed by Farm and Home Publishers of Clear Lake.
We’re taking pre-orders for our 2025 visitor guide now Click here to request one. They will be delivered at the end of January. The Chamber prints and distributes 40,000 Destination Clear Lake visitor guides each year
Livonia’s Coffee Bar
Lake Leadership Class of 2025 kicks off
The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce kicked off its Lake Leadership Class, comprising 24 individuals representing area businesses from North Iowa, in September.
Lake Leadership is the Chamber's flagship program meeting once a month from September through May on the third Wednesday. The program is designed to educate civicminded individuals by using the community as a classroom. Lake Leadership takes participants behind the scenes in the Clear Lake area, providing them the opportunity to network with their peers and learn more about the community and area businesses
In October, the class learned how area banks and the airport fuel economic development and support community growth In November, they learned how local schools, like Clear Lake Community School District and the North Iowa Area Community College, are preparing the next generation of workers in North Iowa. In December, the class got a firsthand look at area health and recreational opportunities, and in January, they will learn about Clear Lake’s businesses and industries.
Thank you to our member businesses who help make this program one that’s talked about for years
Interested in joining the Lake Leadership Class of 2026? Please email Stacy Doughan at stacy@clearlakeiowa com for more information or to request the Lake Leadership application.
Celebrating 20 years of Harvest Festival
Downtown Clear Lake was bustling with activity on Saturday, Oct 5, for the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce’s 20th annual Harvest Festival
It welcomed nearly 12,000 people and more than 100 vendors to the popular fall event that features live music, shopping, food trucks, a homemade salsa contest, grape stomp competition, hayrides, wine and beer tastings, and the Champagne 5K fun run/walk
The event kicked off with the Champagne 5K, sponsored by Nash & Ivy, Mort’s Water Company, Bergland + Cram, Cleaning Solutions and Bare Sugar Spa, with more than 200 participants, including several in costumes. Vladimir Starrett finished the race in first place again
The winners of the pole-decorating contest are as follows: Central Gardens got first; Red Geranium got second; and Paws at the Lake got third Thank you for helping us decorate downtown for this popular event
Harvest Festival is made possible by the dedicated committee as well as our Cornerstone sponsors: Clear Lake Bank & Trust, CL Tel, Curries | ASSA ABLOY, MBT Bank, Larson’s Mercantile, Rookies, Sevens and TAP’d.
Live music by Gen X Jukebox, Last Minute Combo and Nova Jazz was sponsored by Hogan-Hansen, NTI, LTD , Rookies, Sevens, TAP’d, Bergland + Cram, Gyro Place, Farmers State Bank, Clear Lake Storage Depot, Dean Snyder Construction and First Citizens Bank
Christmas
by
the Lake delivers festive weekend for many for 30th year
More than 12,500 people attended Christmas by the Lake when it returned to downtown Clear Lake on Saturday, Dec. 7, despite the cancellation of the fireworks
The event in its 30th year is an award-winning celebration hosted by the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce that features local favorites like the lighted parade and newer additions like the Christmas treelighting ceremony
Although there wasn’t a spectacular fireworks display over the lake this year due to the wind speed and direction, the sunset delivered a magical show (See photo below)
More than 200 people gathered for the second annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Dec 6, at the City Park Bandshell, which included music from the Clear Lake High School acapella group Wavelength, the lighting of the tree by City of Clear Lake Mayor Nelson Crabb, and a food and supply drive for the Clear Lake Food Bank
In addition to the Chamber’s scheduled events, numerous community organizations and businesses had live music, treats, crafts, sales, activities, and games throughout the weekend to make this familyfriendly festival even better.
The event is made possible thanks to the generosity of our presenting sponsors: Clear Lake Bank & Trust, CL Tel, Curries | ASSA ABLOY, ITC Midwest, and Pritchard Companies and activity sponsors
A special thank you to our Christmas by the Lake Committee, many of whom have dedicated three decades to making the event a memorable, festive one for the whole family
Board of Directors 2024
Sarah Nielsen, Chair First Citizens Bank
Kent Thoe, Past Chair MBT Bank
Mark Dodd, Chair Elect One Vision
Josh Thompson, Treasurer Clear Lake Bank & Trust
Robert Barber, Vice Chair, Tourism and Marketing Cabin Coffee Company
Amanda Kasten, Vice Chair, Marketing Kingland
Kent Beatty CL Tel
Aaron Donaldson Lake Theatre
Denni Sue Erickson Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel
Chris Fischer Athletico Physical Therapy
Candi Karsjens IACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center
Liz LeFevre First Gabrielson Agency
Kristi Miles Pritchard Family Auto Stores - Lake Chevrolet
Austin Pehl ATURA Architecture
Brad Peterson 173° Craft Distillery
Carrie Shannon Hall Realty
Krystal Thoe Oakwood Care Center
Welcome to this Quarter’s New Members
Window World of Mason City
1300 1/2 S Taft Ave Mason City, IA 50401 641-424-1313
Stone & Steel Countertops LLC
608 Buddy Holly Place Clear Lake, IA 50428 515-295-4835
Hair Avenue
2301 3rd Ave S Clear Lake, IA 50428 641-440-0612
Christmas Cheer Fund Mason City, IA 50402 641-529-3797
Crown Juhl Travel Britt, IA 50423 641-425-8068
Iceberg Coaching Garner, IA 50438 515-954-0127
Bank Iowa 1919 Highway 18 E. Clear Lake, IA 50428 515-778-3863
Men’s Acapella Chorus dba River City Chorus Mason City, IA 50401 641-423-2437
