COHASSET – Employment opportunities for people with and without disabilities in the Itasca County area are being enhanced through a Minnesota Diversified Industries’ expansion into a vacant manufacturing facility. 

More than 400 well-wishers on Thursday, July 28, attended an open house at the 110,000 square-foot MDI facility in Cohasset near Minnesota Power’s Boswell Energy Center.

Peter McDermott, MDI president and CEO, welcomed visitors and elected officials and thanked supporters of the project, including IRRRB, Blandin Foundation, Minnesota Power, and City of Cohasset.

“MDI’s Hired Hands Cohasset open house celebration was a huge success,” said McDermott. “It was gratifying to hear the positive comments from so many employee family members about the fabulous facility MDI is now providing our Hired Hands employees in Cohasset.”  

MDI this spring began discussions to acquire the vacant building, said McDermott.

MDI is already utilizing the building, housing operations for its Deer River Hired Hands employees who formerly worked out of converted barn in Deer River. Hired Hands employees perform recycling services.

Acquisition of the building allows MDI to expand its existing lines of business within Itasca County and to start new lines of business.

MDI manufactures custom packaging solutions, provides production and fulfillment services and recycling processing for business-to-business customers.

IRRRB supported the project with a $300,000 grant to the City of Cohasset for health, safety and facility modifications within the building.

MDI employs a total of 488 employees throughout Minnesota at five locations: Cohasset, Hibbing, Grand Rapids, Deer River, and the Twin Cities.

Photo: MDI President and CEO Peter McDermott, Senator David Tomassoni; IRRRB Commissioner Mark Phillips, and IRRRB Business Development Director Matt Sjoberg are pictured at the MDI open house celebration. 

IRRRB's Grants Office has implemented a new grants management software, called FLUXX.

Beginning this month, all IRRRB grant applications, reimbursement requests, correspondence and reports will be required to be filed electronically through this system. Applicants will find many benefits, including the ability to apply for grants, track grant progress, and request grant reimbursements in a quick, efficient manner.  

In addition, the system will allow IRRRB to electronically streamline grants management, provide timely communication to applicants about grant processes, and provide improved customer service. 

Pictured above, IRRRB conducted a registration and training session for community representatives on the FLUXX grants management software today. There were 42 attendees. 

Additional training sessions will be held for non-profit organizations and other eligible applicants on Thursday, August 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the IRRRB administrative building. To RSVP, contact Kimmie Hall at 218-735-3008 or kimmie.hall@state.mn.us.

Alyssa Erding, Ethan Howard and Jack McCarthy spent the summer on the Iron Range, studying ideas for long-term economic resilience. 

As an independent project completed through the Educating Sustainability Ambassadors program within the Institute for Global Citizenship at Macalester College, the three students examined economic challenges and compared Iron Range towns to similar communities in North Carolina, Kentucky and Colorado. They also attended the June 6 Recharge the Range forum.

Three primary topics emerged from their studies: Entrepreneurship & Leadership; Revitalizing Downtown Areas; and Collaboration and Communication. 

After 10 weeks of interviews, research and community visits, the students created a website that includes suggestions, recommendations and themes from their study.

Among recommendations for the Iron Range are the creation of community of leaders; developing downtown areas that people want to be in; and improving communication and collaboration among Iron Range towns.

“I think the Iron Range is filled with new economic opportunity,” said Howard. “I look forward to seeing how the region comes together and fosters new and diverse development.”

The students hope their work could be helpful in diversifying the Iron Range economy.

Last week, the students presented their findings to IRRRB staff, saying it was a pleasure to learn about Iron Range history and its economic context. 

“People here are fiercely proud of their home, which is a benefit because they are attached to this place and committed to making it work,” said McCarthy. “It can also be a challenge because there is a hesitance to change or a belief that what worked in other regions won’t work here. The seeds of a new economy already exist on the Iron Range, and they need to be taken seriously.”

To learn more about the students' findings, visit: www.resilientrange.wordpress.com

Photo: Macalester students Alyssa Erding, Ethan Howard and Jack McCarthy are pictured with Commissioner Mark Phillips after the presentation to IRRRB staff. 

Giants Ridge recently garnered another top award from an Explore Minnesota sponsored promotion created to increase awareness of golf courses throughout Minnesota. “Fairway Favorites Sweepstakes” was hosted by KARE11.com in the Twin Cities. Fairway Favorites included a robust ad campaign including television, social and digital aspects and a considerable amount of added value from KARE 11. The Legend at Giants Ridge was selected as the golf course with the most votes.

The Director of Explore Minnesota Tourism John Edman announced the Legend at Giants Ridge as the winning golf course and talked all things golf in Minnesota on KARE 11.  View the segment.

For tee times and information about Giants Ridge, call the golf shop at 218-865-8030. 

Photo: Legend #17, Peter Wong 

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