progress: BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
B3
CHARLES CITY PRESS | WWW.CHARLESCITYPRESS.COM | FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2025
MidAmerican Energy plans infrastructure upgrades in Charles City
For The Press MidAmerican Energy is set to launch several infra- structure projects in Charles City this year to improve the reliability of electric service, including upgrades to power lines and underground cables. “As a MidAmerican Ener- gy customer, you expect your electric and natural gas service to be there whenever you need it,” said Geoff Greenwood, a company spokesman. “So do we, which is why we contin- ually evaluate our systems. In Charles City, crews will soon start work on several projects to help make sure your service remains reliable.” The company plans to in- stall nearly a dozen additional smart grid devices known as “TripSavers” at various loca- tions in the city. These devices are designed to automatically reset circuits when minor disruptions occur, such as when a tree limb or an animal comes into contact with electrical equipment. If the reset is successful, service is restored immediate- ly without requiring a crew to respond on-site. In addition to these smart grid upgrades, MidAmerican crews will replace approx- imately 150 utility poles in Charles City to strengthen the power system, the company announced. The company is also prepar- ing to replace nearly a mile of underground electrical cable in the neighborhood south- east of the Elks Lodge, near Clark Street and Lakeshore Drive. The cable replacement project is expected to begin this summer and is intended to enhance service reliability for customers in that area. MidAmerican’s Charles City wind farm continues to play a role in providing elec- tricity to customers and con- tributing to the local economy,
Zoetis Charles City welcomes new site leader, plans for continued growth Submitted photo The Engineering, Maintenance and Utilities Department at Zoetis Charles City raised money by collecting and recycling scrap metals, then donated $750 to PAWS Humane Society, one of many donations made by Zoetis employees and departments this past year. Shown are Julie Taylor of PAWS Charles City receiving a check from EMU representatives Ryan Fisher and Dustin Crooks, along with new Zoetis Site Lead Amanda McCarty.
For The Press The past year was one of change for the Zoetis Charles City manufacturing site. From having a new site leader, to up- dates and expansion throughout the site, the colleagues in Charles City have had quite a year. Zoetis is the world’s largest producer of animal pharmaceu- ticals for pets and livestock. The Charles City Zoetis site manu- factures animal biologics (vac- cines) for commercial use. The site of about 550 employ- ees focuses on production for four species: swine, equine, ca- nine and poultry. The products made at Zoe- tis in Charles City go through a complete manufacturing process from unloading raw materials to shipping fi nished product all over the world. “A lot happens at the facility that goes relatively unnoticed, but each colleague and depart- ment plays a vital role in the pro-
cess,” the company said. Products made in the Charles City facility can be found at local veterinarians, farming operations and hatcheries. Some recog- nizable tradenames or product lines include Fostera, PoulVac, VanGuard and several preventa- tive West Nile vaccines under the Innovator line. Spring 2024 signaled a change to the Zoetis Charles City site as it welcomed a new site lead- er, Amanda McCarty, a 25-year resident of Charles City who has been with Zoetis for more than two decades. McCarty has stepped in through the transition as the for- mer site lead Bill Sehi moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, to the Zoetis operation site there. McCarty has moved through the ranks from her early days as part of the Technical Transfers Process Improvement (TTPI) Team. From there she moved through Quality Control into her
former position as supply chain/ materials management director, and now to site lead. She now leads one of Floyd County’s largest employers with more that 500 on staff, and is overseeing expansion to increase production capacity for poultry vaccines. “I am excited for this new role and opportunity as the site lead,” McCarty said. “I am very passionate about the business and Zoetis’s purpose. As our site continues to grow I look forward to the continued partnership with the Charles City community and surrounding areas.” McCarty’s words about com- munity partnership were demon- strated again in 2024 as along with continued support of com- munity staples like Party in the Park, local fairs, PAWS Humane Society and more, the site also partnered with the Charles City ZOETIS , turn to page B6
Submitted photo MidAmerican Energy took part in the Charles City July 4th Parade last summer, with a service truck and trailer decked out in fl ags and MidAmerican staff and family interacting with the crowd.
the company said. The wind farm helps the company maintain electric rates in Iowa at levels 42% below the national average, according to MidAmerican. The company also reports that wind energy helps support local infrastructure, with near- ly $1 million in property tax revenue from the wind farm going to Floyd County last year. Those funds support lo- cal schools, roads, emergency services and the Floyd County Medical Center, the company
said. The property taxes are on top of lease payments to local landowners. Beyond infrastructure in- vestments, MidAmerican contributed fi nancially to the Charles City Area Develop- ment Corp.’s effort to recer- tify the Avenue of the Saints Development Park as an Iowa Certi fi ed Site. The certi fi ca- tion signals to businesses that the site is ready for industrial development.
Expanding to better serve you. COMING SPRING 2026
fcmc.us.com
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator