LaDene Bowen
Senior Project Manager - Institute for Decision Making

Education
B.A. (Industrial Psychology and Business Administration) Metropolitan State College of Denver, Colorado.

Has completed a 6-year program in Organization Management at the University of Colorado, and is a 1992 graduate of the Economic Development Institute, University of Oklahoma. Bowen earned her Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation in 1993.

Responsibilities
LaDene is an experienced Certified Economic Developer and chamber executive, who forms lasting professional relationships with clients and colleagues in economic development and related fields. LaDene consults communities in virtually all aspects of economic development. She is a listened-to provider of sound technical assistance and professional advice. In her role as IDM's Senior Project Manager, LaDene assesses community situations and matches IDM's resources to meet the needs of new and continuing partners as the lead contact person for IDM services. LaDene's scope of professional involvement and leadership reaches from IDM and Iowa' communities, to the International Economic Development Council, where she currently serves on the board and co-chairs the University Professional Section. In addition, LaDene serves as Course Director for the multi-state annual Heartland Economic Development Course.

Professional Accomplishments
Before joining the University, she was Executive Vice President and CEO of the Butte, Montana Chamber of Commerce, a nationally recognized “can-do community.” During her tenure, she played a lead role in taking that city from 20% unemployment to its designation as an All America City based on citizen-led economic development efforts.

Before joining the Butte Chamber of Commerce, she was with the Montana Tech Foundation as Assistant Director specializing in annual fundraising and capital campaigns for the #1 ranked small comprehensive engineering college in the U.S., Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology.

Bowen has also served in various and broad-based management positions in health care, public education, and communications in Denver and Atlanta. Currently, she serves on the International Economic Development Council Board of Directors, its Education Committee, and its University Professional Section, and LaDene holds membership with Professional Developers of Iowa, the Mid-America Economic Development Council, and the Iowa Chamber of Commerce Executives.