Dean Hamling Steps Down From BCDA Board
After 13 years of serving on the Boone County Development Agency (BCDA) board of directors, Dean Hamling of St. Edward is stepping down.
“I’m really proud of what BCDA has accomplished and what this organization has taught me but it’s time for new ideas and younger people to get involved.”
Dean Hamling
Dean’s tenure with BCDA began when he joined the St. Edward City Council. He had been asked to complete a vacated seat on the Council mid-term and during his first meeting, Dean offered to attend a BCDA meeting on behalf of the St. Edward community. One meeting for both entities turned into more than a decade of service.
"I came into this thinking it might be a waste of time. How can you make much of an impact when there doesn’t seem to be much money to put at anything? What I’ve learned is that economic development is just as much about the ideas as it is the funding. Collaborating and networking are the reasons many of these projects are successful."
D. Hamling
During his first year on BCDA, Dean said he focused on listening and learning all he could about economic development. Between the knowledge of his fellow board members and the outside expertise the organization brought to Boone County, he quickly gained the confidence to utilize what he was learning. One of the first projects Dean played a role in was bringing wind energy to Boone County. Today, the region has more than 500 wind turbines, which also created several jobs across the county.
Soon after, Dean embraced a leadership role in encouraging Stock Auction and Realty (now Big Iron Auctions & Realty) to stay in Boone County. Taking what he had learned about TIF funding and the resources of BCDA, Dean worked diligently to create a strategy that would be beneficial to both the business and the community. The Stock family’s decision to stay in Boone County kept more than 25 jobs in the area, which led to more people living here and educating their children, in addition to shopping locally for groceries and other services.
In what could be considered a trickle-down effect, keeping this business in St. Edward has played a role in the establishment of Hitchpin Logistics and Quality Trucks and Trailers, LLC.
Over the next several years, Dean played a role in projects and programs such as bringing Shopko Hometown to Albion after Alco closed, establishing the Energizing Entrepreneurs program, and BCDA’s Business & Industry Day. His excitement for helping people bring new business to the area and giving young residents a reason to consider living here later in life can also be seen in his work for the St. Edward community.
REVIVING THE ST. EDWARD COMMUNITY CENTER
The St. Edward Community Center is a great example of how a community and BCDA can work together to make high-impact projects come to life. While the idea itself started well before Dean joined the St. Edward City Council, the project finally came to fruition in 2021. Dean credits the legwork of people like Cindy Stephens and others who had put in time and effort to plant the seed for a new community center in years past. However, it was over Christmas break when he felt the time had come to make this project happen.
Like many other high school students in St. Edward, Dean’s daughters reflected on the days they spent trying to cram as many practices and club meetings in before and after school. Having a single gym in the community made school days incredibly long. Taking pencil to paper, Dean sketched a rough design that was very similar to previous plans. Soon after, he began socializing the idea with other active people in the community. Much of their time was spent on the phone, gathering information and recommendations from community members and others who had knowledge about certain features the building might have. They approached the school to determine what kind of partnership might work to make sure the facility would benefit as many people as possible. The plan for the building itself came together fairly smoothly, however, location and funding posed greater challenges.
Dean sought the help of BCDA’s former Executive Director, Michelle Olson, to identify possible grant opportunities. He credits her persistence in the community’s ability to receive a Nebraska Civic and Community Financing Fund Grant ($562,000) and a Community Development Block Grant ($435,000). However, proving eligibility for the block grant didn’t come easily. The project committee had to prove that St. Edward is a low- to mid-income community. This entailed the group literally going door-to-door to gather the appropriate information. Dean and others spent countless hours walking the streets of St. Edward, often needing to explain in great detail why the project was needed so badly. In addition to the USDA block grant, Virginia Whidden, then a committee member of the Boone County Foundation Fund, connected the community to the Nebraska Community Foundation, which became another valuable resource for the project. Opening an account under NCF allowed the committee to create a donor hub for collecting funds under a charitable umbrella.
"We spent three days one week going door-to-door to gather data for funding eligibility. We’re lucky to have a group of people who have been willing to give their time and energy into making this happen."
D. Hamling
Although fundraising took time, the new space proves its value to the community over and over again. Perhaps the greatest example of this is by the school. Located across the street from St. Edward Public Schools, the community center is utilized for both classwork and practices throughout the school year. Additionally, it is utilized by the community for a wide variety of needs, including serving as an emergency shelter for guests and residents alike. Dean’s involvement, from being a BCDA board member to city council to St. Edward Development Corporation, his access to the right resources and people played a key role in bringing this project to life.
BRINGING CONSISTENCY TO THE CITY COUNCIL
Dean’s commitment to the St. Edward City Council is just as remarkable. As mentioned, his start on the board was non-traditional. He was asked to take someone’s place after they vacated their seat and then quickly became the most tenured member of the Council. Between sitting on the city council and serving as the community’s mayor, Dean served a total of 12 years in city government. During this time, he helped establish a full-time position for a city clerk and led a number of initiatives that would benefit St. Edward’s infrastructure and funding capabilities.
The flood of 2019 and the work done to qualify St. Edward as a low-to-moderate income community led to additional opportunities to make positive change in the town. This includes the creation of a new housing development where the former arena was located. The community is also working with the NRD to address the current flood zone and identify opportunities for moving an area of the community out of the flood zone.
To support the city infrastructure, downtown beautification and housing, Dean also played a key role in adopting the use of LB840 funds to utilize TIF funding to create a demolition/redevelopment program for dilapidated homes. He credits the education and exposure he has gained for the years as catalysts for each of these funding sources.
SERVING OTHERS IS IN DEAN’S BLOOD.
Dean’s involvement in the community and county began at an early age. Born and raised in Lindsay, he witnessed his parents giving their time to help the community. He had aspirations of joining the volunteer fire department but a cancer diagnosis early in life prevented him from being able to join.
After returning home to help with harvest his freshman year of college, Dean chose to stay and help his father. In 1991, Dean married Jule, and in 1996 they welcomed twin daughters, Christina (Hancock) and Alicia (Preister). Today, Dean farms more than 1400 acres and his family has grown by three grandchildren. In addition to BCDA, city council and St. Edward Development Company, Dean has also volunteered for Faith Lutheran Church and church council, girl’s softball and basketball coach, and the Cedar Valley Coop board of directors.
Dean’s impact on the community far exceeds the examples given in this story. It’s best reflected in how his network came together twice to support Dean when he needed it most. The first harvest bee for Dean occurred in 1986 when Dean was undergoing treatment for cancer, and again when he underwent a stem cell transplant. “Three times… that’s how many harvest bees have been put on for Dean. The circle of people who reached out grew every time, and I just don’t know if I’ll ever be able to give back the amount I’ve received,” Jule commented.
To the rest of us, it’s clear: Dean Hamling has spent the majority of his life actively pursuing ways to make his community, and Boone County, even better.
This story originally ran in the Spring 2024 newsletter.