IOWA CITY — Keeping college graduates in Iowa is a key to the state’s economic development, said representatives from private industries at Wednesday’s Board of Regent’s meeting.

Three speakers representing companies that began by research and development done at the Regent universities spoke.

Chris Clover, chief executive officer of Mechdyne, the company associated with Iowa State, addressed the board.

Clover said issues that were important to him, as a leader of a large Iowa corporation, are keeping Iowa graduates in the state and helping start-up companies grow.

“Iowa’s biggest export is our college grads,” he said. “Universities have not been useful in helping companies grow.” He said he would like to see universities and industries work together, not in parallel to each other. “We need to take care of Iowans first.”

Clover said his company specializes in “design, supply and integration of large-scale immersion, visualization and simulation systems.”

Clover’s own history demonstrates his support of Iowa’s economic growth. He is originally from Marshalltown and has chosen to not only remain there, but to locate Mechdyne there, he said.

“The real estate was reasonably priced,” Clover said. “There is nothing to be ashamed about a five minute commute to work.”

He said people are worried about lack of recreation value in Iowa.

“I think what you do the other six days of the week is more important [than what you do on weekends],” Clover said.

“Do no harm” was also a message Clover wanted to get across. He said he did not think Regent universities should compete with Iowa industry for contracts.

Roman Terrill, vice president of legal and regulatory affairs of Integrated DNA Technologies agreed.

“College grads are not going to stay if they have no opportunity to apply the education and experience they have,” Terrill said.

IDT represents a firm associated with the University of Iowa.

The firm representing the University of Northern Iowa was Laser Touch and Technologies.

Nick Horan, president of Laser Touch and Technologies, said getting an idea [for a product] to market is key to economic development.

Several regents said they were pleased with the presentations.

The board will meet again Thursday, also in Iowa City.