Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds addressed her plans for the recovery of Iowa’s economy in a press conference Thursday.

Reynolds began the conference by addressing the nation-wide signs that America is on the road to recovery and the fact that Iowa unemployment claims have dropped from over 205,000 to under 155,000, indicating that 50,000 Iowans have returned to work.

“Although COVID-19 as a public health concern is not over and we continue to manage it every day, we’re well into the recovery phase,” Reynolds said. “With the beginning of a robust recovery underway, we can approach Iowa’s comeback in a number of ways.” 

Reynolds said the goal of the recovery phase is at least to restore Iowa’s economy to what it was pre-pandemic, which she called an “ambitious and realistic” goal.

Today, by executive order, Reynolds established the Governor’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

“This will help us chart a course for Iowa’s economic comeback and really capitalize on the opportunities created by the new normal,” Reynolds said. “This board will be our economic tip-of-the-spear, looking across the spectrum of Iowa businesses, industries and non-profit organizations to assess the economic impact of COVID-19 and those whose livelihoods have been hit hard by this pandemic, to analyze and recommend recovery and growth efforts and to identify the opportunities these changes have opened for us to build the next generation of Iowa’s economy and workforce.”

Ben McLean, CEO of Ruan Transportation, was appointed by Reynolds to chair the Economic Recovery Advisory Board along with various other Iowa business leaders representing companies such as Vermeer, MidAmerican Energy, Bush Construction, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, Principal Financial Group, Foundation Analytical Laboratory, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Sukup Manufacturing, Elite Octane, Hy-Vee and John Deere.

“This impressive group of business leaders will provide the level of expertise that we need to propel our recovery efforts forward and position us well for growth,” Reynolds said. “They will be joined by state agency directors and other private and non-private sector professionals who will make up a number of working groups dedicated to specific areas that influence our overall economy.”

Reynolds said she is returning to her previous schedule of only one press conference per week.

The Iowa Department of Public Health has reported 357 additional positive cases of COVID-19 in Iowa, bringing the total to 24,737.

An additional 17 deaths were reported, bringing the total to 677.

The total number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Story County is 332. The number of deaths in Story County is three.