Quad Cities Chamber Blog

78 high school students from throughout the QC expressed their commitment to becoming apprentices at 27 employers in 11 different fields of work at the Chamber's Apprenticeship Signing Day on…

Recent tariffs on Chinese imports were paused on Monday, reducing the rate from 145% to 30% for 90 days. Last week, before the latest tariff announcement, the Federal Reserve kept short-term interest rates unchanged. This week, we explain why tariff uncertainty is likely to keep any interest rate moves by the Fed on hold for a while.

The Rock Island Arsenal needs your support. As one of the region's most significant economic drivers, the Arsenal employs approximately 6,250 people and contributes over $1.2 billion annually to our local economy. But a proposed Department of Defense merger could critically impact the Quad Cities economy and national security. 

Over 34 million small businesses across the U.S. employ almost half of all American workers. Here in the Quad Cities, small businesses are just as vital, and the Chamber is proud to celebrate these entrepreneurs who sustain our region. In support of National Small Business Week, the Chamber, along with the cities of Bettendorf, Davenport, East Moline, Moline and Rock Island, and the counties of Rock Island and Scott, issued proclamations recognizing the importance of small businesses in our communities.

Chamber, Small Business Administration help you share feedback on DOGE to policymakers.

The U.S. economy contracted slightly in the first quarter. What was the main cause of the slowdown, and what does this tell us about the outlook for the rest of the year? This week, we explain why the economy may still be stronger than recent headlines suggest.

The Quad Cities is easy to get around, has beautiful riverfronts and an impressive line-up of events and activities. These are some of the key assets of our region as reflected by global site consultant Jeff Pappas of Newmark Group, a commercial real estate advisory and services firm, who recently toured the Quad Cities and offered candid insights into the region’s office market. 

The Chamber hosted its annual Student Success Symposium on April 29 at the RiverCenter. 110 local students from 9 high schools connected with more than 45 Quad Cities employers at this dynamic event, aimed to inspire and guide high school students on the path to their future careers.

With tariffs and trade constantly in the news, are the effects starting to show up in the data? How much has tariff revenue increased? This week, we take a closer look at the trade deficit and tariff revenue with an eye toward this week's GDP data.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Quad Cities Chamber hosted U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01) for a roundtable discussion in Davenport with local business leaders on the need to extend pro-growth business tax provisions before portions of President Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expire at the end of the year. 

The Quad Cities Chamber continues to actively monitor and advocate for policies that support regional economic growth. We've provided a summary of recent activity in Washington, D.C., Illinois and Iowa - including updates on tax reform, housing, transit and economic development.

Last week, we pointed out how economic events since the start of this year have contributed to an increase in uncertainty. This week, in the second part of this two-part series, we consider how these factors combine to affect the outlook.

Need a ride? Yellow Cab Company, Iowa's largest taxi transportation provider, is proud to announce it's now servicing the Quad Cities area.

Several manufacturers in the Quad Cities region have been awarded more than $315,000 through Iowa’s FY 2025 Manufacturing 4.0 Technology Investment Program. The funding supports small- and mid-sized manufacturers as they adopt smart technologies to boost productivity, improve efficiency and remain competitive in Iowa’s largest industry.

An intense week of floor debate and votes took place during the Quad Cities Chamber’s D.C. Fly-In. Business and community leaders from the Quad Cities descended into Washington D.C. to advocate for the QC region April 8-11.  

Over the last few weeks, the U.S. economy has been buffeted by worrying economic news, financial market volatility and uncertainty over tariff policy. As a result, many analysts have revised their expectations for economic growth in 2025. What are some of the factors that have caused such a large change in expectations? In this first part of a two-part series, we examine some of the events since the start of the year and how the rise in uncertainty is showing up in the data.

The Chamber congratulates its own Bill Polley, Director of Business Intelligence on his recent certification as a Certified Analytics Professional - Expert (CAP-X). Earners of this badge have met stringent education and work experience requirements and have passed a rigorous, secure examination.  It is the highest certification awarded by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences.

Kyle Carter, Vice President of Place Management for the Quad Cities Community Partnership, recently attended the International Downtown Association (IDA) Washington D.C. Fly-In to advocate for pro-downtown policies with other downtown Place Management organizations from all over the United States.

This week, more than 50 area high school students and their parents toured Arconic and John Deere Davenport Works to get a firsthand look at careers in manufacturing. These behind-the-scenes visits are more than just field trips—they’re eye-opening experiences to help young people and their families discover career opportunities right here in the Quad Cities.

The U.S. economy continued to add jobs at a rapid pace in March. However, the good news on jobs was overshadowed by the announcement of tariffs that are larger than expected. This week we look at the sectors adding the most jobs last month and discuss why these numbers are still important even in light of other economic news.