QC companies reflect and elevate the goals of a new generation
When you find a company that aligns with your values, a career isn't work – it’s a calling, a fun avenue to contribute and enrich the community in which you live.
Jenna Blozevich is living that life in the Quad Cities, and she’s far from alone. Young professionals are planting roots in this growing riverfront region because the QC and the companies that call it home reflect and elevate the goals of a new generation.
Blozevich, 22, recognized this while working at Modern Woodmen of America as a college intern. The fraternal financial services organization is an icon in the QC, recognized for so much more than its name on the local award-winning minor-league riverfront ballpark (Modern Woodmen Park). It supports the growth and goals of its members and field representatives across the country, its employees and the entire QC region of 470,000+ residents.
“I knew this was the place I wanted to establish my career because of how deeply they support the community and how they encourage us to be involved,” Blozevich said.
So, when Modern Woodmen offered her a position as a benefits representative, she quickly accepted. “Modern Woodmen is all about fraternalism and working together,” said Blozevich. In fact, she and fellow team members recently spent time during their workday collecting school supplies and stuffing backpacks to make sure every child can go to class with the necessary supplies for a successful school year.
Working in the QC, you will find companies that operate according to their values and bosses that support your goals. This has also allowed Brian Harry, a vice president at construction company Russell, to live his values through work and home.
“Since Jim Russell founded this company in the ’80s, we’ve donated more than a million dollars to local nonprofits,” Harry said. Russell, which is headquartered in the QC and operates in 33 states, lists ‘community’ as a company value; one shared by its 250 employees who are also encouraged to take time during the workday to volunteer.
“It’s rewarding,” he said. “I enjoy rolling up my sleeves, getting my hands dirty and working side-by-side with Russell team members in a way that really contributes to our community. It’s nice to take a break from your day-to-day responsibilities and get out and make a difference in our community.”
The QC offers excellent opportunities to fulfill your dreams. It provides a change of pace that is just right with a low cost of living and a balanced lifestyle. Quad Cities is a region where people can afford to invest, buy, rent and live without sacrificing the leisure and family time that makes it all worthwhile.
Having recently located from one of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, Angel Raya has found his new home, nestled up to the Mississippi River in the heart of the Midwest, to be a bit of a hidden gem. He recently traded in his 600-square-foot apartment near Washington, D.C. to live in an expansive house with his brother after taking a position as an information security analyst at Modern Woodmen.
An avid runner, Raya knew the QC was home when he discovered a recreation trail winding along the banks of the river outside Modern Woodmen’s headquarters.
“The work-life balance is great,” Raya says. “I work 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and I get to spend two days a week working from home.”
It allows him to spend more time doing the things he enjoys and live in a home that was out of reach in D.C. In fact, the cost of living in the QC is 16% below the national average. “Living here is cheaper and I’m actually making more money,” he says. “I’m able to save in my situation.”
Blozevich is also achieving her goals in the QC. She and her boyfriend Zachary Graham, a union carpenter, recently purchased a home. “My favorite feature is the backyard, and we have plenty of space to run. This is a close-knit neighborhood, and all the neighbors are very friendly. The first day we moved in, everyone came by and welcomed us,” she said.
Her drive to work, the farmer’s market, or the dog park, takes less than 15-minutes – it’s one of the big advantages of living in this family of communities.
People love QC because they want to be part of its roots and its reach — to live in a place that’s as genuine as it is quirky, a region where they are welcomed and can make a difference. Find out if the QC is right for you; and enjoy the well-being of an authentic community.