LEFT- Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg (back to camera) check out a downtown Tama storefront being restored at the corner of McClellan and West 3rd on Friday morning, April 6. They were accompanied by Marty Hardon, State Rep. Dean Fisher and yes, that’s Ed Hardon reflected in the window. The officials met with the Hardons to discuss Iowa’s small business climate. News-Herald photos/John Speer

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Lt. Governor Adam Gregg and State Rep. Dean Fisher took a look at some of the improvements in the downtown Tama business district and discussed business issues in a visit to Hardon’s Inc. in downtown Tama on Friday morning, April 6.

In conversations with the state leaders about the business climate in smaller cities, Marty Hardon explained some of the difficulty of finding enough employees who meet federal certification requirements for some jobs.

The Governor spoke of technical training opportunities afforded at the community college level and pointed to continued emphasis on the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Program.

“As Hardon’s customer base has grown, it has been difficult to find enough qualified and licensed employees to meet the demand for our services, Marty Hardon said. “Hardon’s has given apprenticeship opportunities to quite a few hard workers who just needed the training. But we can only grow so many apprentices within our business. I’m excited to work with Governor Reynolds and Representative Fisher to give more young adults the chance at successful careers earning a good living. Governor Reynolds is clearly passionate and excited about tackling this opportunity.”

Hardon also said the expense of employees’ insurance coverage was being felt. “We pay (full) insurance for all our employees and it’s risen 400 percent since 2008,” he said.

To preserve the memory of the Friday, April 6, visit to Hardon’s Inc., in Tama, left to right are: State Rep. Dean Fisher, Lt. Governor Adam Gregg, Marty and Danielle Hardon, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Ed Hardon. The photo is in the plumbing and heating store portion of the business on West 4th Street downtown.

Reynolds responded more effort to aid in this area are underway and steps have already been taken in the current legislative session to assist small businesses cope with health insurance requirements.

On the tour of improvements to a number of downtown Tama properties, Ed Hardon credited the City of Tama’s Downtown Revitalization Program and local banking support for making many of the restoration efforts possible.

He said work to complete the second floor apartments costs an estimated $40,000 per unit.

Ed Hardon said while some buildings were simply not repairable and have been torn down, the space provides essential parking areas for apartment tenants.

Armando Hernandez (left) visits with (left to right) Tama businessman Marty Hardon, Iowa Lt. Governor Adam Gregg, State Rep. Dean Fisher, Governor Kim Reynolds and Tama businesswoman Danielle Hardon during a stop at Hernadez’s El Cerrito Restaurant on Friday morning, April 6. The officials were touring the downtown improvements in the Tama business district. News-Herald photos/John Speer

At Hardon's Inc. headquarters in downtown Tama.