New NIACC department director calls Charles City home

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Tom Moore and his wife, Merri, had already decided to move to Charles City before a position at NIACC opened up.

“I was moving here anyway, and the job became available,” Moore said. “It ended up working out really well.”

Moore is the new director of innovation and acceleration for North Iowa Area Community College’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center.

He moved to Charles City from Northfield, Minnesota, in January. He was running his own consulting firm in Northfield, and had decided to move it to Charles City.

“We were looking for a small town — not too small, but something with amenities,” Moore said. “Charles City was just the right size for us, and the housing prices were good.”

Moore and his wife, who runs a specialized antiques business online, thought that the community would be a good fit for them.

“We thought it met our needs,” he said. “It has the river running through it, and the people are really friendly.”

Then he saw the position at NIACC posted, and realized the Mason City campus was just a half-hour drive. He jumped at the opportunity.

At NIACC, Moore will be responsible for providing business consulting to start-up companies and existing small businesses in all phases of business who are in need of funding, management and operational expertise to improve their chances of success.

He will also be delivering and leading programs to improve the region’s culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem through partnerships and collaboration.

He said he would focus on entrepreneurs, new business and start-ups.

“I focus on helping people who have an idea or a product, or who just want to open a new business,” Moore said. “We’re here to help a would-be new business owner understand the ins and outs of running a business.”

He said this entails developing a business plan and getting financing.

“We don’t finance directly, but we can direct folks to the right resources,” Moore said. “We want new business owners and entrepreneurs to be successful, and we’re here to help them get started.”

Moore has 30-plus years of business and industry experience, including owning several successful consulting firms. In a statement, NIACC said that Moore’s expertise includes strategic planning, organization design and development, business acumen, leadership development and operations management.

Moore has a Ph.D. in human organizational systems, an MA in organizational management and development, and a BS in education, training, and development.

He has owned and been the principal consultant for two consulting firms focused on helping clients in both private and public sectors find the synergies between outstanding leadership and enterprise excellence.

In 2020, Moore expanded his reach by opening a coaching firm offering goal-focused coaching for mid to senior-level organizational leaders.

He and Merri have a son attending Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and a daughter who is attending DePaul University, in Chicago.

Moore said he will be working closely with the continuing education department of the college and would like to eventually teach some classes at Charles City’s new career campus.

“I’d like to do that, it’s right here in my backyard,” he said. “It would give me the opportunity to be more directly involved with the community. I’d love to see some more economic development in Charles City.”

He said the people in the community have been welcoming, and he looks forward to meeting more of them.

“Everyone we’ve met in Charles City has been really friendly and helpful,” Moore said. “So far, it’s been a great experience for me.”