Leader Retiring After Helping Unite Waterloo and Cedar Falls

The Cedar Valley said its goodbyes to a man who helped unite two business communities. 

Bob Justis is retiring from the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber. He served as the president through the merger when Cedar Falls and Waterloo merged into one in 2007. 

"Bob is one of the Cedar Valley's greatest cheerleaders," said Dee Vandeventer, a fundraising consultant with ME&V Advertising. "He's done a remarkable job merging the Waterloo and Cedar Falls chambers together, not just in name, but in spirit."

Vandeventer said she's known Justis for more than 30 years.

"The good news is that Bob will continue to have an effect after his retirement," she said.

He told friends and colleagues gathered for a reception on Tuesday that he plans to stay active in retirement. Gene Lenhardt of Cardinal Construction presented Justis with a key to the Cedar Valley.

According to KWWL, Justis joined the Cedar Falls Chamber of Commerce as President in 2002, and he was named Executive of the Year by the Iowa Chamber of Commerce Executives in 2011. 

"It was just an honor and a lot of fun to be working with them to get it done," Justis said of the merger, and added, that it's working, according to KWWL.