LaDene is a Principal of Competitive Solutions, LLC, a company specializing in Community/Public Outreach and Facilitation, Community Development Program Implementation, Business Development, and Advocacy.

In a career that has spanned over three decades, LaDene Bowen has served in a leadership role in facilitating and creatively implementing economic development programs.  She is currently a Principal with Competitive Solutions, an economic development consulting firm.  Prior to her current position, Bowen was Director for the Institute for Decision Making (IDM) at the University of Northern Iowa, an integrated business and community services program, where she consulted hundreds communities in all aspects of economic development in the Iowa, West and Midwestern states.  The impact of IDM’s technical assistance, as reported by client communities, resulted in 1,500-3,000 jobs annually, structured Iowa’s economic development regions in collaboration with the Professional Developers of Iowa, and trained over 2,500 new professionals in economic development. Additionally, she served as the Director of UNI’s nationally recognized EDA University Center focusing on regional entrepreneurial development resulting in 6.7 million in private investment, 46 new or expanded businesses in 17 counties – five economically challenged regions in rural Iowa.  The scope of her professional involvement and leadership reaches from IDM and Iowa communities to the International Economic Development Council, where she served on the Board of Directors for 12 years and continues to be active on advisory committees.

She is considered one of the emerging transformational leaders in helping local communities and economic development professionals prepare for a different kind of future.  Her recognized rural development expertise has been shared in international and national speaking engagements, authoring of articles, directing the Heartland Economic Development Course in the Midwest, mentoring and on faculty at the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute (OU/EDI) impacting thousands of economic development professionals.   She was named Dean of OU/EDI in January 2012 as it celebrated its 50th Anniversary.  Beyond her contributions to professional economic development education is Bowen’s dedication to women entering the economic development field.  She has personally mentored and guided more than 75 women as they enter the profession and outlined a path to advance their careers.

Bowen is a 1990 graduate of Institute for Organizational Management at the University of Colorado and retains her IOM designation.  She earned her CEcD designation in 1993.  In 2005, she was recognized as a fellow (FM), in 2013 as an Honorary Life Member for her outstanding service to the field of economic development and recognized in 2011 for her achievements for Women of Innovation in Iowa.  Bowen became certified by the National Center for Economic Gardening as an Economic Gardening Program Director.  She was named Director Emeritus at the University of Northern Iowa in 2016.

Prior to joining the University, she was CEO of the Butte, Montana Chamber of Commerce, a nationally recognized community – designated as an All America City (National Civic League), based on citizen-led economic development efforts during her tenure.  Before joining the Chamber, she was with the Montana Tech Foundation as the Assistant Director, specializing in annual fundraising and capital campaigns for the #1 ranked small comprehensive engineering college in the U.S., Montana Tech of the University of Montana.   Additionally, she held management posts with a successful record of accomplishment, in both, private and public sector healthcare, communications and education.