FIRE
Examples of Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate ("FIRE") industries that are a strong fit in the Quad Cities region:
- Insurance carriers
- Pension funds
- Inbound call centers
- Regional/back office operations
- Other finance, insurance and real estate
Key Regional Advantages for FIRE-related Businesses:
- FIRE industries are already concentrated in the Quad Cities region as indicated by strong location quotients.
- Available building space
- Telecommunications infrastructure
- Plentiful graduate programs from regional universities in finance and accounting
- Insurance Companies located in the State of Iowa do not pay state corporate income tax.
- Competitive labor costs (see chart below; contact Quad Cities First for data for additional SOCs)
- Strong match between existing labor skills and FIRE-related occupations (see example below)
- Skilled Laborshed Available
- Affordable Utilities
- Low Cost of Living
- Air Travel
Available Labor for Jobs in FIRE Industry (April 2010)
| Standard Occupational Code | Title | % of Industry | Target Jobs | Compatible Jobs | Target Median Hourly Earnings |
| 13-1031 | Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators | 7.71 | 449 | 22,688 | $24.82 |
| 41-3021 | Insurance sales agents | 7.04 | 552 | 2,007 | $18.84 |
| 15-1051 | Computer systems analysts | 3.48 | 641 | 2,464 | $36.69 |
Source: Ady-Voltedge & Janus Economics, in proprietary research sponsored by Quad Cities First, 2010.
Notes: % of Industry = percent of industry skilled labor accounted for by each SOC; Target Jobs = Number of workers in the Quad Cities region that are classified in that SOC, regardless of industry; Compatible Jobs = Number of workers in the Quad Cities region that have highly compatible skill sets (O*Net). Contact Quad Cities First for information on additional Standard Occupation Codes and other related data.
