The Pappajohn Center is the expert in rural business innovation and success. In partnership with North Iowa’s Small Business Development Center, together we provide tools, support, and resources to Iowa’s entrepreneurs. We counsel both new and existing local businesses, from Main Street to industry leaders. We’re growing Iowa’s entrepreneurial culture through grade school initiatives, college and community programs, and business training and development. The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center in Mason City is hosted by the North Iowa Area Community College. John Pappajohn founded the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers in 1996. This network of entrepreneurial centers is hosted by five different universities and colleges in the state of Iowa, and has helped create and launch over 1,000 new companies.