Jim Erb led the way and left a legacy for the community he loved. 

Jim Erb’s name is synonymous with vision, generosity, and unwavering love for Charles City and Floyd County. A proud graduate of Ulster No. 8, a rural township school, and Charles City High School, Jim went on to attend Yale Law School. He then came home to Charles City, serving as mayor for more than 22 years. His fingerprints are found on nearly every major initiative that has shaped the community in recent decades, and with the establishment of the Erb Family Charitable Endowment Fund after his passing in 2021, that legacy will continue forever.

“He started me out in 1998,” recalled Tim Fox, executive director of the Charles City Area Development Corp. “If there was something to be done, he was the guy doing it. He expected no more out of you than he did of himself.”

That legacy of leadership and humility ran deep. “He was a very good economic development mind,” said Tim. “He sold us the Southwest Development Park for the price of ag land instead of industrial land so the community could afford it. That was 25 years ago—and it’s still paying off.”

Kip and Judy Hauser, longtime friends and collaborators on the Floyd County Community Foundation committee, shared how Jim often worked behind the scenes, rarely seeking credit. “It wasn’t Jim Erb doing this. It was Charles City getting this,” said Kip. “He was always planning years ahead. He had a vision for the community—whether it was aging services, child care, or land use—he was thinking about how to make life better for everyone.”

That forward-thinking passion culminated in a transformative $1.6 million gift to the community through his estate. Because of Jim’s vision, the Erb Family Charitable Endowment Fund will increase the Floyd County Community Foundation’s discretionary grant funding by nearly $40,000 annually, forever. “He believed in the Foundation and how members of the community make local decisions,” said Judy. “It was just in his DNA. Jim wanted to leave something lasting.”

“He was generous. He was exacting. But if he said he was going to do it, he did it,” Judy added.

Jim’s legacy is one example of how he led by example. He was a believer in his community and giving back to the place he loved and worked tirelessly to improve.

As Tim put it simply: “We really miss his leadership. Jim was a rower. And now we need a whole crew to pick up the oars.”