Des Moines Business Record

Meet Anna Stoermer, one of the Business Record's 2024 Forty Under 40. She is the executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Hy-Vee. She led the launch of the new Hy-Vee Perks loyalty program to help customers save money at Hy-Vee on everyday grocery items. She also helped form a strategic partnership between Hy-Vee and the national Feeding America organization to support Feeding America food banks and their network of pantries across the Midwest. "My goals outside of work are to be a good wife, mother and dedicated member of the community," she says. "I want to focus on being a servant to everyone around me, whether it be family, friends or the community. I want them to know that I am there to help them reach their potential and, most of all, feel loved." https://lnkd.in/gkwV3Gem

Nominations are now open for the 2024 Dentons Davis Brown HR Professional of the Year award. The award is designed to highlight an outstanding HR professional from Central Iowa for their professional accomplishments and community engagement. The award will be presented at the Jobs Outlook event on Oct. 16 and the submission deadline is Friday, Aug. 30. Make a nomination: https://lnkd.in/g9Tw9_KX

Principal Financial Group has named Deanna Strable as its new president and chief operating officer, the Des Moines-based financial services and insurance company announced Wednesday. Dan Houston will continue to serve as CEO and chairman of the board. Strable’s nearly 35-year career at Principal has included serving as executive vice president and chief financial officer since 2017 and as president of the company’s workplace benefits and insurance business before that. https://lnkd.in/dTYhGqx2

Happy fifth anniversary to Emily Wood! As our incredible special projects editor, Emily is responsible for the editorial aspect of some of our largest annual issues and events, including Forty Under 40 and Women of Influence. We can also thank Emily for her reporting and editing on the award-winning weekly Fearless e-newsletters. “I’m super proud of Fearless,” Emily said. “It continues to gain momentum. I’ve seen people take a quote they read in Fearless and have it pinned up in their office, and that’s really cool to make that kind of an impact.” Emily started as a full-time editor for the Business Record and shifted to a more specialized role a year ago. “My brain is definitely geared towards the long-term planning and strategy work behind special projects,” Emily said. Her big-picture thinking has been a major asset to our organization over the past five years, especially when it comes to navigating BPC’s ever-changing needs as a community-focused company. Emily leads our Racial Equity Advisory Board, an initiative that aims to empower our reporters to fairly represent our diverse community. “I’ve grown more confident in my work as a journalist,” Emily said. “And I’ve learned more about how to take an audience’s needs and use that to create great work that I’m proud of and is going to be helpful to the audience.” We’re looking forward to everything Emily has planned for the future, including expanding our special projects and engaging our past and future honorees in new and exciting ways. Emily, thank you for everything you do and for choosing to share your talents with BPC!

Meet Zach Sims, one of the Business Record's 2024 Forty Under 40. He is a client executive at Holmes Murphy and became a shareholder this year. "My goal is to mentor the next generation at Holmes Murphy," he says. "I have had mentors who have invested in my success, and I want to be able to pay it forward to the next generation and to be someone that people look to for guidance." Outside of work he serves on the Young Variety board of directors, where he's chaired events and raised thousands of dollars for Variety – the Children's Charity. "My biggest passion is my relationships with my family, friends and faith," he says. "I care a lot about the people in my life. I pour everything I have into deepening my relationships personally, spiritually and professionally." https://lnkd.in/g3zaEBPy

Competitive pay, quality benefits and – in most recent years – flexible work arrangements continue to be top priorities of employees when deciding where they want to work. But these offerings are what Kellie Gottner refers to as “table stakes,” meaning they are focuses for most businesses hoping to attract and retain top talent. Gottner, the human resources and client experience officer at Connectify HR, said organizations need to think beyond table stakes if they want to remain competitive. The Business Record recently conducted a group interview with three human resources professionals to ask how organizations can support their people and other trends that business leaders should know. https://lnkd.in/giedWwKB

A strong and healthy business climate is critical in order for our enterprises to advance and for our state to thrive and grow. In the second Envision Iowa Think Tank, we’ll focus on business opportunities, including the development of key industries, innovation and Public/Private Partnerships. A panel of top leaders from a variety of key Iowa industries will discuss business challenges and opportunities, as well as how they are evolving their own organizations for the future. In addition, you’ll get a sneak peek at fresh data from the Baton Global Envision Iowa Statewide Leaders Economic Sentiment Survey and all participants will have an opportunity to meet fellow attendees from across the state in a solutions-focused networking opportunity. Register to join us tomorrow! https://lnkd.in/gD67w38U Among the questions we plan to tackle: Top priorities for your area or organization around business opportunities. Biggest barriers with business opportunities in Iowa – and what can we be doing about them. How leaders are advancing the development of key industries, innovation and Public/Private Partnerships. Keynote speaker: Brian Waller, president, Technology Association of Iowa Panelists: Mike Ralston, president, Iowa Association 
of Business and Industry Chris Deal, director, mechanical engineer, Modus Jill Wilkins, executive director, NewBoCo

A strong and healthy business climate is critical in order for our enterprises to advance and for our state to thrive and grow. In the second Envision Iowa Think Tank, we’ll focus on business opportunities, including the development of key industries, innovation and Public/Private Partnerships. A panel of top leaders from a variety of key Iowa industries will discuss business challenges and opportunities, as well as how they are evolving their own organizations for the future. In addition, you’ll get a sneak peek at fresh data from the Baton Global Envision Iowa Statewide Leaders Economic Sentiment Survey and all participants will have an opportunity to meet fellow attendees from across the state in a solutions-focused networking opportunity. REGISTER TODAY: https://lnkd.in/gD67w38U Among the questions we plan to tackle: Top priorities for your area or organization around business opportunities. Biggest barriers with business opportunities in Iowa – and what can we be doing about them. How leaders are advancing the development of key industries, innovation and Public/Private Partnerships. Keynote speaker: Brian Waller, president, Technology Association of Iowa Panelists: Mike Ralston, president, Iowa Association 
of Business and Industry Chris Deal, director, mechanical engineer, Modus Jill Wilkins, executive director, NewBoCo

A strong and healthy business climate is critical in order for our enterprises to advance and for our state to thrive and grow. In the second Envision Iowa Think Tank, we’ll focus on business opportunities, including the development of key industries, innovation and Public/Private Partnerships. A panel of top leaders from a variety of key Iowa industries will discuss business challenges and opportunities, as well as how they are evolving their own organizations for the future. In addition, you’ll get a sneak peek at fresh data from the Baton Global Envision Iowa Statewide Leaders Economic Sentiment Survey and all participants will have an opportunity to meet fellow attendees from across the state in a solutions-focused networking opportunity. REGISTER TODAY: https://lnkd.in/gD67w38U Among the questions we plan to tackle: Top priorities for your area or organization around business opportunities. Biggest barriers with business opportunities in Iowa – and what can we be doing about them. How leaders are advancing the development of key industries, innovation and Public/Private Partnerships. Keynote speaker: Brian Waller, president, Technology Association of Iowa Panelists: Mike Ralston, president, Iowa Association 
of Business and Industry Chris Deal, director, mechanical engineer, Modus Jill Wilkins, executive director, NewBoCo

Thanks to Nancy Bird of Greater Iowa City, Inc. for sharing about the renovations at MERGE and the new Business Resource Center that will serve businesses of all size in Johnson County. Plus, get an update on the organization's focuses as it prepares for 2025. Read the full story from Des Moines Business Record's innovationIOWA newsletter: https://lnkd.in/g5yJ9m-W