As you might guess, I’ve seen a few things at my age. Most were good, a few were bad and many were exciting, challenging and even a little scary – like jumping out of an airplane at 14,000 feet – or starting a publishing company with no experience or training in that field.

For the past 40 years, Business Publications Corp. (BPC) has had a front-row seat to report on the people, companies and organizations that have helped shape the vibrant Central Iowa community that you see today.

The city has changed exponentially since the first issue of the Business Record was published, and today’s city would be almost unrecognizable to someone from that era. Many people have left their stamp on the region over those 40 years, just as former and current publishers such as Janette Larkin, Suzanna de Baca and Chris Conetzkey and their hardworking staff have put their stamp on the Business Record and dsm magazine, constantly improving it.

After 40 years, what’s next? Des Moines will continue to grow and thrive with each new generation of leaders taking the helm and pushing it to greater heights. And, as always, the BPC team will be there, shining a spotlight on those making a positive contribution to the community and providing leaders with perspective on key issues.

We will continue to maintain the highest journalistic standards to ensure you can trust what you read in our publications. Our staff won’t just cover the community, they will be a part of it. And we will continue to offer unique, targeted advertising opportunities to help your business grow.

We will work to elevate and celebrate different segments of our community through recognition events such as Forty Under 40, Women of Influence and Sages Over 70. We will continue to serve as a conduit that connects business, cultural and community leaders so we can have the important discussions that move this community forward.

In short, we will continue to help businesses do business better so that we can all continue to live in a growing and thriving community.

I want to thank everyone who has supported and continues to support what we do. If you are a Business Record or dsm magazine reader – thank you for relying on us as your source for local business news. If you are an advertiser or a sponsor – thank you for trusting us to help you reach your target audience. And most importantly, thank you for letting us tell your story.

Finally, I want to thank the BPC staff. I have often said the key to success is to surround yourself with people who know more than you do and I have certainly followed that advice. They strive each day to make every issue, every event and every interaction with our clients the very best it can be. I am supremely confident in their ability to take the company to an even higher level in the coming years.

Cheers to the next 40 years!