1976

Connie Wimer buys Iowa Title Co. and soon computerizes the operation to ensure a faster and more efficient process for clients. Iowa Title becomes the leader in Greater Des Moines.

1979

The building at 516 Third St. is purchased to house the growing Iowa Title. It would also serve as the first home of the Business Record.

1981

The Des Moines Daily Record, a Polk County legal publication, is purchased to control and speed up the information needed for Iowa Title to be more efficient. However, county judges decided the publication of bankruptcies and other county legal news was no longer needed, leaving Wimer no revenue but 18 years of contract payments. “I used my fear and belief in the need for a local business paper together and came up with the Business Record,” Wimer recalls.

1982

Late in the year, the Des Moines Daily Business Record publishes for the first time. A general manager is serving as editor, as well as contributing writers and three local columnists. There is no full-time writing staff. “I had no publishing education or experience,” Wimer says. “I just believed that Des Moines needed a paper that wrote about local businesses, both large and small.” To learn more, Wimer seeks to become a member of the Alliance of Area Business Publications. The group turns her down. She instead seeks to attend one of their meetings as a nonmember, and the group agrees. “I’ve never worked harder than I did at that meeting. I went to each session, tried to talk to each person and picked up copies of their papers. I came home and applied what I had learned.” Six months later, she reapplied and was admitted.

1983

Wimer purchases the Skywalker, a semimonthly downtown publication. Publication increases to once a week.

1985

• Wimer renames Skywalker to Cityview. 
• The Business Record becomes a member of AABP.

1987

• Business Record and Cityview staffs move into the Depot at Fourth from 516 Third St. It was the former Rock Island depot that had been vacant for 17 years.
• BPC starts publishing custom economic development guides for the city and suburbs.
• Wimer is elected as the first female president of the Des Moines Chamber of Commerce

1989

Wimer serves as the first female president of AABP.

1990

The Book of Lists debuts.

1991

The first newsletter, the Midday Record, is sent by fax once a day. It is a free publication.

1993

The 1993 floods bring 18 inches of water into the Depot. The staff moves back to the building at 516 Third St. for several months.

1995

The Business Record begins surveying readers for the annual Best of Des Moines issue.

1999

The Business Record begins publishing the Commercial Real Estate Guide on a quarterly basis.

2000

The Business Record starts two events, Forty Under 40 and Women of Influence to recognize deserving Greater Des Moines residents. 

2002

Wimer is elected to the Iowa Business Hall of Fame.

2003

• Sister publication dsm magazine debuts in April. 
• The newsletter converts to a free email e-newsletter called Business Record Daily.

2005

Wimer sells Cityview

2007

Wimer sells Business Publications to Ohio-based Brown Publishing.

2010

Wimer repurchases Business Publications in October.

2011

The Business Record Daily turns into two e-newsletters, the AM Daily and the PM Daily.

2012

BPC publishes the first edition of ia Magazine, a statewide publication.

2013

The Commercial Real Estate Guide evolves into the Annual Real Estate Magazine, and a weekly niche e-newsletter, Commercial Real Estate Weekly, launches. 

2014

2017 

• The innovationIOWA weekly e-newsletter launches.
• “Lifting the Veil,” a custom publication focusing on mental health awareness, is published. In 2020, a virtual event series follows.

2019

Suzanna de Baca succeeds Janette Larkin as president of BPC. 

2020

The Business Record rebrands the LIFT Iowa newsletter as Fearless, a statewide newsletter and overall initiative that aims to help women to succeed in work and in life.

2020

During the height of the pandemic, BPC launches Iowa Stops Hunger, a statewide initiative to help drive awareness and action around hunger and food insecurity in Iowa.

2021

BPC launches Envision Iowa, a statewide initiative featuring events, surveys and coverage, in order to help Iowa thrive and grow economically.

2023

The Alliance of Area Business Publishers (AABP) awards the Business Record several awards, including a gold medal for the best daily business newsletter in the country.

2023

BPC announces it will be moving from the Depot to space in the Plaza at 300 Walnut St. in Downtown.