Robert G. Riley, Christopher J. Risewick and Dr. Teri Wahlig have been named the 2024 inductees to the Iowa Business Hall of Fame.

The Greater Des Moines Committee, the 118-year-old group of more than 100 area business leaders who founded the Business Hall of Fame, announced its annual selection in a news release Thursday.

The Hall of Fame honors the achievements of Iowans who have made outstanding contributions to the development and enhancement of Iowa’s business climate, the release says.

Inductees are selected on merit rather than endorsement. Past Hall of Fame honorees under the leadership of Greater Des Moines Committee Chair Brian Sather, president and general manager of KCCI, serve as the selection committee. Honorees are evaluated on five criteria:

• Business leadership
• Community development impact
• Community volunteerism/leadership
• Strategic leadership
• Business recognition

The 2024 inductees will be honored on Tuesday, April 22, at the Meadows Events and Conference Center in Altoona.

Here is more about this year’s honorees:

Robert G. Riley Jr.

Riley has worked in the agriculture industry for more than 50 years. He purchased Feed Energy in 1986 and has focused the company’s science and research efforts on nutraceutical products. Through Feed Energy, Riley’s work has grown the genetic potential of the animals fed, providing health and productivity to more than 80 million animals per year, according to the release.

Riley adopted an organic growth strategy and diversified Feed Energy by adding new products and services. These moves allowed the organization to expand to five companies and grow the workforce from 11 to 125 people. Weekly sales of seven truckloads has also grown to more than 1 billion pounds annually. 

Riley holds board and leadership roles in many organizations, including the Iowa Department of Economic Development, North Central Poultry Association, the Nature Conservancy in Iowa, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines Water Works, Whiterock Conservancy, Simpson College, American Feed Industry Association, Iowa Innovation Corp., Two Rivers Financial Group, Iowa State University Research Foundation, Iowa Environmental Council, and others throughout his career.

Christopher J. Risewick

Risewick started Seneca Cos. in 1972. At 21 years old and in his junior year at Drake University, he started selling petroleum equipment. This became his focus and by the early 1980s, Risewick opened the first Seneca branch location in Bettendorf. Since then, the company has grown to 14 physical office locations throughout the Midwest, Mountain and Southern regions, and added several divisions to provide “The Complete Solution” to its customers and allowed Seneca to be self-sustainable in the market.

Over the course of 50 years, Seneca has grown from its core business of providing fuel systems to seven other complementary businesses. In early 2024, the Risewick family sold Seneca Cos. to Trive Capital, a large private equity firm in Dallas. Over 50 years, Seneca grew to employ a peak of 450 people with the majority from Iowa.

Risewick has been involved with ChildServe since the 1980s and has twice served as chair of its board of trustees. In 2023, he and his wife, Mary, received the “ChildServe Champions” award in recognition of their dedication and impact to the children and families. Risewick also served on the board of Impact Iowa’s Heroes, and has been involved with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Greater Des Moines Community Foundation, Dowling Catholic High School, Holy Family Catholic School Foundation, Des Moines Christian School, Junior Achievement of Central Iowa, the University of Iowa Foundation and the Breakfast Club.

Dr. Teri Wahlig

Wahlig has served as the CEO of ChildServe, a specialty pediatric health care organization, since July 2018. She joined the organization in 2011 as vice president and medical director. Before her time with ChildServe, Wahlig was medical director of MercyOne’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for 17 years. Under her business and community leadership, ChildServe has grown to serve children and families across the state of Iowa.

In her role as CEO, Wahlig has managed challenging financials and operations. ChildServe works with children who have special health care needs and offers more than 30 different services. In 2024, as one of the largest nonprofit organizations in Central Iowa with a net operating revenue of $83 million and 1,500 employees, ChildServe supported 5,800 children and their families throughout the state.

Wahlig is a founding member and chair of the Iowa Pediatric Healthcare Collaborative, board member of the Iowa Hospital Association, past chair of the Greater Des Moines Committee, and member of Variety – The Children’s Charity, among many others. In 2018, the Iowa Hospital Association named Wahlig a Hospital Hero, and she was a Business Record Women of Influence honoree. 

A Greater Des Moines native, Wahlig graduated from Marquette University, did her pediatric residency at Northwestern, and completed a neonatology fellowship at the University of Minnesota Medical School before returning to Iowa. She is board certified in pediatrics, neonatal-perinatal medicine and palliative care – hospice medicine. While working, Wahlig earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business.