Each year, the Business Record reflects on a year in the news and recognizes the people and stories that shaped Central Iowa’s business community. 

Business Publications Corp.’s second annual News Changemakers Awards honor six community leaders in four different categories: Business Leader Legacy Award, Cultural Leader Legacy Award, Business Leader Newcomer of the Year and Cultural Leader Newcomer of the Year.

This edition also highlights the top Business and Cultural Stories of the Year that had a positive or defining impact on the community. 

These awards recognize people and organizations making headlines in business and culture.

Finalist nominations were accepted from Business Record and dsm magazine readers and the winners were selected by BPC leadership. 

— Mike Mendenhall, Business Record associate editor

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Business Leader Legacy Award
This award recognizes a Des Moines area business leader who has retired, plans to retire in the coming year, or is transitioning from their leadership role, for their outstanding career accomplishments and track record of community involvement.

Chuck Betts, former owner, Betts Cadillac and Betts Lexus (posthumous)

Charles H. Betts Jr. spent a career growing his family’s auto dealerships and a life as a community leader. Betts, 91, died in September from amyloidosis. He took the reins at Betts Cadillac from his father, Charles H. Betts Sr., in 1965 and expanded the operations into one of the top Cadillac franchises in the United States. In 1990, Betts Lexus was added to the company portfolio, which eventually became Willis Auto Group after Betts’ business partner Rich Willis took over the controlling interest from 1997 to 2000. Betts graduated from the University of Michigan and enlisted in the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. He married his wife, Jannet Betts, in 1954 and had four children. Beyond business, Betts served as president and board member for many organizations in Iowa. He led the fundraising campaign for the Des Moines Area Community College auto mechanics building, which carries his name. He also played a key role in fundraising efforts for the Roosevelt High School renovation project.

Randy Edeker, former executive chairman, Hy-Vee Inc.

Edeker began working for Hy-Vee as a part-time employee in the grocery retailer’s Chariton store nearly 43 years ago. When he stepped down in July as the West Des Moines-based company’s executive chairman, his resume included company president from 2009 to 2021 and CEO from 2012 to 2022. Edeker’s tenue saw an expansion in Hy-Vee’s health care services portfolio. In 2013, Hy-Vee opened its first micro-fulfillment pharmacy that uses advanced automation technology to fill prescriptions that are then sent to pharmacies. The company also acquired Amber Pharmacy in 2014, launched subsidiary RedBox RX in 2021, which provides telehealth and online pharmacy services, and opened its first health infusion clinics in 2023. “If I’m proud of anything, it’s that I’ve monitored the ebbs and the flows of the customer,” Edeker told the Business Record in July. “It’s helped us to move before they move so we’re where they are going.”

Kevin Foley, executive director, Des Moines International Airport

Foley oversaw DSM’s transition from a city-run airport to an independent authority during his 11 years as executive director, as well as steady growth in passenger count from 1.8 million in 2011 to 3 million in 2023. The 66-year-old will retire in April 2025 after leading the organization through the planning, financing and groundbreaking of an estimated $479 million, multiphase terminal and parking facility expansion. Before coming to Des Moines, Foley was an associate professor of aviation at the University of Dubuque and held key management roles at Dubuque Regional Airport from 1992 to 2000. He also worked as a corporate pilot and is a certified flight instructor and multi-engine commercial pilot.

Mike Ralston, president, Iowa Association of Business and Industry

Ralston will cap a 19-year stint leading the statewide business organization at the end of December, handing the reins to ABI Director of Government Relations Nicole Crain. The 65-year-old who grew up in Grundy Center has become a leading expert in Iowa’s manufacturing industry and in September was awarded the Manufacturing Champion Award at the 2024 Legends in Manufacturing Awards. Ralston’s 48-year career in public service began at age 18 when he was elected mayor of his hometown. After serving as director of the Iowa Department of Revenue, he was named ABI president in 2005. Ralston told the Business Record earlier this year that globalization and sophistication with technological innovation were marked changes to the state’s manufacturing sector during his time leading the industry association. 

Doug Reichardt, former chairman and CEO, Holmes Murphy (posthumous)

Reichardt started his career at Holmes Murphy in 1976 as an intern and held various roles before being named chairman and CEO in 1993, retiring in 2009. Reichardt died in October following a cancer diagnosis. He was also a co-founder of Businessolver and a founding member of the Water Works Park Foundation. His community involvement included supporting organizations such as the Iowa Sports Foundation/Iowa Games, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, Young Presidents Organization, Wellness Council of Iowa, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Greater Des Moines Committee and United Way of Central Iowa.

John Sorensen, president and CEO, Iowa Bankers Association

During Sorensen’s nearly 28 years as IBA’s chief executive, it became the largest state banking association in the U.S. with 265 member banks in nearly every Iowa community and a staff of over 200 people. In January, Sorensen will retire and his successor, former Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, will step into the CEO role. Sorensen told the Business Record that although Iowa’s banking charters have experienced consolidation during his 38 years at IBA, the number of banking locations has continued to grow. His top challenge, he said, has been developing a community banking model that’s able to fairly and equitably compete with larger institutions. “Challenge No. 1A has been getting regulators and policymakers to tier regulations so that smaller institutions don’t face a lot of the regulations that larger institutions do,” Sorensen said.

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Cultural Leader Legacy Award

This award recognizes a Des Moines area cultural leader who has retired, plans to retire in the coming year, or is transitioning from their leadership role, for their outstanding career accomplishments and track record of community involvement.

Terry Branstad, retiring president, World Food Prize Foundation

Iowa’s governor for a total of 22 years and a former U.S. ambassador to China, Branstad has closed out his career in public service leading the World Food Prize Foundation. He will retire as the organization’s president on Jan. 31. The World Food Prize was founded in 1986 by Norman Borlaug, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work to improve the world’s food supply. It recognizes an individual whose work and innovation have helped fight hunger worldwide. The 78-year-old Branstad has led the foundation since February 2023, succeeding Barbara Stinson. Branstad, who grew up in northern Iowa’s Winnebago County, served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979. In an interview with the Business Record, Branstad said he credits two of his eighth grade teachers for sparking his interest in public service. “I’m a farm kid and went to high school in Forest City, and I had a couple of great eighth grade teachers … who taught history and civics and Iowa history and they really got me interested in a career in public service,” he said.

Barbara Quijano-Decker, former executive director, Catholic Charities – Diocese of Des Moines

Quijano-Decker expanded Catholic Charities’ reach in central and southwest Iowa during her five-year tenure to more than 25,000 people in need throughout 23 counties. She retired in September after leading the social ministry nonprofit since 2019. During her career, Quijano-Decker also served as president of Mercy College of Health Sciences and vice provost and president of the law board of counselors and student employment at Drake University. In 2023, after she was named a Business Record Women of Influence honoree, Quijano-Decker told the Business Record, “Throughout my life, I have been blessed with wonderful mentors – brothers and sisters, teachers, professors, business colleagues, and my husband who encouraged and supported me in my endeavors. Two particular memories include my older sister, now deceased, who guided me in choosing to go to college, and my elementary grade teachers (nuns and lay teachers), who recognized and valued my academic abilities.” 

Kelly Huntsman, retiring president and CEO, Primary Health Care Inc.

Huntsman has led Primary Health Care for 24 of the 36 years she’s served the organization, which offers medical and dental services and homeless support services in Polk County regardless of insurance, immigration status or ability to pay. While she was CEO, Huntsman led PHC’s transition to managed care and privatized Medicaid, guiding the fusion of PHC and the AIDS Project of Central Iowa and implementing Iowa’s only teaching health center graduate medical education program. She will retire in 2025. 

Teree Caldwell-Johnson, former president and CEO, Oakridge Neighborhood (posthumous)

Caldwell-Johnson was president and CEO of housing and supportive services nonprofit Oakridge Neighborhood for 20 years and Des Moines Public Schools’ longest-serving school board member. The 68-year-old died in March after a battle with cancer. Caldwell-Johnson was elected to the DMPS board in 2006 and served six years as the board chair or vice chair. She was recognized statewide for her service, including the state’s 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award, Cristine Wilson Medal for Equality and Justice and the President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award. She was recognized as a Business Record Woman of Influence in 2002.

Lisa LaValle, retired chef, Trellis Cafe

Pella native LaValle was the chef behind Trellis Cafe at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden for over 10 years when she announced her retirement in June. She also previously operated the cafe at the Des Moines Art Center. LaValle considers herself a “chef diplomat” through her participation in culinary events in France, Spain and China, according to a news release in October announcing her retirement. LaValle is a champion for locally sourced ingredients and leverages her stunning culinary creations as an artistic outlet. “Over the ten years of opening and operating Trellis at the Botanical Garden I’ve connected to so many people through our food and the beauty of the garden,” she said in the release. “I’ve had the freedom to prepare what I love and design a space that feels like an extension of my own imagination. I am grateful for the trust given to myself and our team to express our creativity through food and hospitality. It has been an honor to cook for you, cheers to your health.”

Dana Wingert, former police chief, city of Des Moines

Wingert retired in November after nearly a decade leading the Des Moines Police Department and 33 years as a police officer. He was hired in February 2015 after serving as a major overseeing the patrol division and other functions. He oversaw the introduction of police body cameras at DMPD. “When other cities and police departments across the country are pushing back on this, our folks embraced it,” Wingert told KCCI in October. “And you couldn’t  find a patrol officer today that would go out there without one.” He was also at the helm when civil unrest emerged in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

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Business Leader Newcomer of the Year
This award recognizes an individual who is new to the community or in a new position of leadership in their organization who has already and will continue making significant contributions to the community.

Nicole Crain, incoming president, Iowa Association of Business and Industry

Crain had already worked closely with ABI’s members and the board on initiatives involving finance and operations, membership, a partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation on child care issues and public policy advocacy when she was selected to be the organization’s next CEO. The Iowa business and manufacturing industry association announced in October Crain would succeed retiring President Mike Ralston in 2025. The Simpson College alumna joined the statewide business association as director of government relations in 2007, serving until 2011. After a year as president of the Iowa Taxpayers Association, she returned to ABI in 2012 as senior vice president of public policy and vice president of government relations. She was promoted to executive vice president in 2019. She also previously served as director of government affairs for the Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa and worked in Washington, D.C.

Adam Gregg, incoming president and CEO, Iowa Bankers Association

The 41-year-old Hawarden native will assume leadership of the Iowa Bankers Association in January following the 28-year tenure of retiring President and CEO John Sorensen. Gregg resigned as Gov. Kim Reynolds’ lieutenant in September. He had served as Iowa’s lieutenant governor since May 2017 and was elected to two terms as part of the Reynolds-Gregg gubernatorial ticket in 2018 and 2022. Before he was lieutenant governor, Gregg was an attorney and policy adviser. He was the Republican nominee for Iowa attorney general in 2014. Gregg lost to the then-incumbent Democrat Tom Miller. Then-Gov. Terry Branstad appointed Gregg as the state public defender in 2014. He graduated from Central College and Drake University Law School. Gregg chaired the National Lieutenant Governors Association and the Feeding Iowans Task Force as lieutenant governor and co-chaired the governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative. He serves on the Hoover Presidential Foundation board of trustees.

Proctor Lureman, president and CEO, Broadlawns Medical Center

Lureman was vice president of operations at UnityPoint Health – Des Moines when he was selected in May by the Broadlawns board of trustees to become the publicly funded Polk County nonprofit safety net hospital’s president and CEO. A Drake University alumnus, Lureman has more than 25 years of experience in hospital operations and physician group management. At UnityPoint he led a team of more than 200 physicians and advanced practice providers, as well as 1,200 medical professionals. Lureman now leads a hospital system of about 1,200 employees at Broadlawns, including 100 physicians.

Brian Mulcahy, incoming executive director, Des Moines International Airport

Mulcahy had been assistant executive director of the Des Moines International Airport for two years and served 34 years in the Iowa Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves – including two decades as a pilot – before he was tapped to succeed Executive Director Kevin Foley when he retires in 2025. Mulcahy will oversee the completion of a $479 million, multiphase terminal and parking facility expansion. Mulcahy told the Business Record in 2022, “Longer term, five to 10 years down the road, we really want the airport to be in a position where we can handle the traffic and we’re in a position to compete with more airlines because we will have the capacity for them to come in.” 

Jon Rozenfeld, market president, UnityPoint Health – Des Moines

Rozenfeld stepped in to lead UnityPoint’s Des Moines market following the announcement that former Market President David Stark had been appointed to a new role within the health system. Rozenfeld had 25 years of health care administration experience before arriving in Des Moines, including Johns Hopkins Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, and Ascension. He also served as CEO of Vista Health System in Waukegan, Ill. He told the Business Record in March that his parents, both physicians, played a big role in shaping how he leads. “Early on, they instilled in me [the idea] to pick a career that would do good … to have meaningful work to contribute to the communities that you work in,” Rozenfeld said.

April Schmaltz, president and CEO, Delta Dental of Iowa

A Tennessee native who grew up in Buhler, Kan., and Texas, Schmaltz was named the insurance company’s CEO in January 2024 after a brief stint as the organization’s interim co-CEO. She also served as Delta Dental’s senior vice president of marketing and sales, joining the company in 2014. She has more than 25 years of experience in executive leadership, strategy and new business growth. Schmaltz has a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s University and a master’s in business administration from Iowa State University. Schmaltz has also given her time to several professional and community boards, including the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, EveryStep and the Global Insurance Accelerator. In an interview with the Business Record in March, Schmaltz explained how becoming an Iowa transplant in 1999 changed her life and career. “This community is special, and it embraced me when I was much younger in my career,” she said. “I have more Iowa pride than I have Texas pride. I have grown up in this community and industry in a lot of defining moments of my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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Cultural Leader Newcomer of the Year

This award recognizes an individual who is new to the community or in a new position of leadership in a cultural or nonprofit organization who has already and will continue making significant contributions to the community. 

Deidre DeJear, president and CEO, Oakridge Neighborhood

The 2022 Democratic nominee for Iowa governor and business owner succeeded 20-year Oakridge Neighborhood CEO Teree Caldwell-Johnson after she died in March. DeJear assumed the role in September. The nonprofit serves families and diverse communities with housing and other support services, aiming to create pathways to personal and economic empowerment. Oakridge is Iowa’s largest affordable housing community. A graduate of Drake University, DeJear is the owner of Caleo Enterprises, an agency working with clients on developing and implementing financial education and small-business development throughout Iowa. DeJear serves on the boards of the city of Des Moines Housing Services, the Directors Council and the Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation and as board chair of Healthy Birth Day. Other community involvement includes starting and continuing to support Back 2 School Iowa. DeJear was recognized by the Business Record as Emerging Woman of Influence in 2019 and a Forty Under 40 in 2018.

Napoleon Douglas, artistic director, Pyramid Theatre Co.

An actor, singer and entrepreneur, Douglas stepped into a new role at Pyramid Theatre Co. in 2024 – artistic director. He succeeded Tiffany Johnson, Pyramid’s co-founder, who now works for Bravo Greater Des Moines. The theater company focuses on plays written by well-known and emerging Black playwrights. Douglas has a bachelor’s degree in theater from Drake University and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. His theater credits include performances across the country in “Dreamgirls,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Five Guys Named Moe.” In addition to his work with Pyramid, he also sings jazz at Noce and serves on boards for various local organizations, including City Voices, which focuses on music education.

Julia Franklin, director, Mainframe Studios

Franklin completed her transition from community investment specialist at Bravo Greater Des Moines to diretor of Mainframe Studios in December 2023. She is now leading the biggest nonprofit art studio building in the country, which opened in 2017 on the north side of downtown Des Moines. At Bravo, Franklin managed a $4 million annual grant program for more than 85 arts and culture nonprofits in Central Iowa. Previously, she taught art at Graceland University in Lamoni, where she helped guide the construction and operations at the Helene Center for the Visual Arts. She also managed the Anderson Gallery at Drake University. “First and foremost, I think the job is to take care of the artists and the building to ensure that we’re meeting our mission to provide affordable workspace for creatives,” Franklin told the Business Record in March. “That’s my day to day: Is the building safe, are artists safe, do they have what they need to thrive?”

Mashal Husain, incoming president, World Food Prize Foundation

Husain played a key role in growing the World Food Prize Foundation over the last 26 years, including managing the $30 million renovation of the Des Moines Public Library building that turned into the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. She will assume the organization’s presidency after retiring President Terry Branstad officially leaves the post on Jan. 31. Husain, currently chief operating officer, will become the foundation’s fourth president — and fifth overall leader. She was born and grew up in Pakistan, later moving to Tanzania, Manila and Bangkok before coming to the U.S. Husain moved to Des Moines in 1999. She worked at Blank Children’s Hospital and later at Principal Financial Group before joining the World Food Prize in 2008.

Alissa McKinney, executive director, Above + Beyond Cancer

McKinney had been active in nonprofit development in Iowa and Texas for more than 24 years when she was named Above + Beyond Cancer’s new leader in February. While at the UnityPoint Health – Des Moines Foundation, she served as the senior director of development and director of development for Blank Children’s Hospital for 18 years. She managed the endowment and annual capital campaign for the health system’s nonprofit charitable arm, as well as the popular Festival of Trees & Lights event. McKinney also serves as an Iowa 4-H Foundation trustee, Ballet Des Moines Capital Campaign committee member and is on the Board of Christian Stewardship at Plymouth Church. 

Wes Mullins, executive director, Capital City Pride

After Mullins was named executive director of Capital City Pride earlier this year, he told dsm magazine that one reason he applied for the job was its year-round effort to promote four main themes: education, health and wellness, families and community. He has some new ideas, including programs for LGBTQ seniors, but plans to round out his first year before making any major changes. “In bigger cities, Pride is already sort of locked in,” he said.  “I chose the job here because I saw a vision for something that’s still being built, something that I could help flourish and shine.” Mullins, 44, grew up in a conservative church in eastern Tennessee and struggled with being gay as a teenager. He eventually came out to his parents and experienced a turning point as a grad student in theology in Abilene, Texas, where he visited the LGBTQ-affirming Metropolitan Christian Church and realized his faith and sexuality weren’t mutually exclusive. He transferred to Brite Divinity School in Texas graduating at the top of his class. He served as a pastor in Oregon, Colorado, where he met and married his husband Kevin, and Missouri. In all three states, he helped advocate for same-sex marriage. He officiated Missouri’s first same-sex wedding in 2014.

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Business Story of the Year

Recognizes a notable story of a company’s, organization’s or business leader’s success and achievements that have made a significant positive contribution to the region’s economy.

American Equity moving headquarters to downtown Nationwide building after Brookfield acquisition

The Des Moines City Council and American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co. struck an agreement in June that opened the door for the company to move into the Nationwide Building at 1100 Locust St. in downtown Des Moines. The Urban Renewal Development Agreement contains incentives and a parking license agreement to accommodate the 650 employees American Equity plans to move downtown when its lease expires in two years at its current location at 6000 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines. American Equity’s decision to move into downtown’s Western Gateway neighborhood comes after it was acquired in May by Brookfield Reinsurance. The city of Des Moines is moving to finance the purchase of the Nationwide building and adjacent parking garage and remodel the structure after the insurance company reduced its use of the office space in recent years. The city plans to consolidate its offices in the building, too, which will free two riverfront city buildings, the police headquarters and the Argonne Armory, for repurposing. In its agreement with the city, American Equity will enter into a 10-year lease agreement with Nationwide for at least 131,900 square feet in the building. The company will occupy the western wing of the building on portions of floors one, two, five, six and seven.

BH companies change owners, Bookeys look to next chapter

In May, longtime Des Moines real estate broker Harry Bookey announced the sale of his companies, BH Management Services and the operations of BH Equities, to New York-based Pretium Partners. The close of the sale marked the beginning of the next chapter for Harry and his wife, Pam Bookey. Harry Bookey began working at the age of 16 in his dad’s Des Moines meatpacking plant, where he was a cattle buyer. The money he earned helped him pay for college. Bookey received his business and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He later returned to Des Moines because his dad was ill. He and Pam, originally from Chicago, met in Des Moines. Together, they would not only build their company into one of the country’s largest multifamily management and investment firms, they went on to leave their mark on the community through their philanthropy and community involvement, including the restoration of the Temple for Performing Arts. Pam Bookey said giving back to the community has always been a priority for her and her husband. “As I’ve said to Harry, you don’t give it to be remembered. You give it because it’s the right thing to do,” she told the Business Record in May.

Casey’s, EMC stepping up as naming rights partners for Iowa Events Center

The arena and exhibition hall at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines will be renamed in 2025 after 20 years under their current banners. Officials for the entertainment and meeting venues announced in October that Wells Fargo Arena will be renamed the Casey’s Center under a new agreement with Casey’s General Stores. In November, it was announced that Hy-Vee Hall would become the EMC Expo Center after the West Des Moines-based grocery chain opted not to renew its sponsorship contract. Casey’s General Stores, based in Ankeny, acquired the 10-year naming rights deal for the 17,000-seat arena for $18.3 million. Wells Fargo’s contract with the events center expires in June 2025. EMC Insurance Cos. will pay more than $6.28 million over 10 years to have its name on exhibition and meeting room space. The exhibit hall is connected to both the Community Choice Convention Center and the arena.

Principal leadership transition: Houston to retire, Strable named next president and CEO

For the first time in a decade, there will be a new chief executive leading the Des Moines-based,  Fortune 500 insurance and financial services company Principal Financial Group. The company announced in November that the board of directors has appointed President and Chief Operating Officer Deanna Strable as its next president and CEO, effective Jan. 7, 2025. Strable is the first woman to serve as CEO of Principal. Before being appointed president and COO in August, she served as the company’s chief financial officer from 2017 to 2024, and before that, as president of its workplace benefits and insurance business. Dan Houston, who was named president and CEO in 2015 and has been with Principal for 40 years, will continue to serve as executive chair of the board. Strable will also join Principal’s board of directors in January.

DMU sets sights on growth with new $260M West Des Moines campus

Five years after purchasing 88 acres of land in West Des Moines, Des Moines University opened its new $260 million campus in September. The new site at 8025 Grand Ave., located north of Grand Avenue and west of South Jordan Creek Parkway, is over three times as large as its previous 24-acre location, providing opportunities for growth now and in the future, DMU President and CEO Angela Franklin told the Business Record. The medical and health science university’s former campus at 3200 Grand Ave. in Des Moines was originally designed as a high school that housed St. Joseph Academy, a Catholic girls school, until DMU moved into the space in 1972. As time passed, it became clear to Franklin that they were limited in their ability to expand. Spanning nearly 350,000 square feet, the new campus includes four buildings that support a variety of programs, including academic, office, laboratory, student support services, wellness and facilities management.

Perry looks to continue adding homes to retain workforce following Tyson plant closure

In March, the Arkansas-based Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. announced its Perry plant would permanently close on June 28, a move that left nearly 1,300 people searching for a job. Tyson was Perry’s largest employer at the time of the announcement and operated the plant that has been in the community for over 60 years. The closure prompted a conversation among city and business leaders in the Dallas County community about its ability to attract and retain workers. Perry officials understand the connection between supplying businesses with a workforce and the need for an adequate supply of housing, Sven Peterson, Perry’s city administrator, told the Business Record in April. Between 2010 and 2016, no new homes were built in Perry, prompting the city to adopt a tax abatement program, he said. Since 2016, 60 new homes and 60 apartment units have been built in the community of over 8,000 people. Tyson is the sixth owner of the plant, which was originally developed by Perry Industries. Iowa Beef Processors acquired the plant from Oscar Meyer Corp. in 1988. Tyson acquired the plant in 2001 after it bought Iowa Beef Processors. The plant sits on nearly 12 acres just outside Perry’s eastern border.

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Cultural Story of the Year

Recognizes a notable story of a nonprofit, cultural organization or cultural leader’s success and achievements that have made a significant positive contribution to the community.

Athene North Shore Recreation Area creates space for all abilities at Easter Lake Park

On May 5, Polk County Conservation opened the Athene North Shore Recreation Area at Easter Lake Park after two years and a $23.1 million renovation. County officials said the new park is the most universally accessible – which means every person can use the amenities, regardless of any disability – in the country. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds attended a dedication ceremony held at the park on May 2, along with the conservation team, donors, state officials and members of the public. The park updates include wide concrete pathways designed with an inclusive slope, beach mats so wheelchairs roll right up to the water, a wheelchair-accessible pontoon, and a quiet de-escalation room for people with sensory input conditions. Signage with instructions in multiple languages, Braille and icons, is posted at eye level for visibility to people who are seated, which means someone using a wheelchair can more easily see important information. Ric Jurgens and Bob Myers, former CEOs of Hy-Vee and Casey’s, respectively, served as co-chairs of the project’s leadership team. 

Athene Pedestrian Bridge provides new link in regional trail system

A new $9.3 million pedestrian bridge in West Des Moines that opened this year not only connects Raccoon River Park and Walnut Woods State Park but makes a vital connection for Central Iowa’s trail network. The project includes about 4,700 feet of paved trail that starts near Raccoon River Park’s entrance at 2500 Grand Ave., spans the river and ends near Hidden Valley Soccer Complex along Walnut Woods Drive. The bridge itself is 620 feet long — about 1 3/4 football-field lengths — and rests on five vertical support structures that were hammered into bedrock deep below the river bottom. The project’s design team was led by Shive-Hattery Inc. Parks and Recreation Director Ryan Penning said in a November news release, “This critical connection will not only link these two major parks but also enable the expansion of West Des Moines’ trail system south of the river, including a future link to the regional Great Western Trail.”

Ballet Des Moines gets permanent home in downtown Des Moines

The nonprofit resident ballet company Ballet Des Moines cut the ribbon in September on its new downtown campus at 655 Walnut St. The Ballet Des Moines Lauridsen Campus for Arts and Education gives the ballet a permanent home for its professional company and space for outreach and education programs. The nearly 9,000-square-foot space once included a Burger King restaurant, which vacated the space in 2019. Des Moines philanthropists Nix and Virginia Lauridsen donated $3 million to the $4.8 million capital campaign led by Connie Wimer, owner and chair of BPC, and Kirk Besh, senior vice president at West Bank. 

Historic Val Air Ballroom sees $15M restoration, returns to Des Moines entertainment scene

The Val Air Ballroom, a national historic landmark in West Des Moines that has operated for 85 years, held its first show in February after a nearly $15 million renovation and restoration project. Owner Sam Summers acquired the Val Air in January 2022, paying $1.9 million for the 8.5-acre parcel at 301 Ashworth Road in West Des Moines. He closed the venue in late 2022 to complete the renovations. The venue’s foundation was constructed around 1921 and originally was intended to be the floor of a multilevel factory building, according to an application to the National Register of Historic Places that  was approved in 2022. The covered portion of the facility included a hardwood maple dance floor, a stage, a coat checkroom, bars and restrooms. The open-air portion of the original ballroom had a polished concrete dance floor. The building was in dire need of repairs, particularly the roof, which originally was tin, Summers said. Other improvements include upgrades to the heating and cooling systems and sound system. A new 4-foot, 6-inch stage was added on the west side of the venue. The roof over the original stage was removed and a box-like structure was installed above the stage, providing more room to hang speakers, lights and other equipment. Also, the ballroom’s original 72-foot by 140-foot maple dance floor was refurbished. Summers told the Business Record he hopes to host at least 100 events per year at the Val Air, which holds up to 2,500 guests.

Prime and Providence high-end, modern steakhouse concept opens in West Des Moines 

Chef Dominic Iannarelli opened the doors in May on what he called the “fancy but not formal” Prime & Providence restaurant in West Des Moines. Iannarelli told the Business Record that the new concept is “not your grandfather’s steakhouse.” The upscale restaurant is located in the five-story 595 Tower building at 595 S. 60th St., developed by DRA Properties, which will be home to several other businesses, with condominiums on the upper floors. Iannarelli, 44, is an Iowa State University alumnus with a degree in hotel restaurant management. The majority of his career was spent as executive chef at the downtown seafood restaurant Splash. He later started the Jethro’s franchise with Bruce Gerleman. The concept of Prime & Providence was developed post-COVID, and when he learned of the Tower development, Iannarelli said he knew the time was right to move forward. Iannarelli said he is the only certified importer of Kobe beef in Iowa and that Prime & Providence is the only restaurant that serves the rich-tasting brand of beef in the state. “It’s a very ambitious project and there are very few restaurateurs out there who do something like this,” Iannarelli said. “The wood-fired part separates us from our other steakhouse competitors, along with the full oyster bar and shellfish program. Nobody does anything quite like this.” Appetizers and side dishes also get special attention, said Iannarelli, who sources his produce from local partners.

ChildServe raises over $10 million for expanded Des Moines location

The specialty pediatric health care nonprofit ChildServe exceeded its $10 million capital campaign goal in October to relocate its Des Moines facility from Woodland Avenue to a new site near the corner of 48th Street and Franklin Avenue. The upgrade will more than double the square footage of ChildServe’s current space. In 2022, a vacant medical building on the site was razed after it was acquired by Neighborhood Development Corp. ChildServe will build a new facility on the site. ChildServe CEO Dr. Teri Wahlig said the organization has “simply outgrown” its current facility. “Our current waitlists for our signature programs continue to grow, so we know now is the right time to invest in the future for Iowa children and families,” Wahlig said in a prepared statement in February. The 20,000-square-foot facility will also include an added neurobehavioral clinic. Capacity for current services, including medical child care, its autism day program and rehabilitation therapy services, will increase tenfold at the new location.