Opinion

27231

The Elbert Files: Highways to nowhere

My father, who died in 1990, would be shocked at the state of 21st-century American infrastructure. 

Willis Elbert was a materials inspector for the Iowa Department of Transportation, where one of his jobs required him …

27224

Guest Opinion: Engage in advocacy to further causes

As I walked along the Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge on the Principal Riverwalk during one of our warmer winter days, the critical role women have played as advocates for change became evident. From Carrie …

27208

The Elbert Files: Ink with a purpose

When James Taylor Guy was a teenager in Glendora, Calif., in the late 1990s, he wanted a tattoo like the one his grandfather, a Navy veteran, had. 

Guy, whose professional name is Taylor Made, and …

DSC 6869

Guest Opinion: Creating conversation to spark change

BY ELYSSA APPLETON | Corporate Communications, Mittera Group Editor’s Note: In October 2014, Elyssa Appleton was part of a group of people at Des Moines-based Mittera Group Inc. who launched a women’s group at the company.…
DSC 6869

Guest Opinion: Companies should capitalize on ‘mom skills’

BY JESSICA DUNKER | President and CEO, Iowa Restaurant Association 
I love hiring mothers.   Why?  Because “mom skills” are work skills on steroids.   Want team players who understand that everyone’s best interest has…
27185

The Elbert Files: United Way’s Des Moines roots

United Way of Central Iowa marks its 100th anniversary this year, making now a good time to begin a yearlong look at how it became one of the most consistently successful nonprofits in the country, …

27174

Guest Opinion: What I learned through unemployment

BY TERRI MORK SPEIRS | Director of marketing and communications, Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center

On my desk sits a blooming cactus, photos of my teenagers, and a mashup of papers, folders and projects in…
DSC 6869

Guest Opinion: Success and waiting tables

BY ANDREA HANSEN | Director of development, UnityPoint Health Foundation; co-founder, VenueFox
Editor’s Note: This is part one in a six-part series about the lessons Andrea Hansen learned as a server at Okoboji Grill, where staff…
27149

The Elbert Files: Iowa’s low-wage burden

An economic conundrum that has gone unresolved for decades is Iowa’s reputation for paying low wages.

Low pay is responsible for a large part of the so-called brain drain that has resulted in so many …

27147

The Elbert Files: Cranking up the GOP turnout

If you wonder why Donald Trump seemed so atypically gracious Monday night with his second-place finish in the Iowa Republican caucuses, it could be because he realized that the 45,427 votes he received was nearly…