Des Moines Business Record

Meet Vanessa Carolina Marcano-Kelly, one of the Business Record's 2024 Forty Under 40. She owns Caracas Language Solutions LLC and is also a strategist at Principal Financial Group. In her first caucus after becoming a U.S. citizen, she petitioned the Iowa Democratic Party and helped lead the creation of one of six bilingual satellite caucus sites in Iowa. She also led the team that provided Spanish interpretation on Iowa PBS during Gov. Reynolds’ COVID-19 daily press briefings during the pandemic, while also assisting the Iowa Department of Human Rights with written translation and recorded summaries in Spanish. "I think Iowa needs a language access strategy, starting with a statewide language census that helps identify the needs and the prioritization of multilingual spaces," she says. Outside of work, dancing to EDM (electronic dance music) is her happy place. https://lnkd.in/guAK6GZN

The Greater Des Moines Partnership wrapped up its 45th annual three-day DMDC federal policy trip on Friday to Washington, D.C. Watch the Des Moines Business Record's interviews with four Central Iowa business and local government leaders recorded from Washington, D.C. about their takeaways from the event. We spoke with: - Tiffany Tauscheck, president and CEO, Greater Des Moines Partnership - Connie Boesen, mayor, city of Des Moines - Joseph Jones, chief of staff, Des Moines University president’s office; Windsor Heights City Council member - Grant Taylor, vice president, Hansen Company Inc. Watch the conversation here: https://lnkd.in/dCenxgbj

This week's Fearless e-newsletter was full of inspiration for empowering women. Natalie Mahoney writes about how employers and co-workers can support pregnant workers. Nicole Grundmeier talked with Liz Lidgett of Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design about why 50% of the art in the gallery is by women artists, which is wildly unusual. And Jasmine Brooks was hired as 6th Avenue Corridor’s executive director. Check it out here: #EmpoweringWomen #SupportingPregnantWorkers #WomenArtists #WomenLeaders

Happy 13th anniversary to our group publisher, Chris Conetzkey! For those who don’t know, Chris is one of the driving forces behind our growth and success. From his leadership position, Chris leads both Business Record and dsm magazine and sets and executes our program of work, which includes everything from our print products like the Business Record and dsm magazine to our in-person events to our digital platforms. His goal is to support BPC’s mission of being a strong and growing company that supports a strong and growing community. “We fill needs in the community with great products that people can learn from and, through their business or cultural impact, do something to make this community a great place to live and work,” Chris said. “During the last 10 or 15 years, the delivery mechanisms have changed, but the core goal hasn’t.” Chris’s dedication to our community is also a key motivator. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, he and his wife Kaci, a Florida native, didn’t always intend to stay in Des Moines. But after a few years, the city’s pull was undeniable. “One day, my wife and I looked around and realized something – our friends are here, the community supports us, and this is a great place to invest our time and energy into,” he said. “It wasn’t even a decision of whether we would leave. We just decided to make this place our home.” Chris, your work helps us shape the community we all love so much. We’re so glad you decided to stay, and we thank you for 13 years of leadership!

Join us Thursday, May 16 at 9 a.m. at Des Moines Heritage Center for our next Power Breakfast: Leadership in Changing Times. Persistent economic uncertainty and global disruption, coupled with the rapid evolution of technology and artificial intelligence, present new challenges and opportunities to today’s business leaders. The pace of change that started even before the pandemic is showing no sign of stopping. In addition to managing the rapid rate of change, leaders today are increasingly living in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) environment. In this Power Breakfast, learn from top leaders about how they are preparing themselves for change and leading their teams in a VUCA world. PANELISTS: Pete Brownell: chairman of the board, Brownells Miriam Erickson Brown: chair and CEO, AE Dairy Angela Franklin, Ph.D.: president and CEO, Des Moines University David Stark: chief of government, external affairs and philanthropy, UnityPoint Health Emily Steele: CEO and co-founder, Hummingbirds Tickets available at https://lnkd.in/gQBz-mxk

Meet Kiersten Maertens, one of the Business Record's 2024 Forty Under 40. She says her joy comes from helping others be successful. "That's why I quickly found my passion for advertising and client services at Flynn Wright. For more than 17 years, I've helped Flynn Wright, our clients and my team achieve personal and professional goals. It's incredibly rewarding." She once had a kindergarten teacher who often praised her “sunny disposition.” "Those words stuck," Maertens said. "And leading with that optimism has influenced my life. I believe in the power of faith, a positive attitude and a cup of coffee. And that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar." She aspires to create "a space for Christian women business leaders to build community and support, inspire each other, and find opportunities to become positive forces for change in our homes, workplaces and the community at large." https://lnkd.in/gkG3jNuu

Meet Lauren Kollauf, one of the Business Record's 2024 Forty Under 40. She serves as the executive director of Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand, where she's shepherded several public art projects to the district, including a staircase mural, the first of eight DART art shelters, the return of a public art projector and beautifying an alleyway. "I am passionate about feeling connected to my community – and helping others feel the same," she says. "This is what initially drew me to journalism and then nonprofit work. I believe that we, as humans, are at our best when we feel connected to others, especially those right in our neighborhoods." Outside of work, she values her roles as a mom, wife, sister, daughter and friend. She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2017 and has taught 700-plus classes at Power Life since then. https://lnkd.in/gjaFPwFm

Sean Willett took over the helm of Waterloo-based Lincoln Savings Bank just before the start of the year. Before he joined Lincoln Savings Bank, he was the chief administrative officer for a community bank in western and central New York. Prior to that, Willett was in investment banking at firms such as Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan. While Willett doesn’t have a traditional community banking background, he says his experience prepared him well for his new role and allows him to bring a fresh perspective to Lincoln Savings Bank. The Business Record recently sat down with Willett to talk about his strategy for Lincoln Savings Bank, current challenges in monetary policy and lending, and the role of a community bank today. https://lnkd.in/gXeva2Gc

Happy anniversary to Nicole Grundmeier, who celebrated her one-year milestone with BPC last week! Nicole has been doing an outstanding job as a copy editor at the Business Record by ensuring that our content maintains the highest standards of accuracy for our readers. As a reporter, Nicole has consistently brought attention to important community issues, particularly those concerning women’s and gender-related topics in Fearless, our weekly e-publication. “I feel a deep responsibility to Iowa women and girls,” Nicole said. “What I love about my job is that I have the time to report and write stories that no one else in Iowa is doing, like the maternal health care crisis.” A few months ago, Nicole wrote a story for Fearless about the Beacon, a nonprofit that supports formerly incarcerated women. “More often than not, these women are a victim of crime themselves. I wanted to look at this story from a mental health perspective,” Nicole said. “It’s a huge privilege and an honor to tell these stories.” Nicole, thank you sincerely for your dedication and contributions to BPC during your time here. We’re looking forward to your thorough reporting and precise copy editing for many years to come. Read Nicole’s story on the Beacon here: https://lnkd.in/gdxz5vtV

Join us Thursday, May 16 at 9 a.m. at Des Moines Heritage Center for our next Power Breakfast: Leadership in Changing Times. Persistent economic uncertainty and global disruption, coupled with the rapid evolution of technology and artificial intelligence, present new challenges and opportunities to today’s business leaders. The pace of change that started even before the pandemic is showing no sign of stopping. In addition to managing the rapid rate of change, leaders today are increasingly living in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) environment. In this Power Breakfast, learn from top leaders about how they are preparing themselves for change and leading their teams in a VUCA world. PANELISTS: Pete Brownell: chairman of the board, Brownells Miriam Erickson Brown: chair and CEO, AE Dairy Angela Franklin, Ph.D.: president and CEO, Des Moines University David Stark: chief of government, external affairs and philanthropy, UnityPoint Health Emily Steele: CEO and co-founder, Hummingbirds Tickets available at https://lnkd.in/gQBz-mxk