Trust and Collaboration Make Good Dairy Products and Good Communities

There is a lot involved during a typical day at Anderson Erickson Dairy (AE). 

From the moment fresh milk arrives from Iowa family farms, AE employees rely on one another to complete each step in the process, from testing and production to packaging and delivery. We know the final results depend on every employee’s contribution as a whole. Even when things don’t go exactly as planned, such as the time our cocoa supplier unexpectantly sent a cocoa variation that gave our chocolate milk a slight chocolate cake batter flavor, we work together to make things right!

Collaboration Across the Greater Des Moines (DSM) Region

The best outcomes always include clear communication, creative problem-solving and staying focused on our top priority: serving our customers well. Our work at AE Dairy is rooted in trust, commitment and collaboration.

That same spirit fuels the work of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Its team, Investors, Affiliates and stakeholders throughout the Greater Des Moines (DSM) region all work together to tackle challenges and seize opportunities across rural, urban and suburban areas. Just as AE’s success depends on every employee, our region’s progress depends on everyone doing their part. While our communities may span rural, urban and suburban geographies, we are united by shared challenges, shared opportunities and, most importantly, shared goals.

2025 Greater Des Moines Regional Summit

That’s why I’m excited to invite you to the second annual Regional Summit on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Iowa Events Center. This event brings together leaders across the public, private and nonprofit sectors from all corners of our region. The goal? To connect, learn and collaborate on the most pressing challenges and opportunities we face, from workforce, to housing, to water quality, to economic growth. 

We are thrilled to welcome James Chung, President of Reach Advisors, as this year’s keynote speaker. Among Chung’s clients are U.S. cities wanting to peer deeply into his datasets. He says he extracts data even the U.S. government doesn’t have — to flush out weaknesses, identify opportunities, and gain competitive advantages over other cities. Chung’s keynote presentation will revisit insights he previously shared about DSM in 2018 and 2020, when he identified unmatched growth among mid-sized metros.

He will offer an updated and compelling view on what still holds true, what has changed and where we should focus our efforts as we plan for the future.

The 2025 Regional Summit is about moving forward together, with intention. It’s about listening to our neighbors in rural, suburban and urban communities; sharing what’s going well and acknowledging where we need to roll up our sleeves. Our work ultimately helps create communities where people choose to put down roots, start businesses and build their lives. Together, our commitment to each other leads to success. 

Join me for the 2025 Regional Summit by registering here.