The Regional Summit
The Regional Summit brings together public, private and nonprofit leaders from the 12-county region to connect, learn and collaborate on forward-thinking solutions. The event programming fosters dialogue and strategies addressing various opportunities and challenges faced by rural, urban and suburban communities, with the goal of advancing Greater Des Moines (DSM) as a top region for economic and talent development.
Secure Your Spot for the 2025 Regional Summit
Join the Greater Des Moines Partnership on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, for a day of connection, collaboration and big-picture thinking. The event will take place at the Iowa Events Center.
Register
2025 Keynote Speaker - James Chung

James Chung is President of Reach Advisors, a Boston-based strategy and predictive analytics firm. His work focuses on building community, serving some of the nation’s leading organizations involved in economic development, real estate development, community philanthropy and cultural investment. He also co-founded a machine learning startup spun out of Reach Advisors to generate localized economic forecasting, which was acquired by the world’s largest commercial real estate valuations firm. He continues to innovate as a co-founder of a reading-focused tech startup based in Paris. He is particularly interested in topics such as how the era of tech advancement and machine learning impacts (positively and negatively) the advancement of organizations and cities and how the expansion of educational and cultural capital builds and strengthens communities.
Chung will deliver a data-driven keynote that builds on his prior analyses of DSM rise as a standout mid-sized metro in the U.S. His previous presentations in 2018 and 2020 identified the underlying drivers behind DSM’s growth and vibrancy. At the 2025 Summit, Chung will revisit those findings and share what’s shifted, what still holds true, and which focus areas are key to sustaining the region’s momentum through the rest of the decade.
Programming at the Summit
Programming for the 2025 Summit will include keynote remarks, breakout sessions, panel discussions and networking.
Attendees are invited to attend The Partnership’s annual Economic Impact Awards during lunch. A 40-year tradition, these awards honor companies that have made significant contributions to the economic and community vitality of DSM.
More programming information will be announced at a later date.
2025 Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors for making the Regional Summit possible. Their support helps bring together leaders from across the region to tackle key challenges and inspire future growth in the Greater Des Moines region.
Platinum
Gold
Bronze
Grinnell College | NCMIC | RSM
Get Involved
Interested in getting involved? Reach out to Kathryn Smith, Director of Community Engagement at The Partnership, at (515) 286-4914 or ksmith@DSMpartnership.com for more information on available sponsorship opportunities.