A Legacy of Hope Continues to Shape Our Region

This guest column was originally written and published in the Business Record.

As leaders in Greater Des Moines, we benefit from the work of past generations who dedicated themselves to making our region strong.

For the 125th anniversary celebration of our organization in 2013, we worked with Business Publications Corporation to publish a book commemorating the history of our organization, titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” The name was a nod to the strong leaders who came before and a reminder of our charge to be the giants that shape the region for the next generation.

A year ago, we lost one of those giants. Jay Byers.

Jay’s legacy will continue to be felt for decades in our community, in the Greater Des Moines Partnership and in so many of our lives.

In the year since Jay’s passing, I have often reminded myself of the power each of us has to make a difference in someone else’s life — by being kind to those around us, showing up for one another or even something as simple as sending a quick note to let someone know you are thinking about them.

I have also been continually reminded, and appreciative, of the lasting impact Jay had on Greater Des Moines.

He loved this region. His influence remains all around us, including in many of the projects and progress we celebrate and continue to advance. Projects including the new terminal project at the Des Moines International Airport, the Lauridsen Skatepark, the Pro Iowa Stadium and Global Plaza and the Iowa Confluence (ICON) Water Trails, to name a few.

Jay had the ability to see the vision for these projects, sometimes before others did.

Jay enjoyed chess, often playing games with team members on a board outside his office. He used those same skills to map out multiple pathways to champion support and navigate obstacles on major projects. Jay had a saying for when things weren’t going as planned — when projects were especially challenging or their future uncertain. He would simply say “Give them hope …”

Those words have stayed with me especially this past year — and they continue to guide how we approach our work together.

The hope he inspired will always be with us.

The “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants” book is still in circulation around our office, and our team uses it often to refer to historical facts and perspectives.

The first page of the book includes a letter co-written by Jay that says, “Moving forward, the Greater Des Moines Partnership remains committed to continuing to play a lead role in advancing our region as we work together to build the future of Central Iowa on the shoulders of the giants who came before us.”

Let’s be honest: That was a wordy sentence. But as Jay often reminded us, every word matters, and I can promise you every one of those words mattered to him. For me, these words stand out above the others: “work together to build the future.”

Just as he said then, I believe Jay would tell us today that the future of our region is what we make it. By working together.

Our time is now. Let’s carry on the legacy of those who came before us, and ensure the Greater Des Moines region is strong for future generations.