Reflections from DMDC and Other Recent Celebrations
At the beginning of June, I attended the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s annual DMDC trip to Washington, D.C.
This trip was the culmination – or maybe just the continuation – of a truly momentous period for the organization and Greater Des Moines region.
From the moment our trip began, I could feel the energy. With 175 leaders in attendance, and more than a third of them being first-time attendees, everyone was charged with making at least five new connections. I’m sure most people exceeded that.
Here are some of the takeaways I had throughout my time on the trip as well as other recent activities.
We Have One Voice
Our region’s ability to advocate with one voice helps us stand out in our federal policy efforts. This is evident in the time and access our Congressional delegation and their staff members grant us.
Members of our delegation joined us for a breakfast panel discussion, an evening reception and many meetings with trip attendees. We also had the opportunity to work with their staff members throughout the trip. We are grateful for their time.
Our Federal Policy Agenda is regional and non-partisan in nature. It is developed by The Partnership’s Government Policy Council, which is made up of Partnership Investors and Affiliate Chamber Members. This year, we advocated for four Featured Priorities: Regional Transportation, Permitting Reform, Workforce Funding and Programs, and Housing. Each of our policy teams related to these priorities made progress in advancing our goals.
The trip is a microcosm of what we do so well as a region. In D.C., we work to advance priorities that are important to long-term growth in Greater Des Moines.
Regional Collaboration Helps Us Succeed
It was great to have so many of our city leaders on the trip so we could celebrate together, in person, the recent news that Vylor, Corteva’s future independent seed and genetics business, will locate its headquarters in Johnston. Attracting this project required the type of collaboration across jurisdictions that I don’t believe many other regions, if any, could have pulled off.
A total of 14 cities across the Greater Des Moines region formally supported the project, even though only Johnston was in the running to gain the project. They understood its importance and how it will benefit businesses and people across the region. It was fitting to have many of those cities with elected leaders and city staff together to continue to advocate for regional priorities in addition to the priorities specific to their city.
The Partnership is Best in Class
While on the trip, we found out that The Partnership had been recognized through a series of national honors.
The Partnership earned accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in recognition of its sound policies, effective organizational procedures and positive impact on the community. It was a fortunate coincidence that the day the U.S. Chamber awarded this accreditation, one of its team members was already scheduled to give an update to our trip leaders. Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told us “you are in elite status of the elite status.”
The same day, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives publicly named The Partnership a finalist for its Chamber of the Year award, the highest distinction in the chamber of commerce industry. This is the first time The Partnership has been a finalist for this award and the first time it has earned accreditation from the U.S. Chamber.
The Future is Bright
The night before DMDC began, The Partnership hosted the kickoff session for the DSM Intern Connection program, welcoming more than 200 attendees. The event was so popular that the team had to add an overflow area. Overall, more than 500 students have registered for the series this summer.
Then, a week after the DMDC trip, the first session of The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective for high school students took place in Greater Des Moines and five satellite sites throughout the state and in St. Paul, Minnesota.
These young leaders are preparing for the future, and we hope to see many of them take on leadership roles in our community as they grow their career here. They could be part of the next group to collaborate on a major project or advocate for Greater Des Moines in Washington, D.C.
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