June 19, 2026
By: Tiffany Tauscheck, CCE, CDME, IOM
We are on the Winning Team in Greater Des Moines
This guest column was originally written and published in the Business Record.
This spring and summer, I’ve been watching my kids compete in baseball and dance competitions. While those moments are about much more than winning and losing, it’s hard to deny — it is more fun to win.
Like any team sport, economic development requires talent, strategy and collaboration. In Greater Des Moines, we have built a reputation for winning because we work together across sectors and jurisdictional boundaries to create wins for the entire region.
One recent example is the extraordinary regional effort to attract Vylor, Corteva’s future independent seed and genetics business, to locate its global headquarters in Johnston and the Greater Des Moines region.
The “Plant the HQ Here” campaign united public- and private-sector leaders from across the region, including the City of Johnston, Polk County, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), the Greater Des Moines Partnership, America’s Cultivation Corridor and many other regional partners.
Through this campaign, more than 725 individuals signed an online letter of support or provided letters of recommendation. What made this effort truly special was the level of support behind it.
A total of 14 cities across Greater Des Moines formally supported the project, despite knowing that only one city was being considered for the headquarters. Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Indianola, Johnston, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Urbandale, Waukee and Windsor Heights all adopted official city resolutions or submitted letters encouraging Vylor to choose Johnston and Greater Des Moines.
Think about that for a moment. Only Johnston was in the running to have Vylor within its city limits, yet 13 others still chose to put their support behind the project because they understood that economic development anywhere in the region creates opportunities for people and businesses throughout the region.
The original idea for cities to demonstrate official support came from Ankeny Economic Development Director Derek Lord, who said, “Corteva’s impact extends well beyond any one community. Thousands of employees, including many who live, work and spend time in Ankeny, contribute to a shared economy across Central Iowa. Supporting this effort reflects a broader commitment to securing long-term opportunities for job growth, investment and innovation that benefit the entire region.”
That perspective resonated across Greater Des Moines, and other cities jumped on board because they understood the significance of the opportunity and the regional impact it would create.
As Altoona Mayor Dean O’Connor noted, "This is exactly the kind of regional collaboration that moves Central Iowa forward. Altoona was glad to step up and be part of this effort. Opportunities like this don’t come around often, and when they do, it’s important that communities show up and work together. We’re proud to support Corteva and the future of SpinCo (now Vylor) because investments like this don’t just benefit one city — they strengthen the entire region."
City leaders in Johnston noticed.
“We are grateful for the support we received from cities throughout the region to bring the seed company’s global headquarters back home,” said Johnston Mayor Paula Dierenfeld. “It is a powerful testament of what we can accomplish when we work together. It took all of us pulling in the same direction at the same time to achieve a common goal, and we succeeded. We’re all winners because of it.”
The Vylor project is not an isolated example. We play to win here in Greater Des Moines because communities, businesses and partners understand the value of working together.
Other recent examples include:
Overall, our team has assisted with 15 economic development projects so far this year and is actively working on more than 75 economic development project leads. We are also aggressively pursuing additional qualified leads.
Regional collaboration doesn’t stop with economic development projects. That spirit was also on full display during The Partnership’s recent DMDC trip to Washington, D.C. A delegation of 175 leaders representing public, private and nonprofit organizations from counties and communities across the region came together to advocate for regional priorities with one unified voice.
But the magic of this trip extends beyond advocacy. It is also about the relationships and connections that are formed — connections that might otherwise take months or even years to build.
Among the most meaningful moments of the trip was a new feature – the “Daily DMDC Tip,” where longtime attendees shared insights to help others maximize their experience.
On Wednesday, we shared advice from our Government Policy Council Chair David Stark, Chief of Government Affairs & Philanthropy at UnityPoint Health, who challenged leaders to make five new connections during the trip. I think it’s safe to say most attendees exceeded that goal.
On Thursday, Julie Stewart, Chief Operating Officer at Prairie Meadows and a member of the Altoona City Council, encouraged attendees to embrace regional collaboration. On Friday, Joseph Jones, Chief Community Impact Officer at United Way of Central Iowa and a member of the Windsor Heights City Council, encouraged attendees to explore communities outside of where they live and work.
We are so fortunate to have leaders who understand the importance of a shared vision. That spirit of collaboration will continue to be one of Greater Des Moines’ most significant competitive advantages.
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