Greater Des Moines Partnership Builds on 2025 Momentum, Unveils 2026 Strategic Priorities

GREATER DES MOINES, IA (Jan. 22, 2026) – The Greater Des Moines Partnership unveiled its 2026 Strategic Priorities and highlighted its 2025 accomplishments during its Annual Dinner on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center at the Iowa Events Center.  

In 2025, The Partnership achieved 100% of its Scorecard goals and delivered strong economic development, talent and quality-of-life results through regional collaboration. Working alongside state, local and private-sector partners, The Partnership completed 28 new and expanding business location and expansion projects across the region, including eight Downtown projects, and built its strongest economic development pipeline in years with 140 active project leads. 

That momentum is reflected in the scale of activity across the region, with more than $5.7 billion in capital investment and economic development activity currently underway in Greater Des Moines and an additional $2 billion in active projects in the pipeline. 

The Partnership also released its 2025 Annual Report highlighting progress across economic development, talent development, quality of life, small business support and regional storytelling. The report is available on The Partnership’s Call to Action page. 

“2025 was a year of focus, action and momentum for Greater Des Moines,” said Miriam Erickson Brown, President and CEO of Anderson Erickson Dairy and the 2025 Greater Des Moines Partnership Board Chair. “By working together across the region — with Partnership Investors, Affiliates, Regional Chamber Members working side-by-side with The Partnership Team and Board — we delivered meaningful results. This success reflects what’s possible when everyone is aligned around shared goals.” 

During the program, 2026 Partnership Board Chair Chris Costa, President and CEO of Knapp Properties, Inc. unveiled the six Strategic Priorities for 2026, which are designed to build on that momentum and support long-term, sustainable regional growth. 

The Partnership's 2026 Strategic Priorities are:

Economic Development: Increase regional economic development project leads, expand the pipeline of prospects and assist business location and expansions to keep Greater Des Moines competitive for larger and more complex projects.

Talent Development: Elevate the next generation of talent development programs across high school, college and early-career professionals with a focus on workforce readiness.

To advance this priority, The Partnership is expanding programming in 2026, spanning K-12, postsecondary, early-career, leadership and civic engagement, including: 

• The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective for high school students to build professional development skills and career readiness.
• DSM Intern Connection, including the newly expanded regional internship and engagement model.
• K-12 career exploration support for trades, manufacturing and the insurance and finance industries.
• New and emerging leader development program to strengthen the next generation of organizational leaders.
• A new civic leadership program designed to connect regional leaders through collaboration, civility and community impact. 
• Grow Young Professionals Connection (YPC) and the new YPC Regional Council.
• New skills-based hiring initiative to activate connections between skills and career opportunities.

Quality of Life: Enhance quality of life and foster a strong sense of place by leveraging community research, advancing Affiliate Chamber support and delivering marquee events that strengthen regional vibrancy.

• The Partnership  is partnering with the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) on a first-of-its-kind model to provide ACCE Membership for all Partnership Affiliate Chambers.
• The Partnership will launch a Shared Services Model designed to support Affiliates with financial, payroll and human resources services to further support Chamber partners.
• Additionally, The Partnership will host the third annual Regional Summit on October 8, 2026. 

AI and Innovation: Strengthen Greater Des Moines' innovation ecosystem through AI-focused, multi-generational workforce resources and cross-sector partnerships.

• The Partnership will create a regional AI Skills and Fluency tool to support workforce capacity and work with higher education and industry partners to advance business growth.  

Position Greater Des Moines for the future: Convene leaders, connect on regional priorities & deepen Investor engagement.

• This work includes launching the Greater Des Moines CEO Master Class Corporation and Storyboard Advisors, and continuing collaboration with Capital Crossroads on housing and education initiatives. 

Storytelling: Amplify stories about the Greater Des Moines people, businesses and communities to showcase the region’s growth, opportunity and quality of life.

• The Partnership has launched The Greater Des Moines Story, an innovative new storytelling hub designed to share positive news and updates from across the region.

"The region continues to outperform expectations because leaders across the region are willing to collaborate, invest and think long term,” said Costa. “These Strategic Priorities reflect where Greater Des Moines is today and where we’re going — boldly pursuing economic development success, building the workforce, advancing innovation and strengthening the region for the future.”

"Greater Des Moines is at its best when leadership and innovation go hand in hand,” said Tiffany Tauscheck, President and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. “With the large amount of capital investment underway and more in the pipeline, our 2026 Strategic Priorities reflect a shared commitment to move the region forward by aligning leadership, ideas and action to drive long-term success for our region.”

The Partnership also announced its 2026 Board of Directors and Executive Board. In addition to Costa’s role as Chair and Erickson Brown’s role as Past Chair, Dan Keough with Holmes Murphy and Deanna Strable with Principal Financial Group will serve as Vice Chairs, April Schmaltz with Delta Dental of Iowa will serve as Secretary and Sean Vicente with KPMG LLP will serve as Treasurer. See the full list of the 2026 Greater Des Moines Partnership Board of Directors and Executive Board.

Together, these priorities position Greater Des Moines for continued growth, innovation and opportunity in 2026 and beyond. Learn more about The Partnership’s 2026 Strategic Priorities here. 

About the Greater Des Moines Partnership 
The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the largest regional business, economic development and talent development organization in Iowa and the second-largest regional chamber of commerce in the country, serving Greater Des Moines counties including: Adair, Clarke, Dallas, Guthrie, Jasper, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Polk, Poweshiek, Tama and Warren. Together with more than 400 Investors and an Affiliate Chamber of Commerce network of more than 7,200 Regional Business Members, The Partnership helps businesses grow and advances quality of life in Greater Des Moines with one voice, one mission and as one region, contributing to a vibrant regional economy. Learn more at DSMpartnership.com.