Learn How To Be An All-star at Our NEXT: Your City Event

I’m a pretty big sports fan, so when I think of our “NEXT: Your City” event scheduled for Tuesday, I can’t help but describe it with a sports analogy.

We have an all-star lineup.

If you are a young professional, and you want to shape the future of this great city, listen up: This event is worth the price of admission, for sure (which, of course, is free if you are Young Professionals Connection (YPC) member).

We’ve got the big names: Steve Zumbach, Jay Byers, Angela Connolly, Chris Diebel, Teree Caldwell-Johnson.

We’ve got many of the key players in our region represented with the likes of The Tomorrow Plan, the Des Moines Music Coalition, and Capital Crossroads, just to name a few.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s get ready to rumble.

Why YPC Members Should Attend

Here’s why this event is so important. As an active member of YPC and a reporter at the Business Record for the past few years, I’ve learned this to be true: There are major opportunities for our citizens to shape this city.

I’ve heard it over and over from business leaders: Our city is unique in that way. Our business leaders time and time again have asked “what do we need?” and delivered.

But one of the really cool things about Greater Des Moines is that you don’t have to be a business leader, or a politician, or really have a title of any kind to get involved and shape Des Moines. The opportunities are there, and they are plentiful. You just have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Our keynote speaker, Steve Zumbach, is a great example. Yes, he’s a business leader. But his impact in shaping this city extends far beyond his career at Belin McCormick law firm. Steve was one of the leaders in the formation of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, and my guess is he would tell you that his civic and charitable duties are every bit as important as his business duties.

Let me share an anecdote. Growing up, and even in my college years, I sometimes felt like there wasn’t enough fun stuff to do in the towns I was living in. So what did we do? We would create our own fun. We’d make up a game, or we’d dress up for Halloween.

I have often felt Greater Des Moines (DSM) is much the same way. A city like Chicago doesn’t have to work to be “cool” or “world class.” Des Moines does. And we have. Because of that we ARE cool and world class.

We are that way because of the people. Our people, young and old, look at Des Moines and say, “you know, it’d be cool if we had this.” And then they make it happen.

You can make it happen. You can be an all-star.

We’ll see you Tuesday.

NEXT: Your City
Tuesday, April 29, 5:30-8: p.m.
Capital Square, 300 Locust St.

 Kyle Oppenhuizen