Capital Crossroads Wins National Award For Regional Stewardship
The Alliance for Regional Stewardship (ARS), an affiliate organization of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), awarded the Greater Des Moines Partnership its 2013 Organizational Champion Award for the Partnership’s work on behalf of “Capital Crossroads: A Vision for Greater Des Moines and Central Iowa.” The ARS recognizes one organization/region each year committed to building a strong and vibrant community based on the four principles of regional stewardship: an innovative economy, livable communities, social inclusion, and a collaborative style of governance. The Greater Des Moines Partnership accepted the ARS Organizational Champion Award on behalf of its plan partners: Bravo Greater Des Moines, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines Area MPO, Iowa State University, Prairie Meadows, and United Way of Central Iowa. The award was presented to Partnership CEO and Capital Crossroads Tri-Chair, Jay Byers, at ACCE’s annual convention which began Wednesday, July 24, 2013, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
“No community can afford to rest on its laurels,” said Gene Meyer, President of the Greater Des Moines Partnership and Capital Crossroads vision plan facilitator in the application for the award. “Today’s economy demands that local leaders do more than ever before to remain competitive for the highest-value employment and the most skilled talent the country has to offer. I’m privileged to live and work alongside regional partners who accept these challenges, and have worked tirelessly on the Capital Crossroads goals to remain viable in the changing competitive, national and global landscape.”
Capital Crossroads: A Vision for Greater Des Moines and Central Iowa brings a committed group of leaders together with an infusion of ideas and energy to ensure the Central Iowa region is growing and prospering for current and future generations. Greater Des Moines’ leaders drafted an aggressive five-year strategic plan to address the economic and social realities facing their community in the 21st Century. Capital Crossroads envisions Greater Des Moines and Central Iowa as a robust, sustainable community that offers unparalleled economic opportunity and spirit of cooperation to accomplish personal and professional achievement and satisfaction. Through its expanded geographic focus, inclusive outreach, aggressive program and project development, and sustainable implementation process, Capital Crossroads is the strategy taking Central Iowa from aspiration to accomplishment.
“It is a true honor for the Partnership to be recognized by our peers as a national leader in regional collaboration and strategic planning,” said Byers upon accepting the award. “We thank all of our regional partners for making Capital Crossroads a best in class regional vision plan and for working together to take Central Iowa to the next level.”
About the Partnership: The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization serving Central Iowa. Together with 20 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce and 4,700 business members which employ a workforce of more than 150,000, the Partnership works to grow opportunity, create jobs, and promote the best place to build a business, a career and a future.
About ARS: The nation’s premier peer-to-peer network of civic entrepreneurs working to build vibrant, globally competitive regions, the Alliance for Regional Stewardship is committed to the idea that strong and vibrant regional communities are built on an innovative economy, livable communities, social inclusion, and collaborative style of governance. The mission of ARS is to develop regional leaders and support regional initiatives that advance economic, social, and environmental progress in America’s metropolitan regions.
About ACCE: Established in 1914, ACCE is the only national association uniquely serving the professional development needs of individuals who manage chambers of commerce throughout the U.S. and several other countries. Representing 7,500 chamber professionals, ACCE enhances the knowledge, leadership skills, and management effectiveness of chamber executives and their staffs through education, publications, research, benchmarking, and best practices. For more information visit www.acce.org.
For more information, contact the Greater Des Moines Partnership at (515) 286-4950. Media inquiries should be directed to Susan Ramsey at (515) 286-4954 or sramsey@desmoinesmetro.com.