Thursday, April 18

Downtown Embassy Club - Ruan Building

11:45 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Teahl Bader, Executive Director of Single Parent Provision

Single Parent Provision is a non-profit organization providing valuable programs, services, and events to single parents and their families. Their mission is to glorify God by partnering with single parents to help strengthen their lives and the lives of their families. With 30% of children in Iowa raised in a single parent home, the opportunity for impact is great, and Single Parent Provision meets that opportunity with optimism and hope. In under six years, Single Parent Provision has grown 851% in the number of unique single parents and children served.

Teahl Bader has served as Executive Director of Single Parent Provision since the organization’s inception in 2014. She herself is a single mother and was raised by a single father. She shares those characteristics with others a part of the organization, as each board and staff member are either a current single parent, former single parent, or were raised in a single parent home, collectively putting them in a strong position to understand the unique needs of single parent families and how best to meet them.

Single Parent Provision Website

Thursday, March 21

The Grumpy Goat Tavern  - 1303 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA

4:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Come join us for our March social event.  We'll have appetizers and beer.  Just bring your "thirst" to meet new people!

Grumpy Goat Tavern - Des Moines

Thursday, February 21

Downtown Embassy Club - Ruan Building

11:45 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Iowa Bicycle Coalition

Mark Wyatt is executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, an organization he helped create in 2004.  The group runs several large bike tours and events including the Iowa Bike Expo, RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party, Bacoon Ride, Pigtails Ride, and the new Big Rove Ride.  The organization's main focus is on policy advocacy with the Iowa Legislature and Iowa DOT.  Mark will be riding his 18th RAGBRAI this year.  

Iowa Bicycle Coalition Website

Thursday, January 17

Downtown Embassy Club - Ruan Building

11:45 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Self Manage with Self Awareness

Drive better results with knowing how you can leverage your natural talents to influence clients, coworkers, and employees.   If you can inspire people, you can lead them.

Opportunity to complete a personality test (included with luncheon cost) that you can view from 3 dimensions; the DISC test, the Values/Motivators test, and the Innermetrix/Attribute Index.

Jim Immel Jim had a successful sales career with Principal Financial Group prior to starting Immel and Associates in February 1999.   Jim’s coaching practice allows him to help develop those who influence others.   Jim helps leaders and sales teams improve their performance.   He is often introduced to help business owners with their succession planning.  Jim is driven by his belief that the foundation for successful succession plans begins with leaders and sales team who are prepared to have long-term success.

The assessment tools are an important part of Jim’s practice to help leverage individuals talents and experience while also becoming aware of natural blind spots.  

Thursday, December 20

Downtown Embassy Club - Ruan Building

11:45 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Chris Wood serves the mission of Make-A-Wish® Iowa as the Chief Development Officer.  He brings a diverse mix of professional experience in business development in the private sector cultivating partnerships on both a local and a national level.  Chris has lived in the Des Moines metro for nearly 17 years with a variety of stops along his career journey including roles at Dwolla, Meredith Corporation, KCCI-TV, and the Des Moines Register.  He has been an active member of the community through volunteer efforts for multiple nonprofit organizations and in leadership positions on local boards. He is a current member of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute – Community Leadership Program.  Having had a personal heart condition as a young child, he has a passion to focus his professional life on helping other children with life-threatening medical conditions.
 
Make-A-Wish Iowa creates life-changing wishes for children in Iowa with critical illnesses. The Foundation has granted wishes to more than 3,500 children in Iowa with critical illnesses since 1987.  A wish come true empowers children which can replace their fear with confidence, anxiety with joy, and sadness with hope. For many of them, it marks a turning point in their fight against their illnesses.

Jessica Dinh has served as a Volunteer Wish Granter for Make-A-Wish® Iowa since 2015. In this role she serves as an advocate and voice for wish children and provides family support from the beginning to the end of their wish experience. In 2016 she was awarded the Make-A-Wish® Iowa Rising Star Award and the Governor’s Volunteer Award for her dedication to Make-A-Wish® Iowa in 2017. Jessica also serves as an executive committee member for Inspire Iowa’s Future.

Jessica has worked as a nurse in a variety of areas including pediatrics, obstetrics and organ donation. She currently works as the Pediatric Simulator Educator for Blank Children’s Hospital in the Center for Advocacy and Outreach. Her nursing experience has given her valuable experience working with children and their families in difficult and life changing situations. This experience has fueled her passion for Make-A-Wish® Iowa, as she has seen first-hand the impact a wish can have for not only a child, but everyone around them.

Thursday, October 18

Downtown Embassy Club - Ruan Building

11:45 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Kris Saddoris serves as Vice President of Development for Hubbell Realty Company, directing the Development division of Hubbell.  She provides strategic insight and planning for the division and works with developments ranging from multi-family housing, mixed use development, affordable housing, retail and industrial warehouses.  Hubbell Realty currently has over one million square feet in approximately 1,000 units under development in Greater Des Moines, as well as Des Moines’ newest 75 acre urban neighborhood, Gray’s Station. 

She serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors for HOME, Inc., a local non-profit affordable housing developer and as Chair of the Downtown Economic Development Committee.  She is a member of ULI Iowa, CREW Iowa and was a national CREW Impact Award nominee.  Kris was named one of the “15 People to watch in 2016” by the Des Moines Register and recognized as the 2016 Citizen of the Year by the Downtown Des Moines Chamber.  Ms. Saddoris holds both a BS and an MBA degree from Iowa State University.

Thursday, September 13

Meet at the Iowa Taproom (East Village)

 Tour starts at 4 p.m. followed by drinks and appetizers (tour will last around an hour)

Join us as we kick off our 2018-2019 year with “Tour and Tap” Thursday, September 13.  This custom-designed, private walking tour experience through the Iowa Architectural Foundation will take us through the East Village with history expert, Steve Stimmel, AIA!

This is a great chance to network, take in all the sights as well as enjoy some beautiful Iowa Fall weather and get your history lesson to boot! There is no other more fitting place to start and end the tour then of course ... The Iowa Taproom, where we'll enjoy food and drink following the tour.

To learn more about the foundation, visit http://www.iowaarchfoundation.org/.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Thursday, May 17

Downtown Embassy Club - Ruan Building

11:45 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Justin Schoen is a founding board member and past President of the DMMC, and now helps coordinate sponsorship and outreach activities for the organization. Justin owns a marketing and growth consulting firm, Emerge LLC, and is a partner in Mars Cafe and Goquets.

He also serves on a number of other non-profit Boards, including current Board Chair of Central Iowa Shelter & Services.

He plays guitar, worked several years in concert promotions, and managed a touring act in college.

DMMC Website

Thursday, April 19

Downtown Embassy Club - Ruan Building

11:45 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Bob Mitchell, SPHR, is owner and President of Bob Mitchell & Associates, a Human Resources consulting firm.  He is a 34-year member and past president of the Downtown Kiwanis club, served two terms as Lt. Governor and is a Past Governor (Distinguished) of the Nebraska-Iowa District. 

His wife, Jan Burch, SPHR, is a 13-year member and also a past President of the Downtown Kiwanis club, has served two terms as Lt. Governor (Distinguished) and is currently serving as Governor of the Nebraska-Iowa District.  Professionally, Jan is the owner of Jan Burch & Associates, also a Human Resources consulting firm.

Bob and Jan have been heavily involved in the Kiwanis Miracle League at Principal Park since its inception.  He is a past president and is serving as Treasurer, she is the current President.  Together as members of the Ankeny Kiwanis club, they served on the Steering Committee of the Ankeny Miracle Park.  They have both served on many boards and in addition to the Kiwanis Miracle League; Bob is currently in his seventh year on the University of Iowa’s Alumni Association Board, and Jan is a past president of the Des Moines Community Playhouse. 

In 2009, Bob and Jan were named to the Iowa Volunteers of the Year Hall of Fame by Iowa Governor Culver for their role in leading the development of the Kiwanis Miracle League (KML).

They, along with the 17 members of the KML board of directors, truly believe “every child deserves a chance to play baseball.”

Kiwanis Miracle League Website