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!
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.
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!
Be ready to attend the 2018-2019 meetings by renewing your membership.
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.
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.”
We all know how busy March can get ... basketball tournaments, spring break trips, St. Patrick's Day festivities ... a variety of options.
So this month, in lieu of our monthly luncheon, we ask you to join us in giving two hours of your time to the local, downtown non-profit Oakridge Neighborhood spending part of an afternoon next week with the children reading, crafting, playing games and just helping to brighten their afternoon.
Thursday, March 22
Oakridge Neighborhood - Variety Center at 1401 Center Street (Downtown Des Moines)
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
RSVP to krism@millsmarketing.com.
Oakridge Neighborhood the most culturally diverse neighborhood in Des Moines; it’s a place where people can raise families safely while working toward self-reliance. They call it the intersection of opportunity and community. One service being offered there is Oak Academy which provides high quality child care and early enrichment education to infants and toddlers and prepares preschoolers to enter kindergarten ready to learn and on a level playing field with other children in their respective classes. Oak Academy serves not only children who call Oakridge Neighborhood home, but also children from across the Des Moines Metro. The Academy utilizes the research based Creative Curriculum, which is based on principles of child development, individualized for each child and incorporating culturally relevant practices.
After the event, we’ll be meeting at Hello, Marjorie for a social hour.