CAPITAL CROSSROADS ANNOUNCES ROADMAP FOR CENTRAL IOWA’S FUTURE

GREATER DES MOINES, IA (Jan. 10, 2023) – Capital Crossroads has announced the next regional vision plan, Central Iowa’s Roadmap to Opportunity and Prosperity for All. Through robust community input, research and data review, the Capital Crossroads Roadmap identifies six critical outcomes including:

• Regionalism: Collaborating among communities to address challenges and promote economic development.
• Equity & Inclusion: Working to ensure all people have equitable access to resources, opportunities and benefits that foster inclusion, prosperity and regional growth.
• Placemaking: Using an integrated and strategic approach to develop public spaces as a regional portfolio to maximize accessibility and promote diverse and inclusive use.
• Workforce Housing: Identifying workforce housing that meets demand, aligns with regional employment and is conveniently located near jobs, ensuring accessible housing options for the workforce.
• Job Growth: Developing a curated network of career pathways that strategically attract, retain and advance top talent globally, fostering ongoing innovation, job growth and a thriving workforce.
• Education: Cultivating comprehensive education and high-quality childcare that prepares the next generation to flourish in the evolving workforce future.

Four Capital Crossroads Cornerstones were created to deliver on these critical outcomes. These Cornerstones are a focused grouping of goals and actions that will advance regional collaboration among stakeholder groups.

• Economic Opportunity and Prosperity
• Community and Cultural Connections
• Thriving Neighborhoods
• Youth Investment

“The Capital Crossroads Roadmap is one of the most collaborative regional plans to date and sets a new standard of collective visioning. I’m looking forward to putting this Roadmap into action and seeing the impact it will make for future generations,” said Dan Houston, Chairman, President and CEO of Principal Financial Group® and Chair of Capital Crossroads Regional Council.

Leading this work will be the new Capital Crossroads Executive Director, Kaity Patchett, and the Capital Crossroads Regional Council. Patchett will leverage her expertise as a collaborator and leader as well as her marketing and government experience to build on community vitality and improve quality of life in Central Iowa through the work of the Capital Crossroads Roadmap. Patchett’s first day is Jan. 16.

The Regional Council will serve as leaders and liaisons to the community to help activate and support the Capital Crossroads Roadmap. This group is chaired by Teree Caldwell-Johnson, President of Oakridge Neighborhood Services; Courtney Clarke, Mayor of the City of Waukee; Dan Houston, Chairman, President and CEO of Principal Financial Group; Ben McLean, CEO of Ruan Transportation Management Systems; and Dr. Ian Roberts, Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools.

“We are excited about the regionality of the Capital Crossroads Roadmap. With intentional community engagement, we will be able to bring this initiative to life through a thoughtful and responsive approach that ensures its success, addresses the diverse needs of our communities and provides equitable opportunity and prosperity for all,” said Mayor Clarke and Chair of Capital Crossroads Regional Council.

Regional Council Members

Brad Anderson, AARP – Iowa
Marquas Ashworth, Ashworth Development/Ziyad Rye
Rob Barron, Iowa and Minnesota Campus Compact
Mayor Connie Boesen, City of Des Moines
Jay Byers, Simpson College
Kenia Calderon Ceron, GreenState Credit Union
Teree Caldwell-Johnson, Oakridge Neighborhood Services
Jen Carruthers, 11 Eleven Productions
Matt Carstens, Landus
Mayor Courtney Clarke, City of Waukee
Miriam De Dios Woodward, ViClarity
Angie Dethlefs-Trettin, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
Sally Dix, BRAVO Greater Des Moines
Greg Edwards, Catch Des Moines
Dan Houston, Principal Financial Group
Hannah Inman, Great Outdoors Foundation
Laura Jackson, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa
Nalo Johnson, Midlowa Health Foundation
Ardis Kelley, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines
Kristi Knous, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
Kathryn Kunert, MidAmerican Energy Company
Janice Lane Schroeder, Children and Families of Iowa
Greg Lin, Drake University
Derek Lord, City of Ankeny
Matt McCoy, Polk County Board of Supervisors
Ben McLean, Ruan Transportation Management Systems
Dylan Mullenix, Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Jackie Norris, Horizon Group (Formerly SPPG) and Chair of the Des Moines School Board
Toby O’Berry, Polk County Housing Trust Fund
Dr. Erick Pruitt, Ankeny Community School District
Dr. Ian Roberts, Des Moines Public Schools
Kuuku Saah, Ntontan RE
Scott Sanders, City of Des Moines
Claudia Schabel, Schabel Solutions
Mary Sellers, United Way of Central Iowa
Courtney Shaw, Greater Des Moines Partnership
David Stark, UnityPoint Health – Des Moines
Julie Stewart, Altoona City Council and Prairie Meadows
Mak Sućeska, Polk County
Tiffany Tauscheck, Greater Des Moines Partnership
Rick Tollakson, Hubbell Realty Group
Mayor Russ Trimble, City of West Des Moines
Amanda Wanke, Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART)
Wendy Wintersteen, Iowa State University

The Capital Crossroads Roadmap aims to amplify, accelerate and build upon existing work carried out across the region, and to honor and align with the priorities, activities and goals captured within those plans and strategies. It is designed to reaffirm a set of regional goals, create new community connections, establish partnership and provide spaces and a timeline to share success and pivot as new challenges arise in Central Iowa.

You can find the full plan on the Capital Crossroads website here.

About Capital Crossroads

Capital Crossroads is a collaboration of regional organizations, leaders and residents to develop a focused, ambitious and sustainable roadmap for Central Iowa. It serves as a forum to connect diverse stakeholders and unite their efforts across four Capital Crossroads Cornerstones: Economic Opportunity and Prosperity; Community and Cultural Connections; Thriving Neighborhoods; and Youth Investment. Capital Crossroads creates impact and inspires action by creating a shared regional vision; convening influencers to elevate ideas; catalyzing impactful, large-scale initiatives; coordinating aligned efforts across communities; and celebrating and communicating successes and work in progress.