Lead DSM

Lead DSM is proud to announce the recipients of our 2026 Distinguished Leadership Awards:

🏆 Robert Andeweg
Recipient of the A. Arthur Davis Community Leadership Award, sponsored by Dentons Davis Brown

🏆 Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines
Recipient of the Workplace Community Leadership Award, sponsored by Holmes Murphy

Robert Andeweg has dedicated decades to public service and community leadership, helping bring people together to advance solutions that benefit our region. Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to developing leaders and supporting meaningful community engagement throughout the workplace.

We invite our alumni community to join us in recognizing these outstanding honorees during the Annual Alumni Reunion on June 24 at Utopia Park at ITA Group.

Together, we'll celebrate leadership, reconnect with fellow alumni, and honor those whose contributions continue to make a lasting impact on Greater Des Moines.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, ITA Group Inc., and event sponsor, R&R Realty Group, for helping make this celebration possible.

Register today: https://members.leaddsm.org/events

Summer often brings a welcome change of pace—and an opportunity to invest in yourself again.

Join us for our upcoming Leadership Workshop on July 9:

Connect with Confidence: A Dale Carnegie Workshop on Essential Networking Tools
Facilitated by Carissa Rainey

Strong relationships are at the heart of effective leadership. This interactive workshop will provide practical tools to help you build confidence, strengthen professional connections, and expand your network with intention.

Whether you're looking to advance your career, deepen community connections, or sharpen your leadership skills, you'll leave with strategies you can put into practice immediately.

Register today → https://members.leaddsm.org/events

We hope you'll join us.

You chose Lead DSM for a reason.

-Maybe it was to grow as a leader.
-Maybe it was to better understand Greater Des Moines.
-Maybe it was to build relationships with people who care deeply about this community.

Whatever brought you here then, still matters today.

Our Annual Alumni Reunion is an opportunity to reconnect with the classmates, conversations, and connections that made your experience meaningful in the first place.

Join alumni from across all programs and generations for an evening of community, live music, great food, and celebration.

Because some connections are worth revisiting. Reconnect. Reengage.

Thank you to our sponsors ITA Group Inc., Dentons Davis Brown, Holmes Murphy, R&R Realty Group, and Foster Group for making this experience possible.

Register here → https://members.leaddsm.org/events

The opportunities that shape your future often come through relationships.

-A board member who recommends you.
-A mentor who challenges you.
-A colleague who opens a door.
-A connection that turns into a partnership.

The most effective leaders understand that relationship building isn't a soft skill. It's a leadership skill.

We're excited to welcome Carissa Rainey for our upcoming Dale Carnegie workshop, "Connect with Confidence".

This session is designed to help leaders build stronger professional relationships, create meaningful connections, and engage with greater confidence in both professional and community settings.

Because leadership is rarely built alone.

Register today to join us on July 9 - https://members.leaddsm.org/events

Yesterday, Lead DSM alumni had the opportunity to go behind the scenes at On With Life and learn more about the extraordinary work taking place every day to help individuals rebuild their lives following brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, and other neurological conditions.

Serving individuals and families from Iowa and across the country, On With Life provides a continuum of care that extends far beyond rehabilitation. Their team helps people regain independence, rebuild confidence, and navigate a new path forward after some of life's most challenging moments.

Our alumni also had the opportunity to visit the sensory garden created by the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Class of 2017. Nearly a decade later, the project continues to serve individuals and families on their recovery journey—a powerful reminder that leadership and service can create lasting impact long after a project is complete.

Thank you to On With Life CEO Jean Shelton for welcoming us into the space, to Brian Clark (GDMLI '01) for sharing his story, to Sara Wilson and Tammy Miller for facilitating such an amazing experience for our group, and to the On With Life team and persons served for sharing your mission, your expertise, and the stories behind the work. We left with a deeper appreciation for the lives being changed within your walls and the hope you provide to so many every day.

Good conversations deserve a good soundtrack.

We're excited to welcome local musician Tony Bohnenkamp to this year's Annual Alumni Reunion. With decades of experience as a performer, producer, songwriter, and composer, Tony has been a fixture of the Greater Des Moines music scene for years. From dueling piano shows to local bands and recording projects, his passion for music has touched audiences across Iowa.

As you reconnect with classmates, meet fellow alumni, and celebrate our community, Tony's live performance will provide the perfect backdrop for an evening of conversation and connection.

A special thank you to our host ITA Group Inc., our venue sponsor R&R Realty Group, and to Foster Group for sponsoring this portion of the event and helping create an unforgettable experience for our alumni community.

Join us June 24.

Reconnect. Reengage.

Register here → https://leaddsm.org/events

Many of the relationships that shape our careers begin with a simple conversation and are strengthened through intentional connection over time.

On July 9, join us for Connect with Confidence, a Dale Carnegie workshop led by Carissa Rainey. Together, we'll explore practical strategies for building authentic professional relationships, creating stronger connections, and developing the confidence to engage with others in meaningful ways.

Whether you're leading a team, growing your career, building a business, or expanding your community impact, the ability to build and maintain strong relationships remains one of the most valuable leadership skills you can develop.

Because success is rarely built alone.

Register here → https://leaddsm.org/events

Five years. Ten years. Fifteen years.

No matter how long it's been since your Lead DSM experience, the relationships and connections often stay with you far longer than the program itself.

If your class is celebrating a milestone anniversary this year, we hope you'll join us for the Annual Alumni Reunion, graciously hosted by ITA Group Inc., on June 24.

It's a chance to reconnect with classmates, strengthen old connections, and spend an evening with fellow leaders over great food, live music, and even better company.

Check in with your classmates. Send a text. Start an email chain. Make plans to attend together.

Reconnect. Reengage. Register here → https://leaddsm.org/events

Some connections pick right back up no matter how much time has passed.

Join us on June 24 for the Lead DSM Annual Alumni Reunion as we reconnect with alumni from across programs and generations for an evening of community, conversation, and celebration.

The evening will also include recognition of this year’s A. Arthur Davis and Workplace Community Leadership Award recipients.

Whether it’s been a few months or a few years since your program experience, we’d love to see you there.

Register today - https://members.leaddsm.org/events