News

Young professionals help Des Moines make another Top 10 list

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Recent Des Moines rankings:

Des Moines ranks #2 for "Best Cities for Jobs." - Forbes, March 2012

Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market recognized as "One of America's Best." - Country Living Magazine, March 2012.

Greater Des Moines Ranks #1 Best City for Young Professionals - Forbes, July 2011

Des Moines ranks #2 Best Place for Business and Careers. - Forbes, June 2011

Des Moines is the #1 Richest Metro in the Nation. - US News & World Report, June 2011

Des Moines is the #1 City in the US for Home Renters. - Time Magazine, June 2011

Des Moines is the #3 Best City for Business. - MarketWatch

Des Moines ranks in the top 10 "Best Cities for the Next Decade." - Kiplinger

Des Moines ranks #5 for best cities for families. Based on great schools, affordable homes, low crime rates, jobs, and parkland. - Parenting Magazine, June 2011

Des Moines ranks #1 as the "Best Place for Business and Careers." – Forbes 2010

Des Moines is one of the 20 strongest-performing metro areas. - Brookings

Des Moines ranks #1 Best Cities for Clean Drinking Water - Forbes

Source: http://www.desmoinesmetro.com/regional-economic-development/research-and-statistics/rankings-and-ratings/">The Greater Des Moines Partnership

YPC Quarterly Connections - March 2011

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Young Professionals Connection Lauches Community Spotlight

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CONNECTION LAUNCHES COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Monthly Non-Profits to be featured

DES MOINES (February 14, 2011) – Extending its outreach to other non-profit organizations across the Metro, Young Professionals Connection launched a community spotlight in February. Continuing to build upon the monthly feature of an organization at the social networking events, the highlighted non-profit will also have a page on the YPC website.

“One of the greatest things about Des Moines is that there are so many ways to get involved and give back,” said Liz Lidgett, at-large board member for YPC. “I believe it's important to recognize these organizations making an impact, so young professionals have the chance to create a lifelong relationship with them as a volunteer.”

Ballet Des Moines, which has its largest event February 19^th, with a performance of Alice in Wonderland was the first organization to be noticed in the community spotlight. YPC will be looking to coordinate its spotlight timing with the featured organization’s staple event of the year. In a goal to show all Des Moines has to offer a different non-profit will be featured each month.

About Young Professional’s Connection (YPC): YPC's mission is to promote an environment that attracts and retains young professionals in Greater Des Moines. Efforts focus on connecting young professionals to each other and to the community through social, civic, charitable, and professional development endeavors. YPC is a focused extension of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, started when visionaries of the Partnership recognized that the 20-to-30-something age demographic needed a voice in our community. For more information visit the website at: www.ypcdsm.com.

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CONNECTION REACHES RECORD ATTENDANCE

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CONNECTION REACHES RECORD ATTENDANCE

2011 Annual Kick Off Party a Success

DES MOINES (January 31, 2011) – Young Professionals Connection hosted its annual Kick Off Celebration at People’s on Court Avenue last Friday evening, and more than 320 young professionals were in attendance. This is the largest event attendance that the organization has had in its 10 years of existence.

"300 is a major milestone for YPC and Des Moines,” said Jason Wells, the 2011 president of Young Professionals Connection. “We are proud to show how strong the community is in Des Moines compared to many other cities. The success of this event symbolizes a great opportunity and challenge for the organization to continue this momentum moving forward."

At the annual celebration, young professions networked, were introduced to the 2011 YPC Board, enjoyed free food from Fong’s Pizza, A.K. O’Connor’s, and Unc’s Cheesecakes, and were eligible for gift drawing for more than 35 different prize packages. This event kicks off 2011 for YPC and symbolizes the positive impact the organization hopes to make on Greater Des Moines and the young professional community in 2011.

About Young Professional’s Connection (YPC): YPC's mission is to promote an environment that attracts and retains young professionals in Greater Des Moines. Efforts focus on connecting young professionals to each other and to the community through social, civic, charitable, and professional development endeavors. YPC is an initiative of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, started when visionaries of the Partnership recognized that the 20-to-30-something age demographic needed a voice in our community. For more information visit the website at: www.ypcdsm.com.

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YPC Celebrates Tenth Anniversary at Annual Meeting

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

YPC Celebrates Tenth Anniversary at Annual Meeting

GREATER DES MOINES, IA – The Young Professionals Connection, a dynamic network of young leaders will celebrate its ten year anniversary and annual meeting on December 8^thfrom 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the brand new Embassy Club West (Village at Ponderosa). Since its founding in 2000, YPC has focused on providing a voice to the twenty to thirty something age demographic by connecting young professionals to each other, and to the community through social, civic, and professional development endeavors.

YPC members will gather to network, elect the 2011 executive board, and present the Amy Jennings Award to recognize the chosen young professional of the year. YPC members will also have the chance to win various prizes, donated by several companies in the surrounding area including: Raygun, Lucca, Miyabi 9, Olympic Flame, Funny Bone, Sticks, Gino’s & Embassy Club West. The event will close with a cocktail reception and tenth anniversary celebration.

“I decided to become a member of YPC because I believe in the organization's mission to ‘promote an environment that attracts and retains young professionals in Greater Des Moines,’” says, Emily Beckmann, Director of Marketing and Communication at Children’s Cancer Connection, and YPC member since February 2010. “Des Moines has a lot to offer - why not flaunt it, meet new young professionals and have fun while doing so?’”

Registration is required to attend. The event is open to members and non-members. For guests and non-members, the cost is five dollars.

If you’d like more information about this event, please contact Jason Wells, YPC’s current President-Elect at president-elect@ypcdsm.com or visit www.ypcdsm.com.

Fall Whiff-It Classic

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Chris Juhl

Telephone: 515-441-1665

E-Mail: chris.juhl@gmail.com

Date: 11/03/2010

Local Teams “Whiff-It” for the Kiwanis Miracle League

On Saturday October 23, eight teams of eager whiffle-ball players came together at the Kiwanis Miracle field for a tournament to raise funds for the Kiwanis Miracle League. The event was the brain child of the Katie Ketelsen, Board member of the Social Media Club Des Moines, and Jason Wells, President-Elect Young Professionals Connection, in an effort to get their two groups to co-sponsor an event. Ketelsen explained how the idea got started, “We wanted to find a way for our two energetic groups to mingle and provide a service to the community.” She went on to say, “I had participated in a whiffle-ball tournament over the summer and thought it would be a fun way to interact while raising awareness and funds for the Miracle League, so ‘Whiff-It’ was born.” A committee of YPC and SMCDSM members united to plan the event and with possible nice weather dates running out, event logistics we put together and implemented in just over a month.

The history of Miracle Leagues started back in 1997 in an effort to spread the love of the game to children with disabilities who could not (easily) participate in youth baseball and softball leagues. In 2007 the local Des Moines Kiwanis heard about this concept and decided to take action, so the 3,100 disabled children in surrounding central Iowa communities could have the same opportunity. Kiwanis member Doug Vinsand was pleased to hear of the plans to coordinate an event to help support a cause so close to his heart. “I have been a member of the Downtown Kiwanis for some time now, and we are always excited to see outside groups take interest in supporting events to raise money for the kids.” With only a short amount of time to organize the event, Vinsand and the other committee members were pleased to have eight teams register and raise $1000 to be donated.

Brian Flynn, event committee member and participant, was happy with the turn out, “We thought we had an event that others would like to participate in, all day teams have been asking, ‘When is the next one, we want in!” Jason Wells added, “YPC couldn’t be more excited about the response to the first ever Fall Whiff It Classic. We are excited about the collaboration with the Social Media Club Des Moines on a fun, athletic event, while raising money for the Miracle League!” We are extremely grateful for our sponsors, WestBank for their donation, 8/7 Central for supplying team t-shirts, the Iowa Cubs for allowing us to use their parking lot and the Kiwanis for allowing us to have the event on their field.

On Wednesday November 10, 2010, members of the organizing committee will attend a lunch meeting of the Downtown Kiwanis to present their Board with the donation to the Miracle League, at All Play next to Wells Fargo, downtown Des Moines. With all the positive response to this event, we are planning the next tournament for the end of April 2011 (more information coming soon). We hope to have two tournaments a year to bring individuals together in competition and support local charities.

Nominations Now Open for 2010 "Amy Jennings YP of the Year" Award

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Nominations are now being acception for the 4th annual "Amy Jennings YP Of the Year" award. 2007 was the inaugural year for the Amy Jennings YP of the Year Award. The award was presented by the YPC board of directors to Amy Jennings after she completed her fourth year of service on the board. It was then proclaimed that the award would be given annually to a young professional who demonstrates the mission of YPC through leadership in professional development, civic, charitable, and social endeavors in Greater Des Moines.

To be considered for the Amy Jennings YP of the Year Award, an individual must be nominated by someone other than him/herself and should display the YPC spirit of civic involvement, charitable giving, social activity and professional development. The winner of the award will be announced December 8 at YPC’s annual meeting.

The award selection committee is made of YPC Board Members and non-board members. All nominations will be considered in the selection process.

In addition to YP of the Year, YPC also recognizes the YPC Committee Member of the Year on each individual committee. These eight individuals are determined solely based on the decision of the chair for each individual group.

Connecting young professionals to each other through social, civic, charitable, and professional development endeavors is an overall focus for all goals of YPC. Only individuals whom best lead their peers towards achieving this are granted this annual recognition.

Please send completed nominations to Jessica Maldonado at jmaldonado@desmoinesmetro.com by November 24.

YPC Quarterly Connections

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0600

YPC Partners with Habitat for Humanity

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0600

YPC Partners with Habitat for Humanity on September Build Day

GREATER DES MOINES – The Young Professionals Connection is partnering with the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity on a September build day.

“We need to recruit at least 20 volunteers,” said YPC Charitable Committee Chair Lacy Brunnette, noting that helpers will be busied with a variety of tasks, such as painting and landscaping, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18.

The build day, which will take place between Southeast 10th and Southeast 11th streets, south of Murray Street near Des Moines’ Historic East Village, is part of Habitat 20/10, a 20-day effort to turn an abandoned field on the southeast side of Des Moines into ten Habitat homes.

“This blitz build will bring the Des Moines community together in the common goal of creating good-looking, affordable houses that will both impact the neighborhood and the homebuyer families,” said Jenna Nathan, GDM Habitat’s Outreach Manager.

“This will be a great way to get YPC members involved with community efforts,” Brunnette said, adding that volunteers for the Sept. 18 build day will receive a free swag bag and a team t-shirt. Lunch will be provided and volunteers are encouraged to bring a water bottle.

GDM Habitat will utilize more than 3,000 volunteers in the effort to help 10 families achieve their dream of homeownership and add more than $1 million in affordable housing to the under-developed neighborhood. The project will begin Sept. 13 and will wrap up on Oct. 2 with a dedication ceremony.

If you would like to sign up to volunteer for the Build Day - click here

For more information and to register, go to www.gdmhabitat.org or contact YPC’s charitable committee at charitable@ypcdsm.com.

YPC to Fill AIB's Closet

Greater Des Moines Partnership — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0600

YPC to Fill AIB “Clothes Closet”

GREATER DES MOINES – Calling all gently used business attire! The Greater Des Moines Young Professionals Connection (YPC) is hosting a clothing drive July 25-31 to benefit the AIB College of Business “Clothes Closet.” Help make a difference in the community while clearing some space at home.

The Spring Cleaning Clothing Drive aims to provide the Clothes Closet with young professional apparel. All donations are tax deductible, and will ensure AIB students on a limited budget have access to appropriate attire for interviews, internships and the workplace. The drive furthers the YPC’s mission of helping young professionals thrive in the Des Moines community.

Donations may be dropped off at the following locations. Please contain all items in a bag or box; hangers are welcome, but not necessary.

Crown Cleaners

7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday-Friday

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday

· 5018 EP True Parkway, West Des Moines

· 8850 University Avenue, West Des Moines

· 4136 Park Avenue, Des Moines

Note: Make a donation at one of the mentioned Crown Cleaners locations and receive a 15% discount for that trip’s dry cleaning bill.

Greater Des Moines Partnership

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on 27th and 28th only

700 Locust Street, Des Moines

The AIB Clothes Closet was opened in 2000 to provide all students the opportunity to dress professionally, even on a tight budget. The Closet is managed by members of Adult Students on Campus (ASOC), who use the real-life experience to hone planning, organization and leadership skills.