As Dan Houston advanced through the leadership ranks at Principal Financial Group, his involvement in civic and social initiatives across Greater Des Moines expanded. And while the 64-year-old Houston has retired from corporate leadership, he continues to apply his experience and influence to community initiatives that will help shape the region’s future. Remaining engaged in…

The city of Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department is calling for local artists or artist teams to design two court murals at Cheatom Park, one for the basketball court and one for the reconstructed futsal court, as part of the park’s 2026 improvement project. Funded by a Bravo Greater Des Moines public art grant…

Stepping out on your own takes courage—especially when your reputation, relationships, and livelihood are built on trust. In this episode of Made in Iowa, we sit down with Laura Peterson, co-founder of Unison Design Studio, to talk about the bold decision to launch a purpose-driven architecture and design firm rooted in clarity, collaboration, and care….

BPC Senior Director of Events Stacey Thompson and Business Record Editor Sarah Diehn host the weekly recap of statewide news you may have missed in the last week. Stories shared were first reported between Feb. 4-10. Presented by the Ivy College of Business at Iowa State University. Explore the Emerging Leader MBA Scholarship — a…

A real estate investment trust located in Orlando, Fla., acquired six Des Moines-area child care center properties, Polk County real estate records show. NNN REIT LP paid: – YBRDM22 CRE LLC $2.6 million for property at 1901 James St. in Grimes, records show. The property includes a 6,695-square-foot, one-story building constructed in 2014. The property…

Business conditions for architecture firms in Iowa and the Midwest strengthened in the fourth quarter of 2025, resulting in increased optimism at the start of 2026, according to the American Institute of Architects Iowa Chapter’s fourth-quarter market report. The optimism shows resilience that is evident by a rebound in hiring, the report showed. According to…