On Sept. 10, Connie Wimer, founder and chairman of Business Publications Corp., the parent company of the Business Record, went skydiving to support Above + Beyond Cancer. Over the past month, 18 Central Iowa leaders in business, health, philanthropy, government and more tandem parachuted. More than $123,000 has been raised to support programs for cancer…

The World Food Prize Foundation on Tuesday presented Swati Nayak with the Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application. Nayak was recognized for her innovative approach to engaging farmers in demand-driven rice seed systems, from testing and deployment to access and adoption of climate-resilient and nutritious rice varieties. Nayak led the first dedicated…

Des Moines-based Affinity Credit Union was selected as the Credit Union of the Year by the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions during NAFCU’s Congressional Caucus in Washington, D.C. The award was one of eight awarded by a committee of credit union leaders. Nominees for CEO of the Year, Credit Union of the Year, Professional…

Central College has partnered with Gezellig Brewing Co. in Newton and Pella Hops Co. on a new craft beer, Forever Dutch Lager, to help support its Journey Scholarship Fund. Central became the first private college in Iowa to partner with a local brewery to offer a signature craft beer, and 15% of the sales will…

Hubbell Homes and Indigo Living have begun renting single-family houses in the Greater Des Moines area, the companies announced this week. The houses range from 1,200- to 2,200-square feet and include two to four bedrooms and up to three bathrooms. Rents range from $1,700 to $2,700, depending on the size of the house. Some of…

As we do each year, we asked our readers to cast votes for what Des Moines has to offer in a variety of business-related categories. These businesses make up an ecosystem in our region that supports a strong and vibrant community.  Here’s how it worked: You voted. We checked the data, removed any suspicious or…