Age 32 | Vice president of marketing, Wells Fargo Bank NA 

Tony Dickinson calls his leadership philosophy “the triple threat,” patterned after the ideal basketball position that enables a player to shoot, pass or dribble.

For Dickinson, who lettered in basketball at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, those points are (1) network; (2) act as if you’re already in your next job; and (3) don’t be afraid to fail and learn from your failures.

After graduating from Mount Mercy in 2002, Dickinson began his business career with RadioShack Corp. After just two years, he became the company’s youngest district manager at the age of 23, with responsibility for more than 250 employees in 47 locations. In 2006, he joined Wells Fargo Financial as a market growth and development consultant and began working his way up to business development manager. In 2010, he was named to his present position as vice president and marketing manager for Wells Fargo Bank NA. He manages the marketing for 155 banks, supporting 1,750 team members and $11 billion in assets.

While he was in college, Dickinson was a member of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and currently serves on advisory boards for SIFE chapters at Iowa State, Drake and Mount Mercy universities. He also enjoys volunteering for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Iowa as well as serving on its board. As a member of the 2011 Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute class, he chaired a fund-raising effort that generated more than $200,000 to renovate the Amos Hiatt Middle School auditorium.

“His energy, his excitement and his commitment to success are traits that benefit Wells Fargo and the community,” Wells Fargo Regional President Scott Johnson wrote.

Dickinson and his wife, Kim, have a 3-month-old son, Heisman.

Five reasons he’s a 40:

• Helped coordinate more than 1,000 volunteer hours by Wells Fargo team members for the 2011 Principal Charity Classic.

• Serves on Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Workforce Development, Attraction and Retention Committee.

• Personally raised more than $50,000 for the Amos Hiatt Middle School auditorium project.

• Volunteers for the Everybody Wins Iowa! reading and mentoring program.

• Named a 2011 Young Professional of the Year finalist by Juice magazine.

Fun Fact:

When he was growing up, he spent a lot of time in jeans and flannels, working on the family farm.