Brad Schoenfelder’s recent relocation from Cedar Rapids has been a positive shift for the 38-year-old husband and father of two. A former division manager of Ryan Iowa in Cedar Rapids, Schoenfelder said an added benefit of his promotion – to vice president of development for Ryan Companies U.S. Inc.’s Des Moines office – is the transfer “from one great community to another.” The desire to strike a balance between his professional and personal life, while continuing to serve the community, is driving him to explore “all the fabulous activities and opportunities associated with living in the state capital.” Schoenfelder was a corporate project manager for Cargill Inc. and General Mills Inc. before beginning his career at Ryan Companies 10 years ago.



How will your role change as vice president of development for Ryan Companies?

Professionally, the promotion provides an opportunity to not only lead large development projects, as I have in the past, but now also provide leadership to a team of people. In many ways my role is the same: being passionate about understanding and defining client needs, providing creative and effective solutions to meet their goals and building lasting relationships along the way.

What commercial real estate projects are you currently working on?

Ryan Companies is working on the Nationwide corporate complex downtown and also its Mulberry Street parking ramp, the Iowa Clinic expansion on University Avenue in Clive, John Deere Credit expansion in Johnston, Iowa Foundation for Medical Care renovation, Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. office, Elliott Aviation, Alliant Energy Corp. operation center, the new West Bank Waukee branch, TEAM Des Moines Partners LLC data center, also in Waukee, and the 30-acre Jordan West Office Park development across from Jordan Creek Town Center.

Which projects are you most excited about?

I’m most excited about the diversity of project types that we are currently building in the community. I’m especially proud of a recent milestone we surpassed: 250,000 safe hours for the Nationwide operations center projects. Our motto has always been “Building Lasting Relationships” with our clients, employees, subcontractors and suppliers. However, our first priority has been doing it safely. The construction industry, by virtue of the equipment we operate and materials we handle, is dangerous. Our employees and construction partners understand that we are committed to their safety and well-being first.

What areas in Greater Des Moines do you see as being the most ripe for

commercial real estate development? Why?

Being relatively new to the area I’m still formulating my assessment of the entire commercial real estate market. However, the most immediate growth will continue around Jordan Creek Town Center because of the easy access to municipal infrastructure and commercial property. There are other things besides location that will define and shape future commercial real estate developments, such as building environmentally sensitive and sustainable communities. We have over 70 percent of our project-management staff Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council to understand the best practices for building the most sustainable buildings and sites. The investment that Central Iowa’s business and civil leaders have put into sustainable developments will prepare our community for the future.

How do you define leadership?

Believing in others even more than they believe in themselves and understanding how to make possibilities happen. It also means understanding that leading often means coming alongside of someone who has a vision and following them as they grow and test their individual skills.

Do you have a favorite motivational quote or phrase?

Excellence can be obtained if you –

Care more than others think is wise.

Risk more than others think is safe.

Dream more than others think is practical.

Expect more than others think is possible.

What was the last business book that you read?

“Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done” by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. I read it shortly after it was released, because Jack Welch endorsed the book. I read it for the second time last month.

Whom do you look up to? Why?

The owners of Ryan Companies (Jim Ryan, Pat Ryan and Tim Grey) have always been professional and personal role models because of their abilities to develop a $1 billion national company, while maintaining the same core family values that James Henry Ryan instilled when he started the company 70 years ago.

What do you do to unwind or have fun?

I enjoy spending a lot of my free time with my family and serving the community. Any time outside of those two very important things includes golfing, hiking, upland game bird hunting, or kayaking. I developed a passion for sea kayaking while living in North Carolina and enjoy taking expeditions as time allows.