Between competing in cat shows and preparing for baking contests at the Iowa State Fair, Marlena Bandurski does manage to get some work done. As director of research for the Greater Des Moines Partnership, she is in charge of making sure the quality of the data used to sell the area to businesses is top-notch. And apparently, she’s doing a pretty good job. Bandurski was recently named vice chair of the national Council for Community and Economic Research, a position she said allows her to keep the statistics coming in and let the rest of the country see what she already knows: that Des Moines is the “star of the Midwest.”

How did you first get involved with the Greater Des Moines Partnership?

I came to the [Greater] Des Moines Chamber of Commerce [the Partnership’s predecessor] in 1999 because they really needed someone to start a research department. I was working for the Iowa Department of Economic Development, and it seemed like a really good fit. I’ve lived here practically all my life. My family lived in Phoenix when I was young, but [my dad] missed the snow, so we headed back to Iowa. I’ve never found a single reason to leave.

Why did you get involved with the Council for Community and Economic Research?

It will really help ensure the quality of data we receive is high. And it will keep the statistics coming. Plus, there is a lot of training and seminars involved with the group, so that will help me better serve the organization and make sure things are done right. When I went to conferences, I saw that people were really starting to take notice of what was going on in Des Moines. People in other communities are impressed with the progress we’ve made and I never get tired of hearing that.

Has research always interested you?

My first job was sorting automobile titles in alphabetical order. Not the most exciting work, but I was dedicated and did a good job. I guess I’ve always had good attention to detail, which along with curiosity, are the tools you need to be a good researcher.

What do you do in your spare time?

I go to cat shows. I have six cats right now, and I love to show them competitively. It’s just for fun, which is good since you don’t make a lot of money doing it, just a lot of ribbons. But I have always loved cats. Any cats that wander through my yard end up as pets and eventually at shows. Just recently we found three cats in a tree in our yard, so those came inside and became members of the family. I also love the Iowa State Fair. I used to bake things every year for the contests, but I looked at how many people enter every year and calculated my odds, and so I have kind of given that up. I guess I’ve always had this underlying competitiveness. And the two things I inherited from my mother were a love of cats and a love of chocolate, so there you go. I also have a daughter, Sophie, who just turned 12. She is an animal lover, too. She wants a horse, but I said she has to wait until she’s older.

How have your hobbies affected your job?

Well, there are no standards for showing house cats. You just have to make sure they are groomed and look nice and hope something will catch the judge’s eye and make him take a second look at your cat. I think the same thing can apply, for example, to our Web site. We know there are certain things people want from the site, but we just try to do things that will catch people’s eye and make them stay long enough to get the message and see what we as a community have to offer.

Do you plan on staying with the Partnership for a while?

I was averaging a new job every five years, and I’m at seven years and counting. I’ve been very lucky and I’m really enjoying what I do. I like to keep things fresh. Working for the betterment of the community is something I really enjoy, and the message is definitely getting out. The quality of life in Des Moines is really showing. When you look at all the statistics, Des Moines just rises to the top.

– Jason Hancock