Jo Berry was raised on a farm near Adel and has spent her entire life in Central Iowa. On Sept. 12, Berry began a new career as executive director of the Historic Valley Junction Foundation. She brings to the job four years of experience as program director of Adel Partners Main Street Chamber of Commerce and marketing expertise honed by working for organizations such as Iowa Realty and the Des Moines Playhouse. Not one to sit idle, Berry has stayed active outside work with community theater and piano lessons through Drake University’s adult music education program. Her passions for development and entertainment will energize her for her new job, she said.

After you graduated from AIB College of Business, did you feel a twinge of interest to leave Iowa?

Never. It’s only been recently that I’ve traveled much. You know the joke that you can’t take the girl off the farm. Well it’s true. This is where I want to stay put.

How has that farm-girl mentality stayed with you during your career?

I’m always up for challenges. From my farm background, I have this “let’s get to work” work ethic. I used to walk beans. Now that’s hard work. You’d be up at daybreak when it was cooler and return at night. I’ve never been a soap opera person to sit and watch TV. I’m a people person, and I want to be out with people and see exciting things going on around me. I figure there’s plenty of time to do that when I get older.

Where have you worked in Greater Des Moines?

Besides Adel Partners, my past jobs have included marketing with Iowa Realty’s corporate office. I was there for about six years. Before that, I was the marketing director for the Des Moines Playhouse and the Ingersoll Dinner Theater. I was the office manager for Junior Achievement and before that, I sold advertising for the Dallas County News.

Was it a difficult decision for you to leave your job in Adel as director of its chamber?

My parents are still in Adel, my brother has a business in Adel and my daughter and her family live there. There was a real emotional attachment there, but there was also a natural tie for me in Valley Junction. When I got out of AIB, my very first job was with the only motion picture company in Iowa at the time, Heartland Productions. Their office was in Valley Junction. That was my first job out of business college. I’d like to think now, at 58 years of age, that this Valley Junction job is probably my last career stop, at least in the Main Street program.

How does an area’s designation as a Main Street Community help it meet its goals?

I’m a firm believer in Main Street’s success and philosophy. The Main Street program started 25 years ago after the farm crisis when our small towns were dying. The National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C., got it started with three prototype cities, and the program has become a highly successful approach to rehabilitation and preservation of our downtown areas.

What is the biggest adjustment you’ve had to make in your new job?

It’s interesting for me because Valley Junction has about 120 shops in a concentrated area around Fifth Street. In Adel, there are about that many businesses, but that’s in the whole community. There’s four square miles to cover in Adel versus four square blocks in Valley Junction. Like Adel, Valley Junction has a goal of boosting retail activity.

How does this job fit your interests?

This job ties in with so many of my skills. We had a ribbon-cutting ceremony the other night and I found out two minutes before it that I was to speak at it. With having done theater for 20 years with the Playhouse, I can, off the top of my head, feel comfortable doing a welcoming speech to a new merchant. I also have an interest in music and love playing the piano. I may not be the best one to hire the bands for Music in the Junction, because I don’t really have my pulse on young bands, but I appreciate music and know you have to have good music to entertain.

Do you see your age as an advantage or disadvantage in this job?

My maturity helps me communicate with the “suits,” as well as the beer drinkers who want to come down to Valley Junction to have fun.

It seems you have a lot of enthusiasm for your work. Where does that come from?

I’ve always been able to multitask. I’ve always had a passion for development and a passion for parties. As far as I’m concerned, when you get going with plans for Music in the Junction and a holiday open house, that’s like planning a big party for everyone to come and enjoy. I really like being on the creative end of it. If you trip my trigger with something that is fun, it may be a lot of work and exhausting, but there’s also a purpose that you can see.

What do you do outside work?

My favorite charity would be animals. I like to support animal shelters. Of course, I spend time with family, and I like seasonal decorating. My husband, Dale, and I go to Drake [University] basketball games. He taught economics at Drake for 40 years, and we love the Bulldogs. When basketball starts, that’s a good diversion for me to stop worrying about the next event or worrying if we’re going to have enough money in the program. I go to Drake basketball at the Knapp Center and just kind of lose myself.