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We started last week, but we still have a lot more Best of Des Moines winners to tell you about – 35 of them. This is the second and final installment of the results from our 2007 competition, decided as always by the readers of the Des Moines Business Record. This week’s categories:

Getting the Job Done
You want to deal with people who know how to make business happen. Here they are.

Closing the Deal
If you want to impress a potential business partner, consider a visit to these locales.

Living Here
What about life outside the office? Check out this mix of recreation and necessity.

Getting the Job Done

Best accounting firm
McGladrey & Pullen LLP/ RSM McGladrey Inc.

With eight offices located throughout the state, RSM McGladrey Inc. and McGladrey & Pullen LLP serve many of Iowa’s leading companies in the manufacturing and distribution, construction and real estate, government and health-care sectors.

RSM McGladrey, a subsidiary of H&R Block Inc., offers business and tax consulting, wealth management, retirement resources, payroll and corporate finance services, while McGladrey & Pullen, a partner-owned certified public accounting firm, provides audit and attest services. The two businesses operate under an alternative practice structure as independent legal entities, but work together to serve their clients’ business needs.

With 180 professionals in Des Moines and 800 employees statewide, McGladrey is the dominant accounting firm in Iowa and the largest employer of CPAs in the state. Its Central Plains practice, which includes its offices in eight Iowa cities as well as in Omaha, Denver and Kansas City, Mo., experienced 19 percent growth in revenues in the fiscal year ending April 30.

Beyond serving their clients’ needs, McGladrey professionals devote their time, money and efforts to several local charities and activities, including United Way of Central Iowa, Junior Achievement, blood drives, the School-to-Work e-mentoring program, the March of Dimes and others.

McGladrey’s Des Moines office was named one of the Best Places to Work in Central Iowa each of the past two years and was named No. 1 among large companies in 2007. The rankings were based on responses by each company’s employees to an online survey.

Runners-up: McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith P.C.; LWBJ LLP

Best company workforce
Wells Fargo & Co.

Business Record readers have named Greater Des Moines’ largest employer as also having the best work force.

Wells Fargo & Co. employs 12,900 people in Iowa, the majority of whom live and work in the metropolitan area. Collectively, the company’s Iowa employees generated payroll of $653 million last year, occupied 4 million square feet of office space and personally contributed more than $1.4 million and 81,000 volunteer hours to local charitable organizations.

“I’m proud to work for a company that has clearly defined its vision and values and is committed to living them out in the way we treat our customers, contribute to our communities and value our people,” said Mark Oman, senior executive vice president for the company’s Home and Consumer Finance Group, which is based in West Des Moines.

“We really believe in ‘people as a competitive advantage,'” Oman added. “We believe Wells Fargo is a great place to work, and we are committed to developing the talent we have. I’m also proud to be part of the great group of people we have working at Wells Fargo & Co.”

In the past year employees have continued to move into the new 960,000-square-foot West Des Moines campus, as well as the recently completed 360,000-square-foot addition to Wells Fargo Financial’s downtown campus, which now encompasses 1 million square feet of space. The two construction projects represented a combined $340 million capital investment.

In addition to charitable contributions made last year by employees, Wells Fargo’s corporate contributions to Iowa charities exceeded $4.5 million last year.

Runners-up: Flynn Wright Inc.; Iowa Health – Des Moines

Best corporate financial services
Wells Fargo & Co.

Wells Fargo & Co. is a diversified financial services company with $540 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investment, mortgage and consumer finance services through almost 6,000 stores and the Internet across North America and internationally.

The company brings financial strength and a broad product line to its corporate customers, but at the same time uses a local team approach to build close relationships with its business clients.

Wells Fargo serves middle-market and large corporate businesses with traditional and asset-based lending, treasury management, equipment leasing, asset management, insurance brokerage, risk management and real estate services. It also offers services such as retirement plans and 401(k) plan administration.

Wells Fargo has the highest credit rating of any bank in the United States, receiving an “Aaa” from Moody’s Investors Service – its top credit rating – and “AA+” from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services.

Runners-up: Principal Financial Group Inc.; Broker Dealer Financial Services; Morgan Stanley

Best large company with the most promising future
Wells Fargo & Co.

It’s easy to see why readers chose Wells Fargo & Co. as the “best large company with the most promising future.” In its latest quarterly earnings report, the diversified financial services company reported double-digit growth in both revenues and earnings per share, despite a weaker housing market, a flat yield curve and slower deposit growth throughout the industry.

“Our corporate vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and to help them succeed financially,” said Mark Oman, who leads Wells Fargo’s Home and Consumer Finance Group in West Des Moines. “We believe passionately in that, and the team members in Wells Fargo & Co.’s more than 80 businesses work hard every day to live out that vision.”

Wells Fargo reported record second-quarter revenues of $9.89 billion, an increase of $1.1 billion, or 13 percent, from a year ago. Diluted earnings per share were a record 67 cents, up 10 percent from 61 cents earned in second quarter 2006. Business performance was strong and well balanced across the company’s business segments, with most of its 80-plus consumer and commercial businesses producing double-digit earnings or revenue growth in the quarter.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, based in West Des Moines, recorded a 6 percent increase in mortgage applications in the second quarter, to $114 billion, which reflected increased refinancing activity, Oman said. By following responsible lending and risk management practices, Wells Fargo does not face many of the issues that subprime mortgage lending practices have caused in the industry, he said.

Runners-up: Principal Financial Group Inc.; Iowa Health – Des Moines

Best wealth management firm
Wells Fargo & Co.

Wells Fargo & Co.’s Wealth Management Group offers a wide array of services for its high-net-worth clients. In Central Iowa, Wells Fargo has 55 dedicated professionals whose sole focus is to advise families, helping them build, manage and preserve their wealth with personalized advice, services and products.

“What distinguishes our team is that we offer a wide range of financial solutions through experts located right here in Des Moines,” said Jim Urbanek, senior vice president and regional manager for the Wealth Management Group in Central Iowa. “Our team prides itself in providing exceptional service and an exceptional experience. It’s a strategy our clients appreciate.”

Among the services offered by the group are investment consulting, mortgage banking, estate and retirement planning and insurance and trust services. Wells Fargo also serves high-net-worth clients through its Private Bank, which offers a full range of investment products and services to help individuals and families build, manage, preserve and transfer their wealth.

The Wealth Management Group has demonstrated strong financial performance, with a 19 percent increase in core private banking assets in the most recent quarter. Revenues generated by the group increased by 17 percent in the second quarter of 2007 compared with the second quarter of 2006.

Runners-up: Wealth Advisors of Iowa; Morgan Stanley

Best M.B.A. Program
Drake University

Drake University’s College of Business and Public Administration asks its M.B.A. graduates for feedback every year, and recently the school went a step further. “We took a look at the program through an extensive process, including feedback from current students, alumni and people in the business community,” said Danette Kenne, director of graduate and professional studies. “We focused a lot on decision-making skills and the systems used for that.”

Drake evaluated that input and then revised its M.B.A. program by adding courses and updating requirements. For example, “we have incorporated a new class, ‘Leadership in Human Capital Development,'” Kenne said. “It’s all about how you address people in your organization, what leadership skills people need to have at all levels and how to develop those skills.”

Kenne said Drake also has added some professional development seminars into the M.B.A. curriculum requirements.

About 240 students participate in the university’s M.B.A. program each year. Six to eight faculty members make up the teaching core, but several others teach electives that are part of the program, and some area business people also teach classes.

Runners-up: University of Iowa; Iowa State University

Best law firm
Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts P.C.

Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts P.C. takes pride in offering a broad range of legal services to a diverse client base. The firm’s clients include individuals, private and public businesses, multinational corporations, not-for-profit groups, the state of Iowa and its agencies and political subdivisions, hospitals and regulated industries. Those clients conduct business on a local, state, national and international basis.

“We’re pleased to be recognized and appreciate all the support from our friends and clients,” said Bruce Campbell, the firm’s president. Davis Brown was also recognized earlier this year as one of Central Iowa’s Best Places to Work.

The law firm was founded in 1929 by former District Judge George Brammer and his friend Joseph Brody. Upon Brammer’s death 20 years later, the practice became known as the Brody firm. In 1965, the firm changed its name to Thoma, Schoenthal, Davis, Hockenberg & Wine. By 1974, the firm had grown to 40 attorneys and moved into the Financial Center. In the 1990s, the firm’s partners renamed the practice Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts P.C.

The firm is scheduled to move in February 2008 to the $44 million Davis Brown Tower, the first major office building to offer new leased downtown office and retail space since 801 Grand was built more than a decade ago.

Runners-up: Belin Lamson McCormick Zumbach Flynn; Dreher, Simpson and Jensen P.C.

Best Public Realtions Firm
Flynn Wright Inc.

Mara White joined Flynn Wright Inc. three years ago with the intention of integrating public relations into the rest of the work the agency does for clients and building the department into a well-respected public relations firm in Central Iowa.

“We always had the public relations end of our business,” said company president and CEO Andy Flynn, “but Mara added new dimensions to it.”

With a team of four, this department has handled everything from product launches to media training presentations to special event planning and working with local and national media. The department handles about a dozen accounts, including MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., West Glen Town Center and the Science Center of Iowa.

Whereas in the past, public relations often involved simply writing press releases based on what the account manager or client wanted, White said, now people in the department are getting involved in the process of developing marketing strategies for clients.

“I think that any client who is looking for us to just write a press release, I don’t think we’re going to bring them much value,” White said. “We do as much planning as we do executing and really starting with the outcome of what we’re trying to do.”

For the most part, Flynn Wright has taken a consultative approach, working with clients on a specific issue that may last for an hour conversation or turn into a project, White said. “Clients are looking for our opinions and advice from us,” she said. “We had to earn that respect of our clients, and we’ve worked really hard to do that. I think we are very confident in telling clients when we think we have a story to tell and when we don’t, we try to look at other ways to market their product.”

Runners-up: Strategic America; Hanser & Associates

Best Advertising Agency
Flynn Wright Inc.

Andy Flynn can remember a time when business would slow down over the summer months. But now the president and CEO of the full-service advertising agency Flynn Wright Inc. said business has been steadily busy over the past five years. The company has been on a growth spurt and now has about 50 employees and around 30 long-term clients.

“For the last five years, we’ve had steady growth and very low turnover with clients,” Flynn said. “We’re very proud of the clients we have and how long they’ve been with us, and we continually have new business development efforts going on.”

Most of Flynn Wright’s clients are retail oriented, including West Glen Town Center and Josephs Jewelers. The company also works with Mediacom Communications Corp. and the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority, and recently added Kemin Industries Inc. and Riverside Casino and Golf Resort. The agency also provides pro bono services to many charities including the YMCA of Greater Des Moines, Youth Emergency Services & Shelter of Iowa and Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa.

The greatest growth has been in the agency’s research department. Flynn Wright approaches every new project by first researching the best way to reach the targeted consumers and then developing a strategy with its advertising, marketing, public relations and interactive media departments.

“Our competitors often like to lead with big creative things,” Flynn said. “It looks great visually, but a lot of times that wasn’t effective.

“We don’t even lead with that. We walk clients down the path that makes sense, and then you come with creative later on. It’s just been extremely effective for us.”

Runners-up: Strategic America; The Integer Group – Midwest

Best small company with the most promising future
ITAGroup Inc.

Steve Chapman, chairman and CEO of ITAGroup Inc., is excited that his company was voted best small company with the most promising future. He’s just not sure it qualifies.

“We had a quarter billion dollars in sales last year,” Chapman said. “I’m not sure how small that makes us.”

ITA employs more than 500 people and has offices in nearly a dozen cities around the country. Chapman said the company has seen growth for 15 straight years.

“Our company’s fiscal year ends in August,” he said. “We had record sales and record earnings.”

The key to ITA’s success, Chapman said, is its employees. There is a lot of effort put into employee retention and satisfaction, he said, which translates into a work force that takes care of the customer.

“We put a lot into our employees, and the return on that investment is customer satisfaction,” he said.

Though the company has grown outside Iowa a lot over the years, Chapman said it is still deeply committed to the Des Moines area and the state of Iowa.

Runners-up: Flynn Wright Inc.; McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith P.C.

Best Video Production Company
Screenscape Studios

Des Moines native Brad Morford, along with partners Todd Hyde and Tony Dock, established what would become Screenscape Studios in 1987 in Urbandale.

The company built and moved into its current West Des Moines facility in 1992, and has grown from the original three-man operation to a state-of-the-art production complex with two sound stages, each fully equipped with video, lighting and sound equipment. It also houses a complete set design and construction department.

All three founders attribute their continuing success to their outstanding employees and the values they embraced when they started the business – excellent customer service, creativity and use of progressive technology.

In addition to local advertising agencies such as The Integer Group, McCormick Co., Meyocks Group Inc., Hellman Associates Inc. and Strategic America, Screenscape Studios’ clients include Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., Wells Fargo & Co., Pella Corp., Principal Financial Group Inc., the Iowa Soybean Association, Gateway Inc., Emerson Process Management, Winnebago Industries Inc. and Meredith Corp.

Runners-up: dhg Productions Inc.; Applied Art & Technology

Best automobile dealership
Betts Auto Campus

For the 12th consecutive year, Betts Auto Campus has been named Greater Des Moines’ best automobile dealer.

“We’re all very honored and humbled that the Business Record readership would again give us this distinction and honor,” said Rich Willis, dealer principal. “It’s not about the cars, it’s not about the buildings; it’s about the people who take care of our guests.”

In addition to the recognition its customer service receives locally, Betts Auto Campus has received national recognition as an Elite of Lexus dealer, a Cadillac Master Dealer and a Hummer Mark of Excellence dealer within the past year.

Most recently, Betts added Land Rover to the lineup of vehicles it offers on its 16 contiguous acres at 100th Street and Hickman Road in Clive. Founded by Charles Betts 60 years ago, the dealership sells and services Cadillac and Lexus vehicles, and over the past five years has added the Hummer, Jaguar and Volvo franchises.

Betts Auto Campus also includes a certified pre-owned program, a full-service collision center and a full-service maintenance department for all of its brands, as well as an Internet sales department.

The next generation of owners for the family-owned dealership is already in the wings.

Willis’ sons, Jason and Mathew, will someday take over the company when he retires.

Runners-up: Holmes Automotive Group; Karl Chevrolet

Best Restaurant for Conducting Business
Centro

When Centro opened, said co-owner Paul Rottenberg, people told him the restaurant wouldn’t be successful for business meetings because it was too noisy. But soon business people realized the noise was actually an advantage, because they could discuss business decisions without other patrons hearing.

This, coupled with an ever-evolving menu, has led to the restaurant’s success over more than five years.

“We didn’t just create a menu and stick with it,” said head chef and co-owner George Formaro. “The food is constantly fresh, and we never stop thinking about how to improve it.”

The restaurant can be used in several ways, Formaro added. The menu has light and heavy menu options, ¬¬¬with steak and seafood being most popular at dinner. At lunch, Centro can’t keep up with the salad orders. “My poor salad guy,” Formaro said. “He has the smallest station and the most activity.”

The restaurant also features a bar, with large windows looking out to the downtown traffic, which is popular for after-work drinks with clients. And Centro has a private dining room that can hold up to 45 people for business meetings.

“I think at the end of the day,” Rottenberg said, “it’s the fact that they can come and whatever they get, they can feel it’s a quality product.”

Runners-up: 801 Steak & Chop House; Nick’s Bar & Grill

Best Sporting Event for Entertaining
Iowa Cubs Game

As the Pacific Coast League baseball season winds down, the Iowa Cubs are expecting to break the team attendance record they set last season, when 554,000 fans came to watch them play.

“The weather has cooperated, and the team is in second place,” Assistant General Manager Jim Nahas said recently. The friendly confines keep getting more pleasant, too. After replacing Principal Park’s scoreboard and some of the seats for the 2006 season, the I-Cubs welcomed their ticket buyers this summer with a new fountain and plaza, linked to the still-developing Principal Riverwalk.

The team rents out 12 skyboxes by the game, and Nahas said those have been in demand; the remaining 32 skyboxes are sold on a yearly basis to companies.

As for the idea that was floated about selling condominium units overlooking the field, “that’s still in the conceptual stage,” Nahas said.

Runners-up: Iowa Stars; Iowa Speedway

Best bar to entertain clients
Star Bar

It’s the interesting selection of wines, beer and liquor in a lively location on the way home from work downtown that draws people of all ages to Star Bar at 2837 Ingersoll Ave.

The bar, thanks to its owner Jeremy Morrow, also features top-rate California cuisine, with the most deluxe bar food ever seen within the city limits. Many patrons also order from the appetizer menu, which features a mix of traditional bar food, such as chicken wings, and contemporary small plates, such as sesame crusted tuna.

The bar is open until 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and midnight on Sunday. It is also available for private parties of 15 or more.

Runners-up: 801 Steak & Chop House; Trostel’s Dish

Best caterer
Palmer’s Deli and Market

Palmer’s Deli and Market has always done catering. But recently, that segment of the business has begun to grow, said owner Joe Palmer.

“We’ve noticed quite a bit of growth in the last 18 months,” he said. “It really has taken off.”

Palmer said his business, which now has five locations, does so much more than just catering, but it is an area he was determined to improve upon.

“We feel like we’re getting better every day,” he said. “And we want to keep trying new things.”

Part of the reason for his success, Palmer said, is the wide range of things his restaurant can do for catered events.

“We can do anything,” he said. “We can do deli sandwiches and salads; we can do homemade desserts all the way up to entrées and appetizers. That is why we’re popular, I think. Because we can do a number of things.”

Another thing his business has begun doing is renting out its stores, especially the main location on Ingersoll Avenue.

“It is a great environment, and you get the place to yourself,” he said. “We hold 250 to 300 people.”

Runners-up: Christiani’s VIP Catering Service; Hy-Vee Inc.

Best Place for a Business Conference
Des Moines Marriott Downtown

By the end of the year, $7 million will have been spent on renovations and improvements at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown, 700 Grand Ave. But the story won’t end there. “Phase two will begin in 2009, and that will cost another $6 million,” said Cindy Roberts, director of sales and marketing at the hotel.

“After 9/11, a lot of hotels had to put their natural rotation of renovations on hold, and this hotel fell into that,” Roberts said. “In 2004 and 2005, the owners decided the economy was back into an upswing and began planning then. You spend 18 months in planning and financing stages” before beginning a renovation on this scale, she said.

The first phase included a total renovation of the Iowa Ballroom, a gutting of the existing restaurant to create the Rock River Grill and Tavern, upgraded fitness equipment, a new “bedding package” for each of the 415 guest rooms and more.

Remodeling of the lobby has yet to begin, due to delays in receiving marble and millwork materials. Management still hopes to have that work completed in time for the Iowa caucuses.

In phase two, the guest rooms will get new furniture, window treatments and carpeting.

Roberts said the investment in renovation has helped persuade some new convention groups to make reservations for 2008 and 2009. It helps keep old customers content, too. “Some groups have been with us for more than 20 years,” she said. “They’re so happy to see a face lift.”

Runners-up: Hy-Vee Conference Center; Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston

Best New Restaurant
Bonefish Grill

Bonefish Grill is only at the tip of what is possible for the restaurant in the future, said Frank Dyer, joint-venture partner with Jeff Sarver. The fresh fish, polished-casual-style restaurant, which opened in West Glen Town Center seven months ago, is in the heart of what is developing into a commercial and residential center.

“The community certainly has taken to our brand and what we’re trying to do with being fresh fish experts,” Dyer said.

Sarver, an Indianola native who spent 20 years working in the restaurant business in the South, believes the emergence of several hotels in the area also will boost Bonefish’s business clientele and could lead the restaurant to open for lunch.

Bonefish features a variety of fresh fish, ranging from sea bass and salmon to the rarer wolf fish and monkfish, which are paired with specialty sauces, the most popular being the Imperial and Rockefeller. It also has an extensive wine list, including a separate reserves section and handcrafted martinis and mojitos. The staff is trained to walk patrons through the menu, and offer fish, sauce and wine pairing suggestions.

Getting fresh fish to a landlocked state hasn’t been too challenging, Dyer said. Bonefish has direct relationships with fishermen and stays apprised of what fish it will receive in two to three days.

Seeing the success of this restaurant could lead to more restaurants opening in Iowa, including the Quad Cities and Sioux City, said Dyer, who is involved with other Midwest Bonefish restaurants, including one in Omaha. Bonefish has 136 restaurants nationwide, primarily on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The West Des Moines location is open seven days a week for dinner starting at 4 p.m.

Runners-up: Azalea Restaurant and Lounge; Trostel’s Dish

Best Happy Hour
Drink

Maybe it’s the once-a-week office party giveaway, where 30 to 40 co-workers receive a free keg of Budweiser. Or the spread of free food, featuring about 10 options ranging from sandwiches to jalapeno poppers and tons of wings. Or a menu of more than 100 martinis, created and tested by the staff. For whatever reason, Drink is number one when it comes to escaping the office grind for a few after-work drinks, even after six years of being in business.

Manager Kevin Tiernan attributes the bar’s popularity to its customer service and cleanliness. Three bartenders run the main bar inside, while another runs a patio bar specializing in blended drinks. “A lot of times after a bar is open six to seven years, it becomes trashy and stinks,” Tiernan said. “Cleanliness is number one around here.”

Drinks are half price from 4 to 7 p.m. daily. Fridays also includes a free spread of food, a DJ and prizes given away by STAR 102.5 radio. During the summer, the patio is one of the main attractions, Tiernan said, with happy hour drawing patrons of all ages, especially professionals working on the West Side.

“We’re always working on things,” he added. Recently Drink added several LCD high-definition televisions to show major sporting events.

“I just think it’s the good music, atmosphere, the weather and the free food,” Tiernan said.

Runners-up: Star Bar; Cabaret – West Glen

Best hospital
Iowa Methodist Medical Center

Iowa Methodist Medical Center has been voted Des Moines’ best hospital by Business Record readers. The 447-bed teaching hospital employs nearly 4,000 people at its 42-acre campus near downtown Des Moines.

“We are very proud of being named best hospital for the second year in a row and for the fifth time since 1997 by the readers of the Business Record,” said Eric Crowell, president and CEO of Iowa Health – Des Moines, which operates the hospital. “Every day we strive to provide the very best health-care services to our community. The employees of Iowa Methodist, Iowa Lutheran, Blank Children’s and our clinics offer our patients compassionate care with the latest in technology.”

In the past year, Iowa Health opened a new surgery waiting area at Iowa Methodist and the adjacent Blank Children’s Hospital, with one waiting room designed for adults and another for children. Families are given pagers so they can be alerted when there are updates about their loved ones.

Last year Iowa Methodist was the site of more than 1,600 joint replacement surgeries, the most performed at any Iowa hospital. The John Stoddard Cancer Center at Iowa Methodist also marked its 15th year of providing comprehensive cancer care in one location. Remodeling has begun on an inpatient cancer unit at the center.

Runners-up: Mercy Medical Center; Iowa Lutheran Hospital

Best Clothier for Women
Von Maur

Nationwide, department store sales have been on the upswing. According to The Nation’s Hottest Retailers 2007 report, the department store sector had a 21.5 percent sales increase in 2006, the second-highest category gain of the top 100 retailers in the report.

This trend might help explain why Von Maur Inc. is this year’s Best of Des Moines winner for women’s fashion.

The family-owned and -operated company based in Davenport runs 22 upscale department stores in nine Midwestern states, including one in Valley West Mall. According to Yahoo! Finance, the company generates about $390 million in annual revenues and has 3,500 employees.

Von Maur distinguishes itself from other department stores by avoiding advertising and big blowout sales. The company also prides itself on commitment to customer service, attractive, spacious shopping environments and a great selection of brands, including Polo Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Kenneth Cole, Tommy Bahama and Joseph Abboud.

The von Maur family started the company in 1872 in a 20-by-50-foot rented storefront in Davenport. The family members who still run the company are co-chairmen Charles R. von Maur and Richard B. von Maur and President James D. von Maur.

Runners-up: Younkers; Kathy’s

Best clothier for men
Mr. B

Even with department stores making a comeback in the retail clothing industry, Gayle Smith, CEO of Midwest Clothiers LLC, which owns Mr. B, believes her store remains popular because of its local ownership and staffers who remember customers, their sizes and past purchases. But maybe the biggest attraction for men is that the shopping is quick and easy.

“I’ve seen guys go through here so fast,” Smith said, “and walk out with their whole season’s worth of merchandise. I think that’s why men really appreciate this store.”

Mr. B’s specialty is still suits, but seeing that people are more casual in their dress, it has expanded its business casual and sportswear lines. It also has a big and tall line, which Smith said is rare to find at higher-quality retail outlets in Central Iowa.

Smith also claims that Mr. B hires the best tailors in town, ensuring that all the clothes purchased fit perfectly. “I always tell people that you watch a television show or a movie and you see how well-dressed the movie stars are,” she said. “It’s not an accident. The clothes are tailored just to them. That’s the way someone walks out of here, too. Who would want to go to a department store and be waited on by a 16-year-old that has no understanding of fashion and who doesn’t do custom tailoring for free?”

Midwest Clothiers is undergoing some transformations itself. It closed Reichardt’s this year and recently remodeled The Back Room, its outlet location in Beaverdale. The company is also working on renovating Badowers on Ingersoll Avenue with a mid-1990s theme that will fit in with the streetscape project going on outside.

Runners-up: Von Maur; Younkers

Best Recycling/Waste
Artistic Waste Services Inc.

Artistic Waste Services Inc. claims to be the state’s largest independent provider of waste collection and recycling services, and last year the company got even larger by adding the city of Johnston to its weekly pickup routes.

In addition to serving more than 75,000 residential customers, Artistic handles commercial clients and offers collection of biohazardous medical waste, document shredding and special-events waste handling – the Des Moines Arts Festival and the Iowa State Fair are prominent in that category.

Artistic Waste operates the Metro Recycling Center in cooperation with Metro Waste Authority. Located at 1817 Euclid Ave., the center accepts everything allowed in the Curb It! program plus cardboard, tires, metal, wood and clothing.

Tony Colosimo, CEO of Artistic, bought the company in 1993. His brother Bobby joined in 1995 and is the company president.

Runners-up: Metro Waste Authority; Waste Management Inc.

Best Golf Course
Wakonda Club

Family golf memberships are up in recent months at the Wakonda Club on Des Moines’ South Side, and hosting the Western Junior Amateur Tournament in June was a 2007 highlight for the venerable course.

General manager and director of golf Dave Schneider said he thinks the golfing public has become more aware of Wakonda because of some other recent activities. “We have had a couple more charity outings the past two years, which allowed more people to play the course who otherwise would not be able to play,” he said. As a private course, Wakonda is open only to members and their guests.

Schneider said 390 families now hold golf memberships at the club. A few of them are new downtown residents, he noted.

Several holes were reconstructed a few years ago, and soon townhomes will appear along the course’s north edge, along Park Avenue. Wakonda sold six acres to Hubbell Realty Co. for that project.

Another prized tournament is on the 2008 schedule. “Next year Wakonda has the 105th playing of the Trans-Mississippi in July,” Schneider said. “It’s a very historic tournament, bringing about 160 of the country’s top amateurs over age 25.”

Runners-up: Des Moines Golf & Country Club; The Legacy Golf Club

Best Thing to Happen to Central Iowa in the Past Year
Hy-Vee Triathlon

With 1,800 participants and an estimated 15,000 spectators at the finish line, the first Hy-Vee Triathlon made an impressive impact on Greater Des Moines two months ago.

“We put our best foot forward, and the cities (Des Moines and West Des Moines) did as well,” said Donna Tweeten, a spokeswoman for Hy-Vee Inc. “We got tremendous cooperation from both, and local businesses, restaurants and hotels did a marvelous job.”

The International Triathlon Union described the event as “the richest ever on the elite triathlon circuit with a total prize purse of more than $700,000.” Along with the world-class competition, the Hy-Vee Triathlon gave athletes a chance to compete in age-group and team categories.

Des Moines became only the fourth U.S. city to host an ITU World Cup triathlon since the series began in 1991, according to the governing body.

“We had three objectives when we started this venture,” Tweeten said. “We wanted to be associated with an event promoting active and healthy lifestyles, we wanted to create an event that really showcases the city of Des Moines, and our third goal was to raise money for Variety – The Children’s Charity. We think we have accomplished all three.” She said the triathlon raised more than $135,000 for Variety.

Runners-up: Iowa Speedway; downtown renovations

Best Thing That Will Happen to Central Iowa This Year
Hy-Vee Triathlon

We didn’t anticipate a two-category sweep, but the Hy-Vee Triathlon pulled it off. Not only did readers choose it as the highlight of the past 12 months, but they expect it to be the biggest deal in the next 12, too.

The second competition, scheduled for next June, will be even more important for the elite competing athletes; it will serve as the third and final qualifying event for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

“That will be a huge deal for us,” said Hy-Vee Inc. spokeswoman Donna Tweeten. “It will put a huge spotlight once again on the Hy-Vee Triathlon and the city of Des Moines.”

It has yet to be determined whether course changes will be made for the second triathlon, but Tweeten said Gray’s Lake will again be the swimming venue, and the bicycling and running finish line will remain at the state Capitol.

No corporate commitment has been made beyond 2008, according to Tweeten, but she said Hy-Vee hopes to continue its sponsorship for years to come. “Ric Jurgens, Hy-Vee’s president and CEO, has said he wants the Hy-Vee Triathlon to be what the Masters is to golf. Hopefully as this continues it will get bigger and better.”

Runners-up: Completion of Interstate 235 construction; downtown renovations

Best florist
Boesen The Florist

Boesen is a recurring champion for Business Record readers, who repeatedly name it as a Best of Des Moines winner. The Boesens are a floral dynasty. “Our family has been in the flower business since the 1800s,” Tom Boesen said. “We are proud, proud, proud to be serving Iowans all these years through rites of passage like weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and first dates.”

The Boesen family has been agile and adept at adopting new technology to compete with nationwide chains. “We use carbon dioxide pads inside our storage coolers to keep flowers fresh longer,” Boesen said. “Cut flowers love an environment that is like a Wisconsin night, very chilly but with humidity.”

Though most nationwide florists use Colombian flower farms using U.S.-based suppliers as middlemen, Boesen said his family now works directly with flower farmers in Ecuador. “We’ve shaved several days off of our delivery time by changing to Ecuador,” Boesen said.

Tom Boesen also stays up-to-date on changing floral trends. “You know, Martha Stewart did do some good things, and one of those was she helped people feel like using flowers as part of their everyday home design,” he said. “Currently, orange, bronze and coppery-colored flowers are a huge trend.”

And budget-conscious men will be happy to hear that ladies no longer condemn carnations as the gift stingy boyfriends give. Thanks to horticultural experiments, “carnations are now popular because they come in amazing, gorgeous colors,” Boesen said.

Runners-up: Hy-Vee Floral Shop; Flowers by Anthony

Best Restaurant for Entertaining Out-of-town Guest
Centro

With more than 3,000 cookbooks and two TiVos, one of which tapes the Food Network 24 hours a day, at his house, Centro head chef and co-owner George Formaro is always in search of something new to add to his restaurant’s menu. And now, with Gateway Market just blocks away, he is able to get interesting pastas, cheeses, desserts and specialty ingredients at a moment’s notice to create his specials.

“Centro does a great job of providing food that’s really a high level of quality, but it doesn’t act like it’s smarter than you,” co-owner Paul Rottenberg said. “It’s world-class quality with interesting items, but everything is easy to understand and tastes good.”

People hosting out-of-town guests also appreciate the restaurant’s entertainment value, with its lively atmosphere and the addition of Formaro’s cooking demonstrations.

Formaro often offers one cooking demonstration a month for up to 55 people, with more sessions during the holiday season, when more people are entertaining guests. The class demonstrates how to cook restaurant-quality dishes, prepares a meal for patrons to enjoy and suggests wine pairings. Formaro’s classes have a regular following of people, who often bring guests, and they also attract people in town for long-term business projects who are looking for something to do.

“Some people just go to watch,” Formaro said. “It’s kind of like live Food Network.”

On Saturdays and Sundays, Centro also has begun offering brunch, with a separate menu that brings families to a relaxing environment.

“I think it’s the atmosphere,” Rottenberg said. “All the Centro partners have been very dedicated to keeping the place fresh.”

Runners-up: 801 Steak & Chop House; Latin King

Best Place to Buy Wine and Spirits
Hy-Vee Inc.

Our readers could have chosen a specialty shop, but they selected a supermarket chain, Hy-Vee Inc., as the best place to go for wine and spirits.

Hy-Vee sells those items at a range of supermarkets, drugstores and separate wine and spirits outlets scattered across Des Moines and its suburbs, so customers have plenty of places to choose from. They also find more and more choices on the shelves.

“We have always had a good selection,” said Hy-Vee spokeswoman Donna Tweeten. “But now we have expanded our product offerings and services to meet the demands of consumers; more and more people are drinking premium beers, and more are getting into wine.”

It’s possible to find fine French wines at surprisingly low prices at Hy-Vee stores. “I think a lot of consumers have noted our premium wines at phenomenal prices,” Tweeten said. “But it’s not just our wine selection; we also have one of the largest if not the largest selection of premium and specialty import beers in the state.”

Tweeten said the company backs its product offerings with employee education. “We have select employees go through wine certification and training,” she said, “and we often have wine-tasting classes and events.”

Runners-up: Ingersoll Wine and Spirits; Dahl’s Foods

Best place for auto repairs
Holmes Automotive Group

Michele Stiles, marketing manager for Holmes Automotive Group, said her company has worked very hard to develop the trust of its customers, and the key was providing great service.

“We value our customers a lot,” she said. “The relationship we’ve built is something we’re very proud of.”

Holmes has highly trained experts who can ensure the best experience when a customer’s car needs service, Stiles said, as well as state-of-the-art equipment. Despite the higher quality of service Holmes provides, Stiles said, the company still works hard to keep prices competitive.

“We want to make sure people have a good experience with us,” she said.

Part of that good experience is the “extra” amenities Holmes provides its customers, such as free shuttle service, free Wi-Fi and refreshments.

Runners-up: Betts Auto Campus; Toyota of Des Moines

Best Jewelry Store
Josephs Jewelers

With a new store booming in West Glen and a recently remodeled store in Valley West Mall, Toby Joseph, president of Josephs Jewelers, is now looking at improving his downtown Des Moines location.

Plans to remodel the Josephs at 320 Sixth Ave. were derailed when a fire safety code for the recently remodeled condominiums on higher floors of the building required a fire escape to run through the store. But next year, Joseph said, he plans to “really update, modernize and do something fun” with the store, though the details are still being determined.

“The bottom line, we’re loyal to downtown Des Moines,” Joseph said. “I grew up in Des Moines. My brother and three children, two of which are now working for me, did, too. … Maybe we don’t need to be there, but I think we should be.”

A three-month stretch of consistent sales growth could be a sign that downtown retail is starting to take off, Joseph said. His company’s total sales this year are exceeding last year’s record figures, he said, but will depend on how well it does over the holidays, which usually account for about 40 percent of annual sales.

Joseph attributes the positive sales results this year to a strong economy in Des Moines. Among jewelers in the area, Josephs stays within its niche of quality service and fair prices. “We’re not trying to sell the lowest-price item, which quite frankly equates to the cheapest or poorest quality,” he said. “We’re trying to carry a very fine quality and be very fair on the price.”

Runners-up: Anglo International; Jared – The Galleria of Jewelry

Best Exercise Facility
Aspen Athletic Clubs

With a new facility on Fleur Drive and another planned for the North Side of Des Moines, Aspen Athletic Clubs is making it easier and easier for Central Iowans to find a chance to exercise.

The company opened the year with facilities in Clive, West Des Moines and on Southeast 14th Street in Des Moines. On July 1, it added a 5,000-square-foot “active club” at 4549 Fleur Drive, where the equipment includes 27 cardiovascular machines, each with its own television screen.

Plans call for a 24,000-square-foot full-service workout center at 4100 Merle Hay Road in December. That facility will include child care, full locker rooms and exercise classes.

“We wanted to continue to expand in the metro area to provide greater access,” said Aspen CEO Rod Sears. “We’ve had real good success with our active club at West Glen, and on Fleur Drive is a pocket that’s hard to get to and an affluent area. We’ve been looking for a site on the North Side of Des Moines for a couple of years. It gives our members less excuses to not work out.”

Aspen Athletic Clubs also has a workout facility in Cedar Rapids and six in Oklahoma.

Runners-up: YMCA of Greater Des Moines; Prairie Life Fitness Center

Best Residential Neighborhood
Beaverdale

With its neat brick homes and tree-lined streets, Beaverdale once again ranks at the top of Central Iowa’s places to call home. Bounded by Douglas Avenue on the north, Franklin Avenue on the south, 30th Street on the east and 48th Place on the west, the neighborhood hosted its second “garden walk” this summer and also played host to the kickoff event of the 25th annual Jazz in July concert series, among other activities.

The debate continues over the fate of the vacant former site of Rice Elementary School, but new development has been approved nearby at the corner of Beaver Avenue and Fagan Drive. This spot, formerly the home of the Bond’s of Beaverdale clothing store, is slated for a new building that will have retail at street level and possibly apartments on the second floor, according to Beaverdale Neighborhood Association President Bill Miller.

The association publishes a quarterly newsletter, “The Sidewalk,” and you can stay updated on neighborhood activities anytime at www.beaverdale.org.

Runners-up: Des Moines’ South Side; West Des Moines.

Best Cultural Attraction
Des Moines Arts Festival

Organizers rolled out some new features for the 10th annual Des Moines Arts Festival, including street theater, a sidewalk artist and a billboard-sized interactive art project re-creating the work of Vincent Van Gogh.

“We’re always trying to find new interesting interactive arts activities,” executive director Stephen King said after his second year in charge of the Arts Festival. “In the past, those focused on kids, but this year we notched it up and focused on the family.”

A highlight of the 2007 event was The Joffrey Ballet’s performance on an outdoor stage, brought about through the company’s connection with Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City. “We’re going to try to continue our partnership with Hancher and see what kind of synergies can continue through performance,” King said. “It may or may not be dance.

“We certainly got a lot of good, positive feedback on a lot of things we did this year,” he said. “That’s an indication these are the kinds of things our guests are looking for.”

The 2007 attendance figure of 240,000 represents a rough estimate, but organizers do consider this summer’s turnout the biggest yet. King said the number of artists accepted in 2008 depends on the opinions of the judges, but indicated the total might climb to about 175, compared with 155 this year. The application process for next year begins Sept. 5; King said 1,423 artists applied last year.

Runners-up: Science Center of Iowa; Iowa State Fair

Best coffee
Starbucks Corp.

Starbucks offers more than 55,000 different beverage combinations, from simple coffee drinks to elaborate fruit smoothies. That is one of the reasons Mary Richman, Starbucks district manager, believes the company was voted the best coffee in Des Moines.

“What separates us is our ability to serve more than just a cup of coffee,” she said.

But another reason that can’t be ignored is the sheer volume of Starbucks stores in Greater Des Moines. Richman began overseeing this market in December, and at the time there were five stores in the area. After last week’s grand opening of a store on Mills Civic Parkway, that number now stands at 11. The 12th is schedule to open in West Des Moines by November.

“We will open as many as our customers dictate,” Richman said.

But instead of driving small, independent and locally owned coffeehouses out of the market, Richman contends that her chain’s presence in the market only serves to improve everyone’s business.

“It is not our intention to drive anyone out of the market,” she said. “Our presence makes people more aware of the coffee experience, and that makes them more likely to try out some of these other places that otherwise they wouldn’t go into.”

Runners-up: Caribou Coffee Co.; Friedrichs Coffee