h digitalfootprint web 728x90

Opinion

35425

On Leadership: The leader as chief wellness officer

For years I worked at companies where leaders and employees alike were expected to get the job done at all costs. Pushing yourself to extremes was valued and rewarded as a sign of dedication and …
By Suzanna de Baca | Aug 3, 2022
35421

The Elbert Files: Fruits and vegetables

Problems facing fruit and vegetable growers present a unique opportunity for Iowa manufacturers of specialty farm equipment, including Deere & Co., Pella-based Vermeer Corp. and Sukup Manufacturing in Sheffield, among others.

Before I explain, here’s …
By DAVE ELBERT | Aug 3, 2022
35409

The Elbert Files: Field of suckers

I’m one of those guys who had a hard time walking out of the theater the first time I saw “Field of Dreams.” I wasn’t prepared for the flood of emotions at the end of …
By DAVE ELBERT | Jul 27, 2022
35388

The Elbert Files: Bad water

Iowa’s waterways are in worse condition than most of us realize.

A study by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources earlier this year said as much, although the implications of its technical findings were difficult …
By DAVE ELBERT | Jul 20, 2022
35376

On Leadership: Invest in tomorrow’s leaders today

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with some of our team members for a report-out on leadership training they’d received over the last year. I listened intently as one individual described some positive …
By SUZANNA de BACA | Jul 15, 2022
35368

The Elbert Files: Empty robes

I bought an iced coffee at Ritual Cafe and headed into the Pappajohn Sculpture Park to read “You Know Me Al,” Ring Lardner’s series of short stories about an early 20th-century baseball pitcher. The book …
By DAVE ELBERT | Jul 13, 2022
DSC 6869

Guest Opinion: What’s love got to do with work?

In the early 1980s, Tina Turner recorded “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” It became her first and only Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single. It is a catchy tune, but what’s love got …
By JANN FREED | Jul 5, 2022
35354

The Elbert Files: Interest-rate hiccups

Are we headed into a recession?


That’s a natural question when inflation rises as quickly as it has in recent months, but not one that can be easily answered.  


You might as well ask about …
By DAVE ELBERT | Jul 5, 2022
35341

On Leadership: Leaders focus priorities as possible recession looms

Despite the fact that the U.S. economy remains strong by many measures, business leaders are bracing for a recession. CEOs and boards from Wall Street to Main Street are reexamining – and in some cases …
By Suzanna de Baca | Jun 28, 2022
35335

The Elbert Files: A decade of change

The hierarchy of Des Moines has changed a lot during the 10 years I’ve written this column. New leaders have surfaced as key players retired or moved on. Others, most notably Barry Griswell, Johnny Danos …
By DAVE ELBERT | Jun 28, 2022