Hy-Vee Inc. CEO Ric Jurgens, who will co-chair the Healthiest State initiative announced Wednesday by Gov. Terry Branstad, said he took himself out of consideration for the chairmanship of the Greater Des Moines Partnership when he volunteered to help lead the statewide wellness initiative several months ago.

Jurgens said that he and Partnership President and CEO Martha Willits “had had conversations about my taking on a leadership role in the Partnership, and we decided not to do that because of (the Healthiest State commitment). Fortunately, we have many other leaders who can step up.”

The Partnership in the past has maintained an order of succession for the chairman position but does not do so currently, spokeswoman Susan Ramsey said.

Jurgens was inadvertently still listed as “chair-elect” on a list of the executive committee members on the Partnership’s website, which Ramsey said was an oversight that will be corrected today.