Becoming the executive director of the Grimes Chamber & Economic Development organization isn’t the only drastic change Brian Buethe is facing this month. He witnessed the birth of his first child, Grace, about three weeks ago and is preparing to move his family to Grimes from Waterloo. However, Buethe is excited to play a part in the development of a community that he believes is a major part of Dallas and Polk counties’ fast-paced growth.

What did you do before you took this new job?

I was employed by the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments. We had a planning department, which was my first role. I worked underneath Brian Schoon, director of development and [Regional Transit Commission], a well renowned planner in the state. We worked with a six-county area, with the largest being Black Hawk. Four years in, there was a position that opened for the economic development coordinator. I got that promotion and that was when I started my journey in the field of economic development as opposed to community planning.

What do you like about economic development work?

When I first started at INRCOG, they had me working on these documents called hazard mitigation plans. This was largely a result of federal dollars that were funneled down to states and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s initiative to have every community have a hazard mitigation plan. All the communities that were interested we contracted within our region and prepared that plan for them. After four years of doing a lot of the same thing, I was ready for something different.

What brought you to Grimes?

I’m originally from southeast Nebraska, and Waterloo, while it isn’t too terribly far away, is further away than Grimes is from my home. That, in addition to Grimes being a wonderful opportunity for the field of economic development.

So, you see this city as a good opportunity?

Absolutely. You have certain challenges when you’re trying to spur growth in small communities. Just describing to people what the benefits of your community are, that and they don’t have some of the infrastructure that we have in an already developed area. Here in Grimes, we have a lot of flow-through traffic, a growing population, a growing business community and areas that are development ready, so that spells growth. But with that growth are different challenges. We don’t want growth for growth’s sake. We want high-quality job creation. We want businesses that are going to locate here and be good community partners and be here for a long time.

What are a couple of your immediate goals?

My primary focus is economic development. However we have a chamber membership that is established, and one of my goals is to not only maintain that membership, but to also grow and invigorate it. That and improved communication between developers, landowners, business prospects and the city.

How long did you live in Black Hawk County?

I moved to the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area in 1999. I had an opportunity for a paid internship in the planning department at the city of Waterloo. That was after I got out of college at Northwest Missouri State University. My major was geography, and I also had a minor in public administration.

Do you believe Grimes is removed from Greater Des Moines compared with other suburbs?

I’m only a month into this, but I’ve got to tell you, I don’t see it being removed from the metro area whatsoever. I can drive you down streets from downtown Des Moines to Grimes and there would be buildings on both sides of the road the whole way.

What do you like to do outside work?

I enjoy sports, watching or participating. Baseball and football are my two favorite sports to watch.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

I grew up on a farm in southeast Nebraska and there were any number of jobs that lasted half a day that could fit into the category of worst jobs. But to me, it’s more about whom I’m working with that can make even a bad job seem very good.

What has been your proudest accomplishment so far?

The birth of my daughter. Marrying my wife would be a close second.