The Federation of Iowa Insurers has announced its 2010 executive committee, including Donn Hutchins, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Iowa, who was elected president, and Wendy Waugaman, president and CEO of American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co., who was elected vice president. Other members of the executive committee include Treasurer Mary Tresnak, Life and Financial Services Committee chair Merle Pederson, Corporate and Tax Committee chair Steve Goodrich, Health and Managed Care Committee chair Janet Griffin and Strategic Communications Committee chair Georgia Van Gundy.

The U.S. economy grew at annual rate of 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, exceeding analysts’ expectations, The New York Times reported. At the end of 2009, the economy grew at its fastest pace in six years and well above its growth at an annualized rate of 2.2 percent in the third quarter. Consumer spending grew at an annualized pace of 2 percent in the fourth quarter, following a 2.8 percent rate in the previous quarter. However, considering the weakness of the labor market, some economists wonder how sustainable the growth will be. “What goes down wildly has to go up at a pretty good clip,” said Robert Barbera, chief economist at Investment Technology Group Inc.

West Bank, a subsidiary of West Bancorporation Inc., posted deposits totaling $1.25 billion at the end of 2009, compared with $1.16 billion the year before. Deposits associated with West Des Moines-based SmartyPig grew $179 million in 2009 and totaled $187 million at year’s end. Considering the success that company has had in attracting deposits, outpacing West Bank, SmartyPig will likely transition to a larger bank in 2010, a move that West Bank has been planning for. According to a release, West Bank has adequate liquidity to facilitate that transfer.

In addition to expressing support for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) award to Iowa of $18.3 million for two high-speed passenger rail projects, including $1 million for a series of studies for a passenger rail line to run from Chicago to Omaha through Iowa, Gov. Chet Culver on Thursday said he was disappointed that the DOT did not fund proposals for a Chicago-to-Iowa City and a Chicago-to-Dubuque project, IowaPolitics.com reported. “I am confident that an expanded passenger rail system is in Iowa’s future,” he said. “The Culver/Judge administration will continue to work directly with members of our congressional delegation, with Illinois officials and with the Obama administration to get this done.”

American Equity Investment Life Holding Co. will release its fourth-quarter earnings on Feb. 24. The following day, the underwriter of annuity and life insurance products will hold a 10 a.m. conference call to discuss the quarterly earnings. The conference call will be webcast live at www.american-equity.com

Ed Kenny, president and CEO of Life Care Services LLC, has taken on the role of board chair for the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) board of directors. Kenny, a 30-year veteran of Life Care Services and the senior living services field, also serves on the boards of directors for Children and Families of Iowa and Hoyt Sherman Place, and is an appointed member of the National Investment Center Operator Advisory Board. ASHA represents 350 companies that own and manage more than 600,000 senior living units nationwide. The organization provides leadership for the senior housing industry on legislative and regulatory matters, advances research and educational opportunities and facilitates the exchange of strategic business information.

GeoLearning Inc., a West Des Moines-based provider of on-demand learning and performance platforms, announced this week that it will participate in Training Magazine’s Training 2010 Conference and Expo in San Diego, Calif. GeoLearning will debut new messaging and solutions at the event, which has been slated for Feb. 1-2 and is touted as one of the largest conference events in the training and learning industry,. On Thursday, GeoLearning announced that it is extending its brand with a new Web site, www.geolearning.com, and messaging built upon the “Outsmart, Outmaneuver, Outperform” theme.

One hundred million viewers are expected to tune into the 2010 Super Bowl Sunday broadcast. That’s an increase of 1.1 percent from last year, according to IBISWorld, an industry research firm. As advertising revenues in the media industry shrink, CBS this year lowered the price of its 30-second advertising time slots for the Feb. 7 game to $2.7 million from an average of $3 million last year. Despite major advertisers such as Pepsi and FedEx bowing out this year, IBIS said, CBS has sold out its ad space for the event and has increased its number of 30-second commercial slots during the Super Bowl to 62 this year from 55 in 2007.