At the end of the month, community leader Steve Zumbach will retire from the Belin McCormick Law Firm, where he has worked since 1977, the firm announced. 

Zumbach’s practice focused on closely held family businesses. His primary areas of practice were mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, estate law, tax law and nonprofits. He has also been very active in the community and with Iowa State University. 

Zumbach earned his undergraduate degree at Iowa State University, his law degree from the University of Iowa and a doctorate in economics at Iowa State. He is also a certified public accountant.

He was a fellow in the American College Trust and Estate Counsel, was recognized by Chambers and Partners USA as a Corporate M&A Star, Best Lawyers’ Des Moines Mergers and Acquisitions Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers’ Des Moines Estate and Trusts Lawyer of the Year and Worth Magazine’s Top 100 Lawyers.

He served on the Iowa Board of Regents, was chair of the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Federation, chair of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, a founder of Bravo, a co-founder of Cultivation Corridor and was the United Way of Central Iowa’s annual campaign chair. Zumbach is currently serving as co-chair of the Central Iowa Water Trails Project. 

He and his wife, Kathy, are also currently serving as honorary co-chairs of the $1.5 billion ISU Forever Capital Campaign. Zumbach has supported Iowa State University for over four decades. He has served on every Iowa State University capital campaign since the 1970s. He served as Iowa State University Alumni Association president in 1987. 

Zumbach’s recognitions include being inducted to the Iowa Business Hall of Fame, Outstanding Volunteer Philanthropist, Iowa World Food Prize Founders Award, Iowa State University Order of the Knoll Cardinal and Gold Award, Iowa State University Alumni Medal, Iowa State University Outstanding Young Alumnus recognition, the Bravo Award, Excellence in Economic Development Award given by the American Economic Development Council and was recognized by Iowans Who Made a Difference: 150 Years of Agricultural Progress.