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Greater Des Moines Partnership presents regional growth and workforce initiatives to Windsor Heights council
Summary
The Greater Des Moines Partnership outlined its work on business retention, recruitment and talent programs, saying the organization supported 759 projects, helped create more than 37,000 jobs and has driven roughly $14.7 billion in regional investment; presenters urged continued local partnership to attract workers and support small businesses.
At the Windsor Heights City Council meeting on Feb. 3, 2025, Tiffany Tashak, president and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, briefed the council and staff on the partnership’s regional economic-development and talent programs and thanked the city for its participation.
Tashak said the partnership has worked with 759 projects that have generated more than 37,000 jobs and roughly $14.7 billion in investment across the region since its founding. She described three core activities: business retention and expansion (including at least 150 annual surveys or visits to existing companies), targeted recruitment trips to major metro areas and a talent-marketing funnel that seeks to attract new residents and guide them to regional job opportunities.
“Eighty percent of your economy and your business growth is going to come from your existing companies,” Tashak said, stressing the partnership’s emphasis on understanding local companies’ needs. She also highlighted internship and talent programs, noting about 349 interns from 66 colleges participated in the organization’s intern-connection program last year and that more than 70% rated the experience highly.
Councilmembers asked about demographic and migration patterns for recent arrivals. Tashak said the region has trended about 1.3% population growth over the last decade and offered to provide the council with migration top-five source markets and demographic breakdowns on follow-up.
The presentation emphasized regional collaboration—marketing, trade-show recruitment trips and legislative advocacy—while urging Windsor Heights leaders to continue leveraging partnership resources to support small businesses and local quality-of-life projects.
Next steps: partnership staff offered to follow up with migration and demographic data and said they will continue to coordinate with city staff and the Windsor Heights Chamber on targeted outreach and talent strategies.
