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Forbes ranks Greater Des Moines Fourth Best Place for Business & Careers

Greater Des Moines has been recognized as the fourth “Best Place for Business and Careers” by Forbes magazine, which released its annual rankings this week.

In addition to the ranking, Greater Des Moines is one of only two metros that are featured in the rankings edition of the magazine. Partnership staff worked with Forbes on the feature about Greater Des Moines, and spent several days showing the reporter around the area and connecting him with business, civic and community leaders. The magazine went to print March 13 and is due on newsstands April 3. The reporter shared that the feature on Greater Des Moines will be on page 100 of the print edition. The other metro being featured is Chattanooga, TN. You can read the feature about Greater Des Moines online now.

Forbes notes that "Des Moines, with its sports arena, art center and heated 3 mile skywalk, now boasts an unemployment rate of 3.4% and business costs that are 10% below the national average."

Forbes says the findings help to paint a picture of what is happening in the overall U.S. economy, as well as in specific metro areas across the country. Plus, the rankings offer a wide range of choices for the best places to launch a new business, consider for relocation, and much more.

The Forbes placement is a part of the Partnership’s ongoing national media relations effort to highlight Greater Des Moines’ business advantages and unparalleled quality of life. Partnership staff consistently reaches out to national media outlets to provide information about the area, “pitch” story ideas and achieve national media coverage of the region. This outreach has resulted in this placement, as well as placements like the New York Times feature in December.

Read the full Forbes story on the rankings here.

SBA picks Greater Des Moines for ‘Emerging 200’ job growth project

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced the selection of Greater Des Moines as one of 11 cities to participate in the Emerging 200 initiative, a jobs and growth stimulation effort targeting promising inner-city small businesses. The designated cities where the program will begin are Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, New Orleans, Des Moines and Oakland.

A local kick-off event will be held in Greater Des Moines on April 3.

Read the full story here

Partnership launches contest for free trip to Greater Des Moines

The Partnership launched a contest on March 14 in which one lucky winner and their guest will win a trip to Greater Des Moines for one of the area’s major summer events. The trip to Greater Des Moines will include airfare or car rental, three nights hotel stay and an entertainment package to one of the area’s major events, as well as the opportunity to see what’s happening in Greater Des Moines.

The winner may select one of these four events to attend: The Principal Charity Classic, the Hy-Vee Triathlon, the first annual 80/35 music festival or the Des Moines Arts Festival. The winner will be randomly selected, and must reside outside of the State of Iowa.

Read the full story here

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Regional Calendar of Events Thursday, March 27, 2008 Urbandale Chamber of Commerce - AM Exchange Where: Merle Hay Funeral Home & Chapel, 4400 Merle Hay Rd., Des Moines When: Time: 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. More Info >>> Johnston Chamber of Commerce - Luncheon Where: Hyperion Field Club When: 11:45 a.m. More Info >>> DCDM UNITED 2008 - Planning meeting Where: Arthur Davis Conference Room, Partnership Building, 700 Locust St., Suite 100, downtown. When: 3 - 4:30 p.m. More Info >>> Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce - Business After Hours Where: Hunziker & Associates, 1255 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny When: 5 - 7 p.m. More Info >>> ALIANZA - Latino Business Association - Pachanga Nights Where: Meredith Corporation, 1615 Locust St., Des Moines When: 5:30 - 7 p.m. More Info >>> Chamber Night at the Iowa Energy Where: Wells Fargo Arena Time: 7:30 - 10 p.m. More Info >>> Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce - AYP Night at the Iowa Energy Where: Wells Fargo Arena Time: 7:30 - 10 p.m. More Info >>> All Events >>>

Register for these upcoming events:

Urbandale Chamber Regional Business After Hours, April 1

“From Here to Sustainability” – guest speaker on “green business” Joel Makower, April 16

Small to Big Business Forum, April 29

DC DM United – the 2008 D.C. Trip June 11-13!