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Makower to discuss environment and business at April 16 luncheon

Why have environmental issues risen to the top of today’s business concerns? How are leading companies integrating environmental thinking into their operations in a way that creates lasting business value? How are “green innovators” transforming your market? Joel Makower, a leading voice on the “greening” of business for more than 20 years, will answer these and other questions

with his presentation, “From Here to Sustainability: The Profit (and Pitfalls) of Environmentally Responsible Business” on Wednesday, April 16. The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Meadows Ballroom at Prairie Meadows in Altoona. The cost to attend this luncheon event is $25 per person. Participants may register by visiting www.desmoinesmetro.com/events.

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RestYourCar.com, AvoidtheRush.org to merge as DriveTimeDesMoines.org

The Transportation Management Association (TMA) will soon be launching a new website, www.DriveTimeDesMoines.org. The site will serve as the online home for the TMA and focus on keeping metro area workers informed of their commuting, transit and travel options.

DriveTimeDesMoines.org will combine two sites currently run by the TMA, RestYourCar.com and AvoidTheRush.org. TMA Director Nathan Treloar describes DriveTimeDesMoines.org as the new “one-stop-shop” for the region’s transit and transportation needs.

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Partnership Perks: Young Professionals Connection

One of the most visible opportunities for getting future leaders involved in and connected to the business community is to invite your young professionals to join the Partnership’s Young Professionals Connection (YPC).

YPC’s efforts focus on connecting young professionals to each other and to the regional community through social, civic, charitable, & professional development endeavors. The group has several committees that focus on various aspects of the young professional lifestyle, including marketing, community involvement, diversity, membership development, downtown development and social events.

Through YPC, members can begin to get involved in the community, build leadership skills, and find issues, interests and career paths they’re passionate about. With roots thus established in the regional community, they often then become ambassadors and advocates for the Partnership’s broader workforce recruitment and development efforts. This benefits the entire region, as job seekers and young professionals from other areas begin to understand the vibrancy of Greater Des Moines and its appeal to their demographic.

The Partnership is the host organization for Young Professionals Connection. All young professionals working for Partnership regional affiliate member companies may join. For complete information, visit www.ypcdsm.com or contact Jessica Walter at the Partnership at 286-4924 or jwalter@desmoinesmetro.com.

Shawn Johnson and Coach Chow to appear at Olympic hopefuls’ celebration April 1

Come join Iowa’s statewide leaders in celebration of Iowa’s Olympic hopefuls on Tuesday, April 1

from 2 – 3 p.m. at the Iowa State Capitol on the West Capitol steps. The celebration will include Greater Des Moines’ own Shawn Johnson (Gymnastics) and Lolo Jones (Track and Field). Other Iowa Olympic hopefuls who plan to attend are Haley Dunn (Skeet Shooting), Sara McMann (Wrestling), Tolly Thompson (Wrestling), Joe Williams (Wrestling), and Joey Woody (Track and Field).

The Greater Des Moines Partnership proudly recognizes these Olympic hopefuls, and has partnered with Chow’s Gymnastics as a part of the region’s national and international marketing efforts. As Shawn Johnson and Coach Chow compete internationally, both share their positive stories of Greater Des Moines – Chow as an immigrant who came to Iowa and started a successful business in Greater Des Moines, and Shawn as an elite gymnast who attends public school and has some degree of normalcy because of the “ease of life” in the area.

The event at the Capitol is sponsored by MediaCom and NBC Universal.

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• How will you spend your economic stimulus check? Take our poll!

Register for these upcoming events:

“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!