February 29, 2000
GREATER DES MOINES PARTNERSHIP TAKES WORKFORCE ATTRACTION TEAM TO BIG TWELVE TOURNAMENTS

GREATER DES MOINES – February 29, 2000 – The Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Workforce Attraction team is heading to Kansas City, where they will attend the Big 12 Basketball Tournaments as cheerleaders for the Iowa State Cyclones and Greater Des Moines job opportunities.  The Workforce team has partnered with the ISU Alumni Association to host seven days of spirit rallies for ISU fans and others attending the tournaments.

“Experience has shown us that our recruiting efforts are most successful when the recruit has an existing Iowa tie,” said Diana Bishop-Ewing, Senior Vice President of Workforce Development for the Partnership. “This audience already supports the state as a basketball fan.  We want to encourage them to be a fan of the community as well.”

Spirit rallies create a “homecoming” atmosphere where many former Iowans return each year to support their team.  This year’s rallies will feature the ISU Pep band, the Spirit Squad (cheerleaders, Pom squad and Cy), door prizes, face tattoos and refreshments.  Between 8,000 to 10,000 people, some from as far away as Japan and Hawaii, are expected to attend the events.

”Our mission is to be the lifetime link for alumni and friends of ISU,” said David Orth, Assistant Director of Alumni Events. “This partnership provides a great opportunity to promote Greater Des Moines as a wonderful place to live and to work.  We consider the community a product of both the State of Iowa and Iowa State University in which we believe strongly.”

The Workforce Attraction team will hand out “3-point cards” at both the men’s and women’s games, complete with community information and the Partnership website address printed on the back.

“While the TV cameras will see all those cardinal and gold “Three-Point” signs… the fans holding them will be looking at www.desmoinesmetro.com,” said Bishop-Ewing.  “Our website was created with workforce attraction in mind, emphasizing our quality of life and the many opportunities that are available in our thriving economy.” 

Further promoting both the website and the community, the team will distribute cardinal and gold pom-poms with the Partnership logo and web site printed on the handles, as well as colorful refrigerator magnets with a caricature cartoon of Greater Des Moines.  The magnet promotes the many community attractions available here, such as Iowa Cubs, Prairie Meadows, and the State Fair.  These mementos are intended to help reinforce the website address after the fans go home from the game.

“Obviously we can’t say everything there is to say about living and working in Greater Des Moines on the back of a card,” said Bishop-Ewing.  “The fans don’t have time to read all that at the game, anyway.  But when they get home, a visit to our website will answer any question they may have about Des Moines, and provide a way to reach us if they want to know more.”

The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization serving Greater Des Moines.  Its mission is to maximize local resources to address opportunities for economic and community growth.  Greater Des Moines will reach its full potential only through a united economic development effort, with one voice, one mission, one focus.

For more information, please contact Susan Ramsey at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, (515) 286-4954 or [email protected].