January
9, 2001
“Our Community Commitment winner this year is a name that is synonymous with Des Moines,” said Mike Blouin, President & CEO of the Partnership. “John Ruan is a man of considerable impact and influence on the national and international level, but on the local level, his influence has been profound. With the contributions he and his family have made in rescuing AccessAir, thereby continuing to keep competitive air fares available, John Ruan continues to serve our community long after most people would have decided they had done enough.”
Among his many professional accomplishments, Ruan is credited with building the 36-story Ruan Center, Ruan Two and the downtown Marriott Hotel, and was active in the development and building of what is today known as the Polk County Convention Complex, as well as several parking garages.
Among his charitable contributions, Ruan sponsors the Ruan Neurological Center at Mercy Medical Center and the John Ruan Multiple Sclerosis Golf Exhibition, one of the largest M-S fundraisers in the country. He is also the sponsor of the World Food Prize, an international award recognizing those who have improved the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.
Along with the Community Commitment Award, the Partnership will honor one of its member businesses with the 2000 Diversity Award. This award recognizes those businesses in our community that have gone beyond just opening their doors to women and minorities… but honors those businesses that have strived to create opportunity and embrace a corporate culture that includes diversity from the foundation up. The three finalists for the 2000 Diversity Award are Cigna HealthCare, Principal Financial Corporation and R.R. Donnelley and Sons Company. The 2000 honoree will not be named until the presentation at the event.
The Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Annual Dinner is open to the public. This year’s featured speaker is Jim Morris, a political impressionist and humorist often seen on nationally televised programs including NBC’s The Tonight Show and CNN’s Crossfire. Tickets are still available by calling Mary Bontrager at 286-4954.
JOHN RUAN RECEIVES PARTNERSHIP’S COMMUNITY COMMITTMENT AWARD
Political Impressionist Jim Morris will be featured speaker
GREATER DES MOINES — The Greater Des Moines Partnership will present the 2000 “Community Commitment” award to John Ruan, Chairman & CEO of Ruan Companies, at its 112th Annual Dinner to be held Thursday, January 11, 2000 at the Polk County Convention Complex. The Partnership’s Annual Dinner is the one event each year when the entire business community gathers to look back on the accomplishments of the past year.