Tom Urban’s Commitment to DSM by Steven E. He was a tall man with a big heart who led by example. After retirement, he became CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines for three years and refused to accept any compensation. He asked one question, “Will it be good for the community?” That was his acid test for helping our region.

I still remember a lunch with him when I was the designated recruiter - my job was to convince him to chair the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Growing up without a father, Barry was committed to being an exceptional father - he was all of that and more.īarry had a great sense of humor and he never took himself seriously.

Michele and Barry were married for 50 years and he was very proud of their two sons and two granddaughters. Most importantly, Barry was a dedicated family man. My dear friend, Barry, will be remembered for so many great things in our community - the Principal Charity Classic (which has raised over $24 Million for children since inception), the Principal Riverwalk, making our United Way one of the most successful in the country and the list goes on. opportunities for a successful life are available to all individuals who are dedicated to the principles of integrity, hard work, perseverance and compassion of others.” He received the Horatio Alger Award in 2003.īarry was a visionary not just for managing a large publicly held company, but also for his philanthropy, giving back to community and for championing diversity and inclusion. His life truly exemplified the mission of the Horatio Alger Society, “. He oversaw its initial public offering shortly after the September 11 attacks. The odds were against Barry, yet, he rose to become the chief executive officer of The Principal Financial Group. There were no mentors and all the insecurity and upheaval took its toll on Barry’s education.

His father and stepfather battled alcoholism and took their own lives.ĭespite holding two jobs, Barry’s mother simply could not provide enough for her family and in his first 16 years, his family moved 16 times. His mother married at 16, had two sons and was divorced three times within a span of two years, twice from the same man. Yet, when one considers Barry’s very challenging formative years, one has to marvel at how he achieved so much despite all the adversities he encountered. He had an amazing knack in making others feel they had no limits to their abilities.

When I first met Barry, even more than his 6-foot-10-inch stature, what really struck me about him was his ability to connect with every person in the room. – Jay Byers, CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership.Ī Tribute to My Dear Friend J. Zumbach, respectively, to share their thoughts and reflections on the leadership of Barry and Tom. Both Barry and Tom were also inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame. Tom chaired the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Federation, the predecessor to the Greater Des Moines Partnership, in 1985, and Barry chaired The Partnership in 2004. Barry Griswell and Tom Urban made a significant contribution to our region and their reach and impact extended far beyond the business community. Recently, we lost two leaders who were each instrumental in their own ways, building and shaping the Greater Des Moines (DSM) community.

Dm register suku radia steve zumbach