Living Details | Spring 2016 by Perficut

DES MOINES’ NEW CENTRAL PARK THE GREAT AMERICAN TRACKER DMACC BUSINESS RESOURCES

SPRING D-I-Y GUIDE

CLIMB AN ICE SILO SPRING BREAK STAYCATION

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The Big Thaw PUBLISHERS / MATT BOELMAN & KORY BALLARD

E’RE KICKING OFF THIS ISSUE of Living Details with a special welcome message for all of our new readers who are receiving this magazine for the very first time with the Des Moines Business Record. This new relationship came together as we are working to expand our circulation in the midwest while providing a fun and entertaining magazine dedicated to “details.” This issue explores a question that people in the midwest have been asking for generations. What is spring? In the pages that follow, we’ll attempt to answer that question. We think you’ll find that this issue is every bit as broad as the opportunities our region provides in March and April! On page 24 we take you to one extreme answer with our suggestion for a spring break “staycation,” climbing corn silos covered in ice. Yes, you read that correctly. Silo ice climbing! If you prefer something a little closer to the ground, we have a feature story about the team that brought together Des Moines’ new central park, Cowles Commons. Moving beyond the weather, we have a story about DMACC’s Business Resource Center and how they are leveraging state economic development funds to help local businesses of all sizes in creative new ways. One of the businesses that has benefited from these programs is Perficut Site Management, and we have a feature story, “The Great American Tracker” about Josh Hyde’s effort to plant the company’s flag in Omaha. We also have all your favorite returning columns, including: “Details of Health,” in which we taste test wheatgrass shots at The Juice Company, “Details of Drink,” in which we claim to have found the perfect cocktail at RoCa, and our “Spring Cleanup D-I-Y Guide”. Whatever your spring holds, we hope that you enjoy the details.

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SPRING 2016

FEATURES 24

THE ICE MAN Matt Boelman takes a journey to northeast Iowa for a spring break “staycation” featuring Silo ice climbing. It’s sure not Mount Everest, but ice farmer Don Briggs says it’s every bit as difficult.

THE TRACKER Josh Hyde is a hunter who studies the landscape as much as the animals he tracks. Now he’s applying his outdoor skills to a new venture as he works to open a new company office in Omaha.

COWLES COMMONS Des Moines’ new central park is ready to be unvieled and the team behind the project couldn’t be any more excited. With a new sculpture that is as high tech as it is beautiful, it’s changing the face of downtown.

MISSION POSSIBLE DMACC’s Business Resource Center takes a creative approach to economic development by supporting local businesses that are driven to expand. Kim Didier tells us more.

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DETAILS OF DRINK

SPRING CLEANING

WHEATGRASS

Brian Lindner, mixologist at RoCa, and Leonardo DiCaprio take us on a culinary journey through Buffalo Trace in search of the perfect cocktail. Well, sort of.

Kory Ballard is ready for spring and he can get you ready too with his eight-step spring cleaning D-I-Y guide (plus a bonus section on how to sharpen your mower blade).

Don’t cut it, bag it or smoke it. This grass is made for drinking and The Juice Company’s Cory DeWitt will tell you why it just might save your life.

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LIVINGDETAILS EDITORIAL TEAM

PUBLISHERS / MATT BOELMAN, KORY BALLARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / CHARLIE WITTMACK CREATIVE DIRECTOR / EMMA LOCKWOOD COPY EDITORS/ MELISSA BRAYTON, CATE WITTMACK

C O L L A B O R AT O R S

CONTENT / MATT BOELMAN, KORY BALLARD, CASSIE CIMAGLIA, JEREMY BOKA, NICK CIMAGLIA, JC OBRECHT, JEFFREY GOODE, MELISSA BRAYTON, LISA FAZIO, MINDY CHARRON PHOTOGRAPHY / CHARLIE WITTMACK, PHILLIP HARDER, JOEY LEAMING

SPECIAL THANKS

DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS, DMACC BUSINESS RESOURCES, ROCA, DON BRIGGS, THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA, THE JUICE COMPANY, AND THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE HALL OF LAUREATES

ONLINE

ENJOY MORE CONTENT AT PERFICUT.COM

DETAILS OF DRINK AS TOLD TO / EMMA LOCKWOOD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER

EMMA LOCKWOOD: So why are we here drinking on 1:30 on a Tuesday? BRIAN LINDNER: Because your boss called me and asked me to make you the perfect cocktail. EL: Alright then. I’ve got to admit this is pretty amazing. What is it? BL: I call it the Revenant Reviver. It’s a play on the classic Corpse Reviver #2, but with Bourbon and Honey instead of Gin. There are few things better in this world than Bourbon and Honey and these flavors meld quite well to create the perfect cocktail. I added a dash of Angostura bitters to help round the cocktail out and to replace the sweet acidic finish for which Corpse Revivers are known. EL: How did you come up with the name? BL: This cocktail was inspired by the movie The Revenant with Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie has a pivotal scene that features a herd of Buffalo, which is a reference to Buffalo Trace, and a pack of wolves, which is a reference to the Angostura bitters. Plus it sounded cool! EL: Tell me about the craft cocktail movement. BL: The craft cocktail movement has been underway for many years and has had global impact. During this movement, people have become more aware of the breadth of cocktails and the flavors we can intertwine. While I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a “Mixologist”; I do consider my work a culinary technique. At RoCa, I try to discern the flavor profiles of our guests, and then focus on matching palettes with ideal cocktails. We only use the freshest ingredients that we can find and we always squeeze our juices. Our cocktails don’t come out of a pre-made box. They are hand-crafted to best suit the needs of our customers. EL: What’s up with this ice? BL: We carve artisan ice from 300-pound carving blocks that are shipped to us from Dubuque, Iowa. The ice is extremely high-quality, pure and clear. This ice is so expensive that it is usually only used for creating ice sculptures and carving, but we find that it is perfect for our cocktails. Each block is carried upstairs to our prep area, where we hand carve and chop it down into four-inch square blocks. It is extremely labor intensive, but it melts much more slowly than garbage ice, which creates a colder drink with less water. EL: How much? BL: Eight bucks. EL: In New York it would twenty-four. BL: You’re not in New York.

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THE REVENANT REVIVER 3/4 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon 3/4 oz Lillet 3/4 oz Cointreau 3/4 oz Lemon Juice 1/2 oz Honey Dash of Angostura Bitters Shaken till chilled, strained over large ice cube. Lemon Peel Expressed and garnished.

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SPRING CLEANING D-I-Y STORY / KORY BALLARD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER

T IS OFTEN SAID THAT “March comes in like a lion, but out like a lamb.” The origin of the expression remains unknown, but we think it must have something to do with the long list of spring yard chores that seems to arrive each spring with the cherry blossoms. Take a look through our D-I-Y guide for a few tips on how to tame the lion and have your best spring yet!

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Sharpening your mower blade is one of the best ways to keep your lawn healthy and disease free. A sharp blade ensures that you are cutting your grass, rather than tearing it, which will help reduce entry points for disease and eliminate stress. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the same reason a surgeon uses a scaple instead of a butter knife.

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GRASSFIRE DON’T CUT IT, BAG IT OR SMOKE IT. THIS GRASS WAS MADE FOR DRINKING AND IT JUST MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE. STORY / EMMA LOCKWOOD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER

THIS PAGE Cory DeWitt serves up a wheatgrass shot at The Juice Company in the Shops of Roosevelt on 42nd Street in Des Moines.

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We sent Cassie Cimaglia, Perficut’s Director of Process Improvement, over to The Juice Company to sample the latest trend in grass drinks. Yeah, you read that right. We’re talking about grass drinks. At Perficut, Cassie is dedicated to making great things even better, while her company works to maintain hundreds of acres of commercial turf around the metro. So here’s Iowa’s own “grass queen” on, well, drinking grass.

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OT SINCE CONFEDERATE COLONEL JOHN PEMBERTON began peddling Coca-Cola at his Columbus, Georgia pharmacy in 1885, has the beverage market developed a new elixir that is credited with so many remarkable benefits. Such is the state of affairs in the metro as juice bars have begun to pop up like daffodils at Easter with an offering as unlikely as it is exceptional. In a word, it’s wheatgrass. The list of it’s benefits are as comprehensive as they are miraculous: - “Slows the aging process” - “Arrests growth and development of unfriendly bacteria” - “Clears up head colds” - “Purifies the liver” - “Improves blood sugar problems like diabetes” - “Suppresses appetite” - “Restores fertility” - “Eliminates toothaches” - “Prevents gray hair” - “Improves digestion” However unlike Coca-Cola, the recipe for which is cloaked under a veil of secrecy, patents and trademarks; the creation of wheatgrass juice is something that occurs right before the consumer’s very eyes, from the planting and growing of the crop, to the harvesting, cleaning and final preparation. “In order for the consumer to realize the maximum benefits of wheatgrass, it’s important that it be consumed as soon after juicing as possible,” says local juicer, Cory DeWitt, owner of The Juice Company in The Shops at Roosevelt on 42nd Street in Des Moines. In the case of The Juice Company, a couple of ounces of wheatgrass can be created from grass that is harvested, washed, prepared and juiced in less than a minute. This hyper-fresh approach is made possible by the fact that the plant is organically grown in special containers that have been installed in the front windows of the shop. “At The Juice Company, ‘farm-to-table’ refers to a distance of about 15 feet,” says Cory with a smile. Cory’s interest in health and fitness is part of a family tradition that dates back at least four generations to Hamilton, Ontario, when his greatgrandmother Stanca arrived on a boat from Bulgaria. After arriving, Stanca began working as an herbalist who created and prescribed natural remedies for people who were ill. Her reputation as a compassionate and effective healer quickly grew beyond the region. Throughout her career, she was called upon by clients in both the United States and Canada.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: After harvesting, the grass plan is washed and prepared for pressing; wheatgrass grows in the windows along 42nd Street at The Juice Company in the Shops at Roosevelt; to release the juice from the grass plant, wheatgrass is pressed with a powerful auger.

“WHEN YOU REACH MY AGE, PEOPLE START TO EXPIRE. WE HAVE FOUND MANY NATURAL REMEDIES THAT CAN HELP WITH THAT.” -SYLVIA DEWITT

Cory’s mother, Sylvia, was raised in Iowa but admits that her earliest childhood memories are dedicated to her grandmother’s enigmatic visits. “When she would come to visit, she wouldn’t eat our food,” recalled Sylvia, with amusement. “We lived on a farm and only ate things that were grown on our property, but she was a vegetarian with a very strict diet.” Stance lived to be nearly 100 years old and after Sylvia’s mother passed away suddenly from cancer at a young age, Sylvia began to test some of her grandmother’s beliefs against a growing body of scientific research. “The research on diet is quite compelling,” Sylvia said. “We know that natural substances like wheatgrass, dandelion root and fermented wheat germ have powerful medicinal properties that can be used as part of a multi-pronged approach to treating and managing autoimmune diseases and cancer.” “When you reach my age,” Sylvia said, “people start to expire - both physically and mentally - and we have found that there are many natural remedies that can help with that.” “One example is how the chlorophyll in wheatgrass binds on a molecular level with toxins and carcinogens that you get in your body everyday and

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then help to expel these toxins from your system,” said Sylvia. In support of this claim, juicers point to a study by the United States Army, which exposed guinea pigs to lethal doses of radiation, similar to those used during a course of radiation therapy performed on many cancer patients. The guinea pigs that were fed chlorophyll-rich diets had half the mortality rate as those fed a non-chlorophyll diet. In addition to promoting health and healing, wheatgrass has also been shown to increase endurance. A study by the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine found that wheatgrass could improve endurance by as much as 16%. Cassie Cimaglia, the Director of Process Improvement for Perficut Companies, was recently “prescribed” wheatgrass by her physical trainer as part of her preparation for a marathon. “As a professional who is dedicated to process improvement, I’m constantly on the lookout for ways to improve my personal performance,” said Cimaglia during a recent visit to The Juice Company. “Especially when it involves cutting grass,” she added with a wink and a nod to Cassie’s employer Perficut, who maintains hundreds of acres of commercial turf throughout the region. “What do you think about the taste?” Cory asked as she tipped back a two-ounce shot before chasing it with an orange slice. “Well. [Stifling a cough.] I don’t know how to say this. I guess it tastes a bit like grass!” She said. And then while reaching her hand to her forehead with a few rapid blinks, “But oh my gosh, it doesn’t take long for this stuff to kick in!” “That’s normal,” Cory adds. “That’s the feeling of your brain thanking you for all those micronutrients.”

You can visit Cory and Sylvia at The Juice Company in the Shops at Roosevelt, 845 42nd Street in Des Moines or at their new location at 833 1st Street in Ankeny.

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THE ICE MAN MAKE THE BEST OF A COLD MARCH WITH A SPRING BREAK STAYCATION FEATURING HIMALAYAN-STYLE CLIMBING IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR LOCAL BARNYARD. STORY / EMMA LOCKWOOD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER

S ALL IOWANS KNOW, necessity is the mother of invention. A covered bridge is safer in the snow. A reservoir is a great replacement for a lake. A grain silo is all you need to train for an ascent of Everest. Wait. What?

The story of silo ice climbing is as unlikely as it is unexpected. In 2001, Don Briggs, a professor at the University of Northern Iowa was plowing a cornfield for his friend, Jim Budlong. As he ran the tractor back and forth along the horizon his thoughts wandered in a manner familiar to anyone who has worked a field. Briggs is an experienced mountain climber and had completed expeditions to Alaska, South America and the Himalayas. As he worked, his thoughts drifted off to the high alpine walls he had experienced in his travels.

WHAT: Silo ice climbing WHERE: Cedar Falls, Iowa COST: $35 WHEN: Saturday + Sunday TAKE: Sense of adventure

THIS PAGE Iowa is notorious for it’s changing weather and hard winters. As the saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes. It will change.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT An ice climber buries his ice tool high off the ground. Boots and crampons lay in wait in Cedar Falls. Ice tools have a bent head and sharp teeth that allow them to set firmly in the ice and then be easily removed. The “Ice Climber’s Lounge” in Cedar Falls is an old barn converted into a warming hut for climbers.

It was the end of the farming season and the fields needed to be turned one last time before the temperatures dropped and the landscape was blanketed in snow. As the sun set, a group of grain silos suddenly lit up along the horizon. The sight reminded Briggs of the view of so many other rock walls that he had visited - a sleek, gray spire rising up against gravity and challenging the landscape with its boldness. On the next pass, in the habit typical of mountain climbers, Briggs began to search for a weakness along the silo’s surface that might allow an ascent - something climbers refer to as “a line.” Then, like a modern day Don Quixote, who saw giants where there were only windmills, Briggs imagined a mountain. With him standing on top. Concluding that climbing the structure dry, in the fall, wouldn’t provide a great enough challenge, he began to wonder what the difficulty would be if the silo was covered in ice - like a frozen waterfall.

“The invention of the sport of ice climbing is generally credited to Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia,” Matt Boelman said. Boelman is a local ice climber who was part of a team of four Iowans who set off to climb to the summit of Mount Everest in 2011. “Prior to starting Patagonia, Chouinard owned a company that manufactured specialized ice axes, boot spikes called ‘crampons,’ and ice screws that were specially designed for climbing frozen waterfalls.” “For a long time, frozen ice was only climbed in its natural form, deep in the wilderness and high on alpine walls,” Boelman continued. “Then as the sport expanded, people began to seek out ice climbing in less remote locations that could be made safe for training. Ice farming quickly followed.” After doing a little research and consulting a few structural engineers, Briggs saw promise for farming ice in Iowa. After mastering the technique that winter,

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT An ice axe and crampons. The ice farmer, Don Briggs, listens to a student climber before a climbing session on the ice silo. Hiking boots are replaced with ice climbing boots and crampons in the warming hut. A student climber heads up the ice silo with an ear to ear grin.

“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS TO REACH FOR BIG THINGS AND WORK HARD TO MAKE THEM INTO A REALITY.” -MATT BOELMAN

Briggs began offering a class on basic ice climbing at the University of Northern Iowa. “Nobody really knew what to expect,” Briggs recalled. “But we knew it was going to be fun and we knew that it was going to be a challenge, so the students were all over it.” Since that first season more than a decade ago, the course has continued to grow in popularity while UNI remains the only state university in the country to offer ice climbing as part of their regular curriculum. Every class starts in the barnyard at the base of the silo and goes from there. The climbers get outfitted with rental equipment in a small warming house next to the silo where they are fitted with ice axes, crampons and a climbing harness. Outside the climber is then tied to a rope that runs to an anchor at the top of the silo and then back to a partner, who belays the rope to prevent the climber from falling. “People think that it looks like a dangerous sport,” says Briggs. “But in reality it is far less dangerous than the drive that people make to get here! In fact, in 15 years, we have never had a serious accident.” After a few years of offering the ice climbing seminar through UNI, Briggs began to LIVING DETAILS 27

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offer the experience to the public. “The first time I climbed silo ice, I couldn’t believe how difficult it was,” said Boelman. “On most mountains the ice forms up at a slight incline, sort of like a staircase. However, on the ice silo, it’s at least vertical and can often be overhanging. It’s definitely some of the toughest ice around.” Boelman has what many would describe as a love-love relationship with ice. As the Vice President of Perficut Site Management, Boelman oversees the company’s snow and ice management services. “I work ice and I play ice,” says Boelman with a smile. After a couple of years of training for ice climbing in Iowa and elsewhere, Boelman joined an expedition to climb to the summit of Mount Everest in Nepal. The 29,035-foot peak is the higest in the world and takes more than two months to ascend. “I can’t say that climbing Everest is like climbing an ice silo in Iowa,” laughed Boelman. “But I will admit that it was great preparation.” “Whether you’re trying a new experience locally or taking on a life-long goal after years of training, I’ve always felt that the most important thing in life is to reach for big things and work hard to make them reality.”

Learn more at SiloIceClimbing.com

THIS PAGE Matt Boelman takes his training out into the mountains during a climb of Imja Tse in Nepal.

THIS PAGE In January, Josh Hyde moved west in pursuit of the American Dream, while applying lessons he learned as a hunter to business.

The Great

AMERICAN K C E A R R T Heads West

WHEN JOSH HYDE LOOKS TO THE FUTURE, HE’S FACING WEST.

STORY / NICK TAYLOR IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER

HERE IS AN AGE-OLD AXIOM that truly great hunters are born, not raised. Perhaps it’s based on evolution. Perhaps it’s something deeper. If you arrive at a public game preserve on opening day and ask the individuals assembled what it is that sets the truly great hunters apart, they’ll quickly raise the issue of instinct. “Instincts aren’t taught,” Josh Hyde recently told me. “They are woven into your DNA - becoming part of you even before your heart and lungs are formed.” Of course the most experienced hunters always quickly point out that the somewhat less glamorous bedfellow of instinct is patience, and Josh was no different. “However, patience is what you need to turn a ten-point buck into a 12 or 14 point,” Josh continued. “Patience is what gets rewarded with records.” “Okay, maybe patience and luck,” he said with a laugh. Josh is a hunter in the most noble sense of the word and it’s a title that he wears with the comfort of a broken-in jacket, worn a bit in the elbows but more than adequate for a few more seasons. He’s been in the field for a long time, but he’s not the type to brag about the

past because he’s so busy looking toward the future. And when you learn a little more about the future he’s planning, it’s no wonder that it has his attention. Last fall, Josh was given the opportunity to open a new office for Perficut Site Management. For the past few years the company has been experiencing unprecedented growth. After spending the better part of two decades focused on expanding services in central Iowa while building a foundation with companies like Principal Financial, John Deere, Tones and Toro, the company’s owners decided to expand to the east. The new branch in Cedar Rapids was so successful that the team quickly began looking for other expansion opportunities. Then in January, Josh was handed a company flag and told to drive west and plant it in Omaha. With a single client in hand, he purchased a century-old farmhouse on six and a half acres and set up an office in the garage - a place he refers to in his usual quick-witted style as the “Garage Mahol.” From this vantage point on the prairie, he picked up the phone and got to work. “If you’re going to be successful in the field, the first thing you have to do is find the right land.” Josh said, in a

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ABOVE Josh Hyde is working to expand Perficut Site Management’s business to Omaha.

“DAD TAUGHT ME THAT YOUR FOCUS SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON BIG SOLUTIONS, NOT BIG SALES.” -JOSH HYDE

way that made me uncertain whether we were talking about deer or commercial clients. “To find the right land, you have to get to know the landscape. You have to gain an understanding of the wildlife. How it uses the land. How it travels and moves. You have to understand what it wants. Where it’s going to eat. Where it’s going to drink. Where it’s going to start it’s family.” Josh continued, confounding the issue further. “Omaha is a new market. The city isn’t yet blanketed with our blue trucks. As a result, the big commercial clients really don’t know us yet, and the first step is obviously to build trust.” He added, making the subject somewhat more clear. “Unfortunately, we operate in an industry that is usually represented by service providers who miss deadlines, provide poor service and break promises.” He said. “So we have to come in and rebuild that trust in the community. We have to demonstrate how we’ve elevated the professionalism of our industry while gaining an understanding of what commercial clients need.” Understanding the needs of his clients is an area that Josh is particularly passionate about. It’s a lesson he learned at an early age from his dad, who sold implements to rural farmers in Albert City, Iowa (population 700). “For the last century, farming in Iowa has been up and down.” Josh said. “Dad taught me that your focus should always be on big solutions rather than big sales. He understood that the welfare of a family was often determined by the

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ABOVE As a road warrior, Josh Hyde drives up to 1,000 miles a week tracking clients across Iowa and Nebraska.

“I’M DRIVEN TO BE CREATIVE TO FIND REAL SOLUTIONS FOR OUR CLIENTS THAT CREATE TRUE VALUE.” -JOSH HYDE

recommendations that he made and he was always driven to find the best solution for the farmers he worked with.” “The same thing is true with our commercial clients.” Josh said. “We’re very solutions-oriented.” “Many of our clients operate critical sites, such as hospitals and clinics, shipping and manufacturing centers, or high-traffic retail or corporate locations. For these clients, site management can have a huge impact on the bottom line, particularly during winter months where slip-and-fall injuries are common.” “Perficut is the only company in Iowa and Nebraska with a snow and ice management program that is accredited under the international quality standard, SN9001. We have the best client communication system in the industry and carefully document every service in real time as it’s performed. Through this system, we can provide real value to our clients.” “When it comes to summer services, many of our largest commercial clients don’t know what they need. We can evaluate their current program and make recommendations that save money and reduce the environmental impact.” “Of course none of this can happen if you don’t know the landscape,” he concludes as he looks out the window of the Garage Mahol. Outside spring is coming. It’s going to be a big year for Josh Hyde. New market. New Job. New house. And then in June, a new baby. It’s going to be a good year for patience and instinct.

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn or at Perficut.com.

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COWLES COM DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS IS ROLLING OUT ITS RED CARPET WITH A NEW NEW CENTRAL PARK.

THIS PAGE Cowles Commons was opened to the public last fall in the site of the former Nollen Plaza. The new park features a massive red carpet made of paving stones that is meant to welcome people to the Civic Center and to the City of Des Moines.

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STORY / EMMA LOCKWOOD IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER & DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS

F YOU MAKE A FRIEND WHO LIVES IN A CITY anywhere in the world, you can always immediately ask them the name of their river. After all, a house can be supported by a well. A town can be supported by a creek or a stream. But only a river can support a city.

Just as a great river supports the life of a city, a great park is necessary to support the hopes and dreams of it’s citizens. A park is where people go to be together. It’s a place for children to play. It’s a place for marriage proposals to be made and books to be read. It’s a place for young people to dream of their future and a place for those who have lived a long life, to sit and reflect on the past. Every great city has a public park at its heart, and Des Moines might now have the grandest of them all. “In so many ways, Cowles Commons is the red carpet where we can welcome people from around the world to Des Moines,” said Laura Sweet, Vice President and COO of Des Moines

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ABOVE The Lauridsen Fountain, designed by Fluidity Design Consultants, entertains visitors of all ages during the day and night.

“COWLES COMMONS WAS DESIGNED TO BE THE CENTERPIECE OF OUR COMMUNITY.” -LAURA SWEET

Performing Arts (DMPA) and the primary project manager of the recent renovation of the site formally known as Nollen Plaza. “Cowles Commons was designed to be the centerpiece of our community.” The concept of renovating Nollen Plaza began to gain momentum in 2006 after a group of community leaders came together with an interest in transforming the park into a location that would benefit all the citizens and visitors of Des Moines while creating a world-class cultural and urban destination. The profound impact of the project was immediately understood by everyone involved, and the team spent years considering the goals of the project and understanding the needs of the city’s many stakeholders. The final project team was assembled by Jeff Chelesvig, DMPA’s President and CEO, and included internationally-renowned talent from San Francisco to New York. The concept and vision was then brought to life by a team composed of top regional companies. The landscape architect behind the project was New York-based KSLA. The firm’s Principal, Ken Smith, is a Waukee native who completed his undergraduate training at Iowa State University before earning a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1986. Prior to tackling Des Moines’ central park, he designed the Roof Garden of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, was a member of the THINK Team in the World Trade Center competition in 2002 and led the landscape for the “World One” project in Mumbai, India.

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The design Smith created for Cowles Common features a large red carpet of paving stones that is flanked by the iconic “Crusoe Umbrella” created by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, “Swirl” a dramatic new sculpture that features 8,000 LED lights and was created by San Francisco artist, Jim Campbell, and the new Lauridsen Fountain designed by Fluidity Design Consultants. Weitz was awarded the Construction Management contract in late 2013 and immediately began to assemble a local team to complete construction on the project. “From a quality-control perspective, it was an incredibly challenging project,” said Weitz Project Manager BJ Frideres. “Perhaps one of the toughest in which I’ve ever been involved.” The complexity arose from the team’s desire to strictly honor the geometric design created by Smith and KSLA. The entire site, from the largest sculpture to the smallest plant is carefully placed in a giant grid pattern that is aligned to true north. “We were working with tolerances down to 1/32 of an inch on the pavers,” said Frideres. “As a result, the job really required a team that was committed to the design and respectful of the process.” “Our mantra for the project was ‘zero tolerance,’” added Nick Cimaglia, a construction manager with Perficut, the firm retained to plant and maintain the garden. “Our team was out planting with string lines and tape measures, and even then there were times when we would take a second look and realize that we needed to move a plant an inch to the left or right, or even up or down.” “Of the 12,000 plants that were installed, each was very specifically planted for a color palate and location,” said Sweet. “We were really counting on Perficut to maintain the integrity of Ken Smith’s design as there are important lines that connect [the Civic Center] to Cowles Commons.” “In addition to the installation of new plants, we also had to maintain and protect the existing trees,”

ABOVE The iconic Crusoe Umbrella has been a symbol of Des Moines for more than 30 years and remains on proud display at Cowles Commons. BELOW The new Swirl sculpture was designed by San Francisco-based artist, Jim Campbell, and features 8,000 LED lights.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Laura Sweet, COO of Des Moines Performing Arts on the stairs at the Civic Center. Perficut planted the Cowles Commons Gardens to tolerances of less than an inch. Jeremy Boka (Perficut) and BJ Frideres (Weitz) relax after the job has been completed.

said Frideres. “That meant Perficut had to wrap, mulch and protect the trees above the surface during the construction phase, while also paying particular attention to the health of the root system beneath the surface.”

“When the project budget became a concern, Perficut also looked for opportunities to find savings through creative strategies that didn’t call for reducing the scope or vision of the project,” said Frideres.

Work beneath the surface was made particularly challenging by the fact that the site contains several buried buildings.

“In some instances we could find slightly smaller plants that were more cost effective but would be of equivalent size when it came time to plant,” said Boka. “We also reviewed our processes and determined that we could reduce costs by mixing soils off-site and then excavating and filling at one time. Everything on this project needed to done perfectly and quickly.”

“Before Nollen Plaza existed, there were several structures on the site. The buildings were demolished into the basement and covered in sand,” said Frideres. “During the project, we pulled up concrete columns and rebar that was over 100 years old.” The construction waste was removed and replaced with a high-tech subterranean irrigation system and Silva Cells, which were engineered to promote the health of the garden and trees. “The Silva Cells are buried three feet under the surface beneath the frost level, then filled with a special soil mix and wrapped in fabric and mesh,” said Cimaglia. “They improve the health of shrubs and trees by supporting the weight of the surface, reducing soil compaction and helping to direct roots. In this case we also installed an underground irrigation system so that the garden and trees would remain happy and healthy no matter what our Iowa summers have planned for our future.”

The new Cowles Commons opened officially in June with a series of victories of all shapes and sizes. “I can’t tell you how rewarding it was to take my children down there to see what we had done and to play in the fountain,” said Frideres. “Every time we go, we can see that people of all ages are really enjoying it.” “For Des Moines Performing Arts, it has become a place where people can have informal meetings or enjoy an event that is somewhat more formal like Winefest,” said Sweet. “So in terms of animating the space that has been created, the community has already shown the incredible potential that exists. It’s going to be quite a lovely centerpiece for our community.”

“The trees are all in a much better situation now than what they had in those old four-by-four boxes,” said Frideres.

Learn more at DesMoinesPerformingArts.org.

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IN THE POST MAYTAG-ERA, KIM DIDIER AND THE TEAM AT DMACC BUSINESS RESOURCES ARE INVESTING IN THE FUTURE THROUGH A CREATIVE APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THIS PAGE Kim Didier and Aaron Chittenden supervise the development of a web-based training system for Perficut Companies in Des Moines. The system was funded in part by a state economic development grant administered by DMACC Business Resources.

STORY / NICK TAYLOR IMAGES / PHILLIP HARDER

im Didier moved home to Iowa 17 years ago with an infant in arms, a husband in tow and a new masters degree framed and ready to hang. The gig that prompted the move from Indianapolis was a leadership role with the City of Newton, supporting employment at the City’s biggest employer, Maytag. As she and her husband drove west, back to the arms of friends and family, life was full of possibility.

Eventually Kim moved inside Maytag and transitioned into a corporate role dedicated to employee training and development. Over the years that followed, Kim worked to help the workforce at Maytag adapt and succeed in a complex manufacturing environment where stedfast manufacturing principals suddenly appeared to be changing day-by-day due to globalization. Needless to say, Kim had a front-row seat for events that followed. As the company declined and the acquisition offers began to float in, Kim’s role transitioned from training and development to retraining and redevelopment. Then as the SEC was evaluating Whirlpool’s offer to purchase Maytag and shut down Iowa operations, Kim accepted a new role leading Newton’s economic development through the transition into the post-Maytag era.

M I S S I O N

P O S S I B L E

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Perficut University is a new online training platform created through a partnership between DMACC Business Resources, Perficut Site Management and The Wittmack Group. The training platform provides 38 videos that teach employees how to perfom Perficut’s ISO-accredited snow and ice management program.

WE WANT TO HELP BUSINESSES STAY COMPETITIVE AND HELP THEM FIND NEW MARKETS.” OUR COMMUNITY.” -KIM DIDIER

“I saw first hand what happens to a community when a major employer is lost and I became passionate about making sure it didn’t happen again,” Kim said. After the transition was complete, Kim took on a role as the Executive Director of DMACC’s Business Resource department (frequently referred to as “DBR”). “Ninety-percent of the population thinks of DMACC as a place for kids who have just graduated from high school,” Didier said. “We’re here because we know that education doesn’t end with a two-year degree or certificate. We’re dedicated to life-long learning that continues to bring satisfaction and fulfillment to an individual, while also bringing ongoing value to a company.” With support from the State and Iowa Workforce Development, DBR is working to make sure that employers have the workforce they need in Iowa to stay competitive, grow and prosper. “We know that the best strategies, business plans, technology and marketing must be implemented by trained and motivated personnel to be successful,” said Kim. “We work with businesses to hire employees or upscale an existing workforce to implement those strategies.” The breadth of projects undertaken by Kim and her team at DBR is matched only by the amount of creativity they employ with their partners. Nationwide recently turned to DBR in an effort to obtain a more qualified pool of job applicants. Working with DMACC’s Continuing Education department, DBR created a certificate program, “The Fundamentals of Insurance Program,” which is sponsored by Nationwide and prepared participants for entry-level positions

LIVING DETAILS 44

M I S S I O N

P O S S I B L E

LEFT Vermeer partnered with DMACC Business Resources to develop a specialized training program for MIG welders. The course has been made available throughout the state, helping ensure that employers like Vermeer will have ready access to a qualified workforce.

in the insurance industry. Class topics included principals of insurance and risk management, instructions on how to complete personal and commercial insurance applications, a session on “dealing with difficult personalities,” a refresher on how to draft a resume and tips to nail the interview. Everyone who completes the course is guaranteed an interview with Nationwide. In addition to providing creative programmatic offerings, DBR is also adept at using state funding to subsidize workforce development projects. Matt Boelman, Vice President of Perficut Companies turned to DBR for assistance in developing tools to retrain and expand its workforce. Perficut recently became the first company in Iowa and Nebraska to have a snow and ice management program that was certified under a rigorous new international quality standard known as “SN9001.” The company serves critical sites such as hospitals and clinics, manufacturing and shipping centers, and high-traffic retail and corporate locations; and undertook the certification process so that it would have the same commitment to safety and quality as it’s clients. However, adoption of the new standard required Perficut to redesign it’s entire service model from the way employees and service providers were trained, to the manner in which they communicated information to their clients, to the way each service was performed and documented. “We literally rebuilt our entire service delivery process, from the point of hiring a new team member to the point

we bill a client for a service that has been performed. Then we retrained our entire workforce to use the new system in a period of about six weeks,” said Boelman. “It was the biggest transformation of our business in our twenty-five year history.” The technology that supported the new service model was developed by The Wittmack Group, a business strategy firm led by attorney Charlie Wittmack. To implement the new system for Perficut, The Wittmack Group partnered with DBR to create an online training hub where Perficut’s workforce could complete a series of 38 training videos that took them through every aspect of the redesigned process. Development of the training tools were funded in part through grants from a collection of state programs administered by DBR. “Kim is one of the most creative workforce development experts I’ve ever met,” said Matt Boelman, Vice President of Perficut Companies. “She’s an out-of-the box thinker who is completely dedicated to helping Iowa companies be successful through the development and training of a workforce.” “This project was a little like watching a hurricane make landfall,” said Wittmack. “It was an extremely complex strategy for Perficut with huge stakes, a team of aggressive outside quality auditors and a very tight deadline. Throughout the entire implementation, DBR always made us feel like we were safe and sound in the eye of the storm. They are really a tremendous partner.”

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DBR has also developed strategies to support the manufacturing sector. After Vermeer realized that a shortage of qualified MIG welders was limiting their growth potential, they teamed up with DBR to create an enhanced MIG welding program throughout the region. DMACC was then able to leverage state “PACE” and “GAP” funds and the “Iowa New Jobs Training Program” to ensure that the training was accessible and affordable. “We have been able to partner with DBR in developing innovative and successful models for recruiting, assessing and training Vermeer employees,” said Mary Vermeer Andringa, President and CEO of Vermeer Corporation. “The models address our demand for highly skilled employees.” Now, even with this string of successes, you can’t help but get the sense that DBR is just getting started. “We’re working hard to prevent another Maytag. We want to help businesses stay competitive and help them find new markets,” said Kim. “We’re investing in our people, because as a state, they are our greatest resource.” “The highlight of this job is seeing people whose lives have been turned around because they have been exposed to adult learning and advancing their skills,” Kim said. “The future of Iowa is bright. It’s exciting to be part of it.”

Learn more at DMACC.edu/dbr