Des Moines Business Record

09/10/2026

Merchants Bonding Co. has announced a new leadership structure, with President Larry Taylor becoming CEO, and Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer Elisabeth Sandersfeld succeeding him as president, effective Jan. 1, 2027.

West Des Moines-based Merchants Bonding Co. announced today that current President Larry Taylor will become the company’s chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1, 2027. The CEO role is newly created for the organization. Taylor will continue to serve as chairman of the company’s board of direc...

09/10/2026

On the latest Iowa Economy Podcast episode, hosted by BPC President Chris Conetzkey and sponsored by UHY, Ryan Nunn of The Budget Lab at Yale University shares how growing federal debt could lead market participants to start paying more attention to options for reducing deficits.

Watch the episode at the link below.

09/10/2026

Trial is underway in Polk County in a lawsuit alleging property in the fast-growing western Des Moines suburbs was sold below fair market value and at inflated commission rates, causing harm to minority owners of the site. The defendants have denied wrongdoing.
https://www.businessrecord.com/lawsuit-claims-breach-of-duty-conspiracy-in-sale-of-land-for-commercial-development/

09/10/2026

NextEra Energy is working to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center, a decommissioned nuclear power plant in Palo, Iowa.

The company recently announced that it will receive a loan of up to $1.9 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy to support the restart effort.

During a tour of the facility, Paul Hansen, engineering director at Duane Arnold, shared an update on the ongoing construction. Check out our updated story:
https://www.businessrecord.com/nextera-receives-1-9b-federal-loan-to-restart-duane-arnold-energy-center/

09/09/2026

Casey’s reported a strong start to its new three-year strategic plan, with first-quarter earnings per share up 27.7% and net income rising 27.1% year over year. Higher inside sales and gross fuel profits helped drive the results.

Casey’s General Stores Inc. launched its new three-year strategic plan with a first quarter its top executive described as “outstanding,” supported mostly by higher inside sales and gross fuel profits. “Our strong first-quarter result is yet another proof point that our Advantage model is wo...

09/09/2026

The Des Moines International Airport meets FAA requirements for a 1,000-foot runway safety area and does not require the engineered materials arresting system, which slows down and stops planes that overshoot a runway.

Read the story at the link below.

09/09/2026

This week’s Business Record Iowa News Headlines Podcast presented by Iowa State University Ivy College of Business is out now. We recap stories on an AI center for the insurance industry proposed for downtown Des Moines; the acquisition of Lincoln Savings Bank and the final report from the governor’s Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force. Stream the episode here: https://ow.ly/9WSP50ZLaJQ

09/08/2026

NextEra Energy will receive a federal loan of up to $1.9 billion to support the restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Palo. The company is working to restart operations at the nuclear plant in 2029, pending regulatory approvals.

Read the story at the link below.

09/08/2026

The Classroom Clinic provides school districts with access to children’s mental health services through the use of telehealth and related technologies. “The last three years, we either doubled or tripled in size each year, just as far as number of kids we're helping, and now we're up to 56 school districts, more than 150 buildings across the state, nearly 20% of the school districts,” said CEO Allen Bierbaum. “Last year the thing that I was most proud of is we had nearly 12,000 appointments with kids, and helping nearly 1,000 kids across the state. And those kids, I don't think would get services any other way.” https://www.businessrecord.com/classroom-clinic-steadily-expanding-telehealth-services-to-iowa-schools/

09/08/2026

The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business and Vaughan Institute of Risk Management & Insurance are working to bring an AI Center of Excellence focused on the insurance industry to downtown Des Moines. The proposed center would connect insurance companies with AI companies to help drive innovation and AI adoption.

Read the story at the link below.