President and CEO of Catch Des Moines, Greg Edwards, will retire from the organization later this summer after 25 years at the helm of the organization. Edwards will stay on to help with the leadership transition as a search committee works to identify a new leader for the CVB.
Edwards joined the organization in 2000 and has worked to expand Des Moines’ presence on the national stage, with many milestones including:
- Bringing events such as the NCAA Wrestling Championships, NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Tournament First and Second Rounds, AAU Junior Olympic Games and the National Speech and Debate Tournament to the area.
- Championing projects like the Wells Fargo Arena, Hilton Des Moines Downtown, MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex, Lauridsen Skatepark and the ICON Water Trails.
- Serving as chairman of the Board of Directors for Destinations International.
- Reorganizing the Des Moines Area Sports & Tourism Commission, and more than tripling convention, sports and event bookings since 2000.
“It's been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve our community in this position,” Edwards said in a press release announcing his departure. “Seeing the region evolve into this vibrant and thriving destination and working alongside everyone who has been a part of this journey has been truly remarkable and humbling. I believe the foundation that we’ve built here with the incredible team at Catch will ensure that the tourism industry here will continue to flourish and grow.”
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