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The West Des Moines Chamber and the city of West Des Moines annually recognize a West Des Moines resident or business professional for Citizen of the Year in addition to honoring an Emerging Citizen of the Year with an award.

“The Citizen of the Year was created to promote and recognize the people, businesses and civic organizations that make this a great community in which to live, work and raise a family,” said Katherine Harrington, President and CEO of the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. “Celebrating the Citizen of the Year allows us to acknowledge and highlight the winners’ exemplary service to our city.”

The Emerging Citizen of the Year award is designed to honor a person up to the age of 39, who has a demonstrated history of community involvement, civic engagement, and a philanthropic impact through time, talent, and/or treasure.

Both award recipients will be honored at the Annual Dinner on March 5th, 2025 at the Val Air Ballroom. Registration for the event is $100 per individual or $1000 for a table of eight. Learn more about the Annual Dinner and nominate someone through the form below.

  • 1945 C.C. Yost
  • 1946 Dr. C.W. Burt
  • 1947 Jess Compton
  • 1948 Earl McLaren
  • 1949 Belle Ohler
  • 1950 Seldon Banker
  • 1951 Dr. Fred Sternagel
  • 1952 Nellie Phenix
  • 1953 Norris Crosby
  • 1954 Elbert Stilwell
  • 1955 Amos Lee
  • 1956 Ray Kirk
  • 1957 Charles Mountain
  • 1958 L.C. Strandberg
  • 1959 L.C. Murray
  • 1960 Raymond Cone
  • 1961 Don Reid
  • 1962 Harold Parker
  • 1963 Bonnie McFadden
  • 1964 Eugene Crow
  • 1965 Mildred Gray
  • 1966 Elmer True
  • 1967 Deedie King
  • 1968 Ronald Hallock
  • 1969 Paul Burgess
  • 1970 Kenneth Werth
  • 1971 Eldon Stilwell
  • 1972 David Miller
  • 1973 Robert Kramme
  • 1974 Pat Thompson
  • 1975 Marlys Lenhart
  • 1976 Murray Drake
  • 1977 James Crosby
  • 1978 Robert H. Clark, Jr.
  • 1979 George Mills
  • 1980 John Stamatelos
  • 1981 Dale Pearson
  • 1982 Patty Olson
  • 1983 Bruce Graves
  • 1984 James Fleming
  • 1985 Lucile Schertz
  • 1986 Richard Cummings
  • 1987 Vicki Baker
  • 1988 Tom George
  • 1989 David B. Hawkins
  • 1990 Joe Van Winkle
  • 1991 Dorothy Pryor
  • 1992 Walter T. Hart
  • 1993 Roy Messerschmidt
  • 1994 Donald Cook
  • 1995 Robert E. Larson
  • 1996 Stanley C. Ver Ploeg
  • 1997 Dr. Dale Grabinski
  • 1997 Joyce Grabinski
  • 1998 Joseph B. Ryan, Jr.
  • 1999 Dorothy Carpenter
  • 2000 Jack & Janis Kiburz
  • 2001 Kay Kramer
  • 2002 Rick Messerschmidt
  • 2003 William C. Knapp
  • 2004 Norman W. Pogemiller
  • 2005 John J. Clarke
  • 2006 Henry J. (Hank) Evans III
  • 2007 Shawn Johnson
  • 2007 Xiao Liang (Chow)
  • 2008 Libby Jacobs
  • 2009 Transition from winter to spring
  • 2010 Scott A. Hatfield
  • 2011 Loretta Sieman
  • 2012 Sam Kranovich
  • 2013 Anita Messerschmidt
  • 2014 Ted Ohmart
  • 2015 Jordan House Cleaning Ladies
  • 2016 Dr. Larry Swanger
  • 2017 Kelsey Feller (Emerging)
  • 2017 David Maxwell/Mark Hillenbrand
  • 2017 Collin Nelson (Emerging)
  • 2018 Tim Miller
  • 2018 JJ Kapur (Emerging)
  • 2019 Mary and Milford Cole-Duvall
  • 2019 Nick Brannen (Emerging)
  • 2020 Jim Sandager
  • 2020 Kate Banasiak (Emerging)
  • 2021 Sanjita Pradhan
  • 2021 Scott Cutler (Emerging)
  • 2022 Steven & Kent Gaer
  • 2022 Gianna Pugliese (Emerging)
  • 2023 Tina Mowry Hadden
  • 2024 Al Womble
  • 2024 Caitlin Clark (Emerging)

Submit a nomination below by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

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