WDM Watch List

Standout leader from the community featured each month

Meet Cole Horton!

Drake University

Des Moines, IA

I am a Learning & Organizational Development Manager at OpenLoop

I love my job because I have the ability to make a substantial impact. Working in a startup environment, opportunities are only as limited as your own creativity. I have had the opportunity to run with my ideas and have creative liberty to make a difference.

My leaders value the perspective I bring, the expertise I have developed, and the processes I have created in order to be successful. Being able to strategically approach problems head-on from an L&OD perspective allows us to have an employee-first mindset and to continue to power our mission of healing anywhere.

“It Goes On.” This is a quote from my late grandmother, Bev. She liked to remind my family of this whenever life’s hardships arise. Life goes on, there is always another day, nothing is the end of the world, and you can always keep going.

I am excited to be marrying my best friend, and also West YP member, Lauren Coon on October 28th of this year. We have a gray Pitbull-Boxer mix named Ash as well as two lovable cats named Ares and Athena who are brother and sister from birth.

I love playing golf, collecting, playing video games, writing poetry, and participating on a few different boards in the area. I am the incoming President Elect for ATD – Central Iowa and participate on the boards of the Drake University Central Iowa Alumni, Iowa DECA, and on the marketing committee for First Tee – Central Iowa.

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know other like-minded and driven individuals passionate about their own career trajectory. It is not often that you find such a motivated and determined group of individuals looking to shape the future of the world we live, work, and play in.

The networking opportunities, events, and connections that you make are truly unmatched and West YP has been a massive contributor to my development overall.

My fiancee and I love food, drink, and experiences so West Des Moines has a ton to offer. We love to attend events like the Wine Fest “Sips in the City” at Smash Park, eat at some of our favorite spots like El Fogon or Anna Dolce in West Glen, and experience things like a comedy show at The Funny Bone or shop at Jordan Creek Town Center.
Our pup also has plenty of fun things to do in West Des Moines like play at Brookview Park or walk the lovely trails all around West Des Moines.
Overall, we really love West Des Moines because, no matter the occasion, it always has something to offer us.

Visit here to see a list of past WDM Watch List leaders recognized. 

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