New Indianola Director eyes Growth for the City
A Johnston native, Bryce Johnson is familiar with the Des Moines metro, and has chosen to pursue his career in public service in the area where he grew up. A self-professed foodie who tries to get to Cyclone and Green Bay Packer games when he can, Johnson said he learned the importance of public service from his parents, who both were teachers, and from his experience doing community service projects as a member of the Greek community at Iowa State University.
After graduation, Johnson, 33, and his wife moved to Galveston, Texas, but when they had children they decided to return to Iowa to be near family. he worked as a zoning administrator in Pella and later for the city of West Des Moines, first as a planner in development services and then as a business development coordinator in economic development.
Johnson started his new role with Indianola on Sept 15. He said the city provides opportunity for both commercial and residential growth, and he believes it will become more of a player in the fast-growing Des Moines metro.
What were the inspirations that led you to pursue a career in public service?
both my parents are schoolteachers. My mom was in Des Moines Public Schools for over 30 years. My dad was in Johnston for over 30 years.just that sense of community and civic duty really resonated with me. When I was at Iowa State, I was in the Greek community, so I was part of Iowa State’s 100th homecoming festivity. I was on the homecoming committee and then I was on the Greek Week Committee. It was really cool to have that community purpose. I was actually an architecture major first, but as I started to get more involved in communities and better understand local government, and then my parents’ ties to public service, that all kind of spurred me to go into this.
What about this role in Indianola interested you?
I think of the word opportunity. It was in my 10-year plan to get a director’s role, especially somewhere in the metro. I grew up coming here a lot playing basketball, either in college or in high school. I have familiarity with the community here and when I saw the opportunity come up,I felt like it fit perfectly with my long-term plan.So that was a professional goal of mine, but when I came down and was going through the interview process, I saw cornfields that are ripe for development. The city owns several buildings and sites that are ripe for redevelopment. I’m in a unique position where I lead both community development and economic development to make sure we’re all rowing in the same direction. So having that ability to really steer the boat in that direction, I think that’s going to be beneficial for the community long term, and it was a big factor in taking the job.
What goals do you have for the city in your new role?
One of my first goals was establishing what’s called the Business Retention and Expansion Program, where we go out and meet with our existing businesses and see how they’re doing and how the city can partner with them, identify potential growth opportunities, or if they’re looking to relocate, how can we get before them to learn those things and maybe help them. We’re trying to streamline our development process and get applicants in early and have those conversations about what’s required to make their plans come to fruition. We’ve implemented a pre-application process where you know before you submit a formal application what they need and how our process works. Also, from an economic development viewpoint, I really want the metro developers and builders to come down here. There’s a perception that Indianola is so far away, but if you just take the drive here, its really not.
What opportunities exist for development in Indianola?
Bryce Johnson: Leading Indianola’s growth as new Community and Economic Development Director
Bryce Johnson is the new Community and Economic Development Director for Indianola, Iowa, and envisions the city playing a key role in the Des Moines metro’s continued expansion.A Waukee native,Johnson brings a background in community and regional planning,holding a Bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University. He is married with two young children – a 6-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son – and enjoys cooking, sports, and spending time with his family. bjohnson@indianolaiowa.gov
Johnson believes Indianola is poised to transition into a more integrated part of the metro area. He plans to focus on leveraging the city’s workforce development opportunities to attract businesses. He notes that a common question from prospective companies is regarding the availability of a skilled workforce, and sees this as an area where Indianola can excel.
Beyond workforce, Johnson highlights the value proposition of space and affordability. “When you come here and see what you can get for your money it will definitely bring a lot of quality of life amenities people are looking for,” he stated in a recent interview. He aims to market Indianola as a location offering a balance between proximity to Des Moines’ amenities and a less congested surroundings.
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