President & CEO (Search managed by Russell Reynolds Associates)

The Opportunity

Under Jeff Chelesvigs three-decade tenure as CEO Des Moines Performing Arts (DMPA) has accomplished substantial artistic programmatic and institutional growth and achievement. DMPA has evolved to encompass four different venues and a wide variety of programming and is one of Iowas premier nonprofit arts organizations driving tremendous economic results for the community. Perhaps best known for the Willis Broadway Series which alone has 12800 subscribers and is responsible for $40 million in annual economic impact DMPA also delivers intriguing speakers musical acts and performing arts education through programs like the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards and the Applause Series.

DMPA has an excellent reputation in the local community and across the country and at the same time the opportunity for continued growth and innovation is significant. The role of performing arts in society today is changing and the next CEO of DMPA will have the opportunity to build upon the significant strengths of the organization and lead DMPA forward as it responds to this period of change and opportunity. The Board of DMPA is looking for a visionary leader to lead DMPA into a new chapter of relevance reach and impact. The ideal leader will embrace this inflection point with both reverence and perspectivewilling to ask the hard questions honor what works and chart a thoughtful course forward that builds on the past without being bound by it.

Our Client

DMPA is central Iowas premier not-for-profit performing arts organization. DMPA is a major presenter of major Broadway and educational touring companies performers and groups and is the performing home of many local and regional groups including the Des Moines Symphony. The Des Moines Civic Center Stoner Theater Cowles Commons and the Temple Theater at the Temple for Performing Arts are all operated by DMPA:

• Des Moines Civic Center: The Des Moines Civic Center opened its doors in June of 1979. Since then the venue has built a reputation as one of the nations leading theaters to experience a touring Broadway performance concert or other special presentation. The Civic Center is also the performance home of the Des Moines Symphony. The Center features a 76-foot wide by 28-foot high proscenium stage which is the focal point for a fan-shaped continental seating area that accommodates an audience of 2762.
• Stoner Theater: Located within the Des Moines Civic Center this flexible black box theater allows audiences to experience theater comedy improv and many other special presentations in an up-close and personal setting. The Stoner Theater is the performance home of Comedy Xperiment Pyramid Theatre Company Iowa Stage Theatre Company and DM Young Artists Theatre.
• Cowles Commons: Originally known as Nollen Plaza Cowles Commons was completed in 2015 and represents a significant commitment by DMPA to give back to the community. This space features the popular Crusoe Umbrella by artist Claes Oldenburg and lighting sculpture Swirl by artist Jim Campbell.
• Temple Theater: Located on the second floor of the Temple for Performing Arts the Temple Theater is one of Des Moines most intimate performance venues. Home to DMPAs Temple Comedy Series and Live At The Temple Concert Series both sponsored by Prairie Meadows the Temple Theater offers guests the opportunity to feel like a part of the performance.

DMPA is the presenter of the Willis Broadway Series one of the largest touring theatrical subscription programs in the country which alone has 12800 subscribers and is responsible for $40 million in annual economic impact. In addition DMPA presents the Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield Family Series the Dance Series the Prairie Meadows Temple Comedy Series the Explorer Series the Popular Applause School Matinee Series a free outdoor family events series and the Prairie Meadows Live at the Temple concert series. Across all series DMPA boasts over 15000 season ticket holders.

An important part of DMPAs mission is to provide the facilities at non-profit rates to area organizations. These events range from performances by local theater troupes and comedy groups in the Stoner Theater to the Des Moines Symphony Iowa Military Veterans Band and Iowa Dance Theatres Nutcracker in the Civic Center.

Education and community engagement programs are core to Des Moines Performing Arts mission as a non-profit performing arts organization. Nearly 60000 students and community members participate in education-based programs annually. Headlining these initiatives is the Applause Series through which more than 38000 students and educators attend curriculum-connected school matinee performances at DMPA annually at a cost of only $1 per student. Through its partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center DMPA provides teachers with in-depth professional development on how to use the arts in their classrooms to better impact student learning. DMPA supports budding theater artists through its statewide Iowa high school musical theater awards initiative; more than 100 high schools in every corner of the state receive professional feedback on their school musical access to hands-on learning opportunities in performance and technical theater areas and honors for their work that provide increased visibility for their drama programs.

DMPA has an annual budget of approximately $25 million 45 full-time staff and 370 part-time staff.

The Role

The President & CEO leads DMPA by setting the vision and strategic direction for the organization. This role is responsible for guiding organizational strategy maintaining financial integrity and directing initiatives that support DMPAs mission. As the organizations primary representative the President & CEO will cultivate a strong community presence promote the organizations culture and nurture key external relationships.

The next Chief Executive Officer will coach a high-performing team of professionals to achieve operational efficiency and organizational effectiveness while also creating a culture of mutual respect transparency in communications inclusion and shared commitment to the artistic and educational mission. They will assess the team and recruit new talent where necessary and will be devoted to the development and growth of all team members. The Chief Executive Officers primary focus will extend into organizational growth (in both financial resources as well as new audience and educational programmatic development). The Chief Executive Officer of Des Moines Performing Arts will embody the organizations mission and values.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leadership & Strategic Direction: Lead the development and execution of DMPAs strategy ensuring alignment with the mission and vision. Collaborates with Executive team to guide the organizations short and long-term goals.
• Financial Oversight: Ensure financial integrity by overseeing revenues and expenses establishing budgets and monitoring financial reports. Lead efforts to maintain a strong financial position and long-term sustainability. Ensure effective controls and resource utilization.
• Operational Integrity: Uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct and transparency. Ensure compliance with all legal regulatory and industry standards while promoting a culture of integrity accountability and responsible stewardship of resources. Make decisions that prioritize the long-term sustainability of the organization while maintaining public trust and fostering ethical relationships with board staff and community.
• Program & Staff Management: Strategically design oversee and optimize initiatives and programs that align with the organizations core mission and long-term objectives. Oversee the organizational staffing structure to ensure the efficient alignment of programs with strategic goals.
• Fundraising & Revenue Generation: Support fundraising initiatives including annual campaigns and endowment growth. Create policies for donor relations and sponsorship development.
• Community Relations: Act as the public face and ambassador of DMPA representing the organization to patrons donors government agencies partners and the media. Cultivate relationships within key arts and entertainment networks and communities.
• Contract Management & Negotiation: Assess contract language and work with external stakeholders to ensure agreements align with organizational goals. Manage and ensure the accurate preparation of show estimates and contracts.

Candidate Profile

Des Moines Performing Arts seeks candidates with significant experience working in an executive capacity and who bring exceptional leadership integrity and passion for the mission. This individual may come from a performing arts organization cultural institution broader entertainment-focused organization nonprofit organization or the private sector. This is an opportunity for an individual to apply their professional experience as an executive to an innovative and field-leading performing arts organization.

The ideal candidate will bring leadership experience in the performing arts with a particular emphasis on Broadway and relationships across the theater industry. They will have a proven ability to develop and execute large-scale strategic initiatives with a strong track record of successfully running complex operations and teams. Additionally the candidate will bring experience serving as an external ambassador for an organization and engaging with surrounding communities and audiences.

DMPA recognizes that no one candidate will meet every qualification listed below and that exceptional leadership doesnt always follow a linear path. With this in mind DMPA seeks candidates who bring a combination of skills that overlaps in part with the following leadership competencies:

Strategic and Inspirational Leadership

• A demonstrated entrepreneurial mindset; persistently focused on strategic goals yet able to see and act upon opportunities.
• Ability to continually guide shape and evolve DMPAs Strategic Plan while protecting the integrity of the institutions unique culture and reputation for partnership artistic excellence and accessibility.
• Possesses the integrity and moral character to lead Des Moines Performing Arts forward during a time of great change and transformation across the field of performing arts; sets clear priorities and makes difficult decisions with transparency; listens seeks data from a variety of sources to support decisions.

Collaboration Communication and Building Relationships

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills; warm genuine and approachable. Has the ability to inspire confidence in constituencies and partners; politically astute and diplomatic.
• Genuinely strong interpersonal skills to develop alliances with internal and external groups and the ability to effectively negotiate among multiple stakeholders to achieve institutional goals.
• Experience working with and building strong relationships with a nonprofit Board of Trustees.

Team Management and Operational Excellence

• Track record of strong fiscal and strategic discipline and outcomes; results-oriented thoughtful and courageous; will take calculated risks and use resources creatively in terms of innovation while demonstrating pragmatism with respect to both expenses and revenues.
• A strong track record of building future leaders leading teams and empowering staff at all levels to reach their full potential.
• Comfortable communicating openly with senior leaders both inside the organization and in the broader community as well as with peers and team members at all levels of the organization.

Financial and Business Acumen

• Demonstrated track record of success overseeing the strategic financial and operational aspects of a multi-faceted enterprise.
• Strong financial acumen and comfort using data and metrics to drive decisions that impact the management of the institution. The individual must be conversant in the use of technology to support the organizations artistic and strategic goals.

Fundraising and Resource Development

• Experience setting strategy to increase and diversify an organizations funding base.
• Enthusiasm to actively promote Des Moines Performing Arts to advance the development of appropriate partnerships locally nationally and internationally.
• Demonstrated ability to fundraise effectively on a significant scale or have similar and translatable experience in business development or securing funds for strategic initiatives.

The Community

Greater Des Moines (DSM) is a community that invests in itself that is powered by multi-national corporations and also supports small locally owned businesses. DSM is a community committed to cultivating an inclusive equitable environment for people of all backgrounds. In an ever-changing world if youre searching for a great place to live or grow a business this must be the place. As a local youll find affordable living vibrant Downtown amenities welcoming suburbs world-class education and commute times averaging 20 minutes or less all while enjoying an ideal work-life balance.

• #3 Most Livable City in the U.S. Readers Digest 2025
• #10 Best Place for Business and Careers Forbes 2024
• #8 Most Affordable U.S. Metro Area Clever Real Estate 2024
• #4 Most Neighborly City in America com 2024
• #2 Best Place for Young Professionals Forbes 2024

Des Moines the capital and most populous city in Iowa has emerged as a dynamic cultural and economic hub in the Midwest. With a metro population of over 740000 Des Moines offers a compelling mix of small-city accessibility and big-city amenities. It consistently ranks among the top U.S. cities for quality of life affordability and civic engagement.

Des Moines has a fast-growing and increasingly diverse population nearly 20% of residents identify as non-white and the citys immigrant population has grown by more than 80% in the last two decades contributing to a more global and vibrant community. It is home to Fortune 500 companies like Principal Financial Group and boasts a strong philanthropic ecosystem with support for the arts coming from both private foundations and public institutions.

The arts scene in Des Moines is robust and deeply integrated into the citys identity. The Des Moines Art Center known for its exceptional collection of modern and contemporary art houses works by artists such as Edward Hopper Francis Bacon and Yayoi Kusama. The citys downtown features over 30 public art installations including the celebrated Nomade sculpture by Jaume Plensa at the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park a 4.4-acre landmark that draws more than 100000 visitors annually.

The Des Moines Symphony Ballet Des Moines and Iowa Stage Theatre Company each contribute to a year-round schedule of concerts dance performances and original theater. Annual events like the Des Moines Arts Festival ranked among the top festivals in the U.S. attract over 200000 attendees and feature more than 180 professional artists from across the country.

In recent years the city has made strategic investments in cultural infrastructure and downtown revitalization including the Historic East Village a walkable district filled with independent galleries design studios and cultural venues. signaling continued momentum and institutional support for creative leadership and innovation.

Des Moines offers a highly livable family-friendly environment that combines affordability strong public services and a growing cultural scene. As of mid-2025 the median home price in the city of Des Moines is approximately $220000 about 50% below the national median. Including surrounding areas in the Des Moines metro the figure rises to around $285000$300000 reflecting strong demand and steady appreciation. Property taxes are moderate and neighborhoods range from historic districts with walkable charm to newer suburban developments with large homes and top-tier amenities.

Families are often drawn to the area for its high-performing public and private schools. The West Des Moines Waukee and Johnston school districts consistently earn top rankings in Iowa offering Advanced Placement courses STEM programs and robust arts and music curricula. Des Moines Public Schools the largest district in the state offers several magnet and International Baccalaureate (IB) schools as well as Central Academy recognized nationally for its accelerated academic programs. There are also multiple parochial and independent schools throughout the region.

The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden Blank Park Zoo and Science Center of Iowa provide year-round enrichment while more than 80 miles of trails and a well-maintained parks system offer plenty of outdoor recreation. Grays Lake Park just south of downtown is a local favorite with its 2-mile loop beach paddleboard rentals and skyline views.

Des Moines also boasts a vibrant events calendar for families including the Iowa State Fair World Food & Music Festival and seasonal farmers markets.

Des Moines provides a welcoming affordable and enriching setting for individuals and families alike a place where professional ambition can be matched by a high quality of life.

Contact

Russell Reynolds Associates has been exclusively retained for this search. Given the need for confidentiality throughout this process prospective candidates are invited to reach out directly to our search consultants at with a resume and brief expression of interest.

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