J. Barry Griswell
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Principal Financial Group
Des Moines, Iowa
“I firmly believe our ongoing support of the arts is a must-have investment in the well-being of our employees and the vitality of our community. The arts stimulate the intellectual, emotional and creative development of future leaders, workers and problem solvers we need to keep our community - and our company - great.”
- J. Barry Griswell
The BCA Leadership Award recognizes a business executive who demonstrates exceptional vision, leadership and commitment in developing and encouraging business alliances with the arts throughout his/her career.
Making the arts part of the everyday experience, providing opportunities for young and emerging artists, and embracing cultural diversity to heighten understanding are the focal points of J. Barry Griswell's vision for nurturing the growth of the arts in the United States.
In Des Moines, Iowa, the headquarter city of Principal Financial Group, Barry's vision and leadership has helped spawn the development of two major projects. BRAVO Greater Des Moines - a collaboration established in 2004 - brings 15 arts and cultural groups together for the first time to develop joint marketing, strategic planning, fundraising efforts and strategies for cross-selling. The Principal Riverwalk - a $60 million project, will transform the city by connecting the east and west sides of downtown Des Moines through a series of pathways and bridges and includes major works of art including one by Joel Shapiro.
Under Barry's leadership, The Principal has developed a 760-piece museum-quality art collection to share with the public, has underwritten a 70-city, three year tour of Treasures to Go, an exhibition of works from the Smithsonian collection that would have remained in storage during the renovation of several museums, and has been a champion and founding sponsor of the Des Moines Art Festival - the fourth largest event of its type in the U.S.