From the Farm to Corporate America: A Life of Service and Giving

Growing up on the family farm in rural Iowa, John Schmidt learned three qualities that would become hallmarks throughout his life: Hard work, service and helping others less fortunate.

John, a retired vice president and associate general counsel for Principal, and his wife, Deb Wiley, both enjoy supporting and volunteering with arts, culture and human service organizations.

ChildServe is included on this list, as John served six years on the board of directors, including one year as board chair. Along with annual donations, John has included a provision for ChildServe in his will.

“ChildServe introduced me to the world of medically fragile children and demonstrated how staff meets these kids where they are and helps to give them the best life possible,” says John. “And my service on ChildServe’s board was characterized by strategic thinking, continuous learning and the utilization of each board member’s skills and strengths. I loved that approach.”

John was reared on a grain and livestock farm near Battle Creek, where long hours and rugged chores were the norm. This background prepared him well for a professional life that averaged 55 to 60 hours of work per week. “I remember some colleagues would complain about the long hours,” John says. “I told them this was a breeze compared to growing up on the farm.”

He earned an undergraduate degree in economics from Iowa State University and a law degree from the University of Iowa. Following a short stint in private practice in Denison, Schmidt moved to Des Moines and joined the corporate counsel office of The Bankers Life Company, forerunner of Principal.

Over a 32-year career, John played a role in many of Principal’s growth initiatives, including the launch of the 401k business, defined benefit and defined contribution plans, various acquisitions, divestitures, formation of the Principal foundation and Principal Global Investors, among other activities. “Early in my career, the boss told me that any free time was to be spent in the office as corporate counsels are chronically understaffed and there is always more work to be done.

That changed about halfway through my career when Principal established a program that encouraged leaders to be active in local non-profits.”

His robust career of service on non-profit boards began with the Des Moines Metro Opera, followed by ChildServe in 2002. Schmidt currently serves on seven non-profit boards and counts at least 12 in his background.

His desire to help others was molded on the farm. “We had a large operation and it was common for men to approach my father for part-time work to help them get through a bind. We always had beans to walk and livestock to work. They worked hard—it was manual labor—but when people are in trouble you do what you can to help. My father always believed that.”

John and his wife, a freelance writer and editor, travel extensively and have visited more than 30 countries as well as taking frequent trips to Minneapolis to visit their two granddaughters, but know Des Moines will always be home.

“Life in central Iowa is as good as it gets,” John says. “My service on boards has made me cognizant of the importance of non-profits, like ChildServe, and how they help make this area such a rich environment. We want to help strengthen the non-profit community through service and support.”

Help Strengthen Our Community

There are many ways you, like John, can make an impact at ChildServe. To learn how, contact Colleen Rogers Messenger CAP® at colleen@childserve.org or 515-251-5572.