The senior execs can ride corporate jets. But the worker bees aren’t going to go for having to change planes at a hub airport. Some recruits would probably enjoy living there. But a lot aren’t going to want to live ‘in the middle of nowhere’. And certainly don’t try to recruit from anywhere south of there when the temperature is 10 or 20 degrees below freezing. And the average high in July is only about 12 degrees cooler than Austin. I expect it is wonderful in the Spring and Fall. But it is smaller than Plano, Texas, or Baton Rouge, LA.
And what high tech companies have major operations there?
If as big an employer as Amazon came to DesMoines, you would see a change in travel to and from the city. The weather would be a FAR bigger impediment to its selection.
Meredith Corporation, Principal Financial Group, EMC Insurance, Startly Technologies, the Ruan family of companies, Hy-Vee Groceries, Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield and American Enterprise Group.