Celebrating A Great Leader - John Burgeson
August 23, 2022
We lost a member of our Iowa State Bank family in 2020. Our owner, John C. Burgeson passed away. Due to Corona Virus, the service to celebrate John was postponed. We are honored to announce that John’s family will be holding a celebration of life on Sunday, August 28, 2022 at Wakonda Club in Des Moines from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.
In 1986, John began his career with Iowa State Bank. He served as owner for over 30 years and held the titles of President, CEO and Chairman of the Board. Under John’s leadership, Iowa State Bank has grown from $44 million in assets to over $400 million in assets. Iowa State Bank has been recognized as a high performing bank and has been rated Outstanding for Community Reinvestment by the FDIC for over 25 years. During John’s tenure, the bank has grown and prospered, but John was most proud of the employees of Iowa State Bank and their contributions to serving our customers and the community.
John was also a pivotal leader in the revitalization of Des Moines’ East Village. He was appointed by the City of Des Moines as the Chairman of the Gateway East Committee. This committee was organized to enhance the revitalization of the east side downtown district and would set the course for the East Village to become a thriving city neighborhood.
In addition to his work at Iowa State Bank, John was active in the Des Moines community and spent many years serving on numerous boards and committees. Some of his contributions include: President of the East High Alumni Association. Chairman of the Board at Grandview College, Board Member of the Downtown Partnership, Board Member of Iowa Lutheran Hospital. Board Member of the YMCA, Board Member of the Iowa Automotive Heritage Foundation and long standing member of the Des Moines Rotary Club. John also served for 15 years as a Board Member with EMC Insurance Companies and served as Chairman of the Finance Committee. He most recently served as a Board Member on EMC’s Charitable Foundation Committee.
John received the following recognition for his business and community leadership:
- 2000 Citizen of the Year, East Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
- 2001 Hall of Pride, East High School
- 2002 Distinguished Alumni Award, Grandview College
- 2006 Arthur Davis Business Leadership Award, Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute
- 2007 Distinguished Community Member, Junior League of Des Moines
- 2017 East Village Icon of the Year Award
With his vision to remain an independent, family-owned, community bank, John established a plan for the Bank relative to his succession. His daughter, Lauren Burgeson, is now Bank President and continues his legacy. Lauren is leading Iowa State Bank into the future, following in her father’s footsteps and continuing to meet the financial needs of our customers and community.