HNI's Askren to lead Iowa Business Council in 2012

Stan Askren, the top executive at HNI Corp. has been elected to lead the Iowa Business Council for 2012.

Askren was elected chair of the Iowa Business Council at its annual business meeting on Jan. 30 in Des Moines.

The group elected Principal Financial Group CEO Larry Zimpleman as vice chair and John Sorensen, president and CEO of the Iowa Bankers Association, as treasurer.

"Maintaining a competitive business posture and offering an attractive place for employees to work and live is criticall important not only to large corporations and education concerns, but also the many small and mid-size companies that contribute daily to Iowa's economic growth and success," Askren said in prepared remarks.

Askren is chairman, president and CEO of Muscatine-based HNI, the second-largest office furniture manufacturer in the world, and the leading domestic producer and marketer of gas and wood-burning fireplaces.

Zimpleman is president and CEO of The Principal Financial Group. Based in Des Moines, it is a Fortune 500 financial services company offering retirement and investment products, life insurance, health insurance and banking services.

Sorensen is president and CEO of the Iowa Bankers Association, which provides services to more than 400 financial institutions and their customers.

The Iowa Business Council is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization composed of representatives from 20 of the state's largest businesses, the three Regents university presidents and Iowa's largest banking association.