Finding Home and Opportunity in Greater Des Moines
Mark Stiles and his wife had spent years living and working in Billings, Montana, both with long-standing careers with Wells Fargo. When the company announced plans to consolidate sites across the country, they saw it as an opportunity to relocate to a new city with a larger office. After contemplating moving to Charlotte, Dallas, New York City, Minneapolis and Des Moines, the couple settled on Greater Des Moines (DSM) as it was closer to Mark’s family.
The Stiles family made the move to Norwalk in August 2024 and decided to purchase a newly built home in the area, drawn by the favorable housing market. “The housing market is better here than in Montana,” Mark shared. “It seems like a stable market with plenty of options.”
Upon settling in, Mark decided a new city called for a new job; one where he would be able to help people on a regular basis while staying in his preferred job field of finance. When he started interviewing with Northwestern Mutual, he realized what a great fit the role and company was for his goal. Now, Mark is a Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual and gets to do what he loves: help people reach their financial goals.
One of Mark’s biggest worries about moving to a new place was what the adjustment for his kids two kids still in school would be like. Luckily, Mark and his wife were pleasantly surprised. “Within a week, they were bringing friends home from school and going to their houses. Our biggest worry was the kids, but it turned out to be the easiest transition.”
The Stiles family is very excited for their first full summer in DSM and plans to explore the region. “My son is really interested in the bike trails and it’s awesome how many miles of bike trails there are here,” Mark admitted. DSM has over 800 miles of connected trails and boasts the longest paved loop trail in the nation, the Racoon River Valley Trail.
Along with the trails, Mark is looking forward to taking his family to the local sporting events like the Iowa Cubs games at Principal Park and the Iowa Barnstormers at Wells Fargo Arena. “I went to a Barnstormers game many years ago in their old arena, and it’s good to see that the team is still around and there’s good support for them.”
One unexpected discovery for the Stiles family was DSM’s appreciation for gas station food. “I’ve historically been of the opinion to not eat gas station food,” Mark admitted, “but here, that’s a prime dinner. Whether you stop at Casey’s, Kwik Star or another gas station, whatever you get is good food.”
“Blending into the community here has been surprisingly easy,” Mark shared. “Everyone is so nice and welcoming. You can share your story and everybody’s open to hear it and help out if you need it.” Whether you’ve moved away and came back or are new to DSM, there’s always a place for you here.
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