United Way of Central Iowa Announces 2026 Campaign Leadership

United Way of Central Iowa is proud to share that Deanna Strable, chair, president and chief executive officer of Principal Financial Group®, will serve as Chair of the 2026 United Way fundraising campaign. Jeff Lorenzen, chief executive officer and president of American Equity, will serve as Vice Chair.

As Campaign Chair, Deanna will help bring together businesses, community leaders and individual donors from across central Iowa to invest in solutions that strengthen our community. The annual campaign fuels United Way’s work across the Five Elements of a Thriving Community: Essential Needs, Early Childhood Success, Education Success, Economic Opportunity, and Health & Well-Being.

“Deanna is a visionary leader who understands the power of community partnership,” said Mary Sellers, president of United Way of Central Iowa. “Her commitment to strengthening central Iowa and her ability to bring people together will inspire generosity and action across our region. We are equally grateful to have Jeff serving alongside her as Vice Chair. His leadership and passion for impact will be instrumental as we continue to build momentum for this important work.”

Deanna brings a strong commitment to community engagement and corporate citizenship through her leadership at Principal.

“I am honored to serve as Chair of the 2026 United Way campaign,” Deanna said. “United Way of Central Iowa plays a critical role in addressing our community’s most pressing challenges and creating pathways for individuals and families to thrive. I look forward to working alongside Jeff and a dedicated group of leaders to build on the strong momentum already in place and expand the impact we can make together."

Jeff leads American Equity, where he has championed community engagement and corporate responsibility initiatives aligned with United Way’s mission. Together, Deanna and Jeff will help rally companies and individuals to invest in solutions that create measurable, lasting change across Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties.

United Way also extends sincere thanks to Sean Vicente, US Sector Leader, Insurance at KPMG , for his leadership as Chair of the 2025 campaign. Under his guidance, the campaign brought together hundreds of organizations and thousands of donors committed to strengthening our community.

“Sean’s leadership this past year has been exceptional,” Mary added. “His dedication and tireless advocacy have helped position United Way for continued success. We are deeply thankful for his service and the example he set for future campaign leaders.”

The 2026 campaign will officially launch later this year as United Way continues working to mobilize our community so all central Iowans can thrive.