Caleb Knutson

Senior planner, Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance

Age: 37

Spouse: Anjuleah Knutson 

Children: Quentin, Zoey, Julius 

Reasons he is a Forty: Caleb first started volunteering when he was in sixth grade for a community betterment program called Helping Hands. By the time he was a senior in high school he had become the vice president. This was his first accomplishment that paved the way for community engagement and philanthropy. Since then, Caleb has served on multiple boards, committees and task forces. He cites serving as a part of the inaugural Iowa Latino Gala planning committee as a highlight. Currently he is volunteering as a mentor for an undergraduate planning student at ISU for the Iowa chapter of the American Planning Association. 

What are your goals in your role at your company? Two words: Collaboration and growth. Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance is still a baby organization, and I would like to grow it. Growing means providing member communities with the assistance they need. Continuing to collaborate with partners from the local, state and federal levels to ensure all communities in the region are prosperous. 

What are your goals for your community involvement? Ensuring there is representation of underrepresented populations in Iowa, especially for appointed and elected positions. There are cities in the state that have a large percentage of Latino populations where few to none serve in appointed positions, let alone elected positions, and it’s not because the votes aren’t there. 

What's your biggest passion, and why? Community engagement. I want to know what is going on in my children’s schools and in my community. Showing up and speaking up to ensure that my family and I are properly represented. I want to be able to tell my kids that their voice makes a difference, regardless of how old they are. 

What is it that drives you? My origin story starts in middle school, where I was told college wasn’t for me. That was my “And I took that personally” moment. Since then, I have approached every situation with the perspective of not allowing others to dictate my path. That guidance counselor meeting still fuels me to this day. 

What are your future aspirations? My big-picture goal is to not only collaborate with Lin-Manuel Miranda, but bring him to the state for the Iowa Latino Gala. He has proved through stories and songs that people enjoy the Latino culture, even if they don’t realize it. Everyone can feel his passion through his works, and that cannot be ignored. 

Three hobbies: As a geriatric millennial, I love: going to NFL games and tailgating with Anjueah and our crew; taking our kids to conventions like Wizard World Comic Con or the Star Wars Celebration; and ranking hard seltzers. There is a metric a friend and I created of ranking every hard seltzer we have tried.

Fun fact: Caleb is obsessed with Lin-Manuel Miranda. He says Miranda has written a song for every occasion. Everything from “21 Chump Street” to “Encanto.” 

One word to describe you: Wrecking ball. 

What is your wish for the Central Iowa business community? Simple: Keep collaborating. In a rural state such as Iowa, success cannot be limited to a few communities. It is a regional effort. Making sure every community, county and businesses of all sizes are working together. Making sure that Central Iowa not only continues to grow but thrive. 

What's one piece of advice that you would give to a young professional? Don’t be afraid to bet on yourself. Always be your authentic self. Especially if you find yourself in a room where you’re the only person from your demographic background. Believe that you deserve to be in the room where it happens. 

What is one issue you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address? I would like to see current leaders champion and mentor leaders of diverse backgrounds. I have been a product of this. There are so many amazing hidden leaders in the state, they just need to be given an opportunity. The more opportunities we provide others, the better off the region will be.

Anything else you haven't addressed that people must know about you? I am going to treat this as if I were accepting an award at a televised award ceremony speech: Who would’ve thought that a kid born in Tegucigalpa [Honduras], and grew up in rural Iowa would’ve made it on this list? I wouldn’t be here without some great mentors throughout the years: Jon Wolseth, Gary Taylor, Sonia Reyes, Shelley Otlmans and Tar Macias. I would also like to thank my wife, Anjueah, and our three amazing children. I would also like to thank those that are friends/allies that have encouraged and supported me, especially Ryan, Liesl, Vice, Brittany.