Iowa Business Hall of Fame inductees are announced

Two members of the Ivy College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council will be inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame this spring.

Michael J. Gerdin, chairman and CEO of Heartland Express, Inc., has served on the Dean’s Advisory Council since 2012. The Gerdin family has provided transformational support to the Ivy College of Business that has impacted facilities, students, and Ivy’s PhD program.

Kirt A. Walker (’85 management), CEO of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, has served on the Dean’s Advisory Council since 2021. The Walker family has generously supported students at Ivy by establishing a scholarship to support students who have transferred to the college.

The Iowa Business Hall of Fame, founded in 1975 by the Greater Des Moines Committee, honors the achievements of Iowans who have made outstanding contributions to the development and enhancement of Iowa’s business climate.

The 2025 Iowa Business Hall of Fame inductees will be honored during the Greater Des Moines Committee’s Annual Induction Event on April 16, at The Meadows Events & Conference Center at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.

“We are thrilled to see Mike Gerdin and Kirt Walker recognized by the Iowa Business Hall of Fame,” said Raisbeck Endowed Dean Raj Agnihotri. “Their leadership, generosity, and commitment to making a difference reflect the very best of Ivy. We are grateful for their continued guidance as members of our Dean’s Advisory Council and proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor.”

Michael J. Gerdin

Born in Shenandoah, Iowa, Michael J. Gerdin started with Heartland Express in 1983 as a teenager washing trucks, sweeping floors, and working in the shop. Since that time, he has held a variety of positions throughout the company, including operations, sales, safety, shop, and driver recruiting.

Gerdin graduated from Solon High School in 1988 and received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Luther College in 1992. He was elected to the Heartland Express board of directors in 1996, an appointment he still holds today. From 1998 to 2001, he was president of A&M Express of Kingsport, Tennessee, a wholly owned subsidiary of Heartland Express. In 2001, he was appointed vice president of regional operations of Heartland Express. In May 2006, he was named president of Heartland Express.

In September 2011, he was named CEO and chairman of the board. Heartland Express. Celebrating 40 years as a public company, has been awarded Newsweek’s “Most Trusted Companies” for 2022 and 2024.

Gerdin serves on the board of directors and the executive steering committee for the Iowa Motor Truck Association. He serves on the Ivy College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council. He has served 10 years on the board of directors for West Bank of West Des Moines.

In addition to his professional interests, Gerdin is a long-distance runner, having competed in 19 marathons, including Boston, Chicago, and the Marine Corps in Washington D.C., three half-Ironman competitions, and completed two full Ironman competitions. He is an avid outdoorsman, loving to hunt, fish, golf, and coach his sons. His favorite pastime is spending time with his wife, Nicole, of 29 years, and their four sons, Clay (25), Grant (22), Nick (18), and Adam (13).

In 2025, the Gerdin Family Foundation was awarded National Philanthropist of the Year by Make-A-Wish America.

Kirt A. Walker

A native of Irvington, Iowa, Walker was raised on a Century Farm, where he was instilled with the values of hard work and community responsibility that he carries today. Walker is the CEO of Nationwide, a mutual insurance and financial services company focused on protecting people, businesses, and futures with extraordinary care. He was elected to this position in 2019 and, in this role, also serves as a member of Nationwide’s board of directors and as chair of the Nationwide Foundation. He initially joined the Nationwide family of companies in 1986. Prior to being elected CEO, he served for 10 years as president and chief operating officer (COO) of Nationwide Financial.

During his first 23 years, he served in various leadership positions within the company’s property and casualty business, including president and COO of Nationwide Insurance and president of Allied Insurance, Nationwide’s former independent agency subsidiary. Under Walker’s leadership, Nationwide has grown to be the seventh-largest insurance industry company in the United States – a modern mutual that ranks No. 72 overall on the Fortune 500.

In addition to his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, Walker also earned a master of science in management with an emphasis in leadership from The American College of Financial Services.

Walker is passionate about the community in which he works and lives. He advocates for the professional development and advancement of industry professionals as a board trustee for The Institutes, a property and casualty risk and insurance knowledge group. He also serves as chair of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital board. As co-chair of the Columbus Partnership governing board and a member of the Ohio Business Roundtable governing board, Walker is focused on driving regional economic development.

He also serves on the Board of Directors for Catalyst, a global nonprofit dedicated to supporting workforce development and advancement, and other organizations.

His favorite pastimes include spending time with family, reading, and cheering for the Cyclones.