West Des Moines Chamber Celebrates Sixth Annual Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit, presented by Chase

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (April 21, 2026) – The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce (WDM Chamber) reflects on the success of the sixth annual Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit, presented by Chase.

This year, over 500 registrants attended the Summit. Attendees gained tools, insights and connections to help overcome barriers, access resources and spark collaboration. The event featured keynote speakers, panel discussions, a pitch competition, an excursion visiting small businesses and networking sessions.

“We are ecstatic with the incredible turnout at this year’s 6th Annual Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit,” said Katherine Harrington, president and CEO of the WDM Chamber. “The energy, the connections, and the passion from every attendee, speaker, and partner truly brought this event to life. We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors, partners, and attendees for making this experience possible. It’s inspiring to see our community come together in such a powerful way to support growth, innovation, and opportunity.”

“The Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit features incredible speakers every year,” said Kristi Kaye Burma, executive vice president and chief human resources officer. “This year was no different. Attendees heard from Apollo Global Management’s Reggie Love, senior advisor at Apollo Global Management and the former special assistant to President Barack Obama, and Ken Carter, the real-life inspiration behind Coach Carter.”

For the 2026 Pitch Competition, more than 150 applications were received from around the world, including several from Iowa. In early March, seven finalists were selected to pitch live in front of a panel of judges, with an eighth contestant chosen at random during the event, bringing the total to eight participants. Finalists for the Catalyst Award, presented by Principal, were evaluated on overall presentation, positive societal impact, scalability, growth potential and alignment with their vision and mission. This year’s Pitch Competition and Catalyst Award winner is Kia-Shun Voltz, the founder and CEO of ShampooTime, who received the grand prize of $12,000.
 
“I want to thank the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, J.P. Morgan Chase, for this amazing Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit, and Bank of America for the pitch competition,” said Voltz. “Thank you to the judges and to my fellow contestants—you all inspired me. To the entrepreneurs in the room, keep going. This was my third time applying, and I almost didn’t do it. I had the idea for ShampooTime for two years before acting on it, not knowing how, but I chose to try. My first prototype wasn’t perfect, but it was the first step. I came here to get more comfortable pitching, and while I was nervous, I focused on making meaningful connections, because rooms like this can take you further than a check. Moments like this show what beyond boundaries really means—pushing past limits you once believed were there. Thank you.”

Additionally, Ying Sa, CEO at Community CPA & Associates, Inc., was recognized as the recipient of the 2026 Mel Essex Entrepreneur Award. The award honors individuals who uphold high standards of business ethics and a heart for inspiring and encouraging others to fulfill their dreams of securing economic success.
 
“I am very honored to receive this award,” said Sa. “At Community CPA, we care deeply for our clients, and our employees now serve 30,000 clients across the country. Thank you for this nomination—this is what Community CPA stands for, and we will continue developing professionals and future entrepreneurs. Thank you so much.”

To learn more, visit: www.wdmchamber.org/BBBSummit.
 

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About the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit 
The Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit was created by national stakeholders to assist with connection building, programming, promotion, training and provide resources to help businesses grow and prosper. The Summit is owned and operated by the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce and is supported by several key stakeholders, including Athene, Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo and more. The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce created The Summit back in 2021, and Athene became the naming rights sponsor in 2022. 
 
About the WDM Chamber of Commerce 
Recognized by ACCE (Association of Chambers of Commerce Executives) as one of the top Chambers in the nation, the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, established in 1924, is the largest, most active chamber in the Greater Des Moines region. With a focus on strengthening local businesses, boosting economic development, and attracting a top-tier workforce, the Chamber aims to position WDM as the best suburban city in America. Celebrating over a century of excellence, the Chamber boasts a diverse community of over 1000 members, offering something for everyone. Explore the possibilities, learn more about the chamber, and discover how you can get involved in shaping the future of West Des Moines and our entire region at wdmchamber.org. 
 
About Athene 
Athene is the leading retirement solutions company with over $440 billion of total assets as of December 31, 2025, and operations in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Japan. Athene is focused on providing financial security to individuals by offering an attractive suite of retirement income and savings products and also serves as a solutions provider to corporations. For more information, please visit www.athene.com.