John Norwood is a lifelong public servant and financial leader committed to protecting Iowa’s fiscal future and strengthening opportunity for families across the state. He has lived in West Des Moines for more than twenty years, where his two children graduated from West Des Moines Valley High School.
John has a BA from Williams College and holds both an MBA in Finance and a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University. He is a long-standing member of the CFA Society of Iowa, reflecting his commitment to ethical, disciplined financial stewardship.
For more than 30 years, John has worked at the intersection of strategy, finance, governance, and public service, helping business leaders, municipalities, agricultural cooperatives, state water agencies, and nonprofit organizations make responsible financial decisions, manage risk, and plan for the long term. His work has included managing multimillion-dollar portfolios, improving capital allocation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and providing finance and accounting expertise to dozens of Iowa business owners.
Since 2019, John has served as a Business Advisor with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, coaching founders and CEOs across Iowa on growth strategy, financial performance, and long-term sustainability.
John travels Iowa regularly working with business owners in agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and related industries. As he often says:
“Iowans want practical leadership—leaders who respect taxpayer dollars, plan ahead, and use state and federal resources thoughtfully to build a resilient Iowa for everyone.”
John has been an active community volunteer for decades and has served on both appointed and elected boards and commissions, including as a Soil & Water Conservation Commissioner. He has traveled to all 99 counties, listening to what Iowans care about—from rural communities to growing cities—and bringing those voices into public decision-making.
The State Treasurer serves as Iowa’s Chief Financial Officer. That role requires independence, transparency, and the courage to speak up against wasteful spending and short-sighted policies—while protecting retirement security, managing debt responsibly, and safeguarding taxpayer dollars. John’s depth of experience, steady leadership, and commitment to integrity make him uniquely qualified to serve in this role.
John is running for Iowa State Treasurer with a clear goal: "to protect Iowa’s financial foundations and help Iowans better understand how public finance—and personal finance—affect the strength of their families and communities."
