Corporate mogul 
remembers his roots

At age 66, Dennis Purdum’s life has come full circle.

And, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Starting out as a Union County farm kid, he began his professional career as a staff accountant for a large financial services firm, Ernst & Young, in Oklahoma City.

By the time his 37-year career was over in 2004, he was working in New York City as the chief operating officer of Ernst & Young, as well as chief operating officer of the Americas (North and South America) division for the nation’s ninth-largest private company.

Upon retirement, he and wife Connie (Coen) Purdum, also a Creston native, returned to their roots. Dennis rejoined his brother, Danny, and nephew, Cody, in the family’s Angus cattle operation.

And, he’s become active in civic affairs, with major gifts and fundraising efforts for local enterprises, as well as investing in an historic uptown building that was renovated into a new business.

It’s a way of life recognized by the Creston Community Schools Hall of Fame selection committee, which has tabbed the 1963 CHS graduate an alumni member of the 2011 induction class.

Local contributions

“I think at least some of our focus should be on the graduates who come back and continue to give to the community,” said Dr. Robert Kuhl, a member of the Hall of Fame involved in nominating Purdum. “That is really where Dennis stands out.”

Dennis and Connie, parents of two children living in Ames and Denver, Colo., have provided major gifts to three charities close to their hearts — Southwestern Community College, St. Malachy School’s building project and construction of Greater Regional Hospice Home.

Before enrolling at the University of Missouri, Purdum began his postsecondary education at what was then called Creston Community College.

After returning to Creston in retirement, Purdum purchased the former First National Bank building at the corner of Adams and Maple streets, and the building was renovated to become a new business — Upper Crust Culinary Creations.

“Once we came back,” Purdum said, “we believed that you need to give something back to the community that supported you. I liked the (bank building) opportunity and the concept the ladies had for a bakery. I actually worked there at the bank when I was in junior college!”

He saw other positive developments emerging in the uptown area, both on that block of Adams Street and in other areas such as the former Post Office (Maple Street Memories) and restoration of the former Iowana Hotel.

“Creston can be a significant regional hub in Iowa and to stay a vital area, people have to make some investments in the process,” Purdum said. “It was a historical building in a good location.”

Rising ranks

Purdum’s professional career is a classic case of rising the corporate ladder. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in accounting at Missouri, he started as an accountant at Ernst & Young in Oklahoma City in 1967.

He transferred to the national office in New York City in 1972, to Omaha in 1973, and back to Oklahoma City in 1977. He was admitted to partnership in 1978 and transferred to Houston, Texas, in 1982.

Purdum was appointed managing partner in Houston in 1985 and national director of energy industry services for the firm in 1989. Three years later, he retained managing partner status in Houston. He returned to New York in 1993 as regional managing partner of the Northeast Region in 1993.

In 1995, he became regional managing partner of the East/Great Lakes Region. He was moving into senior management positions in one of the four largest professional services firms in the world.

Purdum became senior vice chairman of internal operations in 1998 and was named CEO of the Americas (North and South America locations) in 2000. That period remains one of his proudest moments.

“The transition from Houston to New York was significant,” Purdum recalled. “New Yorkers aren’t used to people coming in from anywhere else to be in charge, let alone Texas. They test you. There were a lot of doubts. After about six months, I think they figured out maybe it’s not so bad.”

Dennis and Connie had sold their home in Houston, and moved into a high-rise apartment in New York City. His office was near Times Square.

“That is a big change,” he said. “My wife and I acclimated ourselves and enjoyed it.”

Lessons learned in his Creston youth served him, he said.

“One of the keys is, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone,” he said. “I grew up on a farm in Creston, Iowa, and now I was living in a New York high-rise with no car. I would have never done what I did without my parents making big sacrifices to see that I got an education, and the fact that my wife and children supported me in being willing to move all over the country.”

In today’s society, staying with one company an entire career is rare.

“I knew if I continue to give 100 percent, other opportunities would come my way,” Purdum said. “When I looked at the firm and its potential, I always saw a lot of jobs that I’d like to have someday. One thing about staying with a larger firm, there are always a lot of talented people around you to bounce ideas off, and so on.”

Remembering roots

Their New York friends were puzzled when the Purdums announced they would be moving back to heir native Iowa after Dennis retired seven years ago.

“When they visit, they understand better,” Dennis said, smiling. “We never forgot our roots and the importance of it. We always planned on making Creston be a significant part of our retirement. Then, we concluded it would be our only home.”

From the heart of Texas to the Big Apple, nothing feels more like home to Dennis Purdum than strolling through a Union County cattle pasture.

On Friday, he will tell an auditorium full of Creston High School students that they, too, can embark on such a journey, if they’re willing to step out of their comfort zone.