The QCBJ’s Most Influential list recognizes the people who made the biggest mark on the Quad Cities region within the past year, whether through their leadership, business accomplishments or philanthropic efforts. The QCBJ asked readers in October to cast their votes for the region’s most influential business leaders, and then tallied those votes to build our final list.
Topping this year’s list is Caitlin Russell, president of Russell, followed by the other 2023 Most Influential nominees, who are listed alphabetically:
- Most Influential: Caitlin Russell, President, Russell
- Steven C. Bahls, former President, Augustana College
- Kyle Carter, Executive Director, Downtown Davenport Partnership
- Nate Clark, President, John Deere Foundation
- Douglas Cropper, former President & CEO, Genesis Health System
- Haley DeGreve, Communications Manager, John Deere
- Mara Downing, VP, Global Brand Management and Corporate Communications, John Deere
- Dwight Ford, Executive Director, Project NOW
- Kit Ford, Founder, Argrow’s House
- Rene Gellerman, President & CEO, United Way Quad Cities
- Dave Herrell, President & CEO, Visit Quad Cities
- Heidi Huiskamp Collins, Founder, Huiskamp Collins Investments LLC
- Mark Kilmer, President, Republic Companies
- John May, Board Chairman & CEO, Deere & Company
- Melissa Pepper, Chief Strategy Officer, Russell
- Decker Ploehn, City Administrator, City of Bettendorf
- Chad Pregracke, President and Founder, Living Lands & Waters
- Sangeetha Rayapati, Mayor, City of Moline
- Caroline Ruhl, CEO, Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors
- Tyla Sherwin-Cole, CEO, Doris and Victor Day Foundation
- Kai Swanson, Special Assistant to the President, Augustana College
- Paul VanDuyne, President & CEO, IMEG Corp.
- LaDrina Wilson, CEO, Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce (QCBJ’s 2022 Most Influential Leader)
Construction, family, community built into Caitlin Russell’s DNA
