WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – John Schreurs, the CEO and president of Strategic America (SA), will retire in 2026 following the appointment of his successor, the integrated marketing and communications firm based here announced.
In a news release Monday, Jan. 12, SA said Mr. Schreurs’ retirement will conclude a seven-year tenure as chief executive and a 42-year career with the company.
Mr. Schreurs joined SA a few years after its founding in 1983 in Waterloo, Iowa, and became CEO in 2018. Strategic America was founded by Mr. Schreurs brother, Mike Schreurs, who retired last March as chairman.
According to the release, John Schreurs will remain in leadership through much of 2026 to guide his successor’s onboarding and ensure a smooth transition. He also will continue serving on the company’s board of directors.
To find his successor, the SA board is partnering with Jennifer Bryant of Human Pivot Consulting in Des Moines on the executive search.
Headquartered in West Des Moines, SA has clients and employees in Iowa and beyond including in the Quad Cities region, Laura Vanden Bosch, marketing and communications vice president, told the QCBJ Monday. In fact, she wrote in an email about 30% of its staff works remotely, including from various eastern Iowa locales.
Quad Cities-based clients include Pella Quad Cities (dealers in Davenport and Peoria, Illinois); and Lennox (including dealer J.L. Brady in Moline). Statewide, some of its clients include the Iowa Lottery, ISave 529, the Iowa Governor’s Council on STEM Education, and Iowa College Foundation (its members include St. Ambrose University and Upper Iowa University, both with QC locations).
SSA specializes in multi-location marketing, brand building and customer engagement. It represents a diverse set of clients that span multiple industries and geographies.
Schreurs’ leadership
Mr. Schreurs is credited with guiding the organization’s growth into an employee-owned firm of more than 100 associates who serve a diverse portfolio of clients – from national brands to local nonprofits. The company became employee-owned (ESOP) in 2021. The brothers still retain an ownership percentage.
“Throughout his time at SA, John demonstrated an unwavering commitment to client success — diving deep to understand businesses and building strategies to exceed marketing goals. His legacy is defined by service — putting people first and modeling SA’s core values for future leaders,” Joe Garcia, an SA board director and a regional vice president with Aflac, said in the release.
Beyond his leadership in the business’ growth, Mr. Schreurs also championed community engagement and led SA to be an advocate for important industry and community causes by providing marketing and communications services that helped move brands forward.
Strategic America is a member of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and Association of National Advertisers (ANA). Learn more at www.strategicamerica.com.
