Walter Lauridsen
Des Moines Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Active in the Des Moines area, entrepreneur Walter “Walt” Lauridsen invests in small businesses and real estate. Earlier, Walter Lauridsen led the Lauridsen Group, managing projects and consulting with clients. In addition, he oversaw the development of the group’s production plants and helped his companies find new markets. He also built a worldwide network of sales and manufacturing locations for the group’s Boyer Valley Company.
His community outreach includes membership on the National Advisory Council for the Character Counts project of the Robert and Billie Ray Center. Walter Lauridsen also supports Harvest Academy, which assists people with antisocial tendencies, legal issues, and drug and alcohol problems. Previously, he served as a board member of Mainframe Studios, which enhances equity by providing low-cost work areas for Iowa artists. An artist himself, Mr. Lauridsen collaborates with installation artist Jordan Weber.
A graduate of Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in applied economics and management, Mr. Lauridsen also spends time buying, repairing, and reselling classic cars and woodworking.