Visionary Leaders Legacy Forum - July 2025
Featured Leader: Marta Codina, Wells Fargo
The Visionary Leaders Legacy Forum is a powerful speaker series spotlighting executives who are nearing or have recently entered retirement after decades of impactful leadership. Each month, we gather to hear from a different visionary as they share their personal leadership journey, lessons learned, defining moments, and the legacy they hope to leave behind.
This "last lecture"-style experience offers a rare opportunity to reflect on a lifetime of leadership and gain wisdom from some of our region’s most respected voices. Whether you’re an emerging leader or a seasoned executive, you’ll walk away inspired and better equipped to shape your own legacy.
Come learn from the legends who helped shape our business community—and discover how their stories can guide your own leadership path.
Marta Codina, a veteran of more than 45 years in the financial services industry, started her career as a teller during high school in Houston, Texas. Marta moved to Iowa in 1992 to join US Bank and worked there for 10 years as a regional manager leading the Retail Banking Division across multiple Midwest states. She joined Wells Fargo in 2001. Prior to working in Consumer Banking, her tenure with the company included stints serving as a regional development manager, overseeing leadership strategies and learning and development for Iowa, and as an area manager for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, region bank president for Wells Fargo Bank. In her region president role she oversaw the Midwest Central region encompassing 106 branches in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.
Marta has recently retired from Wells Fargo where she served as Senior Vice President of Branch Customer Experience across the US. In this role, she led strategic priorities to improve customer experience in the field and administering the Voice of the Customer program.
A graduate of the University of Houston, Marta is an active volunteer in the Central Iowa community and serves on many nonprofit boards and committees. Her board activity includes Central Iowa Community Foundation, Chair of the National Advisory Council of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center (formerly known as Character Counts in Iowa), Chair of Junior Achievement of Central Iowa, Drake University Board of Trustees, The Iowa State University Ivy School of Business Dean’s Advisory Council and Junior Achievement of Central Iowa. Marta is looked upon as an influential leader in the community and has been recognized by several organizations, including receiving a Woman of Influence award The Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character legacy award.
Marta and her husband, Jim Bruno, have a son Nicholas who graduated from Iowa state and started his career in Des Moines, daughter, Maddie Johnson, and grandsons, Jett and Dash. Marta is a native of Cuba and came to the United States as a refugee in the early 1960s with her parents. Her passion is around “making a difference” primarily in the areas of leadership development and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Notice of Photographic & Media Recording: When you attend a West Des Moines Chamber event, photography, audio, and video recording may occur. By attending this event, you consent to such recording media and your image and likeness being used in connection with the advertising, marketing, and promotion of the WDM Chamber and/or City of West Des Moines.
