ABOUT

Nick Van Patten, a lifelong Des Moines resident and President of Aluminum Distributors Inc., has announced his candidacy for State Senate District 31.

Nick’s parents, G. Nick and Betty (now deceased) started Aluminum Distributors, Inc. in 1959.  Their work ethic, business acumen, and belief in Des Moines as a viable and vibrant place to grow a business and family guided them into making ADI the largest wholesaler of Alside windows and doors nationwide.  Nick earned the presidency of the company at 36 years of age in 2000, making him the youngest president within their industry.  His leadership has resulted in doubling the size of the business and adding another warehouse location in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Aluminum Distributors Inc. employees twenty-one individuals and offers complete health insurance.

Nick shares his drive and spirit in a classroom.  As a course instructor for Junior Achievement of Central Iowa, he designs lesson plans and programs to energize and inspire his students to dream big and follow their aspirations in developing their own businesses. 

This pledge to young people carries further in Nick’s work and contribution to the Variety Club of Iowa where Nick is on the Board of Directors and serves as Committee Chair for many of the organizations fundraising endeavors.

Nick constructively blends his professional siding and windows products with community, offering materials and manpower to worthy entities such as the BRAVE HOME for Abused Women, Habitat for Humanity, and the Animal Rescue League of Central Iowa.

Nick is a member of Christ the King Catholic Church, the Home Builders Association, the Better Business Bureau, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Association of Business and Industry, the Polk County I-Club Board of Directors, and Broadlawns Medical Foundation Board of Directors.

Nick’s most crucial platform points include:  increasing teacher pay and decreasing the student-teacher ratio, lowering taxes on businesses thus keeping the state’s #1 export, our young professionals, in Iowa, curbing tax increases by passing a meaningful property taxpayer initiative, making health care more affordable, and eminent domain land taking.