DMPS Veteran New Head of District Facilities, Construction

Dave Berger is the new Executive Director of Operations at Des Moines Public Schools.

A veteran of the Des Moines Public Schools operations department will now oversee the improvements and upkeep of the school district’s 69 buildings and 6 million square feet of space. Dave Berger is the new Executive Director of Operations at DMPS. In that position he will oversee construction, facilities management, and custodial services for the school district.

“There are more than 300 dedicated and skilled women and men in the district’s Operations Department who every day have the goal of making sure that our students and staff have safe, comfortable, and productive spaces in which to learn and work,” said Berger. “I am thrilled to have been granted the privilege to work alongside this team and am excited to have the opportunity to help them do what they do best.”

Berger has been with Des Moines Public Schools since 2013 when he joined the Facility Management Department as the district’s Energy and Environmental Specialist. In 2016 he became the district’s Construction Services specialist, responsible for daily administration of capital improvement projects.

Before joining DMPS, he spent more than 15 years working in the environmental/engineering consulting field providing a wide range of facility-improvement services to both private and public sector clients. Berger is a graduate of the University of Nebraska and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology.

“Providing our students and staff with comfortable and safe environments to learn and work is critical to our success as a school district,” added Dr. Thomas Ahart, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. “From improving and maintaining our existing facilities to overseeing the building of new spaces, Dave brings the experience and dedication to make sure they best serve the needs of our school district.”