Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) recently welcomed a new member to the staff. Noah Hirayama has joined the Community Development team as a Community Development Specialist I. This position will expand SWIPCO’s capacity to serve our clients, the cities and counties of the region. Some areas that Noah will bolster include grant applications and management for infrastructure and housing projects, hazard mitigation planning, city zoning, comprehensive and strategic planning, and regional transportation planning.
Hirayama is from the Des Moines area and recently graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Community and Regional Planning. He originally started his education in computer science but switched gears after a brief pause. Hirayama said it was actually video games that exposed him to planning as a profession, “I took an interest in city development video games. A lot of people are familiar with Sim City, but I also played another game called City Skylines. One of the online players of that game went by CityPlannerPlays in his username. That’s when I first was exposed to the idea that city planning and development was a profession I could pursue.”
Hirayama says he always has had an interest in maps and looking at data so that also matched up well with the career pathway. He spent time as an IT Specialist with Amazon and interned at three different operations: working GIS at Paces, roadside development with the Iowa DOT, and planning with the Polk County Housing Trust Fund.
In looking for a position following school Hirayama said he wanted to find a proper planning job, “When I found the position it was a great opportunity for a well-rounded planning job. Some entry opportunities are focused on a certain area, but this position works with a lot of different things. I also was particularly interested in Councils of Government like SWIPCO because they work with multiple communities and counties.”
Hirayama has family based out of Iowa and Hawaii and has 6 siblings that are spread out. He has a strong interest in soccer and competed collegiately for one year at Central College.
If your county or city has needs that can be served by the SWIPCO Planning team, then please reach out anytime to see how they can help. You can contact Noah Hirayama or Planning Manager Dani Briggs at the office at 712-243-4196.
SWIPCO is an equal opportunity employer, provider, and lender.
