Gov. Kim Reynolds rolls out new Iowa logo, 'Freedom to Flourish' slogan for welcome signs

"Fields of Opportunities" is out.

"Freedom to Flourish" is in.

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Tuesday she's rolling out a new state logo and slogan to appear on Iowa's interstate highway welcome signs and state agency websites.

"Iowa’s national profile is on the rise, our reputation is strong and Americans have taken notice," Reynolds said Tuesday afternoon during a news conference in the Iowa Capitol rotunda.

The new Iowa logo features an "O" with a white road through a green field leading to a yellow sunrise. The word "Iowa" in all capital letters appears over the tagline "Freedom to Flourish."

Reynolds said the new logo would start appearing on state websites Tuesday and it will continue to be phased in over the coming weeks and months.

More: Government reorganization, school book bans: 10 new Iowa laws taking effect July 1

"I want to promote Iowa as an employment destination so we can attract top talent nationwide and build Iowa’s workforce across all industries," Reynolds said. "I want to recruit or bring home our native Iowans who grew up here but left, thinking opportunities would be better elsewhere. And I can’t wait to just remind them and show them all that Iowa has to offer now."

The 68 welcome signs on Interstate Highways 80 and 35 date to 1999 when former Gov. Tom Vilsack unveiled the "Fields of Opportunities" slogan.

Reynolds said the state worked with FleishmanHillard, a consulting group that works with the Iowa Economic Development Authority and created the "This is Iowa" tourism campaign.

Iowa paid the company $305,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to develop the logo and slogan, said Kollin Crompton, a spokesperson for Reynolds.

Reynolds' office estimated it would cost $375,000 to replace the road signs. Reynolds said those costs, and the cost of updating other state branding materials, would come from existing budgets.

"If the governor truly wanted to give Iowans the 'freedom to flourish' she would not be banning health care decisions for women, banning books, or banning curriculum," said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights.

Kim Reynolds: More than 2,600 state employees switched departments with government reorganization law

Reynolds rolled out the new state branding at a news conference Tuesday where she touted the implementation of a new law reorganizing Iowa's state agencies.

The massive law shrank the number of cabinet-level executive branch agencies in Iowa from 37 to 16 and gave Reynolds more control over the hiring, firing and salaries of top department directors.

The government reorganization plan was one of Reynolds' top priorities during this spring's legislative session. She signed the law in April.

More: Gov. Kim Reynolds signs law reshaping Iowa government, reducing agencies. What it does:

The mergers took effect July 1.

"I think it’s sometimes difficult to grasp the size and scope of this undertaking, especially with such an aggressive timeline," Reynolds said. "Most people would probably say that it couldn’t be done, but our team was fully committed."

Reynolds said Tuesday that more than 2,600 state employees have successfully shifted to a new department as a result of the reorganization.

Iowa eliminated 513 unfilled state government positions as a result of the law, Crompton said. Reynolds said Tuesday the mergers happened without laying off any existing state employees.

The state projects the reorganization will save about $215 million over four years.

Democrats opposed the reorganization, calling it a power grab for Reynolds and Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird.

The law gave the attorney general's office sole jurisdiction over prosecuting election-related crimes. The attorney general can also step in and prosecute local cases without a county attorney first asking for assistance.

Reynolds began the reorganization process last summer when she hired the consulting firm Guidehouse LLP to write a report with recommendations. She paid the firm with $994,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

"Last year, Gov. Reynolds gave $1 million to an out-of-state consultant to develop a plan to consolidate state government. It is clear she didn’t listen to any Iowans," Konfrst said. "The progress report released today is disappointing, as it still leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Iowans deserve a government that works for them, and not just the special interests."

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa will have a new slogan on interstate welcome signs, Kim Reynolds announces