Kevin Baskins has joined The Des Moines Register as Metro Jobs Reporter, bringing decades of journalism and communications experience to the role. His appointment comes at a crucial time as Iowa continues to navigate changing employment landscapes and economic development initiatives across the state.

Baskins brings a wealth of reporting experience from his previous position at the Mason City Globe-Gazette, where he covered local news and community issues. His background in traditional newspaper journalism has equipped him with the skills necessary to investigate and report on employment trends, labor issues, and economic developments affecting Iowa's metropolitan areas.

Prior to his journalism career, Baskins served as Communications Bureau Chief for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for many years. In this role, he was responsible for managing public communications, media relations, and information dissemination regarding environmental policies, conservation efforts, and natural resource management throughout Iowa. This extensive experience in government communications provides him with unique insights into how state policies impact employment sectors, particularly in environmental and regulatory fields.

His dual background in both journalism and government communications positions Baskins uniquely to cover the intersection of public policy and employment issues. This expertise will be particularly valuable as he reports on how state and local government decisions affect job markets, economic development projects, and workforce development programs across Iowa's metropolitan areas.