Daniel J. Houston is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Principal Financial Group®. He is responsible for overall management of the company.   

Houston joined Principal® in 1984 in Dallas. He has held several management positions, being named senior vice president in 2000, executive vice president in 2006 and president of Retirement and Income Solutions in 2008. He was named president and chief operating officer in 2014 before assuming his current role in 2015.

Houston is chair of the Greater Des Moines Water Trails initiative and is a member of and serves on several boards including American Council of Life Insurers, Business Roundtable, Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI), Greater Des Moines Partnership, Iowa State University Business School Dean’s Advisory Council, Future Ready Iowa and Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA). In October 2019, the Greater Des Moines Committee named Houston to the Iowa Business Hall of Fame in recognition of his significant contributions to the enhancement and development of the state’s economy.