As of June 4, Jon Couture will become Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for Des Moines-based Principal Financial Group, succeeding Beth Raymond and reporting to executive vice president and chief investment officer Tim Dunbar.

Before joining Principal, Couture served as executive vice president of HR for Wells Fargo’s consumer lending division for more than five years; and at HSBC North America Holdings Inc. Previously he gained HR leadership experience in a variety of industries.

Dunbar praised Couture’s qualifications, citing a balanced blend of skills.

“Jon is a seasoned CHRO supporting highly complex, global business environments spanning a wide range of industries,” Dunbar said. “He brings the right mix of leadership, management and knowledge needed to continue evolving our culture and attract and retain the best and brightest to our organization. We look forward to Jon and his family joining the Des Moines community and Principal.”

A graduate of Southern Illinois University with a degree in management, Couture served in the U.S. Air Force. He earned a master’s degree in instructional and human performance technology from Boise State University as well as a doctoral degree in human performance from the University of Southern California.

Couture also served on the board of directors at BAI, a Chicago financial services firm.