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Incumbent Nan Benson seeks first full term as auditor/recorder

Nan Benson

Nan Benson is running for a county position as an incumbent, but this is the first time she’ll be on the ballot.

Benson was named Marshall County Auditor/Recorder on Oct. 31, 2017, having been appointed to the position by the Marshall County Board of Supervisors to serve the remainder of Deanne Raymond’s four-year term, which began in 2016. In 2017, Raymond moved out of the county requiring her to step down. Benson, a Republican, is vying for the chance to serve out the remainder of the term, which will expire in 2020.

She is being challenged by State Center Mayor and former two-term state Sen. Steve Sodders, a Democrat, in the Nov. 6 general election.

She said she’s eager to spend another two years serving the county, especially in light of the $15.5 million courthouse renovation project she has worked to help implement.

Benson, who resides just east of State Center, was born and raised in the county.

“I’m a CPA (Certified Public Accountant), so I have over 32 years of accounting, financial and budget experience. I’ve worked on budgets and annual reports at the community college. I’ve worked in IT. I’ve served in human resources, done taxes at a law firm. I have an understanding of running a farm. I feel like all of my previous positions have given me some knowledge on what goes on in the county.”

Benson previously was employed at Emerson Process Management as a training and project specialist for the Global Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) Team. She had served as the Washington Township clerk and gained experience working with the auditor/recorder’s office, before stepping down to accept her current position.

Benson described the job as needing the ability to “wear many hats” and adjust to the learning curve. This is her first time serving as an elected official.

“We’re budget central, so all the budget for the county comes through here, and as auditor, I’m keeper of the courthouse, in conjunction with the Board of Supervisors,” she said. “Elections are also a huge part (of the job description) and following the laws in place are important.”

Benson said in the time she has served as auditor/recorder she has helped to finalize a personnel policy for the county.

“You have to think of how you cover for employees when they retire, and that many people need to be cross-trained for vacations, etc.,” she said.

Benson and her staff of nine currently work out of interim offices at Great Western Bank after their work space was damaged in the tornado. Benson was working inside the courthouse the afternoon of the tornado. Immediately following, she helped to move property and vital records out of the flooded stack rooms and dump out trash cans filled with water.

“You would get two hours of sleep in the days after the tornado,” she said. “The tornado has added a whole new aspect to the job, but I’ve also got to meet some wonderful people through that. I really would love to continue to serve the patrons of Marshall County, and I think I could continue to make some great strides. If I commit to something, I’m going to do it.”

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at 641-753-6611 or sjordan@timesrepublican.com

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