Veren promoted to patrol sergeant

The Marshalltown Police Department recently announced the promotion of Officer Casee Veren to the position of Patrol Sergeant. Sgt. Veren began her new duty following Sgt. Melinda Ruopp’s retirement on Sept. 16. Veren begins her new assignment on Sept. 17 and has been appointed to the police department’s ‘Day Shift B’ 12-hour patrol shift lead by Lt. Rick Bellile.

Veren comes to us from the city of Creston. She is a graduate of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake with a major in Criminal Justice. Veren was hired by the Marshalltown Police Department in August 2006 and has been involved in many activities inside and outside the department during her law enforcement career. Within the agency, Veren has held the positions of Field Training Officer, Drug Recognition Expert, Crisis Negotiator and Community Outreach Officer. Veren continues to be involved in helping coach area AAU volleyball, the Cop on Top program helping to sponsor Special Olympics Iowa and the Iowa M.S. Bike Ride helping to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research.

IVCCD earns 2018 Top Workplaces honors

Iowa Valley Community College District has been awarded a 2018 Top Workplaces honor by The Des Moines Register. The award is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by research partner Energage, LLC, a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. The anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution and connection, just to name a few.

“Top Workplaces is more than just recognition,” said Doug Claffey, CEO of Energage. “Our research shows organizations that earn the award attract better talent, experience lower turnover and are better equipped to deliver bottom-line results. Their leaders prioritize and carefully craft a healthy workplace culture that supports employee engagement.”

The Des Moines Register recognized 150 Iowa companies and organizations as Top Workplaces for 2018. Of those, 25 were in the large category, 50 were mid-sized and 75 were small. IVCCD is considered a mid-sized employer and was the only community college on that list. IVCCD was also honored as a Top Workplace in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016.

“The culture of our institution and the commitment of our employees to helping students succeed is a top priority for Iowa Valley,” IVCCD Chancellor Dr. Chris Duree said. “This marks the sixth time we’ve earned the Top Workplaces honor, and we can be proud of that achievement. The survey results are used to measure and continuously improve things like employee engagement, interdepartmental cooperation, leadership effectiveness and commitment to our goals. We spend a great deal of time analyzing the results and employee comments, which helps us remain on track and ensures that we are not unaware of any concerns that might emerge over time.”

“Becoming a Top Workplace isn’t something organizations can buy,” Claffey said. “It’s an achievement organizations have worked for and a distinction that gives them a competitive advantage. It’s a big deal.”

Trucking industry recognizes Conrad driver

DES MOINES — The Iowa Motor Truck Association recently recognized Greg Sharp, of Conrad, a Green Products driver, as the 2018 Outstanding Professional Driver of the Year at its annual Management Conference. As a professional truck driver, Sharp has consistently demonstrated commitment and dedication to excellence, which is displayed by an outstanding driving record, years or service and professional attitude. The professional driver is the foundation of the trucking industry and this program specifically recognizes the men and women who are behind the wheel of a truck each and every day.

“The objective of this annual awards program is to highlight and showcase the professional drivers in the State of Iowa that have demonstrated the commitment to operate at the highest level of professionalism, Greg’s outstanding driving record and years of service are true examples that define professionalism. Greg Sharp is setting the standard for Iowa’s trucking industry and we are proud of his accomplishments,” said Brenda Neville, president of the Iowa Motor Truck Association.

The professional drivers were nominated by management within the company. Officials from the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration were involved in the review of the submitted nominations and the naming of the award winners.

New veterinarian joins Animal Clinic – The Vet

Animal Clinic – The Vet recently announced the addition of a new member of its veterinary team. Dr. Laura Andersen is relocating to Marshalltown and will begin seeing patients in late September.

Andersen is a 2006 Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine graduate. She has an extensive background in both private practice and shelter medicine. She enjoys all aspects of being a pet doctor and excels in surgery. Andersen has a house full of rescued pets including one dog (Tate) and four cats (Hobbes, Calvin, Mocha and Black Jack). She is looking forward to living closer to family that live in the Ames area.

Animal Clinic – The Vet is a full service companion animal hospital located at 507 W. High St., in Marshalltown. It offers 24-hour emergency care as well as digital x-ray, ultrasounds and laser therapy. It is committed to providing quality veterinary care throughout the life of your pet. Its services and facilities are designed to assist in routine preventive care for young, healthy pets; early detection and treatment of disease as your pet ages and complete medical and surgical care throughout his or her lifetime.

30 Iowa Loan Officers and Realtors Receive Preferred Partner Designation

DES MOINES — The Iowa Finance Authority recently announced that a total of 30 lenders and Realtors including Andrea Jordan, of Marshalltown, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, have earned IFA’s 2019 Preferred Partner designation. IFA Preferred Partners are experts for Iowa home buyers seeking assistance with the homeownership process and are expertly trained in IFA mortgage and down payment assistance programs.

IFA offers affordable mortgage and down payment assistance programs for eligible home buyers through a seamless process with a network of hundreds of valued Participating Lenders across the state. Local lenders assisted 2,000 Iowans in purchasing a home using IFA programs in fiscal year 2018.

In addition, IFA jointly administers the Military Homeownership Assistance Program in partnership with the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs. This program offers eligible service members and veterans a $5,000 down payment assistance grant.

All IFA Participating Lenders serve as a trusted resource for home buyers in their area. IFA Preferred Partners have received additional in-depth training and have committed to meeting various requirements including assisting a minimum number of home buyers through IFA programs each year.

“The 30 Preferred Partners announced today go above and beyond to help Iowa home buyers through IFA’s programs,” said IFA Interim Executive Director Carolann Jensen. “All Preferred Partners not only serve as excellent ambassadors for IFA, but for the home buyers they serve. I encourage anyone thinking about buying a home to contact an IFA Participating Lender for assistance.”

Home buyers interested in learning more about homeownership programs available to them, including eligibility information should contact a Preferred Partner. More information about IFA’s programs is available at IowaFinanceAuthority.gov.

Iowa lenders in good standing with IFA and that meet certain eligibility requirements are eligible to take the annual Preferred Partner training at the HousingIowa Conference each September. The Realtor Preferred Partner program was discontinued, only current Preferred IFA Realtors were eligible to renew their designation for 2019.

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