T-R hires new circulation director

Jay Gillispie is the Times-Republican’s new circulation director. Gillispie brings with him 40 years of newspaper management experience from markets all over the United States.

Gillispie was born and raised in Iowa City where his father ran the Des Moines Register for 43 years. He has three children: Rick, 40, in Des Moines; Ryan, 36, in Portland and Riley Kate, 32, in Ankeny. Gillispie also has 10 grandchildren he looks forward to spending time with now that he is back in Iowa.

Gillispie replaces Randy Cutright, who took a job as publisher at another Ogden paper.

T-R has new advertising director

Deanna (Schmidt) Davis McGowan is the Times-Republican’s new ad director. She comes to the role after serving as the Assistant Marketing Director for the Times-Republican for the past five years.

Davis McGowan was previously the Sales & Marketing Director for the Best Western Regency Inn, Comfort Inn & Super 8 in Marshalltown for many years. She has served on the Marshalltown Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors and is currently a Marshalltown Chamber Ambassador.

She graduated from Gladbrook High School and Ellsworth Community College.

Davis McGowan and husband Dave reside on a farm near Gladbrook. She has three grown sons that are married and five grandchildren that she adores. She also has three step children that are married and seven step grandchildren that she enjoys as well.

Deanna and Dave are Iowa Hawkeye fans and attend the home football games with pride.

Davis McGowan replaces previous ad director Linda Gould, who retired.

Olberding earns elite certification

Lynn Olberding, Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, has been designated as a Certified Chamber Executive by ACCE, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

ACCE is an Alexandria, Va.-based membership association that represents nearly 10,000 professionals who work for and with more than 1,300 chambers of commerce around the world.

“We are pleased that our Marshalltown Chamber is not only 4-star accredited, but also now led by a Certified Chamber Executive,” Dan Moellers, chair of the Chamber Board of Directors said. “This continues to place our local Chamber in a distinctive group, as only the top three percent of chambers in the United States carry the accreditation, let alone are led by a CCE.”

“The CCE program assesses and tests the applicant’s knowledge of core chamber management areas — management, planning and development, membership and communication and operations,” Bob Quick, CCE commission chairman, said. “Chamber professionals who are designated CCEs have rightfully earned this outstanding recognition through hard work, countless hours of dedication to their field, and leadership of their chamber to achieve the chamber’s goals. We are proud to have this year’s class join a long tradition of professional excellence.”

Olberding is one of 11 chamber professionals to earn the Certified Chamber Executive designation in 2018. The 11 leaders represent chambers of commerce in eight states, including Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Since the first CCE designation was conferred more than 40 years ago, about 500 professionals have become certified. CCE is recognized by many as the highest, and most elite, professional designation in the chamber of commerce profession. It’s the only globally-recognized certification program exclusive to the chamber of commerce industry.

Olberding joined the local Chamber in 2007 as director of membership and marketing. She was named executive director in 2013. She holds a B.A. from Buena Vista University, a M.B.A. from University of Iowa and an Institute of Organization Management designation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in addition to this new certification. She is past chair of the Iowa Chamber of Commerce Executives and is currently one of 18 Board of Regents members for the U.S Chamber’s Winter Institute for Organization Management. Additionally, Olberding serves in a multitude of leadership capacities throughout Marshalltown, including Cub Scouts of America, Team Franklin PTO and Assistance League of Marshalltown. Olberding is her fourth year of managing and facilitating the Iowa Valley Leadership program, a nine-month-long issues-based leadership program for community members.

Certified chamber executives were recognized on stage July 18 at the 2018 ACCE Annual Convention in Des Moines.

Hospitalist joins UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown’s medical staff

Dr. Khawar Warraich, MD, has joined UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown as a hospitalist who specializes in caring for patients admitted to the hospital.

Warraich completed his undergraduate work at F. G. Sir Syed Boys College, his medical schooling at Army Medical College and his residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in the Internal Medicine Program. Warraich is a member of the American College of Physicians. Outside of his career, he has personal interests in sports, international politics and current affairs.

Submit local business news

The Times-Republican invites businesses in its circulation area to submit brief items concerning their employees or businesses for the Names & Notes column, which is published on Sundays.

Potential subjects of these business briefs include announcements of new businesses, branch acquisitions, departures of longtime employees, employee recognitions or new hires. Submissions will be edited and run on a space-available basis. Items must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday for consideration in Sunday’s column.

Submit brief articles and JPEG headshots to: Names & Notes, Newsroom, Times-Republican, 135 W. Main St., Marshalltown 50158, or call Kathy Beane at 641-753-6611 or email news@timesrepublican.com