Art Staed
House District 66
Cedar Rapids

Art Staed hails from Joplin, Missouri, one of 11 kids. He graduated from McAuley Regional Catholic High School, earned his college degree at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, a Master’s degree in Secondary Education at The University of Missouri at K.C. and a second Master’s in Secondary Administration from East Central University of Oklahoma.

Art’s passion for education spurred a ‘Communities in Schools’ program targeting at-risk students using mentoring programs, tutoring, mental health assistance, human services and counseling to help kids stay in school. His program received national recognition at a White House ceremony for creative and successful business-school partnerships.

Briefly leaving education for a career with U.S. Cellular, Art quickly became a direct sales supervisor and manager of numerous retail stores, including opening and operating new stores for the company. This required Art to identify new markets, help find new locations for stores, arrange for their lease and remodeling, and to hire, train and manage store employees.

After making the decision to return to public education and updating and expanding his credentials, Art taught Business Management and Time Management courses at Kirkwood and developed workforce training at the Iowa Workforce Development office in Cedar Rapids.

Art and his wife Susan recently sold Coffee Talk Café, where he hosted “Coffee Talk: Corridor Conversations”, a videotaped series of talks with local community leaders regarding issues that affect the Cedar Rapids community. The coffee shop was a successful small business that provided a “refuge”, a place of peace where people could get away, relax, and enjoy great coffee.

The citizens of district 37 elected Art to the Iowa House Representative in 2007-2008 where he served as Vice Chairman of both the Education Committee and the Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee. He also represented Iowans on the Economic Growth, Labor, and Veterans Affairs committees.

Currently, Art teaches secondary education for Cedar Rapids Schools at the Four Oaks Phase program and is active in the Cedar Rapids Education Association.  He resides in Cedar Rapids with his wife Susan. They have four children and five grandchildren.