Iowa House of Representatives

Susan Temere

Susan Temere teaches in Waukee, Adel and Dallas Center school districts in the middle schools and high schools. She also is an instructor of speech communications at Des Moines Area Community College. Specifically, she teaches public speaking, group dynamics and interpersonal communications. She has been teaching since 1997.

In 2006 and three previous election cycles, Susan was employed as a political consultant/election organizer for women’s groups’ targeted and endorsed races, such as the gubernatorial race of Gov. Chet Culver, state Senate and state House races.

Susan was executive director for nine years of a nonprofit she co-founded for women facing discrimination in their jobs. The organization provided support, information and training to women and organizations concerning the identification and proper handling of such problems related to human resource management concerns.

Susan was employed at General Motors for 18 years in industrial security, employee communications and as a first-line supervisor in the car assembly plant. While employed as a supervisor, she effectively handled labor relations and administered the UAW contract for 40 hourly employees on the car assembly line. For three years in security, she was elected as steward or union representative and participated in contract negotiations between management and the union. She also was a co-editor of a departmental employee newsletter.

As a citizen lobbyist, Susan played a significant role in passage of the Criminal Sexual Conduct Act and other educational legislation. She lobbied for successful passage of the human trafficking bill, which passed the Iowa Legislature in 2006. Most recently, she lobbied for passage of a clean election bill called VOICE, or Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections. The bill is currently in the House Appropriations Committee and will be taken up in the House in 2008.

Susan has a Bachelor of Science “with honors” in criminal justice and another major in journalism from Michigan State University. She has her master’s degree in speech communications from Wayne State University in Michigan.

Tim Hoy

Tim Hoy and his wife, Melody, a registered pharmacist, own and operate Eldora Valu-rite Pharmacy and Ahoy Fountain.

Tim has been active in his community. He has been a city council member, mayor and founding chairperson for the Eldora Trees Forever chapter. He is actively involved in the downtown restoration project, historic preservation initiatives, the Greater Eldora Chamber of Commerce, Eldora Emergency Management Services, the Eldora Area Health Services Board and the Eldora Tiger Teamwork Foundation Board.

Tim was born in Saginaw, Mich. In 1963, his family moved to Eldora, Iowa, where his father was employed in administration at the Iowa State Training School. Tim is a 1974 graduate of Eldora High School. He attended Drake University, graduating in 1979 with a degree in business administration. (more…)

Chris Bearden

Chris Bearden, 47, grew up in Tama and attended South Tama Schools. He graduated in 1979. After graduation, Chris began working with Packaging Corporation of America. The plant was subsequently sold and is now Caraustar Industries. Chris has been a member of United Steelworkers Local 743 since he started his job. He has served the union as president, vice president and recording secretary.

On Aug. 14, 1982, Chris married Diane Marie White. Diane grew up on a family farm, where Chris now helps with the planting and harvesting of the crops. The couple have four children: Hannah, 21; Savannah, 17; Noah, 13; and Jonah, 9. (more…)

Terry Hertle, District 39

Terry Hertle, a lifelong resident of Benton County, has lived in only one place – his family’s century farm north of Newhall. His ambition was always to be a farmer. After a lifetime of farming, he has decided to retire.

Two years after graduating from Newhall High School, Terry married Judith Sindt, and from that union came two children, Kevin and Denise. They now have two granddaughters, Felicia and Alexandria. Terry’s family belongs to St. John Lutheran Church in Newhall, where Terry has served several times as president of the Friendship Club and six years as trustee. (more…)

Gretchen Lawyer, District 36

Gretchen grew up on a family farm outside of Macomb, Illinois, with her parents and two brothers. The family ran a large hog operation in addition to farming corn and soybeans.

Gretchen graduated from Macomb Senior High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She then attended Western Illinois University and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in bilingual/bicultural education in 1996. During college, she was president of the bilingual education student organization, ran on the cross country and track teams and received academic awards, including the Outstanding Pre-Service Teaching Award. She earned admittance to the professional organizations of Phi Kappa Phi, Delta Kappa Pi and Alpha Upsilon Alpha. (more…)

Tom Avenarius, District 32

Tom Avenarius, the second of five children, was born July 8, 1950, to Norman (Hank) and Ella Mae (Morgan) Avenarius in Dubuque. He was educated in Dubuque, graduating from St. Mary’s Grade School in 1964, and then graduating from Dubuque Senior High School in 1968.

After graduating high school, Tom enlisted in the United States Army in 1968. He attended basic training in Fort Bliss, Texas, and went on to advanced training in the U.S. Army Engineering School, AIT. He worked as a mechanic in Fort Belvoir, Va. Tom was then stationed in Germany from January 1969 to March 1970. His tour continued to Vietnam from April 19, 1970, to March 26, 1971. Upon completion of his requirements, Tom was discharged from the military March 27, 1971, as a specialist 4th class. (more…)

Nate Willems, District 29

Nate Willems was born and raised in Anamosa, Iowa, and graduated from Anamosa High School in 1997. He received his B.S.F.S. in international politics from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 2001.

Nate worked on a variety of Democratic campaigns in Iowa both during and after college. He was a field organizer for Leonard Boswell’s re-election in 1998 and managed two Iowa House races for the House Truman Fund in 2000. In 2001, Nate returned to Iowa to work on the campaigns of John Norris and Dr. Julie Thomas; he also served as legislative clerk for Rep. Ro Foege. Nate was a regional director for Howard Dean’s campaign in the Iowa caucuses. (more…)

Chuck Isenhart, 49, was born in Dubuque, Iowa, the son of Bud and Marcella Isenhart. He has four brothers, two sisters, 15 nieces and nephews, 14 great nieces and nephews and four goddaughters.

Chuck attended Wahlert High School. He graduated from Loras College in 1981 with a degree in political science and mass communication. He received a master’s degree in journalism from Marquette University in 1984.

Chuck owns his own small business, Common Good Services, which offers communications, public relations, training and education, strategic planning and other organizational services. (more…)

Gene Ficken is a retired teacher and coach and a longtime Independence community leader. He was born and raised on a farm near Spirit Lake, Iowa. He graduated from high school in 1962 and attended Iowa Lakes Community College. Gene finished his bachelor’s degree in science at State College of Iowa in Cedar Falls in 1996 and his master’s degree in biology from the University of Northern Iowa in 1977. Gene later did postgraduate work in biotechnology at Iowa State University in Ames. (more…)

Kerry Burt was born and raised in Waterloo, Iowa. He is proud to have attended Kingsley Elementary, Hoover Junior High and West High School. He graduated from West High School, where he played football and basketball and was awarded an athletic scholarship to the University of Iowa in 1983.

While at the University of Iowa, Kerry became an All American on the Hawkeye football team. He was also named an All Conference selection and a team captain. Academically, he posted a solid performance in the classroom, graduating in four years with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. Kerry later completed his master’s degree in higher education at the University of Iowa in 1990. (more…)