‘Candidates 2011’ Archives
Author: rachellethomas Published: September 21st, 2010
Susan Bangert
House District 8
Algona
Contact: 515-295-9505
Susan Bangert is a lifelong Democrat who has worked on many campaigns. In high school she volunteered for Jean Lloyd Smith, who was running against a young Terry Branstad for the state house. Since then she’s been active in the Democratic Party in Kossuth County, attending precinct caucuses, working at the fair booth, knocking on doors and making phone calls. She was the county chairperson for Roxanne Conlin when she ran for governor the first time, and was a volunteer for the Obama campaign.
Susan is 53 years old , was born and raised in Forest City, Iowa, and has lived in Iowa all of her life. She graduated from the University of Iowa in 1979, with a degree in speech pathology. She received her master’s degree in speech pathology from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri in December the following year. She and her husband took their first jobs in Algona, Iowa, in January 1981, and have been there ever since. Susan is a speech language pathologist working for AEA 8, and her husband, Kevin Bangert, is the police chief in Algona.
Susan and Kevin have been married for 31 years. They have three children and one granddaughter. Their oldest daughter, Nicole Geving, is married to Jason Geving and along with their daughter, Lillian, live in Stewartville, Minnesota. Their son, Scott, is engaged to be married this summer, and lives in Waterloo, IA, where he works for an insurance company. Their youngest, daughter, Katie, is a senior at University of Northern Iowa, graduating this summer with a degree in communication disorders. She has been accepted to graduate school at UNI and will start her studies this fall to become a speech pathologist.
Susan worked for Lakeland AEA 3 for twenty two years. When the two AEAs consolidated, she struck out on her own, opening and operating Great Minds Learning Center in Algona for three years. She was offered the opportunity to work for AEA 8, and hasaccepted worked there for four years. Susan finds her work to be very interesting and challenging, and plans on continuing her work there when the legislature is not in session.
Susan’s story is an example of the American dream. She was raised in a large family (8 brothers and sisters) without much money, but was able to attend college, on scholarships and with government grants and loans. All of her brothers and all but one of her sisters are college graduates, and that sister is a successful entrepreneur/businesswoman.
When my father became disabled when Susan was in high school, he was able to continue to provide for his family, thanks to Social Security disability funds. He was a proud man and Susan will be forever grateful for our wonderfulAmerican system that enabled him to keep his dignity and not have to depend on charity or handouts to pay the bills. He served in Italy in WWII, helping his country when they needed him and that country stood by him, when his health gave out.
Susan is a deeply patriotic person who is grateful for her country and wants to contribute to its greatness. She has been distressed by the terrible partisan behavior that has appeared in politics lately and hopes to work with Republicans and Democrats alike to keep Iowa a wonderful place to live and work. She hopes to live up to Delores Mertz’ fine work in the House – those will be big shoes to fill!
http://bangertforhouse.com/
Tags: Algona, house district 8, susan bangert
Category Candidates 2011, Recent News |
Author: rachellethomas Published: September 20th, 2010
John Wittneben
House District 7
Estherville
Contact: 712-362-4797
John Wittneben was born in Estherville, Iowa, on April 2, 1955 to parents Edna and Walter Wittneben. He has a brother, Jim, and a sister, Kathryn; all three were raised in Estherville and graduated from Estherville Senior High (now Estherville Lincoln Central). His parents were very active in the community and instilled in their children the value of helping others. John is also a proud uncle to his nieces Laura and Elle and nephew Tom.
John received his AA degree from Iowa Lakes Community College in 1975 and attended Iowa State University. He worked twelve years in the natural gas pipeline industry doing surveys and project completion packages and one year as an inspector at Seabrook Nuclear Power Station. He worked and lived in six states before returning to Iowa and becoming a Professional Licensed Land Surveyor in 1999. He has operated his own land surveying business, Wittneben Land Surveying, since 2001 and renovates houses when time permits.
John was appointed to the Estherville City Council in 2008 and elected to that position in 2009. He is a current Board Member and past President of Estherville’s Chamber of Commerce; current member and past President of the Estherville Rotary Club; a current member and past President of the Friends of Fort Defiance, which is a group of volunteers dedicated to improvements at the state park. He serves on the Good Samaritan Citizen Advisory Board in Estherville; and has served at the pleasure of the President since 2006 on the local Selective Service System Board. He is also an active member of the Emmet County Democrats and was a County and District delegate for the 2008 elections. He was awarded the 2007 Estherville Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award for all of his community service and volunteer work.
John greatly enjoys the outdoors as an avid hiker and backpacker, canoeist and downhill skier. He offers a disc golf introductory lesson through Estherville’s Parks & Recreation Department two or three times each summer and hosts the Disc Golf Tournament for Estherville’s Sweet Corn Days each August.
http://johnwittneben.com
Tags: house district 7, iowa house district 7, john wittneben
Category Candidates 2011, Recent News |
Author: rachellethomas Published: September 16th, 2010
Chris Hall
House District 2
Sioux City
Contact: 712-490-2088
As a fourth-generation resident of Siouxland, Chris Hall is deeply committed to Sioux City’s future. Brought up in a middle-class family, Chris was always taught that being a good neighbor means giving back to the community. Now Chris is running for State Representative because he’s ready to contribute fresh ideas for job creation, quality education, and economic growth.
Chris was inspired to run for office by his family’s long tradition of public service. Hall’s grandfather, Conny Bodine, served as city manager for years with a reputation for innovation, bi-partisanship, and building coalitions. Grandmothers Tanya Bodine and Ruth Hall, both former Sioux City teachers, showed Chris that by believing in our children we can create a better future for our state. Chris’s parents, Linn and Tina, taught him the value of compassion and hard work. Linn has worked for the Department of Corrections for more than thirty years. His mother, Tina, has been a social worker, whose work focused on special needs adoptions and family crisis intervention. She currently works for the Federal Courts.
Hall attended North High School in Sioux City, where he graduated as valedictorian. Hall stayed in Iowa and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Grinnell College. While there, he managed a budget totaling over a quarter million dollars as president of the Student Government Association.
Hall’s campaign will be built upon his extensive experience in grassroots organizing, policy, and government. He has previously worked for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation on conservation issues and responsible stewardship of natural resources. He has also served as a legislative clerk to the Iowa House Judiciary Committee and as a finance assistant to the Governor. He enters the race with knowledge of the legislative process as well as established working relationships in the legislature.
Hall attends First Presbyterian Church in downtown Sioux City. He is a member of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa Farm Bureau, Woodbury County Conservation Foundation, and Siouxland Trails Foundation. He is an avid cyclist, RAGBRAI alumnus, and member of the Siouxland Cyclists.
http://www.hallforiowa.com
Tags: chris hall, House District 2, Sioux City
Category Candidates 2011, Recent News |
Author: rachellethomas Published: September 15th, 2010
David Dawson
House District 1
Sioux City
Contact: 712-898-5804
David was born on October 5, 1973, in Cherokee to Tom and Doris Dawson. He has two older sisters, Debbie Allen, who is married with two children and lives in Waterloo, Iowa, and Deanna Zubrod, who is married with two children and lives on a farm outside of Marcus, Iowa.
He grew up in Washta, which is known as the “Coldest Spot in Iowa” because of the January 12, 1912 record cold temperature of -47 degrees.
David’s father and mother worked together at Dawson’s Cropmate, a fertilizer business his father owned for many years in Washta. While growing up, David worked at the family business for several summers.
He attended Willow Community High School in Quimby, Iowa from 1988 to 1992. He graduated as valedictorian and received the American Bar Association’s Good Citizenship Award.
He attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa from 1992 to 1996. He graduated with Bachelor of Science degrees in Sociology and Psychology and with minors in Political Science and Criminal Justice. While in college, he was a member of the Iowa State Men’s Volleyball Club from 1992 to 1996; a teaching assistant for the Introduction to Sociology classes from 1995 to 1996; and an intern at the Juvenile Law Center, a division of the Public Defender’s Office, in Sioux City during the summer of 1995.
David attended the University of California at Los Angeles, School of Law from 1996 to 1999, where he received his law degree. While in law school, he was a law clerk at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office in the summer of 1997; participated in the Moot Court Honors Program in 1997 and 1998; completed an externship with Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the Ninth Circuit Unites States Court of Appeals in Los Angeles in the spring semester of 1998; and completed the summer associate program at the law firm of Winston & Strawn in Chicago, Illinois in 1998.
After completing law school, David accepted an attorney position with Winston & Strawn and moved to Chicago in June 1999. He worked in the litigation department and frequently traveled across the United States for various legal proceedings involving large corporations and other business interests.
In August 2002, he moved to Sioux City to become a prosecutor in the Juvenile Division of the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. He prosecuted gang members, sex offenders, and other juvenile delinquents. He also prosecuted child welfare cases involving abused and neglected children. In 2006 and again in 2007, He argued two cases before the Iowa Supreme Court to help enforce equal rights for children.
While a prosecutor, David served on state and local committees dedicated to improving child welfare, delinquency, and juvenile court laws and policies. He was on the Woodbury County Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Committee from 2005 to 2010; the Woodbury County Community Collaboration Team from 2007 to 2010; the Woodbury County Detention Reform Committee from 2008 to 2009; and the Iowa County Attorney’s Association Juvenile Justice Committee from 2008 to 2010.
While a county employee, he was a union member with AFSCME from 2003 to 2010. David has been a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sioux City since 2003. He served as a church elder from 2005 to 2008 and has been a member of the adult choir since 2003. In 2004, David served as a delegate to the county, district, and state Democratic Conventions.
In 2005, he attended Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City and obtained my Coaching Authorization. He was a volleyball coach at Sioux City West High School from 2005 to 2007.
In 2008, David was a precinct captain for the Barack Obama presidential campaign, and again served as a delegate to the county, district, and state Democratic Conventions. He was a member of the credentials committees at the district and state conventions. From 2008 to 2010, he served as the Finance Chair for the Woodbury County Democrats.
In March 2010, David began his own law office in Sioux City where he continues to work on behalf of children.
http://dawsonforiowa.com/
Tags: david dawsom, house district 1, iowa house candidate, Sioux City
Category Candidates 2011, Recent News |
Author: rachellethomas Published: September 10th, 2010
The Iowa State Reserve Law Officers Association honored State Representative Bob Kressig with their 2010 “Legislator of the Year” award on September 8, 2010. The award ceremony was held at the Cedar Falls Police Department.
House District 19 Representative Kressig was instrumental in getting HF426 passed during the 2010 legislative session. This bill provided that state certified reserve peace officers who are involved in an on-duty accident with an emergency vehicle will not have this accident placed on their personal record. This added reserve peace officers to already existing legislation that included fulltime peace officers. Kressig introduced the bill and served as the floor manager for the bill in the House of Representatives.
The ISRLOA has represented the needs of reserve peace officers in the state of Iowa since 1973. Reserve peace officers volunteer the time and are an instrumental part of the law enforcement community, when departments need extra help for community events and other situations that require extra officers. The Cedar Fall Police Department and the Waterloo Police Department both have excellent reserve programs.
Category Candidates 2011, Featured, Public Safety, Recent News |
Susan Bangert
