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L to R: NIACC President Dr. Debra Derr, Blake Barnes, Nancy (Currie) Barnes, Jerry Currie and Charlie MacNider

As North Iowa Area Community College celebrated its 90th anniversary with the NIACC’s Night To Shine dinner in conjunction with the Candlelight Christmas Festival on Thursday evening, the College also honored a couple of longtime friends with the prestigious NIACC Shining Star Award.

Dr. Debra Derr, NIACC president, presented the 2008 Shining Star Awards to the Currie Family and Charles H. MacNider.

“We are extremely fortunate to have friends who have made so many things possible for the College and continue to make things happen at NIACC!” Derr said.  “These NIACC Shining Stars have lit a bright path for the future of NIACC. We are honored to be able to shine a bit of that light back on them.”

The Currie Family has been extremely supportive of North Iowa Area Community College over the years.  This family has been an entrepreneurial fixture in our community since 1892.  The company and the family have been supportive of the NIACC Foundation through scholarships since 1977.

Richard and Helen Currie believed in higher education and wanted to help NIACC students achieve their educational dreams.  One of the ways they supported this belief was by establishing the R.L. and Helen Currie endowed scholarship with a bequest in 2006. 

Dick and Helen’s children have also been supportive of NIACC.  Their daughter Nancy (Currie) Barnes, an educator, has taught several business classes through the Continuing Education department.  She and her husband, Blake have been active members of the Mason City community. 

Dick and Helen’s son, Jerry, joined the family business in 1967.  Under his leadership he has continued the positive partnership with NIACC that the College has enjoyed for many years.  He is a Mason City Junior College graduate who was named NIACC’s Outstanding Alumnus in 1993.  Jerry and his wife, Susan a 1964 graduate, served as campaign co-chairs for the Keeping NIACC First capital campaign which raised over 5.4 million dollars.  Nearly $1.5 million of the total raised went to support scholarships and continues to impact NIACC students today.

Accepting the award on behalf of the Currie Family were Jerry and Susan Currie and Blake and Nancy (Currie) Barnes.

Charles H. MacNider has had a tremendous impact on the College in a variety of ways.  Charlie has served on the NIACC Foundation Board (1993-2000 and 2002-2008) and is currently the Board’s president.  During his tenure as president, he led the Board in the Friends of Fitness campaign to raise money to enhance NIACC’s new Recreation Center.  Charlie and his wife, Kathy, a 1975 graduate, were also campaign co-chairs for the Keeping NIACC First capital campaign which raised over 5.4 million dollars.  Along with his family, Charlie has been an exemplary role model of philanthropy by supporting a term scholarship since 1954 in the name of Angus MacNider.  Today, this scholarship annually provides two students with full tuition. 

In addition to his service to NIACC several community organizations have also benefitted from Charlie’s involvement including the Mason City Chamber of Commerce, Mason City Development Association, MacNider Art Museum and MacNider Art Museum Foundation, Association for the Preservation of Clear Lake, Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, North Iowa Humane Society building campaign and Salvation Army building campaign.

The NIACC Shining Star Award was established in 2003 to recognize individuals, businesses and organizations that have invested significant time, energy and/or financial resources in NIACC. The award is intended for those who work to advance the institution and the region through their voluntary support.

Nearly 100 guests attended NIACC’s Night to Shine, and proceeds from the event are designated for student scholarships and new program development at the College.  Among the guests were two previous NIACC Shining Star award recipients, Jim Benjegerdes and Joyce Hanes.  Other NIACC Shining Stars include Bob and Lois Bergland, Dr. and Mrs. John B. Dixon, the Globe Gazette Elizabeth Muse Norris Charitable Fund, Betty Geer, John Hitzhusen, the Keithahn Family, Phyllis Murphy, John Pappajohn and Tom and Linda Schaefer.

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