From North Iowa Area Community College, www.niacc.edu

Foundation News
North Iowans Join NIACC Foundation Board of Directors
Jan 30, 2009

Ref. F1037

The NIACC Foundation recently elected six North Iowans to its Board of Directors.  Pat Galasso of Clear Lake, Bill Johnson of Belmond, Karen Knudtson of Mason City, David Moore of Mason City, Jim Niemants of Clear Lake and Ken Peterson of Lake Mills officially joined the NIACC Foundation Board in 2009.

Pat Galasso

Pat Galasso of Clear Lake has been in the restaurant business for 25 years and is currently co-owner and operator of Ge-Jo’s by the Lake in Clear Lake.  She is a certified business planning trainer and is self-employed as a project manager/facilitator/trainer and keynote speaker.  Pat develops and implements training programs for corporate and non-profit organizations as well as facilitates business start-ups and operations management.  Galasso was awarded the 2000 Iowa’s Woman Entrepreneur of the Year award, Iowa Small Business Development Center’s Deb Dalziel Women Entrepreneur Achievement Award, and the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center Youth Entrepreneurship Academy Internship Recognition award.  She currently serves on the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center Advisory Board and the Cerro Gordo County Board of Health.  She and her husband, Gene, provide an annual NIACC scholarship.  They have one daughter, who is a graduate of NIACC.

Bill Johnson

Bill Johnson of Belmond is chairman of Communications 1 Network, Inc., for the Kanawha, Corwith, Klemme areas.  The Waldorf graduate served as Lutheran Brotherhood District Representative for 42 years and was a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisers.  Formerly, he served on the Belmond Hospital Foundation Board, Waldorf College Board of Regents and was president of the Waldorf Association.  Currently, he is a life member of the Million Dollar Round Table.  He and his wife, Mary, have three daughters.

Karen Knudtson

Karen Knudtson of Mason City is a realtor and co-owner of Knudtson Real Estate.  She is a graduate of Hamilton School of Commerce, Realtors Institution of Iowa, and is a certified tax professional and realtors specialist.  She is a 20-year member of the NIACC Board, serves as vice president of Mason City Women’s Club and is a member of the Enterprize Zone Board.  Community involvements include serving on the United Way Board, the Realtors Association, Accountants of Iowa and serving as Gold Wing Road Riders Association regional director.  Knudtson has received many President awards from GWRRA for her outstanding service.  She and her husband, Ron, have two children, who both attended NIACC.

Dave Moore

David Moore of Mason City is a licensed funeral director and owner of Memorial Park Cemetery & Crematory and the Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapels with locations in the Mason City, Clear Lake, Nora Springs, Northwood and Manly areas.  He earned an associates degree from NIACC and a bachelors degree from the University of Minnesota.  He serves on the Hospice of North Iowa Board, Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation, Newman Catholic Schools Foundation, National Funeral Directors Association and International Cremation and Funeral Association.  Previously, he was a member of the Mason City Public Library Board of Trustees, Francis Lauer Youth Services Board of Directors and Lt. Governor of the Iowa Funeral Directors Association.  He and his wife, Jamey, have two children.

Jim Niemants

Jim Niemants of Clear Lake is an independent investment advisor with SWS Financial Services and the former president of Hawkeye Bank & Trust.  He earned a bachelors degree from Drake University in business administration.  He is a member of the Mason City Noon Rotary and serves on the NIACC, Kingland Systems and Community National Bank Advisory Boards.  Formerly, he participated on boards for the Mason City Area Chamber of Commerce, Hospice of North Iowa, Good Shepherd Health Center, Mason City Economic Development Corporation, Mason City YMCA and Hawkeye Bank & Trust.  He and his wife, Cynthia, have three children, who all attended NIACC during high school.

Ken Peterson

Ken Peterson of Lake Mills is now retired but was previously a mathematician for Motorola and Rockwell Collins, Inc.  His education includes a bachelors degree from Iowa State University and a masters degree from the University of Pittsburgh.  Peterson continued his graduate work in mathematics at Arizona State University where he also taught for a period of four years.  He has published several papers in refereed journals and has a total of 20 issued patents, including the Iridium System – the world’s first satellite based cellular telephone system.  Peterson is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. and serves as a volunteer academic coach for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.  He and his wife, Helen, reside near Lake Mills.

Other members of the NIACC Foundation Board of Directors are Kristy Arzberger, Bill Cooney, Brad Davis, Barb Heilskov, Rosie Hussey, Kevin Kolbet, Dan Latham, Jon Lewerke, Joyce Nielsen, Bob Olson, Bradley Robson, Cathy Rottinghaus and Linda Upmeyer.

Created in 1968 as a separate 501(c) 3 organization, the NIACC Foundation strives to keep higher education accessible to North Iowa residents through student scholarships and to enhance the programs and activities of the College.

The NIACC Foundation's mission is to support the College through scholarships, fundraising for special projects, grants for instructor education or other areas of need to help the College work toward its mission. If you have an interest in learning more about the NIACC Foundation or would like to see how you can help secure the future of the College and its excellence through a gift to the NIACC Foundation, please contact us at (641) 422-4386.

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