Iowa 2008 Convention

The successes of your local events are the keys to our grass roots fund raising efforts and the reason why Iowa is a national leader. We are proud to have over 110 chapters hosting over 160 events annually. The accomplishments that we will celebrate today are the result of the efforts of over 3,000 dedicated volunteers who give countless hours to plan and conduct events across the state.

Your efforts, along with the support of over 20,000 members statewide, raised over $1.39 million dollars in FY07. Together we have conserved over 92,000 acres in the state of Iowa alone. On a national basis the State of Iowa achieves Top Ten Recognition on an annual basis. In 2006 Iowa was a Top Ten performer in five (5) categories: Ladies Event Income, Total Greenwings, Feather Society Pledges, Total Members, and Event Dollars Per Capita.

We are doing a SUPER job but we can always do better! We are saving more acres but we have to continue to make progress in the effort to conserve more than we lose. To help us in that effort a State Plan has been developed that includes goals and action plans that when implemented successfully throughout the State will result in conserving or restoring more than 10.8 square miles of critical wetlands habitat. [You may already have a copy of the 2008-2010 plan but if you don’t have a copy there are some copies on the tables or through your Regional Director.]

Thanks for joining us at this year’s state convention and for taking the time to attend this awards luncheon. If you or your committee is being recognized today CONGRATULATIONS! The awards and recognitions system is designed to recognize performance at several different levels. I challenge each of you to raise your sights again and target performance at a new level. Even if you are not motivated by the recognition and awards, Momma Duck is and she will be forever thankful.
Yours for the DUCKS
Dave Haggard

State Chairman – Iowa Ducks Unlimited


Iowa DU Leadership Roster

Chair: Jim Thomas

State Chair: Dave Haggard

Vice State Chair: James Roetman

State Treasurer: Dan Bartlett

State Secretary: Vacant

State Convention Chair: Jon and Colleen Kruse

Art and Merchandise: Bernie Kofron

POY Bernie Kofron

Sponsor Decoy: Jon Kruse

Sponsor Print: Colleen Kruse

Companion Print: Bill Scott

Major Donor Chairman: Keith Helland

Feather Society: Dave VandenBoom

Membership: Frank Mertz – Dave VandenBoom

Adult Dan Bartlett

Sponsor: Ed Kircher

Greenwing: Phil Hubbard

Grumpy Goldeneye Chairman: Kirk Rentschler

National Responsibilities:

Regional VP: Keith Helland

CPC: Jon Kruse, Assistant Chairman – Public Policy

(Conservation Programs Committee) Bob Shimanek

Iowa Trustees

National Officers

Bruce Lewis, President
Natchez, MS

John Pope, First Vice President
Jacksonville, FL

Dr. Doug Burch, Senior Vice President
Neosho, MO

Keith Helland, Regional Vice President
Lake Mills, IA

National Committeemen

Keith Helland National Development Committee Lake Mills, IA

Jon Kruse Conservation Programs Committee Storm Lake, IA

Bob Shimanek Conservation Programs Committee Monticello, IA

State Trustees/Naional Delegates

Kerm Copeland Mediapolis

Dean Crow Mediapolis

Katherine Crow Mediapolis

Dave Haggard Fort Dodge

Ed Kircher Keokuk

Tammi Kircher Keokuk

Colleen Kruse Storm Lake

Frank Mertz Webster

Bob Shimanek Monticello

Janet Shipman Oakville

Wayne Shipman Oakville

Kevin Thomasson West Des Moines

Dave VandenBoom Cedar Rapids

Exempt by Position or Title

William P. Artis Urbandale

Gene Buckles Waterloo

C. F. Hunter Cedar Rapids

Kirby Roberts Storm Lake

William Scott Iowa City

John B. Synhorst, II Spencer

Maynard Reece, Des Moines

1973 – 1974 John E. Spence, Sr. Des Moines

1975 – 1976 Dick Thornton Des Moines

1977 – 1978 Gene Buckles Waterloo

1979 – 1980 William Artis Des Moines

1981 – 1983 Allen N. Weaver, Jr. Cedar Rapids

1984 – 1985 Pat Neuhaus Marshalltown

1986 – 1987 Bill Kruse Ames

1988 – 1989 Virgil Steenbock Council Bluffs

1990 – 1991 John B. Synhorst II Spirit Lake

1992 – 1995 Jon F. Kruse Storm Lake

1996 – 1997 Norman J. Glaw Sumner

1998 – 1999 Howard A. Paul Cherokee

2000 – 2001 Dwight A. Hughes Tripoli

2002 – 2003 Dennis L. Westerman Grundy Center

2004 – 2005 Kevin J. Thomasson Des Moines

2006 – 2007 James G. Thomas Anamosa

2008 – 2009 David A. Haggard Fort Dodge

1971 – 1980 Jay Neubauer, Senior Vice President Storm Lake

1975 – 1988 John E. Spence, Sr., Senior Vice President Des Moines

1992 – 1996 John B. Synhorst II, Regional Vice President Spirit Lake

2000 – 2004 Jon F. Kruse, Regional Vice President Storm Lake

2005 - Keith Helland, Regional Vice President Lake Mills

In addition each chapter must meet the following:

• Increase in Grassroots Chapter Income over prior year of 5%
• Increase in Adult Members over prior year of 5%
• Net/Net to Gross on D event of 60%
• Event Tickets must be received within 10 days of events; financial report and final proceeds in 30 days

Presidential Citation Award Levels

• Bronze – Qualify for 1 or 2 consecutive years
• Silver – Qualifying for 3^rd or 4^th consecutive year
• Gold – Qualifying for 5 or more consecutive years

The time line for the levels is as follows:

• 2005 and 2006 – Bronze only
• 2007 and 2008 – Silver and Bronze available
• 2009 – Gold, Silver and Bronze will be available

Ducks Unlimited President’s Top 100 List
To make the Top 100 in 2007 a chapter needed to raise approximately $53,000 in Grassroots Income. The Top 100 Chapters raised over $8 million in 2007. Iowa is proud to have Chapters recognized in the

Top 100 List.

To be eligible, committees must have an event that has a net/net of at least $5,000 and fifty members.Committee Top Flight Awards for new chapters attaining at least $5,000 net/net and fifty members will be based on their level of event efficiency. The award is a personalized decoy representative of the flight attained. This award will be presented to a committee for achievement according to the following benchmarks:

Wood Duck Flight-A committee attains a growth in event dollars and adult members from 1-4% for all events combined and produces a 50% or greater net/net/gross efficiency on their dinner event.

Canvasback Flight-A committee attains a growth in event dollars and adult members from 5-9% for all events combined and produces a 55% or greater net/net/gross efficiency on their dinner event.

Pintail Flight-A committee attains a growth in event dollars and adult members from 10-14% for all events combined and produces a 55% or greater net/net/gross efficiency on their dinner event.

The top area chairmen or SBA volunteers from each of Iowa’s three regions are recognized for total dollars raised through participation in the Sealed Bid Auction (SBA) program. Sealed bid art auction easels are placed in area establishments throughout the year raising additional, outside dollars for local area chapters. The following volunteers are being recognized:

Regional Area Chairman Award
The Regional Area Chairman award is presented annually by Iowa Ducks Unlimited to one outstanding Area Chairman in each region. The Regional Leadership Team determines this selection based on the overall performance of all area committees in each region measured primarily by the chapter’s increase in growth in event dollars and adult members for all events combined and net/net/gross efficiency on their dinner event. Other criteria may include 10/30+ compliance, holding more than one fundraising event during the year, or increase in committee members.

• 2000 Dan & Kim White, Owners White’s Woodworking Osceola

Roger & Linda Mildenstein, Owners Fin & Feather Iowa City

• 2001 Guy Zenner, Waterfowl Research Biologist Dept. Nat. Resource Clear Lake

Dale Hollman, Owner Nature’s Workshop Rowen

• 2002 Larry Wilson, Deputy Director Dept. Nat. Resource Des Moines

Allen Faris, Fish & Wildlife Div. Admin. Dept. Nat. Resource Des Moines

• 2003 Bob Sheets, Wildlife Biologist Dept. Nat. Resource Des Moines

Neil Heisser, Dist. Wildlife Supervisor Dept. Nat. Resource Spirit Lake

• 2004 Keith Kirkpatrick, Broadcaster WHO Radio Des Moines

Lowell Washburn, Information Specialist Dept. Nat. Resource Clear Lake

Jeff Vonk, Director Dept. Nat. Resource Des Moines

• 2005 Richard Bishop, Wildlife Bureau Chief Dept. Nat. Resource Des Moines


• 2006 Rock Bridges, Senior Regional Director Ducks Unlimited Lake Mills


• 2007 Tammi Kircher, Volunteer Iowa Ducks Unlimited Keokuk
  
  
• 2008 Jon Kruse, Volunteer Iowa Ducks Storm Lake

This award was named after Jay Neubauer because he was truly a dedicated, energetic volunteer who gave unselfishly of his time, talent, service, and resources nationally as well as at the state and local levels in Iowa. As a national board member, he worked hard during the early years to help the organization grow. It is said that the Sponsor and Greenwing programs were his ideas. He reached Benefactor Roll of Honor and provided funding for Jay’s Marsh near Storm Lake and The Grau Tract near Newell.

• 1996 Dr. John B. Synhorst, II Okoboji


• 1997 Gene Buckles Waterloo


• 1998 Jon F. Kruse Storm Lake


• 1999 William P. Artis Des Moines


• 2001 Wayne Shipman Oakville


• 2002 Norm Glaw Sumner


• 2004 Keith Helland Lake Mills


• 2005 Val Larsen Polk City


• 2006 Rock Bridges Lake Mills


• 2007 Dave VandenBoom Cedar Rapids


• 2008 Dennis Westerman Grundy Center