Press Release Archive

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

 

Governor Culver Names New Appointees To Iowa Student Loan Board

DES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver has named ten Iowans to the Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation (ISL) board of directors, helping the organization move forward in its mission of making college more affordable for Iowa’s students.

"For years, the State of Iowa has worked to help families and students meet the expense of a college education in a reasonable and cost-effective way,” said Governor Culver. “I want to ensure the Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation is doing everything possible to help students receive an affordable college education. I am confident these ten appointees are committed to the best standards for operations and governance, believe in the highest level of oversight and transparency, and share my goal of helping Iowa families meet the expense of college at the most reasonable cost.”

Governor Culver appointed the individuals after the ISL board changed its articles of incorporation to remove its connection to the Iowa College Student Aid Commission. This action was recommended in a report prepared by the Attorney General and requested by the Governor. The action removes any conflict of interest between ISL and ICSAC.

The Governor appointed the following individuals:

  • Catherine Beyerink is the CEO of Telco Triad Community Credit Union in Sioux City.  Beyerink attended the University of Nebraska before earning her Associate Degree of Nursing from the University of South Dakota.  (Reappointment – term expires 6/30/2009 – Credit Union Representative)
  • Timothy Bottaro is self-employed as a partner at Vriezelaar, Tigges, Edgington, Bottaro, Boden and Ross, L.L.P. in Sioux City.  Bottaro received his undergraduate degree in political science from Creighton University before going on to graduate from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1983. (New Appointment  – term expires 6/30/2012 – Public Member)
  • Laurie Hempen, from New London, is the human resources manager at Ceco Building Systems in Mount Pleasant. Hempen attended Northeast Missouri State University before receiving her bachelor’s degree in human resource administration/industrial psychology from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1985.  She received her Master of Business Administration from Saint Ambrose University in 1991. (Reappointment  – term expires 6/30/2010 – Public Member)
  • Christine Hensley is the Vice President of Regional Community Affairs for Bank of the West and was named Outstanding Female Banker for the State of Iowa in 2008. She has served Ward 3 on the Des Moines City Council since 1994. Hensley is a graduate of Drake University. (New Appointment  – term expires 6/30/2010  – Banking Representative)
  • Tahira Hira serves as the Executive Assistant to President Gregory Geoffrey at Iowa State University in Ames. Dr. Hira received her PhD from the University of Missouri, in Columbia, in 1976, before joining ISU as a professor of personal finance and consumer economics. (New Appointment  – term expires 6/30/2011  – Regent Representative)
  • Patricia Keir, of Bettendorf, is the Chancellor for the Eastern Iowa Community College District in Davenport. Dr. Keir received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University before receiving her Masters of Arts in teaching from Wesleyan University, her master’s degree in educational psychology from Wayne State University and her doctorate degree is from Northern Illinois University in adult and continuing education. (Reappointment  – term expires 6/30/2010  – Community College Representative)
  • John O’Byrne is a retired president of the Cresco Union Savings Bank and currently serves as the vice chairman and secretary of the ISL board of directors. O’Byrne graduated from Iowa State University and attended graduate school at the Wisconsin School of Banking in Madison.  (Reappointment  – term expires 6/30/2011 – Banking Representative)
  • Nicholas Spaeth, of Des Moines, is the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer at Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines. Spaeth received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and his master’s from Oxford University. He returned to Stanford Law School where he graduated with a juris doctorate in 1977. (New Appointment  – term expires 6/30/2012 – Savings and Loan Representative)
  • Frank Thomas has served as the Senior Counselor for Grinnell College since 2005. He graduated from Grinnell College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971, and went on to graduate from the Indiana University School of Law in 1974. (New Appointment  – term expires 6/30/2012 – Private Colleges Representative)
  • J. Marc Ward is a lawyer with Dickinson, Mackman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. in Des Moines. He is also the current chair of the Iowa Bar Association’s LLC Committee. He served on the Des Moines School Board for nine years. Ward graduated from Iowa State University with degrees in accounting and economics before graduating from Drake Law School in 1984. (New Appointment  – term expires 6/30/2011 – Public Member)

Of the ten individuals appointed today, four are reappointments from the current board and six are new appointees. These individuals will fill positions created by the resignation of previous board members and members whose terms have expired. An eleventh member of the board, Robert Sackett, is currently serving as a public member; his term expires on June 30, 2009. 

Under the ISL by-laws, vice-chair John O’Byrne will complete the current term as board chair, which ends in June.

“I want to thank out-going board members Dolph Leytze, the chair of the board, as well as John Hartung for their service to Iowa Student Loan and their work to implement changes at ISL during this time of transition,” added Governor Culver. “And I thank the new members of the Board for their commitment, and look forward to working with them as together we help our children achieve the dream of a college education.”

The Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation Board of Directors is an eleven person board of a non-profit Iowa corporation established at the request of Governor Ray in 1979 in response to federal legislation that created new state bonding capacities to provide additional student loan resources. Iowa Student Loan is authorized to sell tax-exempt bonds and purchase student loans.