Siouxland Magazine - Volume 2 Issue 5

STARTING CONVERSATIONS 

20 

20 

Volume 2, Issue 5

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Welcome to Siouxland Magazine 

Owner, Stacie Anderson with 10 Under 40 Winners 

It’s in these pages we hope to educate 

and inspire, even more importantly, 

to create a community that thrives on 

connecting with one another. At our 

core, we all want to connect. When we 

seek to understand, by listening more 

intently, we find that our relationships 

deepen and our community strengthens 

as a result. With our appreciation for 

the power of connection through 

meaningful conversations, it only made 

sense to name our business Empowering 

Conversations. 

Siouxland Magazine | 10 Under 40 / 3 

It all starts with a conversation; with a desire to learn; to see things from another perspective; to 

seek truth. The truth is, we have more in common than we have differences. Well, maybe it would 

be more accurate to say, what brings us together is stronger than anything that divides us. 

We would never want to marginalize our differences. We love the words of Audre Lorde, 

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate 

those differences.” We are unique in vast and complicated ways. It’s our hope that we can 

come together with our unique strengths, perspectives and ideas to build a community with a 

powerful narrative of “us.” 

Through this humble publication, we will start having conversations. This is an ambitious and 

beautifully optimistic attempt to shine light on all the things that make our community strong, 

but also discuss, in a productive and compassionate manner, the challenges we face. 

We are doing our small part in building a cohesive community by creating conversations 

that refocus our attention on our similarities. We are bringing people together; replacing 

judgment with understanding. Perspective is powerful. 

We want to hear from you. At Siouxland Magazine, we feel it is imperative to understand what 

the community wants and needs. Share your vision and dreams for Siouxland. 

We want you to lean into the conversation and participate in the discussion. 

connect@empowering-conversations.com 

or on Facebook @siouxlandmag 

E m p o w e r i n g 

Conversations, LLC 

siouxlandmagazine.com

Converse 

22 

Celebrate the Wins.........................................................................................................21 

2020’s Top 10 Under 40..................................................................................................8 

Balance 

explore 

Forgive with Action.................................................................................................................40 

An Earth Education.................................................................................................................42 

Ask the Therapist........................................................................................................................4 4 

From Tiny Seeds............................................................................................................................46 

Volunteering for Success in the Outdoors........................................49 

“You are never too young to lead and you should never doubt your capacity to triumph 

where others have not.” – Kofin Annan

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can 

build the youth for the future.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt 

Inspire 

Grow 

Teachers Do More Than Deliver Content..............................22 

Strong, Smart and Bold...................................................................................................24 

Next to Nature.................................................................................................................................26 

Meet the New Entrepreneurial Community 

Navigator................................................................................................................................................28 

The Future Looks Bright!.............................................................................................31 

Building for the Future and Our Future Leaders..................33 

Young Professionals Dedicated to Making a 

Difference.................................................................................................................................................34 

Leadership Skills Needed in Today’s Environment............35 

Sioux City Scoop – The New Normal................................................37 

enjoy 

Resilient Siouxland Restaurants...........................................................................50 

The Age of Ageless Fashion...................................................................................52 

Visit Le Mars, IA..............................................................................................................................54 

At our core, we all want to connect. When we seek 

to understand by listening more intently, we find that our 

relationships deepen and our community strengthens as 

a result. That’s what our Siouxland Magazine is all about! 

We can’t wait to talk to you and truly connect with you and 

your audience. If you’re interested in learning more about 

how to advertise with us, download the media kit on our 

website at siouxlandmagazine.com. Always feel free to 

reach out to us via phone, email or Facebook. 

We promise to not disappoint. We’re creating a magazine 

you won’t want to put down. 

Want to be included in our November issue? 

Contact us soon! 

Deadline to reserve space is 

September 14th! 

Media Kit at siouxlandmagazine.com 

JOIN US! You won’t want to miss... 

Siouxland Magazine’s Facebook Lives 

Monday @ 7:30 pm – Small Business Spotlight 

Wednesday @ 7:30 pm – Nonprofit Spotlight 

ON THE COVER 

Photography by Britton Hacke Photography.

Rachel Thompson 

Marketing Director 

Goosmann Law Firm 

Congratulations Rachel! 

From the Goosmann Law Team 

Siouxland Magazine’s 

2020 Top 10 Under 40 

www.GoosmannLaw.com | (855) 843-4531 

Celebrating Our Top Talent Team

Editors Note 

It is always exciting to announce the new Top 10 Under 40 Winners! 

The sheer number of deserving nominees really made the selection process 

challenging for the judges. I can honestly say Siouxland is fortunate to have so 

many talented young professionals. 

But now to introduce this year’s winners… 


Britney Book 

Pamela Coenen 

Joe Knoepfler 

Dustin Pratt 


Jeff Carlson 

Stephanie Hirsch 

Sarah Morgan 

Nick Rol 

Danielle Tott 

Beyond celebrating these young professionals and 

sharing their stories, it is important to help them get 

even more traction in the great work that they’re doing in 

Siouxland. In the following pages, you’ll find out how you 

can support their efforts and get involved. I encourage 

you to reach out to them. Share your thoughts and 

ideas. Maybe there is an introduction you can make or 

resources you can provide. Every little bit helps. 

I’ll be plugging each of them on our Facebook page 

over the next several weeks. Consider sharing those 

posts to help them and the work that they are doing get 

even more exposure. Together, as a community, we can 

go further. 

Another way I’ll be helping them build momentum is 

by offering our winners space within the magazine over 

the next year to continue the conversation with all of 

you. Plus, soon there will be a designated place on the 

Siouxland Magazine website too. It will be exciting to see 

how it all unfolds. 

I could not be more grateful to have so many outstanding 

young people in our community that are dedicated to 

making this world a better place to live in. 

Congratulations to this year’s winners! 

Siouxland Magazine is owned and published by Empowering Conversations, LLC. All materials contained in this magazine (including text, content, and photographs) 

are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or modified in any 

way without the prior written consent of Empowering Conversations, LLC or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not alter or 

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expand 

collaborate 

invest 

Britney Book 

Executive Director, Siouxland CARES About Substance Abuse 

undergoing renovations; Pearl Street and Historic Fourth 

Street districts are almost connected; small businesses are 

opening and expanding; and Chris Larsen Park Riverfront 

Development Project construction has commenced. With 

the amount of progress we have seen in five years, I cannot 

wait to see what the next ten years have in store! 

What are you doing to make that happen? 

Community involvement is one of the best ways to shape 

the future of Siouxland. In my current roles, I have many 

opportunities to empower youth leaders, support (and 

grow!) small businesses, and provide input on great 

community projects! Additionally, my past experiences 

included advocating for young professionals as a Member, 

Chair, Board Member and President of the Sioux City Growth 

Organization. To any young professional reading this, I 

highly encourage you to get involved in this organization! 

What are you working on now? 

I am grateful to serve as an Adult Advisor of the Sioux City 

Mayor’s Youth Commission. I’m also an Ambassador with 

the Siouxland Chamber, Chair of the Siouxland Chamber 

Small Business EXPO, and Steering Committee Member 

of the Chris Larsen Park Riverfront Development Project. 

These opportunities allow me to support our youth, small 

businesses, and community projects. 

What is your vision for the future? 

My vision for the future is a stronger and brighter 

Siouxland that continually invests in our young leaders, 

small businesses, and community projects. To accomplish 

this, we must first continue to build up our youth leaders so 

that they will move away, experience new things, and then 

bring their passion and excitement back to Siouxland! 

Quality of life amenities are crucial. They can encompass a 

vast array of items, including (but not limited to) our park 

systems, arts and entertainment, community events and 

activities, and community connectedness. I am genuinely 

excited to see positive growth in our community in these 

areas. The more we work to improve the Quality of Life 

in Siouxland, the more attractive it will be to our existing 

youth leaders (and future young professionals!). 

What would you like to see happen in Siouxland? 

I grew up in the Siouxland community, moved away, 

and returned. Since returning, I’ve been impressed by 

the vast growth and development that has happened in 

and around Downtown Sioux City. Historic buildings are 

How can people help you make that happen? 

The future of our community lies in the hands of our youth 

leaders. To see continued growth and innovation in our 

community, we need to get our youth involved today. 

The Sioux City Mayor’s Youth Commission is a great place 

to start! The youth learn how to make a positive impact 

in their community; develop their leadership skills; and 

participate in community service activities. I would also 

encourage community members to view Siouxland 

through the lens of a Mayor’s Youth Commission member. 

At every meeting, event and activity, I am blown away by 

their vision, drive, and optimistic view of our community 

and world as a whole. They impact the way I look at 

Siouxland and I would highly encourage others to develop 

a similar “we can do anything” mindset! 

Volunteer Organizations 

Sioux City Mayor’s Youth Commission - Adult Advisor 

Siouxland Chamber of Commerce - Ambassador 

Small Business EXPO - Chair 

Chris Larsen Park Riverfront Development Project - 

Steering Committee Member 

Source for Siouxland - Leadership Team Member 

“If somebody offers you an amazing 

opportunity but you are not sure you can 

do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later.” 

– Richard Branson

succeed 

contribute 

develop 

Jeff Carlson 

Partner, The Arena 

Business Owner, ReMax Preferred 


The Arena started as a passion project that now feels 

like a calling. Sioux City had taken a back seat to other 

cities regarding the sports scene, programming options, 

and facilities. Our mission is to provide the highest 

character, most talented staff to youth in our region. It was 

paramount to create a facility and environment rivaling 

anything in the country. If you build it, they will come. But 

if you build it right, they will come back. Our ownership 

group, all Siouxland natives, includes Mike Hesse, Dustin 

Cooper, and myself. We want to show the next generation 

all dreams are possible, and possible right here. The We 

Got Next Foundation, renamed The Arena Foundation, 

was a huge piece of this overall vision. We use athletics as 

a vehicle to uplift kids. 


I am blessed to work with a variety of companies locally, 

nationally and internationally including The Arena, 

ReMax Preferred, Blue Ox, EPIC Consulting, The Arena 

Foundation, Jackson & Partners, and Caicos Dream 

Tours. These experiences offer a unique perspective 

into other markets. Sioux City is on the verge of an epic 

explosion. Therefore, my wife Rachel and I recently 

purchased ReMax Preferred, along with Amy Kakacek 

and Aaron Jones of ReMax Lakes Realty in Okoboji. 

We will add a “Market Experience” to The Arena that 

celebrates real estate and the beauty of our region from 

Siouxland to Okoboji. This vehicle will give investors, 

buyers, and sellers an opportunity to work with a team 

that has significant experience in sales, marketing, and 

commercial/residential development. At The Arena, and 

all of our companies, we emphasize a culture of positivity 

coupled with relentless work ethic. 


Families check boxes when looking for a community 

to live in. The Arena Sports Academy checks a box and 

is a valuable amenity to our region. Economic impact 

and an influx of capital is critical to growth. Players and 

spectators by the tens of thousands have traveled to Sioux 

City and competed in The Arena. Restaurants are up 25- 

50 points every time we host an event, hotels sell out, 

and retailers see surges in spending. This environment 

escalates increased investment and overall atmosphere 

in Siouxland. I’d like to see doors continue to open to 

encourage creative ideas and entrepreneurism, and a 

commitment from the public and private sector to not 

only invest funds but lessen barriers to entry for the next 

generation. Specifically, offering more platforms for youth 

and families to thrive. 


Dustin Cooper and I co-founded The Arena Foundation (We 

Got Next) six years ago. 85 kids attended a free basketball 

camp and a few received scholarships. In 2019, 1500 youth 

participated in free programming. Our scholarships provide 

school supplies, athletic equipment, funds to participate 

in athletics, nutrition supplementation, and mentoring. 

Combating childhood hunger is also a passion of ours. We 

partnered with The Miracle League and will run operations 

of Miracle League Park. We believe all kids deserve to be 

surrounded by people that have a vested interest in them. 

It is our mission to create an epicenter of athletics that rivals 

any other metro area. 


Visit www.theareansiouxcity.com and inquire about The 

Arena Foundation. 100% of our net proceeds and funds 

raised go directly to youth. That is unique. If you are a 

business owner or citizen that is inspired to uplift kids 

through character education, athletics, mentoring, and 

nutrition supplementation, there are a variety of ways for 

you to contribute to the cause. 


The Arena Foundation 

Sunnybrook Community Church 

The Miracle League 

Morningside College Alumni 

“All our dreams can come true, if we 

have the courage to pursue them.” 

– Walt Disney


Pamela Coenen 

Assistant Vice President\Insurance Agent, Securus Insurance Group 


I would like to see a collaboration with the school systems 

and civic groups/nonprofit organizations to help make all 

this possible. This is how we keep our youth on the right 

path and introduce them to the gratitude of giving and 

being active in our community at a young age. If students 

can be a part of helping create a welcoming community for 

other new students, that would be beneficial. Making sure 

everyone feels welcome and accepted is key. 


COVID-19 has slowed or halted some things, but 

through the creativity of several civic groups and other 

organizations, we have found ways to stay safely active. As 

a part of Leadership Dakota County Alumni, we created a 

committee dedicated to raising funds for the completion 

of the Interpretive Center located at Siouxland Freedom 

Park. I serve on the Board of Directors for the South Sioux 

City Area Chamber of Commerce and as an Ambassador. 

We are working on our annual golf outing now, one of 

our two main fundraisers. I also serve on the Board of 

Directors for Heartland Counseling. We are working on 

fundraisers and community events, such as our annual 

Mental Health Awareness Walk. Going into my tenth 

year volunteering with the South Sioux City Community 

Schools, I am now serving on the Parent and Teacher 

Organization. We fundraise and plan events for Cardinal 

Elementary such as our annual Daddy/Daughter Dance, 

Mommy/Son Dance, Cardinal Carnival and Homecoming 

parades, amongst many other events. 


I would love to see our younger generation become 

more involved in the evolvement of their community. We 

need their knowledge, insight, and opinions to make our 

community a better place and ensure it’s growth. Working 

with young entrepreneurs, connecting them with mentors 

and seeing their ideas come together, using old and new 

ways, is always exciting to witness. When they start getting 

involved at a young age, it helps them grow into young 

professionals and helps create a positive lifestyle. We are 

blessed with so much diversity within our community and 

will only benefit through further collaboration and comingling 

among all Siouxlanders. Let’s embrace and use 

it to our benefit in creating a welcoming community. 


I am working closely with many civic groups, incorporating 

youth and young leaders with our ongoing projects. We hold 

many kid-friendly events so we can connect with them and see 

what struggles they may be facing or what positive change 

they would like to see in their community. It’s about staying 

connected and adapting to change when it is necessary. I 

make sure they know their opinion is valued and could make 

an impact within their community. Using their ideas and 

implementing them when we are able is always beneficial 

when our end goal is to always evolve. I am bilingual in both 

Spanish and English, and I use that to my advantage when 

trying to engage with others. Trying to incorporate everyone 

within our community is important to me. 

How can we help you make that happen? 

If you or your organization has the time or resources to 

help make this collaboration progress, I encourage you 

to reach out to me, or someone with the same interests, 

and help make that happen. It is our duty to help make our 

community a better place to live and grow. I also encourage 

parents to engage with their children in any opportunity to 

volunteer. When they experience the gratitude of others 

through a selfless act of their own, it changes them for the 

better. It changes us all for the better. 


South Sioux City Area Chamber of Commerce - Board of 

Directors 

Heartland Counseling - Board of Directors & Fundamental 

Planning Committee 

South Sioux City Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors 

- Chairman 

Dakota County Leadership – Alumni & Planning Committee 

Siouxland Freedom Park - Planning Committee 

Cardinal Festival - Co-Chair Planning Committee 

Siouxland Earth Day - Planning Committee 

Cardinal Elementary Parent/Teacher Organization 

Sunnybrook Church - Saturday Serve Committee 

“Carry out a random act of kindness, 

with no expectation of reward, safe in 

the knowledge that one day someone 

might do the same for you.” 

– Princess Diana

Stephanie Hirsch, CFP® 

Financial Advisor, Security National Investment Services 

Mayor of Jackson, NE 


Currently, I am a Teammates mentor in the South Sioux City 

Community School District. I am also Mayor of Jackson, 

NE where I am able to serve the community I grew up 

in. In addition, I am Vice Chair for Leadership Dakota 

County where we work to advance the skills of emerging 

leaders and inspire them to serve their communities 

and organizations. Alumni and board members of 

Leadership Dakota County are also actively fundraising 

to help complete the interior of the interpretive center 

at Siouxland Freedom Park. More recently, I have joined 

the Board of Directors for South Sioux City Chamber of 

Commerce and Heartland Counseling Services. 


My vision would be to connect the professional 

community with younger generations to develop talent, 

ignite passion, and increase engagement in Siouxland. 

By creating these connections early on, it will help retain 

the young talent we already have in our area, open up 

a collaboration of ideas, and help young professionals 

make a difference in Siouxland. We have great leadership 

development programs in our community already such 

as, Leadership Dakota County and Leadership Siouxland. 

By taking this a step further, we can help emerging leaders 

apply the knowledge they learn in these programs and 

become more involved in the growth of our community. 

top networking tools and being able to play the game 

can be an all-important skill to have in the professional 

community. Golf is a sport that teaches patience, 

sportsmanship, honesty, and requires strategic thinking 

when playing. It also provides physical and mental health 

benefits. All characteristics that are important in life. 


One way I am working to accomplish my vision is through 

our leadership development programs we currently have 

here in Siouxland. I am currently Vice Chair for Leadership 

Dakota County and am pitching my vision to our board to 

see how we can incorporate this into our current curriculum 

or make it a stand alone program. Leadership Dakota 

County is operated through the South Sioux City Chamber 

of Commerce, of which I am also a board member. The 

chamber would be a great start in identifying professional 

individuals of all industries to mentor the budding leaders 

in our local workforce and professions. 


In terms of community support for my vision, it would 

involve local businesses identifying emerging leaders 

within their organizations and encouraging them to 

participate in leadership programs while also becoming 

more involved in the Siouxland Community. 


Teammates Mentoring Program – Mentor 

Leadership Dakota County – Vice Chair 

South Sioux City Chamber of Commerce – Member, 

Board of Directors 

Heartland Counseling Services – Member, Board of 

Directors 

“Ambition is the path to success. 

Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” 

– Bill Bradley. 



I would like to see a program that would provide free 

golf lessons to young professionals. Golf is one of the 

Securities and insurance products are offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers 

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Joe Knoepfler 

Owner, Knoepfler Chevrolet 


We are implementing programs intended to create a 

culture of growth leading to a better, stronger community. 

We provide several scholarship programs for our 

employees, as well as the public in hopes this leads 

to more opportunities personally and professionally. 

In addition to education, I also believe the arts are an 

important cornerstone of a community’s culture. As 

a founding board member of the Vangarde Arts and 

the current President of Sculpt Siouxland, I continually 

strive for artist opportunism within Siouxland. Together, I 

believe the support of education and artistic expression 

will add exponentially to the development culture within 

our community. 


More than a vision, I believe it is a psyche and one word 

comes to mind, PRIDE...a community filled with people 

who are proud to be a part of it. A lot of wonderful aspects 

in our community are often overlooked, undiscovered, 

or not celebrated enough. Let’s celebrate our education 

system. Our public and private schools provide an 

exceptional educational experience for our community, 

this is something to be proud of. We should be proud 

of our stable economy, although we would all like to see 

this expand – we are in a great spot. As other areas of our 

country fluctuate drastically, we have been able to obtain 

a sense of balance. Look at the unemployment rate (prior 

to the pandemic) in Northwestern Iowa. It is remarkable. 

Lastly, we are surrounded by great people with great 

ethics. We come from a strong background of doing the 

right thing, working hard for what is yours, and taking a 

stance when it is appropriate. I was once hired for a job in 

Florida with little experience just because I was from Iowa. 

Their exact words were, “Oh, you’re from Iowa, I already 

know your work ethic”. 


It would be great for the community to continue to develop 

a culture that supports local businesses and incentivizes 

other companies to relocate or start up a new endeavor. 

Although our local government has continued to roll out 

funding and incentives, I believe this is bigger than what 

our local commerce can tackle on its own. We need the 

support of the state. Look at cities such as Fargo, Billings 

and Sioux Falls. All these places had populations like the 

Siouxland area 30 years ago. With a strong partnership 

between the state and the amazing men and women that 

head up our Economic Development, there is no reason 

we cannot see the same influx of high quality jobs coupled 

with talented, well educated, young professionals eager 

to call Siouxland home. 


Overall, I believe we are headed in the right direction. 

Although this may sound strange, I think we need to brag 

a little more to remind or teach people about what our 

community has to offer us. I continue to encourage my 

employees and community members to get out there, 

discover their passion, make a difference and be a part of 

something bigger than themselves. I couldn’t be happier to 

be back in the city I grew up in and I am proud to share my 

story whenever I can. 


I would like to see companies and individuals continuing 

to support personal and professional growth. There are 

so many things to experience that are unique to this area. 

Current residents and also people considering living in this 

community need to know about them. By supporting the 

long list of tenured local businesses and organizations, we 

will foster an environment where prospective companies 

are excited about putting roots down in our community. 

In return, this attracts young, viable, well-educated 

professionals to employ. 


Sculpt Siouxland - President 

GM Local Marketing Organization – President 

Sioux City Growth Organization 

VanGarde Arts 

“Re-examine all that you have been told... 

dismiss that which insults your soul.” 

– Walt Whitman

Sarah Morgan 

Advancement Director, Camp High Hopes 

give to an organization with a mission they are passionate 

about. All nonprofits need a constant flow of new energy 

and new ideas in the form of volunteers, board members, 

supporters, and donors. We all may not have a thousand 

dollars to give, but we all have a thousand ideas of things 

we are passionate about. Turn your passion into action and 

make a difference to a local non-profit. Through action, 

you can truly make a difference in people’s lives. 



I am finding ways to better the lives of women and 

those with disabilities in Siouxland. I love serving on the 

Women Lead Change conference steering committee. 

This allows me to have a part in bringing influential 

speakers and leaders to town to ensure that local women 

can attend conferences to receive leadership training, 

networking opportunities, and continued education. I 

also serve on the Board of Directors for the Junior League 

of Siouxland, which works to better the lives of women 

and the community through training and volunteering. 

The Junior League is an amazing way to learn about the 

community and its needs. I receive a lot of inspiration 

from the campers at Camp High Hopes. I love connecting 

individuals and businesses to the mission of camp to 

provide life-changing camp programs to people with 

special needs that deserve them the most! 


I would love to see the Sioux City metro continue to grow 

and evolve. We are not forgetting our past, but we are 

shaking off the old cow-town stigmas and growing into a 

unique community. I hope we continue to support locally 

owned bars, restaurants, salons, shops and welcome in 

more. I hope we continue to emphasize business and 

economic development. We need to ensure the stability 

and continuation of the non-profits in Siouxland that 

are doing great work. I want to see more quality of life 

enrichment opportunities in the form of new facilities, 

events, and outdoor recreation. I hope we continue to 

improve Siouxland by ensuring equality for all residents. 


I would love to see more involvement in the many 

amazing non-profits in the Siouxland area. I would 

encourage those with a little time, talent, and treasure to 


To ensure the continued growth and stability of the nonprofits 

in Siouxland, I volunteer and serve on several boards. 

I donate to the organizations I am passionate about. I keep 

up with local news and attend community events. I provide 

assistance, insight, and suggestions when asked. I serve on 

the board of Siouxland Philanthropy, a group that provides 

education and resources to non-profit development 

professionals in the area. I like to know what is going on in 

the community and work on improving it. 


Reach out to an organization you are passionate about 

and ask how you can help. Buy a ticket to the nonprofit’s 

fundraiser you have been wanting to attend. Join the 

mailing list. Make a donation. Learn about volunteer 

opportunities. Attend open houses or other events. Follow 

organizations on social media to keep up with their news. 

Get involved to make your community a better place for 

everyone. 


Junior League of Sioux City – VP of Marketing 

Women Lead Change Conference – Steering Committee 

Siouxland Philanthropy – Board of Directors 

“Those who are the happiest are those 

who do the most for others.” 

– Booker T. Washington


Dustin Pratt 

Portfolio Manager, Avalon Capital Group 


Entrepreneurship and economic development are a 

passion of mine. If would be entrepreneurs and/or 

existing business owners are interested in locating to the 

Siouxland area, I would-be more than happy to discuss 

advantages and opportunities in the region. 


North Sioux City Economic Development Center – 

Secretary/Board Member 

McCook Lake Association – Treasurer/Board Member 

Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity – District Director 

Sioux City Growth Organization 


Currently I’m actively involved in the North Sioux City 

Economic Development Corporation (NSCEDC), the 

McCook Lake Association (MLA), and the Sioux City 

Growth Organization (SCGO). These are fantastic groups 

helping to improve Siouxland from a variety of aspects. A 

healthy community needs a strong economic, civil, and 

social environment to prosper. These organizations have 

been instrumental in that growth and I’m proud to be 

part of their ongoing efforts. 


Sioux City has done a fantastic job at improving its 

environment for young professionals, but to me the 

path forward involves building upon two key areas: 1) 

improving the economic climate in Siouxland and 2) 

improving downtown Sioux City. Strengthening these 

two pieces further is key to retaining and recruiting young 

professions. A strong young professionals community 

needs career opportunities to advance and a fun and 

safe downtown to build and strengthen relationships. 


Continued economic growth in the region. Many young 

professionals come to the area and are forced to leave 

given limited career advancement. I think the area is 

prime for some significant economic growth and I would 

love to see this continue. 


I currently sit on the NSCEDC board and have been 

active in fostering economic development in the region. 

Siouxland has the benefit of being in a Tri-state area and 

I think there are tremendous opportunities for incoming 

companies to benefit. 

“Diligence is the mother of good luck.” 

– Ben Franklin

Nick Rol 

Project Manager Electrical Construction, Thompson 


At Launchpad, we are in the early stages of refreshing 

the exhibits as we navigate new safety protocols due to 

COVID-19. We are structuring and expanding on the long 

history of agriculture and construction in the community. 

Examples would be plumbing and wiring a house, digging 

a hole with an excavator and how corn is grown and put 

on your own table at home. We believe community history 

is so important, so we will also be adding pieces about 

the general history of Siouxland. With the vision and 

addition of the new exhibits, children are going to be able 

to experience even more hands-on learning about the 

Siouxland Community. 



Three years ago, I was asked to join the Board of Directors 

at the Launchpad Children’s Museum. I am currently 

serving my 2nd year as the Vice President of the Board 

and am so proud of what this organization has done for 

the Siouxland Community. From the initial ideas and 

construction of the museum, I have been connected 

in some capacity. It has been an honor to help the 

design team with the founder’s concept of bringing this 

museum to life, and with my profession at Thompson, 

the museum has never been too far out of sight. I enjoy 

being connected to such a great community organization 

that promotes a fun, safe and educational experience for 

families to bring their young ones to come have fun and 

learn at the same time. 


As Launchpad enters its next cycle of growth, community 

feedback will be crucial. As an organization, we want to 

offer not only what we feel the community needs, but also 

what it wants. We need to work collectively with business 

leaders and organizations in the Siouxland area to provide 

support to the museum as we continue to expand and 

grow and be the best place for adults and children alike to 

visit and learn new things. 


National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) 

Launchpad 

“You never get a second chance to 

make a first good impression” 

– Mr. Gaul, 6th grade Principle 


I would love for Launchpad to be a self-sustainable, nonprofit 

organization that stands out in the community. I want 

it to be a place that kids want to visit over and over again 

because there are always new and exciting programs and 

exhibits to experience. I want Launchpad to be known 

as THE hands-on playground in Siouxland to innovate, 

experiment and be a fun experience each time it is visited. 


With the help of new programs and exhibits, I would like 

Launchpad to be one of the prime spots for education and 

entertainment for local families and visitors alike. I would 

like Launchpad to get the attention of families traveling 

through Siouxland and be one of the top attractions for 

visitors in downtown Sioux City.



Marketing Director, Goosmann Law Firm 


I remain involved in River-Cade by working on the Royalty 

Committee to help raise funds for their scholarship 

program and plan events associated with the Royalty 

contest. 

As a former River-Cade Queen, I am passionate about 

helping young women in the Siouxland community and 

giving back by providing mentoring opportunities that 

were given to me throughout my college and River-Cade 

experience. The Royalty contest and scholarship provides 

mentorship and personal growth opportunities that 

help enhance skills in public speaking, networking, and 

professionalism while showing young women the value of 

giving back to their community. This is all made possible 

by the wonderful River-Cade volunteers and donors who 

help keep this festival and contest in Siouxland for over 

50 years. 

Along with River-Cade, I have continued to stay connected 

to Morningside College as an alumni volunteer. Every 

year, I speak to classes or during events held on campus 

to share my passion and experiences in business and 

marketing. Life after college can be intimidating; I want 

to make it less daunting for young professionals and 

encourage them to make it an exciting time in their lives. 


My vision for the future of Siouxland is the growth of young 

professionals in the community. Young professionals are 

paying attention to what a company stands for and their 

“why.” It is important that organizations prioritize creating 

a diverse workforce that allows team members to grow 

within their careers. Young professionals will range from 

new college graduates to parents of growing children – 

these are two different groups of people; however, both 

want jobs with room for growth and a work environment 

that appreciates its employees. 


I am proud to be a Siouxlander and to have grown up here, 

lived here, and work here. I know Sioux City has a bright 

future and there are many people working extremely hard 

to make big things happen for the city that will allow future 

growth in jobs and tourism. I would love to continue 

seeing our community improve through projects like 

beautifying the riverfront, new housing developments, 

and restoration of historic downtown buildings. 


I lead Goosmann Law Firm’s culture committee. Through 

this committee, we find ways to continue creating a fun 

and engaging work culture for employees that’s worth 

it and sharing ideas and plans on how we can help our 

communities through volunteer opportunities and giving 

back. 


I encourage people to find something you love in 

Siouxland that you’re passionate about and help that 

cause. We need those in our community who care to 

speak up and help take action to improve Siouxland. Vote, 

volunteer, donate, participate, mentor, educate, and love 

your neighbor. It doesn’t matter how big or small. If every 

person did something positive for Siouxland, together 

we can make a huge impact for the people that live here, 

work here, and visit. 


River-Cade Royalty 

Morningside College Alum 

“I’ve learned that people will forget 

what you said, people will forget what 

you did, but people will never forget 

how you made them feel.” 

– Maya Angelou

Danielle Tott 

Director, Siouxland Soup Kitchen 


I am currently working on finding a safe way to reopen 

The Soup Kitchen for dine-in meals. I frequently find 

myself grasping for words to adequately describe just 

how much the dynamic has changed here at the kitchen 

and in our community. I used to serve roughly 75 people 

a night. Now I am serving 130 to 180 people. Three years 

ago, I saw 12 kids a week, if it was a busy week. Now I see 

40 or more children daily. There is also an abundance of 

senior citizens utilizing the program that did not before. 

I am striving to find an inclusive way to continue to serve 

all these people with the doors open. I am also working 

to expand Erik’s closet, the free clothing, and toiletries 

program that I started two years ago. I am trying to include 

more things such as children’s clothes, household items, 

medicine, first aid, and more. 


My vision for the future of Siouxland is a more supportive 

social service system for the homeless and povertystricken 

individuals in our area. I believe that poverty is 

a direct result of a failing education system. I would like 

to see programs in the schools as early as elementary 

teaching our kids age appropriate financial lessons. As 

a single mother who spent years working 2 and 3 jobs 

to keep a roof over my children’s heads, I understand all 

too well that in low income households, parents are often 

too busy working to survive, and important lessons that 

should be learned at home often aren’t. I would like to be 

a part of instituting classes that teach basic financial and 

life skills in our schools. 


The Kitchen is currently in a transition phase. We will be 

moving onto the Warming Shelter property and there are 

hopes that Erik’s Closet will be a stand alone program, with 

its own building and volunteers. Once these goals happen, 

I plan to reach out to local high schools and possibly boys 

and girls’ programs to mentor kids who may not have 

the opportunity to gain management experience. The 

road to being a Chef is not one well-led by school. It is 

all about hands-on learning and I look forward to sharing 

my knowledge with some of the underprivileged youth in 

this area. As well as teaching the value of service to your 

community and fellow humans. 


The community is crucial to everything I do, every single 

day. The things most important to my goals are donations 

and volunteers. Financial contributions will help with 

our goal to move, build, and expand. Once ground is 

broken, we will be looking for volunteers to help with 

all forms of construction and moving. Another goal is to 

eventually serve two meals a day, which require double 

the volunteers I currently work with. Most importantly, it 

is the little things that add up to success for this program. 

Twenty-dollar donations, a case of water, leftover food 

from a funeral, that is what keeps us running. The Soup 

Kitchen has a Facebook page. Every like helps. It extends 

our social media reach and allows a follower to stay in 

tune with exactly what we are doing almost daily. I also 

post lists of needs including volunteers, food items, and 

more. https://www.facebook.com/siouxlandsoupkitchen/ 


Erik’s Closet – Founder 

Homeless - Advocate 

“I like flaws and am most comfortable 

around those who have them. I myself 

am made entirely of flaws, stitched 

together with good intentions.” 

– Augusten Burroughs 

Siouxland Magazine | 10 Under 40 / 17

We are so excited for you!... 

Congratulations, Joe! The value of a good business partner is great, the joy 

that comes with that partner also being your brother is even greater! 

Thanks for everything you do at work, in the community and every day. 

- Ben Knoepfler, Partner 

Congratulations, Joe! You are 

an incredible leader. Your 

lunch break advice will stick 

with me forever... 

“Take your lunch break, it’s 

important. It’s often the only 

time you truly have to 

yourself, so do something for 

you. You can love your work 

family, you can love your 

family at home, but you’ll fall 

short if you don’t love and 

prioritize yourself, too.” 

As someone who previously 

chose to eat at my desk and 

work through my lunch breaks, 

I needed to hear that. Now, I 

spend my “me breaks” doing 

things I enjoy or using the 

time to tackle things that are 

easier to do without two kids 

in tow. Those five hours a 

week, 260 hours a year make 

a tremendous difference in all 

areas of my life. 

-Sara Fay, Marketing Director 

Congratulations, Joe!! I love working with you and the 

entire Knoepfler family! You truly care about each and 

every Knoepfler team member. You check in weekly, 

if not daily, on me and my personal family. I so 

appreciate that...you don’t see that kind of attention 

anywhere else. Again, congratulations...well deserved! - 

Jennifer Norton, Assistant Office Manager 

Congratulations, Joe! Well deserved honor! 

Your commitment to the community and 

our business is unimpeachable. Working 

with you and your family is like “living a 

dream”. Great leadership and empathy 

towards coworkers and all people in 

general. Many prosperous years to follow. 

- Rod Hamm, Service Director 

Congratulations, Joseph! I cannot think of 

a more deserving person (although I have 

a feeling you’d humbly disagree. lol ) I am 

proud to work for such a family oriented 

business. It is very rare in this day and 

age to find leadership that truly believes 

that family should come first. I have 

worked for this company for going on 13 

years now, and have no doubt that I can 

look forward to many more! Thanks for 

being you! 

- Nick Nava, Collision and Detail Manager 

What a tremendous honor. Congratulations! 

You care about people so much and it shows 

in everything you do. Since you had the 

brilliant idea to start the 12 Days of Giving 

program years back, it’s helped and inspired so 

many people during the holidays. It’s one of 

the many things that makes me so proud to 

work for Knoepfler Chevrolet. 

- Mike McVay, Sales Manager 

Congratulations, Joe. It feels great driving to 

work every day when you work with a leader 

who genuinely cares about you. What you and 

the company accomplish on a yearly basis to 

give back to the community is astounding. The 

12 Days of Giving program you started is one 

of the single most heartfelt things a company 

in this community does. This community and 

company are a better place because of you and 

the way you genuinely care about everything. 

Congratulations Joe! Well deserved! 

- Jesse Johnson, Business Manager 

Congratulations, Joe K! I’m so proud of you! You work so 

hard for your employees and company. You deserve this 

recognition! I have truly been blessed to be a part of the 

Kchev employee family. I will never forget your generosity 

when I was going to be unable to attend a very dear 

friend's funeral because I did not have coverage for my 

department. Somehow, you found out and YOU covered for 

me! The smiles on his son's faces when I walked in made 

me truly understand what a great family I work for. 

Keep on doing what you do! It works! 

- Renette Oehlerking, Business Development Manager 

Congrats, Joe! Amazing honor. If you look 

around the dealership, you will see people 

who have been here 20, 30 even 40 years! 

That says something about a company. It 

says something about the leadership within 

the company. You are not only a great 

leader, but you build great leaders. I 

appreciate your endless encouragement and 

trust, especially as we tackled the ‘sinking 

ship’ to return it to its former glory and 

beyond. Sometimes, you believe in me more 

than I do. I value your suggestions and I 

continue to learn from you every day on 

what makes a business great. 

- Trisha James, Avis Manager & Accts. Rec. 

Congratulations, Joe! I feel very lucky to have worked with 3 generations of Knoepflers now! Working at a family-owned dealership is a rarity these days. 

You and your family's leadership makes me very proud and honored to be part of the Knoepfler Chevrolet team. I appreciate all you do to help me out, 

especially during the holidays. Joe, you absolutely deserve this honor! - Carl Fosvik, Parts Manager

Be prepared. 

Securus Insurance Group, Inc. is a locally owned and operated independent insurance agency that has 

serviced northeast Nebraska, Siouxland, and its surrounding areas since 1982, with offices in Ponca, Nebraska 

and now a bilingual office in South Sioux City, Nebraska. 

As an independent insurance agency, Securus Insurance Group has the 

capability to write with multiple insurance carriers to ensure that you 

have the most affordable coverage that suits your needs. We write many 

insurance products including auto, home, business, life, health, and 

other personal lines insurance and we are licensed to write insurance in 

the states of Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. 

We represent three of the top five personal lines insurance carriers in 

the United States: Nationwide (Allied), Allstate, and Progressive. We 

have also partnered with three brokers which allows us access to over 

ten additional insurance companies. 

South Sioux City 

Pamela Coenen 

712-389-8518 

pam@securus.group 

Sioux City 

PJ Strawn 

Brenda Charbonneau 

Erin Loehr 

712-233-2838 

office@securus.group 

Ponca 

Brian Burrell 

402-755-2221 

brian@securus.group

Celebrate the Wins 

By Tony Michaels 

It is easy to take wins for granted sometimes. Yes, 

I am a Husker football fan. I am guilty. Back in 1995, I just 

assumed Nebraska would be dominant all the time. My 

Hawkeye buddies at work remind me on a nearly daily 

basis that’s not the case. 

With the benefit of some reflection and a few decades 

of struggles, I have come to really savor the wins. This 

revelation led me to a grandiose tenet in life: We do not 

celebrate the wins nearly as much as we should. 

Siouxland Magazine | Converse / 19 21 

I was fortunate enough to be named to the inaugural 

“Top 10 Under 40” by Siouxland Magazine back in 2012. 

Because of that I was able to meet other members of the 

2012 class and realized we all had varied backgrounds 

and skillsets. Being the radio guy in the group, I joked 

that I was included to bring down the annual average 

salary of the group. If I were to meet you for a taco 

lunch date, I’d be more than happy to tell you I chose a 

career path motivated by love of being on-air in radio as 

opposed to big paychecks. I just wanted to be “happy“ 

and live out my dream job. For the last 25 years, my job 

has felt more like a hobby and would do it for free. (Make 

sure my boss never reads this.) I know plenty of great 

broadcasters under the age of 40, I just happened to 

make that first list in 2012 because of the contributions 

of many at Powell Broadcasting. 

Powell Broadcasting proudly displayed this frame....then 

I turned 40 and one week later it came crashing down! 

Hope that isn’t a bad omen. 

Wins aren’t always guaranteed. Pop the champagne and 

spill the Gatorade! 

Tony Michaels, KSUX morning show host with Candice Nash. 

And one grateful dude. Serving KSUX listeners since 1997. 

Photo Contributed by Powell Broadcasting 

Paid advertisement. 

Since that first class of 2012 was announced, I have 

been fortunate enough to serve as an adjunct professor 

at Morningside College in the Mass Communication 

Department. Every semester I am blown away by the 

talent and compassion of those students. Many of the 

undergrads in my courses come from all over the world 

to Sioux City. Luckily for our community, some stay in 

our area after receiving their diploma. Siouxland is a 

better place because of Morningside College, Briar 

Cliff University and Western Iowa Tech. No doubt. We 

benefit from these great hubs for professionalism and 

entrepreneurial spirit. Day by day, the workforce and 

non-profit agencies get better and better because 

talented individuals like the ones featured in this issue 

stay in Siouxland. 

This leads me to my wish. If I had a magic wand, I would 

love to have more alums of these lists find their happy in 

Siouxland. About half of my class left the area. Showing a 

spotlight on these individuals with Siouxland Magazine is 

a tremendous way to CELEBRATE younger professionals 

and the wins they produce. These individuals really 

strengthen the area. If your workplace has a star under 

the age of 40, please submit them for next year’s issue…. 

or at least give them a Gatorade bath in the breakroom 

and carry them into the parking lot like those Husker 

football players did for Dr. Tom Osborne in 1995.

Inspire 

Lessons learned from stories in our community. 

South Sioux City Schools honor “Golden Apple” teachers annually at the South Sioux City Area Chamber of Commerce Annual 

Banquet. One honoree each year earns a scholarship to Wayne State College masters’ degree program. 

Teachers Do More Than Deliver Content 

By Dr. Cyndi Hanson 

The INSPIRE section of this magazine is 

intended to feature a regular human being 

in our community. Someone who is pursuing their 

passion, living life to the fullest and has persevered 

through some kind of challenge or self-discovery. We all 

need a reminder from time to time that each one of us has 

an impact in this world. Telling our own individual story 

can inspire someone else in ways we may not imagine 

because we are just ‘regular’ people. 

In some issues, the subject of that feature is obvious. 

Other times it is a challenge due to timing, circumstances, 

or reluctance. This issue, we wanted to feature someone 

who is contributing toward the development of future 

leaders and it seemed obvious – a teacher of the year. 

And then came the challenge, the teacher we wanted to 

feature declined the spotlight. His words of his declination 

were simple and brief, “There are many other people in 

the community who are far more deserving of attention 

than I am.” Those words could only have come from a 

teacher. 

So, the subject of the INSPIRE section this month is 

unique. We have never done it before – we are featuring 

an anonymous group of people. We are featuring people 

who make a tremendous impact on our community and 

our futures each day. We are featuring people who typically 

embody the philosophy of ‘it’s not about me.’ We are 

featuring – TEACHERS. 

As we begin a school year, following a year that was 

completely disrupted, I think we have a little more 

appreciation for teachers than we did before. I am among 

countless parents who are thankful that we get to send our 

children to professional educators again – and hoping they 

can stay for the whole year! 

Teachers do more than deliver content. As an educator 

myself, I knew that, but in mid-April I APPRECIATED it more 

than I ever had before. I had only one youngster to work 

with in diagramming sentences, studying civil rights, and 

introducing percentages. How in the world, do teachers 

do this with 15, 20 or 30 youngsters in their room?! I was 

struggling with just one. How do they manage the emotions 

(and hormones) of teenagers and keep the focus on learning? 

How do they manage the fidgets and short attention spans of 

elementary students and teach them? Teachers are amazing. 

Teachers do craft the future. They teach subject matter of 

course. And they also teach kindness, respect, listening, 

persistence, and patience. They model the importance 

of asking questions, believing in the abilities of everyone, 

being humble and serving with their whole heart. I hope 

as you read this article you are remembering the teacher(s)

non-profit 

community 

family 

small business 

people 

who made a difference in your life or that is making an 

impact in a school system right now. That person is the 

feature of this article. 

Today, take some time to let that person know they are an 

inspiration. You can do this in many ways. Write a thank 

you note or make a phone call. Share your thoughts 

and memories of a teacher on the Siouxland Magazine 

Facebook page or your own social media page. Here 

are a few thoughts from random Siouxlanders to get 

you started. 

“I don’t know how she manages a room of 12 

pre-teen girls and 4 pre-teen boys! I can barely 

manage the emotions of one in my home. But 

she does and they LOVE her. I’ve observed and 

listened. I think it’s because she listens, she 

empathizes, she acknowledges their feelings 

and then challenges them to see it from another 

point of view. She has made an amazing impact 

on my child!” 

“I worked in IT for the school system. When 

I first started, I was in his room working on 

his computer one day... I was done fixing his 

computer in about 20 minutes, but also gave 

the hard drive an extra defrag just so I could 

stay to hear the end of his lesson! His lectures 

are the best.” 

Dr. Cyndi Hanson, Executive Director for Northeast 

Community College’s Extended Campus. 

Photos Contributed By Lance Swanson, South Sioux City 

Community Schools 

“He is an amazing educator who is super 

passionate about what he teaches. He cares for 

his students’ education and is always eager to 

see us. Mr. Teacher made me enjoy American 

government a lot more than I was planning to.” 

“He set high expectations for us and it started 

with our appearance. Girls had to wear dresses 

and panty hose, boys had to have their shirts 

tucked in and pants pulled up. Occasionally 

someone would try to walk in with their pants 

bagging, and he’d yell “Put your britches on! 

Respect yourself!” He knew that when we 

put our outward self together with pride, it 

automatically elevated our inward pride. That’s 

never left me.”

Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /24 

Girls proudly displaying their artwork. 

Strong, Smart and Bold 


Siouxland Magazine had the opportunity to 

connect with Mandy Engel-Cartie, Executive 

Director of Girls Inc. of Sioux City. 

Siouxland Magazine (SM): Your mission statement says 

“Inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold”. Tell me more 

about that. Why those adjectives? 

Mandy Engel-Cartie (MEC): I love our mission statement 

because it’s not jargon and it truly describes what we do 

each day for girls. To expand, we have specific outcomes 

for each of those key words – strong, smart, and bold. 

Girls enjoying some fresh air and a delicious snack. 

Strong Outcomes 

• improved body image 

• prevention/knowledge of the dangers of 

unhealthy choices 

• increased level of physical activity 

Smart Outcomes 

• an improved outlook and performance in 

school 

• having set personal, educational, and 

career goals 

• an improved academic/school 

performance, and 

• having educational aspirations beyond 

high school 

Bold Outcomes 

• see themselves as leaders 

• demonstrate increased persistence and 

resilience 

• have positive relationship with adults 

• stand up for themselves, others, fairness, 

and their beliefs 

• participate or have as a goal to participate 

in civic responsibilities like voting, giving 

back to the community, and being positive 

change agents.

SM: So, you focus on the physical, intellectual, and 

emotional growth of girls. 

MEC: Our activities, programs, and pretty much 

everything we plan for and implement springs from that 

phrase. 

SM: How long do most girls engage with Girls Inc? Is it 

years or months? 

MEC: Keep in mind that many of our girls must move 

suddenly or frequently because of circumstances out 

of their control, mostly related to economic deprivation. 

Some are in foster care or out-of-home placement. Like 

many youth-serving organizations, we struggle to keep 

girls over the age 13. I believe our average (over the past 

10 years) is 3 years of attendance. Also, some girls come 

only in the summer or only during the school year for a 

variety of reasons. 

What is interesting to me is that anecdotally so many girls 

tell us that they stopped attending because they had to 

babysit siblings. They are expected to help their working 

parents by providing free childcare. Even girls who are 

currently members often say they must stay home from 

school to care for a sibling who is too sick to attend 

school. 

SM: What do you hope is the result of each girls’ 

interactions with Girls Inc? 

MEC: I hope every girl gains the knowledge, confidence, 

and grit to pursue her best life, no matter what 

circumstances she has faced or will face in her future. I 

hope every girl knows she can make the world a better 

place and has the tools she needs to take action. I hope 

every girl maintains the resilience we work to instill with 

her throughout her life. I hope each girl will grow up 

knowing that she is special for her individuality, for what 

she can do and for the person she is inside. I hope each 

girl knows we care. 

SM: The materials you provided mention “mutual respect 

and high expectations” several times. What does that 

mean? Why is it a focus? 

MEC: Both empathy and respect are critical skills that all 

children need to learn about and practice in a safe place. 

Through instruction and example, we strive to show girls 

that respecting themselves and others is the foundation 

of making a positive difference each day – respecting 

different opinions, different backgrounds, different ways 

of doing things, and different abilities. 

Setting high expectations simply means we believe 

every girl can achieve her full potential and we challenge 

our members to do that. Together, these can create an 

environment where girls feel free to be themselves, to try, 

to sometimes fail, to learn, and ultimately to succeed. We 

are all about the growth mindset at Girls Inc.! 

SM: Why Girls Only? 

MEC: That’s a common question. We all know that girls 

can be under a lot of pressure in our society. Sadly, 

competition is still encouraged between girls based 

on who is prettiest and the most popular. An all-girls 

space lets girls explore who they really are outside of 

this dynamic. Girls have a safe space to talk about and 

work through issues that they are dealing with like selfesteem, 

their bodies and body image, puberty, sexuality, 

and healthy relationships. 

Research indicates that boys tend to dominate 

programs designed for youth. Girls Inc. creates a unique 

environment where girls can share their experiences, 

practice many skills including leadership, and take part 

in activities with other girls who share many of their 

experiences and challenges, all with outstanding role 

models in a safe environment. 

SM: How does Girls Inc. impact the Siouxland area? Or 

more bluntly – why should people care about the work 

of Girls Inc.? 

MEC: I’m so glad you asked! Our alums who have 

come back to work for us during and after college tell 

us that Girls Inc. helped shape their lives in a positive 

way, especially through substance abuse prevention 

and pregnancy prevention classes. They also site our 

financial literacy programs as being very helpful as they 

transitioned to adulthood. 

SM: What are your greatest needs as an organization? 

How can people help support Girls Inc.? 

MEC: As with any nonprofit, financial resources are 

always the greatest challenge, especially this year. 

Because of Covid-19, we are shifting from after-school 

only to an all-day, academically-based programs for 

families who have enrolled their children in virtual-only 

programs. It’s an expensive, unbudgeted proposition, 

but we believe it’s the best way to help support our girls, 

working families, the schools, and the community. 

While the girls we serve are a very diverse group, 

membership fees only account for roughly 10% of 

operating costs. The remaining 90% must come from 

donors, grants, and other unearned revenue. 

There are other needs that arise from time to time and 

the best way to keep abreast of those needs is to follow 

us on Facebook or sign up on volunteersiouxland.org. 

Girls Inc. of Sioux City 

500 Main Street, Sioux City, IA 51102 

Ph: 712.252.1088 | Twitter: @sioux_inc 

FB: facebook.com/GirlsIncOfSiouxCity 



Photos Contributed By Mandy Engel Cartie. 

Siouxland Magazine | inspire/25

Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /26 

Jamie Vess, Owner of Next to Nature. 

Next to Nature 


Nature is a word that conjures up a different 

image for everyone who hears it. For some it is the 

briskly driven snow on a blustery winter day; for others it 

is chirping birds and rustling leaves in a secluded forest. 

For Jamie Vess, the owner of Next to Nature, it is about 

oneness and living naturally. 

Jamie came to Siouxland with her husband a few years 

ago. As someone who had devoted years to learning 

the impacts of food on her body, Jamie was surprised to 

discover there wasn’t a natural food store in Sioux City. 

City, and sometimes not online either. The commitment 

to natural healing, led to establishing a supply of products 

in January 2020. 

“We began in two small office spaces in January, by April 

– in the midst of the pandemic – we were growing rapidly 

and pushed to expand our offerings.” Said Vess. “We 

knocked down a wall and expanded. Now I can work with 

people one-on-one.” 

“We are not a full health store.” She said. “Just the things 

you need on a daily basis to be one with nature. It is stuff 

you can have in your pantry to treat common ailments.” 

Jamie went on to explain, “My goal is to help others learn 

about a lifestyle where we are more conscious of what we 

turn to for treatment. We can utilize natural treatments like 

herbs, teas and supplements to feel better, live better and 

fight inflammation, symptoms of menopause or insomnia. 

We don’t have to put artificial things into us to feel better.” 

Vess’s husband started his chiropractic clinic in Sioux City 

in 2017. In line with his philosophy that natural healing can 

relieve pain, recommendations for other natural remedies 

was logical. He and Jamie would make recommendations 

based upon their experience and research. And then they 

noticed that people couldn’t find the products in Sioux 

Sneak peak inside the Next to Nature store.

That one-on-one interaction is something Vess is devoted 

to. Her passion for helping people live close to nature 

means she spends each day meeting, getting to know, 

and helping people. 

Products range from an incredible selection of herbal 

teas and supplements for those who want to purify their 

bodies, to ritual herbs for those seeking to connect to 

nature, to body care and cleaning products for those who 

want to reduce the toxicity of their living environments. 

“It can be overwhelming to people who haven’t been in a 

health store before.” She said. “There is so much to learn 

and understand. I start with questions. What brought you 

in today? How are you feeling? What are your goals? 

What are your hobbies or interests? The more I know 

about a person, the better I can recommend products 

that will fit their needs.” 

Siouxland Magazine | inspire/27 

People come for a lot of reasons. Sometimes it is an ‘easy 

fix’ – an appropriate tea for someone who has trouble 

falling asleep. Sometimes there are multiple issues that 

require more intense interactions. 

“I created a 16-page report for a person who was 

struggling with a variety of issues that are all wrapped 

together.” Jamie said. “It helps to fully explain the impact 

of eating, daily habits and our environment. I do research 

as needed for these intense reports. I know from personal 

experience how important understanding is to getting 

healthy.” 

Explore the different stations within the store. 

Visit Next to Nature at 4242 Gordon Drive 

or at 

www.NextToNatureHealth.com 



Photos Contributed By Next to Nature. 

What Vess finds is that most clients start with one or two 

easy steps – a supplement or tea – and then incorporate 

more as they return. “As they come back, I slowly 

introduce them to other parts of the store to increase 

their natural focus.” 

When asked what surprises her clients most, she said, 

“They are usually surprised how quickly they feel better 

when they get the right vitamins and probiotics. They are 

amazed at how quickly they have energy, sleep better 

and so on.” 

The other thing that surprises people is the herb and tea 

wall display in the store. “I did it all myself”, Jamie said. 

“I designed and selected the products. It is a personal 

thing for me.” 

Looking to the future, Vess plans to continue adding 

organic grocery items that are harder to find. There 

are so many areas to do more natural things, that she 

is constantly on the lookout. She also is quick to order 

new products that clients inquire about to expand the 

product line. 

“There is a lot of education needed as to the extent of 

how much can be done naturally,” she said with quiet 

confidence. “I want to help one person at a time.”

grow 

Don’t fear failure. Embrace it. It’s where the learning happens. 

Stacy leading a Business Blender event in Correctionville. 

Meet the New Entrepreneurial Community Navigator 

By Stacy Orndorff 

Entrepreneurs develop new and 

improved products, services and 

technology which have the ability 

to change the way we live and 

work. Their ideas and innovations 

create new businesses, generate 

jobs and wealth in the community, 

improve the quality of life and 

overall standard of living, and 

contribute to a growing economy. 

For entrepreneurs to bring new 

ideas to life, they need a supportive 

Stacy Orndorff 

culture with access to business and technical assistance, 

networking opportunities and capital resources. 

Iowa’s West Coast Initiative (IWCI) understands the 

importance of creating a supportive culture and encouraging 

entrepreneurial activity to fuel economic growth. For IWCI to 

continue building the entrepreneurial ecosystem in northwest 

Iowa and take their efforts to the next level, the group has 

hired a full-time Entrepreneurial Community Navigator. This 

new position will be funded for two years through a grant 

IWCI received from the Iowa Economic Development 

Authority’s Entrepreneurial Investment Awards Program. 

Stacy Orndorff, a local community builder and entrepreneur 

herself, has been selected for the Entrepreneurial Community 

Navigator position and she hit the ground running in 

early August. Stacy will continue to cultivate the regional 

entrepreneurial ecosystem by engaging with entrepreneurs, 

connecting them to available resources and coordinating 

regular programming and events. Continue reading to learn 

more about Stacy! 

Why you are a good fit for this position? 

I am passionate about helping people make their business and 

innovative ideas become a reality. I am frequently approached 

by people who desperately want to start their own business 

or businesses in their early stages seeking help with growth 

strategies, customer acquisition, etc. I enjoy encouraging them, 

connecting them with other entrepreneurs, mentors, and 

resources. I have started multiple businesses in the past and 

finally found myself succeeding with Heartland Coffee & Nosh, 

so I’ve been on many sides of business ownerships including 

successes and failures and feel that I can relate and also provide 

valuable insight to other entrepreneurs. Additionally, I created 

a program for Jr./Sr. High School to inspire entrepreneurship 

and was able to pilot this program successfully for 2 years in my 

hometown school district. I am excited to bring this program to 

other school districts and build on the college-level program 

that is already in place. 

How have you been involved in the entrepreneurial 

community in the past? 

I started getting involved 4 years ago by attending First Friday 

Coffee at Springboard Coworking, participating in Launch 

Week, and completing Venture School. With my business, I have 

been able to connect with other entrepreneurs by participating 

in events sponsored by SCGO, IWCI, Downtown Partners, and 

the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce. I also earned a spot in 

the Dream Big Grow Here contest and won first place at the final 

competition. I have also utilized the services provided by the 

Small Business Development Center. All these things provide 

such an important support system for entrepreneurs and I’m 

excited to connect others to all of these great resources.

personal growth 

leadership 

determination 

business development 

influence 

What appealed to you most about this role? 

Honestly, everything listed in the job description was like reading my offseason 

resume. I have been doing all these things for fun and in my spare 

time and without pay. To be able to live out my passion for helping other 

entrepreneurs AND get paid for it is a dream come true. 

What do you hope to accomplish in this role? 

First, I want to give hope to those who feel like starting their own business 

is impossible and give encouragement to current business owners 

who feel overwhelmed or alone by building an inclusive community 

of entrepreneurs. Second, I want to inspire youth and young adults 

to pursue entrepreneurship as a career opportunity. Last, I want to 

develop and recruit a network of necessary support professionals for 

entrepreneurs including specialized legal counsel, finance professionals, 

venture capitalists, angel investors, and IT professionals. 

What ideas do you have to make our regional entrepreneurial 

community better? 

I am excited to build on what has already been put in place by all of the 

organizations in the area and multiply it by 10x. Fully executing some of 

those things that were put in place by those working in other capacities I 

will be able to devote more time. I am excited to build on Launch Week 

and College Start-Up Games, find new ways to connect entrepreneurs 

together, and bring start-up competitions to middle and high schools, 

just to name a few. I’m never short on ideas, so after I’ve had time to assess 

the needs of the community, I will definitely hit the ground running! 

What initiatives will you take on to increase engagement and 

grow our entrepreneurial community? 

I plan to spend a lot of time building relationships with entrepreneurs, 

listening to the needs they have, drawing them out of the woodwork, 

and giving them a place to belong. I plan to create regular opportunities 

for entrepreneurs to gather, network, and learn from each other. As I 

implement the entrepreneurship efforts in local schools, I will be tapping 

into community leaders and local business owners to create local 

entrepreneurial systems throughout the region. I also look forward to 

reaching beyond the region to pull in experts and motivators to grow 

and inspire our entrepreneurial community. 

How can people contact you? 

I can be reached by email at stacy@simpco.org or by phone at 712-279- 

6286. I look forward to connecting with you! 

Iowa’s West Coast Initiative (IWCI) is a collaboration between the economic 

development organizations in Plymouth, Monona and Woodbury counties, 

and includes the following organizations: City of Sioux City, Siouxland Interstate 

Metropolitan Planning Council, Siouxland Economic Development Corporation, 

The Siouxland Initiative, Le Mars Business Initiative Corporation, Woodbury 

County, and Monona County. Learn more about IWCI at www.IAWestCoast.com. 

Stacy Orndorff, the new Entrepreneurial Community Navigator. 

Photos Contributed By Stacy Orndorff. 

IAWESTCOAST.COM I 866.537.6052 

Entrepreneurs and small business owners now have 

access to an information specialist who can assist you 

in finding solutions to your most pressing questions by 

facilitating connections to the right people, data, and 

resources. 

IASOURCELINK.COM I 866.537.6052 

IASourceLink is the premiere business resource in Iowa 

for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Free 

business webinars, expert advice, and a searchable 

directory of organizations that assist Iowa businesses can 

all be found on IASourceLink. 

IOWASBDC.ORG I 712.274.6454 

Do you need free, confidential and customized business 

counseling? Contact SBDC for advice on developing a 

successful business plan. 

SIOUXLANDEDC.COM I 712.279.6430 

Siouxland Economic Development Corporation offers 

financial assistance programs and services to assist 

small and medium sized businesses in getting started or 

expanding. 

MAKERSPACESIOUXCITY.ORG I 712.251.6050 

MakerSpace Sioux City offers shared space for hobbyists, 

inventors, artists and innovative people to come together 

to create and teach through hands-on learning. 

SPRINGBOARDCOWORKING.COM I 515.809.0052 

Springboard Coworking offers shared office space in 

downtown Sioux City for entrepreneurs that combines 

the best elements of cafe culture with a productive, 

functional, and affordable work environment. 

ISUSTARTUPFACTORY.ORG I 515.294.7444 

ISU Startup Factory is designed to help businesses bring 

new products to the market and work with companies to 

make them attractive to outside capital investors. 

VENTURENETIOWA.COM I 515.471.1300 

VentureNet Iowa connects ideas to resources, 

management, and investors, to create jobs and build 

businesses in Iowa. If you have a business idea in the 

areas of Biosciences, Advanced Manufacturing, Value- 

Added Ag, or Information Technology, you may qualify 

for assistance through VentureNet Iowa. 

Did you use one of these great resources? We 

want to share your story! Visit our website at 

siouxlandmagazine.com, fill out the form and connect 

with us today!

Yesterday. 

Today. 

Tomorrow. 

A Station for You. 

A Station for Everyone. 

Join the Conversation. 

If Communication is Key, 

Why Don’t We Master It? 

Clarify Your Message 

Communicate with Confidence 

Connect Through Conversation 

Like us on Facebook @ 

Empowering Conversations LLC 

Stacie Anderson 

Owner of Empowering Conversations LLC & Siouxland Magazine 

Certified John Maxwell Speaker, Trainer & Coach 

Passionate about Leadership & Communication 

Empowering Conversations LLC, proudly publishing Siouxland Magazine.

The Future Looks Bright! 

By Todd Rausch 

Today’s Young Generations are the future. We are 

facing this year, challenges that have not been faced for 

a hundred years. This generation will be the generation 

that my grandparent’s generation was to me. They had 

faced the Spanish Flu, the Depression, WWII, the Korean 

War, and at my age Vietnam and the unrest of the 60’s. 

They became tough, frugal, and sacrificing. They were a 

selfless generation that built America into the greatest 

nation on earth. They went to the moon and created 

medical marvels. They understood the cost of Freedom, 

the cost of a good living, and the cost of having a better 

future for their families. 

Siouxland Magazine | Grow/31 

I was fortunate to have known some of my Great 

Grandparents who were born in the 1880s and 1890s. 

One of my Grandpas was born in 1904 and the other 

in 1913. My Grandmas were born in 1905 and 1915. I 

was blessed to not only hear their stories from their own 

lips, but to see them live lives of honor, faithfulness, and 

humbleness. 

Historically, these times seem to only happen every 4 

or 5 generations. They can either make steel or break 

glass. You either become tougher than your problems 

or it breaks your life. This generation is the generation 

to do that. 

Where I am going with this is that the millennial 

generation and younger are facing challenges I never 

had to face coming up. We had our own challenges, 

but not like this. This generation is being challenged to 

either become like my Grandparents and become the 

next greatest generation or become a bunch of weakwilled 

people who can’t rise above. 

I believe most people in this generation will rise to 

the challenge and produce the greatest generation 

America has ever seen. Yes, there are those who are out 

destroying and burning the very cities they live in. Yet, 

the majority are doing something that doesn’t make the 

news very often. 

They are quietly building a future. A future that includes 

prosperity and peace for our nation and their families. 

They are building a future the solves the challenges 

they are facing. Social media is a great tool, but it is not 

the be all end all of life. This generation is showing this 

by staying connected but also building families which 

are the bedrock of any society. They are also building 

true community with their neighbors and friends. I saw 

this demonstrated on the 4th of July. I think I was the 

oldest person at a block party with about 40 people and 

probably 15 were kids under 10 years old. 

No matter what people see or hear on social media 

or the news. The vast majority of this generation are 

more than capable of rising above the challenges we are 

facing. This is seen in the lives of the young entrepreneurs 

that I work with daily. They have a vision and a dream worth 

pursuing. They are taking risks and building value into their 

lives and their communities. They are making a difference 

and the world is better off because of what they are doing. 

So, if you are older like me; let’s not tear down this generation 

by pointing out the bad things we see or hear. Let us build 

them up by pointing out the good things we see and hear. 

Encourage each other to succeed and overcome. Encourage 

each other to love your neighbors and your country. 

If you are part of the younger generations, focus on 

something bigger than you. Focus on building a future 

that includes a better world for your kids. Focus on peace, 

prosperity, and the continuance of Freedom in America and 

the rest of the world. Yes, take care of yourself and your 

dreams. Just remember that it truly will be up to you to make 

the world a better place than you found it. I know you can 

do it and am confident that you will. My generation is here 

to help. We want you to succeed. We want you to have what 

we had only better. I hope I live to see what you make of this 

wonderful country we live. I think it will be marvelous! 

Todd Rausch, SBDC Regional Director at Western Iowa Tech 

Community College. The SBDC is a Federally and State funded 

agency that is designed to help entrepreneurs start, grow, and 

eventually pass on their business. Your success is our mission. 

Photo Credit Britton Hacke Photography.

downtownsiouxcity.com

Building for the Future and Our Future Leaders 

By Grace Nordquist 

Sioux City is home to many successful and 

talented young professionals, as is revealed in 

the competition for each year’s Top 10 under 40. 

This competitive list of applicable candidates brings new 

and innovative ideas, passion, and drive to Siouxland. 

Like most professionals, being involved, networking, 

and keeping busy are a part of the daily grind. Despite 

the busy lifestyle, many are still looking for places to live, 

events to attend, and things to do among the bright lights 

and night life of downtown Sioux City. Amid our current 

pandemic, or lifestyle reset, downtown is changing and 

growing to host whatever the future brings. 

Downtown Partners is launching a brand-new video 

series to give viewers the inside scoop into everything 

downtown. The first in this series focuses our community’s 

need for affordable, market rate housing. Developers are 

almost completed with several new living, working, and 

lodging units. In a world where staycations and coming 

home to be closer to family is trending, downtown is 

prepared. 

If you’re curious as to what downtown living is all about, 

this video series takes viewers inside all types of residential 

living spaces downtown. It explores each type of unit, its 

highlights, location, and building amenities. Bluebird 

Flats, Copper Flats, and The Warrior Apartments are the 

new residential spaces to the scene, with Historic Pearl 

Street, the United Center, Virginia Square, the Williges 

building, and 4th & Jackson condos all well established. 

With units available for rent or for sale, and other buildings 

Inside peak to Downtown living at Bluebird Flats. 

full, downtown living offers a variety of options to fit just about 

anyone looking to call downtown home. 

Downtown Partner’s Business Development Coordinator, 

Grace, guides you through these videos with enthusiasm 

(and maybe a few bloopers) that take you around for a look 

inside downtown. Siouxland has been, and continues to be, 

a welcoming environment for professionals, families, and 

all generations. By keeping this energy, we will continue to 

create a more vibrant Sioux City. 

Contributed By Downtown Partners, a non-profit organization 

that works with downtown stakeholders to create a 

vibrant, expanding downtown. To learn more about Downtown 

Partners and to stay up to date on downtown projects 

and events, visit www.downtownsiouxcity.com. 

Photo Credit Jennifer Morgan. 

Siouxland Magazine | | Grow/33 / 39

Siouxland Magazine | Grow /34 

Sioux City Growth Organization Board. 

Young Professionals Dedicated to Making a Difference 

By Emily Vondrak 

For 18 years now, Sioux City Growth Organization 

has been carrying out our mission of attracting, 

developing, and retaining young professionals in 

Siouxland by providing insight and opportunities 

to help shape the future of our community. Our 

organization carries out this mission by upholding our three 

pillars of Networking, Volunteering, and Getting Involved. 

We host and participate in a wide variety of events each 

year, from nonprofit fundraisers and Chamber of Commerce 

connects, to holding our own workshops for local college 

students and happy hour networking each month. We want 

our current and future members to learn more about all 

the Siouxland community has to offer, and why they should 

consider a future here, too. 

We actively take part in continually improving Siouxland 

through a wide array of initiatives. Our annual Innovation 

Market has been providing resources for local 

entrepreneurs for 10 years now. GO University allows us to 

meet with college students around the area and share our 

experiences, offer advice, and advocate for the community. 

Projects like Sculpt Siouxland and our upcoming Downtown 

mural allow us to invest in things that matter to us, like the 

continued beautification of our cities. 

SCGO not only helps young professionals to find a likeminded 

community to network, volunteer, make friends, 

and grow their careers, but it helps the community by 

giving us a platform to work from on projects that matter, 

while retaining our members in the area. We’ve created a 

community of young professionals dedicated to making 

a difference. 

“Sioux City Growth Organization has impacted my life 

in so many ways. I remember one of the first times I 

learned about the organization was when I heard about 

their entrepreneurial event, the Innovation Market. I love 

thinking about businesses I would love to start or see in 

our community, and after attending, I knew that this was a 

group that was focused on community improvement. Since 

that first meeting, I have met some of my best friends in this 

organization, benefited from the professional networking, 

and witnessed its ability to retain young professionals in our 

community.” 

-Alex Watters, Sioux City Council Member 

“When first joining SCGO I didn’t realize the impact it 

would have on my life. To be honest, I first viewed it as a 

great opportunity to meet new people, network, and build 

a resume. I didn’t realize that during the last 3 years I would 

have been introduced to some of my closest friends and 

have the opportunities to learn different tools that allow 

me to not only grow as a young professional, but overall 

as a young woman. A job or career might lead you to a 

certain city, but it’s the friends and connections you make 

along the way that keep you there. Sioux City, and the Sioux 

City Growth Organization, is no different. My connections 

through SCGO and the friends I have made are the reasons 

why I love Sioux City and why I what to continue to educate 

everyone about everything that Sioux City has to offer.” 

-Kalynn Sortino, MidAmerican, SCGO President 

“SCGO’s Innovation Market is great for Siouxland because 

it helps businesses out with some startup capital and helps 

promote the growth of new businesses in the area.” 

-Erik Martin, Owner, Marto Brewing 

Interested in becoming a SCGO member? Anyone is 

welcome- regardless of industry or age! Learn more about 

how you can join our community and make a difference in 

Siouxland by visiting our website at siouxcitygo.com or by 

liking our page on Facebook. 

Emily Vondrak, Marketing Board Chair for Sioux City 

Growth Organization. 

Photo Contributed By SCGO.

Leadership Skills Needed in Today’s Environment 

By Peggy Smith 

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience 

in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” 

– Eleanor Roosevelt 

How does one be an effective leader in a world 

that has changed so significantly in 2020? 

What skills do new and aspiring leaders, as well as 

experienced and long-time leaders, need to concentrate 

on? 

I love the above quote from Eleanor Roosevelt since we 

have all been dealing with uncertainty and loss of control 

for months now – scary stuff indeed! Expecting life to get 

back to normal is unrealistic; knowing and accepting 

the need for constant reevaluation, readjustment and 

realignment are key. 

So perhaps young professionals just getting started in 

their careers have an advantage – they are not caught in 

the trap of “we’ve always done it this way” and “if it isn’t 

broke, don’t fix it”. Now is the time to do an overhaul of 

the way we work, the way we communicate, the way we 

treat others. 

Reflecting on the most important leadership skills and 

attributes to be successful today is something we should 

all do. Here is my list – 

• Collaboration. Now more than ever, none of us have 

all the answers. We need each other – we need to 

collectively problem solve. The last few months have 

affected everyone in different ways and helped 

people find new strengths. Let’s use each other’s 

strengths to complement our own weaknesses. 

• Communication. Remember when email was new 

and one thing you learned was NOT TO USE ALL 

CAPS AS IT MEANS YOU ARE YELLING AT ME? Now, 

with remote working more commonplace, simple 

email etiquette is even more important. Take care to 

reread your emails before hitting send, reading them 

as if you were the recipient not the sender. 

is that your task is more important than the person 

you are talking to. And use video – seeing someone 

makes the discussion more personable and more 

“real”. 

• Embrace change. Learn to appreciate, and even 

look forward to change. After all, it is inevitable and 

never ending. You do not have to like it, but you 

need to understand it and accept it. This skill is not 

an easy one – and requires constant attention to 

become proficient at it! 

• Stay informed. But, choose and limit your sources 

of information carefully. Be sure you are receiving 

credible information from diverse points of view 

and not limiting yourself to only sources that “agree” 

with your opinions or sources that are not vetted. 

• Practice gratitude. Be grateful for the experiences, 

good and bad, that are shaping you as a leader. Be 

grateful to the people that are causing you to look 

at things differently, causing you to reconsider and 

change your perspective. 

• Mentor and be mentored. We need each other 

more than ever – and need to help others along the 

way. 

I am excited to see how leadership will change 

and how the young professionals in Siouxland will 

shape our community in positive ways we can only 

imagine! 

Peggy Smith, Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland, 

a non-profit organization that has over 1000 

graduates that are now making positive differences in 

their community. 

Siouxland Magazine | | Grow/35 / 39 

• Multitasking is overrated. When meeting remotely 

with a coworker, your boss, or your employee, do 

not multitask. It is annoying to hear keystrokes while 

having a one-on-one discussion. Plus, the impression 

Leadership Siouxland develops diverse, 

informed leaders who shape our community for today and tomorrow.


Britton Hacke Photography 

On Facebook and @britton_hacke_photography on Instagram 

Running a senior special now through August. 

$50 off any booking. 

Limited spots.

Sioux City Scoop – The New Normal 

By Julie Schoenherr 

As a small business 

owner, I am learning the 

relevance of the trending 

terms ‘we’re living in 

very fluid times’ and ‘the 

new-normal’. Every aspect 

of my business model has 

become fluid. Everything was 

changed and then changed 

again. Not limited to my 

business, but as a member of 

City Council I have become 

Julie Schoenherr familiar with even more of 

this ‘new-normal’ verbiage: 

flatten the curve, essential workers and social distancing. 

Now even the word Zoom has new meaning to several 

million working professionals. 

Working professionals, also known as the elusive 

young professional. Just who are they anyway? Young 

professionals are out of school and are employed in 

a professional or a white-collar occupation with an 

age that ranges from 23-35 years old. They are highly 

sought after. You can ask any business owner and they 

with confirm that one of the greatest challenges of their 

business is hiring and retaining young professionals for 

long term employment. 

How do we retain local graduates and attract top talent 

to Siouxland? 

new business that may offer other amenities attractive 

to urban dwellers. We really are amid developing all 

of the conveniences of urban living and within walking 

or biking distance to potential employers new to our 

area. The Entertainment and Historic Districts are well 

established and growing along with our great Riverfront 

that has just begun its reconstruction. Additionally, 

Downtown is not the only area adding new living spaces. 

The Sunnybrook area has grown exponentially in the last 

several years. Development in the southern Leeds area 

has also added multi-family housing. This is an exciting 

time for our community as these developers invest in our 

City housing. 

Create new jobs; another very tall order. For nearly all 

employers, the issue of a new location choice is driven 

by labor. Will they be able to attract the white-collar skills 

and trade skills needed to operate a new facility? Staffing 

has become more critical than the perfect location for 

the new building site. For years we have heard the ageold 

adage location, location, location. We may need to 

update that adage to amenities, amenities, amenities. 

Recapping the near mandatory requirements of both the 

employers and ‘new-normal Pros’; ample and affordable 

housing, quality-of-life amenities, good schools, sound 

infrastructure, cultural opportunities, uncomplicated 

transportation, restaurants and outdoor spaces. Keep 

in mind that list is tops for both- employer/employees 

looking for new locations. From the employer’s 

perspective, if a city can fill the checklist, the employer 

can fill staffing requirements. 


Attracting and retaining young professionals is one 

tall order. However tall the order, our community is 

preparing to do what we need to do to fill it. Young 

professionals and even empty-nest professionals are 

attracted to a ‘new normal’; an employer located in a 

city where quality-of-life amenities are prevalent. The 

‘new-normal Pro’ is a professional less focused on big 

houses, cars and living in suburban neighborhoods. 

They are looking for smaller more compact housing 

which includes lofts, apartments, and multi-family units. 

Walkability, close-by neighborhood services, eateries 

and entertainment all rank at the top of the pro’s wish list. 

Our job is to get out in front of them with a community 

that screams ‘we’ve got all of that and then some.’ 

I am excited to be involved with our City’s growth both as 

a small business owner and as a City Council Member. We 

have much to look forward to. Becoming one of Iowa’s 

most sought-after cites is going to be our ‘new-normal’. 

Julie Schoenherr, Sioux City Council and owner of SoHo 

American Kitchen & Bar. 

Photo Credit Michel Rohner, Studio 712 

We are well on our way to completing their newnormal 

lifestyle check list. Developers are nearing the 

completion of hundreds of apartments in our amazing 

Downtown district and Virginia Square is finishing their 

phase three mixed-use apartment complex. Some of 

our great historical buildings have become some of 

the absolute coolest apartments in the tri-state area. 

Developers are wise to include mixed-use space to attract


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So, you are the CEO = Chief of EVERYTHING Officer? 

By Linda K. Krei (ActionCOACH ExcelEDGE) 

Really? Are you stuck here? Are you getting the 

results you want? CEO should not mean Chief of 

EVERYTHING Officer. Being the “Boss of Everything”, or 

acting as if you are, no matter what your title, can be 

a burdensome space. There is an illusion that being 

your own boss gives you autonomy, control of your 

own schedule, unlimited earning potential, freedom, 

and flexibility. Yet the reality is many of us experience 

anything but that, de-energized from constantly 

reacting and “putting out fires”, or running and spinning 

in place (like being on a hamster wheel) without making 

progress on those things that matter. 

In reality, “being the boss” means you report to 

everyone. And, if we are honest with ourselves, many of 

us are simply not good at being our own boss. 

A key to being an effective leader at any level in any 

human operating system, (including our Personal Family 

relationship and in your Professional role) is recognizing 

that you simply cannot do everything, so stop trying my 

friends! 

Instead, reframe your thinking as the 

“Chief of What Really Matters”. 

1. Schedule time to think 

It is incredibly easy to get caught up in the daily grind. 

You end up tirelessly working in the business to get 

stuff done yet neglect to work on the business to build 

longevity. When was the last time you blocked out time 

on your calendar just to think? A first step for you may 

be scheduling time to strategize and work on your 

business to help get out of reactive mode. Your priorities 

will become surprisingly clear, as the busy-ness fades to 

the background. Treat your business like your V.I.P. client 

and give it the devoted time it deserves. 

2. Be a ruthless self-critic of your own results 

(not your intentions) 

Whether in business or personal life, we tend to judge 

others based on their actions and results, but we judge 

ourselves based on our intentions. Do you see how 

this can cause a problem when you are in charge? For 

instance, you might intend to complete an important 

task but end up pushing it aside to deal with some 

“urgent” issue. Sure, you had good intentions, but the 

vital task still did not get done, and your good reason is 

simply an excuse. 

How will you measure whether you WIN this week? 

Define your winning result in advance, and schedule time 

on your calendar to take proactive, priority-focused steps 

toward it. Get one step closer to where you want to “BE”. 

And remember, if you do claim the title of Chief Executive 

Officer, executing on a few things well, the “critical few” 

instead of the massive many, will always take you further 

than trying to keep up with “everything”. 

What is Your Personal Relationship with Time? 

While a lot of people are frustrated with the way they are 

managing time, each person’s specific issues are different. 

Buried under the demands and chaos are hints of individual 

strengths and weaknesses, personality style and 

preferences. Let’s find your unique styles and sources of 

energy and re-discover what brings you joy. Let’s begin 

the process of custom designing a solution that will be a 

true match for who YOU are. Your relationship with time 

comes under three areas: 

• What’s working and what’s not 

• Your time management preferences 

• Your energy cycles and sources 

Successful people increase the Value of their time, the truly 

Valued currency, and in doing so it doesn’t feel so finite. 

So, Take Action with ActionCOACH! Simply go 

to https://go.oncehub.com/lindakreiactioncoach 

to schedule your complimentary Time Mastery 

evaluation and assessment with Coach Linda Krei. 

We’ll get you off the “hamster wheel” and making 

real progress with Real Results. 

As an award winning, 

globally recognized, 

Certified Executive 

Business Coach and 

Facilitator, Linda would 

love to help you take your 

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Contact Coach Linda Today! 


Are you “putting an oxygen mask” on everybody and 

everything except yourself? Be sure to focus on your 

own self-care, body, mind and spirit, which by the way is 

NOT self-ish care! 

Linda Krei, ActionCOACH Excel Edge 

712.251.7189 

E: lindakrei@actioncoach.com 

ExcelEdge.Actioncoach.com

alance 

Inside and out. 

Forgive with Action 

By Hali Benson 

Forgiveness for many can be harder 

than pulling teeth, when we think about 

forgiveness what comes to mind is “they did 

x, so why should I have to forgive them” -- 

and most frequently we could think that way 

and go on living our lives without changing 

our perception. Today, I want you to understand 

a new perception of forgiveness and the quote 

goes like this, “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison 

yourself and waiting for the other person to die.” It is 

a slow, painful withering from the inside out and it is 

detrimental to growth. I am here to tell you, there is a 

process to forgiving and I will keep it short: 

First, show up… come with a pen and paper and write 

down the things that are bothering you. This could 

be about yourself; it could be about someone else. 

Make sure to write every emotion, feeling, context 

and event that comes with the notion that you need 

to forgive. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable 

and write down every detail then it is no longer in 

our head festering and growing to be something 

larger. After you are finished writing, walk away. 

Give yourself a brief 5-10 minutes or even the next 

day to notice your body as you release all that you 

know to something other than your mind. Then, with 

clear eyes, and a decluttered mind come back to that 

journal and process the information. Find the lesson, 

build courage to take responsibility for your actions 

or lack thereof and speak to yourself a wholehearted 

apology and if need be, reach out to the other. 

And here is how it goes, an ancient Hawaiian word 

called ho‘oponopono meaning, “to make right” is the 

example I am using to help you through this process. 

To make something right means that you must let go 

of the ego, CHOOSE to see the teaching, and ask for 

forgiveness. Ho’oponopono is (1) I am sorry (2) Forgive 

me (3) Thank you (4) I love you; so, there is essentially 

four parts to this one practice. As an example: I’m 

sorry Hali for mistreating you when I didn’t honor 

your highest Self, please forgive me as I learn today 

that I cannot bear the weight of other’s problems but 

rather listen and release, thank you for embodying a 

woman with grace and ease and a woman who can 

be counted on, I love you. This practice is not meant 

Hali Belly Breathing. 

to be perfect, but rather about connection -- when we 

seek forgiveness it is humbling, raw but utmost relieving. 

It truly comes down to a choice. 

Now, I did not say this would be an easy process, in fact, 

this might cause you to tremble. But a heartfelt trembling 

forgiveness is much better than a slow death of bitterness 

and resentment. Much of our unforgiveness is habitual 

or a pattern of not processing our emotions as they 

come. If we have a body full of unprocessed emotions it 

wreaks havoc on the body as a whole and eventually, we 

have other underlying problems down the road such as: 

short tempered, weakened immune system, unsettling 

thoughts, or coping mechanisms. The good news is, 

at any point in our life we can choose to stop the habit 

and correct the course of our life. This all begins with 

connection, with yourself and our loved ones. 

Finally, be consistent with forgiveness. Know that it is not 

a one and done practice, it is a daily responsibility that 

we courageously choose and slowly over time it will get 

easier because you are getting comfortable with the 

discomfort. And if you do not have a daily practice of 

solitude, enjoy the Belly Breath exercise I have provided 

to begin your healing journey.

eathe 

clarity 

nutrition 

flexibility 

Belly Breath for Healing 

Create a safe space by first clearing whatever space 

you will use with a sage smudge, lighting candles, 

putting on light music, and gathering blankets and 

pillows for your comfort. 

Lying comfortably on the ground or in your bed, 

supported and warm, relax into your body. 

Begin with natural breath, at which point you may feel 

into where your hands want to be – perhaps next to 

your body with palms facing up, perhaps one hand on 

your belly and one on your heart. 

Begin by inhaling deeply into your belly, then a 

secondary deep inhale through your heart. This should 

feel like you are flooding these areas with oxygen. 

Bring your awareness to any thoughts or feelings that 

come up, noting them, inviting them to flow freely. 

Exhale out of your mouth, bringing awareness to 

trusting in love and connection. 

Moving in this way – belly, heart, mouth – repeat for 

up to 30 minutes of active breathing, maximum, 

followed by 15 of regular, relaxed breathing. 

Be mindful to stop if you truly feel uncomfortable, 

slow down when necessary, and tune in to your 

body. Allow yourself to cry. Scream. Vocalize however 

you need to. If messages – sentences, affirmations, 

mantras – come up for you, repeat them silently out 

loud as feels appropriate. 

When you feel that you are finished, stay in a resting 

Savasana position, and return to natural breath. You 

may feel tingling, tightness in your hands, or a sense 

of mild physical exhaustion. These are all temporary 

and are signs that you have really moved some things 

around. 

Try coming to your sacred space 3 times a week to 

feel into your body and become present. 

Hali Benson, a certified Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Practitioner helping clients heal through nutrition, yoga and 

spirituality. You can find her under the name of Blossom Services at https://blossom-services.webflow.io/. 

Photo Contributed By Hali Benson. 

Resources: https://www.laughteronlineuniversity.com/hooponopono-4-simple-steps/

Siouxland Magazine | Balance /42 

An Earth Education 

By Dr. Meghan Nelson 

It’s important to consult your physician or physical therapist 

before beginning any new physical activity or exercises and 

always listen to your body and respect any warnings you hear. 

My husband and I were recently re-watching The 

Revenant (2015), the story of one man’s struggle 

for survival after he was abandoned and left for 

dead. In the film, there’s a reminder that if you were to 

only focus on the branches of a tree during a storm, you 

might think the tree will fall, but if instead your awareness 

is on the trunk, you’ll see that the tree is strong and steady. 

Like the tree, when our roots are strong, when we are 

connected, we are a mighty creation. 

To be grounded is to be aware and present, to be able 

to keep things in perspective with equanimity. We 

need this now more than ever, this ability to keep our 

internal compass aligned to our soul’s true north. Enter 

grounding, or earthing. When the human body is in 

bare contact with the earth, like when walking barefoot 

through sand or lying flat in the grass to watch the clouds, 

we are transformed. If you haven’t tried this in a while, 

here’s your invitation. 

Studies point to several health benefits including 

improved muscle recovery and decreased tissue 

damage and inflammation from grounding, in addition to 

reducing sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress from cortisol 

regulation. Recent studies illustrate cardiovascular 

benefits of grounding as well. Grounding increases 

the charge of red blood cells, which decreases blood 

viscosity and clumping. How profound is it that we can 

decrease cardiovascular disease and events like heart 

attacks and strokes simply by connecting with Creation? 

It’s no wonder then that research also suggests that 

grounding increases pleasant and positive moods. 

Why are we all not taking large dosages of this earth 

medicine? Many are, I’m sure. All the filled local, state and 

national parks reveal how this pandemic has reshaped 

the contours of both our personal and collective 

experiences—reminding us that almost all the best things 

happen outside and that in reconnecting with nature 

we are re-envisioning that deepest part of ourselves. 

What a gift and opportunity it has been to get out of 

our office buildings, off airplanes, and back out into our 

environment on our feet again! 

Try these 3 yoga poses to ground down, to cultivate a 

positive relationship with this island Earth. To experience 

the maximum benefit, perform these poses on bare earth. 

Savasana or Corpse Pose: Lie down. Be still. Do 

nothing. Moments to learn, a lifetime to master. 

Bridge Pose: Start by lying on your back with knees 

bent and feet on the earth. Track your knees in the same 

direction as your toes point and keep the knees steady 

and strong. Lift your pelvis and sacrum up to the sky 

as you draw knees away from hips with the strength 

of hamstrings and quadriceps together. Feel yourself 

bridge up from your roots to your heart.

Single Leg Bridge Pose: To increase demand on the 

hip stabilizers and core muscles, extend one knee at a 

time and keep the pelvis level and steady by drawing 

core muscles in to stabilize. 

One of the great wisdoms included in the Book of 

Ecclesiastes is that the sun still rises and that Earth 

endures forever. We cannot destroy this Earth, only our 

capacity to live on it. There’s no geographical cure. Our 

destiny is inexorably bound to our planet’s. Now, more 

than ever, we are called to stewardship—healing this 

Earth requires healing ourselves first. So, take off your 

shoes and step outside. Our work begins. 

By Dr. Meghan Nelson, a licensed physical therapist and 

professional yoga therapist with a passion for using yoga 

as medicine for optimal health, injury prevention, and 

overall health and wellness. Meghan is co-owner of Lumin 

Therapy, which provides integrative healing of the mind, 

body, and spirit through the practice of physical therapy, 

medical therapeutic yoga, and mindfulness. 

Photo Credit Britton Hacke Photography. 


Warrior II: Stand with a wide stance and point the 

front foot toward the front of the mat/space and bend 

into that knee while you keep your back leg and knee 

extended and grounded toward the back of the mat/ 

space. Keep the hips open as the arms raise to shoulder 

height with fingertips reaching in opposite directions. 

The trunk is open and upright, spine neutral, over the 

hips and pelvis. Stand strong and confident in the 

present moment, aware of the past that’s guided you 

and the future you manifest.


Committing to development. 

Ask the Therapist 

By Jackie Paulson 

Question: “How do I communicate with my partner 

when we are fighting?” 

Response: Conflict is a natural experience in any 

relationship, especially ones that are committed and 

long-term relationships and if we live with that person! I 

invite you to first consider that conflict can be life giving 

and regenerative in relationships. Disagreements and 

challenges are opportunities to build trust and deeper 

intimacy with the ones you love. I also would like to offer 

the disclaimer that I am offering a general exploration to 

what can be an incredibly unique and dynamic experience 

for each couple or relationship. And to remember that 

physical violence and/or abuse is a serious matter that 

requires more than what is being offered in this article. I 

have included a resource at the end of this article. 

I want to point out a caveat to consider when approaching 

hard conversations. TRUST. In Dr. John Gottman’s, a 

relationship expert, research on trust, he found that when 

it came to trust, mutual payoff is important. That a partner, 

for instance, will trust his/her partner more if they know that 

their partner has their best interests at heart and are not 

just only focused on his/her own benefits. If you are asking 

someone to make changes that will dismantle some of the 

power that they hold, there will need to be a buy in. And if 

anything, help them see that ultimately by engaging in this 

conversation with you, that albeit it being uncomfortable, 

they may have some further perspective and intimacy with 

you by having it. My hope is that you will find that your 

relationships with your loved ones may be deepened by 

Send Your 

Questions to 

the Therapist. 

this experience; especially if both of you are willing to 

come to the table with an open heart and allow yourself 

to be influenced by one another. 

In his further study of conflict and trust in couples, Gottman 

addresses two states that couples (I invite you to broaden 

this across all relationships) can begin exploring conflict 

in. These two states are Positive and Negative Sentiment 

Override, first developed by Robert Weiss in 1980. 

Basically, this means, in what state am I approaching this 

person that I might be in conflict with? Do I see them as 

inherently good or inherently bad? It is important to find 

ways to both hold others accountable, speak the truth 

and appreciate the good in them as well. Especially when 

it comes to our loved ones, remembering again to keep 

our heart open to them while simultaneously staying 

assertive with what we are trying to say. Having trust 

supports the communication process, but we can also 

begin to communicate even if trust is not there. Gottman 

shares six steps that will support resolution in conflict and 

healthy communication. These six steps include: 

Softened Startup 

1) Accept Softened Influence Startup 

2) Make Accept Effective Influence Repairs During Conflict 

3) De-escalate Make Effective Repairs During Conflict 

Psychological Soothing of Self and Partner 

4) De-escalate 

Compromise 

5) Psychological Soothing of Self and Partner 

6) Compromise

Let’s begin with Softening your Start-Up. Consider the 

energy in which you are even approaching someone to 

have this conversation. Specific ways you can approach 

conversation with a “softened start up” is take your own 

responsibility first. Let the person know that you are 

doing this work, too. Other ways to engage in softened 

startup include using “I statements”, being polite and 

being appreciative. 

Second is to accept influence. This does not mean that 

we have to agree with everything the other person is 

saying, but we can be empathic and understanding as to 

why someone might have the perspective they do. 

Making effective repairs during conflict may mean 

admitting when you do not know something, yet or when 

you might have said something that wasn’t exactly right. 

It is ok to say that you need to do some further personal 

reflection and come back to that point. 

De-escalation means having the skills to be able to ride 

the waves of conflict conversation. Make a commitment 

to notice when the energy is rising and when you and/or 

both parties will need to take a deep breath and come 

back to center. 

It is ok to take a break from the conversation and come 

back. Self-soothing can be something that allows you to 

become grounded back inside your body. 

Finally, compromise. To me compromise is not only about 

“giving in some to get some” but also about knowing when 

you have come as far as you can in this moment with the 

dialogue. It is about being willing to take it in stride and 

commit to keep showing up to the conversation. There 

may also be times in which the person you have been 

trying to communicate with is not willing to engage in 

healthy communication and conflict resolution with you. 

It may be time to consider some boundaries around that 

relationship. If this person is a partner or family member, 

it may require you accessing further support from a 

therapist to help you evaluate how to proceed with that 

dialogue. It is possible that in these times, we may have 

to separate from some to join with the greater cause. 

You will not always get this right. Staying open and as 

non-defensive as possible will be key in the success of 

these conversations. 

I hope this article has helped you begin to have these 

conversations and invite you to reach out for support 

from a professional if you need more specific guidance 

on how to approach the feelings within your own heart 

and the relationships in your own life. 

Further, if you, or someone you know needs help 

because of domestic abuse; please consider reaching 

out to our local resource, Safe Space Siouxland. http:// 

safeplacesiouxland.org or 712-258-7233. 

You can submit your “Question to the 

Therapist” by visiting jackiepaulson.com and 

send your question through the contact page. 

Please put “Question to the Therapist” in the 

subject line. 

Jackie Paulson is a Licensed Mental 

Health Counselor and Registered 

500 Hour Yoga Instructor. She has 

over a decade of experience in 

the helping field and offers holistic 

therapies that combine an east 

meets west approach to therapy. 

Jackie specializes in working 

with adults who may be experiencing a wide array of 

concerns; including, relationship difficulties, sexuality 

and intimacy, depression and anxiety, trauma, grief 

and loss, addiction, and other life transitions and 

adjustments. Her training in mindfulness based stress 

reduction, somatic work, existential theory and depth 

psychology all enhance the investment of your time in 

session with her. 

Ultimately, Jackie offers a humanistic approach and 

Her overall hope is to empower individuals to seek 

and connect into their own deep and sacred wisdom 

that resides within them. Jackie believes that each 

person has an innate ability to heal themselves and 

journey through any experience with the right support. 

You can sit with Jackie in her therapy office located on 

Historic 4th street in downtown Sioux City. She accepts 

BC/BS and other private pay options. 


Photo Credit Sarah Ann Photography.

explore 

Get dirty. 

New bud and fruit setting on the Delicata Squash. 

From Tiny Seeds 

By Pamela Luebke Mickelson 

How many of you grew up on a farm or 

remember your mom and dad’s garden? As this 

summer’s heat is bearing down, I think about them 

often. The seeds, the weeds, the bugs, the heat, the 

rain, the memories and sharing the bounty. I’m sure our 

10 under 40 have memories about someone special. 

My Dad had a way of always being positive. He believed 

in a tiny seed laying in the dirt. He always said to just 

plant them and tell them to grow. That’s what I do. I put 

the seed in the ground and say, “Now grow!” 

This spring my husband prepared the garden for 

planting by putting up a fence to protect the young 

plants. However, over half were bitten by the late 

snow. Forgiving myself for being too anxious to get 

everything planted, I planted seeds a second time. 

Sprouts appeared, so I was happy. 

New to our garden this year are Brussels sprouts, garlic, 

and delicata squash. How do you know when they are 

ready to harvest, how big do they get, what plants will 

they grow best near? All questions I wished I could 

ask Dad. Now I know the Brussels sprouts are way 

too crowded with the butternut squash. So fun to see 

the little sprouts appear and the long trails of squash 

shoots reach out around the tomatoes and corn. Our 

daughter Martha dried Delicata Squash seeds and 

saved them for us to try. The little babies are so cute. 

All of our garden spaces – vegetables and flowers – 

fight the elements. Because of COVID19, we haven’t 

taken any trips, so we get to watch every phase of the 

garden. Usually we have been on a spring driving trip 

to a National Park, but by being home we are on top of 

any bugs, weeds, and water. Thankfully, my husband 

hates weeds, and keeps them at bay. 

Rain and wind are very unpredictable during the 

summer. I wonder about Dad’s thoughts on this subject 

more than any. He had acres of row crops in Arkansas – 

mostly rice and soybeans. If it rained, praising the Lord 

for blessings on Sundays at First Lutheran Church in 

Little Rock was in order. But the wind was dangerous 

and could knock down Dad’s rice. Our little garden has 

a few corn stalks blown down, but hardly anything to 

fret over. 

We’ve had a small bounty so far and we look forward 

to more. Lettuce, onions, garlic, radishes, spinach, and 

kale have been wonderful. The zucchini, cucumbers, 

tomatoes, and eggplant are starting to produce. I know 

everything will be delicious. It is definitely worth the 

time and energy to have fresh vegetables on the table,

fresh air 

get outside 

protect 

active 

play 

in the freezer, and share with others. Dad would have 

had purple hull peas, okra, yellow squash, strawberries, 

peaches, and pecans this time of year. Mom would have 

made wilted lettuce, fried okra or eggplant, purple hull 

peas with cornbread, strawberry jam and more for a 

meal. Her recipe for frying eggplant and my zucchini 

bread are shared with you. 

On behalf of Up from the Earth, I’d like to congratulate 

all of the 10 under 40 Class of 2020 for their community 

work and individual successes. May you all know the 

joy of having good mentors in your life as I did. Mine 

happened to be wonderful parents, farmers and good 

cooks who believed in tiny seeds and helping others. 

Cooking station and notes: 

• Heat yskillet with oil to a medium hot temp 

• Line up the following close to the skillet: eggplant, 

egg bowl, and cornmeal plate (add a little salt 

and pepper to the cornmeal) 

• Using a fork to grab a medallion, dredge it into 

the egg first, then into the cornmeal, then into 

the skillet. Your eggplant should sizzle around 

the edges as soon as it hits the oil. If the grease 

gets too hot and is burnt – throw it out and restart 

the pan (voice of experience). 

• Turn the eggplant over after (2 – 3 minutes). 

• Serve immediately. 

• Use the same recipe for okra, zucchini, and yellow 

neck squash. 

• If you are worried about calories, you can follow 

a similar recipe and bake them. 

Zucchini Bread 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 1 hour 

Yields 2 large loaves 

Heat oven to 350 and prep two 5x8 

bread pans with shortening and flour. 

Delores’s Southern Fried Eggplant 

Prep time: 30 minutes 

Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Serves 2 – 3 people 

1 egg (whipped lightly in a small bowl) 

½ c. yellow cornmeal (in a pie pan) 

salt and pepper 

1 large fresh eggplant (about 6-8” long & 4” round) 

or 6-8 skinny Japanese variety 

Large iron skillet with ¼” cooking oil 

Wash and cut eggplant into ½ inch slices, spread out 

on wax paper, and generously salt. Allow to sweat for 

20 – 30 minutes. Leave the peeling on for the best 

flavor and use this process for any eggplant variety. 

The salt sweat looks like little beads of water on top 

of the eggplant and is key to allowing the eggplant 

flavor to kick start. 

Heat large skillet to a medium heat with about ¼” or 

less of cooking oil. 

3 eggs 

1 cup vegetable oil 

2 cups fresh grated zucchini with 

peeling (those oversized ones are 

perfect) 

2 cups sugar 

2 t. vanilla 

2 cups flour 

1 t. baking soda 

1 t. baking powder 

1 t. salt 

1 T. cinnamon 

optional: add 1 cup chopped nuts or raisins 

Mix ingredients and pour into prepped pans and bake for 

1 hour (check after 45 minutes). Let rest 30 minutes, then 

slice and spread butter. Good frozen up to a month. You 

can also shred and freeze the raw zucchini. The original 

recipe was in a Holstein Lutheran Church cookbook. 

Pamela Luebke Mickelson, a retired professor of Business from 

Morningside College, a member of the leadership team for Up 

From the Earth and Air Museum, and a Southern farm girl and 

believes in seeds. 

Photo Credit Pam Mickelson.

Siouxland Magazine | Explore / 48 

This year the 

Sioux City Farmers Market is 

taking a new approach. 

Stop.Shop.Go. 

Stop at the market, shop for 

local products, and go home. 

Please exist the market as 

quickly as possible. 

Here are 

9 Things To Remember 

when stopping at the market 

this year. 

1. No Pets Please. 

2. Wear A Mask. 

3. Send One Person To Shop. 

4. Stay 6 Feet Apart. 

5. Use Hand Sanitizer Often. 

6. Wash Hands Often. 

7. Don’t Touch Food or 

Products. 

8. Wash Produce. 

9. Please Shop & Exit. 

Plan your trip to the market by 

making a list of products you need 

and by watching our Facebook Page 

to see what vendors will be at the 

Market that day. 

Reach out to vendors directly to see

Volunteering for Success in the Outdoors 

By Olivia Parks 

Volunteering outdoors is a great way to spend 

your time helping your community and cleaning 

up the Earth. Being lucky enough to have good 

jobs, friendly neighborhoods, and loving families 

results in the feeling of a secluded daily routine. Along 

with Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center and Woodbury 

County Conservation Board, there are many different 

volunteer groups and organizations that will 

appreciate everything you have to offer and help you 

create new connections with people who have similar 

interests. Give back and appreciate what you have 

in your environment by volunteering at community 

events, cleaning up after activities, and other local 

opportunities in your neighborhood. Volunteers 

protect the beautiful natural places we love and gain 

the experience and expertise to help support the 

missions of the locations they aide. 

Siouxland Magazine | Explore / 49 

Here in Siouxland, we have many different 

opportunities to volunteer, and volunteers can provide 

unique talents to those organizations in need. Even if it 

feels difficult to find a place to volunteer that will share 

your interest, there is a fit! The first step to starting your 

volunteering path is to determine what you want to do 

while volunteering and what skills you can provide to a 

location. Next, try to identify where those desires and 

skills are applicable. By reaching out to those different 

groups you can set up opportunities with them that 

support your interests and benefit the community and 

organization. If you are not sure what opportunities 

exist, a great resource is a group called Volunteer 

Siouxland. Volunteer Siouxland is involved with many 

different agencies found in the Siouxland area. You 

can explore agencies and reach out through Volunteer 

Siouxland’s website at www.volunteersiouxland.com. 

Volunteering can boost your mental health by 

providing a healthy escape and building social support. 

Volunteering provides escape from destructive 

habits and increases motivation by providing a sense 

of accomplishment and usefulness from sharing 

your skills with others. Feelings of usefulness and 

accomplishment reduce stress, fight depression, 

increase confidence, and give a sense of purpose. 

Whether volunteering with seniors, children, animals, 

or natural disaster victims, doing what is needed 

will expand your mind, perspective, and worldview 

through growing your compassion for others. Humans 

also have social needs. While getting out into your 

community, you can volunteer at a location that would 

cause you to meet many other like-minded people 

who have similar interests to you. Meeting these 

people through volunteering prevents feeling isolated 

and ignites a passion for your efforts to help your 

community. 

We have one of the Nature Center’s Junior Volunteers 

helping campers with activities at the playscape. 

The experience that is gained from volunteering provides 

a great advantage when searching for a career. Not only 

are you gaining more advanced skills, but you are also 

gaining experiences that many companies are searching 

for in new hires. Additionally, volunteering is a networking 

opportunity. You will also interact with a new group of 

people, whether it is staff or other volunteers, which 

will expand your network and provides connections 

to opportunities, mentors, and references that you can 

look back on when job searching in the future. Finally, 

volunteering will help you understand yourself. You will 

learn more about your skills, accomplishments, interests, 

and values, while also learning to be confident in yourself. 

As you learn your strengths and build new skills, you will 

create a foundation of career success and confidence in 

your potential. 

Siouxland has many opportunities to volunteer, and with 

variety comes the opportunity to find the perfect fit for your 

interest and skills. Volunteering increases mental health 

through healthy escape and social ties. Volunteering is 

also valuable because it creates frameworks for success by 

building skills, networks, as well as igniting passions and 

illuminating ways to make those passions careers. Best of 

all, people of all ages can volunteer. Be sure to get involved, 

get outside, and explore the opportunities available to you 

in your community. 

Olivia Parks, AmeriCorps 4-H Environmental Education 

Naturalist, Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. 

Photo Contributed By Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center

enjoy 

You only live once. 

Wheelhouse Bar & Grill 

Resilient Siouxland Restaurants 

Siouxland restaurants and patrons rose to the COVID-19 challenge 

By Kolby DeWitt 

The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t left a single 

aspect of life uninterrupted. The first event of its kind 

in at least 100 years, humanity has yet again met a force 

of nature that it has been compelled to bend to (at least 

in the near and foreseeable term). 

Perhaps the hardest hit sector is one close to me, and all 

reading this column: the restaurant and service industries. 

Iowa restaurants were given a mere two hours’ notice 

that they were to close at noon on Tuesday, March 17th. 

Although expected at some point, many owners and 

workers were taken by surprise at the announcement, 

which came on the heels of the announcement of the 

suspension of the school year. With the service and small 

business economy already facing issues (i.e. workforce 

shortage stemming from low unemployment, high food 

prices, etc.), the pendulum swung even harder in the other 

direction in the form of heightened health regulations, a 

hindered supply chain, plummeting demand, and much 

more. 

However, Siouxland is often noted for her resiliency: 

restaurants found many ways to survive. Establishments 

whose business models that relied on heavier carryout 

and delivery volumes were unwittingly insulated from 

the worst of COVID-19. Milwaukee Weiner House, a 

Siouxland stalwart, found success in selling “family packs,” 

which allowed their faithful to purchase the ingredients 

and enjoy Coney dogs and chili from the trappings of 

self-quarantine. 

Wheelhouse Bar and Grill switched to a carryout model, 

and was also among the first restaurants to reopen. “The 

public has been very supportive…We had a framework 

in place to quickly accommodate carry-out and we 

modified it as necessary. Since opening back up to 100% 

capacity, the public and staff have been very responsible 

about following recommendations,” said Wheelhouse 

Bar and Grill owner Dr. Ben Uhl. He continued “We are 

almost back to expected normal business.” 

Sneaky’s Chicken

have fun 

entertainment 

culture 

gather 

relax 

Others took the initiative to remain open, but on a lesser 

basis: Sneaky’s Chicken, who’s owner Dave Ferris was 

mentioned and praised by Governor Kim Reynolds 

during her May 12th press conference, reduced hours 

and occasionally closed to adjust to the low volume. 

“The last three months, without a doubt, have been the 

most difficult of times I have endured in 45 years of being 

in business!” exclaimed Ferris, who noted that Sneaky’s 

Chicken’s adjustments were out of concern for the health 

security of his valued customers. 

Many eateries took the time close, take stock, and 

accomplish other goals: The Golden Pheasant in 

Remsen took time to continue to spruce up their 

location, including reupholstering their booths. “When 

the shutdown first happened, we had to change up our 

operation to accommodate to-go orders. We have always 

offered to-go, but not to this volume...we were able to 

get a lot of things done that we were not able to do when 

we first bought the place. We finished repainting the 

dining rooms and even remodeled the bar,” said Golden 

Pheasant owner Tom Ahlers. 

Navarette’s on Highway 75 took time to conduct a deep 

clean, and repaint areas. They continued to sell carryout 

and “take and bake” platters, and were slow to reopen 

widely out of abundance of caution for their employees. 

Users of social media also rallied to patronize their 

favorite restaurants to help them stay afloat during the 

uncertain times: “Siouxland Local Eats is a Facebook 

group designed to highlight local food in the Sioux 

City area. Originally created to help restaurants survive 

during the COVID-19 pandemic, Siouxland Local Eats 

continues to serve as a place of discovery for those 

looking for great local food and beverage options!” 

said Andy Boesch in the description of Siouxland Local 

Eats, as Administrator of a group boasting 23,579 

members. Boesch added “I definitely would give credit 

to our community! We provided a way to support local 

restaurants and everyone showed up big time! (We) 

couldn’t have done it without everyone posting, sharing, 

and most of all being intentional about supporting local.” 

To continue the theme of “taking stock” and changing, 

this will be my final regular feature for Siouxland 

Magazine’s cuisine section. The opportunity to eat my 

way across the region granted to me by owner/editor 

Stacie Anderson (and previously by Susan Fey and Becca 

Feauto) has been spectacular! I’ve had the privilege to 

draft more than 20 articles about area titans (like Sneaky’s 

Chicken and SoHo) and others that I desperately wish had 

hung on (such as House of Q and Charlie’s). Siouxland 

Magazine is as robust as ever, and I’m grateful to have 

had a small role for the past 10 years and look forward to 

its promising future! 

Kolby Dewitt, writer for Siouxland Magazine since 2010, 

who enjoys the delicious perks of writing about local food. 

Photos Contributed By Individual Restaurants.

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy /52 

A La Mode’s creatively colorful displays. 

The Age of Ageless Fashion 

By Erika Hanson 

Q: I’m in my mid-40s, and wondering what sorts 

of age-appropriate looks I should go for this fall? 

– Lisa G. 

Let’s start with a proclamation: Age-appropriate is dead. 

I am 46 years old. Ann B. Davis, who played Alice on the 

Brady Bunch, was only 43 when the series began. And yet, 

she was portrayed as the aging spinster, piling masks and 

creams on her face at night in a desperate effort to remain 

young-looking to further her undying efforts to snag a 

husband. 

I don’t know about you, but I have exactly zero friends who 

behave this way. 

Register to 

Appear in 

Upcoming 

Issue. 

thing? Why bother with pants that require zipping when we 

have elastic waists? 

This fall looks different in more ways than we can count. But 

it doesn’t mean we can’t treat ourselves to personal luxuries 

that lift our spirits, no matter our age. There are a few trends 

that I’m planning on leaving out of my autumn rotation. For 

example – no strapless tops for me (when you wear them on 

video calls, it looks like you’re naked). But there are a few 

key pieces that are 

easy for anyone to 

incorporate into their 

wardrobe. And here 

are a few local spots 

to find them. 

We are on the brink of the anti-aging execution. And 

that’s great news for females of all ages. Because whether 

you’re 20 or 70, it’s a shift in the expectations that have 

been placed on women for years. It means a new level 

of freedom in expressing your true self through outward 

appearance - whatever that means to you. 

And what better time to experiment with your own personal 

style than during the season that’s traditionally ripe with 

the most exciting fashion options of the year? 

I’m talking about fall (of course). This year is, well, odd. Are 

we ever going back to the office? Is back-to-school even a 

Chocolate brown 

appears to be the 

quickest way to 

update your look 

with color and is a 

shade that knows 

no age limit. Deep 

brown can be paired 

with most other hues 

in your wardrobe 

and looks rich when 

done in silky fabrics 

and chunky textures. 

Find a wide selection of shoes at 

A La Mode.

Versona, located at Lakeport Commons in Sioux City, 

has a great selection of chocolate brown tops, dresses, 

and accessories that are versatile enough to take you 

from end-of-summer to beginning-of-fall. Try it paired 

with unexpected shades like light blue and pink, or more 

traditional combos like ivory or camel. 

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 53 

Patchwork is an emerging trend in 2020 Fall Fashion. 

a geometric patterned t-shirt, or add to a tailored skirt, and 

you’ll have two more on-point looks to jazz up your season. 

Fall colors and styles are everywhere at A La Mode. 

Plaids that border on punk are hot right now, and I hit the 

jackpot at Rue 21, located at Southern Hills Mall (by the 

way - you don’t have to be 21 to shop here). Check out the 

killer selection of plaid pants in all color combinations, and 

the cute little red and black plaid dress that can look casual 

with sneaks, or dressy with a blazer. With a wide range of 

sizes available, this is a great spot for playing with trends 

without investing tons of cash. And if you think you’re too 

old for this look, channel your inner Debbie Harry (there is 

no cooler 75-year-old on the planet). 

Victorian-era looks were back on the Fall 2020 runways, 

and what an amazing way to look posh from the waist 

up for those non-stop video calls. Bohme at Sioux City’s 

Southern Hills Mall is the spot for Victorian blouses and 

dresses that will add elegance to an at-home or in-office 

workday. High necks, lace, and ruffled sleeves are details 

to look for. For those of an age afraid to be mistaken for 

the Queen of England – never fear. Just pair your frills with 

jeans and simple accessories and rule your kingdom in 

style. 

Oversize blazers are still a big trend, and a fabulous way 

to add a chic, undone feel to your look. Kohl’s at Lakeport 

Commons in Sioux City is like hitting the blazer jackpot. 

There are so many colors and sizes to choose from that 

you will have no problem finding one that’s perfect for 

you. A blazer can be paired with other trendy options to 

give your wardrobe even more versatility. Throw one over 

And check out patchwork for a fun boho variation to 

otherwise standard wardrobe essentials. A La Mode at 

Lakeport Commons is a locally owned boutique, and you 

can find some great options here, including a fabulous 

lightweight blue button-down with patchwork sides. Once 

again, this is a look that can be incorporated into anyone’s 

wardrobe, regardless of age, and can be paired with 

tailored staples or more casual pairings. 

As the designer Marc Jacobs once said, “Clothes mean 

nothing until someone lives in them.” Real style is about 

feeling like the most authentic version of yourself, feeling 

comfortable in how your inner beauty is projected outward, 

using fashion to instantly communicate who you are to the 

rest of the world. And age has nothing to do with it. 

Have a style challenge? Email Erika 

at KingsFromAsh@gmail.com with a short 

description (include a selfie if you’d like!) 

and you could appear in an upcoming issue! 

Erika Hansen, a lifelong Siouxland resident, model, mom, 

and community volunteer. Curious about exploring the 

connection between outward appearances and inner 

power, Erika is passionate about making fashion fun, and 

fostering a spirit of inclusion with no limits on age or body 

type. You can find more of Erika’s love of style, and her 

modeling journey, on Instagram: @kings_from_ash. 

Photo Credit Britton Hacke Photography.

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy /54 

LE MARS 

Ice Cream Capital of the World 

IOWA 

(712) 546-6416 

10 Central Avenue NE 

Le Mars, IA 51031 

www.claussensonline.com 

urban-eclectic home décor 

vintage nds nds • unique gifts 

cards • • custom framing 

jennifer scholten 

manager 

manager 

15 central ave sw 

15 

le 

central 

mars, ia 

ave 

51031 

sw 

le mars, ia 51031 

712.548.4447 

jobasgifts@frontier.com 

712.548.4447 



vintage nds • unique gifts 

cards • custom framing 


vintage nds • unique gifts 


manager 


15 central manager ave sw 

le 15 mars, central ia ave 51031 sw 

le mars, ia 51031 

712.548.4447 


712.548.4447 


jobasdecor.com 

cards • custom framing 

The Willow Creek Campgrounds are completely 

done! Starting in 2016 as part of the Community 

Betterment Projects, Le Mars looked to restore 

Municipal Park back to its glory days of the 1950’s 

and 60’s and that included the campgrounds. 

Work began that spring with the draining and 

filling of the south pond for additional camping 

space and has now more than doubled in capacity 

and boasts 67 sites. Campers have access to 

all the park facilities which includes the newly 

renovated restrooms/showers, swimming beach, 

3.6-acre spring fed pond, two floating docks, sand 

volleyball, pickleball courts, playground, picnic 

shelters and a 10-mile recreation trail. The DNR 

has also stocked the pond so people can enjoy 

fishing, but only as catch and release for now. 

Another important part of the renovations was 

the camp office/store which is located at the 

west park entrance in a house that was used by 

the park superintendent years ago. It is one of 

several structures constructed by the WPA in 

1937. It is now used by the onsite camp hosts 

and has everything a camper might need like 

firewood, bait, ice, candy, snacks, and fun items 

for children - all from local vendors. Certain 

100 Plymouth St West 

Le Mars, IA 51031 

712.541.6606 

128 Central Ave SE | 712.546.4195 

LeMarsBeautyCollege.com

Siouxland Magazine | Enjoy / 55 

weekends throughout the summer you can enjoy 

an outdoor movie projected on a giant inflatable 

screen next to the firepit on the office lawn – just 

bring your lawn chairs! 

New this year is the addition of water “toys” for 

rent. There are (6) single person kayaks, a 5-seat 

paddle boat and a 3-seat paddle boat available 

not only to our campers but also the public who 

comes to enjoy the pond here at Willow Creek. 

Also, this summer we were fortunate enough 

to receive a donation of a life jacket station 

and 40 life jackets from UnityPoint Health – St. 

Luke’s Emergency Department and St. Luke’s 

Children’s Miracle Network of Sioux City. The life 

jackets, which range from infant to adult sizes, are 

available for anyone swimming at the park pond. 

What are you 

hungry for? 

Order Online. 

www.pspizzahouse.hungerrush.com 

The Le Mars Municipal Park and Willow Creek 

Campground was a booming and vibrant 

recreation area for individuals and families 

during the mid-century period and beyond. We 

are so proud of the work that has been done to 

bring it back to life. People traveled near and far, 

and now do again, to enjoy this quaint historic 

area along Willow Creek that Le Mars has to offer. 

Shop the new online marketplace today at: 

https://northwestiowa.shopwhereilive.com/ 

Additional businesses and products will 

continue to be added, so stop back often. 

ProLink 

Julie Hurt ABR, CRS 

REALTOR 

Century 21 ProLink 

41 Central Avenue NW 

LeMars, IA. 51031 

Cell: 712.540.7757 

Office: 712.546.6833 

Web: www.juliehurtc21.com 

Licensed in Iowa

Siouxland Magazine - Volume 2 Issue 5

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