Robert D. Becker
President & CEO, Guaranty Bank & Trust
Robert D. Becker is Vice President & Treasurer of Diversity Focus and also serves on the Cultural Ambassador Committee. Robert’s professional roles include President & CEO of Guaranty Bank & Trust. Robert also owns In Tolerance, a precision contract manufacturer. He is also Vice President of related companies within Offices of Two Thirty, which owns and manages real estate investments throughout the country.
Robert previously served with National Semiconductor as a special project engineer, with responsibility for designing and constructing new semiconductor plants around the world. He holds a degree from Syracuse in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research and is a graduate of the University of Madison Graduate School of Banking, Advanced Program.
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Dr. David Benson
Superintendent, Cedar Rapids Community Schools
Dr. Dave Benson is Superintendent of the Cedar Rapids Community School District. The CRCSD, with 33 pre-12 schools, has an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students.
Dr. Benson joined the Cedar Rapids Community School District in July 2009 after serving for five years as superintendent in the Ladue School District in St. Louis, Missouri. He had previously served as superintendent of school districts in Kansas and Iowa. Benson earned his B.S. ED. and M.S. degrees from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS; an Ed. S. in school administration from Wichita State University in Wichita, KS; and a Ph.D in educational administration and Foundations from Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS.
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Marcella David
Professor of Law and International Studies, University of Iowa
On July 1, 2006 Marcella David became Special Assistant to the President for Equal Opportunity & Diversity and Associate Provost for Diversity overseeing the newly reorganized diversity efforts at the university, which combined oversight of the offices of Equal Opportunity and Diversity and the Center for Diversity & Enrichment. She earned a degree in computer and systems engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Before joining the faculty in 1995, her practical experiences included clerking for a federal judge and working as a litigation associate for a New York law firm. Professor David's primary area of scholarship is international law and human rights; she also teaches courses that draw on her litigation experiences. In service to the College of Law, Professor David served for five years as the director of an externally funded pre-law diversity program administered and hosted by the College of Law.
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Jim Friel
Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, ACT
Jim Friel serves as the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources with ACT. Prior to joining ACT, Friel worked seventeen years in public and private health care administration.
Friel holds a Bachelors degree from Briar Cliff University and an MBA from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
He currently serves on the Boards of Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Johnson County as well as Diversity Focus.
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Tim Gaillard
Associate Director & Chief Administrative Officer, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Timothy Gaillard moved to Iowa in 2004 after nine years with Palmetto Health in Columbia, South Carolina. He received a Masters of Health Administration from the University of South Carolina in 2003 and a Masters of Business Administration from Boston University in 1994. His undergraduate degree was earned at the University of South Carolina in 1986. Tim is a board member of Diversity Focus. In addition, he is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, and a member in the National Association of Healthcare Services Executives, Healthcare Financial Management Association, and the University HealthSystem Consortium. Tim also mentors students in Iowa City’s Academic Mentoring Program.
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Kathy Hall
CFRE, Vice President Resource Development, Kirkwood Community College
Kathy L. Hall was appointed Vice President, Resource Development for Kirkwood Community College in February of 2008. Prior to that appointment, she served as Vice President for the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation (GCRCF) from 2003 – 2008, during a period when foundation assets grew from $22 million to over $90 million. She served as Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Symphony (CRSO) from 1992 – 2003. During her tenure there, the CRSO launched the annual Freedom Festival concert, partnered with the City on the Paramount Theatre renovation, and acquired the adjacent building which became the Symphony Center. Her community activities include: member of the board of directors of the Cedar Rapids Symphony and the Eastern Iowa Association of Fundraising Professionals, a board member and past-president of the Eastern Iowa Planned Giving Council and a former state board member of Leave a Legacy Iowa, member of Downtown Rotary, and a past president of the Cedar Rapids Area Cultural Alliance.
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Kay Halloran
Mayor of Cedar Rapids
Kay Halloran, Mayor of Cedar Rapids since January 2, 2006, earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science in 1959 and her Juris Doctor in 1974, both from the University of Iowa. When Kay began her practice of law in 1974 she was the first woman attorney to enter private practice in Cedar Rapids. Kay served five terms in the Iowa General Assembly from 1983 to 1992. During her tenure in the Iowa House of Representatives, Kay served as chair of the rules and administration committee; vice-chair of the ways and means, judiciary and ethics committees; on the commerce committee; and on the legislative council.
After accepting a position in1999 with the Iowa Commerce Department Kay was honored as a Toll Fellow by the Council of State Governments and was selected as a 1995 Woman of the Year in the Linn County community by a coalition of women’s organizations. She also trained as a mediator with Endispute in Boston and studied at the Kennedy School of Government in the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government. She was invited and participated in a seminar for new mayors at the Kennedy School.
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Ron Kirchenbauer
Senior Vice President Human Resources & Corporate Officer, Rockwell Collins
Kirchenbauer is responsible for global human resources including Compensation and Benefits, Organization Development and Training, Employee and Labor Relations, Human Resources Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Human Resources Delivery and Lean, Regional Human Resources and Security. Ron was named to the position in April 2003. Kirchenbauer has extensive senior leadership experience in corporate human resources, which includes more than 25 years in the human resources field including significant international experience.
Kirchenbauer is a native of Dallas, Texas and holds a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from Tarleton State University.
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Christopher Lindell
Chief Operating Officer, EVP, Guaranty Bank & Trust
Christopher J. Lindell is Chief Operating Officer, EVP, of Guaranty Bank & Trust. He has been with the bank since 2009. Prior to Guaranty, Lindell was an executive with Alliant Energy. He holds a Bachelor of Science, Computer Science (1981) and a Masters of Business Administration (1989) both from the University of Iowa.
Lindell also serves on the St. Luke’s Board; Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Board; and the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Board of Trustees. Chris is president of both Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids West and St. Mark's Lutheran Church.
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Shannon Meyer
President& CEO, Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Shannon Meyer joined the Cedar Rapids Chamber in late 2008. Previously the CEO of the Mebourne, FL Chamber and of the Twin Cities North Chamber in Moundview, MN, she brings both expertise and energy to Cedar Rapids.
With eight years of executive experience in two Chambers, Meyer’s advocacy experience includes representing private business, forming and leading a business Political Action Committee and increasing membership and participation in both Chambers by double digits. Meyer is also a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 – a group consisting of the top 100 chamber executives in the country.
A native Midwesterner, she has performed in increasingly responsible positions throughout her career and is looking forward to returning to the Midwest to assist in recovery efforts from the devastating floods of 2008, says Brad Hart, Chair of the CEO Search Committee. During her tenure as CEO of the Melbourne-Palm Bay Chamber, Meyer also assisted in hurricane recovery efforts.
Meyer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communications and Business from the University of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
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Michelle Niermann
Vice President Operational Effectiveness, St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids
Michelle Niermann is responsible for strategic planning, marketing communication, human resources and governance effectiveness. Michelle facilitates the hospital's Breaking Out of the Pack Teams, which are designed to improve both patient and associate satisfaction and has been a key contributor to the hospital's attainment of the Iowa Recognition for Performance Excellence Silver Award.
Michelle joined St. Luke's in 1994 as Administrative Fellow after receiving her master's degree in hospital administration from the University of Iowa. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. In 2007, she was the first woman to receive the Iowa Hospital Association's Young Executive Achievement Award and was named one of the Corridor Business Journal's Forty Under 40 in 2006.
Michelle also serves on the Waypoint Board of Directors, the University of Iowa Health Management and Policy Alumni Board and participates as a lunch buddy through Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
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Sister Susan O'Connor
Vice President of Mission Integration, Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids
Sister Susan O’Connor has held the position of Vice President of Mission Integration for Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids since 2004. She is a native of Waterloo, Iowa and holds a BA from Mount Mercy College, an MSW from St. Louis University, and an MA in Health Care Mission from Aquinas Institute of Theology. She spent many years as a medical social worker prior to serving in leadership positions for the Cedar Rapids Sisters of Mercy. She has served on the Diversity Focus Board since September 2007. Other current board memberships include: Witwer Center, Meth-wick, Waypoint, Healthy Linn Care Network, Mercy Medical Center in Mason City, and the Board of Ethics for the City of Cedar Rapids. She is also currently the chair for the Diversity Task Force at Mercy Medical Center.
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Ruth White
Retired Educator, Former Director, Iowa Department of Human Rights
After more than thirty years of teaching in the Cedar Rapids schools, Dr. Ruth White retired from Washington High School in Cedar Rapids. Dr. White also developed The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success, a summer program for African American high school students and TAP (Toward Advanced Placement), a curricular choice for minority students which encourages students with untapped potential toward enrollment in AP classes.
Following retirement from teaching in 2000, Dr. White accepted an invitation to head the Commission on the Status of African Americans, a division of the Iowa Department of Human Rights. Within six months Dr. White was promoted to Director of the Iowa Department of Human Rights. Dr. White has since retired from the Directorship and has been involved in Cultural Competence training as an independent consultant. Learning never stops for Dr. White whose mantra is "Education Is the Key."
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Benita Wolff
Associate Dean for Diversity Programs of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.
In this position, she advises the collegiate leadership and develops strategies for the recruitment and retention of a diverse medical faculty, staff, and student body. Among other duties, she also ensures that the college’s diversity programs are aligned with collegiate and University strategic plans; collaborates with the college’s academic departments, centers, and other units to create and evaluate diversity initiatives; develops educational and training sessions for faculty, staff, and students to ensure culturally competent working and learning environments; and participates in local, state, and national efforts to increase diversity in the health care profession.
Ms. Wolff has spent her career in higher education administration, specializing in issues related to diversity, recruitment and retention, and student affairs, most recently managing diversity and community outreach programs for the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Prior to that position, she served as director of graduate recruitment for the University of Arkansas Graduate School in Fayetteville and held administrative positions at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio.
Ms. Wolff received a master’s degree in higher education administration at the University of Toledo and a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO
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