Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Gov. Terry Branstad’s appointees to two state economic development boards – and their companies’ political committees – contributed more than $216,000 to his 2010 campaign.
Branstad on Monday announced 11 appointees to the Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress board and seven to the Iowa Innovation Corporation board. The boards are part of the state’s new economic development efforts, a public-private partnership approved by legislators earlier this year.
Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will co-chair the IPEP board. Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, will also sit on the board. The appointments are not subject to approval from the Iowa Senate.
The appointments include top executives at MidAmerican Energy, Principal Financial Group, Pioneer Hi-Bred and Rockwell Collins, among others.
The appointee that gave the most to Branstad is Toby Shine, the president of Shine Brothers Corporation, who shelled out $60,000 to the campaign. Close behind is John Smith, chairman of the board at CRST International, Inc., who gave $50,000.
Mary Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer Corporation, gave $40,000. She was also the chairwoman of the governor’s campaign. And Roger Underwood, co-founder of Becker-Underwood, gave $25,000.
The MidAmerican Energy Company Effective Government Committee gave $20,000; the Master Builders of Iowa PAC gave $20,000; and the Wells Fargo and Company Employee PAC gave $15,000.
Bill Fehrman, president and CEO of MidAmerican, is on the IPEP board; Scott Norvell, President and CEO of Master Builders of Iowa, is on the IIC board; and Cara Heiden, formerly of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, is on the IIC board as well.
Here are the members of the IPEP board, and how much they gave:
* Bill Fehrmann, President and CEO, MidAmerican Energy Company: none
The MidAmerican Energy Company Effective Government Committee: $20,000
* Paul Schickler III, President, Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business: $100
DuPont Good Government Fund: $1,500
* Larry Zimpleman, CEO, Principal Financial Group: none
Principal Life Insurance Company PAC: $5,000
* John Smith, Chairman of the Board, CRST International Inc.: $50,000
* Toby Shine, President, Shine Brothers Corporation: $60,000
* Mary Andringa, President and CEO, Vermeer Corporation: $40,000
* Marti Rodamaker, Banker, First Citizens National Bank: $2,500
* Ken Lockard, Chairman, Lockard Companies: none
* Tom Aller, President, Interstate Power and Light, Alliant Energy: $4,500
* Roger Underwood, Co-founder, Becker-Underwood: $25,000
* Clay Jones, Chairman, President and CEO, Rockwell Collins: none
Here are the members of the Iowa Innovation Corporation board, and how much they gave:
* Robert Riley, Jr., President and CEO, Feed Energy Co.: none
* Jamie Zanios, Vice President, North Iowa Area Community College: none
* Peter Hempken, retired, DuPont: none
* Scott Norvell, President and CEO, Master Builders of Iowa: none
Master Builders of Iowa PAC: $20,000
* Cara Heiden, retired, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Wells Fargo and Company Employee PAC: $15,000.
* Sarah Haskin, Vice President and Corporate Secretary, AY McDonald Manufacturing Company: none
* Chris Nelson, President and CEO, Kemin Industries Inc.: $7,500
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