Our Mission
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area preserves and tells the story of American agriculture and its global significance.
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area is one of 62 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is a member of the National Park Service National Heritage Area System. Through the development of a network of communities, businesses, sites, attractions, programs and events, SSNHA’s mission is to interpret farm life, agribusiness and rural communities-past and present.
Leadership & Staff:
Guiding the Heritage Area
The groundwork for Silos & Smokestacks began in 1991 with a vision to preserve and share Iowa’s agricultural heritage while attracting visitors to the Cedar Valley. In 1996, it became a National Heritage Area. Since then, Silos & Smokestacks has worked to connect people with the story of American agriculture and the Iowa communities that helped shape it.
Meet the dedicated group who are responsible for directing the programs and activities of the Heritage Area Coordinating Entity:
Staff
Partnership Panel
Board
Candy Welch-Streed
Managing Director
For more than 30 years, Candy Welch-Streed has helped shape the story of agriculture in Iowa. As Managing Director of Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, she brings decades of experience in heritage development, partnership-building, and connecting communities to the places and stories that define them. Candy began her career with Silos & Smokestacks in 1994 through AmeriCorps and has dedicated her career to preserving and telling the story of American agriculture and its global significance.
Laura Elfters
Program Director
Growing up on a family farm and currently involved in the farming operation, Laura Elfers can assist you in discovering the many agriculture stories you can tell at your site. Working in the county government environment for over ten years, she can help navigate your obstacles. However if you are needing help with brochures, exhibits, interpretive panels, gathering volunteer support, or how to make your site attractive to educators, her fourteen years of experience will be able to guide you.
Jori Wade-Booth
Marketing & Communications Director
Jori Wade-Booth has nearly 20 years experience in communications, public relations, publishing, product development, graphic design and fundraising. Formerly, Jori served as Public Affairs Coordinator for University of Northern Iowa Museums where she was responsible for planning and executing media relations, public programming and promoting featured exhibits.
Calvin Ver Mulm
Director of
Development
Development
Calvin Ver Mulm grew up in northwest Iowa in a small farming community where agriculture shaped daily life, and nearly everyone was connected in some way to the land. As a young teenager, he spent summers walking beans and helping friends with chores such as milking cows when their families needed extra support. Those early experiences instilled in him a deep appreciation for Iowa’s agricultural roots.
The Partnership Panel directs the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area Partner Site Designation Program, including ongoing evaluation of Partner Sites. The panel also serves as the review committee for all grant programs and advises staff on other important Heritage Area projects.
Mike Cook
SSNHA Board of Trustees
Henry Corbin
SSNHA Board of Trustees
Kevin Steffens
SSNHA Board of Trustees
Rick Woten
SSNHA Board of Trustees
Kevin Howe
SSNHA Board of Trustees
Valerie Plagge
SSNHA Board of Trustees
Christine Happ Olson
Assistant Planner for City of Dubuque, Dubuque, IA
Mark Hotvedt
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Maquoketa, IA
Amanda Schwartz
National Farm Toy Museum, Dyersville, IA
The Board of Trustees includes representatives from throughout the region and beyond who provide oversight and management for Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area.
Executive Committee
Rick Woten, Chair
History and American Government Professor at Purdue Global University, Des Moines, IA
Henry Corbin, Vice Chair
PreAward Coordinator, ISU; Nevada, IA
Pam Wright, Secretary
Retired, Former Director of Business & Comm Outreach & Gov’t Relations at Hawkeye Community College; Waterloo, IA
Gail Carter, Treasurer
Retired, Former CPA at Adams Evenson & Co; Waterloo, IA
Kevin Blanshan, Past Chair
Retired, Former Executive Director for INRCOG; Waterloo, IA
Trustees
Mike Cook
Retired; Former John Deere Management; Waterloo, IA
Dennis Goering
Owner/President, DHG Productions, Inc; Des Moines, IA
Andrew Klump
Education Team Manager, State Historical Society of Iowa; Des Moines, IA
Kevin Steffens
Retired, Former Dairy Inspector at IDALS; Maynard, IA
Kevin Howe
Retired, Former Asst. Director Workplace Benefits for Principal Financial Group; Johnston, IA
Valerie Plagge
Farmer, Co-Owner VIP Farms; Latimer, IA
Barb Lykins
Retired, Former Community Resources Director for Iowa Farm Bureau; Clive, IA
Larry Shover
President, Shodel Inc; Delhi, IA
Dan Roling
Retired, Former Director of Managed IT, Bergan KDV/Creative Planning; CEDAR FALLS, IA
Our Heritage Area Network
Northeast Iowa has a unique experience to offer all age groups of visitors and Iowans. The non-profit Silos & Smokestacks organization was created to support development of regional heritage tourism and share the story of American agriculture.
Silos & Smokestacks is a 37-county region in Northeast Iowa covering over 20,000 square miles. A federally designated National Heritage Area, it functions as a member of the National Park Service National Heritage Area System. Silos & Smokestacks is the connecting element of this regional partnership network. The attractions, sites, and communities are key partners in developing the Heritage Area.
National Heritage Areas: Preserving America’s Cultural Landscapes
A National Heritage Area is a region that has been recognized by the United States Congress for its unique qualities and resources. It is a place where a combination of natural, cultural, historic and recreational resources have shaped a cohesive, nationally distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography. National Heritage Areas are representative of the national experience through the physical features that remain and the traditions that have evolved in the areas.
The Alliance of National Heritage Areas
The Alliance of National Heritage Areas is a membership organization comprised of national heritage areas and partners that support and practice sustainable heritage development. The ANHA’s activities enhance the efforts of individual Congressionally designated areas and promote the heritage development movement in America.
The Alliance advocates, facilitates and celebrates excellence in cooperative initiatives that:
- Enhance quality of life for citizens and their communities
- Attract cultural heritage tourists to communities
- Provide distinguished examples of sustainable heritage development for the nation.
Careers & Internships
There are no positions open at this time.