Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees includes representatives from throughout the region and beyond who provide oversight and management for Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area.

Steve Firman, Chair

CEO, Pharmacy Marketing Group &

Director of Government Affairs-Lobbyist, Grow Cedar Valley, Cedar Falls, IA

Kevin Blanshan, Vice Chair

Executive Director, INRCOG,

Ray Steffens, Secretary

Farmer, West Union, IA

Gail Carter, Treasurer

Retired CPA, Waterloo, IA

Glen Keppy, Past Chair

Retired Farmer, Eldridge, IA


Casey Anderson
Director of Industry Relations, Iowa Beef Industry Council, Eldora, IA
Michael Cook

Adjunct professor at Hawkeye Community college, Waterloo, IA

Keely Coppess

Communications Director, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship, Des Moines, IA

Jeff Frost

Executive Director of Professional Technical Education – Waterloo Schools, Waterloo, IA

John Frazier

Owner, Frazier Tree Nursery, Vinton, IA

Chris Happ Olson

Assistant Planner for the City of Dubuque, Dubuque, IA

Carolann Jensen

Iowa Board of Regents, State Relations Officer for Iowa State University, Bondurant, IA

Terry Johnston

Director of Sales & Dealer Development, AG LOGIC, Parkersburg, IA

Kellie Lasack

Roan Marketing, Oxford Junction, IA

Barb Lykins

Retired Community Resources Director for Iowa Farm Bureau, Clive, I

Paula Mohr

Architectural Historian, Ames, IA

Emily Staudacher

Lawyer, Winterset, IA