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TAI announces the 2023 Iowa Technology Leadership Cohort

November 11, 2022

The Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) has announced the 2023 cohort for the Iowa Technology Leadership Institute.

Twenty-five candidates were accepted into the program and represent companies and organizations from industries and markets across the state.

“We are so excited to announce the 2023 cohort and build off the momentum and success of the program’s inaugural year in 2022,” said Technology Association of Iowa President Brian Waller. “Thank you to Involta, Iowa State’s Ivy School of Business, and Principal Financial Group for again stepping up and supporting this program that is critical in strengthening Iowa’s technology ecosystem.”

The Iowa Technology Leadership Institute develops tomorrow’s Iowa technology leaders through programming designed to fill gaps that technical education and experience can often neglect. In addition, the six-month program provides access to networking with peers and experienced executives across the industry.

Here is the Iowa Technology Leadership Institute 2023 Cohort:

DANIELLE BROMMER

Chief Growth Officer, Lean TECHniques

SCOTT BROTEN

IT Group Leader, CUNA Mutual Group

MITCH CRANDALL

Director, Data Solutions, Revology Health

PALLAVI DUKLE

Team Leader, Wellmark BCBS

TAMMI FOX

Director of Data Management, Care Initiatives

JASEN HEATON

Senior Director, Shared Services, Wells Enterprises

JACEY HEUER

Manager, Advanced Analytics, Pella Corporation

STEPHANIE KING

IT Manager – Finance, Life Care Services LLC

BRETT LEIGHTON

Director, Digital Risk Management, John Deere

RACHEL LUNSFORD

IT Administrator, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, State of Iowa

DEREK MARTIN

Director of IT Service Operations, Workiva

JAMIE MCNAUGHTON

Manager – Enterprise Technical Services, ITA Group

COREY MELHUS

Director of Information Sercurity, Fareway Stores

TRISTAN MORELAND

Director of Application Development, Homesteaders Life Company

FRANCIS MUSIGNAC

Asst Director Engineering, Principal Financial Group

NICK O’HARA

Head of Product, Agoro Carbon Alliance

JOEL SIMPSON

Technology Operations Director, EMC Insurance

KELLY STEINKAMP

Director of Application Engineering, Farm Bureau Financial Services

ALEISHA STEVENS

IT Business Analyst, Ruan Transporation Management Systems

JOHN UNSEN

Vice President of Systems, VGM Insurance Services

ZACH VALENTINE

Association Manager/Senior Software Artisan, Accenture

CRYSTAL WELLS

Manager, Tech Stack Archtecture, John Deere

KAYLA WINSTEAD

AVP, Project, Strategy & Planning, Hy-Vee

SAMUEL WOLF

Leader / Senior Information Security Engineer, Principal Financial Group

DAVID ZIEMANN

Senior Director of Software, GlobalVetLink

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TAI announces the 2023 Iowa Technology Leadership Cohort | Clay & Milk
A central Iowa ag-tech accelerator has secured more backers and finally has a name. The Greater Des Moines Partnership first announced the accelerator last year, naming four initial investors. On Monday, the Partnership said the program will be called the "Iowa AgriTech Accelerator" and named three new investors. The new investors include Grinnell Mutual, Kent Corp. and Sukup Manufacturing, all Iowa companies. They join investors Deere & Co., Peoples Co., Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Co. and DuPont Pioneer. Each investor has agreed to put up $100,000 for the first year of the accelerator. Startups entering the program will receive $40,000 in seed funding in exchange for 6 percent equity. Tej Dhawan, an angel investor and local startup mentor, is serving as interim director until the AgriTech Accelerator names a permanent leader. Dhawan held a similar role with the GIA before Brian Hemesath was named as managing director. As interim director, Dhawan said his main job includes hiring the accelerator's executive director, establishing a business structure and initial recruiting for the first cohort. The accelerator will place few filters, such as location and product, on the applicant pool, Dhawan said. "When you’re seeking innovation, innovation can come from every corner of the world so why restrict ourselves," he said. One area the the AgriTech Accelerator won't recruit from is biotech. For its first cohort, the AgriTech Accelerator will work out of the GIA's space in Des Moines' East Village, Dhawan said. A future, permanent home is still to be decided. The accelerator's program will host startups from mid-July through mid-October, ending with an event connected to the annual World Food Prize. The GIA, which the AgriTech Accelerator is based on, also ends with presentations at an industry event. The accelerator has also started lining up a mentor pool. The Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Pork Producers Association have agreed to provide mentors, as has Iowa State University. While the AgriTech Accelerator is loosely based off of the GIA, it will differ in its business structure, Dhawan said. The GIA runs through a for-profit model for both operations and its investment fund. The AgriTech Accelerator will have a nonprofit model for its operations and a for-profit setup for its fund. Dhawan said the nonprofit model is being used so the accelerator can better work with other nonprofit partners, such as trade associations. "These are all organizations that are nonprofits and can be amazing stakeholders without ever having to be investors in the accelerator," he said. "It becomes easier to work with trade associations in their nonprofit role when we are also a nonprofit." When it's up and running, the AgriTech Accelerator would be one of a handful of ag-focused startup development programs in Iowa. Others include the Ag Startup Engine out of Iowa State University and the Rural Ventures Alliance from Iowa MicroLoan. Matthew Patane is the managing editor and co-founder of Clay & Milk. Send him an email at mpatane@clayandmilk.com.
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