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Visit Iowa Farms - Becoming a Destination Conference Speakers

Pat Boddy
Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Pat Boddy is Deputy Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR manages 425,000 acres of public land including 84 parks, 450 wildlife areas, 275 lakes and 10 state forests, while providing recreational opportunities to 755,000 licensed hunters, anglers and boaters, plus millions of other outdoor enthusiasts. The DNR also works to protect Iowa’s water, air and land through numerous environmental protection programs. Previously, Boddy served as director of Polk County Conservation. Boddy has an extended history as an award-winning communications professional, and owned her own communications research and production business for 15 years. She is a licensed engineer with B.S. and M.S. degrees from Iowa State in Agricultural Engineering and Water Resources. Boddy also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She resides in Urbandale with her husband of 33 years, Rob Davis, and has two children.


Jeff and Jill Burkhart
Picket Fence Creamery
Woodward, IA 50276
http://picketfencecreamery.net  

Jeff, Jill, Jenna and James Burkhart own and operate a chemical-free, 80-acre, 80-cow grass-based dairy farm, bottling plant, and retail store located just off Highway 141 at exit 138 near Woodward. The Burkhart's have milked cows for 28 years, with the on-site creamery in its sixth year. Products include vat pasteurized, non-homogenized skim, 2%, and whole milk, heavy whipping cream, butter, white cheddar cheese curds, and 33 flavors of ice cream. The store also features the Burkhart's own beef and pork, and local chicken, eggs, buffalo, lamb, elk, goat, baked goods, jams, noodles, salsas, Iowa wines, Pella bologna and fresh baked goods, and other foods from 90 Iowa families! The retail store markets about 30% of the milk products; the rest are delivered to 20 locations within 30 miles of the farm. The business has seven employees, having just added another full-time position last month.
Neither Jeff nor Jill grew up on a dairy farm. They each now clock in 80-90 hours a week to make their dreams come true!


Sharon Dixon
Inbound Iowa, LLC 
Urbandale, IA 50322-7400 
www.inboundiowa.com  

After a twenty-five year career in direct sales and management of sales people, Sharon Dixon chose to follow her passion and enter the travel field. In 2002, she joined the staff of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau as a Tourism Sales Representative. Sharon traveled throughout the United States and Canada to represent Des Moines at national group travel conventions such as NTA, ABA, Bank Travel and Heritage Club International.

In 2005, Sharon became a private business owner; a receptive operator with a vision to promote Iowa through group travel. She specializes in creating, planning and implementing memorable Iowa itineraries for travel organizers and tour operators. She also gives tours of Greater Des Moines and Central Iowa, works with a variety of talented people to provide entertainment for any occasion, works with corporations to plan seminars and spouse tours. Sharon also works with communities to help them promote and make ready their communities for motor coach and leisure travelers.

Sharon Dixon is the current President of the Central Iowa Tourism Region, mentors interns and serves on the Advisory Board of the Travel School at the American Institute of Business. Sharon is a member of the Central Iowa Tourism Region, the Iowa Group Travel Association, the Greater Des Moines Partnership and the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau.



Vicki Elscott
Iowa Department of Transportation
Office of Traffic & Safety
Ames, IA 50010
www.iowaroadsigns.com  

Vicki Elscott is a Right of Way Agent at the Iowa Department of Transportation, Office of Traffic & Safety in the Advertising Management Section in Ames, IA. Advertising Management is a section within the Iowa Department of Transportation which administers the control of Outdoor Advertising Devices, LOGO signing, Tourist Oriented Directional Signing (TODS), Private Directional, Church, Service Club, Official City and County Signing along State and Federal Highways within the State of Iowa. Vicki is responsible for administering the LOGO signing program and is proficient in the other signing programs within the Advertising Management section. She has been at the Iowa Department of Transportation since 2002.



Julie Fisher
The Inn of the Six-Toed Cat
Allerton, IA 50008 
www.6toedcat.com  

Julie Fisher was raised in Illinois. She holds an Associate of Art Degree from Rock Valley Community College and has attended Rockford College and Western Illinois University. Her background includes ten years of medical billing, three years as Religious Education Coordinator at St. James Church in Rockford and nine years as a Girl Scout Leader. It was during her years as a Girl Scout Leader and Religious Education Coordinator that she discovered her talent for planning and executing group events.

In 2003, Julie, her husband, Scott, and their daughter, Ashley, purchased The Inn of the Six-Toed Cat and moved to Allerton, Iowa. After two months of renovating, they opened their bed & breakfast. In the past five years they have worked hard at and watched their business grow. Julie joined Central Iowa Tourism Region and served as a board member for one year. She is also a member of the Iowa Bed & Breakfast Guild, has served on the board of The Historic Round Barn Site in Allerton, has been a tourism committee member for South Central Iowa Area Partnership and has been a guest Chef at the Iowa State Fair for the past five years.

Since opening their small business, Julie has become active in Iowa tourism. She joins us today to share her experiences and explain some of the benefits of joining the state tourism regions.


Joe Knobbe
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area
Decorah, IA 52101 

A life-long Iowan, Joe Knobbe has been involved in tourism promotion since 1993. Clients he has assisted include The Iowa Tourism Office, Poweshiek Area Development, Greene County Economic Development, Indian Hills Regional Development, Winneshiek County Convention & Visitors Bureau among others. Since 2005, Joe has been involved in rural development and assisting agritourism sites and destinations as Group Tour Consultant with the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area.

His services include developing rural attractions that demonstrate the interconnectedness of all life, advising and consulting with museum management and staff, holding workshops for stakeholders, developing interpretation and guiding you towards a successful and sustainable project to develop your organization’s natural resources.


Marsha Laux
ISU Value Added Ag Program
Ames, IA 50011  
www.iavaap.org  

Marsha Laux is a Program Coordinator with Iowa State University’s Value-added Agriculture Program and the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, (www.agmrc.org, an ISU collaborative with Kansas State University and the University of California, located at ISU, which is an electronic national resource for producers interested in value-added agricultural businesses.) Current employment duties involve providing technical assistance to agricultural producers, market research, outreach and education of value-added agriculture topics, program coordination and grant-writing.

Laux has production agriculture experience and has previously served as Jefferson County Rural Action coordinator and Iowa Wesleyan College Associate Director of Continuing Education. In addition, she has provided training and education programs in business and industry as well as to agricultural producers. Laux holds numerous committee memberships and is state administrator for the NxLeveL business planning program. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Iowa Wesleyan College, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Agriculture degree at Iowa State University.



Matt Russell
State Food Policy Project Coordinator
Drake University Agricultural Law Center 
Des Moines, IA 50311

Matt Russell is State Food Policy Project Coordinator at Drake Agricultural Law Center where he is responsible for projects relating to improving the opportunities in Iowa's food system and rural economy. He joined the Center staff in April 2006 and spent the first six months working as the Iowa Food Products Coordinator under a public-private partnership between Drake University and the office of Governor Tom Vilsack. Currently he serves as the Coordinator for the Des Moines Metro Buy Fresh Buy Local Campaign.

In addition to his work at Drake, he and a partner own and operate Coyote Run Farm, a 110 acre farm in rural Lacona. They grow and market chemical free produce and flowers, pasture poultry, beef, hay, and mules. Matt has been board chair of the Iowa Network for Community Agriculture and continues to serve on their board.

Before coming to Drake, Matt worked as an organizer for Iowa Citizen Action Network, a statewide consumer advocacy non-profit and for the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, an advocacy and educational organization promoting sustainable food systems and vibrant rural communities across Iowa and the nation, and around the world. Matt grew up on a family farm near Anita in Cass County, received his B.A. from Loras College in Dubuque, and studied for the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary in Illinois. In 2003 he earned an M.S. in Rural Sociology from Iowa State University, with a focus on community food systems.


John Pike
Extension Educator, Community & Economic Development

John Pike is an extension educator at the University of Illinois Extension. As an economic development educator in the Carbondale, Illinois, office, his major focus is on the areas of value-added agriculture, agritourism, marketing and general business development. Pike will address how agritourism is benefiting Illinois producers.


Steve Richardson
Tassel Ridge Winery
Leighton, IA 50143 

Tassel Ridge Winery seeks to produce and market grape-based beverages that customers enjoy and to provide customers with a memorable experience.


Steve & Donna Shoop
J&S Trophy Hunts
Moravia, IA 52571 
www.jstrophyhunts.com  

Beginning in the late 80s, Steve Shoop had an idea that had never been tried in the Midwest. Some thought he was crazy, some were angry that he'd dare bring out of state hunters into their area. But since that time, J & S Trophy Hunts has been offering great hunting opportunities for Trophy Whitetail Deer & Eastern Turkey. We have over 30,000 acres of private hunting land in Northeast Missouri, Southern Iowa, & the Texas Panhandle.

Strict management policies protect the natural genetics that we started with. Combine that with great food sources and you've got trophy animals. Add in top notch guides, good food, nice accommodations, and the desire from everyone for you to succeed, and you've got a great hunt in store. Always having the hunting season in mind allows us to offer you great hunting opportunities year after year. J&S has 90-95% repeat business!


Mark True
McLellan Marketing Group 
Des Moines, IA 50309 
www.mclellanmarketing.com  
www.brandhappens.com  

Mark True is a senior account strategist or "brand warrior" for McLellan Marketing Group in Des Moines. During his 25-year career, Mark has worked on both sides of the desk: as a writer, creative director and account strategist for several small marketing communications firms and as a corporate communications manager for insurance, agriculture and raw materials companies.

He specializes in advertising and marketing creative, copy writing, internal communications, brand management and communications based on brand discipline and accountability. Mark blogs on branding issues on his Web site: www.brandhappens.com/.



Diane Van Wyngarden, Ph.D.
Community and Economic Development Specialist
Iowa State University Extension
Ottumwa, IA 52501

Diane Van Wyngarden is an ISU Extension statewide Community and Economic Development Specialist, whose area of expertise is tourism. She has been involved in community development for 19 years, focusing upon tourism the past 7 years. Combining her doctorate in adult education and interest in travel, she has developed and led national and international educational travel programs. As the current director of Iowa State University’s highly successful Elderhostel program, Van Wyngarden enjoys discovering inter-connected Iowa experiences as she creates and delivers themed educational travel programs to national audiences. Van Wyngarden conducts research, along with planning and delivering the programs, to learn how Iowa communities can attract age 55-plus national travelers. Van Wyngarden was the recipient of two state awards in 2008 – the Iowa Travel Office’s Individual Friend of Tourism Award and ISU Extension’s Outstanding Achievement by an Individual Award. She and her husband, Dean, reside near Oskaloosa and have four children.