Honorees
Announcing Our 2026 Honorees
To be announced in the fall!
In the meantime, please feel welcome to learn more about our Outstanding Community College Awards!
Past Honorees
Meet our previous awardees for our Outstanding Community College Awards! Some categories we've recognized for decades, while others are more recent additions. Use the titles below to jump to each category.
Faculty
These are our Outstanding Faculty Awardees! This award recognizes an outstanding faculty member from Iowa's community colleges. Since 2022, each college has nominated a faculty member to be recognized.
2025
Jennifer Kohlmeyer (NICC)
Jason Ott (NIACC)
Michelle Rubel (ILCC)
Milet Kracht (NCC)
Paul Bloomquist (ICCC)
Ed Geitz (IVCCD)
Bridgette West (HCC)
Tom Arends (EICC)
Art Khaw (KCC)
Samantha O'Hara (DMACC)
Jenny Jolin (WITCC)
Dustin Nelsen (IWCC)
Dawn Esser (SWCC)
Brydon Kaster (IHCC)
Lori Muntz (SCC)
2024
Lindsay Johansen (NICC)
Rodney Zehr (NIACC)
Carol Ayres Stueven (ILCC)
Chuck Ball (NCC)
Joel Collins (ICCC)
Danielle Kness (IVCCD)
Lisa Munoz (HCC)
Gina Bielski (EICC)
Arbe Bareis-Moyyad (KCC)
Julie Hartzler (DMACC)
James Garvey (WITCC)
Mackenzie Shinbara (IWCC)
Regina Long (SWCC)
Heather Davison (IHCC)
Jim Steffen (SCC)
2023
Jacob Krapfl (NICC)
Heather DeWaard-Flickinger (NIACC)
Michael Gengler (ILCC)
Karla Harris (NCC)
Jennifer Dutcher (ICCC)
Mark Monroe (IVCCD)
John Cockrell (HCC)
Barb Nichol (EICC)
Shaunda Clark (KCC)
Carrie Morris (DMACC)
Jessica Thompson (WITCC)
Alan Fredericksen (IWCC)
Deborah Roberts (SWCC)
Andy Summers (IHCC)
Julie Meyer (SCC)
2021 Frank O'Neill (WITCC)
2020 Carla Heathcote (NICC)
2019 Nicole Juranek (IWCC)
2018 Sue Troy (NICC)
2017 Kevin Butt (IVCCD)
2016 Jessica Cole (DMACC)
2015 Sandy Krell-Andre (SCC)
2014 Lori Robeson (IWCC)
2013 David Lawstuen (NICC)
2012 Jeffrey Kaufmann (EICCD)
2011 Robert Anderson (DMACC)
2010 John Schmaltz (NIACC)
2009 Gary Christiansen (NIACC)
2008 Sima Dabir (WITCC)
2007 Nancy Woods (DMACC)
2006 James L. Brimeyer (NICC)
2005 Cherie Post-Dargan (HCC)
2004 Cheryl Donlon (NICC)
2003 Mariestelle Brown (NIACC)
2002 Michael Knedler (IWCC)
2001 Bill McAnally (ICCC)
2000 Nancy Billings Meyer (NICC)
1999 Tom Hayes (SCC)
1998 Sheila Waldorf (SCC)
1997 Ronald M. Plum (NCC)
1996 Terry A. Brase (HCC)
1995 Nancy E. Knutstrom (EICCD)
1994 Gary Feddern (ILCC)
1993 Sandra VanDrie (NICC)
1992 Rex Webber (NCC)
1991 Richard Inman (ICCC)
1990 Ron Klein (NICC)
1989 Harry DeBowery (EICCD)
1988 Mike Delaney (DMACC)
1987 Terri Hill (NICC)
Staff
These are our Outstanding Staff Awardees! This award recognizes an outstanding staff member from Iowa's community colleges. Since 2022, each college has nominated one staff member to receive the award.
2025
Chris Entringer (NICC)
Mark Greenwood (NIACC)
Kim Venteicher (ILCC)
Lee Stover (NCC)
Tom Beneke (ICCC)
MaryAnne Nickle (IVCCD)
Kyle Fink (HCC)
Erin Snyder (EICC)
Rylee May (KCC)
Sharon Bittner (DMACC)
Merlyn Kathol (WITCC)
Jordan Norris (IWCC)
Ann Coulter (SWCC)
Susan Guffey (IHCC)
Jeff Ebbing (SCC)
2024
Sherry Massman (NICC)
Dr. Rachel McGuire (NIACC)
Tim Ireland (ILCC)
Kathi Knobloch (NCC)
Sara Scharf (ICCC)
Tracy Crippin Haake (IVCCD)
Nadine Torsrud (HCC)
Sabrina Shoemaker (EICC)
Caitlyn Miller (KCC)
Kay Ruggiero (DMACC)
Andrea Rohlena (WITCC)
Jason Hannah (IWCC)
Kim Oaks (SWCC)
Clay Winn (IHCC)
Michelle Brown (SCC)
2023
Daniel Neenan (NICC)
Dr. Shelly Schmit (NIACC)
Kathy Muller (ILCC)
Alicia Van Horsen (NCC)
Dr. Stacy Mentzer (ICCC)
Honoria Balogh (IVCCD)
Nick Landmesser (HCC)
Kelsey Snyder (EICC)
Cassandra Brown (KCC)
Jen Wollesen (DMACC)
Mike Logan (WITCC)
Libby Woods (IWCC)
Denise Kelley (SWCC)
Dr. Brett Monaghan (IHCC)
Keri Mercer (SCC)
2021 Brenda Wright (WITCC)
2020 Theresa Petty (WITCC)
2019 Donna McNulty (HCC)
2018 Dee Kreykes (NCC)
2017 Janet Bullerman (NICC)
2016 Sheryl Cook (KCC)
2015 Doris Swanson (EICCD)
2014 Doug Rodger (NCC)
2013 Julie Anderson (NICC)
2012 Clark Marshall (ILCC)
2011 Arbe Bareis (KCC)
2010 Julie Glasgow (SCC)
2009 Carol Cameron (NICC)
2008 Rick Sandquist (ICCC)
2007 Honey Bedell (EICCD)
2006 Sherry Zeller (SCC)
2005 Linda See (NIACC)
2004 Mary Jo Skarda (SWCC)
2003 Lyle Luzum (NICC)
2002 Barbara Jennings (IVCCD)
2001 Clarian Wilder (NICC)
2000 Dianne Nelson (DMACC)
1999 David Raedeker (ICCC)
1998 Cindy Murphy (SCC)
1997 Bette Ruzek (HCC)
Business & Industry Partner
These are our Outstanding Business & Industry Awardees! This award recognizes a business or industry partner (for-profit or non-profit) of one of Iowa’s Community Colleges who has gone above and beyond to impact students and their community. Since 2023, nominations have been submitted by the colleges, and a review committee helps select the award winner.
2025 3M, ADM, LYB (EICC)
2024 Great River Health Foundation (SCC)
2023 Kimball & Beecher Group (HCC)
Innovation
These are our Outstanding Innovation Awardees! This award recognizes a project or program innovation at one of Iowa’s community colleges that demonstrates commitment to innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement. Since 2023, nominations have been submitted by the colleges, and a review committee helps select the award winner.
2025 KCC PEAK Program
2024 NIACC Innovation Workspace
2023 DMACC TechWise Program
Alumni
These are our Outstanding Alumni Awardees! This award recognizes a graduate of any of Iowa’s community colleges who has shown leadership and commitment to their community. Since 2023, nominations have been submitted from the colleges, and a review committee helps select the award winner.
2025 Lisa Shimkat (ICCC)
2024 Leonardo Avila (NICC)
2023 Anthony Coloff (NIACC)
Advocate
This is our Outstanding Advocate Awardee! This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates outstanding commitment to advocating for Iowa’s community colleges, actively engages in grassroots advocacy efforts, participates in advocacy campaigns, and frequently meets with legislators to promote policies that strengthen community colleges. Since 2025, this award is determined by CCforIowa staff based on efforts made by those in the Community College network during the previous legislative session.
2025 Nichole "Nicky" Friedrichsen (EICC)