Young Professionals of Iowa is excited to bring you our Quarterly Newsletter. We'll provide you important news for YPs in Iowa, resources to networking opportunities and exciting events that will enhance your professional career.

This quarter, YPIowa is featuring "Events and Happenings for YPs in Iowa". Summer is quickly approaching, so we're pumped to offer you fun and exciting events to keep you busy this summer. Check out a few of our favorite events, including a first look into the YPIowa Annual Conference happening Thursday, September 22 in Ankeny, IA.

Lastly, each quarter we will feature a few of Young Professionals of Iowa's board members in the "Get to Know Us" section. We encourage you to reach out to your local YPIowa board reps to help you locate your region's Young Professional organization and get you connected.
WHAT TO DO: 
EVENTS IN IOWA THIS SUMMER

Pella Tulip Festival: May 5-7 
The 81st Annual Tulip Time Festival will take place in Pella on May 5, 6 and 7. Pella comes alive Tulip Time with tulips, Dutch attire, parades, food, fun and more. Thousands of residents wear Dutch attire and celebrate our Dutch heritage. More information at PellaHistorical.org. 

Flyover Fashion Festival: May 6-7
FLYOVER is a fashion festival produced by the Iowa Fashion Project in partnership with the Iowa City Downtown District. The festival aims to showcase fashion talent and to connect those interested in fashion and working in fashion.
FLYOVER will feature a headlining fashion show and a free concert in the Downtown Pedestrian Mall that is free and open to the public. More information at flyoverfashionfest.com. 

2016 NAIA Softball World Series: May 27-June 2 
The 2016 NAIA Softball World Series will be held at the Elizabeth & Irving Jensen Softball Complex on the Morningside College campus in Sioux City, Iowa. The NAIA Softball World Series is a 10-team double-elimination format, played on one stadium field and will be held on May 27 - June 2. More information at naia.org.

NASCAR & IndyCar at The Iowa Speedway: June 18 - July 30
The Iowa Speedway will host three weekends of world-class racing this summer. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series come to the track on June 18 and 19. The annual Verizon IndyCar Series Iowa Corn 300 returns on July 10. And the NASCAR XFINITY Series returns on July 30. More information at IowaSpeedway.com

The De s Moines Arts Festival ®: June 24-26
The Des Moines Arts Festival® t akes place on June 24-26 in the Western Gateway Park in Downtown Des Moines. The Festival's mission is to educate, inspire and engage audiences toward a heightened appreciation of visual and other forms of art to enhance a sense of pride in the Des Moines community. The Festival features 180 of the nation's best artists selected from a competitive jury process. More information at  www.desmoinesartsfestival.org.

2016 Young Professionals of Iowa Annual Conference: September 22
Young Professionals of Iowa is proud to host the 2016 YPIowa Annual Conference on September 22 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, IA. Thursday evening will include a social networking event sponsored by CJM Financial. New to this year is an optional Day 2 of the conference that will offer attendees an opportunity to collaborate on the issues surrounding their own communities and organizations. This year's keynote speaker will be Matt Beaudreau, and additional breakout session speakers include Dr. Anthony Paustian, Jason Kiesau, Thomas Eakin and more. Early-bird registration starts June 1st. More information, including sponsorship opportunities, available by contacting Kim Hanken at  kim.hanken@heart.org. 

GET TO KNOW US: 
THE YPIOWA BOARD

Lisa Becker, YPIowa Board Member 
Sioux City Economic Development, Sioux City, IA

Tell us about yourself:
Hi! I am Lisa Becker. I graduated from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design and two minors in Business and Marketing. A Bancroft, Iowa native, I stayed in Sioux City following graduation and currently work for the City of Sioux City in Economic Development.  I coordinate annual company visits, prepare special reports and handle all bookkeeping and office duties, as well as, assist with social media, graphic design and marketing projects for Economic Department and City as a whole. I enjoy staying active, volunteering in the community, and designing as I provide a freelance service in graphic design. 
 
What projects/events are you working on in your young professional organization?
I have been involved in my local young professionals group, Sioux City Growth Organization, for the past 3+ years. I have served as a marketing chair, a two-year term as the marketing advisor on the board, as well as volunteering at many of our events. Our young professionals group is always coming up with new ways to get involved in the community. Some of our main projects include Innovation Market - a local business idea competition - and GO University - a college connection program to help introduce college students to life skills after college. A new project the group is working on is forming a partnership to create an internship program.
 
What's an exciting event or happening in your community?
I love living in Sioux City; it's a small town feel with big city opportunities! Sioux City is growing and it's exciting to be part of it from expanding downtown living, a new shopping area, to a recently opened children's interactive museum, Sioux City is the place to be! One of my favorite times of the year in Sioux City is summer from going to our Farmer's Market, yoga in the park, to  our free music festival, Saturday in the Park. There is always something going on!  
 
Want to get in touch with Lisa? Contact her at lbecker@sioux-city.org.
Libby Glaser, YPIowa Secretary & Marketing Chair
Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corp., Okoboji, IA
 
Tell us about yourself:
Hi! My name is Libby Glaser and I live in Okoboji, a beautiful resort community surrounded by lakes in northwest Iowa. I currently work for the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, a regional economic development organization serving Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties, and I handle all marketing and events. I've worked here for almost two years since graduating from the University of Iowa (go hawks!).
 
Why do you love living in Iowa?
I have always enjoyed calling myself an Iowan simply because the people here are so wonderful. There's an authentic desire in our state to collaborate, share ideas and learn from each other, and I think that stems uniquely from Iowa values. Through YPIowa, I've had opportunities to collaborate with other YPs and government officials across the state at events like the annual YPIowa Conference and at the "Day at the Capitol", and these connections have helped me grow professionally and personally. I'm excited about the many opportunities available for YP's in Iowa and the future of our state!
 
What's an exciting event or happening in your community?
The Des Moines Register recently completed their "Beer Brackets" to celebrate the men's NCAA tournament in Des Moines, and West O Beer's
"CocO Stout", a brewery out of Okoboji, actually won the competition! If you haven't had the chance to try their brews, you can purchase West O Beer at most Hy-Vee grocery stores in Iowa.
 
Want to get in touch with Libby? Contact her at lglaser@lakescorridor.com.
 
Check out next quarter's newsletter for more board member introductions. For a full list of YPIowa Board Members and their contacts, click here.
TRIVIA TIME: 
SPENCER, IA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PLAY TRIVIA FOR A CAUSE

A northwest Iowa young professional group recently collaborated with community organizations to host a fun trivia night for over 100 attendees.

Spencer USA, the young professionals group out of Spencer, IA, held a trivia night in conjunction with the Spencer Kiwanis After 5 group and the Spencer Golf & Country Club. Over 100 attendees created teams to play trivia, raise money for a cause and to create connections within their community.

"Spencer Golf and Country Club was looking for new and younger members, and both the young professional's group and Kiwanis had already been planning a joint-event to connect more of our members, so it was a great opportunity for us to collaborate with a local business and expand each of our networks," said Paul Daniels, Spencer USA core group member and YPIowa board member. 

Members of the three groups joined together over the course of two months to plan the February event, and the group decided to host a Spencer USA "Thirsty Thursday" cocktail hour at the country club before the Trivia Night for extra networking. 
 
"Our goal of the event was to raise awareness of all three entities involved, to raise money for Kiwanis After 5, and to connect all of our members for a night. We are pleased to have raised $1200 for Kiwanis After 5 and the feedback from attendees was very positive. We're expecting to hold another trivia night again this fall."

Spencer USA is a group of young and middle-aged professionals that was formed to help the Spencer community move in a positive direction. Some of their past projects include charitable fundraisers, playground enhancement projects, the Spencer Area Vision Project, family and professional socials and general community welcome and involvement.
 
F or more information about Spencer USA, check out their   Facebook page or contact Paul Daniels at pdaniels@bank-northwest.com.  




For more information about Young Professionals of Iowa, please check out our website: www.ypiowa.com or email us at ypiowaconference@gmail.com