Commission

COMMISSION BIOGRAPHIES


Charese Yanney, Chair

Charese Yanney
Charese E. Yanney, Chair
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Charese, a Republican, is a partner in Guarantee Roofing, Siding and Insulation Company of Sioux City (1976-present). The company provides a full range of products and services, and holds the prestigious GAF certification as "Master Elite Contractor".

She attended Morningside College in Sioux City, and obtained her bachelor of science in education degree from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebr., with a major in English/speech and drama, and minor in physical education.

Charese is a former junior high and high school teacher at the Sioux City Community Schools (1973-76), and O'Neill Public Schools in O'Neill, Nebr. (1972-1973). In addition to teaching core curriculum classes, Charese coached drama, was an assistant coach for junior high girls track, and organized pep club and cheerleading activities.

Charese is currently a member of the Vision Iowa board of directors. She is a current member of St. Luke's Regional Medical Center's board of directors of Sioux City. Charese is past president of the Sioux City Symphony's board of directors and past chairman of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce (2004-2005). Charese was past chair of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and is currently chair of their foundation board.

In 2010, Charese was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame. The Iowa Commission on the Status of Women established the honor in 1975 to provide visible examples for future female leaders.

Previously, Charese served in several governor-appointed positions, including the Privacy Task Force (2001-2002); Vertical Infrastructure Committee (2000-2004); Governor's Committee on Community Colleges, a five-year plan for community colleges (2000-2001); Governor's Committee on Reformed Spending (1991-1992); the Iowa Economic Development Board (1992-1998); and Iowa Beer & Liquor Control Department Board, including board chairperson (1982-1985).

Charese was also formerly active in a number of civic and community organizations, including the University of Briar Cliff; United Way; Iowa Jobs for America's Graduate; Council on Human Investment; Girls Inc. of Sioux City; Looking for Secondary Education, a committee for the local school board; Sioux City Chamber of Commerce; and Junior Achievement.

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Sally Stutsman, Vice Chair

Sally Stutsman
Sally Stutsman, Vice Chair
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Stutsman, a Democrat, was born and raised in Fort Dodge, Iowa where she graduated from Fort Dodge High School and Iowa Central Community College. She transferred to Iowa State University where she earned a BS degree in Sociology. While at Iowa State she met her husband, Roger, who also graduated from Iowa State with a degree in Farm Operations. After they were married, they moved to a farm in southern Johnson County, west of Hills, Iowa where they still live and farm. Sally and her husband are currently retired.

Sally worked as a social worker for the Iowa Department of Human Service as an adoption investigator. After leaving the Department she became Executive Director of Johnson County Community Coordinated Child Care and later became Coordinator of the Volunteer Action Center of Johnson County. In 1994 Stutsman successfully ran for the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. She served on the Board of Supervisors for five terms until being elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in November of 2014. She served two terms in the Iowa Legislature, retiring at the end of her second term in December of 2018. While in the Iowa House Sally served on the transportation, agriculture, appropriations, state government and health and human services committees. She was a founding member of the House Democratic Rural Caucus. Sally served on the Air Service Retention and Expansion Committee as one of the legislative representatives. Sally was a governor appointee to the Council of Human Services

Sally has been involved in a number of community organizations including Johnson County Decategorization Project, Johnson County Community Foundation, Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County, Board member and chair of the Oaknoll Retirement Center, Iowa City Area Chamber Community Leadership Program where she served as Chair of the Ag Session, CARET (Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching) representative for Iowa State University, member of Sharon Center United Methodist Church, Old Capitol Kiwanis, Chapter E-P.E.O. where she served as president, treasurer of Friends of Johnson County Conservation, treasurer of Octagon Barn Questers and Board member of the Johnson County League of Women Voters.

Sally and her family were named as Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce Farm Family of the Year.  She was named Johnson County Child Advocate of the Year, Corridor Business Journal Women of Influence, and Ovation honoree of the Iowa Women’s Foundation.

The Stutsman’s have one son, Michael, who is deceased and a daughter-in-law and granddaughter who live next door on the family farm.

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Richard Arnold

Richard Arnold
Richard Arnold
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Richard Arnold, a Republican, served eighteen years in the Iowa legislature retiring in 2012. He was assigned to both the transportation and natural resource committees for 18 years and chaired both committees for a number of years.

Richard grew up on a farm near Russell, Iowa, graduating from Russell High School and Iowa State University with a degree in animal science. Richard served six years, two of those years as chair on the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. He has also been active in local government as well as state government. He served on the Russell City Council and also two terms on the Lucas County Board of Supervisors.

Today Richard continues to farm the family farm, and also drives part-time for Hy-Vee Inc. He has traveled to nearly all the Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, by way of both interstate 80 and 35 and most of our state highways.

Richard is married to Cheryl, a retired Hy-Vee distribution manager. They have been blessed with five children and 11 grandchildren.

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Kathy Fehrman

Kathy Fehrman
Kathy Fehrman
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Kathy, a Democrat, is currently the managing partner of Fehrman Investments, L.L.C.  

She was born in Omaha and graduated from Northwest High School. Kathy earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. 

Kathy has served on the City of Des Moines Stormwater Infrastructure Advisory Committee, and the Boards of Salisbury House and Gardens Foundation, Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center and Greenwood Historic Neighborhood Association. She currently serves on the Drake University Board of Trustees, The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Board and the Des Moines Embassy Club Board. 

She and her husband, Bill, have been married since 1981 and have two sons, Ben of Baton Rouge, LA and Scott of Des Moines. 

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Ray Gaesser

Ray Gaesser
Ray Gaesser
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Ray, a Republican, has been a farmer for over 51 years, his family owns and operates Gaesser farms in Corning, a 5400 acre operation made up of soybean and corn rotation.

He is a conservationist and believes that caring for the land is a priority. Gaesser farms has been 100% no-till since 1992 and most of the land is fertilized with manure from neighboring livestock and poultry farms. His family’s operation continues to test and implement the latest technology, innovations, and practices in equipment and seeds to grow more while preserving and enhancing our resources.

Ray has advocated locally, nationally and globally for Iowa and US Agriculture as president and leader of the Iowa Soybean Association, American Soybean Association, North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance, Solutions from the Land, and many other boards and organizations. .

He currently serves as Co-chair of the Iowa Conservation Infrastructure Initiative advancing environmental practices toward meeting the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Ray’s awards include: Iowa Master Farmer 2012, Adams County and Iowa Conservation Awards, Lenox Iowa Good Citizen Award, and American Soybean Distinguished Leader 2018.

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Linda Juckette

Linda Juckette
Linda Juckette
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Linda, a Republican is currently the President & CEO of Capstone Management, and President of Prairie Valley Farms.

Born and raised in Waukee Iowa, Linda graduated from Waukee High School. After she married her husband Tom Juckette, Linda ran Prairie Valley Farms running a successful thoroughbred breeding operation along with the farm grain, clear hylum used for tofu production in Japan, and organic hay operations.

Tom was part owner in Juckette Management Services building and managing long term care facilities in Florida, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa since 1967. Linda’s passion for care of the elderly led her to open Capstone Management in 2014 managing long term skilled facilities across Iowa.

Linda has been active in Iowa Health Care Association serving on the legislative committee advocating for senior care in Iowa and Washington D.C. She has also been active in the Des Moines Community Playhouse and leading worship through music ministry at Hope Lutheran Church in West Des Moines for over 20 years.

Linda and her late husband Tom had one son together. Cole and his wife Nikki live in Lincoln Nebraska. Cole graduated in May 2019 from the University of Nebraska with a Masters Degree in Anthropology.

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Tom Rielly

Tom Rielly
Tom Rielly
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Tom, a Democrat, owns Rielly Insurance & Financial Services in Oskaloosa, and has been active in insurance and financial services since 1989.

Tom is a lifelong resident of Oskaloosa and Mahaska County. He graduated from Oskaloosa Senior High School in 1985 and from Loras College in 1989 with a BA in Finance.

Tom is currently active in several civic organizations including: Knights of Columbus, BPOE Oskaloosa Elks Lodge #340, Sons of the American Legion, and the Oskaloosa Area Chamber and Development Group. He is also a former Junior Achievement instructor, Jaycees president, Rotary member and YMCA board member.

Tom served as the mayor of Oskaloosa for four terms, from 1997-2004 and was elected to the Iowa State Senate in 2004, where he served as a State Senator for two terms from 2005-2012. While in the Senate, he was Chairman of the Transportation Committee from 2007-2012. He also held the Vice Chair position on the Commerce and Agriculture committees as well as serving on the Economic Growth, and Local Government committees.

He is a Graduate of the Iowa Association of Business & Industry’s Leadership Iowa Program, Class 1999-2000; a Graduate of the Emerging Political Leaders Program, at the Darden School of Business; Univ. of Virginia Class of 2005; and a two-time Association of General Contractors Legislator of the Year.

Tom met his wife Mary at Loras College, in Dubuque and they married in 1990. In 1993 they moved back to Oskaloosa and raised their two daughters Katie and Shawn, who now live and work in Des Moines, and enjoy life with their two Boston Terriers, Bean & Lucy.

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