Roya Stanley is introduced as the Director of the Office of Energy Independence

In early September, Governor Culver and Lt. Governor Judge were thrilled to announce Roya Stanley as the new Director of the Office of Energy Independence.  The Office of Energy Independence was created when Governor Culver signed into law the new $100 million Iowa Power Fund.  This exciting new office is tasked with developing new energy technologies and to implementing a plan for Iowa’s independence from foreign sources of energy by the year 2025.

As the Director, Roya Stanley will coordinate the administration of the Iowa Power Fund and lead public education about renewable energy, renewable fuels and energy efficiency.  In addition, she will pursue new renewable funding from public and private sources and coordinate all existing state and federal grants, programs and policies having to do with renewable energy, renewable fuels and energy efficiency. 

Roya Stanley, a native Iowan, is returning to Iowa after working in Colorado since 2000. Before her work with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in Golden, Colorado, Ms. Stanley spent over 18 years in Des Moines working for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa State Energy Office.

Roya – welcome home to Iowa!

The Governor and Lt. Governor have also announced the appointees to the Power Fund Board of Directors. Fred S. Hubbell is the chair of the 18-member board which includes seven Due-Diligence committee members.

Governor Culver sits in with a preschool class, part of the Integrated Head Start Program in Durant.

Earlier this year, Governor Culver signed HF 877, which established the $60 million Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program, designed to increase pre-school access for four year olds across Iowa. Fifty-two Iowa school districts received grants to establish programs during the current school year.  We were happy to report that within 4 years, every school district in Iowa will be eligible for the program.

On September 14th, Governor Culver announced that even more school districts are eligible for program this year. Because overall enrollment was lower than initially projected, an additional 11 school districts will receive funding from this program.

One of this year’s recipients was the Durant Community Schools’ Integrated Head Start Program, and Governor Culver visited with students and faculty in Durant on September 6th. Durant has used the funds to expand their existing HeadStart and special education programs to give 20 students access to preschool.

Governor Culver and Lt. Governor Judge proclaim the Monroe County Courthouse in Albia as “Capitol for a Day” on September 5.

In an effort to hear the thoughts and concerns of as many Iowans as possible, Governor Culver has continued making “Capitol for a Day” stops around the state. During these visits, the Governor holds open office hours giving Iowans the opportunity to voice their comments and ideas directly to the Governor.  The latest “Capitol for a Day” stop was in Emmetsburg at the Iowa Lakes Community College Student Center.  In Emmetsburg, the Governor was joined by Senator Jack Kibbie Governor Culver, whom he thanked for his many years of leadership and steadfast commitment to the people of Iowa. 

This was the 8th of the Governor’s “Capitol for a Day” stops. Other “Capitols for a Day” include Dubuque, Council Bluffs, Burlington, Fort Dodge, McGregor, Oelwein and Albia, the hometown of Lt. Governor Judge.

Governor Culver talks with Sigmar Gabriel, the Federal Secretary of Environment in Germany at the HUSUMwind Conference.

The Culver/Judge administration is committed to creating new jobs for Iowans and new opportunities for our communities.  That is why both the Governor and Lt. Governor led separate trade missions to each side of the globe in recent weeks to meet with companies about the economic prospects that exist in Iowa.

Governor Culver led a delegation of state economic leaders to Germany, Denmark and Spain from September 16 to 24.  During his trip, the Governor keynoted the HUSUMwind Conference, Europe's largest wind energy trade fair attended by thousands of industry experts.  In addition, he met with nearly 20 companies involved in wind power and renewable energy.

Lt. Governor Judge discusses further Iowa opportunities with representatives from Bridgestone Corp.

Earlier in the month, Lt. Governor Patty Judge visited Japan where she discussed Iowa’s innovative and inviting business climate.  She also met with some of Japan’s largest companies and encouraged them to visit and invest in Iowa.

These trips will help build upon the success we have seen in recent months.  Since the beginning of the year, more than 3,000 jobs have been added to Iowa’s economy.  In August and September alone, Iowa’s Economic Development Board announced awards for 15 business projects across the state, which are expected to create or retain more than 1,000 jobs in Iowa.

In August, Governor Chet Culver joined with officials from Iowa Workforce Development (IWD), the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED), and the Iowa Careers Consortium to announce the new and improved IowaJobs.org, a comprehensive site for Iowa employers to post all of their available job opportunities, and a one-stop-shop for jobseekers to connect with Iowa's opportunities. 

IowaJobs.Org is operated by IWD in conjunction with IDED and the Iowa Careers Consortium to ensure that Iowa’s employment opportunities have the most exposure possible.  IowaJobs.org is one piece of Iowa’s overall marketing effort to attract new Iowans to the state and keep Iowans here at home. 

New features of the website include job scraping technology, which allows IWD to pull jobs automatically from employers’ websites and put them directly on IowaJobs.Org.  This new technology has dramatically increased the number of jobs on the website, and will ensure that when a job seeker logs on to IowaJobs.org, they are seeing the most up-to-date list of high-quality jobs in the state.

Governor Culver joins Generation Iowa commission at their first meeting

On April 5, 2007, Governor Culver signed HF 617, better known as the "Generation Iowa" bill, into law. The commission, composed of 15 young Iowans ages 18-35, was established to advise and assist in the retention and attraction of young adults to Iowa.  Governor Culver was in attendance at the commission’s first meeting on August 30 at the State Capitol and thanked the members for their willingness to address this vitally important issue to Iowa’s future.   The commission will hold monthly meetings and must submit a written report with their findings to Governor Culver and the legislature by January 15, 2008.

On March 15, 2008 Governor Culver will make nearly 200 appointments to boards and commissions.  The participation of citizens on boards and commissions is vital.  It allows government to remain responsive to those we serve.  It also requires personal sacrifices and commitment of time by those who participate.  The willingness of Iowans to donate their energy and expertise speaks to the spirit of service that makes Iowa a great state.  If you are interested in serving, please visit http://www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/boards/ to learn more about state boards and commissions, review a list of potential openings and download an application.