The BVU Community Campaign kicks off with a Storm Lake Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours reception and ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. on Sept. 23 at Common Grounds, the new coffee shop at BVU located adjacent to the library.
Bacon, Wilcox Head BVU Community Campaign
Buena Vista University has announced that Daniel A. Bacon of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Rex Wilcox of Stalcup Agricultural Service will be the co-chairs for its 2009 Community Campaign which kicks off on Sept. 23.
Bacon, a graduate of Iowa Central Community College, has been a financial representative with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for the past 15 years. He also serves as board chair of the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center Foundation.
He and his wife, Ronda, a 1996 graduate of BVU, have two children, Ellie, 6, and Neely, 19 months. Ronda is the administrator for the Harold Walter Siebens Den at BVU. The Bacons are active members of Grace Lutheran Church.
"I support the Community Campaign because I believe BVU is beneficial to the future of Storm Lake and the surrounding communities. Faculty, staff, students and visitors of BVU come from all over the country to work and do business right here in Storm Lake. BVU also provides local residents a place to enjoy sports, music, plays and other events that many towns our size would not normally have. BVU is a great part of the city beautiful!"
Wilcox, a graduate of Iowa State University, moved to Storm Lake in 1973 to join Stalcup Agricultural Service as a farm manager. He has been president of the company since 1995.
He and his wife, Cathy, who retired in June 2008 after working for 24 years at MetaBank, have two grown children, Jennifer and Bradley, and six grandchildren.
"Co-chairing the BVU Community Campaign provides an opportunity to help a valued community institution achieve its goals," says Wilcox. "The Storm Lake area receives numerous business and quality of life benefits from BVU. In addition to BVU's employment opportunities and a sizeable payroll, Storm Lake also gains increased business activity in supporting the university's daily operations and the needs of its students. Its talented and capable employees take an active part in church, civic and service organizations in Storm Lake and area communities."
Buena Vista University is an independent university, with primary income coming from student tuition and fees. Contributions to the Community Campaign help support the University's annual operating expenses, providing resources for scholarships, facilities maintenance and development of innovative academic and internship opportunities.
The BVU Community Campaign, which has a $130,000 goal this year, kicks off with a Storm Lake Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours reception and ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. on Sept. 23 at Common Grounds, the new coffee shop at BVU located adjacent to the library. The event is open to the public, free of charge.
For additional information about BVU's 2009-10 Community Campaign, contact Christina Danielsen, assistant director of annual campaigns, at 712.749.2101.
