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Business Record Lift IOWA Weekly | November 2, 2020
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Meet 'Fearless' Contributing Editor Emily Blobaum
By Emily Blobaum | Fearless contributing editor
Although you may have already seen a few of my bylines in the Business Record, I’d like to take this time to formally introduce myself.
So, hello! My name is Emily Blobaum. I started working a few days a week at the Business Record at the end of February to help out with a handful of special projects. By my count, I worked at the
office for nine days before we all packed up our belongings, retreated to our homes and quickly learned how to use Zoom.
From there, I turned my focus to helping out with coronavirus coverage. I photographed empty skywalks and streets downtown, wrote cover stories about how small businesses and nonprofits were pivoting, documented how restaurants were faring and worked on our Adapting Roles series.
Now, eight months later, I am excited to step into my new role as Fearless contributing editor, where I’ll report on women’s issues at the state level. I am honored to follow in Megan VerHelst’s footsteps and am so excited to share your stories.
But let me back up for a second and give you some
background about myself. After all, it’s only fair that if I’m asking questions about your lives, you know a bit about mine.
I was born and raised in the Drake neighborhood of Des Moines and graduated from Roosevelt High School. I think I always had an idea that I would end up in the journalism field because I was — and still am — very curious, inquisitive, creative and, as much as I hate to admit it, a little bit nosy. If you need proof, I once spent an afternoon making my own newspaper when I was 10 years old.
I graduated with a degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State in 2018, where I worked in several different positions at the award-winning student newspaper, the Iowa State Daily. It was there that I really fell in love with the visual journalism field, and the rest is history. I’ve worked as a photo intern at the Guthrie County Times and Lincoln Journal Star and most recently was an assistant producer for Iowa PBS’ Emmy-nominated documentary, "Carrie Chapman Catt: Warrior for Women."
I feel as though my personal purpose in journalism is to shed light on what is often overlooked. Naturally, that is also what I plan to do with Fearless.
Other intentions include:
- Making a deliberate effort to introduce Iowans to new
voices by including perspectives from a diverse array of sources across the entire state.
- Facilitating a space where all Fearless readers feel seen and heard, yet challenged at the same time.
- Telling nuanced stories through an intersectional lens.
- Presenting information in the most logical form, even when it means going beyond traditional storytelling methods.
- Challenging the current idea of what a working woman in Iowa looks like.
I sincerely hope you consume, interact with and share the content that we publish. People want and need a sense of belonging and connection now more than ever, so my hope with Fearless is that you find and use it as a space of empowerment, inspiration and education. As a society, we cannot progress if we don’t take the time to learn about the issues and challenges we all face every day.
That being said, I would also love to hear from you, whether you have questions, comments, concerns or story ideas — my ears are always open. My email is emilyblobaum@bpcdm.com. I can be found on Twitter, but I’m more active on Instagram, where I most frequently post photos of the great outdoors. I’m at both places at @emilyblobaum.
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BUSINESS RECORD EVENT
Nov. 11: 'Fearless' Launch
The Business Record invites you to
join us at an interactive launch event that will allow you to be inspired by and connect with a diverse cross-section of fearless women throughout the state. Also, learn more about our new expanded initiative featuring a revamped e-newsletter, more in-depth reporting and new events.
Where: Online. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Learn more
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Guest opinion: Moving through the
low points
By Katie Beary | Director of branch operations, GallagherA few years ago I was sprayed by a skunk.
I was riding the Cumming to Water Works Park trail south of Des Moines, and just as I rounded a curve to speed down a hill, I saw it. Thinking of my friend 100 feet back, I yelled, "Skuuuuuuunk!" and that warning was a mistake because it startled the animal. With accurate aim, the spray started and I was hit.
This happened during a time in which I was waiting to move into a new role at work and the transition was taking longer than anticipated. It was a time of discomfort, sacrifice, patience, trust and insecurity. And to top it off, I was living with my aunt and uncle after a lease and before a relocation, so when I walked in the door
and stood in my swim suit cover up – the only piece of spare clothing in my car – my aunt said, "This is just a real low point for you, isn’t it?" I couldn’t disagree.
But with low points come moments of inspiration and motivation.
During this time I saw a cartoon that illustrated a miner digging for gold. From the image you could infer he’d been hard at work for some time, and unbeknownst to him the gold was just beneath the surface, but he stopped and didn’t strike.
What struck me most was that he’d never know how close he came to satisfaction and success. It was the image of the golden nugget just beneath the surface that convinced me to hold tight and stay the course, trusting that my discomfort would result in growth.
John Wooden once said, "All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and valleys too low."
This is true – there will be personal and professional ups and downs, and some will last longer than others. Valleys mold character and character builds leaders who can empathize, innovate and patiently maneuver the valleys.
Peaks help keep us going. A peak for you might depend on your day – it could be a note of appreciation, the new position you’ve had your eye on, technology that works throughout an entire presentation, more family time, a hard conversation with a colleague that will help everyone grow. File your peak moments in a kudos drawer or e-file; I have one because I need it some days.
What I noticed about this low-point journey I shared is that I mentioned a bike ride, a friend, an aunt and an uncle. Even in our real low points, we must remember the joys of life like fresh air and bike rides as well as the support systems who love us. They won’t let our valleys
get too low.
Katie Beary is director of branch operations for Gallagher’s benefits and HR consulting division. She is a board member for EveryStep and founder of a group in her small town called Meeting of the Wines. On weekends you can find her on the central Iowa bike trails. She can be reached via email.
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CBJ to celebrate 2020 Women of Influence virtually
By Corridor Business Journal staffThe Corridor Business Journal will celebrate its 2020 Women of Influence on Tuesday. The awards ceremony, which was postponed due to the pandemic, will be livestreamed as a Zoom webinar from 6-8 p.m.
Each year, 10 women are recognized for making a difference in the Corridor as role models and leaders in their fields and community. Any woman living or working in the Corridor is eligible. Honorees were selected by the previous year’s Women of Influence.
They are (in alphabetical order):
- LaNisha Cassell, African American Museum of Iowa
- Brydie Criswell, The Good Earth
- Libby Gotschall Slappey, (Retired) Kids First Law Center
- Fae Hoover, Iowa's Sixth Judicial District
- Nancy Humbles, CRCSD Board of Education
- Leslie Nolte, Nolte Academy
- Patti Seda, Seda Consulting
- Kelly Teeselink, Girls on the Run of Eastern Iowa
- Debra Worm, F&M Bank
- Millie Youngquist, Community Foundation of Washington County
New this year, the CBJ will also recognize one Emerging Woman of Influence. This award celebrates an up-and-coming female leader who has not only achieved career success and recognition within her peer group but is poised to take on a larger community-wide role in the years to come. The 2020 Emerging Woman of Influence is Megan Lehman of MidWestOne Bank.
Honorees will have the opportunity to share their story at the event. There is no cost to register for the Zoom webinar. The awards ceremony will be
recorded and shared with registrants who cannot watch live. For more information or to register, visit corridorbusiness.com/women-of-influence/.
Read more about this year's honorees in the March 30 issue of the weekly
Corridor Business Journal.
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BRIEF LIFTS
Oct. 29 was Latina Equal Pay Day: Nearly 60 years after the Equal Pay Act became law, Latina workers, on average, are still paid only 67 cents on the dollar compared to white men. That’s regardless of industry, age, location, career length or education level. This means Latinas had to work all of 2019 and through Oct. 29, 2020, just to earn what white men in the same field earned in 2019 alone. While Latinas are going to college at higher rates than ever before, education doesn’t eliminate the pay gap. In fact, the gap is largest for Latinas with a bachelor’s degree, who earn 37% less than white men on average. Read the report from LeanIn.org.
Senate confirms Amy Coney Barrett: Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative appeals court judge and protégée of former Justice Antonin Scalia, was confirmed to the Supreme Court on Oct. 26, capping a lightning-fast Senate approval that handed President Trump a victory ahead of the election and promised to tip the court to the right for years to come. Judge Barrett’s impact could be felt right away. Coming up quickly are challenges related to the Affordable Care Act, signature Trump administration immigration plans, the rights of same-sex couples and the census.
Research by DMU, Harkin Institute affirms benefits of Count the Kicks app: A new research study by Des Moines University and the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement is helping Healthy Birth Day Inc. to better serve its clients. The study analyzed how the nonprofit’s Count the Kicks mobile app affected birth outcomes for more than 1,200 women who used the app during pregnancy. Preliminary results of the study were presented at this month's American Public Health Association Virtual Annual Meeting and Expo. The Count the Kicks app was launched in 2013.
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NEWLY ANNOUNCED EVENTSNov. 10: Elevate Your Engagement
Join CREW Iowa for this event on how to manage the five types of people both remotely and on-site.
Where: Online. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Learn more
Nov. 12: Around Town Social: ‘Beer And Branding’
Join FemCity Des Moines for a virtual beer and
cheese tasting featuring Iowa women-owned breweries and a short presentation about trademark protection.
Where: Online. 6-7:30 p.m.
Learn more
View our full calendar to see the latest curated business and community events, or suggest an event.
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Companies are offering free child care to working parents, so they can vote
Fast Company:
Although Election Day isn’t officially a federal holiday, many employers grant workers paid time off to cast their votes without worrying about missing a day of work. This year is trickier as the pandemic put the kibosh on standard operating procedures. While there’s been a surge in mail-in ballots and in-person polling places open early (in some states for the first time), a small but growing number of companies have instituted even more voter-friendly policies to accommodate employees with children.
Read
more
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Latinas leaving workforce at faster rate than other groups
NPR: Throughout
her years as a working mother climbing the corporate ladder, Farida Mercedes tried to be home for dinner with her kids. But until recently, she never imagined staying home full time. … As hundreds of thousands of women dropped out of the workforce in September, Latinas led the way, leaving at nearly three times the rate of white women and more than four times the rate of African Americans. That could have lasting consequences for both household budgets and the broader U.S. economy.
Read more
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Women are not OK
HuffPost: Millions of women across the country are exhausted, struggling to work from home while helping children with remote learning. From the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the economic fallout has hit women harder than men. Now, women across the country are burning out. And no one is coming to the rescue.
Read more
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Lora Brons (pictured)
Hired as vice president, trust investment officer
Iowa State Bank
Des Moines
Annette Scanlan
Iowa State Bank
Promoted to assistant vice president, trust officer
Des Moines
Jodi Selby
Bankers Trust
Promoted to vice president, senior compliance and risk operations manager
Des Moines
Jennifer Vermillion
Iowa Appraisal and Research Corp.
Hired as real estate appraiser
Des Moines
SUBMIT AN ON THE RISE: Know an Iowa woman who recently started a new management or executive-level job? Send her name, position and company, along with a photo, to liftiowa@bpcdm.com.
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