Des Moines Sun

Des Moines Area Community College recently issued the following announcement.

The Foundation Board Members Support the Programs and Fundraising Efforts of the DMACC Foundation

• The new Foundation Board members include Taufeek Shah, Martha Lebron-Dykeman, Dr. Keith Krell, Ambassador Mary Kramer and Tanner Kinzler.
• The 30-members on the DMACC Foundation Board each serve a three-year term.
• The DMACC Foundation allocates more than $1.7 million in scholarships annually.
• 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the DMACC Foundation.   

 Five Iowans have been added to the DMACC Foundation Board.  The new members include:  Taufeek Shah of Lola’s Fine Sauces, Martha Lebron-Dykeman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices First Realty, Dr. Keith Krell of University of Iowa Hospitals/Clinics, Ambassador Mary Kramer – previous U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and Tanner Kinzler of Kinzler Construction Services.

All board members serve three-year terms and are not paid for their services.

Here are brief bios of the most recent DMACC Foundation Board members:

Taufeek Shah officially established Lola’s Fine Sauces located in West Des Moines in 2015. He continued to collaborate with his mom, Lola and his sister, Hannah to open Lola’s Fine Kitchen restaurant in Ankeny in 2018. Shah was recently named one of the top entrepreneurs in “Making it with Lowes” and has since launched Lola’s products in all 1,300 stores nationwide. Shah received his A.A. in 2008 from DMACC and received the DMACC Outstanding Alumni Award in 2020.

Martha Lebron-Dykeman is a realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices First Realty. She has been a licensed realtor since 2002.  She is active in the community and is currently serving on the Des Moines Performing Arts Equity Diversity and Inclusion Community Task Force.

Dr. Keith Krell of University of Iowa Hospitals/Clinics. Dr. Krell has been an endodontist for 39 years and in full-time private practice in West Des Moines for 28 years.  He is an adjunct clinical Professor in the department of Endodontics at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry where he also served as graduate program director until 1989. In 1993, he retired from the United States Army National Guard as a lieutenant colonel after 22 years of service. In 2018, he retired from full-time private practice but since then, has been providing part-time care to patients at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines.

Mary Kramer served in the Iowa Senate beginning in 1991 and was elected President of the Senate in 1997. In 2003, President George W. Bush nominated her to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. She served as Ambassador until November of 2007.  She has also served as the Chairman of the Presidential Scholars Commission for four years. She began her career as a pianist, and then worked as a teacher and school administrator. She served as Corporate Personnel Director for Younkers, Inc. and later joined Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. During her tenure with the company she served as Vice President of Human Resources and Vice President of Community Investments.

Tanner Kinzler was named President and CEO of Kinzler Construction Services in 2013. Kinzler Construction Services specializes in the application of their own patented foam insulation in commercial and multi-family properties. Kinzler Construction Services owns operations in Iowa, Texas, Minnesota and North Dakota. In addition to insulation, the company owns a building materials distribution division to provide nationwide construction services.

The DMACC Foundation works cooperatively with individual donors, local businesses and support organizations to ensure funding is available for student scholarships, facility and program enhancements for DMACC, and more.

“The DMACC Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to welcome our newest members.  Our Board Members provide guidance and bring an exceptional skill set to support the programs and fundraising efforts of the DMACC Foundation,” said Tara Connolly, DMACC Foundation Executive Director. “The DMACC Foundation Board Members create access to DMACC’s high quality education and training by eliminating the financial barriers for DMACC students.

Connolly says the DMACC Foundation, which consists of 30 members, allocates more than $1.7 million in scholarships annually and says the DMACC Foundation Board of Directors is looking forward to announcing the largest allocation of scholarships in celebration of the DMACC Foundation’s 50th Anniversary later this year.

Original source can be found here.