The 712 Initiative is proud to announce Tom Hanafan and Pete Petersen as new board members. Hanafan and Petersen joined the board in January for three-year-terms.
These men are taking over the seats of Ron Tekippe and the late Doug Goodman. Tekippe has retired after serving on the board for the past 20 years, being an original member of the Pottawattamie County Development Corporation’s board, The 712 Initiative’s parent organization.
Tekippe was instrumental in helping raise the tax base of Council Bluffs from $18 million to $68 million during his time on the board.
“To say that Ron and Doug left big shoes to fill would be a vast understatement,” said Sheryl Garst, The 712 Initiative’s CEO. “But these men sure come close. Their knowledge and expertise about the community is just as vast, and they bring a fresh set of eyes to our organization.”
Hanafan and Petersen are both active members of the Council Bluffs community. Hanafan served as mayor of Council Bluffs from 1988 to 2013 and has since remained active with affiliations to nearly 20 community organizations.
“The things that have been done by PCDC [now The 712 Initiative] have made a big impact in the community,” said Hanafan. “Now I look forward to having the opportunity to impact the future of our community with the organization.”
Petersen had been an original member of the Bluffs Downtown board, another parent organization for The 712 Initiative. Along with being a business and property owner in the Haymarket District, Petersen is on the board for the Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation, a volunteer for Western Iowa Honor flight and has various other community volunteer roles.
Petersen said, “I feel that through Sheryl Garst’s leadership and The 712 Board, significant progress has been made. I believe in the goals of The 712 Initiative and plan to help achieve those goals and make Council Bluffs a community where more people will want to live, work and play.”
Hanafan and Petersen now join the following board members of the organization: Mike Alford, Scott Belt, Kristen Blum, Kelly Carman, Brandon Garrett, Rick Guill, Chad Hannan, Matthew Henkes, Carol Horner, Matt Johnson, Edd Leach and Gary Matters.
