Iowa official register

56 

IOWA OFFICIAL REGISTER 

 

Drake, Jack – Griswold (R) 

District 57 

Term: Serving ninth term in House.  Profession: Farmer.  Edu-

cation: Graduated from Atlantic High School. Attended the Univer-

sity of Iowa.  Memberships and Activities: Secretary and board 

member of Walnut Telephone Company. Member of Iowa Cattle-

men’s Association, Farm Bureau, Iowa Corn Growers Association, 

Iowa Soybean Association, NFIB, and United Methodist Church. 

Past member of State Compensation Committee and 4-H leader. 

Past state director of Iowa Farm Bureau, past president of  East 

Pottawattamie County Extension Council and Farm Bureau.  Birth 

and Residence: Born in 1934  near Walnut. Resides in Griswold.  

Family Members: Wife Shirley; two sons, two daughters, 11 

grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ficken, Gene – Independence (D) 

District 23 

Term:  Serving first term in House.  Profession:  Career edu-

cator.   Education:  B.A. and M.A. in biology from the Univer-

sity of Northern Iowa.  Memberships and Activities:  Member 

of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Iowa State Education Associa-

tion, and past member of Jaycees and Kiwanis.   Birth and 

Residence: Born in 1944 in Spirit Lake and resides in Independ-

ence.  Family Members:  Wife Michelle; two sons, one daugh-

ter, and one grandson.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ford, Wayne – Des Moines (D) 

District 65 

Term: Serving seventh term in House. Profession: Consultant 

and human service director of Wayne Ford & Associates. Educa-

tion:  Received B.S.E. from Drake University; graduate work at the 

University of Iowa and Drake University.  Memberships and Ac-

tivities: Founder of Urban Dreams. Board of Trustees of Milton S. 

Eisenhower Foundation, board member of Boardroom Bound, hon-

orary board of trustees of the Frederick Douglass Museum, Wash-

ington, D.C., and member of Union Baptist Missionary Church.  

Birth and Residence: Born in 1951 and raised in Washington, 

D.C. Resides in Des Moines.  Family Members:  Wife Romonda 

Belcher Ford; one son. 

 

 

 

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57 

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 

 

Forristall, Greg – Macedonia (R) 

District 98 

Term: Serving second term in House.  Profession: Farmer.  

Education: Graduated from Carson-Macedonia High School. Re-

ceived Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts degrees from the 

University of Iowa.  Memberships and Activities: Member of 

West Pottawattamie County Farm Bureau, Iowa Corn Growers 

Association, and Grist Mill Fine Arts.  Birth and Residence: Born 

in 1950 in Council Bluffs. Resides in Macedonia.  Family Mem-

bers: Wife Carol.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frevert, Marcella R. – Emmetsburg (D) 

District 7 

Term: Serving seventh term in House.  Profession: Educator.  

Education: Received A.A. from Emmetsburg Junior College, B.S. 

from Mankato State, M.A. from the University of Northern Iowa, 

and reading specialist certification from the University of Iowa.  

Memberships and Activities: Former Palo Alto County Soil and 

Water Conservation District commissioner. Member of Cattle-

men’s Association; Federated Women’s Club; Iowa Pork Producers 

Association; Iowa Soybean Association; Corn Growers Associa-

tion; Algona, Emmetsburg, and Estherville Chambers of Com-

merce; Emmetsburg Education Association; PACK Reading Coun-

cil; Iowa Reading Association; International Reading Association; 

Phi Delta Kappa; and United Methodist Church.  Birth and Resi-

dence: Born in 1937 in Graettinger. Resides in Emmetsburg.  Fam-

ily Members: Husband William; three daughters, one son, 12 

grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.  

 

 

 

 

Gaskill, Mary – Ottumwa (D) 

District 93 

Term:  Serving fourth term in House.  Profession: Retired 

county auditor.  Education: Attended Gard Business University. 

Completed numerous continuing education classes in personnel, 

accounting, and management.  Memberships and Activities: 

Member of Ottumwa Area Chamber of Commerce, League of 

Women Voters, Toastmasters International, American Legion Aux-

iliary, VFW Auxiliary, Ottumwa Noon Lions, Catholic Daughters 

of America, and St. Mary of the Visitation Church.  Birth and 

Residence: Born in 1941 in Clyde, Missouri. Resides in Ottumwa.  

Family Members: Husband Jim; one son, three daughters, and 

seven grandchildren.    

 

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58 

IOWA OFFICIAL REGISTER 

 

Gayman, Elesha – Davenport (D) 

District 84 

Term: Serving second term in House.  Profession: Consultant 

and adjunct professor.  Education: Received B.A. from the Uni-

versity of Iowa with an emphasis in international relations. Com-

pleted a Masters of Public Administration at Drake University.  

Memberships and Activities: Member of the Iowa Commission 

of Volunteer Service, American Association of University 

Women, Quad City Young Professional Networks, and American 

Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL). Serves on the board 

of the Safer Foundation and a volunteer with the Red Cross.  Birth 

and Residence: Born in 1978 in Davenport. Resides in Davenport.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grassley, Pat – New Hartford (R) 

District 17 

Term: Serving second term in House.  Profession: Farmer and 

student.  Education: Received A.A. in agribusiness from Hawk-

eye Community College and working toward a bachelor’s degree 

at the University of Northern Iowa.  Memberships and Activi-

ties: Member of Butler County Republican Central Committee 

and Butler County Farm Bureau.  Birth and Residence: Born in 

1983 in Cedar Falls. Resides in rural New Hartford.  Family 

Members: Wife Amanda; one daughter.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hagenow, Chris – Windsor Heights (R) 

District 59 

Term:  Serving first term in House.   Profession:  Attorney.  

Education: Received B.A. at the University of Northern Iowa 

and J.D. at the University of Iowa College of Law.  Birth and 

Residence:  Born in 1972 in St. Charles, Missouri. Raised in 

Cedar Falls and resides in Windsor Heights.  Family Members:  

Wife Amanda; one son.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

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