Iowa official register

Sorenson, Kent – Indianola (R) 

District 74 

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

Owns and operates a small business.   Birth and Residence:  Born 

in 1972. Raised and resides in Indianola. Family Members: Wife 

Shawnee; two sons and four daughters. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steckman, Sharon – Mason City (D) 

District 13 

Term: Serving first term in House.  Profession: Retired educa-

tor.  Education:  Received B.S. in education from Iowa State Uni-

versity and M.S. in education from Morningside College.  Member-

ships and Activities:  Served on the Mason City Swim Club Board 

and Mason City Youth Hockey Association. Former member of the 

Mason City Education Association, serving as president and chief 

negotiator. Taught in Portugal, working with children from 19 dif-

ferent countries. Member of the Trinity Lutheran Church.  Birth 

and Residence: Born in 1947 in Chicago, Illinois. Raised in Little-

ton, Colorado, and Omaha, Nebraska. Resides in Mason City.  Fam-

ily Members: Husband Alan; three sons, one daughter, and nine 

grandchildren.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Struyk, Douglas L. – Council Bluffs (R) 

District 99 

Term: Serving fourth term in House.  Profession: Small busi-

ness owner and attorney.  Education: Graduated from St. Alberts 

High School. Received B.S. from Iowa State University and J.D. 

with honors from Creighton University.  Memberships and Activi-

ties: Served as vice president of Council Bluffs Trees Forever and 

on the West Pottawattamie County Extension Council. Worked in 

the Iowa Department of Agriculture as the chief of the Agricultural 

Diversification Bureau. Member of the Iowa State Bar Association.  

Birth and Residence: Born in 1970 in Omaha, Nebraska. Resides 

in Council Bluffs.  Family Members: Wife Jill; one daughter.  

 

 

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IOWA OFFICIAL REGISTER 

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Swaim, Kurt – Bloomfield (D) 

District 94 

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

Education:  Graduated from Davis County High School and Iowa 

Wesleyan with a degree in economics and business administration. 

Received J.D. from the University of Iowa.  Memberships and 

Activities: Past board member and secretary-treasurer for Citizens 

Mutual Telephone Company in Bloomfield and past Davis County 

Attorney. Lay delegate to Iowa Annual Conference of United Meth-

odist Church.  Birth and Residence: Born in 1950 in Drakesville. 

Resides in Bloomfield.  Family Members: Wife Julie; four chil-

dren and five grandchildren. 

 

 

Sweeney, Annette – Alden (R) 

District 44 

Term:  Serving first term in House. Profession:  Home-raised 

business owner of Practical Promotions, operates family cattle op-

eration, and former teacher.  Education:  Received B.S. in educa-

tion in English, speech/drama with a minor in coaching at Concor-

dia College LCMS, Seward, Nebraska.  Memberships and Activi-

ties:  Former executive director of Iowa Angus Association. Served 

on Ellsworth Community Ag Advisory Council, Hubbard-Radcliffe 

and South Hardin Vocational Ag Advisory Boards, Hardin County 

Extension Council, Iowa Women in Agriculture Board, and Iowa 

Soybean Ag-Urban Leadership Initiative. Named as “Friend of 

Farm Bureau.” Served on Congressman Tom Latham’s Ag Commit-

tee, a 4-H leader, and Sunday school teacher. Served in political 

campaigns for Bob Dole, Dan Brown, Fred Grandy, and a guberna-

torial race. Served on Congressman Grandy’s Ag Task Force. Past 

chairman of Hardin County Platform Committee, state platform committee, and represented Har-

din County as a delegate at the state convention. Served on the Farm Service Agency Board for 

Hardin County.  Birth and Residence:  Born in 1957, and raised on family’s third-generation 

farm near Radcliffe. Resides in rural Alden. Family Members:  Husband Dave; two sons.  

 

Taylor, Todd – Cedar Rapids (D) 

District 34 

Term: Serving seventh term in House.  Profession: Staff repre-

sentative for AFSCME.  Education: Received B.A. in English from 

Graceland College, and B.S. in political science from the University 

of Iowa.  Memberships and Activities: Chair of the Justice Sys-

tems Appropriations Subcommittee. Former Assistant Democratic 

Leader. Past member of Commission on Elder Affairs. Member of 

the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development Se-

lection Board and Bowhay alumni. Member of the Hawkeye Labor 

Council, executive board member 2006-present, Linn County De-

mocratic Central Committee, Community of Christ Church, and 

Boy Scouts of America.  Received Humane Legislator of the Year 

Award, United States Humane Society, 2007, and Labor Arbitration 

Institute Award, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002.  Birth and Resi-

dence:  Born in 1966 in Ames. Resides in Cedar Rapids.  Family 

Members: Wife Kim; one daughter and one son.  

 

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LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 

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