Board of Directors

Victoria Facto, Chair

Vice President / Commercial Banking, Bankers Trust

Vicki Facto joined the Bankers Trust commercial lending team in 2006. She has worked in the banking industry in the Des Moines area for 23 years in a variety of roles, including commercial loan operations, training and commercial real estate lending.

She currently serves on the boards of directors of a variety of charitable and non-profit organizations, including the Polk County Housing Trust Fund, HOME, Inc., and the Addam C. Medina Foundation.

Facto attended the University of Iowa.

Larry Goodell, Vice Chair

Area Sales Manager, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Larry Goodell has been active in Iowa’s financial services sector for fifteen years. Since joining Wells Fargo Financial in 1987, Goodell has served as branch and area sales manager for Wells Fargo Mortgage Resources and as area sales manager for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. During this time, Goodell has been responsible for consistent growth in profit and funding volume, an expanding sales force, and award-winning customer service.

Goodell has a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and corporate communications from Buena Vista University. He currently serves on the board of the Polk County Housing Trust Fund as a member of the finance committee.

Debbie L. Fisher, Secretary

Executive Vice President, Newbury Management Company

Debbie Fisher is executive vice president of Newbury Management Company, a West Des Moines-based real estate development and property management firm. Prior to joining the company in 1988, Fisher worked at Levy, Malone & Company on new project development and financing.

Fisher is actively involved in the development and operations sides of the Newbury business. She is responsible for more than 2,000 multi-family apartments, comprised of conventional, tax credit, low income and rural family and senior housing units. She serves as the lead contact for Newbury’s third party property management portfolio and manages several non-profit boards.

Fisher has been a member of the board of directors of Iowa Assisted Living Association since 1997, serving as president from 1998 to 2005. She is a graduate of the American Institute of Business.

Rob Sherwood, Treasurer

Chief Financial Officer — Vice President Treasurer and Secretary, Nationwide Advantage Mortgage Company (NAMC)

Rob Sherwood was elected Chief Financial Officer — Vice President Treasurer and Secretary of NAMC in November 2005. Sherwood previously worked with Allied Insurance, Wells Fargo Bank and Equitable of Iowa Companies and spent 11 years as a Certified Public Accountant in public practice.

Sherwood has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. He is a member of the Iowa Society of CPAs, American Society of CPAs and a fellow in the Life Management Institute. He currently serves as Treasurer of the board of the Polk County Housing Trust Fund and chairs the organization’s finance committee. Sherwood previously served as treasurer of the boards of Rebuilding Together of Greater Des Moines and the Humane Society of Ramsey County, Minnesota.

E. J. Giovannetti, Immediate Past Chair

Polk County District Two Supervisor

E. J. Giovannetti is currently serving his third term representing Polk County’s second district, which consists of Ankeny, Grimes, Johnston, Sheldahl, and Urbandale. His experience in government began on the Planning and Zoning Commission in Urbandale in 1973. Giovannetti was appointed mayor of Urbandale in 1977 and served in that position until 1997. He has practiced law with Hopkins & Huebner, P.C. since 1970. Prior to joining Hopkins & Huebner, he served Iowa as Assistant Attorney General, Counsel for Legislative Research Bureau, and Deputy Industrial Commissioner.

Giovannetti has served as a chairman and member of the Greater Des Moines Civic Center; chairman of the Iowa Municipalities Workers’ Compensation Association; president of the Urbandale Economic Development Association; member of Affordable Housing Task Force; member of Greater Des Moines Partnership; member of Team Ankeny; past member of the National League of Cities Committee on Finance, Administration, and InterGovernmental Relationships; member of the board of directors of Bishop Drum Care Center; member of the board of directors of Mercy Clinics; and chairman and member of Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Giovannetti is the chair of the Polk County Housing Trust Fund. He also serves on the board of Choose Des Moines Communities, Des Moines Arts Festival, Downtown Events Group, Mid-Iowa Association of Local Governments, Mid-Iowa Development Fund, Des Moines Wastewater Reclamation Authority, Metropolitan Advisory Council, Polk County Risk Management Committee, Civic Center Executive Committee, Central Iowa Drinking Water Commission, and Endow Urbandale. He is a liaison to the Polk County Board of Health and an alternate to the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Giovannetti earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

Angela Connolly

Polk County District Five Supervisor

Angela Connolly was first elected to represent Polk County’s fifth district in 1998. She served as chairperson of the Board of Supervisors in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. Before joining the Board of Supervisors, Connolly spent 19 years working at the Polk County Planning and Zoning department.

She currently serves as the chair of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Public Transportation Roundtable and the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority. Connolly is active in many civic and community activities including the board of directors of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Polk County Health Services, The Greater Des Moines Partnership, NAMI Walks Advisory Council, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Riverfront Development Authority, Polk County Housing Trust Fund, Transit 2030, Homeless Coalition, Jail Diversion Committee, co-chair for the Capital Crossroads Vision Plan and has served as past president of the Iowa State Association of Counties.

In 2003, Connolly was named the County Leader of the Year by the American City & County magazine.

Creighton Cox

Executive Officer, Home Builders Association of Greater Des Moines

Creighton Cox has served as the executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Greater Des Moines since July 2010. Prior to joining the Home Builders Association in 2006, Cox worked in the office of the Iowa Senate Republican Leader and as a consultant and lobbyist for M & R Strategic Services. He has been active in Iowa politics since 1995, serving as campaign manager on several major political races.

Cox is an active member of the Developers Council of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines HBA Green Building Council, Iowa State Extension Iowa Housing Policy Roundtable, Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Think Green Iowa. In addition, he is a member of the Des Moines Business Record Forty Under Forty class of 2010 and is a graduate of Leadership Urbandale.

Cox graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history.

Joe Gonzalez

Lieutenant, Des Moines Police Department

Lt. Joe Gonzalez is the commander in charge of the Neighborhood-Based Service Delivery Unit for Des Moines. Gonzalez and his team of officers visit with residents where they live — in their neighborhoods, homes and apartments. This most personal interaction provides valuable insight into the progress and impact of providing safe, stable and affordable housing as well as areas of need.

Gonzalez’s appointment to this leadership position and strategic neighborhood initiative in 2009 followed more than 35 years of law enforcement roles in a variety of special initiatives such as the Mobile Crisis Unit, PAL (Police Activities League) Boxing Club, Gang Unit, interim Public Information Officer, Hispanic Outreach Neighborhood Resource Advocate (H.O.N.R.A.), Asian Outreach Program and other key safety and quality of life initiatives. His finger is on the pulse of our entire community with expert and caring insights ensuring we are investing resources where they will have the most powerful and positive impact.

Gonzalez has been recognized by many organizations for his service to the community including the Law Enforcement Victim Service Award by the Office of the U.S. Attorney in Iowa and was named Officer of the Year by the Des Moines Rotary Club.

Lt. Gonzalez attended Des Moines Area Community College and the Des Moines Regional Police Academy.

Lance Henning

Executive Director, Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity

Lance Henning has 13 years of leadership experience in affordable housing, having served as executive director for an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity in the Kansas City area for five years before moving to the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity in 2003.

Henning has a Bachelor of Science in construction engineering from Iowa State University, a Master of Science in environmental engineering from the University of Kansas, and a certificate of non-profit management from Duke University. In addition to the Polk County Housing Trust Fund, he also serves on the boards of directors of the Center on Sustainable Communities and the Ankeny Girls Softball Association.

Christine Hensley

City Councilwoman, Des Moines

Christine Hensley was first elected to the Des Moines City Council in January 1994 and serves the city’s third ward. She was re-elected to a fifth four-year term in November 2009.

Councilwoman Hensley is a member of numerous boards, including Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation, BRAVO, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Des Moines Area Regional Transit, Rebuilding Together, Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines Arts Festival, Iowa Bankers Association Board, Des Moines Symphony, Polk County Housing Trust Fund, Metro Advisory Council, Neighborhood Finance Corporation and Pappajohn Higher Education Foundation.

In her professional career, Hensley is the regional community and government affairs officer for Bank of the West. She attended Drake University.

Gary Lorenz

Vice President, Partner and Chief Financial Officer, Lorenz & Jones Marine Distributors

Gary Lorenz is vice president, partner and chief financial officer of Ankeny-based Lorenz & Jones Marine Distributors.

Lorenz currently serves on the boards of directors of Polk County Aviation Authority, Polk County Housing Trust Fund and on an advisory board for First National Bank. Previously, he served two terms as a member of Ankeny City Council, secretary of the board of directors of the Metro Wastewater Reclamation Authority, two terms on the board of directors of Ankeny Chamber of Commerce, and two terms on the board of directors of United Way Ankeny Action Council where he chaired the housing committee.

Christine L. Pardee

Principal and CEO, Pardee & Associates, L.L.C.

Christine L. Pardee is principal and chief executive officer of Pardee & Associates, a national consulting firm that provides services to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration. She is also owner of Pardee Properties which manages single family, rental investment properties.

Pardee is actively involved in community development both as a small business owner and as a civic volunteer. She holds appointments on the City of Des Moines, Planning and Zoning Commission and represents the Iowa Department of Agriculture on the Farm to School Council. She is the president of the Waveland Park Neighborhood Association, president of the Friends of the Franklin Avenue Library Foundation, and board officer of the American Community Gardening Association. Previously, she has served on the boards of Governor Culver’s Healthy Kids Act State School Nutrition Advisory Council, Governor Vilsack’s Iowa Food Policy Council, and the Wallace House Foundation chairing the marketing committee.

Pardee received her Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University and attended Drake University Graduate College of Business and Public Administration.

Steve Patterson

Meta Financial Group, President Central Iowa market

Steve Patterson brings over 30 years of banking experience and community insight to the Board. His depth of experience in banking is matched by the breadth of service he provides to nonprofits and service organizations.

He currently serves or has served as the president of the Carlisle Economic Development Group, Vice President of the Carlisle Chamber of Commerce, President of the Board for Children and Families of Iowa, and Board member for the Des Moines Development Corporation. Steve also has affiliations and provides support to United Way, Grand View College, Drake University, Des Moines Leadership Institute, Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs.

Steve received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Iowa in 1972; attended National Commercial Lending Graduate School in Norman, Oklahoma; American Management Association’s School for Instructors in San Francisco, California; and the Colorado Graduate School of Banking in Boulder, Colorado.

Linda Westergaard

Partner and Realtor, The Westergaard Group

Linda Westergaard incorporates housing and the improved health and vitality of neighborhoods in every part of her life. Linda, her husband and business partner, Neal, and daughter Sara make up The Westergaard Group, a real estate team with Prudential First Realty.

She currently serves as the president of the Douglas Acres Neighborhood Association and is president of Northeast Neighbors and Friends. She also serves on the Des Moines Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Board of Directors for the Des Moines Area Association of Realtors.

Linda is a lifelong resident of Des Moines.