Michael Purol | Summit Chair
As a President at Poepping, Stone, Bach & Associates, Inc. Michael Purol is responsible for all corporate project within the State of Missouri, including land surveying, general civil and structural engineering and architectural projects. PSBA has offices in Quincy, Illinois, Keokuk Iowa and Hannibal, Missouri.
Before joining PSBA in 2009, Michael was a managing partner of small engineering firm in Northeast Missouri. Michael is a graduate if the University of Missouri – Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology).
Michael’s community and professional leadership roles include: Treasure of the Rotary Club of Hannibal; Executive Board Member of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers; Executive Board Member of the Professional Engineers in Private Practice; Transportation Committee Member of the Hannibal Chamber of Commerce; Board Member of the US Highway 36/I-72 Association Corporation; Board member of the Mark Twain Lake Visitors and Educational Resources Center. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Lions Club and Holy Rosary School Board.
Jason Hutcheson
As President and CEO of the Greater Burlington Partnership, Jason Hutcheson oversees development activities in Southeast Iowa including those conducted by the Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development, Convention & Visitors Bureau and Downtown Partners, Inc.
Prior to joining the Greater Burlington Partnership, Jason served as the Executive Director for the Louisa Development Group. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Real Estate, and went on to earn his Masters of Business Administration from St. Ambrose University.
In addition to his position at the Greater Burlington Partnership, Jason is involved in the Professional Developers of Iowa, Burlington Rotary Club and Community Foundation of Des Moines County.
Mayor Michael Inman
As Mayor for the City of Macomb, Illinois, Michael Inman serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the municipality, supervising all executive officers and employees of the city. He first took office in May 2011.
Prior to being elected Mayor, Michael was a Master Sergeant with the Illinois State Police, retiring in 2010. He served as 4th ward alderman for the City of Macomb, and also served two terms as a Macomb Library Board Trustee as well as nearly two terms on the McDonough County Board. He attended Western Illinois University.
His community and leadership roles include: member and past president of the St. Paul Catholic Church Parish Council; member of the McDonough District Hospital Community Outreach Committee; member of the Wesley Village Community Outreach Committee; and member and past Executive Officer of the Western Illinois University Performing Arts Society Board. He is also active in the Knights of Columbus and the Lions Club.
Wendy Harrington
Wendy Harrington leads the Hannibal Regional Foundation and also serves as Vice-President Development for Hannibal Regional. Dr.
Harrington, a native of northeast Missouri, is passionate about sustaining and enhancing the excellent healthcare services provided by the Hannibal Regional. As President of the Foundation, Dr. Harrington manages all efforts to raise, fiscally manage and disburse privately donated funds to Hannibal Regional.
Previous to her role with the Foundation, Wendy led a Business Research Group for the University of Missouri, and was the Director of Marketing for a national mail order catalog. Dr. Harrington holds a Bachelor of Science degree from William Woods University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Doctoral in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Wendy also recently earned her CFRE certification (Certified Fundraising Executive).
Patrick Poepping
As CEO of Poepping, Stone, Bach & Associates, Inc., Patrick Poepping is the corporate officer in charge of all projects for the corporation including land surveying and general civil engineering. PSBA has offices in Quincy, Illinois, Keokuk, Iowa and Hannibal, Missouri.
Before joining PSBA, Patrick was employed by the Illinois Department of Transportation as a Civil Engineer and later held the position of City Engineer for the City of Quincy, Illinois.
Patrick graduated from the University of Missouri Rolla with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering.
His past and present community activities include: President and Chairman of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the Keokuk Area Chamber Legislative Committee; Chairman of the NEMO Workforce Investment Board; President of Quincy Public Library Board; Member of Keokuk Area Chamber Strategic Planning Committee; Member of Corridor 67 Board; Member of Sunset Home Board; Member of State Advisory Board for University of Illinois Extension; and President of the Quincy YMCA.
Chuck Scholz
As an attorney at Scholz and Scholz, LLP, Chuck Scholz has been representing citizens of Illinois for more than two decades.
After initially engaging in private practice, Chuck began his career in public service as Assistant Attorney General, directing the Western Illinois Regional Office. Chuck also served as the Downstate Political Director for former United States Senator Paul Simon. More recently, he served as Mayor of Quincy from 1993 to 2005.
Chuck graduated with a Bachelor degree from Georgetown University. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Mercer University. Chuck also holds honorary degrees from Quincy University and Culver-Stockton College.
He currently serves as a Member of the Illinois State Board of Elections; Secretary of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation; Trustee at Culver-Stockton College; Board Member for Bank of Quincy; Board Member of Illinois Issues magazine; Board Member at Network Knowledge; Board Member of the Quincy Area Salvation Army; Board Member of Good Samaritan Home; and Board Member of the Quincy Symphony Orchestra. Chuck has received numerous awards for his dedication to humanitarian and charitable causes including the Liberty Bell Award from the Illinois Bar Association and Joe Bonansinga Community Service Award from United Way of Adams County among others.
Dan Wiedemeier
After joining the steering committee in 1999, Dan Wiedemeier has been leading Tri-State of Mind efforts in Southeast Iowa.
Before retirement he served as an officer at F&M Bank and Trust in Burlington, Iowa and prior to that held leadership positions at AT&T Company, Northwestern Bell and Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph.
Dan graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He has also completed graduate work at Michigan State University, Carlton College, Northwestern University and University of Nebraska.
Dan has been named a Distinguished Citizen by the Mississippi Valley Council Boy Scouts of America. He is a Past Commissioner and Chairman of the Iowa Department of Transportation; Commissioner of the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Authority; and Vice Chair of the Great River Health Systems. In March, Dan was appointed to Iowa Governor Branstad’s Transportation 2020 Citizen Advisory Commission.
Mike Elbe
Michael Elbe is President of John Wood Community College and has served in that role since 2014. He started at JWCC in 1990 and has held a number of positions during his tenure at the College. He formally was Vice President for Student Services where he served as Chief Student Services Officer for student service areas including Admissions, Financial Aid, Advising, Registration, Records, Student Support Services, TRIO Grants, Veteran Services, Career Services, Student Life and Athletics. Over the course of his thirty (30) years of professional experiences at four, 4 year colleges and on two occasions at John Wood, he has served as Director of Student Life and Athletics at JWCC, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Athletics at the University of Dubuque (IA), Academic Advisor at the University of North Carolina in Wilmington (NC), and Resident Director at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian College in Laurinburg (NC). Elbe also served as a faculty member at each of the four year colleges where he was previously employed.
President Elbe serves on several boards including the Chamber of Commerce, Great River Economic Development Foundation, United Way of Adams County and the Workforce Investment Board. He recently was recognized for his community service by being selected the 2018 Joe Bonasinga Award recipient and was honored by Phi Theta Kappa in April, 2018 as the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction, PTK’s most prestigious award for college presidents. He was nominated for this award by the student members of our local chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.
Elbe earned an Educational Specialist in Administration (Ed.S.) in December of 2013. He received a Master of Science in Education from the University of South Alabama (M.Ed.) and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Quincy University with a K-12 state of Illinois teaching certificate.
Paul Dennison
Paul Dennison was born June 24, 1943, in Knoxville, Iowa, the second youngest of seven children born to Robert and Bertice Dennison. Paul graduated from Knoxville High School in 1961, and graduated from the Brown Institute of Broadcasting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Paul has continually worked in the broadcasting business; first in Newton, Iowa, then in Mount Pleasant, arriving in 1970. He is the owner of KILJ AM/FM radio. Paul was named Iowa Broadcaster of the Year in 2005.
On January 28, 1978, Paul married Joyce Van Horn, also of Knoxville, Iowa. The Dennisons have resided in Mount Pleasant and remained active members of the community since that time. They are the parents of Lisa and Laine.
Community Involvement:
Healthy Henry County Communities – Board of Directors
Iowa Arts Council – Currently Chairman; appointed in 2012 by Governor Terry Branstad
Enhance Henry County Foundation – Board of Directors; currently vice chairman
Mount Pleasant Kiwanis – 1970 to present; Past President
Southeast Iowa Symphony – Past Board President; Current member of the Mt. Pleasant Chapter
Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce – Past President
Main Street Mount Pleasant – Past Board Member
Iowa Wesleyan College – Honorary Alumni; Currently serving on IWU Board of Trustees
Paul has led and participated in extensive fundraising efforts for Iowa Wesleyan College, the Iowa Wesleyan Chapel renovation, Henry County Health Center Foundation, Midwest Old Threshers and most recently the Union Block building renovation.
Paul and Joyce were Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year in 2007, and selected as Grand Marshalls of the Old Threshers Harvest Parade in 2012.
Corey J Mehaffy
Corey J Mehaffy joined the staff of Northeast Missouri Economic Development Council (NEMO EDC) as the president of the organization in January of 2019. As president, Mehaffy is responsible for all economic development efforts including business retention and expansion, business attraction and entrepreneurship. From its inception in 1984 NEMO EDC has provided economic development services for the City of Hannibal, Marion County and Ralls County.
Mehaffy spent the previous eleven years as the President of Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation where he led an effort to establish a multi-county partnership with MAEDC functioning as the lead economic development agency for all counties.
In 2012, Mehaffy founded C. J. Mehaffy, LLC, an economic development company to advise entrepreneurs, communities and expanding businesses in an effort to encourage and facilitate new business investment.
In 2014, Mehaffy purchased Growth Services Group, a workforce intelligence research and consulting firm.
In 2016, Mehaffy founded GSG Hospitality Group, a national consulting firm focused on data and primary intelligence insights for local municipalities and developers who are interested in promoting the retail/hospitality sectors in their area.
In 2018, Mehaffy co-founded GSG Municipal Group. GSG Municipal Group is a consulting firm offering value added products and services to public entities.
Prior to joining NEMO EDC, Mehaffy served for eleven years as the President of MAEDC, five years as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Central Christian College of the Bible (CCCB) and one year as the COO of L&J Development, Inc., all of Moberly. Mehaffy came to CCCB after serving as the VP of Operations for Pike Mechanical, Inc. and as the Director of Operations and Business Development for Arona Corporation, both of Des Moines, Iowa. Mehaffy has held several senior management positions in a variety of industries from finance to retail while owning several businesses.
Planning Committee
Tom Oakley | Transportation Chair | Quincy Media Inc. Owner
Carla Potts | Housing Task Force Chair | North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC)
Gail Bryant | Tourism Chair | Hannibal Convention & Visitors Bureau Director
Kristi Ray | Connectivity Chair | Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance Executive VP
Brent Engel | North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC)
Joi Cuartero Austin | Coordinator | Great River Economic Development Foundation Marketing & Communications Director
Marcel Wagner | Great River Economic Development Foundation President
Former Steering Committee Members
Tom Oakley
Tom Boland
As President of Tom Boland Ford in Hannibal, Tom Boland has been a business leader in the Tri-State of Mind since 1968.
Before opening Tom Boland Ford, Tom was the Service and Customer Relation Manager at Ford’s St. Louis District Sales Office. He also spent time as a Senior Flight Test Engineer for McDonnell Aircraft Corporation.
Tom graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering.
Tom previously served as a Board Member for the Hannibal Regional Hospital; President of Hannibal Chamber of Commerce; Vice President for the Missouri Economic Infrastructure and Export Development Board; Chairman of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission; Director for the Commerce Bank of Hannibal; and President of the US Highway 36/I-72 Association Corporation. He currently serves as a District Representative for the Missouri Transportation Alliance Statewide Stakeholders’ Committee.
Jim Mentesti
Retiring after 27 years as President of the Great River Economic Development Foundation in 2012, Jim Mentesti has been helping businesses grow in Quincy and Adams County since 1986.
Prior to joining GREDF, Jim served as director of development for eleven years at Quincy College and was later administrative manager of Quintron Corporation in Quincy.
Jim graduated from Quincy College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management.
While president of GREDF, Jim served as a director of the Rural Adams Development Corporation. He was active in the Western Illinois Corridor Council and is a past board member of the Workforce Investment Board of Western Illinois. He is also a past president of the Illinois Development Council.
Jim’s community leadership roles include: Charter Director of the Community Foundation of the Quincy Area; Quincy University Trustee Emeritus; Past President of the Quincy University Foundation; Past President of the Quincy Parks Foundation; Board Member of the Jackson Lincoln Swimming Complex; Past President of the First Tee of Great River; Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Quincy; Past President of Spring Lake Country Club; Past Board Member of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce; and Steering Committee Member of the Salvation Army Kroc Center.