1996: James F. Evans

James Evans (1954), considered a leader in agricultural communications, began his career as the associate farm director for WBAY radio and television in Green Bay. In the early 1960s, he began heading the teaching and research in the Agricultural Communications Department at the University of Illinois. Read More

June 8, 1996

1995: Ralph W. Anderson

Ralph W. Anderson (1933) grew up in northern Iowa and learned the weekly newspaper business from his father, publisher of the Ringsted Dispatch. Anderson’s career included editor and publisher duties in Grundy Center and at the Farm Bureau Spokesman. Read More

June 8, 1995

1994: Mollie Cooney (Smith)

Mollie Cooney (1976) went to work for KCCI in Des Moines as a reporter and anchor. In 1979, Cooney left to work for KNTV in San Jose, Calif. Read More

June 8, 1994

1994: Kevin Cooney

Kevin Cooney (1974) joined Des Moines’ KCCI newsroom while still in high school and worked there full-time after graduation. Read More

June 8, 1994

1993: John D. (Jack) Shelley

Jack Shelley is a pioneer of broadcast journalism. During World War II, he covered the Battle of the Bulge and the surrender of the Japanese on the battleship Missouri for WHO Radio in Des Moines. Read More

June 8, 1993

1992: John Madson

John Madson (1951) is considered the father of the modern prairie restoration movement. He wrote about the natural history and resource conservation of rivers, prairies, plains, and deserts. Read More

June 8, 1992

1991: Geneva Overholser

Geneva Overholser began reporting at the Colorado Springs Sun before freelancing from Africa and Europe for five years. She then joined the editorial page of the Des Moines Register, moved to The New York Times editorial staff, and returned to Des Moines as editor of the Register in 1988. Read More

June 8, 1991

1990: Donald L. Arends

Don Arends (1952) worked as an advertising writer, advertising coordinator and corporate communications director before founding his own marketing firm in 1958. Arends, Inc. is based near Chicago and serves local, regional, national and multi-national corporate clients. Read More

June 8, 1990

1989: Robert E. Kowalski

Robert Kowalski (1966, 1977) was trained as a medical journalist and has written award-winning television public service announcements, patient-education materials, and for a variety of health publications for over three decades. Read More

June 8, 1989

1988: Leo Mores

Leo Mores (1938) started his newspaper career as a carrier for the Des Moines Register in the eighth grade and continued through high school at the Seymour Herald. After college, he worked as advertising manager at the Rockwell City Advocate. Read More

June 8, 1988