Events

Blank Park Zoo Anne Shimerdla has worked in a Zoo setting for the past 29 years. Over the years, she has gained experience in almost all Zoo departments. Anne received a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University and a Masters of Public Administration at Drake University. She started her career at the Blank Park Zoo before moving to Duluth, Minnesota where she was the Education Curator at the Lake Superior Zoo. For the past 24 years, she has worked at the Blank Park Zoo in various capacities. Starting as the Education Curator, her job has changed and increased scope over the years to include education, volunteers, guest services, operations revenue, animal care & health and human resources. On June 1, 2020, she was named the President and CEO. Anne lives in Urbandale with her husband of 24 years and their three children. She enjoys volunteering with kids’ sports activities, the school and church.

The Changing Path of Public Television Andrew Batt serves as executive director and general manager of Iowa PBS, Iowa’s statewide public television network. He leads the organization’s four broadcast channels and expanding digital platforms, advancing its mission to educate, inform and inspire Iowans through trusted content, lifelong learning and community engagement. Batt previously served in multiple roles at Iowa PBS ranging from Director of Programming to Senior Producer overseeing work in documentaries, sports coverage, public affairs, and rural agriculture reporting. A native of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Batt earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication, with a minor in political science, from Iowa State University, and a master’s degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

Cold Case Investigations Steve Ponsetto grew up and was educated in Iowa. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and the Certified Managers Program (CPM) at Drake University. Steve was selected by the Iowa Dept. of Public Safety (DPS) as a State Trooper in 1981. In 1991 he became a Special Agent with the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). In 2011, DPS Commissioner selected Steve to serve as the department’s Executive Director, a position he remained in until his retirement in 2014. Steve’s 33-year law enforcement career in DPS included a variety of positions and assignments. In 2023, Steve was selected by Iowa Attorney General Bird to develop, implement and lead the Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit.

Reflections and Expectations Connie Wimer was born in Merrill, Iowa, a small town in northwest Iowa and attended Morningside College. Connie is the owner and Chair of Business Publications Corporation. In addition to publishing the Business Record and dsm magazine, they publish thirty-some different publications each year. The company also does custom publishing, book publishing and has created more than 40 events presented throughout the year. Connie serves on a number of civic, charitable and higher education boards in the city, the state and nationally. She is the founder of Winefest and was the first woman to serve as Chair of the Greater Des Moines Chamber and the first woman to receive the Business Hall of Fame Award from the Greater Des Moines Committee. Editor & Publisher, the respected monthly trade news magazine covering the publishing industry, recognized the Business Record in a special section called “10 News Publishers That Do It Right” in 2021 and two subsequent years. BPC was cited for launching "new initiatives that provided value to the community". She received the Lewis Conn Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Alliance of Area Business Publications as well as the Milton W. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award from the […]