Combined, the approved list of retirees have been with Iowa Central for more than 470 years, and notably include Athletic Director Kevin Twait and Director of Theatre Teresa Jackson who have each been with Iowa Central for 30 years and Vice President of External Affairs and Government Relations Jim Kersten, who has been with Iowa Central for 22 years.

“These 29 individuals represent all that is good about the people serving our students,” said Iowa Central Community College President Jesse Ulrich. “They have dedicated their lives and careers to ensuring students have the potential for a better life through education. The number of students who have been positively impacted by this stellar group cannot be counted. The experience, institutional knowledge, and skills cannot simply be replaced. We are indebted to their service, and we wish them well in the next chapter of their lives.”

The approved list of retirees includes one vice president, one academic dean, one athletic director, one center director, three coaches, seven custodians, seven specialized positions, and eight faculty members.

“It was a tough decision,” Kersten said, reflecting on his choice to retire. “Dr. Ulrich and the board have been great to work with.”

“It’s been a great experience,” he said.

He joined the college’s senior leadership team in January 2002. His last day will be June 30, 2025, but he expects to be out of the office before that date, using up vacation time.

Kersten said he is proud of the work he did to build relationships between the college and the state and federal governments. Some of the specific projects he looks back on with pride include direct federal funding for the dental hygiene program, acquiring federal money for the parking ramp on campus, and the growth of the biofuels testing lab with the support of state and federal officials.

“I am really excited about the future of that lab,” he said.

Kersten said in the future he plans to do some consulting work.

According to Ulrich, 55 percent of those eligible to retire in 2025 accepted Iowa Central’s retirement package, which is the second highest election of eligible employees, with 2016 being the highest as that retirement package provided additional compensation.

Ulrich told the board that the retirement savings is anticipated to be between $500,000-$730,000 annually in the general fund.

“Iowa Central utilizes an early retirement incentive as a financial tool to ensure our fiscal resources to serve students and businesses within our region are sustainable and healthy,” said Ulrich. “Every single vacancy due to retirement will be reviewed to determine if the position should be replaced, restructured to meet new needs, or reduced. Some positions will be filled quickly, while others may take more time to analyze for operational effectiveness.”

Ulrich noted at Tuesday’s meeting that the search for a new athletic director is anticipated to begin immediately. The administrative team will meet later in the school year to determine what positions will be replaced or restructured.

2025 Iowa Central Retirees

Colleen Bartlett

Colette Bertran

Sonja Bryhne-Cafferty

Susan Doyle

Dave Drissel

Julie Evenson

Roger Feldhans

Gregg Haden

John Hansen

Susan Henry

Dennis Ivory

Teresa Jackson

James Kersten

Janet Lansing

Rae Larson

Wayne Lussman

David Mann

John Matthews

Julie Mertens

Kelly Meyer

Jeff Nelsen

Neil Peterson

Michael Pieper

Roger Plantz

Bryce Roberts

Althea Rouse

Kurt Schmid

John Sheehan

Kevin Twait