DMACC leaders recognized for their commitment to Newton community

Two leaders from Des Moines Area Community College were acknowledged for their accomplishments at the Newton campus during the Newton Development Corporation’s annual Salute to Business & Industry Luncheon. Both leaders have also recently announced their retirement from the college.

DMACC President Rob Denson and former DMACC Board of Trustees President Joe Pugel announced earlier this year they would be retiring from their respective positions. Pugel officially retired and resigned from the DMACC Board of Trustees back in June. Denson will retire at the end of the year.

Kim Didier, executive director of DMACC Business Resources, said Denson and Pugel led the way for DMACC’s significant investment in Newton. Didier gave a presentation about the two leaders during the luncheon, recognizing their history with the college and their achievements in the community.

Prior to his stint with DMACC, Pugel was a longtime executive for The Vernon Company here in Newton. He was the longest serving DMACC Board of Trustees president in the community college’s history. Pugel led the school through opportunities and challenges throughout his tenure.

Didier said Pugel’s vision, collaborative spirit and innovative leadership led to the establishment of Jasper County Career Academy and Legacy Plaza. He believed in giving high school students an opportunity to be engaged and become part of a workforce that will want to work and stay in Iowa.

Denson is the longest serving president of any community college in the state. Like Pugel, Didier credited Denson for his innovation in propelling the college forward. Denson likes to think outside the box, she said, and it has led to great successes not only across the district but particularly in Legacy Plaza.

Didier said both Denson and Pugel have really shown their commitment to the organization, the state and the communities serviced by DMACC.

“In honor of both of them, I just wanted to talk about what their decisions that they made throughout those 20-plus years have led to in our community,” Didier said.

Jasper County Career Academy became a reality in 2006-2007. Of note is the baking program that serves several students from Baxter, Colfax-Mingo, Lynnville-Sully, Newton and Prairie City-Monroe. The academy gives students career opportunities to explore what they may want to do after graduation.

Other programs include auto collision, building trades, criminal justice, the teacher academy, health occupations, human services and the business academy. Didier said the Career Academy would not be here if not for the leadership of both Denson and Pugel.

In 2016, the DMACC leaders were approached about the prospects of the Maytag Campus. The community college adopted more than 480,000 square feet of space between eight buildings. Didier said DMACC developed a strategy for the use of the buildings, which inevitably became Legacy Plaza.

“People are coming to Legacy Plaza every day,” Didier said, noting the buildings have paved the way for new jobs to open up in the buildings. “…We’ve also been added to the Newton Main Street district, which has been a great benefit and very appreciative of that.”