North Iowa Area Community College recognized 61 student leaders at the 28^th annual Pathways to Success luncheon held April 6^th in the Muse-Norris Conference Center at NIACC.  Honorees were nominated by NIACC faculty and staff for their academic achievement, positive attitude, character, teamwork and ability to inspire others.  The event also featured a keynote address by 2018 Distinguished Alumnus and North Iowa native, Stephen A. Minert, Class of 1990. In addition to Minert, Mason City native, Didi Zahariades, Class of 1990 was named the 2018 Outstanding Alumna.

Minert, of Clear Lake, is the CEO of Harley-Davidson of Mason City and the Cedar River Harley-Davidson dealership in Charles City.  Minert worked full-time while attending NIACC and graduated in 1990.  He studied Political Science at the University of Northern Iowa and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Buena Vista University.

Since 1990, Minert and his family have donated to over 150 north Iowa charities and other worthy causes through the hosting of events held at their dealerships.  Among the charitable entities they’ve assisted financially are the Northern Lights Women’s Shelter, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Humane Society, and the annual ‘Battle of the Badges’ hockey tournament. Minert presently serves as the Chairman of the Cerro Gordo County Compensation Board, which sets the salaries and benefits of all elected officials representing Cerro Gordo County, and he is a Mason.

Minert shared his pathway to success with the student honorees. Minert noted school was not his strong suit. In fact, during his senior year in high school his guidance counselor pulled him aside, worried about his future and concerned for where he was headed. Minert shared the chat with his counselor was what he needed to know NIACC was the best place for him. Minert stated, “My experience here at NIACC turned out to be a combustion engine of failure and success, ambition followed by disappointment with that cycle repeating over and over. However, thanks to the quality of the faculty here and NIACC’s proximity to home, it ended in success.” Minert shared some of his thoughts on leadership, encouraging students to stay humble, to understand they are not a solo act, and that working well in a team is one of the most important parts of success. He also noted the importance of being focused, because it’s easy to get distracted by something shiny that turns out to be irrelevant.

Zahariades graduated with her NIACC associate’s degree in 1990. She went on to the University of Iowa and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications in 1992. Zahariades eventually settled in Portland, Oregon and achieved her Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Lewis and Clark College.

Zahariades is a psychotherapist, executive coach and motivational speaker specializing in the development of individuals. She has spent the last fifteen years in a successful practice, Coach to Win. During this time she has established an impressive, diverse client list throughout the U.S. and internationally. Zahariades gained national attention as a regularly featured expert on a variety of television programs with a core concentration on conflict resolution for both business and family.

Zahariades resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband and son.  Zahariades was unable to attend the Pathways to Success luncheon due to a family emergency, her parents, Nick and Rita Zahariades accepted the Outstanding Alumna award on her behalf.

Students honored at the event included:

Albert Lea, MN

Elizabeth Flaherty

Belmond

Jesse Gobeli

Luke Worden

Berkshire, England

Charlie Evans

Brisbane, Australia

Nathanael VanKan

Calmar

Anthony Emanuel

Cannon Falls, MN

Nathan Overby

Charles City

Brady Girkin

Kennedi Rowlands

Clear Lake

Anastasiia Antonova

Guissella Johnson Munoz

Marissa Olk

Elizabeth Reid

Maegan Tegtmeye

Collingswood, Australia

Nicholas Wurm

Des Peres, MO

Tyler Lien

Fort Dodge

Steve Liao

Hampton

Mikyla Marquard

Jordan Prantner

Brady Ringleb

Hanlontown

Brenna Jara

Hastings, MN

Joseph Werner

Kensett

Dylan Parks

Kelsie Willert

Klemme

Jamie Horspool-Ridlon

Lima, Peru

Claudia Cueva Escobedo

Manly

Trace Kessler

Mason City

Kathleen Bimbo

Bradley Burns

Kristen Cox

Brooke Greenwood

Brenann Hamilton

John Kraft

Tyler Nestvedt

Megan Notermann

Mirsada Pivic

Samantha Schupanitz

Kelley Schwab

Ely Taylor

Ian Vallebo

Miranda Wulff

Sarah Yacoub

Minneapolis, MN

Adria Stewart

Mountain Green, UT

Jaycob Payne

Nora Springs

Caleb Howe

Osage

Courtney Tusler

Justin Zimmerman

Readlyn

Brandon Hyde

Riceville

Jennifer Jensen

Rio Grande, Brazil

Pedro Giordani

Rockwell

Chadd Blanchard

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Raphael Sergio Xavier

Sheffield

Paul Currier

Preston Larson

Logan Plagge

Sully

Canyon Kuhlmann

Thompson

Dalton Adams

Vancouver, BC

Jimsher Sidju

Wanda, MN

Morgan Frank

Washburn

Cade Schares

Zimmerman, MN

Taylor Laabs

NIACC’s 28^th annual Pathways to Success event was sponsored by the Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors, Harley Davidson of Mason City and the Cedar River Harley Davidson, North Iowa Community Credit Union, and the NIACC Student Senate.

# # #

Ref # 6359