If you missed the February 5th, 2021, FFBC virtual breakfast meeting with Brian Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG, then you may not be aware that Jonathan Wilson has retired and become former board member emeritus and that I was appointed president. Jonathan formed FFBC in 1996 and deserves recognition for his work and dedication that leaves us with a well-run organization and its mission that continues to be important to Iowa. I have served on the FFBC board since 2004 and as Vice President for the past six years. Ryan Crane will be our new Vice President. I am truly honored that Jonathan believes in my ability to lead the organization he founded.             

I grew up on a farm outside of Winterset, Iowa, where my parents continue to live today. I graduated from AIB, Simpson College, The Graduate School of Banking Madison, and Lake Forest Graduate School in Chicago. I met my husband, Jim, in 1995 at the Blazing Saddle where we made plans for our first date on Memorial Day weekend. Career opportunities took us to New Orleans in 1997 for a short time, then on to Chicago where we spent five years. I accepted a job with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines in March 2003, bringing us back to Iowa. Iowa had changed so much for the better since 1997 as gay people seemed more welcome and Des Moines had prospered. Jim and I were married here in 2010.             

Jim, Presha (our six-year-old Morkie), and I lived in the Druid Hill neighborhood from 2003 until 2019 when we moved to a loft downtown as part of our desire to simplify and downsize. We enjoy many of the amenities downtown living offers as we love to join friends for drinks and dinner. We enjoy biking (Presha rides along) around the city and attending the downtown farmer’s market and the other festivals throughout the summer. We recently purchased a motorhome and are looking forward to new adventures with it.             

FFBC is a wonderful organization with a hard-working board and an amazing membership that I am proud to be a part of and now lead into the future. There is still so much work to be done even as we had made huge progress during the Obama years, only to see some of it taken away and even threatened during the last four years. Biden brings us new hope that could bring the Equality Act as rule of law, but even with these strides, we find there are always pockets of resistance that make our mission continue to be relevant and so important. With your help, we will continue to award scholarships to students whose stories bring tears to my eyes as their courage shines above adversity.    

Sincerely,

Byron Huff
FFBC President