A look behind the scenes . . .

By Colin Peterson

I’m back! After conning a couple of my co-workers to pinch-hit for me on recent blogs, I’m back to actually write one myself. I thought this week I would tell you a little bit about what’s been keeping me busy and away from writing blogs.

This time of year is planning time for the campaign staff at United Way of Central Iowa. We’re pretty well known for the workplace fund raising campaign we put on each fall and now is the time we tune up and get the machine ready to run come September. The two big to-dos we’re working on now are volunteer recruitment and goal setting. I’ll tell you about volunteer recruitment today and leave you in suspense to learn about goal setting in my next post.

Each year we are fortunate to receive the committed support of individuals serving on our campaign cabinet. This year’s cabinet of 32 volunteers includes leaders from central Iowa’s biggest employers, federal, state and local government, small business, community volunteers, and non-profits. The cabinet is recruited by the campaign chairperson which this year is Suku Radia, CEO at Bankers Trust Company.

Each cabinet member is assigned to lead a segment of our campaign (segments reflect groupings of companies by size and industry). Two of the volunteers I’m working with are Dan Houston (President – Retirement & Investment Services, Principal Financial Group) and Kip Albertson (Senior VP, Bankers Trust Company). Dan and Kip are co-chairing the Major Firms segment which includes 57 companies that collectively raised $4.8 million in 2008. These two gentlemen will be providing me with guidance throughout the 2009 campaign in addition to supporting a strong campaign in their workplace and encouraging support for United Way by members of their peer group.

One of the key items they’re working on now is the recruitment of volunteer callers to conduct something we call the CEO call. As I write this blog Dan and Kip are working through a list of 19 prospective volunteers. The team they recruit will begin calling upon the men and women in charge of the 57 Major Firms companies to ask for their financial commitment to United Way in addition to supporting a workplace campaign at their businesses this fall.

The work these volunteers do and the contacts they make are critical to the eventual success of our campaign. These volunteers go to companies that have been long-time supporters to thank them and encourage their continued involvement. Perhaps even more critical is the doors they can open for us at companies where there isn’t a long record of support.

These volunteers, as with so many people in our community, are profoundly committed to improving lives in central Iowa. These two men along with the rest of the campaign cabinet help create the crucial momentum that will end in a successful campaign.