Daryle Holbrook is the executive director of the FCCJ Foundation.
WHAT ARE YOUR DUTIES?
“I raise money from the private sector, help support scholarships and any other projects related to the mission of the college.”
WHO DO YOU CALL FOR CASH?
College alumni, businesses, foundations, trusts and the affluent.
GOING HIGH TECH
The Foundation is implementing new software to track graduates by the year of their commencement. The program should be ready in the next few months. Holbrook is also starting an alumni newsletter to keep former students in the loop and involved in the college’s endeavors.
WHAT’S GRATIFYING ABOUT IT?
“I meet a lot of unique, caring individuals who are willing to share their wealth.”
WHAT’S CHALLENGING?
“People always assume we’re totally state supported but we have many needs that are not met through traditional resources.”
WHY GO INTO THIS FIELD?
“I thought I was headed into marketing. It wasn’t a plan that was all laid out, it just developed over time. Everyone told me to stay out of education because I wouldn’t make any money.”
HOMETOWN
Iowa Falls.
FAMILY
He has two daughters, Shannon, an elementary school teacher in Iowa, and Shawna, who lives in Portland, Ore.
EDUCATION
Holbrook has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Northern Iowa. He also graduated from Ellsworth Community College.
APPLE FOR TEACHER
Kirkwood Community College’s business department gave Holbrook his first position in the educational field. After teaching for a year, he became dean of students.
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY
Leaving Iowa behind, Holbrook moved to Washington, D.C. to work as an educational consultant. Later, he joined a national consortium of community colleges as a staff developer.
GREEN ACRES
Itching to toil the earth, Holbrook decided to establish a grain operation in his home state. He drove a tractor, ran a combine, planted crops and harvested them for 20 years. “I moved back to Iowa so my daughters could grow up in the Midwest. I went back to be an Iowa farmer. I grew corn and soybeans. Not having grown up on a farm, I just started from scratch and figured it out.”
OFF SEASON
Active farming was only a seasonal endeavor for Holbrook. Because of the nature of his crops, he was only able to farm about two months of the year. To fill the other months, Holbrook resumed his consulting work and was elected a trustee on the board of North Iowa Area Community College.
THE GRASS IS GREENER
“I set up the first major gifts campaign at NIACC. The campaign consultant we hired also did work for FCCJ. He kept bugging me about what would lure me away [from the school]. One day he called and said he had the ideal job for me. I wanted to go where I could golf year-round so finally I sent my credentials down.”
WHY NOT MOVE ON TO A BIG UNIVERSITY?
“Community colleges have an open door policy, meaning you don’t have to go through a lot of testing so there are more opportunities for individuals than would otherwise not exist. I never had a desire to work for a university. What we do for corporations and businesses in the area probably touches more employees in the county than any other institution.”
WHAT HE DOES FOR FUN
An admitted workaholic, Holbrook squeezes in time for golf, exercise and reading biographies. He also enjoys beachcombing, Washington Redskins football games, watching a Robert Redford film or visiting outside Lake Tahoe.
— by Monica Chamness