Gov. Reynolds has appointed Carla Eysink to serve as co-chair of The Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative.  The Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa (ERI) Initiative was formed by Governor Reynolds through the signing of Executive Order No. 3 on July 18, 2018.  ERI functions as a startup incubator for innovative rural policy.  The Lieutenant Governor will co-chair this initiative with Eysink who will serve as a representative from the Iowa Rural Development Council.

“The future is bright for enhancing the quality of life in our rural communities as well as revitalizing our rural economy,” stated Eysink.  “I am honored to serve in this capacity and look forward to working with fellow Iowans in creating new rural development strategies.”
 
Eysink, serves as director for the Marion County Development (MCD), Iowa.  During her 28 years as director, Eysink has served in leadership roles for the Professional Developers of Iowa, Central Iowa Tourism Region, Iowa Group Travel Association, Travel Federation of Iowa, Iowa Travel Industry Partners, and Pella Community Foundation.  Under her leadership, the MCD was selected as one of the first MyEntreNet pilot counties as well as a recipient of the National Go-Getter Award for their rural existing employer call program and received 13 Iowa Tourism Awards for excellence.  Eysink has also served on the South-Central Iowa STEM Advisory Council.    She is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organizational Management, certified as a FastTrac trainer, True Colors facilitator, and graduate of Leadership Iowa.  Eysink received her undergraduate education in marketing/public relations from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and graduate education in nonprofit arts management at the American University in Washington, D.C.