Council Members

Dave Kissinger
Mayor Pro tem

Dave Kissinger, 806 SE Innsbruck, is serving his second term on the Ankeny City Council. Dave is a 36-year resident of Ankeny. He currently serves on the Leadership Team for Project Fresh Start, a program that provides school supplies to Ankeny students in need.  Dave is also a member of the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce Education Task Force.

Dave and his wife Ann have three daughters, Melissa, Christa and Susan, who are proud graduates of Ankeny High School and have earned their college degrees. Grandchildren Storm, Rachel, Brooklyn and Mallory bring much joy to the family.

Dave currently works as an educational consultant for the Youth-At-Risk division of the Program Development Dept. program at Des Moines Area Community College. Dave retired after serving 34 years as a counselor, teacher and coach at Ankeny High School. He continues to serve as a coach.

Term expires 12-31-2013

Craig Block

Craig Block, 803 SE Michael Drive, is serving his second term on the City Council. Block served on the Ankeny School Board from 1992 to 1997. He has also served as president of the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as being a member of the Ankeny Rotary Club.

Block has been an Ankeny resident for over 20 years. His wife, Angela, is a dental hygienist. He has four daughters, Megan, Mindy, Mickenzie and Gracie. He has been actively involved in the various sports activities of his daughters for several years.

Block is a partner with the Block, Lamberti & Gocke, P.C. law firm, located at 210 NE Delaware in Ankeny.

Term expires 12-31-2011

Wade Steenhoek, 3221 SW Woods Court, is serving his first term on the Ankeny City Council. Steenhoek has been a resident of Ankeny for nearly 10 years. As a council member, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Waste Water Reclamation Authority and is an alternate on the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Ankeny Rotary.

Wade and his wife Julie have two children, Alyvia, an eighth grader at Northview Middle School and Trey, a fourth grader at Crocker Elementary.

Steenhoek owns Iowa Leadership Academy, a leadership training and development firm.

Steenhoek is a Simpson College graduate and is nearing completion on his Masters degree from Drake University in Adult Learning and Organizational Performance, with an emphasis in Leadership.

Term expires 12-31-2013

 


Tom Strait

Tom Strait, 217 SE 3rd Street is serving his second term on the City Council. Tom is retired from the Ankeny Fire Department after 20 years of service, 18 as fire chief. He has over 30 years of service in public safety. As a member of the American Red Cross Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team, he has worked with many emergency responders, including the Homestead Florida Police Department, following hurricane Andrew.

Tom and his wife Mary have three grown children, Chad, Derik, and Danielle and a grandson, Ryan.

Tom graduated from Perry Community High School, the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy and Des Moines Area Community College.

Term expires 12-31-2011

Gary Welch, 3002 NE Briarwood Drive, is serving his second term on the City Council. Gary is the founding chair of the Neveln Community Resource Center and continues to serve on the Neveln Community Resource Center Board. He has been on the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, Ambassadors, and chair of the Public Affairs committee. He has also been involved with YMCA Board, 24hr Relay Challenge, Leadership Institute, Citizen's Police Academy and numerous other boards and committees.

He has received numerous awards including "Ankeny Citizen of the Year," "Governor's Leadership Award," "Friend of Community Education," listed in "Who's Who for Human Service Professionals," and published journal and newspaper articles.  He is past president of the Ankeny Rotary Club and currently serves as assistant district governor of Rotary 6000. 

Gary serves on the Metro Waste Authority Board, Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Community Education Board liaison and the Mayor's Youth Council. 

Gary has been an Ankeny resident for over 28 years. He and his wife, Colleen, have two married sons, Eric and wife Jennifer, and Jason and wife Kay.

Gary received a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Nebraska and retired as a school social worker for Heartland AEA-11 in 2006 to go into private practice.

Term expires 12-31-2011