Tom's Iowa Journal
Wednesday August 23, 2006
Swearing in of Mike Dunn
Senator Tom Harkin was present as Mike Dunn took the oath of office for a second term as Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt swore in Dunn. The CFTC is responsible for protecting the integrity, fairness and transparency of our nation's futures and options markets. These markets are particularly critical to Iowa farmers.
 I started off Wednesday morning with a trip Federal Court House in Des Moines to see Mike Dunn take the oath of office for his second term as Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is an incredibly important body - it's responsible for oversight of our nation's futures and options markets. That's why it is good to know that a man like Mike Dunn is guiding the committee. In all the years I've known Mike, he has proven to be someone that is committed to making sure farmers and ranchers get a fair deal.
HNI
In 1943, C. Maxwell Stanley and Clement T. Hanson had an idea to start a manufacturing company. The company has now grown into the HNI Corporation and is headquartered in Muscatine. It is the second-largest office furniture manufacturer in the world. It is also the nation's leading manufacturer of gas- and wood-burning fireplaces. They currently have over 4,000 employees in Muscatine and Mt. Pleasant.
 Next, I hopped into the car and drove to Muscatine for a tour of HNI's plant. HNI is the second-largest office furniture manufacturer in the world and has 3,000 employees in Muscatine. They also have 1,000 employees in Mount Pleasant. One of the great things about this company is how it has attracted Iowans to come back to the state. HNI Chairman and CEO Stan Askren grew up in Iowa and moved away for several years before he returned to work for the company.
 During my tour of the Allsteel plant, where 1,300 people work, the President, Eric Jungbluth and Tom Eberhard, the Vice President of Operations and Executive VP, did a great job of explaining what different workers were making. As I walked around, I also met Stephanie Stammer, a group leader, who told me about how her team remains effective throughout the work day by rotating jobs. I was very impressed with the work these people are doing. There's no question that working in a factory is a hard day's work and I could tell that these Iowans were doing their very best.
On a side note, I was also glad to hear that that HNI shares one-third of the profits with their employees. I have always felt that it is really important to share profits with the workers who create them.
Columbus Community Middle and High School
As part of his continuing effort to modernize Iowa schools, Senator Tom Harkin visited the Columbus Community Middle and High School. Columbus Junction has received a total of $500,000 in Harkin Grants to improve school facilities by installing a geothermal heating and cooling system. Since 1998, Harkin has secured a total of $116 million for the Harkin Grant program, aiding over 260 school districts across Iowa. Harkin recently secured an additional $8.1 million for this initiative in the FY 2007 Senate Education Appropriations bill.
Next I went to the Columbus Community Middle and High School to look at the new geothermal heating and cooling system they installed one year ago with their $500,000 Harkin Grant. Now, for the first time, the entire high school has efficient air conditioning.
While geothermal systems are expensive upfront, over the long term they can save schools a lot of money because they are more energy efficient than traditional boiler systems. Superintendent Rich Bridenstein told me that with the new system, the school uses a lot less natural gas. That will be a big saving with the high gas prices we have these days. I hope that more and more Iowa schools will look at putting these types of systems into place.
Right when I walked in the door, I was glad to see the friendly face of School Board member Georgia Kost. I met Georgia at the Iowa State Fair a couple weeks ago when I was out serving ice tea.
Superintendent Bridenstein and Principal Matt Kingsbury gave me a great tour, showing me what a difference the new geothermal system makes. Engineer Tim Fehr and Kirk Baker from Hometown Plumbing, two of the key people in charge of implementing the new system, explained how this system works. The technical details are definitely impressive, but what really matters is that kids now have a better environment in which to take classes. Family Consumer Science teacher Lois Mincks told me she has noticed that the kids pay more attention now. She said that the teachers definitely don't mind the improved climate control either.
After our tour, I got to meet some members of the high school national honor society and student government at an assembly in the auditorium. As I always do when I come to see Iowa schools that received Harkin Grants, I presented the kids with an American flag. And they presented me with a great Columbus Wildcats t-shirt. I particularly liked the slogan on the back, which says "WIN." I told the kids that I hoped they would seriously think about getting involved in politics themselves. Sometimes I think people believe that they have to be born into a powerful family to get elected. Well, this just isn't true. My dad was a coal miner with an eighth grade education and my mom was an immigrant from Slovenia. I urged the kids to run and if at first they don't succeed, to try, try again. After all, when I first ran for Congress in 1972, I lost. Luckily, when I ran again in 1974, there was a different result.
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