About Center on Sustainable Communities - Board

2009 Governing Board

Chaden Halfhill – Board President, Co-Founder

Chaden received his BFA degree in sculpture and architecture from Connecticut’s Wesleyan University. He founded Silent Rivers Design Build, a custom remodeling company, in 1993.  Chaden sits on the board of the Remodeler’s Council of Greater Des Moines, and is a member of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. He is the recipient of multiple Chrysalis awards for outstanding design, and received recognition by NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) as National Contractor of the Year.

Chaden@icosc.com

Greg Moeller - Board Vice President

Greg joined Hubbell Homes in 2002 and serves as Field Operations Manager. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations, schedules, workflow, and budgets for all
Hubbell Homes construction.  With over 30 years experience in the construction industry, Greg has led the construction of many notable projects such as a passive solar home and the Arthritis Foundation’s Universal Home. Most recently, Greg served as project lead for Iowa’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition home in Gladbrook, Iowa. Greg and his team completed the construction of this 3,500 square foot home in only 93 hours.  “My priority is to provide a better quality of life for those I work with through process improvements and excellent communication during the building process.”

Greg received his BA from the University of Iowa and is a board member for the Center on Sustainable Communities. 

Greg.moeller@hubbellrealty.com

Craig Hatler - Board Treasurer

Craig Hatler is the Des Moines, Iowa Branch Sales Manager for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. He received his degree in Finance from Iowa State University and has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, 21 years of which are in mortgage banking.  He is a member of the Wells Fargo Community Reinvestment Committee that focuses on fair lending policies and community outreach. Craig is also a former Board Member of the Des Moines Choral Society, a former Chairman of the Central Iowa March of Dimes Walk America Campaign, and a former camp counselor for the Amanda the Panda organization. 

Craig.hatler@wellsfargo.com

Beth Hicks – Past Board President, Co-Founder

Beth is an environmental consultant with over 18 years experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. She worked in project and health/safety management positions for an environmental engineering firm; managed “Buy Recycled” and industrial waste audit programs for the Iowa DNR, and served as board president and employee for a Wisconsin recycling non-profit. She is currently the Director of Advancement Services for Keep Iowa Beautiful and is a free-lance writer and consultant on sustainable building issues.  Beth@icosc.com

Mark U. Abendroth - Board Member
Mark co-founded and is the managing partner of the law firm of Abendroth and Russell, P.C. He focuses his practice primarily in the areas of real estate and retail and commercial collections. Mark is a graduate of Drake University (BS 1976 JD 1979). He is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association, and is also admitted to practice in both the U.S. District Court Iowa. He is also active in the National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys. He has an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating an attorney may receive. Mark is an active member in his church, Meredith Drive Reformed Church, where he most recently chaired the endowment committee.
Mark currently serves as the head of the governance committee for COSC.
Mabendroth@arpclaw.com

Leisha Barcus - Board Member

Leisha Barcus serves as the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation and manages the administrative operation of Bravo Greater Des Moines. She was previously self employed, providing project management and marketing expertise to a number of major Greater Des Moines clients.

Barcus has served as Executive Director of Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation, Vice President of Downtown Development for the Greater Des Moines Partnership, creator and first Director of Recycle Iowa, has over 10 years of business marketing experience working with national and international companies, and managed a retail and wholesale sales territory for Lever Brothers’ Household Products Division.

Barcus is a member of the City of Des Moines’ Planning and Zoning Commission; a member of the AMICI expresso Advisory Board; Transformational Leadership Class of 2002; Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute, Class of 2000; Former member of the Rotary Club of Des Moines and Paul Harris Fellow.

Barcus is a 1984 graduate of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

Priorityprojects.barcus@gmail.com

Lance Henning - Board Member

Lance has nine years of low-income housing experience with Habitat for Humanity and currently serves as Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity’s Executive Director.  Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity recently received the Des Moines Register’s 2006 Aurora Award for “outstanding contributions to the community”.  He has overseen the growth and development of the Habitat ReStore, a building material re-use outlet recognized with the Clarence Jordan Award for Demonstrated Creativity & Innovation.  His certificate in non-profit management was received from Duke University. Lance’s prior experience includes six years as an environmental consultant with Midwest Research Institute.  Currently, he also serves on the Board of Directors for the Polk County Housing Continuum. 

Lhenning@gdmhabitat.org

Dennis Klein - Board Member

DKlein@idph.state.ia.us

Rick Leuthauser - Board Member

Rick Leuthauser is Manager of Energy Efficiency for MidAmerican Energy Company. 

He is also a member of many organizations, including the board of directors of the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, a non-profit organization supporting development and implementation of energy efficiency programs throughout the United States and Canada, the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and the Center on Sustainable Communities. He is a member of the Leadership Group for the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency (NAPEE) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners; a member of the NAPEE  Advisory Group on monitoring and evaluation;  a member of the Demand Response Coordinating Committee; a member of the Association of Energy Service Professionals (AESP), a member of the E Source Demand-Side Management Executive Council, a member of the Iowa Association for Energy Efficiency, and a member of the American Marketing Association. Rick earned his BA and MBA degrees from the University of Iowa and has completed the Executive Management Program at the Sloan School of Management at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Raleuthauser@midamerican.com

Jenny McCoy - Board Member

Jenny McCoy joined Meredith Corporation in 1995 as Investor Relations Manager. She served in that capacity until 2002, when she became Director of Publishing Group Marketing Communications. In 2005 she was promoted to her current position, Director of Corporate Communications. In that capacity, she oversees activities related to employee communications, visitor relations, and corporate media relations. Jenny also serves on the corporate contributions committee, manages marketing-related projects for major Publishing Group clients, plans and executes events, creates board and other presentations, writes speeches for Meredith executives, serves on the sustainability task force, and develops communications related to the company’s sustainability initiatives. Prior to joining Meredith, Jenny worked in various marketing and public relations roles for Norwest Bank Iowa.

Jenny currently serves on the governing board and chairs the development committee for the Center on Sustainable Communities; and she is a member of the governing board of the Des Moines Arts Festival. She served on the board of the Metro Alliance for seven years, and as its president in 1999. She is an alumnus of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute.

Jenny received her B.A. in Journalism/Mass Communications from Iowa State University in 1989; and an MBA from Drake University in 1998. She has a 10-year-old son named Jack and a rescue Border Collie named Oreo.

Jennifer.mccoy@meredith.com

Cynthia O'Brien - Board Member

Cynthia A. O'Brien, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, is director of Design 515, a firm providing design solutions for sustainable communities. Ms. O'Brien focuses her work in neighborhood development, specializing in residential and small commercial design. Throughout her work, she emphasizes green building practices and sustainable design concepts.

Ms. O'Brien holds an MA in Architecture from Iowa State University and a BFA in Architectural Interior Design with a minor in Business Marketing from Drake University. Her coursework also included a concentration in Art History. She serves actively as a board member for a number of not-for-profit organizations, including the Center on Sustainable Communities, the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, the Des Moines Public Library Foundation, and the O'Brien Family Foundation. She also serves as chair of a committee of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Iowa.

Cynthia@design515.com

John Peak - Board Member

John Peak, Jr. is the Managing Partner of Peak & Gerdes LLP Certified Public Accountants and Business Advisors in West Des Monies Iowa.   John graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) in Southern California and has been employed by two international CPA firms. John is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants (ISCPA). He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, former Board Member of the Central Iowa Make a Wish Foundation and Coaches tackle football with the West Des Moines ‘Little Pro” Youth Football League.  Jpeak@peakcpa.com