Carol Bodensteiner: Agricultural PR Hall of Fame Inductee

1. 2016 Agricultural Public RelationsHall of Fame Sponsored By and

2. InducteeCarol Bodensteiner, APR, Fellow PRSA

3. The Early Years • BA, Education, University of Northern Iowa, 1972 • MAJMC, Drake University, 1996 • 1973 - Editor, American Soybean Association – Soybean Digest • 1976 – went to the “dark side” – Account Executive, Freiberg-Frederick & Assoc. • 1979 – Account Executive, CMF&Z Public Relations ASA Soybean Digest editorial team

4. CMF&Z Public Relations 1979 –Account Executive, clients included: • Klenzade, division of Ecolab • Kewanee Farm Equipment 1981 – Account Supervisor, clients included: • National Dairy Board • Klenzade • Elanco Crop Chemicals • National Pork Producers Council • Seaboard Farms • Dow Chemical • Pioneer Hybrid Joined CMF&Z in in 1979 Klenzade team at CMF&Z – “Exactly why we needed a yacht to showcase the Klenzade team escapes me, but it was a fun photo shoot.”

5. CMF&Z Public Relations • 1983 – Vice President/Account Group Manager • Developed CMF&Z crisis management training workshop, led crisis training for agency clients • 1987 – Vice President/Associate Managing Director • Expanded responsibilities to include direction of offices in Orlando, Florida and Des Moines, Iowa • Led client service teams • 1988 – Senior Vice President/Associate Managing Director CMF&Z team prior to1985 Carol in 1987

6. CMF&Z Public Relations 1988 – Executive Vice President/General Manager, CMF&Z Des Moines office • Managed Des Moines Office • Directed operations in Washington, D.C. and Orlando offices. • Initiated agency’s annual Survey of Media and Consumer Attitudes on Food Safety Issues, which gained national recognition within the food and ag industries 1990-1999 – President, CMF&Z Public Relations • HQ in Des Moines • Ranked as one of top 100 firms in the U.S. • Provided overall strategic council and program development for clients

7. No shortage of fun at CMF&Z 1 1. Carol Sears and Carol (left) as “a couple of Christmas Carols.” 2. CMF&Z Turkey Dinner – Carol’s farm skills came in handy! 3. Staff Retreat 4. Staff at World Pork Expo 2 3 4

8. Flood hits Des Moines in 1993 1 1. “It was very important (during the Flood of 1993) to keep track of good, clean porta potties.” 2. Staff sandbagged the office and moved all equipment up off the floors. Fortunately, the water never got as high as this. 3. Staff kept their sense of humor and celebrated with clients whose offices were not so lucky. 3 2

9. ARC Involvement

10. ARC Involvement • Served on various ARC committees • Golden ARC Awards Program Chair, 1997 • Active involvement in programs and policies of organization • Contemporaries with many ARC Hall of Fame members • A pioneer in women in agricultural public relations “I was learning the public relations business on the job and ARC accelerated my learning curve. I looked forward to the annual ARC meetings because the sessions offered speakers on timely ag/communication issues. I never left an ARC meeting without a host of ideas to put into practice with my clients. ARC was also important to me because it provided an environment for me to learn from and build a network with other ag communicators, both men and women. Though women in ag were far fewer in number at that time, at ARC meetings, we were all accepted and treated as ag communicators.” - Carol Bodensteiner 

11. Colleagues Commend Bodensteiner “At MorganMyers, we may have made a run or two at the National Dairy Board business when it came up for mandatory review, but it was a futile pursuit. Carol had that account relationship locked up tighter than a tick on a dog’s ear. We studied Carol’s campaigns carefully. Her work was always thoughtful, strategically designed, creative, and flawlessly executed – it was a direct reflection of her personality and hard-working professionalism.” Gary Myers, ARC Hall of Fame, 2014

12. Colleagues Commend Bodensteiner “Carol entered the PR profession when most of the women in business were secretaries (that’s what they were called back then). Most stayed at entry level and didn’t have a career path. This was especially true in agriculture. In the 70s, our ag clients had few women in field sales or meaningful management positions. It was the classic clichéd good ol’ boys world. Being a guy, I didn’t really pay much attention at the time. But as I look back now it is easy to recognize that Carol, and a very few other courageous smart women of our time, really were pioneers. Carol’s high professional standards and hard work changed the face of our profession.” Gary Myers, ARC Hall of Fame, 2014

13. Colleagues Commend Bodensteiner “You have inspired, mentored and shown what it means to be an effective public relations professional to me and so many others throughout your entire career. My years working for you and with you at CMF&Z were akin to attending one of the best professional graduate schools in the world. Modeling your approach to serving our clients, which always included healthy amounts of vision, strategy and scrupulous attention to detail, has served me well both at CMF&Z and in the years that followed. I am also proud and admiring of how you live life "your way" and do it so well. Your current chapter as published author, volunteer leader, world traveler, wife and grandmother is amazing. You continue to inspire me!” Susan Neely President & CEO, American Beverage Association

14. Colleagues Commend Bodensteiner “Carol knocked on our Cedar Rapids, IA door looking for a job in 1979.  But we had no openings -- not even close -- at the two-year old Public Relations Division of CMS&Z (pre-CMF&Z) which I headed.  Broke all rules: hired her anyway, same day.  Knew I'd forever regret it if I let another agency beat us to the punch.  Her talents and potential to be a star in our business were that apparent.  I couldn't have been more right! She was a natural.  Besides her agriculture background, Carol's skill-set was obvious: strategic thinker, incisive writer, tuned-in to media interests and client service expectations.  And her good questions foretold superb client counseling.” Rick Mayes Former President, CMF&Z The day Carol took over as president in 1990.

15. Award-winning Career 1999 – Named PRSA Fellow 1998 – Outstanding public relations professional by the Central Iowa chapter of PRSA 1998 – Business Woman of the Year by the Business & Professional Women of Des Moines 1982 – Recipient of the YWCA Tribute to Women in Industry Award CMF&Z supported many charitable causes, include the March of Dimes Walk-A-Thon. The office did water stops every year, and decorated in an Alice in Wonderland theme. Irv Jensen and Carol are Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee.

16. Personal Life Carol met her future husband in 1985, they were married in 1987. Carol changed her last name from Koch to Bodensteiner. Her son, Lance, and granddaughters, Hannah & Eliza, are a large part of her life.

17. Life hasn’t slowed down • Left CMF&Z in 1999 to pursue creative writing & consulting • Published two books • A memoir – Growing Up Country: Memories of an Iowa Farm Girl • An historic novel – Go Away Home • Special assistant to the President for Marketing, University of Northern Iowa • Visiting professor, Drake University • Contract freelance writer, The Iowan

18. Congratulations to: Carol Bodensteiner Agricultural Relations Council 2016 Hall of Fame