The Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation Welcomes Four New Board Members

The Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation is honored to announce its four new, high profile board members. The combined and diverse expertise of Azure Christensen, Bev Hutney, Art Slusark and Jeff Vorwerk will help to build upon the Foundation’s recent successes.

Azure Christensen is a 2001 Iowa State University graduate with a bachelor of arts in in liberal studies and minors in English, biology and nursing. She currently serves as the Executive Director at HCI Care Services in Des Moines. Here she collaborates with communities to increase and maintain the foundation’s visibility, raise money, and cultivate resources necessary to thrive. Christensen has also worked as Director of Development for the Iowa State University Foundation, Blank Park Zoo and Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa.

Bev Hutney is chief operating officer for The Stelter Company, the leading source of gift planning marketing for the nonprofit community. In this role, she is responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the company including corporate strategy, finance, IT, marketing, creative, production, customer care and sales. She received an MBA from University of Iowa and a BS in journalism and mass communications from Iowa State University.

Art Slusark has 40 years of experience as a communications professional, and currently serves as Chief Communications Officer for Meredith Corporation. Art, who joined Meredith in 1998, oversees external and internal communications; executive, board and investor communications; strategic planning; government, community, and academic relations; and special events. Art, who serves on numerous community boards, earned a master of administration degree in business management from Johns Hopkins University.

Jeff Vorwerk, CIMA® is Director of Global Product Development at Principal Global Investors, a division of the Principal Financial Group® (The Principal ®). He oversees product development for all product platforms on a global basis (US and offshore). Jeff graduated with distinction from the University of Iowa with a BBA in finance and an MBA from Drake University. He started with The Principal in 1995.

The Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation’s vision is to be a premiere historic cultural center in Iowa, working with national and local partners to present outstanding performances, celebrate Iowa’s history and grow arts and culture in the region.