MARCH_newsletter

MARCH 2021
OWN THE DAY,
OWN YOUR LIFE
Kody Fitzjerrells
with

The The Dubuque
area chamber
Monthly Membership
Luncheon
Hosts
Positivity During Challenging Times
The Chamber's Monthly Membership Luncheon will be on Thursday,
November 19 from 12:00 Noon - 1:00pm via GoToWebinar. The
event will feature Don Sandel.
.
Don Sandel has a Master of Arts and
Bachelor of Science from Western
Michigan University. Since
graduation, he has amassed a
number of highly specialized
certificates in Human Performance
Improvement, Training, Leadership
Development, Coaching, Business
Acumen, and Applied Positive Psychology.
Find us on your favorite
social media app.
Don’s expertise is in the field leadership development as well as the
impact of shifting to a positive mindset. He is currently the Founder of
GoPositiv, but has spent a quarter century leading talent development
for such companies as Astellas Pharma, Allscripts, and United Airlines.
He has recently consulted for such organizations as Wintrust Bank,
Remarkable Health, Ada S. McKinley Community Services and Audentes
Therapuetics and has thrilled thousands with his energetic keynotes on
shifting to a positive mindset.
Where Business Belongs
300 Main Street Suite 200 | Dubuque, IA 52001
563.557.9200 | www.dubuqueChamber.com

Page 3
Page 5
Contents
3 // Kody Fitzjerrells
Looking ahead towards our March YP
Luncheon presenter
5 // Meg Bucaro
Reviewing the impact of our February YP
Luncheon presenter
8 // Why Dubuque?
What brought your YP Board Members to
Dubuque and what keeps them here
12 // March YP Blog
Gaining Credibility And Influence Through
Non-verbal Communication
Page 13
14 // YP Sponsor Feature
MidWestOne Bank
16 // Upcoming YP Events
View a list of upcoming YP events
Follow Us
www.facebook.com/YoungProfessionalsDubuque/
@ypdubuque
www.linkedin.com/company/young-professionals-dubuque/
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
#YPDUBUQUE

AT THE YP LUNCHEON ON MARCH 17
OWN THE DAY, O

WN YOUR LIFE
with Kody Fitzjerrells
Join us for our YP Virtual Monthly Luncheon, March 17, 2021, from 12-1 PM. Our March
presenter is Kody Fitzjerrells, Founder/Owner, Omni Digital Group.
Kody will share his presentation, "Own The Day, Own Your Life." John Maxwell says that
"success is found in your daily agenda". If you want to change your life, you have to
change something you do daily. Kody will outline his career progression, going from a
college dropout to working at a large corporation, to entering a sales role, and finally
starting two of his own companies. He will share easy to implement tips on how to reach
your goals and to win in every area of life.
Kody Fitzjerrells is a 27-year-old entrepreneur based in the Iowa City area. Originally
from Dubuque, he worked for Cottingham and Butler for 6 years before starting two
companies of his own; an insurance firm as well as an advertising company. He loves to
road bike, read, and hang out with friends and family. Occasionally, you can find him
cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes live but will settle for TV until then! Go Hawks!

Recapping last m

onth’s Luncheon
Meg Bucaro
with
Increasing Your Influence:
The Quick Start Guide to Take
Control of your Messaging
Meg spoke on taking control of your messaging through communication and
specifically on your nonverbal communication. About 70% of our day is spent
in some form of communication. We spend so much time during our day
communicating, that we need to remember to be intentional and think about
what we are saying and how we are saying it.
In her research she found that even though we are spending a majority of our
day in communication, only 15% of that is intentional. Many times we communicate
on auto pilot and only take that auto pilot off when we choose to
focus on our body language and nonverbals. To make sure we are communicating
with intention and purpose, we should focus on all forms of communication
to be successful and move our careers forward. Your message needs to
be congruent so you can inspire more trust and credibility as you are communicating.
To be effective in your communication, make sure to be intentional
with your body language, words, and tone of voice.
At the end of the luncheon, one of the questions for Meg was what her
checklist is before she starts communicating and Meg answered,
1. She thinks through what her intention is, tries to match what that is, and
how she wants to be showing up.
2. She does a head to toe assessment; do I have a smile, should I be welcoming,
what is my posture, etc.

What brought your
YP Board Chairs
to Dubuque and
what keeps them here!

Kevin Meyers
When I was in middle school, I started telling everyone that I was going to attend Loras College in
Dubuque after high school. It was a mixture of the fact my dad went there, I had family in Dubuque, I
had attended a wedding reception there and I knew I didn’t want to attend a larger university. As the
years went on, I stuck true to that word without applying to or ever visiting any other college. The list
of why I stay in Dubuque is much longer. My wife is originally from here, her family is here, and my
family has since moved here. I have built great connections with great people from my time bartending
at Moracco, getting involved with groups like YP, and now with my friends and colleagues at Kunkel &
Associates. Dubuque is not just another town or another place to live but a community that I’ve
become very passionate about. There is such a rich history with Dubuque, there are so many great
restaurants and bars to frequent, and there is always something to do. I also think the work ethic and
drive of the citizens here is contagious and something that is easy to want to be part of. I truly mean it
when I say it, but I cannot imagine living anyplace else. Dubuque is home for life!
Anna Johnson
I came to Dubuque during Iowa Private College Week to tour Loras
College and I knew by the end of the tour this was where I wanted to
go to school! I’ve been here for seven years now because I found a
fantastic internship during my sophomore year of college at Fourge
Social which turned into a full-time job after I graduated. Outside of
my career, the Dubuque area has so much to offer and is just a few
hours from my hometown so I’m a part of a great community here
but can go back to visit family when I have a chance, too!
Nikki Bauer
Growing up near Dubuque in Kieler, WI., coming to Dubuque for groceries and shopping was a
weekly routine for Nikki. After graduating from UW-Platteville, she stayed in Wisconsin until she was
offered a position at the Telegraph Herald selling into Niche Publications i.e. Her Magazine, Biz
Times, and a few others. Nikki chooses to stay in Dubuque for its small-town feel, with a big opportunity.
Working at Express Employment Professionals as a Sales Professional, Nikki gets to learn a
little bit about a lot of Dubuque businesses. Making an impact for companies and helping people
searching for their next career move is what keeps Nikki not only working IN Dubuque but FOR
Dubuque.

What brought your YP Board Chairs
Brock Renbarger
Education at the University of Dubuque brought me to town in 2005. Continued opportunities and
connections with co-workers, customers, and friends are what have kept me here. This town really
has something special with its people and geography, which sets it apart from another place. You
can’t beat looking at the beautiful Mississippi and the two bridges on your way into work every day.
Margaret O'Reily
I moved to the tri-state area about 5 years ago for a job in
Galena, IL, but I moved to Dubuque about two and a half years
ago once I started my current role as Sales Manager with Hotel
Julien. When I lived in Galena, I was constantly coming to
Dubuque for shopping, workout classes, and restaurants.
(**AKA drinking at Bars but we don't need to include that ) I
have had the opportunity with my position to really become
integrated within the community. That has led me to making
some great friends and really see all this Dubuque has to offer!
Nicole Mensen
I grew up in Dyersville, and always appreciated the opportunities
that this area has and continues to grow on, whether that
be by volunteering, meeting new people, starting a new
career path or hobby, etc. The biggest thing that keeps me
around the Dubuque region is the community focus. If you’re
looking to advance or assist with anything personally, professionally, or in whatever way there is
always a connection to do so, with the resources to help you along the way. The Dubuque area truly
is the best place to live, work, and play! *Photo is from Dubuque County Fair volunteering in the
Dubuque County Dairy Booth*
Scott McGuire
Loras College brought me to Dubuque in 2001. Basketball Coach Greg Heiar and Jim Collins specifically.
I moved away for about 5 years and we moved back when my wife graduated Dental School at the
UofI.

to Dubuque and what keeps them here!
Taryn Kafer
I graduated from Iowa State was living in Ames and was looking for a
place to start my career. All a sudden the perfect job came available at
the Grand River Center which ended up bringing me to Dubuque! I
worked at the Grand River Center for three years and now I am at the
University of Dubuque going on two years. Partially my job has kept me
here in Dubuque but also because of the organizations I am apart of
like Young Professionals, Mercy Service Club and Dubuque Main Street
as well as friends. Another major reason I have stayed in Dubuque is I love being in the tri-state area,
it is easy for me to visit family in Illinois, spend time in IA, IL, WI and MN for travel and outdoorsy
vacations and day trips!
West Hartig
What brought me back to DBQ is the opportunity to
continue our family’s legacy operating Hartig Drug,
which was founded in 1904 and is the oldest family-owned
pharmacy chain in the United States.
What keeps me in Dubuque is the opportunity to
provide our kids an excellent upbringing in a community
that is “easy to live in” with all the amenities
of a larger city.
Digger Kurt
I was born and raised in Dubuque, so I didn’t really have much
choice in coming to Dubuque, but I absolutely love Dubuque. In
high school I was voted “most likely to live in Dubuque for the
rest of my life” and I haven’t disappointed my voters. What
keeps me in Dubuque is that it is a great place to raise a family!

Gaining Credibility And
Through Non-verbal C
Very few people actually look forward to
uncomfortable conversations. As our careers
advance we must become better equipped to
confidently handle such situations. It is far too
easy to overlook one important skill that we all
have the ability to utilize, if we only knew more
about the impact nonverbal communication or
body language has on our daily interactions,
specifically in professional settings.
I recently gained the upper hand of an argument in
a contentious meeting with a colleague due to a
heightened focus on nonverbal behaviors. In the
middle of the disagreement, where we both had
differing opinions on an occurrence of events, I
noticed his nonverbals change to nervous gesturing,
movement and an obvious altering of vocal
tone when discussing the item in question. I then
adjusted my nonverbals to communicate with a
calm confidence, poised positioning and a strong
vocal tone. Within minutes of those small tweaks,
we agreed to terms moving forward in an effective
manner, then shook hands, (pre-Covid), wished
each other well and exited the meeting.
Congruency between your verbal and nonverbal
language is of upmost importance when it comes
to gaining trust and increasing likeability, credibility
and influence in any situation but especially during
less desirable communication situations. When the
words you speak do not match your nonverbal
behavior, research tells us people are more
inclined to believe our nonverbals. Think of the last
time you asked a friend if they were okay and
while they said “Fine, I am fine.” Their tone told
you differently. You did not really believe they
were fine, did you?
The study of nonverbal language spans various
industries. Research studies abound in the areas of
healthcare, sales, law enforcement, education, the
practice of law and general business that reveal
bias, dislike or distrust when nonverbals do not
match the verbal content.
Next time you are in a meeting, virtual or in-person,
take a quick inventory on whether or not your
nonverbals match the message you are trying to
communicate. What does your vocal delivery
(tone, pitch, rate of speech), posture, gesturing,
appearance, movement say about your competency,
credibility and confidence about which you are
speaking?
Paying attention to how you are communicating via
nonverbals (as well as others’ nonverbal communication)
is one of the most undervalued skill in a
vast array of settings. However, in a situation
where the stakes might be high, nerves are present
or the need for message effectiveness is immense,
utilizing every tool you have, simple or not, will
only increase your chance of having the upper
hand.
Why wouldn’t you utilize every single tool you
have to succeed?
As a communication trainer and consultant, Meg
Bucaro works with professionals to increase their
effectiveness through customized communication
skills training and coaching. Meg will present
virtually on Wednesday, February 17 at 12noon for
the Young Professionals of Dubuque.
Connect with Meg on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbucaro/
or learn more at
www.megbucaro.com.

Influence
ommunication
by
Meg Bucaro
Owner
Meg Bucaro Communications | February YP
presenter

Check out this YP sponsor!
This month we would like to highlight one of our
sponsors, MidWest One!
The history of our bank begins with Ben S.
Summerwill, or Grandpa Ben, as we lovingly like
to call him. Summerwill founded Iowa State Bank
& Trust in 1934. While the name of the bank has
changed to MidWestOne Bank, we still operate
under the same charter and are headquartered in
the same location in downtown Iowa City. The
story of why Grandpa Ben became a banker has
become the bedrock of our company.
We passionately pursue success for our neighbors,
and we support organizations that create
opportunities in our communities. That’s because
we believe the positive actions of each one of us
contribute to the success of us all. The
MidWestOne Foundation provides financial
support for the arts, education, wellness, recreation,
and civic services.
We promise to make you our number one
priority. For more than 80 years, we have earned
long-term customer relationships by helping our
customers and communities succeed. We believe
that the communities we serve are not only the
inspiration of our organization but the purpose
behind our existence. That’s why customers like
you are at the heart of everything we do.

Upcoming
Events
Join us at one of our
upcoming virtual events
YP VIRTUAL LUNCHEON
Kody Fitzjerrells
March 17
YP VIRTUAL LUNCHEON
TBA
April 21
YP VIRTUAL LUNCHEON
TBA
May 19
YP VIRTUAL LUNCHEON
TBA
June 16

For more information on YP Dubuque please contact the Dubuque Area Chamber at
office@dubuquechamber.com or 563.557.9200.
Young Professionals Dubuque is a program of the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce