Founded in 1997, the Iowa Barn Foundation is dedicated to preserving Iowa's rural buildings, symbols of Iowa's early agricultural heritage. The Iowa Barn Foundation is an Iowa non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status under paragraph 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

The Iowa Barn Foundation, its board of directors, and county representatives work to preserve Iowa’s agricultural history and endangered barns by educating people in Iowa—and beyond—about our rural heritage and the importance of barn preservation. This is being accomplished through the bi-annual Iowa Barn Foundation Magazine, the Iowa Barn Foundation Web site, the annual All-State Barn Tour, and through picnics, open meetings, and through worldwide publicity in newspapers, magazines, and television.

We provide matching grants to property owners to help restore qualified barns. The Iowa Barn Foundation gives Awards of Distinction to those property owners who restore or rehabilitate their barns at their own expense. In addition, the Iowa Barn Foundation is committed to farm conservancy and now accepts economically and financially self-sustaining farms and farmland. These farms and farmland are saved in perpetuity for agricultural purposes according to the owner’s wishes.

Funds to give matching grants and Awards of Distinction to property owners and to pay for the Iowa Barn Foundation Magazine are raised from individuals, corporations, and foundations. To date, all of the funding has been generated from private sources. Because the Iowa Barn Foundation is an all-volunteer organization, no funds are spent on operational costs. Financial, legal, editorial, and administrative work is carried out by volunteers.

We need your help to preserve Iowa’s barns. Please make a donation or become a member of the Iowa Barn Foundation today!

If you have questions or would like more information about the Iowa Barn Foundation, contact Jacqueline Andre Schmeal.

Board of Directors

Roger Baker Cedar Rapids, Iowa	Craig Pfantz State Center, Iowa
Paul Crockett, Secretary Minneapolis, Minnesota (Britt)	Paul Ramsey Newport Beach, California (Des Moines)
Mary Mills Dunea Chicago, Illinois (Des Moines)	Carole Reichardt Clive, Iowa
Don Geiger, Treasurer West Des Moines, Iowa	Roy Reiman Greendale, Wisconsin (Auburn)
John Hagie Clarion, Iowa	Robert (Bill) Sackett Milford, Iowa
W.A. Krause West Des Moines, Iowa	Jacqueline Andre Schmeal, President Houston, Texas (Ames)
Eugene Lang Grinnell, Iowa	Dennis Schrodt Prole, Iowa
Tom Lawler, Vice President Parkersburg, Iowa	Steve Sukup Clear Lake, Iowa
Joe Lyon, Nominating Committee Toledo, Iowa	Darrell Sunderman Carroll, Iowa
Ambassador Charles Manatt Washington, D.C. (Audubon)	Kelly Tobin, Farm Conservancy New Market, Iowa
Joyce Lund Mears LeClaire, Iowa	Leon Yantis Conrad, Iowa
Roxanne Mehlisch Zearing, Iowa

County Representatives

The Iowa Barn Foundation’s county representatives help to promote the preservation of barns, organize the surveying of barns in their counties, encourage membership in the Iowa Barn Foundation, and help with fund raising. Working with members of the board from each of nine areas of the state, they also help to oversee projects.

Many of Iowa's 99 counties have representatives to the Iowa Barn Foundation. We welcome volunteers to represent those counties that do not yet have a representative.

Adair: position vacant
Adams: Kathy West (641) 335-2334
Allamakee: Marlene Fenstermann (563) 382-3439
Appanoose: Willard Vanderlinden (641) 856-2152
Audubon: Paul Walther (712) 563-2779
Benton: position vacant
Blackhawk: Keith Oltrogge (319) 984-5292
Boone: Jim Jordan (515) 432-2736
Bremer: Keith Oltrogge (319) 984-5292
Buchanan: position vacant
Buena Vista: April Dwyer
Butler: Meinard Koop (641) 983-2351
Calhoun: Joel Rude (7l2) 297-77l4
Carroll: position vacant
Cass: Gary and Pam Wolfe (712) 764-7778
Cedar: Keith Whitlatch (563) 942-6670
Cerro Gordo: Dale and Judy Mills (641) 424-1197
Cherokee: position vacant
Chickasaw: position vacant
Clarke: Dianne Oswald (641) 342-6722
Clay: position vacant
Clayton: Brian Lamson (703) 553-0553; Michael McConnell (563) 252-1001
Clinton: Robert Johnson (563) 677-2356
Crawford: Terry and Tammy Wicks (712) 653-4009
Dallas: Maggie O’Rourke (515) 758-2878
Davis: Judy Combs (641) 664-3758; Sharon and Bill Hardy (515) 722-5224
Decatur: Jack Van Laar (641) 446-4723
Delaware: Richard Heffernen (563) 927-4684
Des Moines: Dale and Julie Bartelt (319) 394-3039
Dickinson: Alan Lyons (712) 336-8823
Dubuque: Jude Becker; Rachel Schemmel (517) 351-5913
Emmet: Terrence Jensen
Fayette: Vernon Oakland (563) 423-7122
Floyd: Michael and Rochelle Barrigan; Jean and John Sebern (641) 228-2654
Franklin: Joe and Shirley Pitsor (641) 456-3994
Fremont: position vacant
Greene: Mary and Larry Richards (515) 386-4750
Grundy: Rebecca Engelking (641) 366-3150
Guthrie: Karla Caltrider (641) 746-3309
Hamilton: Ron Adams (515) 368-1679
Hancock: position vacant
Hardin: Ken Starek (641) 847-3018
Harrison: Shirley Finken (712) 644 2355
Henry: position vacant
Howard: position vacant
Humboldt: Kurt Weinert (515) 332-4467
Ida: Don Poggensee (712) 364-3491
Iowa: Bill and Lois Randolph (319) 444-2103
Jackson: Lori Evilsizer (563) 689-6447
Jasper: John and Kathryn Van Zee (515) 994-3032; Tim Schmidt (641) 475-3237
Jefferson: position vacant
Johnson: Paul and Jo Anne Neuzil (319) 679-2486
Jones: Roman Welter (319) 465-4356
Keokuk: Loraine Van Fleet (319) 362-0720
Kossuth: Evert Broesder (515) 295-5787
Lee: position vacant
Linn: Tom Ipsan (319) 895-8565
Louisa: position vacant
Lucas: Gary Webster (515) 961-7880
Lyon: position vacant
Madison: Dennis and Marlyce Schrodt (515) 462-1681
Mahaska: Charles and Barbara Oldham (64l) 969-4272
Marion: Rob Vos (641) 628-8396
Marshall: William and Fran Stone (641) 753-8994; Charles and Eleanor Ward (641) 752-4714
Mills: Stan Allen (712) 824-7814
Mitchell: position vacant
Monona: Dean Lawson (712) 433-9831
Monroe: position vacant
Montgomery: The Montgomery County Historical Society (712) 623-2289
Muscatine: Anton Vanicek (563) 264-2497
O’Brien: Pamela Battaglioli (712) 727-3512
Osceola: George Braaksma (712) 754-2023
Page: Dave Williams (712) 826-8832
Palo Alto: Kate Johnson (712) 848-3455
Plymouth: Ron and Kathy Klemme (712) 552-2613
Pocahontas: Terry Ferguson (712) 845-4978
Polk: Ober Anderson (515) 964-0964; Don Jordahl (515) 274-1317
Pottawattamie: Kathryn Whitson (712) 566-2600; Jim Amend (712) 328-0774
Poweshiek: Eugene and Deloris Lang (641) 236-4779
Ringgold: Phil Burmeister (641) 464-2690
Sac: Jack and Jane Hogue (712) 668-4663
Scott: Joyce Lund Mears (563) 289-3314
Shelby: Linda Heflin (712) 744-3660
Sioux: Duane Boeve (712) 754-2470
Story: Roxanne Mehlisch (641) 487-7690; Norma Johnson (515) 685-2800
Tama: Roy Lidtke (319) 929-5572
Taylor: position vacant
Union: position vacant
Van Buren: Darlene and David McQuoid (319) 397-2340
Wapello: position vacant
Warren: Drew Bracken (515) 961-6737
Washington: Paul and Jo Anne Neuzil (319) 679-2486; Jerry Strabala (319) 653-3400
Wayne: Brent Schmell (641) 898-7534
Webster: John Samuelson (515) 354-5358
Winnebago: Jim Ambroson (641) 567-3389
Winneshiek: Marlene Fenstermann (563) 382-3439
Woodbury: Winston and Sheryl Belfrage (712) 943-5184
Worth: Richard Stafford (641) 845-2299
Wright: Mel Sampson (515) 448-5106