Bill Menner, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa, today announced that Kathy Pfiffner, housing program specialist in the agency’s Waverly, Iowa, office was selected as this month’s Vilsack Wallace award recipient for exceptional contributions to the USDA Rural Development mission. Pfiffner, who lives in Washburn, also won this award in August 2010.
The Vilsack-Wallace Award is given each quarter to a USDA Rural Development employee in Iowa who goes above and beyond their normal work duties to assist rural Iowans and USDA staff.
Pfiffner has played an important role in helping the agency’s housing team accomplish their priorities this year by quickly stepping in and assisting the Mt. Pleasant and Albia offices when staff was out for an extended period.
“Kathy’s extra effort demonstrates her desire to do whatever needs to be done to ensure our Multi-Family Housing Programs in Iowa are operating properly and meeting established goals,” Menner said.
Pfiffner continued to manage her own caseload while helping the other offices and worked with more than 125 apartment managers to review their budgets and annual reports in a timely manner.
“This is the second time Kathy has received this award for being an excellent public servant with a strong dedication to the rural Iowans she serves,” Menner added. “She is greatly appreciated as member of the USDA Rural Development team.”
USDA Rural Development’s funding continues to have a dramatic impact on rural communities across Iowa. Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested more than $3 billion on essential public facilities, small and emerging businesses, water and sewer systems, and housing opportunities for Iowa families.
USDA Rural Development can help rural communities and regions grow and prosper by offering a variety of financial and technical assistance programs that encourage the development of strong community and economic development strategies.
This past year USDA Rural Development’s investment in Iowa helped create or retain more than 1,000 jobs, aided 2,400 families in buying their own homes and assisted more than 50 communities as they made improvements to their facilities, services and infrastructure.
Contact USDA Rural Development
For more information about finance programs available through USDA Rural Development, please call the office located in Waverly at (319) 352-1715 Ext. 4. This office serves communities, businesses and residents in Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek Counties.
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a State Office in Des Moines, along with Area Offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.
Further information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting the agency’s web site at www.rd.usda.gov/ia.
USDA Rural Development is working with rural communities to create jobs, expand opportunity, encourage innovation and build a strong foundation for the future. The agency currently administers and manages more than 40 housing, business and community infrastructure and facility loan and grant programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents and farmers and improve the quality of life in rural America.
President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities.