Michelle Book
Michelle Book
President & Chief Executive Officer, Food Bank of Iowa
Michelle Book began her role as president and CEO of the Food Bank of Iowa on February 1, 2016. Food Bank of Iowa is a Feeding America member, helping to feed over 175,000 food insecure Iowans in 55 Iowa counties, via 625 smaller frontline partner agencies - schools, pantries, homeless shelters, among others. Food Bank of Iowa acquires over 1 million pounds of free and reduced cost food each month, keeps it safe for consumption, and delivers it to local organizations who help the hungry.
Prior to her work at Food Bank of Iowa, Michelle led Global Community Engagement for DuPont Pioneer and served as President of the Pioneer International Foundation which distributed $6 million annually. She was responsible for worldwide philanthropic giving and community betterment focusing on food insecurity, science education, and community betterment.
Prior to her time at Pioneer, Michelle served as the Global Compliance Manager for John Deere Finance. She created and implemented the Sarbanes Oxley protocol for John Deere Finance worldwide. John Deere assignments took her to numerous international locations for lengthy visits, which honed her appreciation for different cultures and diverse perspectives.
Michelle serves on the following local community boards and councils: US Bank Advisory Council, Brenton Arboretum, Salisbury House, and Mid-Iowa Council of Boy Scouts. She is also a member of the Des Moines Noon Rotary and Nexus Executive Women’s Alliance. In the past, she served as board chair of BRAVO Greater Des Moines, board chair of Des Moines Botanical Garden, a member of the Governor's STEM Advisory Council, and an advisor to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Michelle was honored to be recognized as a Des Moines Woman of Influence in 2014.
Michelle is originally from Jefferson, Iowa and resides in Des Moines, Iowa. She holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree from Iowa State University. She is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Internal Auditor. Her career has spanned opportunities in hog farming, health care, international business, and non-profit leadership. In her free time, she enjoys sharing great food with interesting people, relaxing with yoga, and recreating in nature.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
FOOD BANK OF IOWA
The Food Bank of Iowa is a private, not-for-profit organization striving to meet the critical food needs of a diverse population through approximately 625 partner agencies in 55 Iowa counties who directly serve children, families, and seniors in need. These partner agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless and domestic violence shelters, child and adult care centers, and youth and senior programs. Food Bank of Iowa operates distribution centers in Des Moines and Ottumwa and is a member of the Feeding America national network of food banks.
Besides traditional food banking, the organization also operates additional successful programs: the BackPack Program, mobile pantries, school pantries, and Help Us Stop Hunger (HUSH).