Executive Director

Philip Wiese
​ Phil Wiese comes to WeLead with a diverse background as a small business owner, farmer, and professional in hospitality service and sales.  He has grant writing and fundraising experience and has been an active participant on different nonprofit boards.
Phil is an Eagle Scout with a long history of service to his community. He has previously served on the Downtown Muscatine Small Business Council, the Tipton Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Muscatine Art Center, and the Domestic Violence Intervention Program of Southeast Iowa. Currently, he is the President of the Blue Grass Lions Club. Phil also serves as a first responder for the Montpelier Fire Department. 
In his free time, Phil dedicates himself to volunteering, particularly helping individuals overcome addiction to drugs and alcohol. He enjoys outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, gardening, and beekeeping on his farm in rural Muscatine County. Phil’s diverse experiences and passion for community service make him a dedicated and well-rounded leader.


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WeLead Board Members

The mission of WeLead's Board of Directors is to stimulate economic development in the West Liberty area. Their work has helped create strong business relationships and establish a climate in which new business can flourish. As a volunteer board, each member contributes a different perspective from within the community.

Jerry Melick (President) - Liberty Communications

Jerry has served as the General Manager of Liberty Communications since 1992.  He has also served as President of the West Liberty Chamber of Commerce, and as a board member of the West Branch Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the Iowa Communications Alliance Board of Directors since 1998, and served on the Aureon Board of Directors from 2004 to 2016. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in Journalism. He lives in rural West Liberty with his three children. In his spare time he enjoys landscaping, tree farming, bicycling, and off-road motorcycle racing.

Melody Russell (Vice President)  

Melody lived and worked in Kuwait for several years before continuing her teaching career at West Liberty Schools. She served two terms on City Council and continues to stay active in the community. ​

Dana Nelson (Secretary) - Active Health Spine & Sport

Dr. Dana Nelson is a doctor of chiropractic and has owned and operated Active Health Chiropractic & Wellness in West Liberty since 2007. She has served on the WeLead board since April 2016 and is passionate about the West Liberty community. Dana values health and wellness, traveling, and spending time with family.

Jason Cassady (Treasurer)  - West Liberty State Bank

​​Jason Cassady is Market President of West Liberty State Bank and has been with the bank since 2002. Jason resides in West Liberty with his wife, Amy, and four children. Jason has been on the WeLead board since February 2018.

Brandon Achen

Brandon is the President and CEO of West Liberty Foods.

Lee Geertz - West Liberty City Manager 

Lee Geertz serves the City of West Liberty as City Manager. 

​Kurt Kirchner

Kurt Kirchner serves on the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors. 

Shaun Kruger

Shaun Kruger is the Superintendent for West Liberty Schools.

Mary Larson

​A lifelong resident, Mary is a regular volunteer on boards, in community organizations, and with initiatives to support West Liberty. Her professional career included 23 years at ACT, Inc. with leadership roles in program management and operations, followed by 7 years of university fundraising. Mary and her husband Leon own the West Liberty Veterinary Clinic. They enjoy cooking, outdoor activities, travel, and Iowa State athletics.

Santos Saucedo

Santos has 2 children and 1 beautiful granddaughter.  Santos worked at Louis Rich when he was going to college, and is currently employed at Bayer as a Project Manager. He has been employed there for about 25years total.
 “My goal is to always bring value to the table as I hope I can with WeLead.”

Heather Wisman - MidWestOne

Heather is Vice President, Retail Market Manager at MidWestOne Bank, West Liberty location.

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