New Job for Newton Mayor, Culver Job with Vilsack Not Likely

Job Front: Newton Mayor Chaz Allen is no longer among the unemployed, or at least among the underemployed. Allen got laid off from his job with Windstream after it bought out Iowa Telecom. So his $4,000 a year job as mayor was his only paycheck. Now, Allen has landed a job back in the banking industry. Here's the release:

Newton, IA, (November 22, 2010) – Jim Lowrance, Group President of Great Western Bank, Iowa, announced today that Charles “Chaz” Allen will join the bank’s management team, leading the Newton, Iowa location. Allen’s appointment to the bank position is effective November 30, 2010.
Allen comes to Great Western Bank with a broad background in business management over a 23 year period. His career includes experience in the fields of auditing, finance, revenue assurance and quality assurance. Allen’s career has encompassed such roles as Presale Project Manager, Contract Implementation Analyst, Revenue Assurance Manager, Billing Operations Manager and Government/Community Relations Manager. He was most recently employed with Iowa Telecom as Community Relations Manager. Allen is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University and has completed course work toward a Masters in Business Administration at St. Ambrose University. He also served as an adjunct professor of Business Law at Kirkwood Community College from 1997 to 2000.
Allen has been active in community volunteer service as a member of the Task Force for Infrastructure and Transportation, the Governor’s Rebuild Iowa Office, Leadership Newton 2002 Program and Newton’s Blue Ribbon Governance Task Force. He is currently in his fourth term Mayor for the City of Newton and has been actively involved in Newton’s nationally recognized job recruitment and creation efforts.
“The versatility and the business knowledge that Chaz possesses will be an immense asset for Great Western Bank,” Lowrance said in making the announcement. “Chaz has a proven track record of leadership in business and in the public sector. Great Western is pleased that he will be joining us and leading the Bank’s team in the Newton area.”

Iowa Governor Chet Culver could soon join the unemployed when his term expires in January after voters decided not to give him a second term. I talked with Culver today about his search. He said he hoped to have something in the coming weeks but wasn't in a rush. Meanwhile, former Governor-turned U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack stopped by. I asked him about the chances of Culver going to Washington. It doesn't sound like there would be anything for him working for Vilsack. Here's the story we ran on tv.