Tjaden follows Edel as executive director of Jones County Community Foundation

Members of the Jones County Community Foundation advisory board honored retiring executive director Doug Edel at an annual event this month. Monticello resident Sheila Tjaden will take his place. This role will be an extension of Tjaden’s work as the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s director of affiliate foundations – where she supports successful rural community foundations across the region – and a way to further support her home county. 

Edel was a founding member of the organization in 2004. He served on the advisory board for 16 of the last 20 years and was hired as executive director in 2021. 

“Doug has been a thoughtful, well-connected executive director with incredible financial knowledge for stability and growth of the Community Foundation,” says Janet Martin, board chair. “As a careful listener, he looks for opportunities to partner with local organizations and groups to reach goals that benefit the citizens of Jones County. He has a positive approach, learns from his experiences, and knows how to connect with residents. Doug has made gigantic contributions to the Foundation.”

Reflecting on two decades of history, Edel says that the Foundation’s impact can be felt in many aspects of life in Jones County, from outdoor recreation to early childhood literacy. “We've made a number of large grants to support park improvements in every community in the county: trails, swimming pools, shelter houses and playgrounds are much improved over where things stood 20 years ago,” he says. 

Speaking to the impact of the Foundation’s Every Child Reads initiative, he says that “changing the course of even one child's life by giving them the opportunity to succeed is beyond measure.”

Edel also highlighted the Foundation’s effort to distribute free books to families and provide children with free eye exams and glasses. “Families have been given thousands of books through programs like the Dolly Parton Imagination Library; 'Brush, Book, Bed;' and Summer Reading Fun. And the Vision to Learn program has been in all of the Jones County Schools because of the Foundation and some very caring supporters.”

The Foundation has grown significantly since Edel helped establish it 20 years ago. It has awarded more than $1.6 million through its annual grant cycle  and has built a family of nearly 40 endowment funds that pay out annually to support local organizations and community projects. 

“Initially we focused on growing the Jones County Endowment,” Edel says. “Now, I realize that a number of community funds is more impactful and appealing. I think this is the model that the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque brought to us, with Amy Manternach leading locally. Today we have funds for libraries, school foundations, community clubs and so on that really transformed our organization.I give the Jones County board the credit for supporting all these funds and Dubuque for providing the framework for success.”

Edel, who retired three years ago from a professional career in banking, will spend the next few months volunteering to prepare income tax returns through VITA. The avid outdoorsman is helping start the first Iowa chapter of Cycle Without Age, a global nonprofit that provides outdoor experiences for people with mobility challenges. He also plans to continue part-time work at Culvers Nursery and Garden Center, and looks forward to staying in touch locally. 

What’s next for the Jones County Community Foundation? “We've had some interesting discussions in our board meetings recently about retaining the next generation of community leaders,” says Edel. “I think that involves a few areas that we can impact - we can make Jones County more appealing to the kids that are growing up here so that more chose to stay. Or come back. Who knows? A couple of those kids might come up with an idea that leads to a new company that changes Jones County, like a Pella Windows or a Wells Blue Bunny.”

The next change on the horizon is welcoming Tjaden into her new role as executive director. She’ll continue to oversee the seven-county Greater Dubuque region – including Jones County – which comprises eight community foundations with nearly $50 million in assets and a cumulative $1.5 million granted to nonprofits every year. She has worked closely with the Jones County Community Foundation for the past three years. 

“She understands the Community Foundation at the state, regional, county, and local levels, and brings a large number of relationships with Jones County decision-makers and residents,” says Martin. “Her work especially with Monticello Give to Grow, Cultivate Anamosa and Main Street Monticello provide evidence of her outstanding skills in philanthropy, which is a great benefit to the Jones County Community Foundation.”

Tjaden enjoyed an 18-year career at Jones Regional Medical Center as the Director of Community Development. She co-chaired the 2018 Vote Yes Committee for Monticello Middle School, and was a core team member of the 2024 Vote Yes Committee for Monticello Elementary School – both successful campaigns. She helped launch Monticello Main Street, creating a 501(c)3 and earning the Iowa Main Street designation. She served on the board of the Jones County Volunteer Center and volunteers at Sacred Heart Church.  

Tjaden brings deep knowledge of community philanthropy and nonprofits to the executive director position. “I’m looking forward to helping nonprofits across Jones County continue to do good work,” she says. “I really can’t think of a better way to serve my community.” 

The Jones County Community Foundation offers many opportunities to improve quality of life by addressing an array of local issues. To learn more about how you can establish a fund or make a gift that impacts your community, contact Tjaden at 563-588-2700.