Kasey Vogel

Director of brand strategy and business development
Community Choice Credit Union

Age: 34

Partner: David Adamiak

Children: Quincey

Mentor: April Schmaltz, vice president of marketing and business development, Delta Dental of Iowa 

Why she’s a Forty: 

She serves on the American Lung Association board. She helped House of Mercy achieve record-breaking success to raise over $500,000 in its annual fundraiser. She initiated and oversees the Community Choice Foundation. She serves on the American Heart Association’s Heart Ball executive leadership team and helps with its annual fundraising efforts including helping shatter the event record in 2019. She is Community Choice’s champion of nonprofit support, leading its efforts to support over 57 nonprofits in 2020. 

What are your goals in your role at your company? 

My role is all about creating experiences. Success for me comes when our brand is bigger and more recognizable than the products and services we offer. When someone hears “Community Choice” and it triggers a memory, experience or feeling around something great we did versus “they’re a bank,” then I will have hit my goal.

What are your goals for your community involvement? 

My goal has been and continues to be how I can be impactful to as many nonprofits as possible. We supported over 57 nonprofits last year as an organization through our time, talent and financial support. We’re always exploring ways to do more.

What’s your biggest passion, and why? 

Bringing innovation and creativity to the mundane to help achieve something unexpected and impactful. Anyone can make something interesting with an unlimited budget and resources, but how do you do that with a skeleton budget for something that isn’t that exciting? I never shy away from those types of challenges. Give me a hammer and a YouTube video if that’s what it takes!

What is it that drives you? 

With a broken start I quickly realized that I didn’t only want to find solutions for my own obstacles, but be an instrument for others. A village raised me and helped give me the tools to be successful. That gratitude fuels my need to always build up those around me. 

What are your future aspirations? 

I’m exploring ways to grow and expand our foundation through an additional fundraiser. My hope is to create a nontraditional legacy event using unique resources found locally, such as a soapbox derby or a geocaching tournament.

Three hobbies: 

Hang wallpaper, travel as much as possible and help rescue dogs.

ONE word: Spirited.

Fun fact: 

She used to be a bail bondsman. In college she answered a cryptic newspaper ad seeking help and ended up with the most unusual part-time gig.

What is your wish for the Central Iowa business community? 

To continue to see support and advocacy for the downtown Des Moines river project. I believe it will bring economic growth and make Des Moines a more desirable place to visit and live.

What is one issue you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address, and why?

I would like to see Central Iowa leaders bring back the ability to have healthy, respectful debate. Our current political climate has created such polarization and made even nonpartisan topics politicized. Diversity and difference in opinion should be welcomed, and I believe our leaders have the capability to model that behavior and set the standard for the region and all of Iowa.

What's one piece of advice that you would give to a young professional looking to become a leader in your community and/or company? 

Never miss an opportunity to connect and learn about a project or initiative. Every meeting is an opportunity to build your knowledge base and expand your connections. Even if you can’t provide a solution, you might be able to connect them with someone who can.