The Quad Cities Regional Business Journal is proud to present the fifth and final set of eight biographies of our latest Forty Under 40 honorees. This year’s class represents almost two dozen business sectors – from banking and finance to community building, construction, education, energy, housing, insurance, law, marketing, nonprofit work and more. It even includes a few local TV personalities.
Each year, Forty Under 40 honorees are selected based on their career accomplishments, civic and philanthropic efforts, their leadership and devotion to a multitude of community causes and efforts.
Our sincere congratulations to the 2024 class of Forty Under 40 honorees. We are encouraged by your leadership and the future you will pave in and for our Quad Cities region.
_________________________________
Lucie VanHecke
Project Administrator | MetroLINK
AGE: 38
Home: Moline
Education: Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Augustana College
Family: Sean Turnipseed (husband); Juniper (daughter, 5)
Hometown (childhood): East Moline
First job? Cashier at Rock Island Kmart
How long at current job: One year, eight months
Local mentors: Former Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, currently partner/co-chair of Mercury Public Affairs. I worked for Cheri as a constituent advocate and advanced up to senior staff as her district director by the end of her time in office. From her, I learned how important it is to listen to people and do your best to help them, no matter where they are from or what they believe.
Best advice you ever received? From Cheri Bustos – Her favorite quote was “Candor is a compliment. It implies equality. It’s how true friends talk.” She highly valued honesty and candor and encouraged her staff to be open with her. I have carried this with me and work hard to be candid and honest with everyone around me. It helps to foster an environment where everyone feels included and is part of the team.
Biggest issue facing the Quad Cities, why? We need more affordable housing. Every family deserves to live in a place that is safe and affordable. We need more support for our schools. Teachers have to buy their own supplies and arts programs. I think all schools should offer free breakfast and lunch for students which guarantees a child will receive two healthy and filling meals a day. We need access to affordable childcare. The costs to ensure your young child is safely cared for is almost always a large burden on families, to the point that it sometimes makes more sense for a parent to stay home instead of working.
What would most people be surprised to learn about you? I collect smashed pennies. I have hundreds of them from all over the country and world.
_________________________________________
Antonio Varela
Professional photographer, events and promotions manager | AJV Original / Mercado on Fifth
AGE: 32
Home: Moline
Education: High school
Family: Wife Sandra, three kids, Isaac, Adriel, and Aniram
Hometown (childhood): Moline
First job? Junior staff at the Boys & Girls club
How long at current job? Nine years as a photographer, two years at Mercado
Local mentors: Ed Mead, the director and founder of Limitless Potential Inc., and Greg Aguilar, the South Moline Township supervisor, played pivotal roles in my development. Additionally, my parents have been my lifelong mentors. Their guidance and support from my earliest years to the present have profoundly shaped who I am today.
Best advice ever received? ¡No te dejes! – Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of. This is the best advice my parents have ever given me.
Biggest issue facing the Quad Cities, why? Among the various issues facing the QC, I am most concerned about the lack of opportunities for youth to feel welcomed and engaged in the community. While there are after-school and summer programs available, many are either costly or limited in capacity. It is crucial that our youth, particularly teenagers, have access to opportunities comparable to or greater than those I had growing up. This is where the community can play a vital role in guiding and supporting them in their quest for identity and belonging.
Passions outside the workplace? My greatest passion outside of my work with Mercado and photography is spending time with my wife and children. They are my ultimate priority.
What do you want to accomplish by 50? This is a challenging question to address, but my ultimate goal by the age of 50 is to have inspired my children to become leaders in their own right and to make a meaningful impact, regardless of its scale.
_________________________________________
Ashley Velez
Chief Executive Officer | Humility Homes & Services, Inc.
AGE: 35
Home: Rock Island
Education: Master’s degree in public administration with a non-profit emphasis
Hometown (childhood): Rock Island
First job? Belgian Village Inn
How long at current job? Five years
Local mentors: People who have always answered my call when I needed them include: Dr. LaDrina Wilson of Iman Consulting, Matt Mendenhall with Regional Development Authority, and Kelly Thompson with the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Without people like this, I would not be as effective as I am at running my agency or my life.
Best advice ever received? From Sandy Walters, the first executive director of HHSI – always see people as who they are. Take them at face value. You have to help them through life as they see it. The next bit of advice is to make every interaction a conversation, not a confrontation.
What would most people be surprised to learn about you? People would be wildly surprised to learn I used to have a near paralyzing fear of public speaking. Also, I have an irrational fear of alligators.
Biggest issue facing the Quad Cities, why? The affordable housing crisis. Housing is a human right. It is the baseline, the fundamental foundation on which we build our lives. To have good health you need a place to live. To be a productive member of a workforce and have a strong economic return on investment, you need housing. To ensure the children of our community have the best chance at becoming strong, healthy members of society, their parents need an affordable place to raise them. Fixing our housing crisis addresses a multitude of other issues at their source.
What do you want to accomplish by 50? I want to continue to be happy, have peace in my life, always surround myself with people and items that bring me joy, and hopefully go on more traveling adventures with my best friends and my love.
______________________________________
Maura Warner
Vice President of Marketing & Retail | Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois
AGE: 31
Home: Davenport
Education: Bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University Quad Cities
Family: Husband, Callahan Herrig; parents, Tom and Kelly Warner
Hometown (childhood): Davenport
First job? Sales clerk at the Black & Gold Shop
How long at your current job? 9 years
Local mentors: Diane Nelson, CEO, Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois; Melissa Pepper, Chief Strategy Officer, Russell; Tracy Schwind, Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer, Northwest Bank.
Best advice ever received? Lead authentically. It’s not as easy as it sounds, but people appreciate genuineness.
Your biggest break so far? In my mid-20s, I was offered the opportunity to join the leadership team at GSEIWI. I am still so grateful for the promotion.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I love to dance! My Grandma signed up my cousins and me for Irish dance, and I think my experience really shaped who I am as a person.
Biggest issue facing the Quad Cities, why? Women still face many unique challenges in leadership.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support? I not only work at Girl Scouts, but I’m also a donor! I would give the majority of funds to GSEIWI. I would also donate to the Ballet Quad Cities capital campaign to build a new studio.
Passions outside the workplace? I love spending time with my family and friends! … My husband and I enjoy traveling and always like having plane tickets booked for our next adventure.
Something people should know about your generation in the workplace? Millennials value mental health as much as physical health.
What do you want to accomplish by 50? I want to continue growing as a leader in the Girl Scout Movement.
______________________________________
Cris Washburn
Senior Mechanical Engineer | IMEG
AGE: 39
Home: Rock Island
Education: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University; Master’s of Business Administration, St. Ambrose University.
Family: Wife Jessica; sons Lucas and Augie
Hometown (childhood): Rock Island
How long at your current job? 17 years
Local mentors: Early in my career, I was lucky enough to be mentored by Grant Schmidt, now retired, who I worked with for 15 years.
Best advice ever received? Never stop learning.
Your biggest break so far? I interned with IMEG the summer before my senior year of college. The opportunity to be mentored by the best in the business before my career even began gave me the best foundation I could have hoped for.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I can play almost any instrument by ear.
Biggest issue facing the Quad Cities, why? Too few mental health facilities in our area contributes to many issues not only in the Quad Cities but throughout our country.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support? I would choose to support art, music and theater programs as they are grossly underfunded in our schools.
Passions outside the workplace? Spending time with my family, coaching youth sports and traveling. Also, the Green Bay Packers. Go Pack Go!
Something people should know about your generation in the workplace? Our generation is truly unique. We entered the workforce at a time when we were able to learn from the best of the previous generation while integrating the rapidly growing technology of the next.
What do you want to accomplish by 50? My first priority is to raise happy and healthy children. I hope to continue to develop my own career while focusing heavily on the development of the next generation of engineers.
_______________________________________
David Waterman
Attorney | Lane & Waterman LLP
AGE: 38
Home: Davenport
Education: J.D., University of California, Los Angeles School of Law; M.Phil., University of Cambridge; B.A., The George Washington University.
Family: Robert V.P. Waterman, Jr., father; Kimberly Waterman, mother; Michael V.P. Waterman, brother.
Hometown (childhood): Davenport and Bettendorf
How long at your current job? In 2020, I returned to Iowa and joined Lane & Waterman LLP.
Local mentors: Robert V.P. Waterman, Jr., former Iowa State Bar Association president, lawyer at Lane & Waterman; Jeffrey B. Lang, former U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, lawyer at Lane & Waterman; Abbey C. Furlong, lawyer at Lane & Waterman.
Best advice ever received? My parents have offered the same advice over the years, which I have always tried to follow: “Be kind to others; treat people as you would like to be treated.”
Your biggest break so far? It occurred in 2024 when U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst selected me to be the sole nominee for the U.S. Attorney position for the Southern District of Iowa. … My nomination is currently pending before the U.S. Senate.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I have completed five full Ironman triathlons.
Biggest issue facing the Quad Cities, why? Finding effective ways to attract and retain young talented professionals away from nearby competing markets.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support? Similar to the mission of the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, I would support three causes in particular: culture and the arts, social welfare, and education.
Passions outside the workplace? Athletic activities that keep me energized, engaged and fulfilled.
Something people should know about your generation in the workplace? I believe that our generation values meaningful work, a strong sense of purpose, mentorship and feedback, and a supportive environment with clear paths for advancement.
_______________________________________
Keith Worner
President | Fortress Bank
AGE: 36
Home: Coal Valley
Education: Undergraduate, Marketing, University of Northern Iowa; MBA, St. Louis University
Family: Spouse, Jen; children, Kyle, Brady and Addison.
Hometown (childhood): Denver, Iowa
How long at your current job? At Fortress for 9 years, president since May.
Local mentors: Lee Garlach, CEO/Chairman, Fortress; Kent Pilcher, President, Estes Construction.
Best advice ever received? Don’t be afraid to try and fail.
Your biggest break so far? Finding a perfect fit for me at Fortress after moving here from St. Louis. I landed in a perfect situation with a company that had established leadership and was poised for growth and needed someone to help integrate and provide future leadership.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I played two D-1 college sports, neither of which I was very good at!
Biggest issue facing the Quad Cities, why? I still think it’s the separation and multitude of the various municipalities and two different states and getting everyone to work together for the mutual benefit of the area.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support? I would look to support youth educational programs that promote real life experiences and skills. Namely, travel/culture, social and communication skills and financial literacy.
Passions outside the workplace? Outdoors and sports; coaching youth sports.
Something people should know about your generation in the workplace? There are a lot of great leaders ready to make an impact. … many in my generation are just one good leader or mentor away from taking that next big jump in their careers and organizations.
What do you want to accomplish by 50? My goals are all about driving organizational growth and making Fortress the top financial services provider in the QC and other markets we service.
____________________________________
Austin Ziegler
Vice President | Russell
AGE: 38
Home: Bettendorf
Education: Bachelor’s in Communication
Hometown (childhood): Bettendorf
First job? Devils Glen Car Wash attendant
How long at your current job? 2.5 years
Best advice ever received? Two quotes that have resonated with me the most:
“It is not your customer’s job to remember you. It is your obligation and responsibility to make sure they don’t have the chance to forget you.” – Patricia Fripp
“Remember, the universal language is not texted, emailed or spoken. It is felt.” – Angela Ahrendts
Your biggest break so far? Being surrounded by talented and exceptional people constantly inspires me. It’s incredible what we can achieve when we’re working alongside others who are performing at such a high level.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? Fun fact: Rebecca Black is my cousin. She made a huge splash with her single, “Friday,” which has now garnered over 200 million views on YouTube.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support? Like many others, my family has been deeply affected by cancer. I’d hope to support research dedicated to finding cures for cancer and other rare diseases.
Passions outside the workplace? Golf, family and friends.
What do you want to accomplish by 50? Continue to make time to give back. The Quad City community is an incredible place, and I hope that by the time I’m 50, I’ll still have the freedom to teach, mentor, volunteer, and support the community financially. It’s the least I can do for a place that’s allowed me to live, play, and raise my family.
_____________________________________________
