First Sergeant (Retired) Jesse Howard is a dedicated leaderand community servant whose journey began in the small townof New London, Iowa, where he graduated from New LondonHigh School in 2002. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, he felt aprofound call to serve his country, enlisting in the United StatesMarine Corps. Over four years, he rose to the rank of Sergeant,embodying the values of dedication and resilience before transitioningback to civilian life in 2006.Following his military service, Jesse continued to serve hiscommunity by working as a correctional officer in Iowa and joiningthe Iowa Army National Guard. His commitment to serviceled him to become a recruiter for the Iowa National Guard in2008, where he excelled for nearly nine years, earning accoladessuch as Rookie of the Year and Zone Recruiter of the Year, alongwith earning the prestigious Expert Recruiter badge.In July 2017, Jesse took on the challenge of creating TeamBEAST, a recruiting team in Southeast Iowa, and in January2018, he became the First Sergeant of the second-largestrecruit sustainment program in the state. His leadership and dedicationwere recognized with multiple accolades, including the Region IVNCOIC of the Year in both 2018 and 2021 and the Army NationalGuard NCOIC of the Year in 2019. Jesse made history as the firstNCOIC in Iowa to achieve such honors.After two decades of active military service, Jesse retired inOctober 2024, concluding an impactful career. Alongside his militaryaccomplishments, he earned a bachelor's degree in 2021 anda master's of science in leadership in January 2024.Jesse is deeply involved in his community, serving as the boardpresident of the Burge Cemetery and overseeing its operationsand finances. He served as a school board member for the NewJesse and his wife, Kasi, along with their children, Mila and Mason.London Community School District from 2015 to 2023, includingroles as vice president and president. In 2022, Jesse was electedas president of the Iowa Association of School Boards.In 2023, he was elected as a trustee for Southeastern CommunityCollege, representing twenty thousand constituents, and onNovember 21, 2024, Jesse took on his new assignment as presidentof the Iowa Association of School Boards.His interests include reading (particularly about leadership andmilitary history), spending quality time with his family and friends,golfing, and coaching youth basketball, reflecting his commitmentto both personal growth and community development. Jesse's lifestory is one of service to others, leadership, and dedication to bothhis country and community.
