Monica Vernon

Monica Vernon
Cedar Rapids City Council, Mayor Pro Tempore
Assumed office
January 3, 2008
Personal details
Born Monica Wolf
(1957-10-19) October 19, 1957
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Bill Vernon (1984–present)
Children Natalie
Frances
Eleanor
Alma mater University of Iowa

Monica Vernon (born October 19, 1957) is a member of the Cedar Rapids City Council and is the Mayor Pro Tempore of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Vernon was elected to the Cedar Rapids City Council in 2007 to serve District 2. She is the past Chair of the Metropolitan Planning Organization and currently serves as the Chair of the Council's Economic/Development Committee.[1] Six years in a row she was selected by the other councilmembers to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore.

Early life and education

Monica was born on the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming to Dr. David and Carol Zeman Wolf. She is the oldest of five children and was raised in Cedar Rapids.

Vernon attended the University of Iowa and received her B.A. in Journalism with a Business Emphasis in 1980.

Vernon received her M.B.A. from the Tippie College of Business at The University of Iowa in 1999. She worked as an adjunct professor for six years at the Tippie College of Business and the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center where she created the entrepreneurial marketing segment for the Entrepreneurial Management Certificate.[2]

Career

After college, she worked in public relations relations at Dickinson State University and Mount Mercy University, as well as a reporter for The Gazette (Cedar Rapids) before starting as a Market Research Consultant at Frank N. Magid Associates.

In 1987, Vernon founded the Vernon Research Group, a market research firm that served business and industry, government, education, healthcare, and non-profits.[3] Vernon was President and CEO of the company until it was purchased in 2013 by The Gazette Co.[4]

Vernon served as the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce Board Chair, the Metropolitan Planning Commission Board Chair and Member, and the Cedar Rapids City Planning Commission Vice Chair and Chair. She also served as the President of the Junior League of Cedar Rapids and helped raise $1.7 million to build the Madge Phillips Center for homeless women and children.[5]

City Council tenure

In 2007, Vernon was elected to represent Cedar Rapid's 2nd district on the City Council. Vernon supported smart infrastructure investments, a more art-filled community, an integrated trail system in and around Cedar Rapids, and a more walkable community. She was a strong proponent of the New Bo City Market and for the new downtown location of the library, formerly owned by TrueNorth.[6]

In 2009, she supported a controversial[7] one cent local option sales and services tax to help with flood recovery. While Vernon stated that "it's all for housing," controversy still exists over the use of this expired tax. In 2013, she supported a one cent local option sales tax to secure more funding for streets and helped with the new design of those roads.

In 2013, Vernon was awarded the Advocate Award from Trees Forever as an elected official who exemplified the organization's mission "to plant and care for trees and the environment by empowering people, building community, and promoting stewardship."[8]

2008 Flood and Reconstruction

Cedar Rapids was one of the areas most impacted by the Iowa flood of 2008. About 10 square miles of the downtown area were underwater which included over 3,000 homes and almost 1,000 business. After only 6 months into her first year on the City Council, Vernon was forced to make decisions for the recovery of Cedar Rapids in the wake of the disaster. Vernon worked with federal, state, local agencies, local not-for-profits, neighborhood organizations, local labor unions and area businesses. She helped create a post-flood redevelopment map with the goal to plan Cedar Rapid's recovery.[9]

Vernon supported the restoration of numerous historical commercial buildings, while pushing for the rebuilding of several neighborhoods including Kingston Village, and New Bo. She was a strong advocate for the New Bo City Market and helped push the plan along to make the market a reality.[10]

Vernon supported the efforts to bring new affordable housing to Cedar Rapids - Jack Hatch, who would later tap Vernon to be his running mate, was one of the first developers to come in and propose affordable housing projects.[11][12][13]

Party Changes

"Vernon and her husband have donated thousands to GOP candidates and committees, according to Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board records. She changed her party affiliation to Democrat in 2009 and since then has been a generous giver to county Democratic Party organizations and Cedar Rapids-area Democrats." [14]

2014 Elections

In the fall of 2013, Vernon announced she was running for Congress in Iowa's 1st congressional district.[15] She came in second behind former Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy in the five-way primary for the seat vacated by Bruce Braley.

After that loss, in June 2014, Hatch asked Vernon to join him on the Democratic ticket as his lieutenant governor running mate in the Iowa gubernatorial election, 2014.[16] Hatch and Vernon ran against five-term Republican incumbent Terry Branstad and lost 59% to 37%. That seat was eventually won by Republican Rod Blum.

2016 Election

On January 15, 2015 Monica Vernon announced her bid for Iowa's 1st congressional district against incumbent Rod Blum for the 2016 election cycle.[17]

Personal life

Vernon married her husband, Bill Vernon, in 1984. The couple has three adult daughters - Natalie, Frances, and Eleanor.

References

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