MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Local professional Pete Drury was named the recipient of the 2026 Rising Leader Award during the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce’s 128th Annual Banquet. Held on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Midnight Garden, the flagship community event brought together regional business and civic leaders to celebrate a landmark year of community progress and development.
The Rising Leader Award, established by the Chamber in 2025, honors an emerging leader in the community who demonstrates exceptional promise, innovation, and dedication to making the Marshalltown area a better place to live, work, learn, and grow.
Drury, Iowa Valley Community College District Dean of Career and Technical Education, was selected for his standout leadership across the region, heavily impacting Marshalltown in both his personal and professional life. He accepted the award alongside Chamber Workforce Development Director Kate Bowermaster and Chamber Board Chair Zach Stahlin.
“Pete's Rising Star Award reflects the impact he makes every day. Whether he is supporting students, collaborating with colleagues, or investing his time in community initiatives, Pete leads with purpose and authenticity,” commented IVCCD President Dr. Anne Howsare Boyens. “We are fortunate to have him as an integral part of IVCCD, but his influence extends far beyond our campuses. Marshalltown is stronger because of people like Pete who choose to give their talents, energy, and leadership back to the community they call home. This recognition is well deserved, and we are proud to celebrate this achievement with him.”
“I am honored to be selected to receive this award. I want to thank the team at IVCCD for their investment and belief in me. As a first-generation college student, I am humbled by the opportunity that I have been given to use my abilities to help create generational impact for a community that has provided me with so much,” commented Drury. “It has been such a blessing to see how every chapter of this journey has served a purpose that continues to unfold right before my eyes.”
The evening also featured a dynamic keynote address by Andrew Davis, who presented "The Cube of Creativity: Why adding constraints sparks innovation, action, & builds business." Attendees walked away from the presentation equipped with new strategies to apply intelligent constraints to spark innovation in their own creative and corporate work.
To conclude the celebration, the Chamber presented two additional major community awards:
The 2026 Community Impact Award was presented to Tom Apgar and the Apgar family for their transformative contributions toward the new Linn Creek District projects, specifically the Apgar Family Water Plaza. Established in 2008, this award recognizes those who help shape and change the physical and cultural landscape of the community.
The 2026 Tourism Champion Award was awarded to the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA. Established in 2025, this honor recognizes an organization or individual that tirelessly promotes, supports, and helps grow Marshalltown as a premier destination.