Rising Star - Ann Oleson

Ann (Greiner) Oleson

The running joke with friends and family is that I have a keen eye for finding stocks that have not been "discovered" yet and have HUGE upside potential (its happened a few times). I am also good at finding morel mushrooms, but that's beside the point. The biggest and best discovery I have made wasn't a stock or a mushroom. It was my wife. Thank God I got to her first, asked her to marry me quickly, and cajoled her enough to actually go through with it (and I did a lot of cajoling).

Let me just say that Ann is an amazing woman, who is very intelligent (graduated at top of her class in high school and at Iowa State University), very caring (a loving mother to our two kids and has had the same "little sister" in Big Brothers Big Sisters for 8 years - practically unheard of), very active (involved in tons of philanthropic causes, a career woman who has risen to prominence in a male dominated company, and works out physically every single day), very successful (executive with national publishing/communications company) and extremely patient, forgiving and understanding (she is married to me...I'm just sayin').

The Corridor Business Journal will spotlight 40 of the Corridor’s outstanding leaders under the age of 40 in its Oct. 26 issue and at an Oct. 27 awards dinner. These will be men and women who have made a significant impact in their business or community early in their careers. The Corridor Business Journal named Ann as one of its "rising stars" so to speak, by naming her as a Forty under Forty Leader.

Of course, the Corridor Business Journal recognized what I recognized years ago...there's a woman who has done great things, will do great things, and excels in all areas of her life. Yes, she does!

I am extremely proud of Ann. In addition to this honor, she will be starting a year in the Leadership Iowa Program sponsored by the Iowa Association of Business & Industry and is very active in the leadership structure of Junior League this year. I know she will succeed in both those endeavors as well.

Congrats. I am glad I call you wife...don't forget to take out the trash tomorrow.