Alumni Spotlight
Lucas C. Beenken
To say the
last year and a half has kept me busy might be an understatement. In June 2007,
I began a deployment with my National Guard unit which would take me to Camp
Shelby, Mississippi, for three months of training and then Baghdad, Iraq in
support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While still in Iraq, I began campaigning for
a chance to represent my hometown on our County Board of Supervisors. Upon my
return in May 2008, I began campaigning full-time, ultimately winning the
Democratic primary in June and the general election in November. It was also
during this time that I returned to Drake University for my final semester, and
I graduated in December with a degree in marketing. In January I took office as
a Wright County Supervisor, and the past couple months have kept me quite busy
with all of my new duties. I would like to tell you a little more about my
activities, and how my brotherhood in the Sigma Chi Fraternity has positively
affected my experiences and contributed to my success.
While in Iraq, my unit operated the Joint
Visitors’ Bureau at Camp Victory. We were responsible for the escort and
protection of distinguished visitors that included Vice President Cheney,
Secretary of State Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen,
officials from the Department of Defense and State Department, high ranking
military officers, Senators, Congressmen, Governors, foreign officials and
dignitaries, and countless celebrities brought in for entertainment. It was a
challenging mission that came with a great deal of pressure and required the
highest level of professionalism, but it was one that was always interesting and
rewarding. I enjoyed the chance to meet some of the most powerful and
influential people in our nation and from across the world, and of course the
chance to share meals with actors and NFL cheerleaders can never be overlooked.
In March 2008 I received an email from
our county Auditor regarding the positions up for election on the November
ballot. I had contacted her previously expressing my concern that not enough
people were running and oftentimes the incumbents had no challengers. The
Auditor encouraged me to run for the Board of Supervisors since the incumbent
would be up for re-election and I would be back in late spring. After
researching the position and discussing the possibility with family and friends,
I decided to go for it. I put my parents and some community members to work
collecting signatures on a petition to get my name on the ballot for the
primary, and I filled out the necessary paperwork and sent it in from Baghdad.
I found out a short time later that I
would have an opponent in the Democratic primary; I would face a very tough race
against the sitting school board president from my hometown. Upon my return back
home I had one month before the primary, so I hit the ground running. I worked
non-stop that month, knocking on doors and making phone calls, holding meetings
with community leaders and giving speeches, running ads in the newspapers and
sending out postcards. I was pleasantly surprised to pull off what I considered
an upset, winning with 64% of the vote and getting my name on the November
ballot as the Democratic nominee.
The primary victory set me up for an even
greater challenge. As the Democratic candidate I was at a severe disadvantage in
a very conservative county that has 3,500 registered Republicans to 2,400
registered Democrats. I was also facing an incumbent that had been on the Board
for 16 years, having won four previous elections. Add to that the fact that I
was not as well known outside of my own hometown, that I was at the time just 23
years old, and that I was looked at with a lot of skepticism. With most of the
deck stacked against me, it would be a very difficult hand to play.
I continued my campaign through the
summer, talking to anyone that would listen, recruiting volunteers, asking for
donations, walking in parades, and giving speeches. Last fall I went back to
Drake for my final semester while continuing to campaign for the November
election. I spent the weekdays in Des Moines and the weekends back in Wright
County. I continued to knock on doors and introduce myself to as many people as
possible, hundreds of yard signs went up, my ads hit the newspapers, my
postcards and fliers hit thousands of mailboxes, and my supporters were out
persuading their friends, family, and neighbors to vote for me.
On election night I was relieved to
finally be done with 6 months of campaigning, and anxious for the results. At
this time it was in the voters’ hands and I was just hoping for the best. I
found out late that night that I had pulled off another upset, winning by a mere
35 votes out of over 6,200 votes cast. For most people, especially my opponent
and me, the result was shocking. I was proud of what our team was able to
accomplish, and was very thankful for the help that team of supporters had
provided.
On January 2nd I was sworn in
as a Wright County Supervisor. The work has been interesting, challenging, and
rewarding. As a member of various committees, advisory commissions, and boards
of directors, I’ve been quite busy with meetings. We sorted out the details of
our county’s $15 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. And I’ve been able
to establish new policy on a number of issues based on things I heard from the
citizens during the campaign. It is a great job with a chance to make a real
difference, and I just hope to do what is best for the citizens of Wright
County.
I would like to bring all of these
experiences together and express what Sigma Chi has meant to me throughout them.
Perhaps the greatest gift I’ve received from our fraternity is the brotherhood
I’ve enjoyed. True friendship is invaluable when facing the challenges of
fighting in a war, taking on major endeavors, or taking on more tasks than you
think you can handle. It is comforting to always have brothers that are willing
to share a word of wisdom, support, or encouragement. The things I learned about
brotherhood from the Theta Gamma chapter helped me as I worked with my brothers
in arms and developed relationships that would be tested in times of hardship
and strengthened when we placed our lives in the hands of our buddy.
On the campaign trail and in my new
position, I know what makes a good friend and an effective leader because I’ve
seen it in those that have led our chapter in various positions over the years.
I’ve tried my best to emulate those traits and skills as I work to become a
successful public servant that the citizens can count on to serve their needs
and do the right thing. I thank my brothers of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and the
Theta Gamma chapter for their endless support and unwavering friendship through
the good times and tough ones, and for the model of excellence the fraternity,
chapter, and the brothers have always shown themselves to be.
In Hoc Signo Vinces,
Lucas C. Beenken