Richard Ziettlow is the 2024 Le Mars Community High School Distinguished Alumni of the Year.
He is from the Class of 1967 and nominated by Mary Reynolds. She stated, “Rich is a leader in the community and a believer in teamwork. He is creative, innovative and always has a positive attitude. Rich is an inspirational role model for our community.”
Rich graduated from Westmar College and worked in the field of information technology until his retirement. He was a project manager for American Airlines in Tulsa, OK. While living there, he was involved in the Tulsa community and in his church. He and his high school sweetheart, Rev. Dr. Jean Engelbrecht Ziettlow (1968) moved back to Le Mars in 2012, to be close to their aging parents. It was now his time to be involved in projects that interested him and not able to do in depth before his retirement.
In his free time he plays golf (and was on the high school golf team), is active in his church, musically and in the praise band, as well as the LCHS Alumni Notables. He and Jean enjoy traveling. They have two children and five grandchildren.
His project management experience has been very helpful as he worked on various City projects to keep them structured and on track. He has been active in numerous groups.
- Serves as President of the non-profit Le Mars Community Day Care Center board of directors; • He serves as President of the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission until 2025;
- Chair of the Chamber Design Committee; they are responsible for the historical signs and markers around town;
- Served as 1 of 4 co-chairs for the Le Mars Sesquicentennial;
- Served as President of the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce in 2019;
- Has worked with the Alley Art program and gives guided tours;
- Serves on the City of Le Mars Tourism Committee;
- Involved in the Youth on Main Street program and continues to work with the group of high schoolers;
- He co-writes grants that the City of Le Mars has received for various projects; In her nomination, Mary wrote, “The LCS Distinguished Alumni award is a very special honor, not just for the recipient, but also for the community at large, as it reflects the values of the people who have graduated from LCS. Rich Ziettlow exemplifies these qualities through his true spirit of serve and community improvement. He volunteers for the benefit of the community of Le Mars and its future.
Ziettlow will be honored at the LCHS Foundation banquet.
