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Meet Michael Wagler '06

Ankeny, Iowa

Michael ('06 community and regional planning) discovered his passion for downtown revitalization in high school when he volunteered with the Main Street Iowa program in Bloomfield. He joined the state Main Street program staff on a part-time basis in 2002.

 

After earning a bachelor's degree in historic preservation and architectural history in Savannah, Georgia--where he put himself through school as a deckhand on a riverboat--and his master's degree in planning from Iowa State, Michael moved into a full-time design specialist position with Main Street Iowa, part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. In 2012 he was promoted to state coordinator.

 

In this role, Michael travels across Iowa, providing hundreds of communities with comprehensive technical assistance in historic commercial district revitalization, historic preservation, and nonprofit development. He also manages implementation of the National Main Street Center's Four Point Approach� (organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring) for the state of Iowa.

 

Known for his dedication and service, Michael was recognized with the Iowa Governor's Volunteer Award in 2004 and the Emerging Leader of Main Street Award from Main Street Iowa in 2006. He also received the Iowa State University College of Design's Design Achievement Award for outstanding creative and professional achievements in 2014.

 

Michael is a member of Preservation Iowa and the National Trust for Historic Preservation and serves as a trustee of the First United Methodist Church in Des Moines. He and his wife, Courtney (Reyes) Wagler ('06 child, family and adult services), are proud to be raising two young sons their home state.

 

As a tireless advocate for downtown revitalization and historic preservation, Michael is yet another example of the 97,000 ISU alumni living in Iowa and contributing to the economic health of the state. 

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The Alliance for Iowa State is maintained by the Iowa State University Alumni Association. 

 

The Alliance for Iowa State is a coalition of Iowa State University alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends.

The Alliance advocates Iowa State University's land grant mission throughout Iowa while focusing its advocacy on

state legislators and public policy makers.