Four remarkable Iowans will be inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame this weekend.
The Iowa Commission on the Status of Women, which announced the 2015 inductees in July, will honor the four women at an induction ceremony set for 10 a.m. this Saturday at the State Historical Building auditorium in Des Moines.
2015 Inductees include Justice Linda Neuman, Joyce Boone Chapman, Lt. General Michelle Johnson and Justice Marsha Ternus.
Since 1975, the commission has highlighted the important contributions of women in Iowa, honoring those who have championed the rights of women in the Hawkeye state and across the world. Existing members include former legislators, activists, writers, educators and scientists.
2015 Inductees
The Honorable Linda Neuman
Justice Neuman was the first woman to serve on the Iowa Supreme Court. She has served on a number of organizations, including the National Association of Women Judges and the Judicial Division of the American Bar Association. Neuman received a President’s Award in 2014 for her service to the Iowa State Bar Association.
Joyce Boone Chapman
Chapman is an influential figure within the banking industry and beyond, having become the first female president of the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, the West Des Moines Development Corp. and the Rotary Club of Des Moines Foundation. Chapman currently serves on the board of West Bank, of which she has been a member since 1975.
Lt. General Michelle Johnson
Recognized as the first woman Cadet Wing Commander at the Air Force Academy, as well as the Academy’s first woman Rhodes Scholar, Lt. General Johnson’s resume is exhaustive. Johnson served as the Director of Public Affairs for the Air Force and worked as an aide for both President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton. Did I mention she’s also an incredible athlete? Last year, Johnson was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame for her success with the Air Force Academy’s women’s basketball team. She is a current member of the Air Force Sports Hall of Fame as well.
The Honorable Marsha Ternus
Justice Ternus, former editor-in-chief of the Drake Law Review, was the first woman to become president of the Polk County Bar Association. Appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court by Gov. Terry Branstad in 1993, Ternus would later became the first woman Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court, having been selected by her court peers in 2006. Though her service to the Iowa Supreme Court came to an end in 2010, Ternus currently practices law in Des Moines, serves as the Director of the Tom Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement at Drake University and lectures nationwide.
