Brian Gongol

contact information is available at www.gongol.com/contact

Education

Western Governors University - Master of Education in Learning and Technology: Salt Lake City, Utah • graduated November 2020
University of Northern Iowa - Bachelor of Arts in Economics (General Economics): Cedar Falls, Iowa • graduated May 2001; College of Business Administration • major G.P.A. 3.54, overall G.P.A. 3.88 (Summa Cum Laude)
University of Northern Iowa - Bachelor of Arts in Communications (Electronic Media) with minor in Business Administration: Cedar Falls, Iowa • graduated May 2001; College of Humanities and Fine Arts • major G.P.A. 3.93, minor G.P.A. 4.00, overall G.P.A. 3.88 (Summa Cum Laude); Purple and Old Gold Award
Valley High School: West Des Moines, Iowa • graduated May 1997 with honors

Employment

Outside Sales Engineer, Vice President, and Partner - D.J. Gongol & Associates, Inc.: April 2002 to present
Principal Owner - Federalist Communications, LLC: December 2014 to present; Communications consultancy, specializing in digital marketing and written communications
Talk-Show Host - WHO-AM: September 2003 to January 2020; Host, "Brian Gongol Show" • September 2003 to January 2020; Co-host, "WHO Radio Wise Guys" • October 2004 to June 2016 • (program merged into an expanded "Brian Gongol Show"); Substitute host, afternoon drive and mid-morning dayparts • July 2006 to January 2020; Named Des Moines' "Best Radio Personality" by readers of Cityview • February 2007
Marketing Consultant - Clear Channel Communications, KKDM-FM, Iowa Radio Network: May 2001 to March 2002; Negotiates contracts for radio and outdoor advertising; Maintains business-to-business relationships; Creates and implements marketing plans for consumer products and services
Communications Operations Intern, Business Development Assistant - Cedar Falls Utilities: February 2000 to May 2001; Conducts financial analyses of ventures by municipally-owned broadband telecommunications utility; Performs feasibility research and prepares reports for Board of Trustees and FCC; Assisted manager in composition of business and marketing plans
Speaker of the Senate - Northern Iowa Student Government: May 1998 to April 2001; Acts as public representative of the Senate and maintains NISG website; Prepares agenda and conducts weekly meetings of the Senate; Interviews and appoints Senators to fill vacancies; Hires and supervises Recording Secretary
News Anchor, General-Assignment Reporter, and Technical Director - WHO-AM, Iowa Radio Network: June 1997 to May 2001; Contributed to ABC Radio News and UPI; Assistant Webmaster, www.whoradio.com

Board Service - Current

Vice Chair - Nebraska Section - American Water Works Association: November 2023 to present; Secretary • November 2022 to November 2023; Trustee • November 2018 to November 2022
Commissioner - Commission of Deaf Services, Iowa Department of Human Rights: Appointed August 2021 (term May 2021 through April 2025); Elected vice-chair in June 2023
Midwest Distinguished Alumni Council - Western Governors University: Appointed April 2023
Advisory Council - Des Moines Area Community College Water Environmental Technology Program: Appointed May 2023

Board Service - Past

Director - Polk County Schools Employees Credit Union: April 2011 to September 2016; Audit committee • April 2011 to April 2013; Credit committee • April 2013 to September 2016; Board membership concluded with the successful merger of the credit union with a larger institution
Pastoral Council Member - St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Parish: December 2004 to January 2010; Coordinated the preparation of a long-term parish plan and assisted with the technical development of a new parish website

Publications

"The Honorable Alternative": Paperback (53 pages) • published September 2016
"Ten Big Answers You Won't Get from a Politician": Paperback (103 pages) • published December 2005
"Ten Big Answers for Iowa's Future": Paperback • publication forthcoming
www.gongol.com: Various essays and articles

Skills and Certifications

CPR (American Heart Association): Heartsaver AED • last renewed August 2008
American Sign Language: Elementary to limited working proficiency

Presentations Given and Short Courses Taught

"Forget the Environment; We're in the Public-Health Business": Nebraska Water Environment Association Great Plains Conference • La Vista, Nebraska • April 2013
"Lagoon Liners and Baffles": Nebraska Wastewater Operators Division Snowball Conference • Kearney, Nebraska • January 2008
"Lagoons and Small Treatment Plants": Spring Short Course • West Des Moines, Iowa • April 2004
"Maintenance Best Practices for Utilities": Nebraska Section American Water Works Association Annual Convention • Kearney, Nebraska • November 2009
"Media Relations for the Water Industry": Nebraska Section American Water Works Association Annual Convention • Kearney, Nebraska • November 2008; Nebraska Wastewater Operators Division Snowball Conference • Kearney, Nebraska • January 2009; League of Nebraska Municipalities Utilities Section Conference • Lincoln, Nebraska • January 2010
"The 100-Year Business Plan": Noon Des Moines Estate and Financial Planners Group • Des Moines, Iowa • February 2009
"Practical Tips for Effective Communications": League of Nebraska Municipalities Utilities Section Conference • Lincoln, Nebraska • January 2010
"Preserving Institutional Memory": Nebraska Section American Water Works Association Annual Convention • Kearney, Nebraska • November 2009
"Self-Priming Pumps": Iowa Rural Water Association Pump Workshop • Johnston, Iowa • November 2008; Iowa Rural Water Association Pump Workshop • North Liberty, Iowa • November 2008
"Ten Big Answers for Iowa's Future": VSR Financial Services Regional Meeting • West Des Moines, Iowa • December 2006; Des Moines Host Lions Club • Des Moines, Iowa • February 2007

Academic Awards

U.S. Presidential Scholar: 1997; U.S. Department of Education and White House Commission on Presidential Scholars
Presidential Scholarship: 1997; University of Northern Iowa; Full undergraduate tuition, room, and board
Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction: 1997
National Merit Finalist: 1997
Purple and Old Gold Award: 2001; University of Northern Iowa

Civic and Industry Awards

Eagle Scout Award: 1994
Student Excellence: 1998; Iowa Associated Press Association
General Reporting (2nd Place): (with Sue Danielson); 1999; Iowa Associated Press Association
Spot News Reporting (1st Place): (with Gary Barrett and Brad Ehrlich); 2013; Iowa Broadcast News Association
Volunteer of the Year: 2014; Nebraska Section - American Water Works Association
George Warren Fuller Award: 2022; Nebraska Section - American Water Works Association

Professional Memberships

American Water Works Association: November 2006 to present; Public Information Committee • Nebraska Section • December 2007 to present; Publications Committee (chair) • Nebraska Section • December 2010 to present; Public Information Committee • Iowa Section • November 2015 to present
Iowa Newspaper Association: Associate member • October 2007 to present
Iowa Broadcast News Association: April 2013 to present
Water Environment Federation: December 2014 to present; Publications Committee • Nebraska Section • November 2015 to present
American Economic Association: November 2016 to present

Other Activities, Clubs, and Memberships

Beta Gamma Sigma: Inducted April 1999 (lifetime member); Business honorary
Omicron Delta Kappa: Inducted April 1999 (lifetime member); Leadership honorary; UNI President • April 2000 to April 2001
UNI Tae Kwon-Do Club: September 2000 to present; 1st Dan (black belt) • promoted June 8, 2002; 2nd Dan (black belt) • promoted December 4, 2004; 3rd Dan (black belt); 4th Dan (black belt); 5th Dan (black belt) • promoted December 3, 2016; 6th Dan (black belt) • promoted December 24, 2020
Bull Moose Club: Member • April 2005 to December 2018; Secretary • January 2010
Golden Key National Honor Society: April 1999 to May 2001; Service and leadership honorary
UNI Economics Club: September 1999 to May 2001
Phi Beta Lambda: September 2000 to May 2001; Business leadership organization

Media and Educational Citations

"Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway faces a brutal mix of economic headwinds. It will capitalize on the chaos, 8 experts say.", Business Insider, April 6, 2023: Reporter: Theron Mohamed
"After two years of virtual meetings, Omaha prepares for return of Berkshire shareholders", Omaha World-Herald, April 30, 2022: Reporter: Dan Crisler
"We asked 7 experts what they're hoping Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway will do this year. Here's what they told us.", Business Insider, February 2, 2021: Reporter: Theron Mohamed
"Warren Buffett at 90", Omaha World-Herald, August 23, 2020: Reporter: Henry Cordes
"What's behind Buffett's switch from book value to market value", Omaha World-Herald, May 4, 2019: Reporter: Henry Cordes
"E-scams: Catching fraudsters in a technical world", by Katherine Massey: Forensics Journal, 2013
"A comparative analyse on American, Japanese and Korean management from the point of view of international business", by Ion-Viorel Matei: Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Winter 2013
"U.S. economical strategic interests in Central Asia: Current situations and expectation for the future", by David Pihlblad and Robert Guang Tian: Journal of Management Policy and Practice, 2012
"Understanding Media and Culture: An introduction to mass communication", by Jack Lule: Flat World Education, 2012
"International Handbook on Teaching and Learning in Economics", edited by Gail Hoyt and KimMarie McGoldrick: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012
"Banking Burdens", WHO-TV, November 5, 2011: Reporter: Dan Winters
"Buying Berkshire's Buyback Plan", Omaha World-Herald, September 27, 2011: Reporter: Steve Jordon
"Blogometrics", by Franklin G. Mixon, Jr., and Kamal P. Upadhyaya: Eastern Economic Journal, 2010
"Leveraging Lean in Healthcare: Transforming your enterprise into a high quality patient care delivery system", by Charles Protzman, George Mayzell, and Joyce Kerpchar: CRC Press, 2010
"Bailout Nation: How greed and easy money corrupted Wall Street and shook the world economy", by Barry Ritholtz: Wiley, 2009
"Out of New Orleans: Race, Class, and Researching the Katrina Diaspora", by Jerome E. Morris: Urban Education, 2008
"Global Edge: Using the opacity index to manage the risks of cross-border business", by Joel Kurtzman and Glenn Yago: Harvard Business School Press, 2007
"Iowa Suburbs' Political Views? Much Like They Are Here", Daily Herald, December 19, 2007: Reporter: David Beery
"Big Business in Blogging Economists", Los Angeles Times, November 23, 2006: Reporter: Alana Semuels; Also carried in Canton (OH) Repository, December 7, 2006; Also carried in Austin American-Statesman, December 10, 2006