Congratulations! Visionary’s Grandberg and Gruhlke Receive Governor’s Volunteer Award
Congratulations to Visionary’s VP of Technology Garritt Grandberg and VP of Product Development Bryan Gruhlke. They recently were honored with the Governor’s Volunteer Award from Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds during a special recognition ceremony.
Grandberg and Gruhlke were both nominated and recognized for their volunteerism efforts with Future Ready Iowa. This program was a networking and professional development opportunity that connected students from Iowa who were pursuing careers in high-demand fields with experienced professionals in the workforce. Grandberg and Gruhlke were matched with mentees who were interested in technology careers. They met regularly to share knowledge, connections and experience; guide students in developing their skills and goals; and provide career advice.
Gruhlke understands the influence that mentoring can have first-hand.
“I’ve been with Visionary for 14 years. During my time here, there has been one person in particular that took me under his wing and was an outstanding mentor. We would discuss anything, from careers to life experiences. You name it,” said Gruhlke. “My advancement at Visionary has been, pretty quick, and a lot of that is due to a mentor stepping up and guiding me along the way.”
All of the mentees Grandberg and Gruhlke were paired with by Future Ready Iowa were female. They both hope that more women can join the tech field. Mentoring is a great way to make that happen.
“I have three daughters myself and love to see more opportunities for women in STEM occupations. Anything I can do to help increase diversity and introduce new ideas and opinions in our industry is nothing but positive,” said Grandberg. “Unfortunately, the tech industry has been kind of a roadblock to women. I hope I can help in a small way.”
Visionary encourages its employees to participate in volunteer opportunities. The company even offers a Volunteer Time Off Program to support activities that enhance and serve the communities in which we live and work.
“Visionary's principles are built around connecting to the community and providing a fulfilling environment for our employees,” said Gruhlke. “Mentoring is a great way to share a passion and life lessons with someone else.”
Coordinated by Volunteer Iowa, the Governor's Volunteer Award program—now in its 39th year—provides an easy way for Iowa nonprofits, charitable organizations, and government entities to honor their volunteers with a prestigious, state-level award.
