Seven leaders were honored at the recent Iowa Rural Summit with the Rand Fisher Rural Leadership Award for making a difference in their rural community or region. The award, sponsored by the Iowa Area Development Group Community Foundation, recognizes individuals in rural economic and community development, philanthropy, the arts and utilities.

The 2023 recipients are:

• Cody Bunda, Pocahontas
• Dr. Mark Edelman, Boone
• Shannon Erb, Leon
• Aryn Henning Nichols and Benji Nichols, Decorah
• Bruce Perry, Sac City
• Heather Ussery, Knoxville

“These individuals each brought a unique set of contributions to their community, county, region or the entire state,” Mark Reinig, Iowa Rural Development Council board president, said in a prepared statement. “Each demonstrates in their own way how a leader can make a huge difference for an entire community.”

This year’s Iowa Rural Summit gathered more than 360 people from 70 small towns. The Iowa Rural Development Council hosted the summit April 11-12 in Ames.