Diane Munns, Board Chair
Diane is a retired regulatory attorney having spent most of her career at the Iowa Utilities Board. She is an expert on utility matters and currently also serves on the Des Moines Waterworks Board of Trustees. Her FreeStore involvement began fifteen years ago when she donated a couch. She now works at the FreeStore as a greeter and a pick up volunteer. She and her husband Roger, another volunteer, write our newsletter.
Marty Rathje, Operations Manager
Marty is a past board chair of the FreeStore. He is retired from Principal Financial Group after 37 years in their Individual Life operation serving in a variety of marketing, compliance and technology roles. He is active in his church and devoted to his family. He has been a volunteer for the FreeStore since 2013.
Rachel McGrew, Board Secretary
Rachel is the Director of Internal Audit at Bankers Trust. She has her Master of Accountancy from Iowa State University and is a CPA. Her FreeStore involvement began in 2013 as a leadership project with Bankers Trust. Since then, she and her family, along with other co-workers’ families, continue to volunteer one Saturday per month as a delivery team.
Larry Anderson, Treasurer
A Des Moines native, Larry was a Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering, working as a design engineer (12 years) and then General Manager of West Des Moines Water Works (27 years). He joined the FreeStore in August 2005 and serves as Treasurer. He was a Greeter and has written thank you notes. Helping families start over is very important to him. He enjoys camping and the outdoors. He has two sons and two grandchildren.
Gloria Gray, Board Chair Elect
Gloria is a retired nonprofit executive, most recently serving as CEO for Children & Families of Iowa where she spent much of her career. She was a member of the Rotary Club Des Moines for 21 years, and the Lincoln High School Foundation for 22 years, serving as past president and Hall of Fame Chairperson. She is currently a member of the Budget and Finance Committee, the Building and Grounds Committee, and the Foundation Board for Central Presbyterian Church. She is a FreeStore warehouse worker and a Board Member. She has been a FreeStore warehouse worker since March, 2015.
Dave Busiek
Dave Busiek is retired from KCCI-TV, where he worked 40 years as a reporter, anchor and for the final 30 years, as News Director. He is a member of the Iowa Broadcasting Hall of Fame. In retirement, he serves on several boards and writes a weekly column on media issues. Dave has volunteered at the FreeStore since 2019, where he is a truck driver for pickups and deliveries.
Pat McDermott
Pat has had 45 years work experience in various aspects of software development and project management. He has also served on the board of directors for Mainstream Living and is active in his church’s food pantry. He currently helps support the FreeStore website, data analytics/reports, and other technology needs.
Jeanie Smith
Jeanie Smith, a retired health care executive, now serves as an ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Church. She has been a FreeStore board member for 13 years, currently writing all grant applications and reports and providing a delivery team for FreeStore clients one Saturday per month.
Peg Smith
Peg began volunteering at The FreeStore in 2018 after retiring from a career as an Early Childhood Special Education teacher and Home Interventionist. She enjoys working with the other wonderful volunteers as greeter coordinator, helping in the warehouse, and working to improve the efficiency of our services. Peg is also an active volunteer in support of families affected by mental health issues.
Mike Smith
Mike was a WWII baby raised on an Iowa farm. He remained in Iowa, retiring in 2008 from Iowa Attorney General’s office where his emphasis was natural resources law. He was recruited on retirement by FreeStore co-founder Harry Swanson, who cured Mike’s competitive bridge addiction by substituting a healthier FreeStore volunteer addiction. He has assisted with furniture pick ups in the past. He joined board in 2010. Currently he does client deliveries, warehouse work, and scheduling. Some favorite activities include camping in wild places, canoeing and kayaking on scenic midwest streams. His partner, Mary Beth Wilk, is also a FreeStore volunteer.
Harry Swanson, Emeritus
Harry Swanson has been with the FreeStore since 2001 and is one of the three men who originally established the FreeStore. After college he spent 10 years as a fighter pilot in the Air Force and 19 more in the Iowa and Illinois Air National Guard, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. Additionally, he worked for 30 years as an engineer and marketing manager for Sundstrand in Ames. The most notable activity there was the 3 years he and his wife Terry spent in China as he opened a sales office in Shanghai. Harry and his wife Terry were both inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame in 2018.