Endorsements
Jeff Staton is honored to have earned the broad support of community leaders, local organizations, and neighbors across Story County who believe in a fresh perspective for our Board of Supervisors.
Community Voices
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It is my pleasure to endorse Jeff Staton for Story County Supervisor.
I have known Jeff since 2019, when I joined Renewable Energy Group (REG) as CEO, and where Jeff was leading the Human Resources team.
I quickly came to rely on Jeff for his insights into what helped people both to achieve their greatest potential and to feel valued and recognized for their contributions.
He truly cared about people and had a wonderful ability to listen and bring people together.
He always operated with transparency and integrity and was unafraid to bring challenging situations to my attention. I quickly grew to know that I could rely on him without question.
As residents of Story County, we are all fortunate that Jeff Staton is willing to apply his considerable skills and talent to our mutual benefits as County Supervisor.
He has experience with budgeting, strategy development, creating a strong organizational culture, and both recognizing and leveraging the value of human diversity.
A real strength of Jeff's is his ability to truly listen to people with multiple perspectives and then to work collaboratively to find the best solutions, together.
Jeff’s integrity and heart make him exactly the kind of leader we need to help us work across boundaries, recognize what binds us together, get past blind divisiveness, and lead us to a stronger, more united Story County.
I hereby endorse Jeff Staton as Story County Supervisor and encourage you to cast your vote for him on November 3rd!
Twenty-five years ago, Jeff Staton took a chance on me. I was just starting out, and he hired me for my first professional job. He could have just handed me a desk and a list of tasks. Instead he took the time to teach me, gave me honest feedback, and pushed me to grow. Much of what I know about doing a job well and treating people fairly, I learned from watching Jeff.
So when I heard District 1 needed a candidate for Story County Supervisor, Jeff was the first person I thought of. I picked up the phone and encouraged him to run. I'm proud that he said yes.
Jeff is a strong leader. He has spent his career developing people, first in human resources, including leadership on the Iowa SHRM State Council, and now as a faculty member at Iowa State University. I have seen him lead effectively in tough situations, staying calm and steady when it mattered most. He knows how to manage budgets, solve problems, and bring people together. He focuses on common-sense solutions that work for real people. Just as important, he is fair and balanced. He listens to every side before making a decision, and he treats people with respect whether or not they agree with him.
Jeff is also a devoted family man. He understands what matters to the families of Story County because he lives those same values every day.
This November, District 1 voters will elect a supervisor for the first time under Story County's new district system. The person they choose will answer directly to the rural communities and small towns of that district. Jeff will listen to them, take their concerns seriously, and follow through, just as he did for a young employee all those years ago.
I can't cast a ballot for Jeff myself, but if you live in District 1, I urge you to vote for Jeff Staton on Nov. 3.
CJ WARNER CEO of REG
MARK SMITH CEO MID-STATES COMPANY
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I have chosen to officially endorse Jeff Staton for the District 1 seat on the Story County Board of Supervisors.
My family has farmed land in Story and Hamilton counties for generations. I have been somewhat troubled with the leadership provided by the current Board of Supervisors and feel that positive change is necessary.
I have known Jeff Staton for 25 years. I first met him when he came to town with Pella Corporation and then later I moved next door to him, so he is my neighbor. I can vouch firsthand that Jeff is a person of high character, a family man, that will serve the constituents of this county well.
He lives in Story City and has worked in Ames at REG-Chevron in a leadership role for years. In talking with him, it is clear he has a heart for people and properly understands the necessary balance between the agricultural community, the business community and
our cities.
He is fiscally conservative and can help us try to avoid the large tax increases we in the ag community have experienced under the current Board of Supervisors.
I would urge my fellow farmers, and all of Story County district 1, to cast a vote on November 3rd for Jeff Staton.
I had the distinct pleasure of serving in a leadership role as CFO for Renewable Energy Group in Ames, Iowa. As such, I had the opportunity to interact with leaders from the City of Ames, Ames Alliance as well as Story County. I hired Jeff Staton in 2016 as the leader of our HR team and managed him most of his time while at REG. He served in a leadership role for us in HR until his departure in November of 2025, several years after Chevron had acquired REG.
I am not one that is terribly political in nature, but I would like to wholeheartedly endorse Jeff Staton based on my interactions with him over the nine years he worked for and with me. To begin, I believe Jeff possesses the right personality to be successful in the County Supervisor role. He is used to dealing with disgruntled employees and managers, patiently listening to their concerns, and then finding a path forward that is best for the employee and company. He is used to navigating the intricacies of employment law and certainly has experience making tough decisions and executing some of the difficult things HR professionals are sometimes called upon to do such as plant closures, terminations and sharing news that employees may not want to hear. Jeff is an extremely hard worker and was promoted to the Director and then VP level at REG because of his work ethic, effectiveness and ability to work with all types of people ranging from the production environment to the boardroom. He also has experience managing a sizable budget and managing a team.
My wife Julie and I have a love for Ames as that is where we raised our family. Having worked with staff members from the City of Ames, Ames Alliance and Story County, I absolutely believe Jeff Staton's leadership could make a very positive impact on Story County. He has a mind for business and a heart for people. Please consider casting your vote for Jeff Staton for Story County Supervisor.
STEVE HANSON, Story City Resident
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I would like to officially endorse Jeff Staton for the position of Story County Supervisor. I do not live in Story County, but I have worked in law enforcement as the Marion County Sheriff since 2013, and as such, have worked with a number of County Supervisors and feel that experience should lend my opinion some weight.
I have known Jeff Staton most of my life as we both grew up in Oskaloosa, Iowa and attended the same church. My father was the Park Ranger at Lake Keomah just outside of Oskaloosa. In 1984 Jeff worked for my father at the lake, primarily mowing and doing manual labor.
Additionally, Jeff’s father was my football coach and PE teacher, and his mother was my English teacher. I can vouch first-hand that Jeff comes from a rock-solid family and that he is a stand-up individual.
I know Jeff will make an outstanding County Supervisor because he has high character, a strong work ethic, and possesses good business skills as evidenced by his career growth in leadership roles at reputable companies such as Pella Corporation and Renewable Energy Group – Chevron. He also is in touch with today’s young people as he teaches business courses at Iowa State University.
From conversations with Jeff, it is clear to me that he values law enforcement and Emergency Services and will be an avid supporter of the Story County Sheriff’s office and local EMT Services.
I would urge you to consider voting for Jeff Staton for Story County Supervisor on November 3rd.
CHAD STONE, AMES BUSINESS LEADER
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We are proud to endorse Jeff Staton for the District 1 seat on the Story County Board of Supervisors.
We came to know Jeff through our work in Human Resources and, collectively, have known and worked alongside him for decades. Throughout his career, Jeff has demonstrated a strong commitment to the HR profession and to the organizations and people he has served. His experience includes leadership roles with Pella Corporation, Lauridsen Group, and Renewable Energy Group-Chevron, as well as leadership within the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Our support for Jeff goes beyond his professional accomplishments. We know him as a thoughtful leader, a genuine and caring person, and someone we are proud to call a friend.
Jeff’s career has given him strong experience in budgeting, strategic planning, complex laws and regulations, and bringing people together to solve difficult problems. He understands the importance of listening to different perspectives, exercising sound judgment, and finding practical solutions.
We have seen these qualities in Jeff firsthand for many years, and we are proud to support his candidacy for the Story County Board of Supervisors, District 1.
Valerie Burns
Reed Burson
Don Fraher
Mary Greiner
Lori Hoffman
Nancy Melrose
Julie Moss
Sharon Wilkinson
JASON SANDHOLDT, MARION COUNTY SHERIFF
INDUSTRY, HR LEADERS and MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Share Your Support
We appreciate your broad support for Jeff Staton. Please share your voice and let the community know why you stand with Jeff.