Executive of the Year Award

The Executive of the Year Award recognizes individuals who have devoted their careers to serving community providers and their clients. 

2023 Award Winner

IACP's Executive of the Year 2023 was awarded to Bill Vaughn, CEO of Mainstream Living in Ames. With what started as a curious response to an ad in the newspaper for Mainstream Living 43 years ago, Bill began his career as a direct support professional. Since then, he has helped to fearlessly lead Mainstream Living to the well-oiled machine that it is today, which provides services to nearly 500 people daily, services four counties; Story, Polk, Dallas and Boone, and employs a staff of over 500 people.

Bill is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) with a master’s degree from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State. Bill was the first Executive Director of Community Support Advocates (CSA), a pilot developed with Mainstream Living, The Homestead (now Balance Autism), and Progress Industries. Under his leadership and ability to help navigate multiple leaders, CSA is now a thriving separate organization. Bill also has long been a surveyor with CARF, led multiple IACP committees, served as IACP board chair, and has been a treasured mentor and friend to IACP's CEO, Shelly Chandler.

Bill is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) with a When Bill isn't working, you can find him riding his bike in preparation for RAGBRAI, caring for his Victorian home, hanging out with his grandson, and sharing wild stories with his friends (not at the same time!). Bill's smile, drive, deep care for others, and demeanor are greatly cherished in every room he enters. Iowa's human services industry has been greatly impacted by Bill Vaughn, and for that, we are so grateful.

2022 Award Winner

Matt Buley is the CEO of Hope Haven, Inc., a provider that services 1,000 people in NW Iowa and SW Minnesota. An additional 2,000+ individuals are provided wheelchairs worldwide through their International Ministries division. Hope Haven's program services include Community Living, Employment, Children's Services, Day Habilitation, Mental Health and Spiritual Support.

Matt has navigated organizations through expansive growth and acquisitions, divisional and senior leadership restructuring, and financial turnarounds. As CEO of Hope Haven, he has strategic and P&L responsibility for a $47 million budget. He leads a staff team of more than 800, has an extensive cross-cultural communications background, and is a well-regarded public speaker. Matt was a lead advocate for legislation during the 111th US Congress that keeps siblings together in adoption and has raised millions of dollars for programmatic and capital projects. He previously managed $370 million per year for a Fortune 500 company.

Matt holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota, and Bachelors of Arts in English and Speech Communication from Saint Cloud State University.

Matt married his college sweetheart, Theresa, and they have four children. His hobbies include reading, fitness, and finding his way outside with the family and their two dogs.

2021 Award Winner

Diane currently serves as Vice President of Innovational & Clinic Services at AbbeHealth, Vice President of Penn Center and Vice President of Chatham Oaks. After sitting on the habilitation workgroup, regularly participated and was a strong advocate during last year's legislative session, and has been a member on three separate IACP committees (Technology, Nominations and Elections, and Membership Services), Diane has always been an exemplary and very active member of IACP. She is a commissioner for MHDS and resides as chair of the East Central Region Advisory Committee. Click here to send a congratulatory note to Diane for being an excellent leader of our industry.

2020 Award Winner

IACP is proud announce the "IACP Executive of the Year", Sherry Becker. Sherry is Executive Director of 43 North in Mason City, Iowa. Sherryhas over 25 years of experience in supported employment and is on a steep learning curve about residential services. Before her work at 43 North, Sherry was the area's education agency transition coordinator for 24 school districts and a Hospice of North Iowa Social Worker. She obtained her B.S.W. from the University of Iowa and her M.S. degree in rehabilitation counseling from Drake University. Sherry is a member of Iowa APSE and a past board member of National and Iowa APSE. As a CARF surveyor, Sherry has provided employment services consultation to over 85 community rehabilitation organizations throughout the United States and Canada. She is currently a member of the IACP Education & Training Committee and serves on the IACP Board of Directors.

Sherry is married to Tim and they have three grown children, a son-in-law, her son’s partner, two granddaughters, and dog that looks and acts like the dog in John Steinbeck’s novel – “Travels with Charley.” Sherry is set to retire in December 2020 and plans to spend her time traveling with her family.

2019 Award Winner

Ron grew up in the Des Moines area and was a Recreational Therapist within an inpatient hospital early in his career. Ron is currently the CEO of Horizons Unlimited in Emmetsburg. 

Emmetsburg is a small community of less than 4,000 people in NW Iowa. Within this rural community, Ron and his team took the bold step to move all of the supported individuals to community-based services. This eliminated segregated services and placed over 45 individuals in a variety of employment settings. 

Ron has been a strong leader within the IACP family of community providers, and has served as IACP’s Employment Advisory Chair and on the Board of Directors. 

Please join us in congratulating Ron Askland as IACP’s 2019 Executive of the Year. 

2018 Award Winner

Bob’s leadership at Hope Haven and his advocacy at state and federal levels, combined with his volunteer work, has benefited IACP members and Iowans with disabilities in tremendous ways. He currently serves on the IACP Board of Directors.