Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) President and CEO Rob Denson (right) receives a plaque and congratulations from National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District Five President Jim Strayer for receiving the Pacesetter of the Year Award. The Pacesetter of the Year Award recognizes a college chief executive officer who has demonstrated special leadership, support and/or ability in the area of college communications and marketing. Under Denson’s leadership, DMACC is lowa’s largest community college serving more than 28,000 credit and 34,000 continuing education students annually.

DMACC President Receives Marketing Award
Posted 09/28/07

Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Denson has received the District Five Pacesetter of the Year Award from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR).

The Pacesetter of the Year Award recognizes a college chief executive officer who has demonstrated special leadership, support and/or ability in the area of college communications and marketing.

Under Denson’s leadership, DMACC is lowa’s largest community college serving more than 28,000 credit and 34,000 continuing education students annually.

Denson is also spearheading major fundraising efforts at DMACC leading to construction of a $14 million Health Sciences Building and a new FFA Enrichment Center to be built on the Ankeny Campus. He successfully helped raise $5 million for a new Career Academy building in Story County to teach vocational skills to high school students during the day and college credit classes at night. He is already replicating the model for the DMACC Newton Campus.

Besides building projects, Denson has been a strong advocate or raising additional funds to support student scholarships. Earlier this year, Denson received the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction at the 89th Annual Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Convention. The prestigious award is presented to a college president of Chief Executive Officer who has made outstanding efforts toward promoting the goals of PTK.

President Denson has also met with the President of India to offer help as that country considers establishing a community college program modeled after Iowa’s system.

“President Denson is an outstanding communicator who understands the value of marketing and has a great presence with both the media and public audiences,” said DMACC Marketing Director Todd Jones. “Through his initiatives and community engagement with opinion leaders and potential students, including delivering 100 speeches in his first 100 days as President, Denson has improved the reputation and overall brand of DMACC.”

Denson received the Pacesetter Award in a special ceremony held at the NCMPR District Conference in Davenport.

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