Get to Know your Chair & Co-Chair!
The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the Chair & Co-Chair of the 42nd Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games scheduled for January 27-30, 2022.
The Chair of the 42nd Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games is Dr. Mara Groom. Dr. Groom is a family medicine physician at Lakes Regional Healthcare. She made the lakes area her home 5 years ago and after growing up in a military family she couldn’t imagine finding a better community to lay down roots. Dr. Groom was president of Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis club for the 2019-2020 term. She enjoys talking to high school and college students about careers in health care. She is on the board of the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians.
She and her significant other Cale live in Milford with their dogs, Stella and Otis. When she isn’t busy delivering babies and caring for patients, she enjoys all the amenities that the Iowa Great Lakes has to offer. Mara has enjoyed Winter Games every year since moving here and is a past Keg Toss champion! She is excited to represent the community, the IGL Chamber, and the University of Okoboji in the 42nd Winter Games!
Co-chair this year is Michael Meyers. Michael is the City Administrator for the City of Okoboji. Michael, his wife Paige, and their two children moved to Spirit Lake in January 2018 from Omaha, Nebraska. Michael’s children, Landon, age 8, will start the second grade and Saylor, age 4, will join her brother as a preschooler at Spirit Lake Elementary School this fall. The Meyers family truly appreciates the people and places of the Iowa Great Lakes community and everything that the region offers.
Michael is a member of Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis, a board member of the Lakes Area Hockey Association, a member of the Iowa League of Cities, a member of the Iowa City/County Management Association and a member of Engaging Local Government Leaders. The Meyers family is also supportive and active in other local organizations such as Keep Okoboji Blue, the Okoboji Yacht Club Sailing Center, the Bedell Family YMCA, and the annual Cattleman’s Regatta.
In 2020 Michael was elected to be a cheerleader for Winter Games 41 and very much looks forward to once again being a part of this great event. He believes that Winter Games is a phenomenal event that gives opportunity for our communities and businesses to show off what winter is all about in Okoboji! Michael appreciates to opportunity to represent the Iowa Great Lakes community, the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce and the University of Okoboji.
Mara and Michael are looking forward to the preparation ahead for our awesome winter tradition, and they are ready to make this year the best yet!