Marquard for Muscatine
Muscatine County Board of Supervisors - District Four
Henry Marquard
When I retired from Stanley Consultants earlier this year after serving 28 years as its Chief Legal Officer, I wasn’t planning on running for public office. I was opening my own consulting practice, looking forward to traveling with my wife and being grandpa to two grandsons.
I started working with the residents impacted by the placement of a hazardous waste slag on their roads and realized that that was just one example of the mismanagement of our County Board under its current leadership. We see the mismanagement of the County’s mental health and disability programs with adverse effects on both its patients and the taxpayers. There are no plans for encouraging economic growth and our potential resources are often squandered. We can do better.
With confidence that my lifelong experience in government, business, education and community service can serve the public, I started this campaign in November and made the official announcement in December.
Please look through our website. We have biographical information, issues information and campaign news and events. We can use your help. It’s easy to donate to our campaign using the ActBlue link on this website or sending us a check.
Henry Marquard
Volunteer or ask questions by contacting us at: marquard4muscatine@protonmail.com
Produced by Marquard for Muscatine County. Registration on file with Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Bd. Kelly Brown Treasurer.
Issues
Why I'm Running
Since announcing my candidacy in November, I've been talking to people across the county.. People feel let down or betrayed by the Board even in the normally Republican rural areas. Under Republican control, the Board put toxic slag on the roads threatening the residents' health. To make matters worse, slag is a substandard road material and now the roads are falling apart. Roads throughout the county are failing, impacting the ability of farmers to farm, and residents to drive..
Issue's with the Board's Republican management coming up. The Board has no plan to grow the County's economy or to use the assets we have to produce growth. The County Sheriff's department lacks the funding to adequately police the unincorporated areas. The Board's mismanagement of the disability and mental health programs directly impacts the patients. The hurried decision to withdraw from the Eastern Iowa District could cost the county thousands of dollars, money that will come from either higher taxes or cuts to the road program.. As a result, my campaign has been well received across the County.
County residents want Board members who are competent and will bring ideas to the table. I have a strong background in business and government.. I was Chair of the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission and oversaw one of the largest bureaucracies in the state .In 2008 I directly managed parts of the state's flood response. I served in Governor Tom Vilsack's administration and learned a great deal about government management. I have business experience, as a law firm partner, owner of a construction company, and 28 years in the management of Stanley Consultants.
I will push for sustainable economic development. First we need to commit to fixing the roads and improving the infrastructure. Let's make full use of our current assets like the County Fairgrounds or the Old Barn in Muscatine to promote development. Let's investigate the possibility of developing a Muscatine County Port District which could provide high paying jobs across the County.
In 2016 Doug Holiday showed us that the path victory must include winning the the rural areas of the County. This will be a major focus of my campaign. Doug has fought hard to do the right thing, but the Board has a 4 to 1 Republican majority. We need to elect Democrats in the Board's third and fourth districts.The County government serves both urban and rural areas of the County. Improving the County's economy will involve Muscatine, Wilton, West Liberty and our other cities and towns. and the surrounding rural areas. No part of the County will be ignored by my campaign and no part of the County will be ignored by me as a County Supervisor.
I will work hard to succeed in this race because I believe in the need for change and realize the stakes are high.Let's work together, win in November and working together, make Muscatine County the county we want it to be.
Biography
Henry grew up in the Chicago suburbs, He received a B.A from De Paul University and a JD from DePaul’s law school. Henry practiced law in the Chicago area from 1980 to 1991. During this period, he was a part owner of a small construction company and involved in the management of a medical diagnostics company. He moved to Muscatine in 1991 to join Stanley Consultants.
Henry joined Stanley Consultants Inc. in 1991 and retired as Vice President and Chief Legal Officer in 2019. In addition to the typical Chief Legal Officer responsibilities, he worked in international business development, served as Managing Partner of Stanley’s Chinese joint venture and a manager of Stanley’s design-build company. After retiring from Stanley, Henry started Marquard Dispute Resolution and Consulting Services. This practice focuses on arbitration and mediation services as well risk management and business consulting. He is an adjunct instructor at St. Ambrose University. In 2010 he received the high honor of joining the Bar of the US Supreme Court.
Henry’s been a member of the Muscatine County Democratic Central Committee since 1996. In 1998 joined Tom Vilsack’s campaign team, helping Tom win the governorship and in 2002 re-election. He served as an advisor to Governor Vilsack during his 8 years in office. Henry held senior positions in Senator Bill Bradley’s 2000 Iowa caucus campaign, Senator John Edwards 2004 and 2008 Caucus campaigns, and Congressman John Delaney 2020 Caucus campaign. In 2005 he was appointed by the Governor to serve on and later chair the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission. As a commissioner he pushed the state to fund research in and develop bio-fuels and renewable energy resources as well as overseeing the DNR’s operations. In 2010, the Iowa Supreme Court appointed him to its Civil Justice Reform Task Force. In 2016, Henry was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Pritzker to the Iowa District Export Council and works with helping companies export goods and services and in developing export policies. Henry has been active in many community organizations including Boy Scouts, the Muscatine Catholic School Board and in 2019 was elected President of the Quad Cities’ Scottish American Society.
Henry is married to Dr. Sharon Marquard. This year they’ll celebrate their 43rd anniversary. They met at DePaul University where Sharon was earning her BSN in Nursing. For over 20 years Sharon practiced nursing in a clinical role before joining nursing academia. She earned a M.S from Northern Illinois University and her PhD. from Illinois State University. Sharon’s taught at Scott Community College, St. Ambrose University, and is currently a professor at Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences where she focuses on teaching mental health nursing. Sharon has been active in nursing professional organizations and community organizations including Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts. Sharon served as an advisor to Governor Vilsack on health issues and in 2008 served as a health care advisor to Senator Edwards’ campaign. The Marquards have two adult children, a daughter in law, two grandchildren and two collie dogs.
News & Events
VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS
We can't knock on your door or see you at a meeting but we can get together and talk about the issues. Candidate for Muscatine County Supervisors Edward Askew (District 3) and Henry Marquard (District 4) will be having weekly virtual Town Hall meetings every Thursday from 6 PM – 7PM during this Corona Virus outbreak. You can attend these virtual meetings on your computer or by phone. Go to https://askewforsupervisor.com/ to find out how to connect to the meeting. If you email me at Marquard4Muscatine@protonmail.com, I'll send you an invitation and put you on my weekly Newsletter.
LET'S GET STARTED....
When I started my campaign in November I set off with the idea of meeting as many people as I could and finding out what was on their minds. Since we need to win County board seats to make a difference Ed Askew in the 3rd District and I decided campaign together. Some Highlights: On November 14, I spoke at the No-Slag Muscatine meeting in Wilton. I had a chance to meet many of the people adversely affected by slag and hear about its ongoing scientific research.
On December 14, I made the formal campaign announcement at the Muscatine Democrat's Achievement Dinner. In January and February I visited with business and community leaders in West Liberty, Nichols and Wilton. I spoke to groups involved in emergency services and the environment. Ed and I met with the County Fair Board to discuss the problems the Fair has been having. I enjoyed the political activities surrounding our presidential candidates. I attended rallies for Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Mike Bennet, Andrew Yang, Tom Steyer, Mayor Pete and John Delaney. I had a chance to talk with the diverse group of our Democratic friends and neighbors to discuss local government issues as well as hear from our candidates their views on national issues. And I can't forget the Democratic Trivia night on January 20th. What a blast. Congratulations to my wife's team for winning.
When COVID-19 started shutting everything down, I took my campaign to digital. I started a weekly newsletter- email me if you want to be on the list. Ed and I started the Askew-Marquard Virtual Town Hall. We meet every Thursday at 6PM. We discuss county board issues and bring in guests including Sheriff Candidate Mike Channon and starting with April 23 we have US Senate candidates Mike Franken, Kimberly Graham and Eddie Mauro joining us. Go to www.askewforsupervisor.com for log in information or email me and I’ll send it. We also have a weekly survey on matters of local interest. As a candidate I need to know what’s important to you. Go to Ed’s website to get the survey. We’ve also gone “old school” 2 weeks ago I did a mass mailing with my tri-fold brochures (email me and I’ll send you one). I had planned to use them door-knocking but they didn’t do any good sitting on my dining room floor. I did a TV commercial in March- it’s the one you see at the top of the page. We have more mailings and TV to come. I need your vote in the primary and I’m working hard to earn it.
Working with Ed, I’ve taken the leadership of our county board, especially my November opponent to task. First it was on slag. At a county board meeting I challenged them on their statements that slag was not a health issue. I’ve met with residents impacted by slag and the terrible county gravel roads and the board is doing them no favors. We learned that the new secondary road plan doesn’t even address our gravel roads.
Then came the Mental Health and Disabilities Region debacle. First Muscatine sends a letter withdrawing from the Eastern Iowa District. On December 20th, Ed Askew and I attended the Eastern Iowa Mental Health and Disability's Region Board Meeting. It was embarrassing to listen to the other Board members recount the problems caused by Nathan Mather. We attended other board meetings and public meetings challenging the often false narrative the board’s leadership sent out. We dug into the records and were appalled. At a meeting with another region, our representative repeatedly criticized the Eastern Iowa Board and admitted that moving from the Eastern Iowa District “would cause chaos in Muscatine County”. We spoke to members of other County Boards and educated the public on what we found. Finally the Eastern Iowa District voted not to let Muscatine back in only to be over-ruled by the state. Back where we started from only the Board inflicted 6 months of concern, worry and fear on the people using the system, their families and caregiver, the service providers and extra costs to our taxpayers and the other county members.
I continued to challenge the Board on their mistakes. In March it was over the de-funding or Special Olympics. I also spoke out about cuts to the funding of the county Fair. Worse yet was the revelations in the press about the Jail Administrator’s religiously bigoted and homophobic remarks. We’ve spoken at the board meetings and have seen other county boards take this much more seriously than our own. I’ve pushed the press to cover this and written letters to the editor. My newsletter and our town halls are giving this extensive coverage. This is a huge risk management issue for the county, a moral issue and a public relations disaster for the county- and our Board does nothing.
What sets my campaign (and Ed’s) apart is that we are willing to take on the Board leadership when it’s wrong, to dig in and get the facts and let the public know the true story. Think we’re proactive for our resident’s now- just wait till after we win in November.
No part of the county will be ignored by my campaign and no part of the county will be ignored by me as a Supervisor.
Mail in voting for the Primary starts April 23 and I need your vote and I’ll work hard to earn it.
Gallery
Photo with Tom Steyer
Photo with Elizabeth Warren
Photo with Joe Biden
Contact
Henry Marquard
108 Eagle Watch Road
Muscatine, Iowa 52761
563-506-3476
Marquard4Muscatine@ProtonMail.com
Produced by Marquard 4 Muscatine County, Copies of our registration and reports are available from the Iowa Campaign Finance and Ethics Authority.