About Us...
Welcome! The Central Iowa ASCE Younger Member Group is an organization of young professionals in the Civil Engineering field in central Iowa. Meetings and outings include technical presentations, site tours, and social gatherings. Be sure to follow us on Facebook to find out the latest information and current events!
President: Hunter Mandernach, P.E.
Hunter is a Civil Engineer with Shive-Hattery, Inc. in West Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Iowa State University in 2020 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and gained his professional license in 2024. Hunter’s professional experience includes residential, commercial, and industrial developments along with municipal roadway design and construction observation/administration. In his free time, Hunter enjoys spending time outdoors camping, kayaking, playing volleyball or working on house projects.
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Vice President: Jon Cygan, P.E.
Jon is a Civil Engineer for the City of Clive. He received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University in 2016 and gained his professional engineering license from the State of Iowa in 2020. Before his tenure at Clive, Jon has previously worked in both the private sector on land development projects for Shive-Hattery Inc. along with starting his career in public service with the City of Urbandale. In his free time, Jon enjoys walking/running trails throughout Central Iowa and spending time with his wife Victoria and two cats Stella and Milo.
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Treasurer: Ryan Hill, P.E.
Ryan is a Structural Engineer for Apex Industrial in Des Moines, IA. He earned his B.S. in 2018 from Iowa State University in Civil Engineering and obtained his professional license in 2022. His professional experience began with the inspection and design of bridges/culverts throughout the state of Iowa. Currently, Ryan is focused on the structural design and fabrication of grain elevator support towers and catwalks. In his free time, Ryan enjoys hunting, golfing and spending time with his wife and son.
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Contact Ryan
Secretary: Luther Harris, E.I.
Luther is a Civil Engineer for Snyder and Associates, Inc. in Ankeny, IA. He got his B.S. in Civil Engineering at Missouri University of Science & Technology in Rolla, MO in 2022. He specializes in transportation engineering and has been a part of a growing list of projects across the state. In his free time, Luther has hobbies which includes writing, music, biking, and hiking.
Social Chair: Mark Jacobs, P.E.
Mark is a Civil Engineer at Houston Engineering in Des Moines, Iowa. Mark earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering in 2019 with an emphasis in Land and Water Resources from Iowa State University. Mark gained his professional engineering license in 2023 and is a certified floodplain manager. Mark is regularly involved in a variety of projects related to water resources including flood mitigation, hydrology and hydraulics, dam design, water quality analysis, lake restoration, stream stability, and watershed planning. Outside of work, Mark enjoys hunting, spending time on the lake, and tailgating at Iowa State football games.
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Social Media Chair: Kara Syverson, P.E.
Kara is a Project Engineer for Calhoun-Burns & Associates, Inc. in West Des Moines. She graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 2018 and became a licensed Professional Engineer in 2022. Kara’s professional experience has focused on bridge/culvert design, streambank stabilization, and load rating analysis. She is also a nationally certified bridge inspector. In her free time, Kara enjoys biking, baking, and checking out local breweries with her husband.
Special Events Chair: Edgar Nunez, P.E.
Edgar is a Structural Engineer for Collins Engineers, Inc. He earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Iowa in 2014 and gained his professional license in 2021. His professional experience includes the inspection and design of bridges and various temporary structures for construction throughout the Midwest. In his free time, Edgar enjoys golfing, playing hockey, and spending time with his wife and son.
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Past President: Mitchell Holtzman, P.E.
Mitchell is a Civil Engineer with Kirkham Michael in Urbandale, Iowa. He earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University in 2012, and his M.S. in civil engineering from Iowa State University in 2015 with an emphasis on transportation engineering. Mitchell earned his professional license in 2020 and has experience in road and parking lot design, drainage, and traffic engineering. In his free time, he enjoys playing and coaching volleyball and spending time with his friends and pets.