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: 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.
Vice 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.
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 gained his professional license in 2022. As an Engineer, his professional experience has been thoroughly involved in the inspection and design of bridges/culverts throughout the state of Iowa. Ryan’s new adventure at Apex Industrial will encompass the 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.
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.
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: Jacob Verry, P.E.
Jacob is a Project Engineer for HR Green in Johnston, IA. He earned his B.S. in 2018 from Iowa State University in Civil Engineering and is currently working on getting his MBA at the University of Iowa. Jacob gained his professional license in 2022. As a Project Engineer, Jacob has been involved in a variety of roadway and bridge projects. In his free time, Jacob enjoys attending Iowa State sporting events, traveling, and spending time with friends.
Past President: Jordan Denman, P.E.
Jordan is a Senior Project Engineer for Calhoun-Burns & Associates, Inc. in West Des Moines, IA. He earned his B.S. in 2011 from Iowa State University in Civil Engineering, shortly after receiving his B.S. in Community and Regional Planning in 2009. Throughout his time with the company, he has been involved in a variety of designs for new bridge/culvert construction and bridge rehabilitation projects. Jordan is a nationally certified bridge inspector and is thoroughly involved in the scheduling and evaluation of in-service structures. In his free time, Jordan enjoys working outdoors on his farm, hunting with his two German shorthaired pointers and spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughter.