Advertising specialist, accountant, summer intern join newspaper staff

The Hometown Press is pleased to welcome two part-time employees and one summer intern to the staff.

JAN CONOVER

Jan Conover handles accounting for the Hometown Press. She began working at the paper in February and was previously employed at Rees Lease Inc. in Sully for 23 years. She has also farmed for the past 38 years.

Jan Conover

Jan Conover

Conover was born and raised in Sully and now resides north of Sully with her husband, Wes. Together they have three children: Chad, Anna, and Jenna, and are also blessed with many grandchildren. Chad and his wife, Beth, have three children: Brooke, 8, Will, 6, and Tyler, 2. Their daughter, Anna, is married to Darin Arkema, and they have three kids as well, Evan, 5, Andrew, 4, and Kate, 2. Jenna is married to Brad Chamra and they live in Chicago.

In her free time, Conover enjoys riding horses around the area as well as going on trail rides with friends. She and her husband are members of the Sully Community Church and are grateful they get to spend a lot of good times with their grandkids since they all live within a half mile of their house.

Regarding her time with the newspaper thus far, Conover said, “It has its own energy. Each week is different, so the time goes fast. I enjoy being so involved in the community again, and the job offers many new learning opportunities and a great working atmosphere.”

Conover can be reached at jan@hometownpressia.com or by calling the Hometown Press office at 641-594-3200.

BECKY WATKINS

Advertising specialist Becky Watkins also began at the Hometown Press in February. Her previous work experiences include various positions within manufacturing at companies such as Vermeer, John Deere Ottumwa, and CertainTeed. Watkins has also worked in social work, grant management, and county extension and is still an independent director with Thirty-One Gifts.

Becky Watkins

Becky Watkins

Watkins grew up in Jesup and Grinnell but currently lives in Pella with her husband, Dave, and her son, Luke. She graduated from Grinnell High School and went on to attend Southwest Baptist University as well as Iowa State University.

In her spare time, Watkins enjoys competing in 5Ks, getting together with family and friends, scrapbooking, card making, cooking, and gardening.

Watkins has met a lot of new people since starting at the Hometown Press and can be reached at becky@hometownpressia.com or by calling the newspaper office.

“Getting to know people is what I enjoy about the position,” she said. “Please call, email, or stop in for advertising needs and questions.”

MEGAN GOEMAAT

Recent North Mahaska grad Megan Goemaat is serving as the Hometown Press summer sports intern. But you probably won’t find Goemaat at the newspaper office. Instead, look for her at the Lynnville-Sully baseball and softball games, which she’ll be covering this summer.

Megan Goemaat

Megan Goemaat

Goemaat lives in New Sharon and is the oldest of Ed and Shawna Goemaat’s four children. This fall, she will be attending the University of Northern Iowa to major in communications. In high school, Goemaat was involved in track, cross-country, all-school musicals, jazz band, marching band, 4-H, and 4-H Teen Council.

“I am super excited about the internship this summer,” Goemaat said. “This is a perfect opportunity for me to learn more about the communications field and get my feet wet with my writing and reporter skills. Working for a newspaper is the exact type of position I would like someday after I graduate college.”

 

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