URBANDALE, Iowa - The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) announces the addition of Mike Steenhoek. Steenhoek will serve as the executive director for the Soy Transportation Coalition, a new initiative launched by ISA and several other state and national soybean organizations.

"I am appreciative and excited to have the opportunity to work on behalf of Iowa soybean producers and the broader soybean community in this new initiative,” says Steenhoek. “The Iowa Soybean Association, along with a number of other state soybean organizations, have demonstrated true leadership and a commitment to soybean farmers in establishing this coalition.

The Soy Transportation Coalition will work to improve the competitiveness of rail transportation conditions in the United States on behalf of soybean growers.

Steenhoek’s responsibilities will be broad, including communicating this new initiative to soybean growers, assisting in the development of the general strategy, establishing alliances with other industries and working to improve the level and quality of service for the soybean industry.

Before coming to ISA, Steenhoek worked for Senator Charles Grassley for eight years. He worked the first four years in Washington, D.C., where he served as the Senator’s scheduler and speechwriter. In late 2002, Steenhoek accepted the position of Director of Economic Development in Senator Grassley’s Des Moines office. His duties here included organizing and hosting the Senator’s biennial Ambassadors Tour and other foreign trade delegations to Iowa to promote the state’s economy and trade relationships. Steenhoek also assisted Iowa communities in requests for federal funding and organized Senator Grassley’s biennial Women’s Conference.