Age 39 | Chief financial officer, DART

Jamie Schug has always been attracted to working in public service.

Given her 10 years spent as a budget analyst and budget manager with the city of West Des Moines, coupled with having worked for the Ames bus system, CyRide, while a student at Iowa State University, the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) provided a good opportunity for Schug.

She took over as DART’s chief financial officer in 2010, and recently completed her second budget cycle with the organization.

Why public service?

“I think it’s just that extra little reward that you feel knowing that you are doing good for the community as a whole,” Schug said. “I think the exciting thing about working at DART is there’s so much going on right now that you can make an impact immediately.”

Though this budget cycle has been challenging with the need to add service and close a five-year budget gap, Schug enjoys the process of communicating the message of what the budget means to the community at large.

She credits her experiences with the city of West Des Moines for teaching her how to relate to people. She learned how to convey information to all the department heads, the city manager’s office and the City Council.

Schug is involved in United Way of Central Iowa’s Women’s Leadership Connection, serving on the organization’s investment committee. The Women’s Leadership Connection is focused on providing education for children before they start kindergarten.

She’s also training for her first marathon, a goal that she set for herself when she turned 30 to accomplish by the time she turned 40.

Five reasons she’s a 40:

• Manages all aspects of financial operations at DART.

• Sits on investment committee for United Way of Central Iowa’s Women’s Leadership Connection.

• One of only 476 financial professionals to be a certified public finance officer through the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

• Graduated from the West Des Moines Leadership Academy in 2010.

• “Jamie has established a pattern of excellence in her professional life,” said Claire Celsi, director of marketing and community partnerships at DART.

Fun Fact:

While working for the city of West Des Moines, Schug participated in the West Des Moines Citizens Police Academy and Citizens Fire Academy, which helped her appreciate other parts of city operations.