In 1998:
- Gas prices averaged $1.03 per gallon (wouldn’t that be nice right now)
- Some of the biggest movies during that year were Titanic, Saving Private Ryan, There’s Something About Mary and The Waterboy
- Songs that went #1 sometime during that year were Aerosmith’s “I don’t want to miss a thing”, Celine Dion’s “My Heart will Go on” and Brandy and Monica’s ”That Boy is mine”
- Top TV shows were ER, Friends and Frazier. (Family Guy and That 70s Show made their debuts as well as a kids show that 5 years later would turn out to be a big part of my life when I had my first child, The Wiggles!)
- I was a single guy. Lived in the basement of a friend’s house when I first moved here for the job. (Today, I have my own house where I live with my wonderful wife of 18 years and our two kids)
When ICAN started back in September of 1998, we had 5 people on staff. Two of us were traveling reps and we did 60 presentations. The first week we were housed in a conference room on the 9th Floor in the Old Equitable Building in downtown Des Moines while our cubicles were still being built. We got to know each other really well that first week.
This past year in 2017-18, with 11 people on staff we gave 1,021 presentations, completed 6,656 FAFSAs and held 231 training events, curriculum lessons, fairs and exhibits. We also have locations throughout the state of Iowa.
To say the Impact of ICAN has grown over the last 20 years is an understatement. This job has allowed me to meet and work with some wonderful people.
The people I have worked with at ICAN over the years are like family to me. Just like families we don’t always agree or get along perfect every day which I think is part of the definition of family. :)
But there is no place I would rather work. I consider myself blessed to have been able to work the last 20 years with so many great people. I don’t want to mention any names to leave anyone out. But to all the current and past ICAN employees, it has been a pleasure working with you. I look forward to many more years to come.
Thank you for letting me reminiscence just a little about the last 20 years. Have a great day!
Erick - ICAN Ankeny Center
