CREDIT HEIDI EIFFERT, STUDIOU
As a Navy brat without a hometown, Tara Minetos always craved a true sense of community. Through her work as vice president and senior wealth planner at U.S. Bank and as a leader of local nonprofit and service organizations, she has found it.
“Forming a sense of community and finding stability — it’s life changing,” said Ms. Minetos. “Any challenge I’ve had has made me more independent and resilient. Every challenge makes you kinder.”
She and her single mother and sister lived on bases on the coasts of Florida, California and Virginia. When her mom shipped out to the Gulf War, Ms. Minetos and her sister went to live with their aunt in Seattle. The experience made Ms. Minetos long for community connections, which she has cultivated since she attended law school in Washington, D.C. She enjoyed running marathons and found Girls on the Run to align with her values and interests.
“I coached 8- to 12-year-old girls with the mindset of giving back. But I realized I needed those lessons in confidence and effective communication, too.”
Today, in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids Corridor that has become her home, she is president-elect of Iowa City Noon Rotary Club, which she joined in 2017. She looks forward to taking on the presidency and is proud of the community impact Rotary has had, including holding successful baby supply drives for young parents.
“It’s a large, diverse club with a long history and legacy and unique opportunities ahead. My goal is to make the role of president easier for future leaders.”
She currently serves as board president for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity, where she began volunteering on home build projects in 2016. She sees herself as a cheerleader, but executive director Scott Hawes said her impact was huge following the tumult of the pandemic, weather disasters and changes in leadership.
“Tara was a steadying influence who selflessly offered her time on our construction sites, gave her expertise on multiple projects, connected other supporters to our mission and made generous financial contributions. More importantly, she tackled each of these challenges with such enthusiasm, belief in the organization and sincere passion that her commitment radiated to stakeholders, staff and colleagues on the Board of Directors,” he said.
Ms. Minetos has also served on the Girls on the Run of Eastern Iowa board and volunteered for fundraising projects with the United Way, Mercy Hospital Foundation in Cedar Rapids and other organizations.
“I’ve come to realize you can be a kind, gentle person and still be a leader.”
In her career, Ms. Minetos pivoted from practicing law to strategic wealth management. While she had been inspired by the film “Legally Blonde,” she soon realized that litigation wasn’t for her. She fell in love with contracts in law school and now applies her legal expertise to helping people achieve their dreams for their lives and legacies.
“It was initially a hard transition, but as they say, ‘Your comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing grows there,’” Ms. Minetos said. “In roundabout ways, I found exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
Since 2016, her regional role finds her traveling five Midwestern states to work with clients and team members. Mentorship has been crucial to her career growth – both as a mentee and now, as a mentor to others, such as Burgundy Hajek at U.S. Bank in Lincoln, Nebraska.
“Many people have been tremendous advocates and mentors for me. My boss, Mary Janisch, believed in me more than I believed in myself. I have grown so much. Now, seeing Burgundy grow so quickly makes me feel that I am helping shape another future leader.”
Fellow rotarian Margaret N. Reese said, “Tara is committed to making our community a better place for everyone through her own hard work, and she is very good at encouraging others to participate. Best of all, she has so much more she wants and will do to make the communities in Johnson County better for all.”
“Everything I’ve done has given me more than I put in,” said Ms. Minetos. “If you look for the good, you will find it. Do one thing that brings you joy, and remember how much you’ve been given.”
This profile was originally published in the CBJ’s 2024 Women of Influence publication. The 2024 Women of Influence are an inspiring group of community leaders who have each overcome adversity, taken chances and challenged themselves to make a positive impact in their community, despite demanding schedules in their personal and professional lives.
The CBJ will host the 2024 Women of Influence 20 Year Gala from 5-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids. Tickets are still available to this event, which includes networking, dinner and remarks from the winners.
