Ames Chapter Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance

Who are the Women for whom the Ames Chapter AFWA Scholarships are Named?

AFWA Ames Chapter #158 has awarded chapter scholarships to local students each year since 1994. Beverly Wandling and Kathleen Strum were instrumental in establishing and supporting the Chapter's scholarship program.

Beverly M. Wandling		Kathleen M. Strum
Beverly M. Wandling was a charter member of the Ames Chapter of the Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance (AFWA), formerly known as the American Society of Women Accountants. Although she served the chapter as president, treasurer, and scholarship chair, those titles do not begin to convey the contributions she made to the chapter. She was an enthusiastic leader and an active participant in all chapter activities, and she was a driving force behind the chapter scholarship program. She was a mentor to many chapter members who got to know her through AFWA. A tragic auto accident in Santa Rosa, N.M., took her life on April 8, 2004. Following her death, the chapter renamed its original scholarship in her memory. The first Beverly M. Wandling Memorial Scholarship was awarded in 2005, continuing the chapter scholarship awards that began in 1994. Beverly was a graduate of Waterloo East High School. She received her accounting degree with honors from Iowa State University in 1982. A well-known Ames professional woman, she was the office manager and accountant for Wandling Engineering, P.C., of Ames. Beverly was the treasurer of the Live and Learn Investment Club of Ames. She was a member of the Collegiate United Methodist Church and a recognized active Ames community volunteer who contributed to many Ames charitable organizations. Beverly was a dedicated board member of Youth and Shelter Services of Ames, a former board member and treasurer of the Octagon Center for the Arts, and a valued member of both the Ames International Orchestra Festival Association and the Ames Town & Gown Chamber Music Association. She was an avid member and supporter of Iowa State University organizations, the ISU Faculty Women's Club, the Order of the Knoll, and the Cyclone Club. She was also a member of the Ames Golf and Country Club, the Ames Gourmet Club, and Red Friars Dance Club. Beverly was survived by her husband, Donald Wandling, of Ames; three sons and daughters-in-law; and 17 grandchildren.		Kathleen M. Strum was a charter member of the Ames Chapter of the Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance (AFWA), formerly known as the American Society of Women Accountants. She served the chapter as president, treasurer, membership chair, and scholarship chair. She also served on the national AFWA Foundation Board, including as chair. Impressive as they are, those titles only hint at the contributions she made to the chapter and to AFWA at a local and national level. She was an active leader and an enthusiastic participant in AFWA activities, including the two regional conferences the Ames Chapter hosted thanks to her efforts. She was an inspiration to chapter members who got to know her through AFWA. Kathy was a staunch supporter of accounting students, especially working women with families. Following her untimely death in December 2015, an additional chapter scholarship was established to honor her memory. The Kathleen M. Strum Memorial Scholarship is intended for working women who have families and are studying accounting. It has been offered each year since 2017. Kathy was born in 1947, the youngest of six children. She moved to Nevada when she was five and attended the Nevada schools. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She passed the CPA exam on the first round, also in 1983, then began work at Hertz Farm Management Inc. in Nevada, where she worked for more than 31 years. She was an officer and a director at Hertz where she advocated for women in a male-dominated industry. Kathy grew to love the Hertz organization like a second family. Kathy loved to keep on learning, and, in 1996, she graduated with her MBA from Iowa State. One of the challenges she was most proud of was riding a bike across Iowa in 1994 from the Missouri to the Mississippi with her husband Stan, riding 494 1/2 miles. Kathy and Stan participated at some level on RAGBRAI for over 12 years. She also ran the Dam to Dam 20K race when she was 58 just to see if she could complete the race, which she did. She was actively involved in many organizations. She was a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Iowa Society of CPAs, AFWA, the local and district level of Rotary International, and served seven years on the City Council in Nevada. She was also the treasurer for Memorial Lutheran Church for seven years and taught Sunday school for many years. In 2005, she received the Public Service Award from the Iowa Society of CPAs with honorable mention by the American Institute of CPAs. In 2012, she received the Meritorious Service award from Rotary International District 6000. She received the Member of the Year award twice from the Ames Chapter of AFWA, once in 2007 and again in 2011. Kathy was survived by her husband, Stanley Strum; three daughters; one son; and seven grandchildren.