Background: Blair Dowden has had an extensive career in executive leadership, having served as President and Professor at Huntington University, Vice President of Advancement at Houghton College, and as Special Assistant to the President at Taylor University.

Currently, Dr. Dowden is a consultant where he leverages decades of experience in higher education and organizational leadership to guide boards and organizations in strategic planning, board development, executive mentoring, fundraising, marketing, communications, and overall organizational assessment.,

Dr. Dowden holds a Doctor of Education and a Master’s in Higher Education from Ball State University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wheaton College. He has also completed additional specialized training at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania.

A seasoned board member and advisor, Dr. Dowden has served on numerous local, regional, and national boards, often in officer roles, and has consulted widely with organizations across the United States on leadership and organizational effectiveness. His expertise has also been recognized at the national level, having co-authored several chapters in nationally distributed books, published numerous articles on leadership and higher education, and provided expert testimony before a U.S. House of Representatives committee.

Dr. Dowden is an avid long distance cyclist. He has completed numerous 100+ mile rides as well as four 450+ mile rides across Iowa. Prior to cycling, he participated in running events, having completed 7 full marathons, 25+ half marathons (including the Indy Mini) and numerous shorter rides.

Dr. Dowden is actively involved in his community and faith. He attends Park Chapel Church, has participated in planning committees for service projects, and currently serves on the board of Traders Point Christian School. He has also provided consulting to organizations such as Life Choices Care Center. Throughout his career, he has served on community boards including the United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Red Cross, and has provided leadership to community planning work. Blair and his wife Chris have two children, Marli and Beau, and reside in Greenfield.

 Candidate Statement: I want to use my expertise and background to assist my community. As a consultant, I believe I can provide effective and informed services in areas such as strategic planning, executive mentoring, facility planning, marketing, communication, leadership development, and organizational development. As a former CEO and executive, I feel that I have an understanding of business processes, issues, and decisions and can assist the CEO, executives, and NineStar Connect in making informed decisions. I desire to give my time to an innovative company that impacts the community in significant ways. I am impressed with NineStar Connect and its senior team and would be honored to serve with this outstanding group.