INHF Welcomes a New CFO

Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation welcomes Ryan Van Kooten as Chief Financial Officer. As CFO, Van Kooten manages INHF’s finances, providing financial statements, analysis and planning to advance the INHF mission and provide transparency to donors.

Hailing from an acreage south of Sully, Iowa, Van Kooten grew up hunting and fishing — activities he still enjoys when they fit into the family of five’s busy schedule. He holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from AIB College of Businesses and a CPA license, which he put to work as a tax manager at Konek PC and later as a revenue agent with the IRS. His experience working with a variety of small businesses, non-profits and trusts as well as serving as an on-the-job instructor for his peers positions him well as he moves into this new role.

“It's not easy to find a role in finance that has a direct impact or lets me get outdoors,” Van Kooten reflects. “What excites me is that I can go home every day knowing that my contributions will have a positive impact in the state of Iowa.”

Van Kooten savors his nightly walks with Ollie, the family’s golden retriever, especially when his son (Micah, 4) tags along and turns the experience into a “nature walk” scavenger hunt. They also enjoy spending time in the garden together. Reading and bike riding are also among his pastimes, unless it’s college football season — he rarely misses an Iowa game.