Start Your Business Now!

That will be the topic of the July 8 meeting of the Pella Professional and Business Women's Forum, meeting at the Pella Country Club at noon.

There will be a panel discussion by Megan McKay Ziller of Peace Tree Brewing Company, Carla Eysink from the Marion County Development Comission, and Molly Menning-Ulrich of the Boutique of Pella and Galerie of Pella.

Megan McKay Ziller is co-owner of McKay Insurance Agency, Inc. along with her father Dan McKay and husband Scott Ziller. She serves the insurance and risk management needs of clients both locally and nationally in addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the agency. She graduated with a BBA in Management and Organizations in 1999 and an MBA in 2005, both from the University of Iowa. In 2009, Megan, Dan and Scott launched Peace Tree Brewing Company, a microbrewery with taproom in Knoxville focused on craft beers for distribution statewide. At the brewery, Megan’s main function is handling the financial operations but you will find her doing a little bit of everything.

A native of Knoxville, Megan stays active in her community by serving as Treasurer of the Red Rock Arts Alliance and trustee for the Knoxville Hospital and Clinics as well as participating in numerous other volunteer activities. Ms. McKay Ziller resides in Knoxville with her husband and business partner, Scott Ziller, and son Urban.

Prior to working at the Marion County Development Commission, Carla Eysink worked for Central Iowa Broadcasting where she was responsible for starting a new sign company within the corporation. The company exceeded their quarterly sales and profit goals during her time as General Manager. Currently as Executive Director of the Marion County Development Commission, Eysink was responsible for Marion County being named a pilot county in the MyEntreNet program and is certified as a FastTrac Trainer. FastTrac is a program from the Kauffman Foundation to teach entrepreneurs how to put together a business plan. Eysink represents Marion County to regional economic development initiatives with Opportunity2 and the Iowa Innovate Gateway Region.

Eysink has also received honors as the 2004 Iowa Tourism Leadership Award recipient and graduate of the Institute for Organizational Management (IOM) from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Eysink has also served in leadership roles for the Central Iowa Tourism Region, Iowa Group Travel Association and Travel Federation of Iowa. Eysink has also served as coordinator for the Leadership Red Rock Program.

Eysink received her undergraduate education at Wartburg College in Marketing and Public Relations and her graduate education at the American University in Washington, D.C. in Nonprofit Arts Management. Previous employers include the Minnesota Opera Company, National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education. Eysink and her husband, Stan, reside in Pella, Iowa.

Molly C. Menning has owned and operated The Boutique of Pella and The Galerie of Pella for over five years. She purchased the boutique and a few short months later an adjoining space became available. This is what Molly really intended to start, an art gallery.

Entrepreneurship had been in Molly's family.

with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and many years in marketing, merchandising and the family business, it was a natural.

Molly was born and raised in Pella, lived in various cities and after 30 years, returned to Pella. Life has truly come around full circle!

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