President - Steve Ries

“We had a vision that was put into action and became a dream come true”.
Being parents of a child diagnosed with cancer and recently sharing a loss of this child was the inspiration to form Aiming For A Cure Foundation.

My wife Jodie and daughter Rachel and I want Ben’s legacy to live, as Ben would always think of the many children and Families at the Children’s Hospital of Iowa during their treatments for cancer. During his visits, Ben was consumed by the staff, new Friendships and many opportunities that would make his home away from home more enjoyable during a difficult time.

With Ben’s love for the great outdoors in his hunting dogs and the many personal Friendships made it became easy to form such a great foundation that commit their time and efforts to continue the legacy of caring for the children and Families dealing with cancer at the Children’s Hospital of Iowa.

We were blessed with calling Ben our son, and having so many caring people to volunteer their time, talents and financial support in helping children and their families with childhood cancer.

The Ries Family resides in Alburnett on an acreage with their Family business in raising hunting dogs.

Faith Family Friends

Email Steve

Vice President - Dave Tatman

Wife LeAnn,daughter Anna and son Joseph.
Live in rural West Branch.

Employed by University Hospitals in Iowa City as the program coordinator for the Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplantation Program.

Hobbies include coaching youth athletic programs, hunting, gardening and tree farm.

Email Dave

Secretary - Carla M. Friis

Carla is employed by the City of Coralville Building & Engineering Departments as the Administrative Assistant. She was asked to join Aiming for a Cure during the beginning stages in the fall of 2003. Within 6 months 20 committee members formed this awesome foundation with the inspiration of Ben Ries and his family.

What I love most about our Foundation is that we raise money to help ease the financial burdens of families who have children that are being treated at the Children’s Hospital of Iowa in Iowa City. Not only does this help families locally, but it serves families from all over the world that are here for pediatric cancer treatments. Ben has touched my life in so many ways. What I admire most is that Ben was a fine example to all that knew him and that I saw him achieve the strength that is gained by Faith, Family and Friends. I hope to achieve that gift someday and share it as he did. He did his family proud!
Carla is the organizing front runner of the Friday night Welcome Party, the meals at Highland Hideaway Hunt Club and the Banquet & Hotel accommodations.

Carla & her husband Curt live in rural West Branch farming crops, raising hogs & training GSP dogs. They recently started a Boarding Kennel and are also raising quail.

They have four grown sons, Blake, Jay, Ben and their oldest son Matt and his wife Jenny & their children Christopher & Mya.

In her spare time she hunts with her GSP dog Wahine, and boats on the Cedar River. She is also an avid fossil, Indian artifact and mushroom hunter.

Email Carla

Treasurer - Jerry Vanni

VP Iowa State Bank & Trust Co.

Email Jerry

Member-at-Large - Mark Reed

Age 48, Solon Iowa

I have wonderful family, my wife Laura to whom I have been married to for 15 wonderful years. We have three kids Sean, Holly, Ben, two German Shorthairs Jill and Belle, and a Beagle named Wishbone.

I am a Systems Engineer at CEC where I have been employed for the last 28 years. Most of that time I spent in our Iowa City office but now reside in the corporate office located in Hiawatha, IA.

My reason for becoming a part of Aiming For A Cure is as follows.

I was invited to lunch with friends where we always talk either about hunting or training our dogs, when Steve brought up the discussion about how to give something back to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network for all they have done to help him and his family during their son’s battle with cancer.

I myself have been very fortunate that my family has not had to endure such a battle. But my time at CEC had landed me in many of the hospitals and health care facilities across Iowa. I have seen many families struggle, and I have also seen the comfort that a quality healthcare staff and a program like CMN can give to a family.

Everybody at the table that day for lunch was a hunting dog owner and loved the sport of upland bird hunting.

Seamed like a natural fit; hunting, dogs, and friends, for charity.

After many meetings and getting more people involved the rest is history. We all are now Aiming For A Cure.

Email Mark

Member-at-Large - Wade Wamre

Wade Wamre is employed at Hall and Hall Engineers in Hiawatha, Iowa as a Professional Land Surveyor. He has been involved with Aiming For A Cure Foundation since the beginning. Steve asked him to become involved with a plan he had to raise awareness and money for children with cancer, and Wade greatly accepted the challenge to help such a great cause. Wade enjoys spending his time with his boys hunting, fishing and doing hunting trials with his dogs.

Wade and his wife Marcy have two boys, Hunter and Gunnar.

Email Wade