Merchants Names 2021 Shining Star & Runner-Up

December 13, 2021

Merchants Bonding Company is proud to recognize Marketing Production Manager Shelby Boyd as our 2021 Shining Star. The Shining Star award is given to an associate who is involved in and gives back to their community.

Shelby is involved in various organizations in and outside of Merchants including Raise the Bar Initiative, Dallas Center-Grimes Schools and the Bill Warner Sr. Memorial Charity Golf Classic.

Most recently, Shelby was the Co-Director of the Women’s Barbell Classic (WBC), a non-sanctioned push/pull meet open to women of all ages and abilities. The WBC is the primary fundraiser for Raise the Bar Initiative, an organization dedicated to helping women develop strength by creating experiences that support physical, mental and emotional well-being. Shelby put in over 100 hours for the event working on overall logistics planning, coordination of registration, organization of volunteers, event set-up and more. The event raised more than $32,000 to support the Barbell Club program, a six-week lifting program for high school girls in Des Moines Public Schools.

Outside of the WBC, Shelby started volunteering in her son’s classroom, working with small groups on reading/literacy. Shelby states, “If there is one thing I learned from the pandemic, it’s that our teachers are super heroes and I want to do my part to show my support and help them any way I can.” And to top it all off, she coordinates and executes Merchants’ biennial Bill Warner Sr. Memorial Golf Classic which welcomed 192 golfers and raised more than $170,000 to benefit Vision To Learn in 2021.

Executive Assistant Amanda Brunkhorst was recognized as our Shining Star Runner-Up. Amanda was nominated for her work with Variety – The Children’s Charity of Iowa, where she currently serves on the board. Amanda is instrumental in helping with Variety’s annual Two Days of Compassion Radiothon that raises money for the Variety Compassion Fund. Amanda is also an integral member of Merchants’ Community Outreach Council and won Merchants’ Shining Star in 2011.  

Congratulations to both Shelby and Amanda. Merchants appreciates all your hard work and dedication to support the central Iowa community.