Candidate Profile: Ames Business Owner Jeffrey Touts His Experience

Ames City Council Candidate 4th Ward

Name: Frank Jeffrey

Age: 62

Family: Wife, Cyndie; and two sons.

Occupation: Founder of PowerFilm, a solar module manufacturing company. PowerFilm products convert sun to electricity.

Education: Bachelor degree in physics from Iowa State University in 1972. A doctorate in physics from Iowa State University in 1980.

Why are you running for office: "I've been paying quite a bit of attention to the council and up until now I haven't had much spare time. I think I can bring a different perspective and compliment (the current council.) Allocating funds is 95 percent of the job and it takes a good careful analysis on making those decisions. … I think I can help."

What sets you apart from other candidates: "I think part of it is my background and experience. I spent a lot of time at the university and the university is a big part of this community. I started PowerFilm and I helped my son and his girlfriend start a coffee shop in town. I built a technology company from scratch … 100 people are working here now. … By the nature of being a physicist I have strong mechanical and technical experience and an analytical approach to things."

An issue: Multiple codes have made starting small businesses in Ames difficult, Jeffrey said. The code is written as “one size fits all, which really it doesn't. Small businesses don't have deep pockets and don't have the experience in dealing with cities like a chain would. Small businesses have an inherent disadvantage in dealing with the bureaucracy of the city.”

What else people should know: The development of PowerFilm (previously known as Iowa Thin Films ) required a lot of analytical thinking and it requires a lot of listening to other people and leading other people in a productive manner, which has provided me with the strong background needed for being on council.

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