Marion Mayor Named The Iowa Mayor Of The Year

Around the city of Marion, Mayor Nick AbouAssaly is simply known as 'Mayor Nick.' He can add a new title to the list. Mayor of the Year in the state of Iowa!

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that Mayor AbouAssaly was named the Iowa Mayor of the Year for cities with a population above 2,000 residents. The award was presented on Wednesday at a meeting of the Iowa Mayors Association. It is the inaugural year for the award, which was also presented to the mayor of a city with a population of fewer than 2,000 people.

AbouAssaly has lived in Marion since he was 8 years old after he immigrated with his family from Lebanon due to an ongoing civil war, according to the Gazette. He went on to serve on the city of Marion's Planning and Zoning Commission and on the Uptown Marion-Iowa Main Street Community Board of Directors. He served on the city council for two years before being elected as the Marion mayor in 2015.

Mayor Nick was at the helm when the derecho destroyed much of the city of Marion in 2020. He also guided the city through the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also been at the helm during a time of incredible growth and change for the city of Marion. The Uptown Marion area is thriving with new businesses and improved living space. He also was kind enough to join me in the KHAK studios last year as a guest DJ! Congrats to Mayor Nick on a well-deserved award!