Des Moines, Iowa – October 11, 2005 – Officials with Great Ape Trust of Iowa have named Jim Aipperspach director of operations for the scientific research facility dedicated to the study of ape intelligence, language and culture. As director of operations, Aipperspach will coordinate and supervise all non-scientific responsibilities at Great Ape Trust including accounting, administration, communications, fund raising, grounds and maintenance, human resources and security.

“We’re thrilled to bring someone of Jim’s caliber to our management team. He is a well-respected community and business leader known throughout the Des Moines metro and across the state of Iowa,” says Ted Townsend, Great Ape Trust founder and chairman. “Jim’s experience will be invaluable in coordinating our strategic development and enhancing our ability to support the science mission of Great Ape Trust.”

Aipperspach began his duties as director of operations at Great Ape Trust on October 10.

“It’s extremely gratifying to be associated with Great Ape Trust and its dedicated team in advancing such a worthwhile mission,” says Aipperspach. “At this point in my career, I was very interested in doing something that was entrepreneurial and associated with education while remaining in Iowa – with Great Ape Trust, I accomplish all three.”

Prior to joining Great Ape Trust, Aipperspach served as president of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) for nearly ten years. Before his position at ABI, he was president of the United Way of Central Iowa from 1993-95. For 18 years, Aipperspach, a native of Bismarck, ND, worked in the telecommunications industry with Northwestern Bell Telephone Company and U.S. West, serving for seven years as vice president and CEO for U.S. West operations in Iowa.

As a community leader, Aipperspach is a past-president of the West Des Moines Community School Board, where he served for nine years; former president of the Greater Des Moines Committee and former secretary-treasurer of the Iowa Business Council. He has served on the board of directors for Mercy Hospital, Bankers Trust and the Iowa Telephone Association. Aipperspach currently serves on the board of the Iowa College Foundation, Institute for Character Development and Boy Scouts of America Mid-Iowa Council.

Great Ape Trust of Iowa is located five miles southeast of downtown Des Moines on 230 acres of lowlands, riverine forest and lakes. When completed, Great Ape Trust will be the largest great ape facility in North America and one of the first worldwide to include all four types of great ape – bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans – for noninvasive interdisciplinary studies of their cognitive and communicative capabilities.

Great Ape Trust is dedicated to providing sanctuary and an honorable life for great apes, studying the intelligence of great apes, advancing conservation of great apes and providing unique educational experiences about great apes. Great Ape Trust of Iowa is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization and is certified by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). To learn more about Great Ape Trust of Iowa, go to www.GreatApeTrust.org.

For more information, contact:
Al Setka
Director of Communications
Great Ape Trust of Iowa
4200 S.E. 44th Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50320
(515) 243-3580
515.720.7430 (cell)
asetka@greatapetrust.org

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