Member Spotlight: Ivy Sprague, APR
Tell me a little about yourself.
I'm the director of strategic communications for Hy-Vee. I started in the Hy-Vee communications department back in 2017 and have yet to have the same day twice! I work with an incredible team of communications and project management professionals, as well as our store and retail leaders. Prior to Hy-Vee, I had my own writing and editing business for five years. I've been in communications or communications-related fields since (gulp!) the beginning of the century!
I'm an Iowa farm girl who attended UNI, and I still spend lots of time on my family's farm outside Altoona. My two amazing nieces are heavily involved in 4H and FFA, as well as showing cattle competitively and I love watching and encouraging them. I live on the northeast side of Des Moines in a 1908 cottage-style house that's been in my family since 1938. If anyone has a hookup for historic salvage items, please let me know!
What drew you to public relations in the first place?
I initially wanted to be a broadcast journalist, but during my first days at UNI I discovered that public relations combined all the things I loved about journalism with the principles of business leadership. That combination suited me right down to the ground. Now, I can't imagine spending my time doing anything else. I've even gotten to revisit my broadcasting dreams over the past few months with a regular segment on WHO News Radio as "Ivy from Hy-Vee" and it's such fun!
What has your career path looked like? What is your current role?
I often joke that if you can think of an industry, I've probably written about it! My career has spanned agriculture, banking, health care, technology and now grocery retail. As the director of strategic communications for Hy-Vee, I'm part of developing employee communications, organizing special events, working with local, national and trade media, and more. On any given day, I could be doing voiceover for a video, answering questions from trade media, visiting a store or distribution center, or hosting a celebrity for a bottle signing event - there's never a dull moment at Hy-Vee!
How did you get involved with PRSA Iowa?
I was part of PRSSA at UNI and served as the newsletter editor for the PRSSA National Committee, so becoming part of PRSA Iowa was a natural transition. I joined PRSA Iowa back in 2000 and am excited to be serving as the programming chair for 2025-2026. We've got some really great ideas cooking on our programming committee that I can't wait to bring to life for our members to help enhance the practice of public relations.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?
In terms of my career, the best thing I ever heard was from my colleague and friend, Dawn Buzynski. She told me that if I truly wanted to grow in my career, I needed to get those three letters behind my name - APR. She was definitely right! Pursuing the APR designation was the best thing I could have done to help me become a better communicator and PR professional.
In terms of life advice, that would have to be when my late grandmother sat me down after I graduated from college and taught me to budget my paychecks using a steno notebook. She told me that a woman who knows how to manage her money will always have options, and she was right too! I'm fortunate to have been surrounded by very wise women throughout my life.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I'm proud to share that I've won ribbons at the Iowa State Fair for both knitting and powerlifting - I contain multitudes! I'm on the board of Raise the Bar Initiative, a Des Moines-based non-profit that provides strength training education and programming for women and girls to help improve both their physical and mental health. Getting into the weight room and finding a community of women who strength train has done incredible things for me physically and mentally, and I love seeing other women experience that. When I'm not lifting, I'm either writing for fun or knitting - there's a good chance I have a knitting project in my purse at any given moment!
