Iowa Student Loan Officer Bios

Steven W. McCullough
President and CEO

Steven W. McCullough is president and CEO of Iowa Student Loan. Prior to joining the company, McCullough worked as an asset-backed investment analyst for the Principal Financial Group and as a CPA for Deloitte and Touche. He is the former chairman of the Board of Directors of the Education Finance Council, a national trade association for student loan secondary markets. McCullough joined Iowa Student Loan in 1989 as the director of fiscal operations, and he became CEO in 1993. He received his CPA certificate in 1986 and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa.

Mary Kay DeBolt
Senior Vice President of Operations and Corporate Secretary

Mary Kay DeBolt is senior vice president of operations and corporate secretary for Iowa Student Loan. DeBolt joined the corporation in 1984 and is the longest tenured employee on the management team. She is a graduate of Grand View College and Des Moines Area Community College and is a member of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance.

Ron Foresman
Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Treasurer

Ron Foresman, CPA, is senior vice president of finance and corporate treasurer for Iowa Student Loan. Foresman joined Iowa Student Loan in 1994. Prior to this, he served as the director of accounting at Iowa Lutheran Hospital and a CPA for Denman and Company. He received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Iowa State University and is a member of the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Gregory S. Nichols, Ph.D.
Vice President of Public Affairs and Community Relations

Gregory Nichols is vice president of public affairs and community relations. Nichols has held various positions of responsibility in public affairs, educational policy research and practice, educational administration and organizational leadership. Prior to joining Iowa Student Loan, Nichols served as special assistant to the president and a lecturer at Iowa State University. He also served as executive director of the Board of Regents of the State of Iowa, and as policy director for Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. Prior to that, Nichols was a member of the research and administrative staff of the Iowa State Senate. In addition to his duties at Iowa Student Loan, Nichols holds a collaborating adjunct faculty appointment with the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies department at Iowa State University and serves as chair-elect of the board of Iowa Dollars for Scholars. He is also involved in numerous community organizations. Nichols earned a Ph.D. in education, a Bachelor of Arts degree at Iowa State University and holds a master’s in public policy from Rutgers University.

Becky Parker
Senior Vice President of Marketing

Becky Parker is senior vice president of marketing for Iowa Student Loan. Prior to joining the company in 1996, she served as assistant director of student financial services for Simpson College and was marketing director for USA Group. Parker is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Walter Witthoff
Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

Walter Witthoff is senior vice president and chief compliance officer for Iowa Student Loan. He also serves as vice president and board member of the Iowa Student Loan affiliate, ISL Service Corp. Witthoff began his career at Household Finance Corporation. He later created and managed the consumer credit department at a large Iowa savings bank, then became a regional vice president for United Student Aid Funds, Inc. Witthoff held the position of loan service manager for the state-designated Missouri secondary market prior to joining Iowa Student Loan in 1990. He received his bachelor's degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and his master's degree from Drake University. Witthoff is very active in the consumer credit industry and currently chairs the National Council of Higher Education Loan Program’s private loan committee.