J. Scott Raecker

Building a Culture of Excellence in the Legislative Arena

J. Scott Raecker serves as executive director of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University — a position he has held since the work of the center was founded by former Iowa Gov. Robert D. Ray as a lasting legacy to the Iowa Sesquicentennial in 1997. The Ray Center has a mission to improve civility through character development and ethical leadership. The Ray Center works to transform lives and strengthen communities by helping individuals and communities embrace and practice good character, resulting in a positive environment of civility and principled decision-making. The Ray Center is the global provider for the CHARACTER COUNTS! and Pursuing Victory with Honor initiatives, which were founded by Michael Josephson and the Josephson Institute of Ethics. Raecker previously served as both chairman of the board and CEO of the Josephson Institute. The Ray Center is also a national consortium partner with the Excellence with Integrity Institute. From the preschool environment to the corporate boardroom, The Ray Center is coordinating efforts to create a positive environment of civility, principled decision-making and ethical leadership in our daily lives. Raecker’s commitment to positively impact the lives of others is also reflected in his 14 years of public service as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, from 1999 through 2012. In the Legislature, he served in numerous leadership roles, including as chair of the House Appropriations Committee and the Ethics Committee. Raecker is involved in numerous civic volunteer efforts. He serves on the boards of the Native Fund, Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation, Drake University School of Education, Smithsonian Institution Center for Folk Life and Cultural Studies, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Advisory Board, Drake Bulldog Club Board and Shining City Foundation. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Des Moines AM, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and Urbandale Chambers of Commerce. Raecker is a graduate of Grinnell College, where he received his bachelor’s degree in political science and religious studies. He is also certified as a character development specialist and corporate ethics trainer through the Josephson Institute of Ethics and has recently been featured as a keynote speaker on ethics and civility to state legislatures across the United States. A 1999 graduate of the Bowhay Institute, Raecker is a former co-chair of the BILLD Steering Committee and a former member of the Midwestern Legislative Conference Executive Committee. This is his 11th year as a member of the BILLD faculty.