Buckeye Native Annette Sweeney is serving her first term in the Iowa House. She won the seat after Republican Polly Granzow retired in 2008.

Sweeney was born and raised on her family’s third generation farm outside of Buckeye. Annette has been very active in her church, 4-H, sports, drama and speech activities in her community and at Radcliffe High School. She attended Concordia College LCMS at Seward, NE, graduating with a BA in English Speech/Drama with a minor in Coaching.

Annette began teaching middle school english in Peoria, IL, an occupation that was cut short by the untimely death of her father in 1983. She came home to take over the family’s 1350-acre row crop and purebred cow/calf operation.

In 1985 Annette married David Sweeney, and the couple continued to lead the family business while raising sons Jim and Joe. After a three-year endeavor as executive director of the Iowa Angus Association, Annette began a home-raised business called Practical Promotions. This business employs three local women in a database mailing and publishing business that creates advertising, sales brochures and catalogs for purebred breeding cattle producers.

Annette is involved in many community and church activities. She has been a speaker and entertainer at local Christian women’s groups and agricultural youth conferences. As well, her expertise has been utilized in volunteer capacities such as the Ellsworth Community Ag Advisory Council, Hubbard-Radcliffe and South Hardin vocational Ag advisory boards, Hardin County Extension Council, Iowa Women in Agriculture board, and serve as a 4-H leader and Sunday school teacher. Annette also serves as an organist for two local church congregations and a vocalist for weddings and funerals in the community.