Marcia quietly helps Prospect Meadows succeed

Every successful organization needs an effective office manager who quietly goes about her business, performs a variety of tasks and does not want any credit for her contributions.

At Prospect Meadows, her name is Marcia Moran.

Marcia helps with fundraising and grant applications. She works closely with the Board of Directors and handles much of the correspondence for Prospect Meadows.

Perhaps most of all, she works closely with General Manager Jack Roeder, continuing a partnership that began when both of them worked for the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Marcia and Jack have formed a mutual admiration society since they began working together with the Kernels 16 years ago, a partnership that continues to this day.

“I enjoy working with Jack,” she said softly, smiling.

Marcia began working in the ticket office for the Kernels in 2003 and moved into the front office in 2006 when Roeder was the team’s general manager. She worked with Roeder there until he retired from the club in 2010, then teamed up with Roeder at Prospect Meadows in 2012 during the early stages of planning for the facility.

She still works part-time for the Kernels, where she has been heavily involved with historic displays and the Hall of Fame archives.

Marcia did not play sports in high school, but she’s enjoyed her work with both the Kernels and Prospect Meadows. She was not seeking sports-related jobs, but that’s how it turned out.

“I’m a baseball fan,” she said. “And of course with this project, one of the big draws was the non-profit (status) and the Miracle Field. 

That was really something that got my attention.”

Marcia was born in Cedar Rapids and graduated from Northeast High School in Goose Lake. She got her teaching degree from the University of Northern Iowa, then taught school in Houston for two years and Las Vegas for 15 years with a specialty in elementary education. She returned to Iowa to be with her parents as they got older and shortly thereafter began working with the Kernels.

Marcia has enjoyed seeing Prospect Meadows take shape and open for business this year.

“It’s amazing, the process that’s taken place,” she said. “I couldn’t have imagined it until I actually saw it.

“I remember driving down County Home Road and seeing the lights on for the first time and was stunned. It just couldn’t have gotten done without Jack and the Board of Directors. They have been amazing.”

In typical fashion, Marcia downplays her own role in helping the facility get up and running.

“Oh, I don’t think I’ve done that much,” she said. “I’m just glad that I’ve been able to help out where I can.”