DES MOINES, Iowa — Michelle Book is remarkable in many ways. She’s been a hog farmer, a single mom, and a CEO; and she’s responsible for taking the Food Bank of Iowa from one of the worst-performing Feeding America food banks in the country to one of the best.

Under Book’s leadership, food distribution increased by more than 200%. She took transportation from three broken-down trucks to a fleet of 20 vehicles that made it possible to get food to people where they are. Volunteerism increased by more than 600%.

Those who nominated Book for our Remarkable Woman award wrote about her leadership skills and business acumen, but also her kindness and generosity. Book says the latter is what she hopes her legacy will be.  “I hope at the end of the day, people remember me as somebody who cares about others, somebody who cares about their neighbor in need, and that they’ll embrace what we’ve built here and that they choose to carry it forward.”