Ames Mayor suffers heart attack, recovering after successful surgery

Ann Campbell is the current mayor of Ames.

Ann Campbell is the current mayor of Ames.

Stephen Snyder

Ames Mayor Ann Campbell was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday morning, April 22, after suffering a heart attack.

Campbell is now out of a successful surgery and city council spokespeople and Campbell’s brother stated in a press release that she is expected to make a full recovery.

“Mayor Ann is a resilient and strong woman,” said Matthew Goodman, councilman. “We expect to see her back in this seat soon.”

Campbell had been a member of the Ames City Council for sixteen years prior to her election as mayor. Her experience includes former board member positions with the League of Women Voters, Youth and Shelter Services, Heartland Senior Services and a president’s position with the Iowa Peace Institute.

Prior to her work for the city of Ames, Campbell was a teacher in Boston, Thailand and held a professorship with Des Moines Area Community College after receiving her B.A. from Grinnell College and her M.A. from Brown University.

Campbell was first elected as mayor of Ames in 2006 and has since been re-elected twice [2009 and 2013]. 

“Ames has been my home for many years, and it is a community filled with good people, great hope and tremendous promise. It is my privilege to give back to this city by serving as mayor because I believe in its future,” Campbell said in a biography posted on the City of Ames webpage.

Spokespersons for the city have not been able to comment specifically on Campbell’s condition at this time.