Dana Rupe has been named director of the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC). Rupe began her new role on June 9. She succeeds longtime director Lynn Allendorf, who will remain on staff as a program assistant. Rupe, a native of Eddyville, has more than 20 years of experience launching and scaling businesses, including apparel and sports brands. Her portfolio includes founding and leading ventures such as the women’s activewear brand Alex + Abby and Daden Group, an apparel licensing vehicle for the industry. Rupe also co-founded Valley Apparel, which became a key licensing partner with adidas, the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and more than 300 collegiate teams. At the University of Iowa, Rupe recently served as an adjunct instructor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “It’s an honor to step into this role at such a pivotal time for entrepreneurship at the University of Iowa and in our state,” Rupe said in a prepared statement. “Iowa JPEC has a strong foundation, and I’m excited to build on it—expanding access, deepening industry connections and supporting the next generation of Iowa’s innovators and changemakers.” She holds a master’s degree in textiles and clothing from Iowa State University and a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising and consumer studies from the University of Arizona.
