| Iowa Farm Values
Sandy was born in Oklahoma where her dad was stationed at Fort Sill Army base. After his discharge, Dwight and Sally Puttmann moved their family back to the family farm near Kingsley, Iowa where she grew up. Her parents raised corn, soybeans, and hogs. They also laid a solid foundation for Sandy and her sister of faith in God, the joy of hard work and discipline, and the necessity of being honest and keeping your word.
Military Veteran
She graduated from Kingsley-Pierson High School in 1973 and from UNI in 1977 with a degree in Business Management. Upon college graduation, she was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving from 1977-1980. During those years shortly after Vietnam, military service was not popular. Yet, she joined because she believed deeply in defending our liberty, the principles our nation was founded upon, and the people in this great country.
40-Year Marriage
She met her husband Matt Salmon while in the Marines and after her discharge they were married. Matt was a helicopter pilot. Sandy worked preparing taxes until their first child was born in 1983. Her experiences as a wife and mother reinforced the importance of faith in God, of the sanctity of life is (including unborn life), and of strong marriages and families. Sandy ran a household on one income in a 2-income world and navigated it through various job changes and relocations. While raising her family, Sandy managed a tight budget, worked at setting aside savings, and worked at staying out of debt by spending no more than they made. Sandy was a home educator for 18 years. She and her husband Matt had 3 sons and she homeschooled them all the way through high school, K-12, graduating the youngest in 2007. Sandy helped run an area homeschool cooperative that provided group educational activities for kids such as gym, choir, drama and speech. She also served as a 4-H leader for 14 years in Black Hawk County.
When Matt had an opportunity to work for Covenant Hospital in Waterloo, they moved back to Iowa in 1990. Except for a year and a half in the Des Moines area, the Salmons have lived in northeast Iowa for 28 years. Matt transferred into the Iowa Army National Guard and served as the Facility Commander for AASF #2 located in Waterloo. He retired in May 2011 with 34 years of military service. Among his service was a 7-month tour of duty in Iraq in 2008.
Experienced Legislator
The Salmons live on an acreage between Janesville and Denver. She partners with her sister and their tenant to manage the family farm. Rep. Salmon also served as a legislative clerk in the Iowa State Senate during the 2011 session before being elected as Iowa House District #63 representative in 2012. Sandy was re-elected for her 4th term in 2018.
Faith-Focused
Sandy is active in ministry at her church and has served on missions teams to Uganda and Kenya and also to Chicago.
Community Involved
Memberships- Cornerstone Fellowship Church, NICHE - the Iowa homeschool organization, Marine Corps League, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Black Hawk County Farm Bureau, and the Black Hawk County Republican Women. |