Our Stories — Lives Change Here

Tim Krueger, CEO

Harvest Academy will be formally led by Tim Krueger. Tim has spent the last seven years learning and practicing the Therapeutic Community method of transformation that will be a foundational element at Harvest Academy.

Tim also brings 33 years of business leadership as CFO of Maui Jim Sunglasses. During his tenure he helped Maui Jim grow from 10 employees to 750 growing the company into a worldwide brand.

However, his passion is to transform lives by focusing on the root behaviors that cause individuals to self-destruct, ultimately hitting rock bottom.

After researching ways to pursue his passion Tim discovered The Other Side Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah. Without hesitation he became a program observer, learned the community method and recently served as their CFO/COO.

Now, Tim has found his dream job as the CEO of Harvest Academy here in Iowa.

Taylor Smith, Program Director

Taylor was born in South Korea and was raised in Arizona and Florida before finally settling down in Iowa in 2007. He was an avid skateboarder, snowboarder, and hockey player growing up. Taylor graduated from Waukee High School in Spring 2011 where he went on to attend Iowa State University the following fall semester. He graduated from Iowa State University in Spring 2016 with a B.S. in psychology and criminal justice. From there he went to work at the juvenile treatment facility, Woodward Academy. Over 5.5 years at Woodward Academy, Taylor was a treatment counselor, case worker, and group leader. Here, he had learned to build relationships and a passion to motivate young men and women to challenge themselves and better their lives by taking control of their actions.

Later on, Taylor became interested in looking to help adults where he joined Harvest Academy in July of 2021. Here he adjusted quickly to the now older clientele and therapeutic community philosophy in changing the lives of Harvest Academy students'. Shortly after his employment began, he was asked to take charge of directing the moving company that is employed by the students of Harvest Academy. Taylor works directly with the students teaching them what it takes to be a great employee, how to create systems and processes, and most importantly to instill the importance of giving back to the community by offering their moving services.