Top parachutist visits Iowa

A world record-setting parachutist spoke in central Iowa today about challenges she overcame to accomplish her goals. Cheryl Stearns had surgery to repair her poor vision and achieved her dream of becoming an airline pilot. She’s now a captain for U-S Airways. The 44-year-old North Carolinian worked for years to beat dyslexia and became the first woman member of the U-S Army’s Golden Knights parachute team.Stearns has made 14-thousand-800 parachute jumps, the most of any woman in the world and she holds 30 other world records, including making the most jumps in one day — 352. She is urging employers in Iowa to hire the right people for the job.Stearns is a Sergeant First Class in the Army Reserve. She spoke at midday at a national employer’s conference in West Des Moines. To learn more about her accomplishments, surf to “www.cherylstearns.com”.