On the road kicking off Leadership Minnesota

By Doug Loon
President and CEO
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

Coming to you from the road this week, as we’ve been traveling across Minnesota with our Leadership Minnesota session one. About 40 business leaders gathered earlier in the week at Clow Stamping in Merrifield, near the Brainerd area, for a tour of that fantastic facility. A big thank-you to the team at Clow Stamping for opening their doors and for all their support of their community and the Chamber.

From there, we boarded the bus and headed to Warroad, where we spent time with Marvin Windows and Doors. We learned about the Marvin story and saw firsthand how they produce their incredible products right here in Minnesota. Their deep commitment to both their community and our state is inspiring. Fun fact: the town of Warroad is actually smaller than Marvin’s daily workforce, which shows how far people are willing to travel for good jobs and strong community ties.

Leadership Minnesota is all about these kinds of experiences – connecting businesses, learning about our private-sector economy, and building lasting professional relationships. If you’d like to learn more about Leadership Minnesota or our Leaders Lab program, visit our website.

Speaking of celebrating business, the race for the Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota is heating up! We announced the top 32 products this week, and voting continues until Sunday at midnight. We have already seen tens of thousands of votes and many features in the media! The top 16 bracket opens Monday at noon. Visit coolestthingmn.com to cast your votes and help us celebrate Minnesota innovators and manufacturers. The winner will be announced at the Manufacturers’ Summit on October 7. If you would like to attend the Summit, I recommend you register as soon as possible, as spots are quickly filling up!

Finally, a reminder: Minnesota’s new paid family and medical leave mandate takes effect January 1, 2026. To help businesses prepare, we’re hosting our Workplace Compliance Conference on October 21 at Bunker Hills Golf Course. This will be the most comprehensive resource available to help employers understand their responsibilities, the impacts on their workforce, and how to stay compliant. Experts from DEED and the Chamber will be there to guide you through the details.

It’s been a great week in Warroad, seeing our state up close and celebrating the businesses that make Minnesota strong. I look forward to catching up with you next week on the Minnesota Business Podcast. Have a great weekend!