2020-2021 Leadership Minnesota participant profiles

Minnesota’s economic engine is powered by more than 100,000 businesses, a diverse landscape interconnected in ways not understood by the casual observer. For a select group, Leadership Minnesota opens the window to a behind-the-scenes look at what makes our state’s economy tick. This exclusive program also helps you understand how public policy crafted at the Capitol impacts the vitality of each and every Minnesota company. By establishing a rich network of Minnesota business leaders, your shared experiences make you more effective leaders at your workplace.

Check back to this page as more of our wonderful 2020-2021 Leadership Minnesota participants are profiled!

Profiled on July 28

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company? 
The best part of my current role in our company is the variety of people and environments that I have the opportunity to work with. My office is the Minnesota “Northwoods” and I love it, and the people that surround me are hardworking, salt of the earth folks that make the job very enjoyable. 

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota? 
My family enjoys everything outdoors, but my favorite activity to do in Minnesota is to hunt upland bird species such as grouse and woodcock. I enjoy the process of hunting; training the dogs, scouting the areas, and honing my skills. It’s not about how many are in the bag, but the memories that are made along the way.  

Who or what are you inspired by?
I’m inspired and motivated by my family.

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
I grew up in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and I am the oldest of three brothers. I’ve been happily married for 15 years and we have a wonderful daughter named Anna. 
 

Profiled on July 27

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company?  
I have been a part of Leo A Daly for about a little over a year and I lead the mechanical and electrical teams out of the Minneapolis studio and the mechanical team nationally. I love working with the people on my team and I really enjoy getting the right people on projects so that they can be successful and then seeing a completed building knowing I played a part in its construction. This is especially true when the mechanical and electrical systems work flawlessly. 

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota?  
I love to go to the boundary waters and separate from electronics for a while. 

Who or what are you inspired by?
I am inspired by the world around me and the awe of all the pieces and parts that work together in every living thing. 

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
My wife and I got to know each other in college through ballroom dancing and climbing the outside of buildings in college. Since our brains finished forming after college, we no longer climb the outside of buildings but enjoy rock climbing including spending two days climbing devils tower last year. I love to climb because it combines physical activity with solving the puzzle of how to get to where I want to go, and it stretches me when I lean over the side of a cliff to repel back down.  

What is your favorite part of your Leadership Minnesota experience so far?
I have really enjoyed getting to know how the economy of different regions of Minnesota work. I had no idea the extend of mining and other industries exist in this state.
 

Profiled on July 26

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company?
Working with all of the incredible businesses across the state of Minnesota – especially when it involves touring their facilities or sampling their products!  

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota?
Anything outside – and yes, as a non-native Minnesotan, that includes the half of the year that is winter. Good thing I love snow! I also try to do as many random “Minnesota things” as possible – so send me some good suggestions! 

Who or what are you inspired by?
The trees – particularly where the deciduous forest blends into the coniferous forest.  Nothing more magical than a quiet hike in the woods to remind you what it’s all about. Of course, the Philadelphia Eagles running the Philly Special to win Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis is a close second.

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
I asked my mom and she said that I knew a squirrel’s nest was called a drey at two years old. That’s baby genius stuff, if you ask me. Something oddly related to Minnesota is that before moving here, the only time I visited the state as a child was when I was 16 to play in the USA Cup – and we won! I may or may not have been red carded during the championship game, but that’s probably not a super interesting fact about me for this profile.  
 

Profiled on July 23

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company?
The ability to be creative and innovative and have the platform to work for a national non-profit doing some of the coolest type of financing in the country. We are using cutting edge technology and business service platforms to empower people and finance small businesses everywhere.  We thrive when working with businesses owned by people of color, woman and veterans.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota?
Anything involving being outside and active all year round that includes playing with my kids, running, biking, hiking, paddle-boarding, boating, going to the beach, sledding, skiing, snowboarding and ice skating.  It’s a beautiful state with so much to do.

Who or what are you inspired by?
Entrepreneurs and people who are open to putting themselves out there and learning new things every day.

What’s something super interesting about yourself?  
I love sports and travel. I walked on the basketball team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earned a scholarship and played for the team for my four years of undergrad. This was an amazing experience and also helped encourage my love of travel, which allowed me to visit 50 states by 40 years old.
 

Profiled on May 6

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company?
Advocating for business is more important than ever and my favorite part of my job as a Chamebr President for almost 40 years. It is also an honor to work with so many great business people!

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota?
I have been a huge Twins fan and enjoy seeing them play live. Also seeing my grand-kids.

What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?”  
Travel to Florida and Las Vegas.

Who or what are you inspired by?
My dad and grandparents were all business owners and their passion for business was most inspiring. Also knowing Hubert Humphrey at a young age and his passion inspired me.

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
I am related to “Whoppie John” Wilfahrt the most famous polka band leader in Minnesota and the second person inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

Profiled on May 5

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company?
Team building. I love making sure everyone has fun at work, while also building a culture that enjoys working hard to achieve a higher goal. Neither value exists without the other.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota?
Cruise around any of the many lakes we have in a boat with family and/or friends. 

What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?”
Attend a jam packed and obnoxiously loud Vikings game!

Who or what are you inspired by?
I'm inspired by many. I try to take pieces of what I have learned and witnessed from mentors, family and friends and design my own recipe for life and how I carry myself.  You are who you surround yourself with and I try to inspire them as well.  My dad always said "life is all about who you know and how you treat them." I try my best to live by that.

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
At age 29 I founded my own company in the Twin Cities with the goal of becoming a top notch residential custom home builder. Just two years in we have over twenty employees. I have always had a passion for architecturally designed homes and I am honored to be able to build them for our valued clients.
 

Profiled on February 18

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company? 
Border States is an employee-owned company and the best part of my job is working with our employee-owners. We care so deeply about our company it shows in our passion every day. 

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota? 
That is a tough question.  It depends on the season.  Winter months it is skiing and snowmobiling. Spring months it is fishing. Summer months it is water skiing, and fall months it is hunting. I embrace Minnesota!

What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?”  
Meet with customers live!

Who or what are you inspired by?
I learn something new every day. It inspires me to keep up with technology and learn the business aspects of our company. There isn’t a dull moment. 

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
I have water skied when it was snowing.

What is your favorite part of your Leadership Minnesota experience so far?
My favorite part is meeting leaders across the state and learning about their businesses and experiences.
 

Profiled on February 15

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company? 
The best part about my role at BMO is the people – internally and externally. I am customer-facing and it gives me energy and satisfaction to see my clients achieve their short-term and long-term goals and that my team helped them. I also do what I do because of my colleagues. We have built a great culture at BMO and I wouldn’t want to do what I do with any other team.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota? 
Go to the lake, be on the lake!

What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?”  
Get together with family and friends and not worry about how many people can we include, do we need to be outside, do we need a reservation, etc.

Who or what are you inspired by?
I’m inspired by the resiliency of our community and people who live here.  

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
My husband and I own a brewery in southwest Minnesota called Bank Brewery. It is not named “Bank Brewery” because I’m a banker; rather, our taproom is in an old bank.
   
What is your favorite part of your Leadership Minnesota experience so far?
The people and connections I’ve made, a deeper understanding of the industries and businesses that help drive Minnesota's economy, and more aware of our state government/policies and the impact they have on our businesses.  

Profiled on January 25

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company? 
My favorite part of my job is getting to advocate for a family-owned, Minnesota grown small business. I believe small business is the cornerstone of our economy, and the people who take the risk to start their own company are what make Minnesota great.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota? 
I live along the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers where there are beautiful trails to walk or ride bikes. I have lived in the area for over 30 years and never tire of walking those trails and seem to find something new every time

What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?”  
Enjoy shopping without a mask fogging up my glasses. 

Who or what are you inspired by?
People who take risks and bring innovative ideas to the table in order to solve a problem or keep their business moving forward. It’s easy to go along with the status quo, but to speak up and bring a new approach can reinvigorate a team’s mindset or business’ strategy.

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
I ran in the Disney marathon which involves runners to get up and start running well before dawn. The course took us through the various parks on the property and it was surprisingly peaceful to run through the mostly empty parks so early in the morning. I highly recommend it!

What is your favorite part of your Leadership Minnesota experience so far?
Being a part of this class during COVID-19 means we have had an opportunity to explore how businesses are responding to the new economy in which we find ourselves. Learning how companies are pivoting in order to serve their customers and provide for their employees has been really inspiring. Minnesota has many, many companies who truly care about their role within their community and are working overtime to protect it. It’s been wonderful to learn about the various industries within our state and how we can learn from one another. 

Profiled on January 18

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company?
Our organization focuses heavily on innovation and talent development. I love coming up with new solutions to our clients’ evolving needs while using those challenges to develop our next generation of leaders!

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota?
Playing golf and gardening. I enjoy the challenge of outdoing myself on the golf course and then getting into a Zen state of mind in the garden.

What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?”  
Belly up at the bar with my wife, at one of our favorite restaurants.  Bar La Grassa in the North Loop and Meritage in St Paul are 2 of our favorite experiences.

Who or what are you inspired by?  
The resiliency and persistence of so many of my staff. There are too many to name individually, but to watch them overcome some of life’s most daunting challenges, and then, continue to push themselves professionally, keeps my fire lit!

What’s something super interesting about yourself?  
I view myself as a very measured and rational decision-maker. Then I met my future wife at a conference in Las Vegas. I blew off my return flight and a family cabin trip and told my mom this could be BIG! 30 days later we were engaged, and six months after that we were married. That was about 10 years ago and we’re still truckin’.
 

Profiled on January 8

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company?
When I first joined Pediatric Home Service in 2006, we were much smaller than we are today. I was concerned that I would tire of working for the same company with the same services. But here we are today, 15 years and counting, and I've loved every minute. The care we provide to the medically complex population is incredible. I'm proud to be on a team with unmatched compassion and dedication to our patients. While so much has changed in the past 15 years, the one thing that has remained constant is the focus on the unique needs of each child. It is an honor to lead the marketing efforts for a company that I know provides care better than anyone else. Our culture, our care, and our passion are what keep me engaged in my role each day.  

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota?
I will never pass up a sunshiny day on the boat and cabin time with family and friends. 

What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?” 
Enjoy a meal in a restaurant with a large group of friends. Eating great food, enjoying beverages, and just being together. 

Who or what are you inspired by?
I am inspired every single day by my team. I'm lucky to work with individuals who not only work incredibly hard but have fun while doing it. 

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
I love woodworking and home projects. The dangerous side of this is that I also have little to no fear about diving into something that is likely over my head. YouTube videos sure can give a girl a lot of confidence. I've built furniture, remodeled our basement, and laid flooring through our whole house, and still enjoy it all. 

What is your favorite part of your Leadership Minnesota experience so far?
The best part of Leadership Minnesota has, hands-down, been the connections. That's the extrovert, or "orange" in me coming out. (Don't know what I'm talking about? It's a leadership Minnesota thing, I guess you'll have to join next time to discover your true color.) But in addition to getting to know an amazing group of individuals, I've personally and professionally benefitted from the exposure to such a wide variety of local industries. I've worked in pediatric home healthcare for my entire career. It's been eye-opening to get out of my bubble and immerse myself in a different industry in such a short period of time. Having these new experiences and perspective makes me a stronger teammate and employee. 

Profiled on December 28

What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota? 
I have really enjoyed Northern Minnesota, notably the State Parks around Two Harbors. Hiking these parks, fishing or just sitting around a campfire with the family, staring at the stars.

What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?”  
Attend a football game, or coach sports at my children’s sports. It gets me out and exercising, but also is rewarding. 

Who or what are you inspired by?
I draw most my inspiration from history. Learning different languages, cultures and lessons they learned has been very relevant to my current role in government relations. 

What’s something super interesting about yourself?
I spent two years in Buenos Aires studying, working and teaching. I married my wife there, and am fluent in Spanish. Also, I wrote a book, “The Basque Decoy”, a historical fiction based in Spain. Not a best seller just yet! 
 

Profiled on December 18

What is the best part about your current job/role in your company?  
The people!  As a commercial real estate broker and owner since 2004, relationships are everything. I am the youngest and most recent broker in my office to be promoted to Principal this fall, and have a hand in the continued growth of our office which has doubled in size since January 2020. The tremendously talented team within our shop, breadth of expertise, and drive to serve our clients to the highest degree is humbling and an honor to be a part of.
 
What’s your favorite thing to do in Minnesota?  
I enjoy putting my mid-teens golf handicap up to the test at new golf courses all over the state. Prior to the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, I did not know the depth to which Minnesotans are entrenched into the golf scene but it is truly impressive. If you’re looking to fill out a foursome, I happily welcome all invitations to play a new course…call me!  Additionally, I appreciate time at “the cabin”. Whether it’s time at a friend’s abode, or our own, getting out of the Twin Cities to take in the outdoors is food for the soul.
  
What’s the first thing you want to do once things are “back to normal?”  
I cannot wait to attend live concerts at First Avenue and/or The Armory again.  
 
Who or what are you inspired by?  
The board game, Monopoly. I strive to play the perfect game but it hasn’t happened yet! That said, I have found that there are a number of lessons learned and strategies a player can employ in the game that are also relevant in daily life. A couple of lucky rolls can help too, which again, holds true in the real world.
 
What’s something super interesting about yourself?  
As a former Div. I college football player, there was a time when single repetitions of bench press, squat and power clean combined to total more than 1,000 pounds. Today, knee and back issues steer me towards musical performance as a vocalist and guitarist in a variety of ad hoc real estate rock bands. In full football pads my sophomore year, I sang the national anthem at the homecoming game against Yale, then trotted back to the sidelines to play the game which we won by 1 point (and a blocked field goal as time expired). My vocal cords needed to be warmed up that day!