The new U of M president faces a punishing budget, a legacy of top-down management, intense demands to grow research, and a sports and marketing machine on a Big 10 scale he’s never seen before.

For more than 50 years, the Minnesota Inventors Congress has lured lone-wolf tinkerers and garage gadgeteers to Redwood Falls. For some, the event has provided a springboard for starting a business. But with attendance shrinking,

Minnesota’s business leaders are tackling their most pressing business challenge

Northern Oil & Gas fuels short sellers’ zeal; what looks bad is bad for shareholders.

The job is part of the journey, not the end game.

Minnesota’s strong economic undercurrent may surprise you.

Amcom did so well, it’s now driving growth within a publicly traded business.

How long can smokers and school kids bail out the state?

LarsonAllen to its merger partners: Let’s work together. Really.

A brand of premium licorice hopes to hit it out of the park with its Minnesota Twins–based ad campaign.

This season, the runways were stocked with rich textures, luxe leathers, and tweeds distinguished enough for royalty. No matter what your professional arena may be, you can interpret the trend in the way that suits

The “new Avtex” is positioning itself as a provider of unified, multi-channel customer interaction technology.

A Northfield investment and management firm enters a new field: saving historic, smaller-city hotels and inns.

CyberSpace picks up, inventories and photographs, and makes accessible via Internet every item you choose to store in its Minneapolis warehouse.

Social enterprise is good, but how to put corporate structure to it?

Finalists will compete for their respective division title-and then for a $25,000 grand prize and the Minnesota Cup.

Electric vehicles on the rise.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, Target Corporation, and AEG Facilities on Monday announced a three-year extension of the Target Center's naming rights partnership. The agreement will continue an existing partnership between the three entities through 2014. Financial

SheerWind, based in Chaska, is developing the Invelox wind-energy system.

Chris Johnson brings Texas barbecue to the St. Croix.

Three remodeling projects celebrate the clean lines of old buildings.

An Itasca Project initiative helps small, regional IT companies get large Minnesota firms as clients.

Benefit managers talk shop—what works and what doesn’t—about delivering employee benefits information.

Measuring soil density? Checking patient records? Delivering data to the board of directors? There’s an app for that.

iBuyOfficeSupply.com is taking the low-cost route to fast growth.

Magnetic Productions’ search for the not-too-proud and the brave.

Nan DeMars' new book, You’ve Got to Be Kidding!: How to Keep Your Job Without Losing Your Integrity, is a new release from Wiley this summer.

Are Minnesota's tax peculiarities driving people away?

Under the terms of the settlement, which will be paid to about 290 former employees, the Maplewood-based company also will implement a review process for termination decisions and training on how to prevent age bias.

Meanwhile, 82 private companies in Minnesota are among the nation's 5,000 fastest-growing, according to the magazine.

The iconic candy maker was sold for an undisclosed sum, and Michael Keller, former chief marketing officer for International Dairy Queen, will take over as president and CEO.

Jeffrey Wirth, who heads The Wirth Companies, appeared in court on Monday, but his arraignment reportedly won't happen right away because he lacks a lawyer.

AT&T will partner with Digi International to deliver the Minnesota company's smart grid technology, which allows consumers, businesses, and utilities to monitor energy usage and adjust their consumption accordingly.

The Minneapolis brewery is ready for production, but the co-owners must obtain the necessary federal, state, and local licenses before they begin operations.

Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to close on September 1, were not disclosed-but RBA said that the combined company is expected to generate $35 million in revenue this year.

The Richfield-based electronics retailer is reportedly ready to test a program through which customers can enter rent-to-own agreements.

The company, which previously outsourced its online operations to Amazon.com, will now assume full control over its Web site.

The search committee includes several local business leaders, including Bruce Beckman, finance director of General Mills; Lynn Casey, CEO of Padilla Speer Beardsley; and Reatha Clark King, former president and executive director of the General

Voting is now open online and at the Minnesota State Fair for the Pentair-sponsored Minnesota Idea Open, which will award $15,000 to help implement an idea for addressing the state's water issues.

Ben Fowke, who most recently served as president and chief operating officer, replaces Richard Kelly as chairman and CEO.

According to the federal government, the joint venture that oversaw construction of the Hiawatha light-rail line claimed to have hired disadvantaged businesses to help with the project even though it didn't.

The fair's 350,000 square feet of space are reportedly valued at around $200 million, for insurance purposes. The annual budget for the fair this year is reportedly $38.5 million, and gross revenue is expected to

H&R Block, which had acquired RSM McGladrey from McGladrey & Pullen, will sell the firm back for approximately $610 million, reuniting the two firms after a 12-year split.

A new city ordinance, which follows a recent change to state law, allows breweries to sell pints of beer on site; it has prompted some speculation that Surly Brewing Company might look to build its

The announcement comes after a turbulent year for the company, including a June announcement that Johnson & Johnson-which accounted for roughly 17 percent of SurModics' fiscal 2010 sales-would exit the drug-coated stent market by the

Sixteen new food items and a wide range of major musical acts will be featured at this year's State Fair-and a new smartphone app makes it easier for fairgoers to find them.

Several weeks after an outbreak of salmonella-related illnesses, Cargill has gathered a panel of three experts to review its enhanced food safety programs.

Richard Sand, a lawyer and former White Bear Township official, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for his role in a $2 million loan fraud scheme.

The electronics retailer reportedly plans to hire herds of information technology specialists over the next year-continuing the company's focus on digital strategies.

The Microsoft Corporation co-founder holds 11.4 percent of Ecolab's stock.

Eric Kaler now leads a school with a $3.7 billion annual budget, 67,000 students, 4,000-plus faculty members, and 15,000 other employees-and he plans to embark on efforts to make the U of M more entrepreneurial.

Google, a new member of the Minnesota High Tech Association, will host a two-day event in St. Paul to help Minnesota businesses set up Web sites and pick up tips about the company's various online

The acquisition of the assets of ProStor Systems aligns with Imation's recent shift to focus on data storage technology.

Dennis Pap, former owner of Parthenon Risk Partners, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for stealing about $1.8 million and depositing it into his own bank account for personal use.

Lunds said that it expects to open its new 20,000-square-foot grocery store and adjacent liquor store in downtown Minneapolis next summer.

The company will soon begin a search for a new CEO as federal investigators probe disclosure issues related to government contract forms.

Surly Brewing Company has hired Minneapolis-based real estate advisory firm Tegra Group-which was involved in several iconic local projects, including the Walker Art Center and Target Field-to help move forward with its $20 million "destination

The electronics retailer has partnered with online game CityVille's developer-Zynga-to allow players to build in-game Best Buy stores.

Linda Tuttle-Olson, who operated a real estate closing company, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for allegedly stealing nearly $1 million from clients' escrow accounts.

Medtronic and NuVasive are reportedly accusing each other of infringing on their respective patents related to products used in surgeries.

The six division winners will present before the grand prize review board on September 8, when the overall winner will be named and awarded an additional $25,000, along with the coveted Minnesota Cup.

McLeod Bancshares, Inc., of Shorewood, received $6 million, and Redwood Financial, Inc., of Redwood Falls, got $6.4 million through the Small Business Lending Fund.

Wells Fargo is accepting applications for a variety of mortgage-related positions at its Twin Cities offices.

The folks behind the growing Artcrank poster show applied their skills to design a new limited edition line of Trek commuter bikes.

Cultivate the art of gamesmanship with a day at a hunting preserve.

Medibotics received a patent for its Motion Recognition Clothing technology, which could create a new type of full-body video game controller. But the product isn't ready for the market, and the company is seeking investments

Job vacancies are up more than 32 percent versus the same period a year ago, but the bulk of openings is for part-time or seasonal work.

A new ordinance requires all Minneapolis businesses to offer recycling.

The retailer reported a 4.1 percent increase in August sales, and plans to hire "thousands" in Canada in the years ahead.

The Star Tribune reports that cost of living in the Twin Cities has been rising this year, while Minnesota remains about 100,000 jobs short of where it was before the recession.

The Bork brothers allegedly orchestrated a $4 million mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded 24 area lenders.

St. Paul-based Luminosities, Inc., which does business as Windflame, was one of nine manufacturers and distributors to recall pourable gel fuels; in an unrelated matter, Manhattan Group, LLC, a Minneapolis-based toy maker, recalled about 3,300

The Minnesota Vikings announced its first partnership in the franchise's history with a hard-liquor company.

Piper Jaffray analyst Peter Keith assumed coverage of Best Buy's stock and cut his firm's rating of Best Buy to "neutral" from "overweight," according to a report by Forbes

Wirth, his ex-wife, and their tax preparer are reportedly accused of funneling money out of The Wirth Companies and using it for personal expenses, including the building of an 18,000-square-foot mansion on Lake Minnetonka.

Irwin Jacobs has sold the consumer goods remarketing portion of his business in a $140 million deal that is expected to close on October 1.

Stacy Bee, owner of a local public relations firm, was cast for a Bollywood film-and the movie is set to make its Minneapolis debut later this month.

The firm also named six new partners-all local wealth managers who came from Lowry Hill and will work out of the new office.

Federal authorities have given permission for engineering work to begin on the downtown Minneapolis-to-Eden Prairie light-rail line and approved a route for the proposed Twin Cities-to-Duluth passenger train.

Urologix said that the deal is expected to bring total revenue up to between $18 million and $20 million for the fiscal year that ends next June; it reported sales of $12.6 million in its

A Tuesday decision by a federal appeals court reportedly reinstated Ritchie Capital Management's previously dismissed lawsuit against two former Petters executives.

The funding will help Emerson Process Management expand its Rosemount division in Minnesota, resulting in the addition of 100 jobs in Eden Prairie.

The Maplewood-based company spun off its security operations into a separate division shortly after the 2001 attacks-and it has since increased its focus on developing comprehensive security systems for the United States and other governments.

By allowing vetted third parties to sell items on its Web site, Best Buy has broadened its online offerings by about a third.

Many of the company's aerospace and defense peers and customers are already located in the Washington, D.C., area-and having more of a presence there will help facilitate international and commercial diversification, according to a spokesman.

Pamela Marie Dellis allegedly defrauded the state of $1.9 million through the creation of more than 200 false tax refunds.

Four former wealth managers at Minneapolis-based asset management firm Lowry Hill have joined Indianapolis-based Oxford Financial Group at its new Minneapolis office.

Eden Prairie-based Supervalu said that it has reached agreements to sell 107 of its 134 fuel centers, and it will continue to look for additional buyers.

A transition to the company's new Web site resulted in some technical difficulties regarding the management of bridal and baby gift registries-and the company is apologizing to affected users and offering a discount on their

Among the appropriation recommendations that President Eric Kaler will make to the Board of Regents are reducing a planned tuition hike and distributing a one-time scholarship for low- and middle-income undergrads.

The first Provisions Bakery Cafe food items are available at a Minneapolis Dunn Brothers coffee shop-and four more locations are set to test the model and offer fresh foods later this fall.

The Minnesota Idea Open selected a concept called "Minnesota FarmWise" as the winner of its recent competition, which asked Minnesotans how they would use $15,000 to help their community become aware of and address water

A dozen of the state's hospitals have won the Minnesota Hospital Association's patient safety awards for implementing measures meant to prevent accidents during surgical procedures and hospital stays.

Great Clips, Tastefully Simple, and Shield Services were included on the SBA 100 list, which features businesses from across the country that created at least 100 jobs after receiving support from the Small Business Administration.

Dorsey & Whitney, Faegre & Benson, Fredrikson & Byron, Gray Plant Mooty, Lindquist & Vennum, and Nilan Johnson Lewis made this year's list based on their work force profile, family-friendly benefits and policies, flexibility, leadership,

The company-whose noninvasive device can identify lethal coronary blockages in less than 20 seconds-beat out more than 1,000 participants before being named this year's grand-prize winner.

The company voluntarily recalled 185,000 pounds of fresh ground turkey that it said could be contaminated with the same dangerous salmonella strain that prompted a ground turkey recall last month.

The event, Robotics Alley, is designed to raise the profile of the Midwest in the global robotics industry.

The advertising agency reversed the traditional request for proposals model by accepting pitches from potential clients-and it has now selected two winners who will together receive roughly $175,000 in free media.

The retailer reportedly sold out of the limited edition Missoni fashion line in local stores shortly after they hit shelves, and the company's Web site was down for at least a portion of Tuesday morning.

A new offering enables business customers on the go to view account balances, transfer funds, approve time-sensitive payments, reset their password, and view check images on their mobile devices.

A recently released report indicates that the hiring outlook for Twin Cities employers may be dimming; meanwhile, the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering is reportedly hosting the largest career fair in its

The local nonprofit, which trains under-employed and unemployed people for placement in long-term jobs, was chosen from a pool of about 900 entries as one of five winners in the "Powering Economic Opportunity: Create a

Seventeen companies have been selected to give seven-minute presentations to attendees of the annual Minnesota Venture & Finance Conference.

Marketing experts told USA Today that that the shopping frenzy taught Target and its competitors a valuable lesson: Even though the economy is still in rough shape, shoppers are in the market for reasonably priced

Dennis DeSender admitted to fraudulently soliciting investors to fund a venture to sell coal-gasification technology to China-and he reportedly implicated a former officer of Bixby Energy Systems in the alleged $60 million scheme.

The state's Attorney General's office has terminated Dorsey & Whitney as Minnesota's chief bond counsel, citing ethical conflicts during the state government shutdown in July, and replaced it with an Omaha law firm.

Later this month, Governor Mark Dayton and representatives from several Minnesota companies and colleges will set out on a trade mission to Minnesota's sixth-largest export market-South Korea.

The Minneapolis mayor's proposed budget includes no property tax hike, but it depends on savings from a pension fund merger-which has now been approved by members of the city's police and fire pension funds.

Proto Labs is offering discounted prototyping and short-run production services to two companies through its "Cool Idea!" program-one product comes from a local company that hopes to change how the life sciences industry stores tissue

The metro area's gross domestic product is the 13th highest in the nation and grew 4.4 percent between 2009 and 2010; that's compared to 2.5 percent average growth for all U.S. metro areas during the

The jobless rate for African Americans in the Twin Cities is reportedly 24 percent compared to just 6 percent for Caucasians, giving the region the widest racial disparity among the unemployed in urban areas throughout

Minnesota's official unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.2 percent in August-in part because a "smoothing out" of data understated the effect of 22,000 laid-off state workers who returned to the job following the state government

Klapmeier, who founded the Duluth-based company in a Wisconsin dairy barn with his brother 25 years ago, replaces Brent Wouters, who is no longer with Cirrus.

The firm's new research Web site is scheduled to launch on September 28 and will allow academics and investment professionals to share their white papers and other research on the hedge fund industry.

Michael Mahoney will assume the role of Boston Scientific president next month, but he can't supervise competing businesses or become CEO until November 2012 because of a non-compete agreement with Johnson & Johnson.

According to the Pioneer Press, some Target.com shoppers got notices indicating that their Missoni orders have been cancelled or their shipments have been delayed and need further approval-despite the fact that they received confirmation of

The Partners in Preservation program has chosen 25 historic sites in the Twin Cities that will compete for a total of $1 million in preservation grants; residents can now vote on which sites will receive

The Pioneer Press reported that the company is enjoying a huge growth spurt this year and that it plans to move its headquarters to Eden Prairie in April to accommodate the growth.

Richard S. Willis replaces former CEO Cary Deacon, who left in April when the board made several bold moves and determined that the company needed a new leader to help grow its revenue.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce said the alleged scheme involved real estate companies, real estate closers, appraisers, mortgage brokers, and numerous buyers and defrauded lenders in the sale of at least 45 properties.

The two organizations said the new contract extends the Target Center naming rights partnership through 2014 and will allow them to gain a better understanding of the potential for future renovations to the arena.

The Minnetonka-based insurer and three other U.S. insurers will reportedly supply data to a newly created nonprofit group that will distribute it to researchers for analysis.