Eric Kaler has broken new ground in working with corporate partners to land funding for the U of M, such as September’s announcement that Land O’Lakes Inc. would donate $25
Hopefuls
Al Franken has gone serious on Minnesotans since becoming a politician. In his first term, Franken wrestled with premium policies in the Affordable Care Act and privacy issues in the
As the new president of the Northland Foundation, based in Duluth, Tony Sertich is marshaling philanthropic resources to strengthen the northeastern Minnesota economy and social fabric. But he didn’t rise
Zarir Erani replaced CEO John Fredricksen at Sun Country this summer. Little is known about the former Hallmark Business Connections executive, including the rationale for his hiring and Fredericksen’s move
Robert (Bob) I. Bonar had some big shoes to fill when he took over Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota from the retiring Alan Goldbloom last year. Goldbloom’s success at
This prodigious minor league slugger turned Twins cleanup hitter garnered Rookie of the Year votes from around the league—a remarkable feat considering he played only half the regular season. With
Ninan Chacko should have no trouble marketing Plymouth-based Travel Leaders Group, a $20 billion privately owned travel agent franchisor. For the six years prior to taking the helm in 2015,
While no one was paying attention, Minneapolis-based Ability Network has become big business: a large health IT company that processes Medicare payments for health care providers. The privately held firm,
When Michael Rousseau takes over as CEO of St. Jude Medical in January, the hope is he’ll provide a smooth transition from longtime CEO Daniel Starks. That seems likely given
Resnik’s two-year tenure at the iconic south Minneapolis co-op does not qualify him as a newbie, but the former General Mills exec has used his short time at the member-owned
After Joe Dowling’s 20-year run as artistic director, the Guthrie got new leadership over the summer from Joseph Haj. With extensive acting and directing credentials, Haj’s early choices for stage
The IRRRB distributes much of the iron ore production tax revenue paid by northern Minnesota mines, with an eye toward diversifying the Iron Range economy. It’s a state agency, but
Joe Nayquonabe’s job is to think outside the casino. As the head of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, he’s looking for investments for the Mille Lacs Band. In addition to Grand
The former Clear Channel Twin Cities operation has vastly slimmed down from its heyday, due to massive cost-cutting brought on by the company’s staggering debt loads, but the broadcaster remains
If Minneapolis has a cheerleader, it’s almost certainly Jacob Frey. The attorney/professional runner-turned-freshman councilmember of the Third Ward—the city’s fastest-growing area, which includes part of downtown, the North Loop, and
With the perfect surname for a Minnesota leader (though he’s actually a native South Dakotan), Doug Loon was named the Minnesota Chamber’s president in September, succeeding the late David Olson,
This International Falls native had a quick rise through the ranks of Minnesota’s third-largest bank. Following stints as TCF’s EVP of commercial banking and CEO of TCF Equipment Finance, Craig
Former Star Tribune publisher Joel Kramer, his wife, Laurie, and three other couples launched MinnPost with personal contributions totaling $850,000. Now its board is hoping that Andrew Wallmeyer, the first