As Steve Kibble looks back over the last 27 years, he’s still not sure just exactly what happened. When he graduated with a business marketing and management degree from MSU Mankato he had no intention of getting involved in the family business, Mankato Implement. His dad had owned the local John Deere dealership since 1973, so Steve grew up watching his father navigate the highs and lows of the business.
Nearly everyone can remember the excitement of going to eat at McDonald’s as a kid: the bright yellow-and-red interior, the colorful indoor playground, the Happy Meal (and, most importantly, the toy that came with it). It was a special treat, a place to celebrate a birthday or a good report card.
The Wisconsin native first discovered his love for team dynamics in high school, playing on the football team. He pursued that passion into college, playing as the tight-end on the college football team for four years even though his school didn’t offer football scholarships. After he graduated, he looked for a job that could offer him that same team spirit, and he found it in a rather surprising place: Walmart.
Business Person of the Year 2016
The 1800s were a century of great discovery, exploration, resourcefulness and achievement. Millions of immigrants arrived in America, drawn by the country’s promise of equality and freedom. While some settled in established cities along the East Coast, others braved untamed wilderness as they pushed farther west into states such as Wisconsin, Indiana—and Minnesota.
You could say that New Ulm brothers Jace, Kyle and Franz Marti have beer in their blood. After all, they’re the sixth generation of the August Schell Brewing Company—a family-owned business that stretches back to 1860.
Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland. These were some of some of the elusive “triple threats” of the Hollywood Golden Age, leaving a legacy thanks to their equally impressive acting, dancing and singing skills. While you won’t see her on the big screen, Nicole Griensewic Mickelson is another “triple threat.” For her, it’s the experience she brings to the table from her time in the private, the nonprofit and the public sectors.
