Hot Startz!

Hot Startz!
Daniel Vance

Autotronics, A to Z Lock & Key, The Design Element

While growing up on a farm near Harmony, Arvin Vander Plas was driving tractors at age 6 and rebuilding a John Deere 40 at age 10.
Jon Bregel first became interested in locksmithing while growing up in Fairmont. “My friend’s father owned a lock and key business.”
When age 12, Margo Weyhe was telling people she wanted to grow up to be an interior decorator. “I was always the one decorating the Christmas tree, rearranging furniture, moving knick-knacks, and drawing.”

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Hot Startz!
Daniel Vance

Cornerstone Pizza & Pasta, Body Healing By Suzanne Kral, Prairie’s Edge Landscapes

Jim Weber and Joe Leinpz opened Cornerstone Pizza & Pasta at 2 East Minnesota in March.
After graduating from Sleepy Eye Public in 1979, Suzanne Kral first worked in the Army National Guard doing office work, then as a nurse’s aide, a daycare owner, and finally seven years ago as a nurse’s aide again.
For three years, Andy Budahn and Matt Furth (son of former AMPI executive Mark Furth) worked side-by-side in the Twin Cities. In April 2010, the two began Prairie’s Edge Landscapes in New Ulm.

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Hot Startz!
Daniel Vance

Renew Skin & Laser Center, Jessica Barnett Chiropractic, The Friendly Confines Cheese Shoppe

Fairmont: Renew Skin & Laser Center – “I’m from Michigan, and we moved here in 1990, when (my husband) Cory and I moved here for his orthopedic practice,” said 49-year-old Rene Welchlin in a telephone interview.

Mankato: Jessica Barnett Chiropractic & Acupuncture Clinic – “I was born and raised in Mankato, and went to Loyola High School,” said 29-year-old Jessica Barnett in a Connect Business Magazine telephone interview.

Le Sueur: The Friendly Confines Cheese Shoppe – Kirk Litynski grew up in St. Peter as a classmate of Jon Davis, part of the Davis family owning Davisco Foods International. This last August, Davis hired his long-time friend to launch and manage The Friendly Confines Cheese Shoppe at 719 North Main

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Hot Startz!
Daniel Vance

Critical Fuel Technology, Mankato Clinic Infusion Center, North Central International

Madison Lake: Critical Fuel Technoly – When leaving in 2008 as vice president of manufacturing, Terry Treanor had 14 years in at Winland Electronics in Mankato.

Mankato: Mankato Clinic Infusion Center – On April 20, 2009, Mankato Clinic’s Oncology, Hematology, and Infusion Center opened in the lower level of Mankato Clinic at 1230 Main Street in Mankato.

New Ulm: North Central International – At one time, Tom and Dave Fox were the sole owners of Fox Brothers of Sanborn, retailing and servicing medium and heavy trucks in Sanborn, Minnesota.

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Hot Startz!
Daniel Vance

Railway Bar & Grill, The Splendid Nest, European Antiques

Sleepy Eye: Railway Bar & Grill – Dan and Sue Helget had their open house for Railway Bar & Grill at 300 First Avenue North about a year ago.

New Ulm: The Splendid Nest – Kathleen Connell recently opened The Splendid Nest at 210 North Minnesota in the former Grand Hotel.

New Ulm: European Antiques – Aini Isaksson was born in Hosko, Finland, and early on with her parents moved to Sweden. In time, she owned a cleaning business there.

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Hot Startz!
Daniel Vance

KOSA, Office Space Design, Pheasant’s Ridge

Le Sueur: KOSA, Inc. – Sandra and Jorge Brenes have turned love into a full-time business teaching Spanish.

Mankato: Office Space Design – “I found there wasn’t really anyone competing here in office furniture and design, so I developed my own business plan.”

St. Peter: Pheasant’s Ridge Memory Care Center – “We realized there was a need for assisted living for seniors in St. Peter. From there, we opened a building with 16 assisted-living units three years ago.”

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Hot Startz!
Daniel Vance

Ad Mfg., ABC Office Supplies, Bendura

Fairmont: AdMfg. – Owner Ruth Theobald founded AdMfg Inc. on January 1. Her career path has taken many twists and turns, yet seems a perfect background for her current venture.

Le Center: ABC Office Supplies – 37-year-old Brad Arndt was homegrown, graduated from Le Center High, and majored in multi-housing management at college.

St. Peter: Bendura – When starting injection molding company Rolco in 1980, Vern Olson also had a “rep company” called Olson Sales LLC.

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