It’s been a long time since Dale Brenke counted the precise number of leaves on each stalk of corn as he did for the research and development staff of Green Giant in Le Sueur, Minnesota; but he seized something almost magical from that summer job in the ‘60s, something hard to beat.
Read More
Chad Surprenant was born to be an engineer, according to his mother, Mary Jo. What he’s doing today as CEO and president of ISG (formerly I+S Group) is engineering the future, not only of the company, but also Greater Mankato.
Read More
2015 Business Person of the Year
According to 54-year-old President/CEO Steve VanRoekel of Mankato-based, $568 million (2014 revenues) Ridley Inc., the business he leads doesn’t manufacture animal feed per se, but more the high-tech nutritional ingredients and supplements that go into making other animal feed better—similar to the way Intel chips make computers manufactured by others faster and better.
Read More
Tania Cordes grew up outside Chicago, where her father was a structural engineer and her mother a volunteer on many boards and for charities. In a telephone interview, 45-year-old Cordes said, “My mother has lots of energy and I have some of that from her, for sure.”
Read MoreOwner Kathy Depuydt manages Bradley’s on Stadium with son, Bradley, opening the bar/restaurant in the former Boomtown location on April 1, 2014
Read More
Pam Breeden, acting general manager of Marco’s Pizza, grew up in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where her mother worked in a dental office and her dad drove truck for Coca-Cola. In a telephone interview, 32-year-old Breeden said, “My dad always said if you’re going to do something, then do it right. He would lead by example. I learned from both my parents to always pay attention to detail and take pride in your work.”
Read More
A long, long time ago, back when people didn’t eat sandwiches, a thoughtful soul named Mike Steindl dreamed of owning four successful Erbert & Gerbert’s sandwich shops, in Mankato, St. Peter, Mankato (again) and North Mankato. Except back then he didn’t know where the shops would be or even what a sandwich was because he and his neighbors ate only asparagus.
Read More
The upper management team, which includes Chief Executive Officer Randy Farrow and Chief Medical Officer and Psychiatrist Dr. Julie Gerndt, began charting about six years ago a much more bottom-up, egalitarian course involving patients and providers rather than one top-down, do-as-you’re-told. Also, The Mankato Clinic Foundation, which receives funding mostly from its owner/physicians, has caringly and quietly donated more than $1 million over the last five years to regional causes.
Read More
“I was always involved in sports and physical fitness,” said 31-year-old Jason Tompkins of Ignition Fitness & Sports, which opened this year. “I started playing soccer at age five and began strength training and fitness in seventh grade. I’ve always liked competition, physically challenging activities, and being on a team.”
Read More