WELCOME TO
2021
April 30, 2021
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This guide has the information help you taste, touch, see and hear all the excitement that Annual Celebration has to offer. Use the timeline at the bottom of the page to follow along all night long, as you watch live at https://z.umn.edu/AC2021Livestream Alumni Makers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Made Possible By. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 UMAA Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Alumni Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Giving Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Pivoting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Advocating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Maroon & Gold Rewards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Take Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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Thank you for taking part in Annual Celebration 2021! Normally, our Alumni Association (UMAA) staff would be buzzing around McNamara Alumni Center doing sound checks on stage, helping alumni small business owners set up displays, greeting speakers, and checking in with the caterer before welcoming guests to the UMAA’s 117th Annual Celebration. While this year’s event may look a little different, one thing remains true: University of Minnesota alumni share an unshakable bond and the desire to make a difference for students, alumni, and the University of Minnesota. And, as it has for 117 years, the Alumni Association is here to walk alongside them during every step of that journey. In a year where little felt “normal,” we know that our alumni community still shone brightly. This year’s Annual Celebration is centered around celebrating the success and innovation of our alumni community. By attending Annual Celebration, you are supporting alumni-owned businesses. Take a moment to read about each of the alumni who made this event possible and enjoy their incredible products, many of which are available in the MN Alumni Market. Our hope is that Annual Celebration inspires you and makes you proud to be one of more than 496,000 alumni of the Twin Cities and Rochester campuses, spanning five generations, six continents, and 165 countries. I’m grateful for you, and for all of our members and donors who support the work we do for our alumni community. Enjoy this event and we look forward to seeing you in person soon! Warm regards,
President & CEO University of Minnesota Alumni Association
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Meet the Alumni Makers
Spencer Johnson B.F.A ’11 (UMD School of Fine Arts)
Spencer Johnson sketched his initial designs for Sota Clothing as part of a class project while pursuing his graphic design degree at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. While the objective was to create a fictional brand, Spencer took it as an opportunity to create clean, finely designed Minnesota apparel he felt was lacking for our state. After creating the logo and graphics and receiving a great deal of support from his classmates, he decided to press on and make Sota Clothing a reality. Sota Clothing’s Midtown Market bag is featured in your event box.
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Charlie Nelson B.S. ’95 (College of Education and Human Development)
Charlie attended the University of Minnesota on a baseball scholarship and graduated in 1995. After playing baseball professionally for 5 years, Charlie worked for the Minnesota Vikings and Merrill Lynch before joining KLN Corporation, becoming the 3rd generation to carry on the family business. Marketed today under KLN Family Brands, the two companies – Tuffy’s Pet Foods and Kenny’s Candy & Confections – employ over 650 people in Perham, Minnesota. As President of KLN Family Brands, Charlie works closely with the sales and marketing teams, focusing on growing the branded side of the businesses. His vision, integrity and inspiration continue to guide KLN Family Brands as one of the premier pet food and candy manufacturers in the nation. Wiley Wallaby’s gourmet liquorice is featured in your event box.
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Jesse Abelson B.S. ‘17 ( College of Food, Agricultural & Natural Resource Sciences) B.S. ’17 (College of Biological Sciences)
Brie LaPlante B.S.B. ’19 (Carlson School of Management)
Dalton Schutte B.A. ’17 (College of Liberal Arts)
Vetiver Solutions is a small Minnesota-based company working to grow a poverty-free Haiti, starting at the root. The company was founded by Jesse Abelson, Leeore Levinstein, and Dalton Schutte after participating in a public health Grand Challenge Course during undergrad. Since then, the team has grown their partnership with Haitian farmers to develop sustainable agricultural practices that protect the environment while creating new income opportunities in their communities. In collaboration with farmers in the village of Moreau, Vetiver Solutions sources honey, beeswax, and vetiver grass for their natural products—all of which are farmer-led initiatives to prevent soil erosion and lessen the effects of deforestation in their mountainous rural region. Headquartered in St. Louis Park, MN, the company has been selling bee products in the U.S. since 2019 to support their partner farmers. Bee Good Do Good’s Lotion Bar and Lip Balm are featured in your event box.
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Mark Jessen B.A. ’86 (College of Liberal Arts)
Mark is the current owner of Jessen Press, a fullservice print, mail, display and fulfillment shop in St. Louis Park, MN. In addition, Mark is co-founder of Jessen Media, a conglomerate of e-commerce stores, including Map Your Travels, which creates framed maps and posters. Mark stays connected to the University by serving on the Alumni Association and Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory boards and by attending as many home football and basketball games as possible. Jessen Media’s Goldy Toe socks are featured in your event box.
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Corey Kopacek B.S.B. ’98 (Carlson School of Management)
Corey is the founder of Synergy Imports, a Minnesota-based company specializing in providing custom branded products and apparel to colleges and universities nationwide. His company provides many of the gameday premiums you receive when attending Gopher events. He started his professional career working for the University of Minnesota Athletics Department and has continued to work with collegiate institutions ever since. Corey remains a passionate Gopher fan and is looking forward to the men’s basketball team returning to the Final Four so he can don his custom-made Gopher hard hat once again. Synergy Import’s Goldy Stone Coasters are featured in your event box.
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Kris Kowalski Christiansen M.B.A. ’98 (Carlson School of Management)
Kris is chief operating officer of Kowalski Companies, an upscale supermarket chain with 10 stores in the Twin Cities metro area. Kris knows a thing or two about the grocery business, having grown up in her family’s stores. She has been a key part of Kowalski’s Markets since its inception in 1983. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas and then received her master’s in Business Administration from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. After more than two decades of training and education, she earned the position of Chief Operating Officer and has since moved into the role of Chief Executive Officer. Kris is responsible for Kowalski’s stores and company operations and always keeps one eye on daily operations and the other on future company goals and needs. Kowalski’s snack bars are featured in your event box.
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Thank you
to our sponsors Events like Annual Celebration are possible because of your support!
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Together we thrive. TCF is proud to be the official bank of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. Building strong communities is the cornerstone of what we do. Because lifting one of us elevates us all.
See what we can do together at tcfbank.com
©2021 TCF National Bank. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.
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Board of Directors Chair
Mark Jessen (B.A. ’86)
Chair-Elect
Scott Wallace (B.S.B. ’80)
Treasurer
Ann Sheldon (B.M.E. ’88)
Secretary
Pat Duncanson (B.A. ’83)
Past Chair
Laura Moret (B.A. ’76, M.B.A. ’81)
President and CEO
Lisa Lewis
Board Members Mary Bany (B.S. ’91)
Akira Nakamura (M.B.A. ’92)
Eric Brotten (B.S. ’03, B.A. ’03)
Emilia Ndely (B.A. ’11)
Michael Clausman (B.A. ’99)
Peyton N. Owens, III (B.A. ’00)
Carol Johnson Dean (M.A. ’80, Ed.D ’97)
Scott Petty (M.A. ’15)
Chad Haldeman (B.A. ’08)
Roger Reinert (B.S. ’93)
Nadia Hasan (B.A. ’02, J.D. ’06)
Jason Rohloff (B.A. ’94)
Maureen Kostial (B.S. ’71)
Kathleen Schmidlkofer (M.B.A. ’97)
Amy Ma
Betsy Vohs (M.Arch ’04)
Colleen Manchester
Tony Wagner (B.S.B ’96)
Peter Martin (B.A. ’00)
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Mark Jessen (B.A. ’86) FY21 Alumni Association Board of Directors Chair
Mark is the owner of Jessen Co., a full-service print, mail, display and fulfillment company in St. Louis Park. In addition, Mark is co-founder of Jessen Media, a conglomerate of e-commerce stores, including Map Your Travels, which creates framed maps and posters. He is also part owner of University Gear, which creates high-quality collegiate apparel and products. Mark has served on several Boards and is past Chair of the Printing Industry of the Midwest and the Minnesota Family Business Council and also served 8 years on the Board of the local non-profit Open Arms. Mark stays connected to the University by serving on the Alumni Association Board and by attending home football and basketball games.Mark and his wife, Peggy, have three children: Henry (UMD ’18), Kelly (U of M ’20 and currently in the Masters of Education Program) and Luke (Sophomore at the U of M).
Scott Wallace (B.S.B. ’80) FY22 Alumni Association Board of Directors Chair
Scott Wallace is a Senior Director at the business and technology consulting firm, eCapital Advisors, specializing in business process and technology transformation. He is retired from Deloitte Consulting where he was a Managing Director leading business transformation projects at Fortune 500 companies focused on process and technology improvement in the areas of business planning, budgeting & forecasting, customer & product profitability, and data analytics. He is a graduate of the Carlson School of Management. Wallace serves on the Advisory Council of Feed My Starving Children and joined the Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2015. He has been married for over 47 years to Kathy and they have three children, all graduates of the University of Minnesota. They enjoy their time walking, biking and golfing when they aren’t with their two grandchildren who are already huge Gopher fans.
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Giving Back
Corey Kopacek B.S.B. ’98 (Carlson School of Management)
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orey arrived on campus at the University of Minnesota with the goal of getting a degree and leaving with a job. While he is grateful that it helped him accomplish that goal, he credits the University with giving him so much more than a degree. During his time at the University, Corey found a community of friends and co-workers; it gave him the opportunity to meet new people and try new things. Ultimately, his on-campus experiences were instrumental in laying the foundation for his professional career. As the owner of Synergy Imports, a company that produces branded merchandise, Corey is always ready, willing and eager to help when the University of Minnesota comes calling. From producing the 50,000 gold rally towels that were given away at the 2019 Gopher Football victory over #4 Penn State, to partnering with the UMAA to help fight the pandemic by designing and producing face masks, Corey strives to give back to the Gopher community in whatever way he can. With the support of so many Gopher alumni and friends, the UMAA donated more than 25,000 masks through its popular “buy 1, give 1” face mask program. And for Corey, the reward of giving back to two groups who have helped him so much along the way—Gopher Athletics and the UMAA—is priceless.
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Pivoting
Lee Wallace M.P.P ‘05 (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)
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ee Wallace is the owner and Queen Bean of Peace Coffee, a company on a mission to craft a delicious coffee experience with communities around the globe. A rare CEO whose area of expertise resides in, in her words, “that intersection between mission and money,” she is a sought-after writer and speaker as well as a recognized leader and expert in multiple fields: social enterprise businesses, fair trade enterprises, and specialty coffee importers. Lee sits on the Research Advisory Council for the Specialty Coffee Association, and holds active leadership roles in the Climate Collaborative, and the B Corps movement. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to new places, puttering around in her garden and hanging out with her dogs Ruby and Felix. Based in the heart of Minneapolis, Peace Coffee has been proudly roasting, pedaling and brewing outstanding coffee since 1996. Under Lee’s leadership the company has garnered local, national and international recognition – from being named one of the 10 Most Sustainable Coffee Businesses in the U.S. by Civil Eats, to earning the Best Coffee Roaster title by Minnesota Monthly and The Growler magazines, to being recognized as one of the top places to work by Minnesota Business Magazine. The company has also been honored with list placements on Best for the World, Community, B Corp, 2018 and 2019; Ten Most Sustainable U.S. Coffee Businesses; and Most Ethical Coffee Companies, Fair World Project. In 2020 Lee was recognized by the Humphrey School as a recipient of the University of Minnesota’s Outstanding Achievement Award, the highest award the University presents to alumni.
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Advocating
Myah Walker B.S. ‘10 (College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences) M.P.H ‘14 (School of Public Health)
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yah Walker was born and raised in Minnesota. As a two-time alumna, receiving her Bachelors of Science in Animal Science and her Master in Public Health from the University of Minnesota, Myah uniquely combines her educational background to pursue a career in food safety. As a quality manager for Sparboe Farms, a shell egg company based in Litchfield, MN, Myah oversees her company’s food safety and quality programs from farm to table. This includes performing internal audits at the farm level in Minnesota, Iowa and Colorado. “She loves sharing her journey to becoming a “city girl gone ag,” especially when encouraging our youth to think outside of the box in regards to their future.” When Myah is not auditing farms, she can be found volunteering across the University, including previously serving as a member of the UMAA Board of Directors. She can also be found volunteering at Creative Church as the director of guest service or wearing her businesswoman hat. Although 2020 was a challenging year, Myah used the quarantine time to refocus on her passions. As a result, she and her business partner launched their company Fronsoe-Walker Diversified (FWD) by launching a photography business and purchasing their first property, the Quail House, a future fellowship home for young ladies entering adulthood.
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Raise Your Voice A
lumni have a unique voice to share the impact of the University of Minnesota on their education, career, and life. As alumni, your voice is powerful and you can use your story and expertise to make an immense and targeted impact for the U of M. Join Myah and the other members of Minnesota 201, the UMAA’s alumni advocacy network, to help strengthen the U of M’s relationship with the 201 legislators that represent districts across the State of Minnesota.
Visit UMNAlumni.org/mn201 for more information.
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Activate these offers and over 30 more at UMNAlumni.org/benefits. Not a member? Join at UMNAlumni.org/join to get access.
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Take Action
Thomas Swain B.S.B ‘42 (Carlson School of Management)
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homas H. Swain earned his bachelor’s degree in Business and Accounting from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota in 1942. Without a doubt he is considered one of our most eminent public servants. He has served as chief of staff to Governor Elmer Andersen; as chair of state commissions; as director or board chair for nonprofit cultural and human services organizations; and as an exemplary executive at St. Paul Companies and State Fund Mutual Insurance. In his current role as Mayor of Lilydale, he developed the first long-term community development plan in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. He is also an impassioned supporter of higher education and the University of Minnesota. He is the recipient of the National Governors Association Award, the University of Minnesota Alumni Service Award, the honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Minnesota, and the David W. Preus Leadership Award. In 1998, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine recognized him in its “Volunteer Hall of Fame.” He has been honored by friends through the establishment of the Thomas H. Swain Fellowship in Public Leadership in the Executive Master in Public Affairs Program at the Humphrey Institute. One person wrote, “Tom Swain is a great Minnesotan who has served his entire career with distinction. His strong ethical and moral leadership have made this a better state. His example has been a beacon for us all.”
In honor of Tom’s 100th birthday, visit UMNAlumni.org/Swain100 to learn how you can make a difference for the environment and protect our planet!
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