Premier Partners
A lot of factors go into running a successful business: business smarts, organization, the ability to look ahead and prepare for future trends. But beyond the nuts and bolts of every success story, there’s one common denominator: relationships.
Melissa Orthun and her brother Michael Stenzel know something about houses. Their grandfather, Walter, and his brother, Charlie, were prominent home builders in the Mankato area from the 1960s to 1980s…
Jeff Traxler glanced out of the lodge window and his eyes lit up as he saw two young hunters posing with their grandfather outside of the Club House. “Families frequently pose for pictures,” he said, “several generations, each person holding a pheasant.”
If you heard Tim Schwanke’s life story, you would probably sum up his career in one word: evolution. The Springfield auto shop owner entered the automotive industry 36 years ago straight out of college, offering diesel and transmission services to local customers out of an old Oldsmobile dealer shop he rented for $200 a month.
Jennifer Stuvek always knew she wanted to be a doctor, but it was her first job at the Fairbanks Chiropractic Clinic that led her into the field of chiropractic.
Jo Ann Radlinger was an all-conference, high school basketball player in Butternut, Wisconsin, and while finishing a business degree at University of Wisconsin-Superior chose to return home to coach junior varsity basketball.
It was a merry Mankato fest this time around in our annual Business Person of the Year competition. Our Minnesota State University College of Business panel of professors judged CEO/president Steve VanRoekel of Ridley Inc. our Business Person of the Year.
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.
Alex Lamminen has done much in 25 years of life, including being co-owner and general manager the last few months of the new Dork Den in New Ulm.
