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Feelings in Mary Jeanne Jernberg of ardent admiration for her husband bubbled up and out like artesian well water. In our Connect Business Magazine interview, she spoke of her “best friend” and “companion” and how their separate business careers had been set afire by mutual support. In kind, husband Gary framed his wife and himself as “absolutely best friends” who were “so much in love with each other.”
“Business has always been a passion of mine,” said 28-year-old Kristi Corchran.
Historically, summer has been a slow season for Mankato retailers. Thousands of college students have gone home and many permanent residents are out vacationing. The rest of our reading area doesn’t see such a decline.
The year 1994 was the worst and best of times in the life of Jeff Flood, owner of Calendar Specialists of Minnesota and Sportsman’s Specialties, both operating from his rural North Mankato home.
This offbeat issue features four ridiculously successful businesspeople doing a great deal of business outside our nine-county Connect Business Magazine reading area, even nationally and internationally. Yet they all chose our area for their home—or business home.
Spring in Minnesota usually translates to higher taxes in some form or another because of politicians of both parties doing their part to nurture and grow state government anew. It’s an annual rite. Our legislator/gardeners really do seem to enjoy watering and fertilizing and planting.
The businesspeople featured this issue each have more than four decades of solid experience in their respective industries.
After retiring later this year as CEO of 185-employee, St. Peter-headquartered River’s Edge Hospital & Clinic, 62-year-old Colleen Spike most probably will reside in St. Peter and become more active in community life as a volunteer. In part, she will drive elderly residents to physician appointments. Hers will be a humble grand finale to an eventful 16-year work career here.
Amber Pietan’s Eagle Lake family used to take annual driving trips out West. She said in a Connect Business Magazine telephone interview, “We’d stay at KOA campgrounds and dad would make coffee and toast around the campfire. I have really good memories of traveling.”
