Beyond the Skyline: Recent Episodes
Finance & Commerce
Beyond the Skyline is a podcast from Finance & Commerce newspaper about economic development, commercial real estate and construction in Minnesota. Above all, it’s a show about what’s next, creativity and the innovation in technology that are changing how we work and shaping the future of business throughout Minnesota.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Chris Duininck talks about the company’s history, his various roles in the business, and the opportunities and challenges in the industry.
C reporter Dan Netter. Jacobs talks about her career, her time getting her master’s degree in urban and regional planning, as well as what types of projects she would like to take up in the future.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Anfang talks about his plans for retirement, MNCAR’s evolution, the rise of young women in real estate, and the challenges and opportunities for the industry in the coming years.
C reporter Dan Netter. Forcier talks about development in Duluth, misconceptions about doing business in Duluth and what some cities could do to make themselves more friendly to development.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Worke, who recently announced his retirement, reflects on his long run with AGC-Minnesota, changes in the construction industry in the past two decades and more.
C reporter Dan Netter. Budish talks about developing the company and discusses its future as a developer and acquirer of industrial property.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Milman talks about his company’s project in Faribault, advanced cooling technologies for data centers, potential benefits to the community, and the regulatory process, among other topics.
C reporter Dan Netter. Wilhelm talks about Fountain’s founding, its partnership with Midloch Investment Partners and his advice for starting a new company.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Hoffman talks in depth about data center project impacts, the environmental review process for proposed hyperscale data centers and other topics.
C reporter Dan Netter. Russ talks about the transition from her position at the nonprofit Aeon and where she intends to take the Shenehon Center.
C reporter Brian Johnson about the 2026 legislative session, taking a deep dive on topics that include bonding, investments in housing and water infrastructure, and tax policy.
C reporter Dan Netter. Schefcik talks about the recent uptick in activity happening in the Twin Cities retail market.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Arnold talks about the latest construction safety trends, the growing emphasis on mental health in the industry, and the role of technology in safety, among other topics.
C reporter Dan Netter. Camp talks about current market challenges for architecture firms, what her day-to-day work tends to look like and why she finds the Twin Cities Housing Alliance valuable.
C reporter Dan Netter. Johnson talks about his first year as planning manager, as well as the planning commission and staff’s approach to policy and the city’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Mullins talks about the multifamily market’s post-COVID challenges, the importance of relationships in real estate, and the ongoing affordable housing crisis.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Robinson talks about Aeon’s mission, her background in multifamily real estate, and her decision to go into the affordable housing field.
C reporter Dan Netter. Hauge and Zarik talk about the impact that Operation Metro Surge has had on their work, touching on topics like rent assistance, pre-eviction notices and where the Twin Cities goes from here.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Batheja talks about the importance of integrating health care and housing, listening to community needs and fostering collaborative partnerships.
C reporter Dan Netter. Peris talks about his transition from building communities to selling them with JLL, as well as offering his thoughts on the state of the market.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Peterson talks about Kraus-Anderson’s Advisory Services – Missional Critical platform, the future of data center development, and other topics.
Peterson’s succession planning process, AP’s workload throughout the country, and keys to success in the company’s 80-year run, among other topics.
C reporter Dan Netter. Ruehl talks about why Enclave is jumping into the investment game, what the company is looking for in new properties, as well as his own career.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Donovan talks about his job duties with Forte, his experience in site selection and transaction management, and the outlook for the office-industrial market.
C reporter Dan Netter. Baron talks about the new firm, its goals and what challenges he anticipates for Stack Industrial in its first year.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Wyffels talks about her new duties as president, the company’s projected workload in 2026, the struggle to attract workers in the industry, and the importance of “pivoting and adapting” to ensure the firm’s success.
C reporter Dan Netter. Ho talks about her priorities for 2026 as well as federal uncertainty as it relates to housing funding and the increased presence of federal immigration officers in the Twin Cities.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Erickson talks about wrapping up his long career in commercial real estate, the downtown Minneapolis office market, and his experience with properties such as Butler Square and the TractorWorks building.
C reporter Dan Netter. Smith discusses the Twin Cities industrial market in 2025 and where he thinks it’s headline in 2026.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Palma talks about her background in urban design and architecture, affordable housing challenges and other topics.
C reporter Dan Netter. Starling and Horowitz discuss the work from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis’ community development team on housing and commercial real estate.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Rentmeester oversees the busy K-12 Education Group at Kraus-Anderson. He talks about his experience working on school projects and the outlook for K-12 construction in 2026.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Verbrugge talks about Catholic Charities Twin Cities’ mission, his prior experience as city manager in Bloomington and the challenge of creating affordable housing.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Hofstede discusses her career journey, her new job duties, and challenges and opportunities in the local industrial market.
C reporter Dan Netter. Jiovanazzo discusses his role in the CBRE office, his leadership style and how the retail and office markets are doing.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Lau takes a deep dive into the changing landscape of the U.S. Department of Transportation‘s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, which was established in part to ensure “nondiscrimination in the award and administration of DOT-assisted contracts.”
C reporter Dan Netter. Hansen talks about the Way Home report as well as what the city is looking to do to encourage development.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Hayes Gordon talks about her role in the Science + Technology Market Sector, the outlook for the science and technology sector, and what inspired her to become an architect.
C reporter Dan Netter. O’Brien discusses why he made the switch to Colliers, the transition so far and the state of Normandale Lake.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Weiss talks about the company’s growth, the outlook for infrastructure projects in the Twin Cities and beyond, and other topics.
C reporter Dan Netter. Schmidt discusses the nonprofit’s decision to sell several properties and the move to a mix of in-house property management and contracted management.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Neumann talks about the decision to get into residential development and the status of the new Elwell Farms development.
C reporter Dan Netter. Doran talks about the Olinia active adult housing brand, where the company goes next, and how his leadership style differs from the firm’s previous CEO, the late Kelly Doran.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Meschke and Badke break down the results of a recent St. Croix County housing study, crunch some of the numbers, and talk about opportunities and challenges in the St. Croix County housing market.
C reporter Dan Netter. They talk about their collaboration, the strategic partnership with Oppidan and what the future holds for Water Street.
C reporter Brian Johnson. McCarthy talks about his expanded role with United Properties and the current state of the Twin Cities industrial market, among other topics.
C reporter Dan Netter. Hutmacher talks about her work with the city and its multiple redevelopment sites.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Ingolfsland talks about how AI and automation are changing the way projects are delivered, the growing importance of cybersecurity, and the future of work in the architecture, engineering and construction industry.
C reporter Dan Netter. Vos, who is also a member of the Minneapolis Downtown Council Board of Directors, talks about the transition to Savills, the importance of downtown and how volunteering impacts his work.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Shifflett and Parrino discuss the company’s role in building the new state-of-the-art aquatic center for St. Thomas Academy and Visitation school, project challenges, and other focus areas for Opus.
C reporter Dan Netter. Trevena talks about the office and health care leasing market and about her work as a Chanhassen planning commissioner.
C reporter Dan Netter. Sage-Martinson talks about past work and his new role with the nonprofit.
C reporter Dan Netter. Higgins talks about his role, the group’s recent acquisition of the bank note for the Alliance Bank Center and how the DDC is meant to help St. Paul grow.
C reporter Brian Johnson. McLean discusses the Northside Forward program, NEON’s mission and other topics.
C reporter Brian Johnson. Lawal discusses his journey in the architecture profession and some past and current projects.
Devon Dvorak, an associate vice president at Colliers, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Dvorak talks about his first year at Colliers, what the exurban market looks like and gives some advice for people looking to break into the industry.
Heidi Addo, vice president at Michel Commercial Real Estate, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Addo talk about her career, the commercial real estate market and what it’s like to work in the family business.
Tina Hoye, recently retired president of NTH, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Hoye talks about her commercial real estate journey, her decision to retire, and efforts to attract more women to the industry, among other topics.
Thomas Hertzog, founder and principal of Good Neighbor Homes, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Hertzog talks about his company’s condo project in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis and the impacts of tariffs and other macroeconomic forces on the local residential construction market.
Maureen Michalski, Ryan Cos. new regional senior vice president of development, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Michalski talks about her career, promotion, tariffs and the recent relaxation of rent control in St. Paul.
Audra Williams, the new general counsel at Kraus-Anderson, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Williams discusses current construction legal challenges such as tariff-induced price escalation, independent contractor classification changes, and crisis communication policies.
Madi Goodrich, principal and director of interior design at DJR talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Goodrich discusses the intersection of interior design and architecture and talks through some of her favorite recent projects.
Stephen Todd, owner of The Energy Guy energy consulting firm, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Todd shares insights related to energy benchmarking.
Dan Collison, senior director of business development and public affairs at Sherman Associates talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Collison discusses his career before coming to Sherman Associates, his beliefs about human flourishing and his job responsibilities.
David Grandstaff, president of Midwest and Southwest for Adolfson & Peterson, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Grandstaff talks about his new role with AP, opportunities and challenges in the construction economy as a whole and more.
Luke Grundman, litigation director at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Grundman talks about Legal Aid’s work on fair housing and the current uncertainty surrounding Housing and Urban Development grants.
Taylor Boileau, co-founder of The Blueprint for Change, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson about her organization’s dedication to making construction jobsites safe, respectful and harassment-free for all workers.
Trevor Martinez, Midwest market lead for DevCo, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Martinez discusses DevCo, his move back into affordable housing development and talks about his side gig as a teacher.
Colette Holt, founder of Colette Holt & Associates, which provides legal counsel and consulting services, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Holt discusses the future of DBE programs in Minnesota and how under-represented businesses can protect their interests.
Tyler Schipper, an associate professor of economics at the University of St. Thomas, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Schipper talks about the economic impact of tariffs on the construction industry and the broader economy.
Jonathan Curry, executive director of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Curry talks about attracting and retaining works as well as inspiring future generations of engineers.
Zak Yudhishthu, the writer of the ‘Penciling Out’ newsletter, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter about land use and housing policy in the Twin Cities.
Gwe Gasco, program coordinator at 8th Fire Solar, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Gasco talks about his company, the marriage of solar thermal and hempcrete on a recent Lower Sioux project and his outlook for energy-friendly projects in 2025.
Jon Ruzicka, a first vice president at Marcus & Millichap, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Ruzicka talks about how selling hotels is really like selling a business and what advice he has for people looking to switch careers into brokerage.
Drew Johnson, Oppidan Investment Co.’s senior vice president of development in the Midwest Region, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Drew Johnson talks about data center development in the Twin Cities and beyond.
Lisa Christianson, a senior vice president at Colliers, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter about the transition from owning her own firm to joining Colliers, what advice she has for people looking to start their own business, and some predictions for where she thinks the market is going in 2025.
Nick Erickson, senior director of housing policy at Housing First Minnesota, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Erickson talks about Housing First Minnesota’s legislative agenda and how he got into the homebuilder advocacy business.
State Rep. Esther Agbaje talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter about housing policy and the Minnesota Legislature.
Tim Worke, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Worke discusses opportunities and challenges in the construction industry and previews the 2025 Minnesota Construction Summit.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter about the mayor’s plan for downtown Minneapolis, how it works in tandem with other plans put forward by groups and talks about his favorite Bob Dylan songs.
Dan Lindh, CEO of Presbyterian Homes & Services, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Lindh talks about his long career with Presbyterian Homes & Services, the changes he has seen in the senior housing industry, his retirement plans and more.
Tina Gassman, president of Greater St. Paul BOMA talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Gassman discusses the concerns of building owners in the capital city and breathing life into its downtown.
St. David’s Center CEO Julie Sjordal talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Sjordal talks about the downtown Minneapolis YWCA acquisition and remodel, how the sale came together and why it was more complicated than a typical real estate transaction.
Chris LaTondresse, CEO of Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. LaTondresse discusses his first year on the job, his aims for the future of Beacon and how he thinks more affordable housing can be built.
Julie Sommese of PACE Equity talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Sommese discusses the growth of C-PACE lending in Minnesota and some of the projects she has assisted in the Twin Cities and beyond.
Interview: Rick Martagon, executive director, Building Strong Communities by Finance & Commerce
Shaun Hainey, the program manager for Northland Connection at Northspan, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Hainey talks about community and business development, his previous career and what he finds compelling about his work.
Ann Duginske Cibulka, Ryan Company’s vice president for real estate development in health care, talks to Finance & Commerce reporter Dan Netter. Duginske Cibulka talks about her work at Ryan, how health care development does and does not obey the whims of the market and highlights why she thinks health care systems might want to start thinking differently about where they provide outpatient services.
Michael Grage, associate principal, and Troy Malmstrom, associate principal and director of computational design & fabrication, at architecture firm GBBN talk to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Grage and Malmstrom talk about how their company is using augmented reality to break down communication barriers with clients and end users, among other topics.
Apadana Energy President Lev Buslovich talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Buslovich talks in depth about Apadana Energy and some of its projects, ranging from electric vehicle charging stations for apartment buildings to a complex solar PV installation on a Minneapolis parking ramp next to Target Field.
David Nguyen and Sara Riegle of the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans talk to Finance & Commerce reporter Dan Netter about the importance of housing developments, the work of ending veteran homelessness and what cities can do to be more friendly to the much-needed development in their areas.
Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Executive Director Abdi Warsame talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Warsame was recently recognized nationally by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials as one of its two Outstanding Professionals of the Year.
Dunwoody College of Technology President Scott Stallman talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Stallman discusses Dunwoody’s history and future, efforts to improve diversity in the construction trades, the ongoing need for skilled labor, and other topics.
Home Line housing attorney Daniel Suitor talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Suitor discusses how he found himself working in the tenants’ rights space, doing policy work and rent payment methods.
Ulteig President and CEO Doug Jaeger talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Jaeger talks about the growing demand for clean energy, the evolution of electric utility systems and efforts to streamline the process for reviewing and approving clean energy projects.
Ben Johnson, the director of the Minneapolis Arts and Cultural Affairs Department, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Johnson discusses the Arts and Culture Vibrant Store Front Initiative, an idea meant to invest in Minneapolis artists so they can have studio space to work and hold events in.
Cecil Smith, president and CEO of the Minnesota Multi Housing Association, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Smith talks about opportunities and challenges in multifamily development and operations.
Mikeya Griffin, executive director of the Rondo Community Land Trust, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Griffin talks about the land trust’s mission and its relationship with the city of St. Paul.
David Wood, founder and president of Ancoats Construction, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Wood discusses following in his father’s footsteps, his reason for starting Ancoats and the labor challenges in the construction sector.
In this episode, Emily Nicoll, managing director and city leader for Transwestern’s Minneapolis office talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Nicoll discusses her move to Transwestern, servant leadership and connecting with other women in commercial real estate.
In this episode, Centra Companies founder Dale Wills talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Wills talks about his homebuilding journey and his latest venture, Centra Capital Partners.
In this episode, Aarica L. Coleman, new CEO of Land Bank Twin Cities, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Coleman discusses her work and what her hopes are for the Land Bank.
In this episode, Mary Stoick, the senior vice president and director of tax credit lending at Sunrise Banks, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Stoick discusses the rewards and challenges of financing projects like the Coliseum restoration in Minneapolis.
In this episode, Sumair Sheikh, executive director of LISC Duluth, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Sheikh talks about his work at LISC, how the implementation of the Duluth Housing Trust Fund has worked and gave his thoughts on the recovery of Duluth’s downtown.
In this episode, Gloria Wong, owner of Heritage Home Health Care and Lifestyle Adult Day Center, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Wong shares her story of emigrating to the U.S. as a child and building business success in Minnesota.
In this episode, Laura Dykema, director of planning and development at the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Dykema discusses MPHA programs and what she’s learned during her time with the authority.
In this episode, Rick Carter, chairman of the board at LHB, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Carter talks about his career journey and his work on sustainable design goals and strategies.
In this episode, Marcus & Millichap senior associate Joseph Ferguson talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Ferguson talks about his move from the U.S. Marine Corps to commercial real estate and about his work on Marcus & Millichap’s hospitality team.
In this episode, Gina Ciganik, CEO of Habitable, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Ciganik talks about her work with Habitable and discusses how building material choices affect human health and the environment.
In this episode JLL Managing Director Josh Talberg talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Talberg discusses his role at JLL, why he is reserving some of his nerves for the market a few years down the line and what needs to be done to incentivize building.
In this episode, Roers Cos. founders Kent and Brian Roers talk to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. The Roers talk about the company’s history, the Prudential redevelopment and why they’re bullish on multifamily construction.
In this episode St. Paul City Council Member Rebecca Noecker talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter about the Central Station area and revitalization efforts in downtown St. Paul.
In this episode, recorded during Construction Safety Week, John Gaddini, safety director at Ryan Cos., talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Gaddini talks about Ryan’s new efforts to prevent drug overdoses on construction jobsites.
In this episode, Erin Fitzgerald, chair of the Minneapolis Renaissance Coalition and a senior director at JLL, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Fitzgerald discusses efforts to bring people together to reimagine investment in the city’s downtown.
In this episode, Bayza Weeks, the executive director of community partnerships at Dunwoody College of Technology, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Weeks discusses how a partnership with Raise the Bar has helped make it easier for single-parent students to attend and succeed at Dunwoody.
In this episode, Kirsten Delegard, co-founder and project director of the Mapping Prejudice project, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Delegard discusses how and why the group worked to uncover how many racial covenants there were in Minnesota and why that matters to today’s housing market.
In this episode, Jason Mangan, the new CEO at architecture and engineering firm LHB, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Mangan discusses his new role with the company, how he became interested in engineering and his vision for LHB.
In this episode, Jackie Berry, a managing broker at the Edina Realty Minneapolis office and member of the board of directors at Minneapolis Area Realtors, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Berry talks about the history of housing discrimination in Minnesota and how MAR is acting on the issue.
In this episode, new Kraus-Anderson Companies CEO Peter Diessner talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Diessner discusses his new leadership role as well as opportunities and challenges for the construction industry.
In this episode Cecile Bedor, the chief real estate officer with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Bedor talks about why she joined Habitat and discusses some of the projects the group is working on.
In this episode, Dan Lofgren of Forte Real Estate Partners talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Lofgren talks about real estate for nonprofit clients, how he got into commercial real estate, and the outlook for 2024.
In this episode, Mox Gunderson, an executive vice president at Colliers, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Gunderson talks about his career and the decision he and other members of his team recently made to join Colliers.
In this episode, Rosey Grab, an equipment operator at Kraemer North America, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Grab talks about her family’s background in construction and shares advice for young women considering a career in the industry. Grab was also recently named the overall Top Woman in Construction winner by Finance & Commerce. Congratulations, Rosey.
In this episode, Greiner Construction CEO Josh Helgesen, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Helgesen talks about opportunities and challenges for the construction sector, and describes his construction career path, including his climb from carpenter to CEO.
In this episode Andrew Glover and Drew Gavic, principals at ARCO Murray’s Minneapolis office, talk to F&C reporter Dan Netter. The two talk about their backgrounds, opening their office, and their achievements after more than three years in the market.
In this episode, Hoyt Hsiao, president and CEO of Shaw-Lundquist Construction, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Shaw-Lundquist is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Hsiao talks about that history and the company’s present and future.
In this episode, St. Paul City Council President Mitra Jalali talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter about housing policy in the capital city. Jalali discusses tenants’ rights, landlord response times and the city’s rent control ordinance.
In this episode, Mia Blanchett, the new CEO at HGA Architects & Engineers, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Blanchett discusses her past work, her new position and the outlook for the architecture-engineering sector.
In this episode, Ethan Fawley, the Vision Zero program coordinator for the city of Minneapolis, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Minneapolis recently received a $20 million grant from the federal government to bolster its efforts to reduce traffic deaths. Fawley discusses those efforts and what they mean for infrastructure and traffic safety.
In this episode, Rafik Moore, CEO of Brait Capital, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Moore discusses the future of struggling retail properties, his Midtown Square project and the outlook for real estate in 2024.
In this episode, Destination Medical Center Executive Director Patrick Seeb talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Seeb details the accomplishments of the first 10 years of the DMC effort in Rochester and gives a preview of the next decade of work.
In this episode former Horwitz president and CEO Bill McKoskey talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. McKoskey talks about how he got into the business, his career journey and the outlook for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing industry in 2024.
In this episode, Peter Loehrer of Colliers’ capital markets team talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Loehrer discusses his work, what led him to Colliers and what advice he’d give to other younger people in the commercial real estate industry.
In this episode Andrea Leon, a vice president at JLL, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Leon discusses leading by example on the return-to-office, office real estate market trends and what 2024 might hold for that market.
In this episode, Rethos Executive Director Heidi Swank talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Swank discusses advancing equity in historic preservation, the green benefits of preservation, the importance of the state historic tax credits, and other topics.
In this episode, Johnny Opara, the founder of JO Companies, and Don Bernards, a partner in Baker Tilly’s real estate group, talk to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Together, Opara and Bernards are working on projects that create housing for working-class families, while bringing more diversity to the local development community.
In this episode Dan Hylton, research manager at HousingLink, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Hylton discusses his job and the roadblocks for creating more affordable housing in Minnesota.
In this episode Monte Hilleman, vice president of environmental resiliency, compliance & investment at Sustainable Investment Group, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Hilleman talks about his work with SIG, green financing and past projects with the Saint Paul Port Authority.
In this episode, St. Paul Planning Director Luis Pereira, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter about the process of preparing for the city’s new zoning ordinance and what kinds of changes to expect in the capital’s housing stock.
In this episode, Peter McLaughlin, executive director of Twin Cities LISC, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. McLaughlin discusses the mission of LISC, its work with developers of color and other topics.
In this episode, Jim Damiani, managing executive director of Newmark’s Twin Cities office, talks to F&C reporter Dan Netter. Damiani discusses the development and uses of Newmark’s Tenant/User Experience Survey.
In this episode United Properties ESG manager Janelle MacLean talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. MacLean discusses her duties at United Properties, her work on diversity, equity and inclusion and environmental initiatives and how she broke into the business.
In this episode, Forte Real Estate Partners co-founder Steve Brown talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Brown discusses trends, opportunities and challenges in health care real estate.
In this episode F&C reporter Brian Johnson takes a deep dive into design and development trends around regional malls with Damon Farber President Tom Whitlock and Principal Jeff McMenimen.
In this episode, Polly Friendshuh, Dunwoody College’s academic dean of construction technology and business management, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Friendshuh discusses her construction and teaching journeys, what attracted her to the construction industry, and the outlook for construction employment. She also discusses a recently completed $10 million exterior renovation at Dunwoody’s 1914-vintage building in Minneapolis.
In this episode, Randal Dietrich, executive director of the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Dietrich goes in depth about the new museum project underway at Camp Ripley north of Little Falls.
In this episode Cody Fischer, founder of Footprint Development, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Fischer says he sees residential construction through the lens of a regular citizen with a concern for the environment. He discusses that development philosophy and weighs in on the drama surrounding the Minneapolis 2040 plan.
In this episode, Kristine Williams, the director of real estate at the Saint Paul Port Authority, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Williams discusses her real estate career path, what brought her to the Port Authority, and talks about some of the Port’s current initiatives, including The Heights in St. Paul.
In this episode, Ozzie Nelson, chairman and CEO of Nelson Worldwide, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Nelson discusses his company and design trends in building repositions.
In this episode, Capital Partners co-founder Peter Mork talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Mork talks about his commercial real estate path, the current state of industrial development in the Twin Cities and the challenging debt market.
In this episode, Tamika Baskin, the new director of Aeon’s property management team, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Baskin talks about her personal and professional housing experiences and the ongoing challenge of providing affordable housing.
In this episode, William Lively, CEO of EXtrance, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. EXtrance uses AI and machine learning to help investors. Lively talks about how those tools will have an impact on the commercial real estate market.
In this episode, D’Angelos Svenkeson, CEO of NEOO Partners Inc., talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Svenkeson talks about his real estate journey, as well as challenges and opportunities in the larger Minneapolis-St. Paul real estate market.
In this episode, Vishal Dutt of AVIC Development talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Dutt talks about his real estate journey, the state of the local market, and the challenges of making deals pencil out.
In this episode, Bob Gardner, founder and CEO of Gardner Builders, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Gardner talks about his company’s history and philosophy and about the outlook for the Twin Cities construction market.
In this episode, Tim Nichols, founder and CEO of Lifestyle Communities, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. As a lender, developer or master developer, Nichols has worked on more than $2 billion worth of projects in the Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
In this episode, Abbey Bryduck, executive director of the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Bryduck does a postmortem on the legislative session and talks about sustainability trends in asphalt paving, as well as consolidation in the asphalt pavement industry.
In this episode, Craig Waldron, a consultant and a public administration professor at Hamline University, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Waldron draws on his decades of experience in city governance in the following conversation about community development challenges and opportunities.
In this episode, Ryan Moore, the new president of Ironmark Building Company, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Moore discusses his new duties, the company’s expansion into Arizona and other markets, and the outlook for the Twin Cities construction market.
In this episode, Tom Streitz, a co-founder and interim executive director of Land Bank Twin Cities, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Streitz discusses the early days of the land bank and the ambitious vision he has for the organization.
In this episode, Michael Flynn, senior director of economic development at Destination Medical Center, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Flynn talks about Rochester’s economic ecosystem and its collaborative nature.
In this episode, Bill Katter, a partner at Interstate Development, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Katter talks about his new duties with Interstate, his experience working on the massive RBC Gateway project when he was at United Properties and the dire straits the commercial real estate industry faces over the next 18 months.
In this episode, Norhart CEO Mike Kaeding talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Kaeding speaks about his ambitious goal of driving down construction costs by bringing components in-house and about the impact he hopes Norhart can have on the world.
In this episode Stephanie Lee, founder and managing director of the recently founded Global Street Partners, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Lee talks about her new business venture and her career journey.
In this episode Julie Snow, founding principal of Snow Kreilich Architects, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Snow discusses new design practices and how architecture shapes communities.
In this episode, F&C reporter Brian Johnson talks to Steve Nelson, WSB’s new director of water/wastewater. Nelson is a 30-year veteran of water and wastewater infrastructure projects. He also helped write the expert witness report for a natural resource damages case the state of Minnesota brought against 3M, seeking payment for damage caused by the company’s disposal of forever chemicals in the east metro. In 2018, the parties entered into an agreement that required 3M to pay $850 million.Nelson talks about his new role at WSB and the outlook for the water and wastewater sector.
In this episode, Forte Real Estate Partners Principal Jim Jetland talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Jetland discusses his company, the state of the commercial real estate market and his continued hope for downtowns.
In this episode, Karla Carlson, executive vice president of United Properties’ Amira senior living brand, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Carlson talks about her new job duties, Amira’s growth plans, and opportunities and challenges in the Twin Cities senior housing market.
In this episode BKV Group partner Mike Krych talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Krych discusses BKV’s growth and how he’s seen the industry change during his tenure.
In this episode, F&C reporter Brian Johnson talks to Nathalia Mingo, an assistant project manager at Adolfson & Peterson. Mingo discusses her career journey in a male-dominated profession and talks about her efforts to educate young women about opportunities to earn a living in construction.
In this episode, F&C reporter J.D. Duggan talks to Christa Seaberg, who is the diversity development representative for Lunda Construction and C.S. McCrossan’s Southwest Light Rail project. Seaberg discusses her light rail work and talks about efforts to get younger people interested in construction-related careers.
In this episode, Jon Ryan, owner of HVAC company Genz-Ryan, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Ryan talks about the company’s new Jack Ryan Academy training program, the worker shortage and his early interest in working in the family business.
In this episode, Dale Wills, owner and founder of Centra Companies, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Wills discuses lawmakers’ efforts to curb the conversion of single-family homes into rentals and talks about how his company has responded to the current state of the housing market.
In this episode James Garrett, the co-owner of 4RM+ULA Architects talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Garrett, who was recently elevated to AIA’s College of Fellows, discusses what sparked his interest in architecture, some of the more notable projects he has worked on and other topics.
In this episode F&C reporter Brian Johnson talks to Morgan Fredrickson, a senior construction project manager at Ryan Cos. and the overall winner of Finance & Commerce’s 2023 Top Women in Construction Awards. Fredrickson discusses her interest in construction and architecture, some of her most memorable projects, and talks about efforts to improve diversity in construction.
In this episode, F&C reporter J.D. Duggan talks to Ryan Bartley, senior vice president and market officer at Blackstone’s industrial real estate company Link Logistics. Bartley discusses Link’s strategies during the industrial boom and his continued confidence in the Twin Cities market.
In this episode, Cynthia Froid talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Froid is the Realtor selling the Four Seasons condominiums in the RBC Gateway tower in downtown Minneapolis. Froid discusses her optimism about downtown and the changing dynamics of the area.
In this episode, Mike Salmen, the head of Transwestern’s Midwest Capital Markets team, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Salmen talks about challenges in the industrial and multifamily housing sectors, and other topics.
In this episode, David Arbit, the director of research for the Minneapolis Area Realtors, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Arbit discusses the current status of the housing market and shares his thoughts on its future.
In this episode, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund president and CEO Warren Hanson talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Hanson discusses the mission of the organization and the ongoing challenge of creating affordable homes at a time when housing costs are rising and wages aren’t keeping up with inflation.
In this episode, new AIA Minnesota president Sam Olbekson talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Olbekson is also the founder and CEO of Full Circle Indigenous Planning and Design. He says he formed his business as a way to bring a different perspective into the practice of architecture and that he tries to bring his voice on behalf of people whose voices may not be heard.
In this week’s episode, New Verticals Development founder and CEO Kali Terry talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. A lifelong resident of the Twin Cities, Terry has a background as a union carpenter and in corporate sales. He also owns a neighborhood juice bar, called Life Juices, and is a participant in the city of St. Paul’s Inspiring Communities program.
In this episode, Mobilize Design and Architecture co-founder Jamil Ford talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Ford discusses his career, opportunities in north Minneapolis and his vision for the Upper Harbor Terminal.
In this episode, recently retired Metro Transit planner John Dillery talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. During his 44 years with Metro Transit, Dillery contributed to studies that “helped bring rail back to the metro.” Dillery also discusses his interest in streetcars, his planning efforts, and his retirement plans.
David Wellington, president and co-owner of Wellington Management, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Wellington talks about his company’s ongoing projects and the shifting dynamics of retail real estate.
In this episode, Meritex CEO Tom Hotovec talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Hotovec talks about Meritex’s future and shares his thoughts on the industrial real estate market.
In this episode, Adam Duininck, government affairs director with the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Duininck talks about his role with the carpenters’ union, the upcoming legislative session, and his experience with the Metropolitan Council.
In this episode Adolfson & Peterson Midwest region president Brad Hendrickson talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Hendrickson discusses sustainability and challenges facing the construction industry.
Tyler Parette, the new vice president of resident services at Aeon, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. In his new position, Parette’s tasked with coordinating services across the company’s portfolio. He says Aeon has some innovative projects in the pipeline and he’s excited to help improve the systems that assist homeless people throughout the area.
In this episode, Jason Haugen, vice president of real estate at Canterbury Park Development, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Under Haugen’s watch, about $200 million of development has been completed or announced by Canterbury. Haugen talks about ongoing development at Canterbury Commons, the impact of COVID on development, and how his undergraduate geology studies morphed into a career in commercial real estate.
In this episode Deanne Erpelding, managing director at Gensler’s Minneapolis office, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. With 25 years of experience, Erpelding has her finger on the pulse of the design industry in Minnesota and beyond. She also shares her perspective on workplace designs, the challenge of bringing more young people into the design profession, and more.
In this episode, Kit Bennett, director of development at Inland Development Partners, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Bennett discusses the recent challenges in the industrial market and what he sees in its future.
In this episode, Brent Webb, development executive at Mortenson, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Webb talks about creating buildings in Rochester, Minnesota, with the mindset that what they create there could help researchers on their path to save lives.
In this episode Dorothy Bridges, interim CEO and president of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Bridges discusses Meda’s mission and the growing focus on building wealth for communities of color.
In this episode, Lynn Littlejohn, vice president of community affairs and development for Mortenson, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson about Construction Inclusion Week, an Oct. 17-21 event that aims to improve diversity and inclusion in the construction industry.
In this episode, Zee Evans, the facilities maintenance supervisor at Palmer Station on the Antarctic Peninsula, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Evans discusses life in Antarctica, her job duties there and how her career journey led her from Minnesota to a desolate, wind-swept location south of Chile.
In this episode, F&C reporter J.D. Duggan talks to Lynette Dumalag, who’s a senior vice president at JLL’s Minneapolis office, a St. Louis Park City Council member and chair of the board for the Urban Land Institute Minnesota. Dumalag discusses her path to board chair of ULI, her experience with real estate as a first-generation immigrant and ULI’s role in bringing social issues forward.
Tim Maag, vice president and general manager of Mortenson’s wind energy team, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Maag discusses his wind power experience, the impact of federal investments in renewable energy development, and the outlook for wind energy as a whole.
Jacqueline Dompe, CEO of the architecture firm Cuningham, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Dompe discusses stepping into her new role as CEO, the culture at Cuningham, and some of the big projects under the firm’s purview
In this episode, Aaron Brossoit, CEO of the Little Falls-based Golden Shovel Agency, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Brossoit discusses the future of remote work and how virtual reality plays a role in his company’s economic development projects.
In this episode, Trever Bullen, the dean of Dunwoody College of Technology’s School of Design, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Bullen discusses his early interest in architecture, his role at Dunwoody, and diversity and inclusion efforts at the school.
In this episode Kyle Palzer, one of AIA Minnesota's 2022 Young Architects award winners, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Palzer discusses how he became interested in architecture, his career journey, his work in community-focused design, and the upcoming 2130 Summit.
In this episode, Metropolitan Council Member John Pacheco Jr. talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan about equity, transportation, economic development and his emphasis on public service.
In this episode, Eric Pasi, business development director at Impact Power Solutions, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson about what the Inflation Reduction Act will mean for local building developers and owners with an interest in solar power and the future of solar power in Minnesota.
In this episode, St. Paul Port Authority President Todd Hurley talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan about his longtime relationship with the economic development agency and his plans for leading the organization.
In this episode, Christine Beckwith, the project manager of Metro Transit’s Blue Line Light Rail Extension, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Beckwith discusses how she got into engineering, her passion for transportation projects, and the next steps for the Blue Line Extension.
In this episode, St. Louis Park Community Development Director Karen Barton talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. With an incoming light rail train, St. Louis Park is expecting a massive influx of development — and city leaders are aiming to stay ahead of it. The city has prioritized sustainability, inclusion and accessibility with its approvals — utilizing tax increment financing to make sure the right kinds of projects go through.
In this episode, Knutson Construction CEO John Curry talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Curry discusses his journey with Knutson, how the company fared during the height of pandemic, his days as a professional hockey goalie, and the outlook for the industry during a time of high inflation and supply chain backlogs.
Prelude Homes and Services COO Deb Rose talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan about the booming senior housing market and Prelude’s approach to creating homes that accommodate various lifestyles of aging people.
Housing First Minnesota’s new executive director, James Vagle, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Housing First Minnesota tapped Vagle as its executive director in late June. In that role, he leads an organization that represents nearly 1,000 builders, remodelers, developers and industry suppliers.
In this week’s episode, Marshall Nguyen, senior vice president with Caspian Group, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Nguyen, who specializes in retail investments and brokerage services, was the broker on a deal for an Asian mall concept in Eden Prairie, and is also leading the project, which he expects to open around the end of summer.
In this episode, Ben Johnson, senior director of real estate for the Neighborhood Development Center, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Ben Johnson plays a key role in helping up-and-coming businesses find the space and resources they need to survive and thrive, and energize the neighborhoods they serve.
In this episode, LHB Chief Financial Officer Lori Thompson talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Thompson was promoted to CFO of the architecture and engineering firm in March. She’s an advocate for women’s education, and is active with groups such as the Philanthropic Education Organization, a provider of scholarship support to female college students.
In this episode, Jennifer Christiaansen, the managing director of Perkins&Will in Minneapolis, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Christiaansen talks about how people use space, sustainability in building design and how the shifting nature of work is impacting design decisions.
In this episode, Bush Foundation Fellow Abdiaziz Ibrahim, the founder of Immigrant Housing Solutions, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Ibrahim wants to expand affordable housing through outreach to landlords and property managers and provide a holistic combination of tenant education and financial literacy training.
In this episode, Scott Peterson, United Properties’ vice president of hospitality and office development, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan. Peterson talks about what he sees as the future for office and hospitality and how the new RBC Gateway tower in downtown Minneapolis is bucking local occupancy trends.
In this episode, Keia Isaacson, the 2022 Finance & Commerce Top Women in Construction winner and owner and president of Lakeside Floor Coverings, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. An advocate for women in construction, Isaacson is an active member and past president of the Association of Women Contractors. In this interview, she talks about her construction journey, her advocacy work and the impact of construction inflation and supply chain issues.
In this week’s episode Jared Anderson, safety manager at Adolfson & Peterson, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson about safety trends in the construction industry, the impact of COVID on jobsite safety, the latest safety equipment and more.
In this week’s episode, Lee Blons, executive director of Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, talks to F&C reporter J.D. Duggan about the need for deeply affordable housing and the growing focus on the issue.
In this week’s episode, F&C reporter Brian Johnson talks to Ramona Wilson, the director of equity and inclusion at Knutson Construction. Wilson talks about her role with Knutson and gives her take on the state of diversity and inclusion in the broader construction industry.
This week F&C reporter J.D. Duggan talks to Christian Lawrence, founder and CEO of Rise Modular, which builds and co-develops modular multifamily housing and hospitality projects. Rise is the first modular housing manufacturer in Minnesota. Lawrence started the company in 2018 and has seen demand continue to increase for modular housing.
This week, F&C reporter Brian Johnson talks to Al Gerhardt, who was recently named executive vice president of Kraus-Anderson Cos. In that role, he will collaborate with KA Realty and Development, among other duties. He remains president of Kraus-Anderson Construction. During his career, Gerhardt has held leadership positions with the Construction Industry Round Table, the Associated General Contractors, the ACE Mentor Program, and the Construction Specifications Institute.
In this week’s episode, F&C reporter J.D. Duggan talks to Dean Dovolis, founder and owner of DJR Architecture. Dovolis started DJR in the mid-1980s and has since been involved in many community-oriented and affordable-housing developments. In this interview, Dovolis talks about the rapid changes coming in real estate development related to affordable housing and community ownership.
In this week’s episode, F&C reporter Brian Johnson talks to longtime St. Paul Building Owners and Managers Association president Joe Spartz, who will soon retire from his leadership role at the organization to pursue new adventures. During his nine-year run as president, Spartz oversaw a downtown security study, and helped building owners and managers navigate the choppy waters of the pandemic.
In this week’s episode, F&C reporter J.D. Duggan talks to Greg Handberg, senior vice president of properties at Minneapolis-based Artspace, a nonprofit organization that does real estate development to create and restore places where artists can affordably live and work. Handberg talks about navigating redevelopment on historic properties, garnering funds to make affordable housing work and how some of the Minneapolis private market has found this kind of redevelopment to be lucrative.
In this week’s episode, F&C reporter Brian Johnson talks to Katie King, a senior project manager with Adolfson & Peterson. King, who has 24 years of experience in the construction industry, has overseen a wide range of projects from health care facilities to a school currently under construction in Oakdale. In this interview, King talks about how she became interested in construction, her work with Adolfson & Peterson, and challenges and opportunities for women in construction.
On this week’s episode, F&C reporter J.D. Duggan talks to Libby Murphy, director of policy at Minnesota Housing Partnership, a nonprofit that has spent 30 years advocating for solutions to develop and preserve affordable housing. In this conversation, Murphy discusses the projected $9.3 billion state budget surplus, bills that have been introduced in the Legislature so far and paths out of the affordable housing crisis.
In this week’s episode, Finance & Commerce reporter Brian Johnson talks to Margaret Donahoe, executive director of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance, a St. Paul-based coalition of contractors, engineers, local governments and others united in their desire for transportation investments. With the legislative session underway, much is at stake. Most notably, Gov. Tim Walz’s $2.7 billion state bonding recommendation includes money for bridge replacements, local roads and regional bus corridors. In the following interview, Donahoe talks about the legislative session, a proposed federal gas tax suspension, and the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill, which offers billions of dollars for transportation upgrades in Minnesota.
Wafa Elkhalifa has been announced as the new equitable development coordinator for the Destination Medical Center in Rochester. She has spent more than a decade in the banking industry in the city and plans to draw on those connections and skills for the new role. Elkhalifa has also been an advocate for Rochester’s Diversity Council and a diversity and inclusion specialist with the local school district. In this interview with Finance & Commerce reporter J.D. Duggan, Elkhalifa says that this position combines her banking experience and her passion for improving equity, diversity and inclusion in Rochester.
Denise Mazone blazed a new trail for people of color in January when she was installed as 2022 president of the Minneapolis Area Realtors. Mazone, owner and operator of Mazone Real Estate in Minneapolis, is the first African-American to hold that leadership position. But she’s confident that other people of color will follow in her steps. In the following interview with Finance & Commerce reporter Brian Johnson, Mazone talks in depth about her equity goals, her own real estate path, the outlook for home sales in 2022 and more.
As Mortenson’s director of real estate development in health care, Chantily Malibago has her finger on the pulse of the latest trends in health care design and construction. Drawing in part from a new report from Mortenson, Malibago says the pandemic has informed health care design in a number of ways. Among those is a need for more flexible spaces for distancing and touchless designs, and quality respite areas for care providers. Mortenson says it conducted the report to better understand how COVID-19 has affected health care providers. Released in December, the report is based on a survey of professionals at the 2021 American Society for Health Care Engineering’s Planning and Design Conference. Among the biggest takeaways: Eight of 10 respondents said their facility investments in the next 12 to 18 months will be “at or above pre-pandemic levels,” according to the report. In the following interview with Finance & Commerce reporter Brian Johnson, Malibago talks at length about the report and the future of health care design and construction. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Bell Bank executive Tony Weick has spent a quarter of a century in the mortgage business and he doesn’t plan to leave anytime soon. A graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, Weick joined Bell in 2004. In 2013, after a stint as underwriting manager, he was named executive leader of Bell Bank Mortgage. Weick has twice been named to the “Minnesota 500” list of the state’s top business leaders, according to his company bio. In his current role, Weick is responsible for overall residential mortgage functions at Bell, which has about $10 billion in assets and main offices in Fargo, Minneapolis and Phoenix. The mortgage division, he notes, is spread “across a larger swath of the country,” including the central U.S. and into the southeast. Given his years of experience, Weick is a go-to source of information about industry trends. In the following interview with Finance & Commerce reporter Brian Johnson, he talks about what 2022 might have in store for interest rates, housing inventory, new home construction and more.
Twin Cities commercial real estate veteran Matt Alexander is taking on new challenges with a new job at the start of the new year. Alexander recently joined Wayzata-based North Shore Development Partners and its affiliate, North Shore Contractors, as principal. Established in 2014, North Shore develops affordable and market-rate housing and mixed-use real estate in the metro area. In his new role, Alexander will help oversee North Shore’s development strategy, investment opportunities, acquisitions and asset management. His areas of focus include mixed-use real estate developments, multifamily housing and single-family rentals. Alexander joins North Shore partners David Juran and Todd Urness and Principal Katelyn Murray. A member of the Minnesota Shopping Center Association and other industry groups, Alexander comes to North Shore from Kraus-Anderson, where he oversaw the development of the 100-acre CityPlace mixed-use development in Woodbury and other notable projects. In the following interview, Alexander talks about his duties with North Shore, the future of single-family rentals in the Twin Cities, the outlook for multifamily construction and more.
Eric Anthony Johnson is a native of New Orleans and has worked and studied throughout the country, but the new president of Minneapolis-based affordable housing developer Aeon is no stranger to Minnesota. Johnson, who starts his job as president and CEO of Aeon on Feb. 8, earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Minnesota State University-Mankato in 1996 and later embarked on a career path that included a stop in Bloomington. As Bloomington’s director of community development from 2018 to 2020, Johnson oversaw the creation of the city’s inclusionary housing policy and a $15 million affordable housing trust fund. The fund helped Aeon acquire and preserve 306 affordable homes. In his most recent job as chief of economic development, housing, and neighborhood services for the city of Dallas, Johnson led efforts to create a $100 million affordable housing fund. An alumnus of the Harvard University Advanced Management Development Program in Real Estate, Johnson earned an MBA from the University of Tennessee, and a Ph.D. in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware. Johnson succeeds Alan Arthur, who started his run as president and CEO in 1988 – two years after Aeon’s founding. The nonprofit developer, owner and manager of affordable housing now serves more than 16,000 people each year at 5,800 homes. In the following interview, Johnson talks about his career path, his new role with Aeon, and the big-picture challenges and opportunities related to the construction of affordable housing in Minnesota.
When cities consider requests for tax increment financing or school districts seek help with bond referendums, people like Greg Crowe at Roseville-based Ehlers are oftentimes crunching the relevant numbers behind the scenes. Ehlers, a provider of public finance services for 1,500 clients in five states, recently promoted Crowe to president. An Ehlers employee since 2012, Crowe previously worked as a senior municipal adviser and principal for the company’s Education Finance Team. Previously, the Grand Rapids, Minnesota, native worked as the primary budget analyst for education finance and co-controller for the Minnesota House of Representatives. As the company’s new president, Crowe takes the baton from Jeff Eaton, who announced plans to retire at the end of the year. In the following interview, Crowe speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about his new role with the company, the outlook for the bond market, the balancing act that school districts walk as they consider bond referendums and more.
After a four-year stint in the U.S. Marines, Justin Rost struggled to make the transition to civilian life. Rost, an infantry rifleman who was deployed in 13 countries, tried his hand at real estate and other careers in his post-military life. Nothing seemed to fit. “When I got back, it took me a long time to be comfortable walking around a mall or moving through my day without my regiment,” he said. “I felt like something was missing all the time.” He finally settled on a career in construction, specifically as a union sheet metal worker. Skills he learned in the military, such as the importance of good communication and punctuality, lent themselves well to the building industry. Two years ago, Rost landed his current job as director of Minnesota Helmets to Hardhats, a national program dedicated to connecting activity-duty military members, veterans, National Guard and reservists with construction training and career opportunities. In the following interview, Rost talks with reporter Brian Johnson about his journey from military to civilian work, the mission of Helmets to Hardhats, the outlook for construction employment and more.
The past few weeks have been momentous for Margaret Anderson Kelliher and the state department she oversees. In early November, the Minnesota Department of Transportation officially wrapped up its 2021 construction season, which advanced or completed more than 260 projects, including the mammoth $239 million, four-year overhaul of Interstate 35W south of downtown Minneapolis. More recently, the federal government announced the passage of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will deliver billions of dollars to roads, bridges, mass transit and more in Minnesota. In the following interview, Anderson Kelliher speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about the passage of the federal bill, the newly completed construction season, the future of transportation funding and more.
After roughly 20 years of working in commercial real estate, Andrew Babula recently made the transition to academia – specifically, as director of the real estate program at the University of St. Thomas. Babula, who started his new job in September, has worked in commercial leasing and development, strategy and brokerage. He fills a position left vacant by the death of Herb Tousley, who directed the school’s real estate program from 2009 until his passing in January 2020. A native of Ohio, Babula moved to the Twin Cities about 18 years ago to do real estate development for Target Corp. His resume includes stints with large companies like Target, UnitedHealth Group, JLL, as well as smaller firms. In the following interview, Babula speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about the present and future of the St. Thomas real estate program, efforts to diversify the industry and more.
Having launched just this year, A2 Art Storage and Services is M.E. Kirwan’s response to an underserved self-storage market. A2 is a museum-grade art storage facility for objects of nearly any size, shape, medium or value. Kirwan, who is A2’s founder and president, has extensive experience in the self-storage industry. Her father founded Acorn Mini Storage in the mid-1980s, which her husband now runs. The 35,000-square-foot art-storage facility in Roseville was strategically rehabilitated to include features needed for this type of storage, which included climate and pest control, security features, fire suppression and inventory management. Art collectors, artists and institutions all use the facility to store items. Kirwan tells Reporter Kelly Busche, “We are having regular people reaching out [who are] looking for our services, and I really kind of think we’ve only scratched the surface here [having] just been open since mid-May.”
Big leadership changes are coming at Ryan Cos. US Inc. On the heels of a busy construction season, Ryan recently announced that company President Jeff Smith is retiring, and that several of its longtime leaders will transition into new roles starting in 2022. Among those with new duties is Mike Ryan, who was promoted to preside over the construction and development company’s Northern Division and oversee its expansion into the Denver-based Rocky Mountain Region. Ryan, a fourth-generation leader, has been with the company for 11 years. In his new role, Ryan will take charge of a geographic area that includes Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City, Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. In the following interview with reporter Brian Johnson, Mike Ryan talks about his new duties with the company, which expects to deliver 146 projects with a combined 28 million square feet of new construction this year. He also reads the tea leaves for the office and industrial sectors, and touches on topics such as the supply chain challenge and rent control.
In this episode, reporter Brian Johnson speaks with the 2021 Finance & Commerce Top Women in Construction winner Joelynne Hanson. After decades of working in the construction industry, Hanson left her daytime job to launch her own custom crushing company in 2008 — right at the start of the Great Recession. It wasn’t the best timing, perhaps, but the gamble paid off. HanSon Custom Crushing, based in Forest Lake, has done well in the crushing business with a cross-section of both public- and private-sector clients. The company specializes in asphalt and concrete recycling, but it also provides quarry and pit crushing, and screening of rock, limestone, sand, gravel and other aggregates. A past president of the Association of Women Contractors, Hanson has more than 30 years of procurement, administrative and management experience in construction. Prior to launching HanSon Custom Crushing, she was the crushing/office manager at Fra-Dor Inc. in Little Canada. In the following interview, Hanson talks about starting her business during the recession, the company’s experience on projects such as the St. Croix Crossing and the recently completed 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown job, and more.
Interview: Zachary Karabell, bestselling financial author In this special episode, Finance & Commerce editor Joel Schettler speaks with historian, former financial services executive and bestselling author Zachary Karabell about his latest book, Inside Money: Brown Brothers Harriman and the American Way of Power.
As business and politicians consider the future of capitalism and its role in democracy, there is arguably no firm that has had a greater impact on American society than Brown Brothers Harriman. The company has weathered wars, banking panics, and stock market crashes by following Alexander Brown’s advice to his sons, including ‘avoid unnecessary risks,’ don’t trade with ‘unvetted partners,’ and ‘be known as someone whom others could trust.’ The legendary yet virtually unknown investment banking company preached stakeholder capitalism, whether they knew it or not, before it was a buzzword by investing their own money with their clients and preaching the idea of “enough.”
Throughout the nineteenth century, the partners helped to create paper money as the primary medium of American capitalism; underwrote the first major railroad; and almost unilaterally created the first foreign exchange system. More troublingly, they were a central player in the cotton trade and, by association, the system of slave labor that prevailed in the South until the Civil War. That history alone makes Inside Money a compelling read. Brown Brothers was at the center of the American financial elite — educated at Ivy League colleges and northeast boarding schools — that eventually morphed into what was referred to, not without ambivalence, as the Establishment. A coterie of the firm’s partners — Robert Lovett, Averell Harriman and Prescott Bush (father and grandfather of the two Bush presidents) — revolved between Washington and Wall Street and oversaw an almost seamless merger between business and government that was part of the formula of the American century. They believed that they had a responsibility to put aside their parochial self-interest to serve the greater good, that the United States was bound to lead the world and that they and their country would prosper together.
The company instilled values that have come back in style including stakeholder capitalism and trust and relationships over profit. BBH executives also preached service to country and the greater public, something missing from today’s Wall Street and Silicon Valley titans.
In exploring the role of one family and one firm, Karabell has given us the story of American wealth and power, with important lessons, for better and for worse, from those who created and held it.
Fabyanske, Westra, Hart & Thomson P.A. is celebrating its 40-year anniversary this month. During its four decades of work, the Minneapolis-based law firm has successfully represented clients in cases and advocated for legislation related to the state’s construction industry. Looking ahead to its next 40 years, the firm plans to continue shaping the real estate and construction industry through its work, says Matt Collins. Collins is a shareholder and an attorney with the firm’s construction law department. His work spans litigating for successful verdicts in commercial and business disputes. His clients include leading local, national and international construction companies, while he also has experience that goes beyond the industry. Although Collins has expertise on various topics, he says the firm’s work on the Spearin Doctrine through the Alley Construction Co. Inc. v. State of Minnesota case was among the most impactful on the state’s construction industry. The Spearin Doctrine says the government impliedly warrants that plans and specifications given to contractors for a public project are accurate and adequate. The firm was the first to use the doctrine in Minnesota. In this interview with Reporter Kelly Busche, Collins discusses the doctrine, work on cases that ensure public projects are property awarded and trends in the Twin Cities legal community.
UCare recently announced that Joy Marsh would serve as its first associate vice president of equity and inclusion. Marsh is filling a new role at UCare, one that meets employee feedback regarding increasing accountability and leadership in the health plan company’s diversity, equity and inclusion work. Her responsibilities and goals reflect this, including those to advance health and racial equity among the nonprofit’s members and the community it serves. Marsh said she will also lead the nonprofit’s new Equity and Inclusion Department. Her work with internal and external stakeholders will be data-driven and focused on reducing disparities in how communities access health care. “We’re looking to understand what some of those barriers might be to individuals accessing services and then addressing the root cause,” Marsh told reporter Kelly Busche in this episode. Marsh joined UCare from the city of Minneapolis, where she served as director of the Division of Race and Equity and developed the city’s first strategic and racial equity plan. She’s also worked at UnitedHealth Group in roles that included business analysis, project management and product owner responsibilities. Marsh has a Bachelor of Science degree in social science and Master of Education in special education and teaching from the University of Minnesota.
As a business and a builder, Ironmark Building Co. has strong ties to Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood. The company, which specializes in urban infill work and other project types, is based at 1710 W. Lake St. in the heart of an Uptown neighborhood that has seen its share of turmoil in recent months. Violent crime and civil unrest have prompted some Uptown businesses to pull up their stakes in the neighborhood. Likewise, citing concerns about public safety and regulatory requirements in Minneapolis, some contractors are looking elsewhere for work. For its part, however, Ironmark has no plans to relocate. “Lake Street still has a lot of work to do to get back to where it was,” says Brent Kluver, Ironmark partner and vice president of project development. “And we’re looking at some options to help with that effort, too. So this is our home and we don’t plan on really going anywhere for quite some time.” In the following interview, Kluver talks with Reporter Brian Johnson about running a construction business in Uptown amid the unrest. He also takes a deep dive into the pandemic’s impact on his business, the outlook for the Twin Cities construction market and more.
As the new CEO of New Market Bank, Anita Drentlaw is carrying on a family tradition that started with her great-grandfather more than 100 years ago. Drentlaw, the bank’s president since 2014, took on the additional title of CEO in August. Under her watch as president, the bank reached $170 million in deposits for the first time. Drentlaw took over the CEO duties from her father, Bob Vogel, who continues as chair of the board. In all, four generations of the family have held leadership positions at the bank, which serves the south metro and has offices in Lakeville, Prior Lake and Elko New Market. Prior to becoming president, Drentlaw held a number of other positions at New Market Bank, including executive vice president and chief financial officer. Her resume also includes a stint as public accountant with McGladrey & Pullen, now RSM. A graduate of the University of St. Thomas and the University of Colorado’s Graduate School of Banking, Drentlaw is active with the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota and a number of charitable organizations. In the following interview with reporter Brian Johnson, Drentlaw talks about the history of New Market Bank, how the bank has fared during the pandemic, and the challenge of developing a talent pipeline in the finance business.
Last week, the Expanding Black Business Credit (EBBC) announced the launch of its Black Vision Fund, with a goal of reducing the nation’s racial wealth gap. The Black Vision Fund will direct long-term funds to seven Black-led and focused Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), including Minneapolis-based Metropolitan Economic Development Association. The fund’s other CDFI partners include Community First Fund, City First Bank, Hope Credit Union, Texas Mezzanine Fund and National Community Investment Fund. These institutions will then make loans to Black-owned businesses, which are then able to invest in new jobs and revenue opportunities. Ultimately, this will bring more wealth to their families and communities. Inez Long is president and CEO of the Florida-based Black Business Investment Fund, one of the fund’s CDFI partners, as well as a board member of the EBBC. She discussed the Black Vision Fund and its goal of raising a minimum of $100 million for community reinvestment with reporter Kelly Busche. “We believe that if you can grow the gross national product through these businesses’ work,” says Long, “then of course, everyone benefits within our country.”
As the founder of the newly formed Minnesota Tribal Contractors Council, James Jones is an outspoken advocate for Native American contractors and tribally owned businesses in the construction trades. The nonprofit council, based in northern Minnesota, held its inaugural meeting in May. It offers networking opportunities, mentorship, job and safety training, transportation services, financial education, legislative advocacy, employment resources and other services. Jones has a background in archaeological services. A member of the Lake Leech Band of Ojibwe, Jones is the former cultural resources director of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and current owner of Dirt Divers CRM, a provider of cultural resource management services. In the following interview, Jones speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about his own background and why he founded the Minnesota Tribal Contractors Council. He discusses the $2.9 billion Enbridge Line 3 replacement project and what it means for Native workers.
Jennifer Green’s construction career has taken her across a good chunk of the country. In her 20 years of experience working on the financial side of the industry, the new CFO of Knutson Construction has held high-level jobs in Illinois, Kentucky and Texas. The journey began in Arkansas, where she was raised and educated. Green added Minnesota to that list when she started with Knutson in March. Based out of Knutson’s Minneapolis office, Green will work with the company’s teams from Minneapolis, Rochester, Mankato, and Iowa. Green launched her construction finance career in 1999 at Pepper Construction in Barrington, Illinois, where she was responsible for information strategy and technology services. Later, she held CFO positions with Jordan Foster Construction, of El Paso, Texas, and Amteck Construction in Lexington, Kentucky. She earned an accounting degree at Arkansas State University and an MBA at Northern Illinois University. In the following interview, Green speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about her new duties at Knutson, the emergence of technology, and her construction career path, among other topics.
There’s no doubt that cryptocurrencies have risen in mainstream popularity over the past year. Still, it’s a market that is largely unregulated, which caused the Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler to recently call the market the “Wild West.” Vivian Fang is an expert in cryptocurrency and blockchain, along with corporate finance and financial accounting. She is an associate professor and the Honeywell Professor in Accounting at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. In this interview with reporter Kelly Busche, Fang discusses the basics of digital currencies, the growing role they play in our economy and why Gensler equated the digital market to the Wild West. Click here to watch the interview, or below to access via audio podcast.
Just a year after the end of World War II, George Adolfson and Gordon Peterson were onto something big when they founded a small construction business in the basement of Adolfson’s Richfield home. The business, which became known as Adolfson & Peterson Construction, has grown dramatically from those modest beginnings. Now with 600 employees and offices in 11 states, Adolfson & Peterson is a top 100 national contractor. Adolfson & Peterson provides preconstruction, construction and contracting services. The company is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with events ranging from employee recognition activities to community service projects. The celebration comes at a busy time for Adolfson & Peterson, which is working through a backlog of projects. The company is active in segments that include commercial, education, health care, hospitality, industrial, multifamily, recreation and senior living. In the following interview, Adolfson & Peterson CEO Jeff Hansen speaks with reporter Brian Johnson about the company’s beginnings and growth trajectory. He also discusses challenges and opportunities for the industry as a whole as it emerges from the pandemic.
From housing inspector to senior developer, Will Anderson brings a diverse mix of public and private sector experience to his new role as director of development at Minneapolis-based Sherman Associates. Sherman Associates, a developer of more than 8,000 multifamily units and 600,000 square feet of commercial space, tapped Anderson this month to oversee the company’s development teams. In that role, Anderson leads relationships with cities and finance agencies and drives real estate developments in existing and new markets. Anderson has been with Sherman Associates since 2012, most recently as senior developer. He has overseen projects that include Rayette Lofts, a complex historic renovation in downtown St. Paul, and the West Side Flats developments in St. Paul. Among the current projects under his watch is Beltline Station, a mixed-use development that will bring more than 400 housing units, commercial uses and more to the doorstep of a future Southwest Light Rail Transit whistle-stop in St. Louis Park. A graduate of the University of Minnesota with degrees in Urban Studies and Management, Anderson started his career as an intern with the city of St. Paul. He also worked for the city of Minneapolis housing inspector before moving on to Sherman Associates. In the following interview, Anderson speaks with reporter Brian Johnson about his career journey and his new role with Sherman. He also provides an update on Beltline Station and gives his take on current business conditions in the multifamily sector, among other topics.
When it comes to competing for business talent, Minnesota companies are well served to get out of their comfort zone and cast a wide net that extends well beyond their circle of family and business contacts. So says Lisa Brezonik, CEO of Salo, a Minneapolis-based company that helps businesses recruit and retain talent in finance, accounting, human resources and other fields. “If we want to invite more diversity in our workplace, then as we have openings and opportunities to invite new people to come work with us, we have to go to different sources,” says Brezonik. “We have to ask different people; we have to call people that we never knew.” Brezonik’s experience in recruiting and human resources is deep and wide. After eight years as owner of her own organizational and consulting firm, Brezonik joined Salo in 2015. She started as chief talent officer and quickly climbed the ladder to chief operating officer and CEO. Brezonik’s resume also includes HR leadership positions with RBC Dain Rauscher, Integ, and Room and Board. She has served on boards for Bridgewater Bank, consumer software firm Kipsu, Hennepin Health Foundation, the Jeremiah Program and more. In the following interview with reporter Brian Johnson, Brezonik talks about the importance of having a diverse workforce, flexible work environments in the post-pandemic age and more.
Even during a year unlike any other, Minneapolis-based North Lion Capital Management found success and opportunities to grow. Chad Anderson founded the hedge fund in 2016 after spending several years at Piper Jaffray Cos., now called Piper Sandler Cos. North Lion primarily focuses on small-cap investing, allowing the fund to be flexible in its investments and address a need that Anderson identified when launching the fund. “People are kind of fascinated by hedge funds and the hedge fund industry, but there’s not a lot of opportunities to invest in them locally in Minneapolis,” says Anderson. The investments are typically in the technology sector, along with energy, consumer, and financial services sectors. But Anderson has his eye on other sectors, including health care and communication infrastructure, due to ongoing government interest and possible subsidies. “We think the potential for an infrastructure bill that may include a lot of money targeted towards that area, as well, could be a nice tailwind for those companies,” Anderson told Reporter Kelly Busche in this episode of Beyond the Skyline.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Jena Cogswell’s prowess on the soccer field took her all the way to a collegiate national championship, a roster spot on the U.S. women’s national team, and a stint with a Boston-based professional team. These days, the Mahtomedi native is taking her competitive juices to the business world. In her new role as senior vice president and director of marketing for Bell Bank, Cogswell oversees marketing for all of Bell’s divisions, including her home turf at the Minneapolis office. Cogswell has 17 years of experience in her field. She kicked off her business career as a financial analyst with Goldman Sachs, and then moved on to marketing positions with J.P. Morgan and private equity firm Providence Equity Partners. In the following interview, Cogswell speaks with reporter Brian Johnson about her new job with Bell, her soccer days, and the outlook for commercial lending as the world emerges from the pandemic.
Solutions for some of the construction industry’s most pressing challenges are starting to materialize while others are showing signs that they’re here to stay. As a construction professional for decades, Peter Hilger has direct insight into what’s driving the issues and how they may be alleviated. High material prices, especially for lumber, present one of the leading challenges. Prices are just starting to stabilize as production increases. However, one of the industry’s other challenges — labor shortages — may be here to stay, he says. Hilger has been the faculty director and instructor and internship adviser for the University of Minnesota’s Construction and Facility Management Program in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies since 1997. As a practicing architect and construction manager since 1983, he consults on development planning and zoning approvals as well as providing expert testimony at his firm. “I’m an architect by training, I was a builder by passion, and I’m a teacher at heart,” says Hilger, who speaks with Reporter Kelly Busche in this episode of Beyond the Skyline.
Landscape architect Lydia Major recently received a career achievement award from the Minnesota Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Major is LHB’s landscape architecture and planning studio leader, where she oversees a team of mainly women in the firm’s Minneapolis and Duluth offices. Her leadership and mentorship of this team — which is unique in the industry — helped Major attain the award, she says. Major began at LHB in 2007, after a former co-worker asked her to join the Minneapolis-based firm. She started her career at Westwood Professional Services after graduating with a master of landscape architecture from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor of arts in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “I sometimes feel like I use my English major more just in daily communication and how we kind of describe [design] to people,” she says. Her work has spanned public, residential and commercial spaces, including the Promenade of Wayzata, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Comprehensive Master Plan Document and the Central Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan. In this episode, Major speaks with Reporter Kelly Busche about her career, and how over the past year, she has seen the public’s expectations for public spaces like sidewalks, streets and parks, change due to the pandemic and social justice transformation.
Alan Arthur, a longtime developer and advocate for affordable housing in the Twin Cities, is moving on after more than three decades as CEO of Minneapolis-based Aeon, a prolific provider of homes for low- and moderate-income households. Aeon recently announced that Arthur is “transitioning out of his role” with the company. He’s expected to stay on the job through the end of the year as he assists with the search for a successor, among other duties. Arthur became president and CEO of Aeon in 1988, two years after the company’s founding. In recent years, Aeon has obtained $100 million in funding to create and save more than 3,000 affordable homes. A national expert on affordable housing finance and development, Arthur has won numerous industry awards and honors. In 2019, the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business inducted him into the Minnesota Real Estate Hall of Fame. In the following interview, Arthur speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about his career journey, how he got into affordable housing development, and more. He also shares some thoughts on the state of affordable housing from the 1980s to today.
Kelly Veit took a hammer to the proverbial glass ceiling last month when she became the new CEO of Veit Cos., a Rogers-based specialty contracting firm. In announcing her new role, the company noted that Kelly Veit is the first woman CEO in the 90-plus year history of the family-owned business, and one of the few women to hold that title among big companies in the U.S. construction industry. Kelly Veit fills the shoes of Vaughn Veit, the company’s CEO since 1975. Vaughn Veit’s grandfather, Frank, started the company in the late 1920s with a Chevrolet truck and a vow to “never let anybody outwork him,” the company’s website notes. For her part, Kelly Veit takes the reins of a company that now has 700 employees and offers services that include earthwork, foundations, demolition, underground utilities, hydraulic dredging, industrial cleaning and more. Kelly Veit, who started as CEO in early May, has played an active role with the company since the mid-1990s. As CEO, she says she will take on a “visionary” role in close collaboration with Veit Cos. President Tim Reimann. In the following interview, Kelly Veit talks with Reporter Brian Johnson about the company’s history, her new job duties, the big-picture outlook for construction, the role of women as industry leaders and more.
Along with partners Brendan Dillon and Dan Rogers, Julian White started their company, Nokomis Energy, around four years ago when they noticed a shift in the solar energy industry — a change that came with a business opportunity. Larger solar developers were pulling out of the industry due to narrowing revenue and increasing project difficulty. White had experience doing this work on a national scale and launched his own company to bring national experience to a regional market. To date, Nokomis has created nearly 250 acres — or 50 megawatts — of solar. A majority of this is in community solar sites, or the creation of solar sites that landowners, organizations, utilities and residents can utilize. Clean Energy Economy MN reports that renewable energy sources made up nearly one-third of Minnesota’s energy sources last year. President Joe Biden has also laid out a plan to cut the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions in half by the end of the decade. White tells reporter Kelly Busche that he expects the solar industry to continue growing. But first, he says, the industry needs to overcome misaligned incentive structures and rethink energy distribution systems.
As president of Eagle Ridge Partners, Kristin Myhre oversees a Minneapolis-based development, acquisition and asset management company with a portfolio of more than 3 million square feet of space in the Twin Cities. Myhre joined Eagle Ridge in 2012. During her time with the company, she has completed 2.6 million square feet of acquisitions and 1.3 million square feet of dispositions. In the following interview with reporter Brian Johnson, Myhre talks about current market trends in commercial real estate, and about some of her own projects, including a major remodel at International Market Square, where Eagle Ridge is based.
As brokers on Colliers’ multifamily team, Ted Bickel and Jeff Budish have first-hand knowledge of who’s investing in the Twin Cities real estate market – and, most importantly, why. Investors view the Twin Cities metro region favorably compared to other metros of its size, thanks to the region’s stability, numerous transit-oriented developments, a general pro-development climate and more. However, this wasn’t enough to help office and retail real estate safely weather the pandemic’s impact, the Colliers team says. Senior Vice President of Capital Markets and Investment Services Ted Bickel and Jeff Budish, vice president at Colliers International’s Minneapolis-St. Paul office, belong to a team at Colliers focused on the multifamily market. It’s a market that hasn’t skipped a beat during the pandemic, despite struggling with high supply costs and uncertainty in the market’s future. They speak with reporter Kelly Busche.
TKDA’s bridge group has a new manager and a heavy workload as the 2021 construction season ramps up. The St. Paul-based engineering, architectural and planning consulting firm recently promoted Lindsey Lawrence to lead the group. At present, the group includes 12 employees with another coming soon. A senior registered engineer and experienced bridge inspector, Lawrence is a member of the Minnesota Surveyors and Engineers Society. She joined TKDA in the mid-2000s after graduating from North Dakota State University. During her time with TKDA, Lawrence has helped plan and design more than 50 bridges and has inspected and rated upwards of 250 municipal and county bridges for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. TKDA Surface Transportation Division Vice President Matt Christensen describes Lawrence as an “extremely talented design engineer” who “values the high professional standards and key relationships needed to build on our success in the bridge group.” In the following interview, Lawrence speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about her new duties at TKDA, notable projects, the bridge group’s workload, and her love of salmon fishing in Alaska, among other topics.
Elevating and expanding diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I) efforts is gaining prominence for many organizations, including those in Minnesota’s Medical Alley. Medical Alley companies are not only undertaking internal DE&I reflection and initiatives, but they’re also looking externally to help their communities achieve better equities in health. To ensure this DE&I work is successful and meaningful, Alexis Kochanski, of the Medical Alley Association, says employees at all levels must buy in to the work. Kochanski is the association’s director of member engagement – working with members and learning about their DE&I efforts. The association has about 600 member organizations of all sizes, with the Medical Alley representing the highest concentration of medical technology workers in the nation. This month, the association launched a slate of DE&I resources at medicalalley.org. Here, member organizations like 3M and Ecolab detail and discuss their DE&I efforts. Prior to working with the Medical Alley Association, Kochanski worked in a legislative affairs position for the state of Minnesota and for an organization in Washington, D.C., that specialized in forestry. She holds a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis in public policy and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Minnesota. She speaks with reporter Kelly Busche.
The past few weeks have a whirlwind for Karla Henderson, Bloomington’s new director of community development. Henderson joined the city in mid-March. Since that time, she has been getting acquainted with new colleagues in Minnesota’s fourth-largest city and finalizing her move from Michigan, where she had similar jobs in recent years. Most recently, Henderson worked as a department director for the city of Highland Park, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. She previously spent five years with the city of Ann Arbor, and oversaw planning and facilities for the city of Detroit. Henderson’s resume also includes officer-level positions for two area nonprofits, a job as director of capital development for Wayne County, Michigan, and managing director responsibilities for a consulting firm working with cities and nonprofit firms. In the following interview, Henderson speaks with reporter Brian Johnson about her new role with the city and reflects on where the city has been and where it’s going in the post-pandemic world
Deb Hilmerson began her 30-year career in construction by setting precast concrete on the Mall of America parking ramps. Mortenson then recruited her to join in a safety role after funding additional education certification. During her career, she worked in numerous roles at several construction companies, learning to manage finances and operations, before setting out to establish her own company. Prior Lake-based Hilmerson Safety is entering its 20th year of operations, and its work and innovation isn’t slowing down. Hilmerson initially focused on Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance auditing, training, and inspections and acted as a safety coordinator for various companies. But about five years ago, the company pivoted away from these consultation services and focused solely on inventing products to sell to general contractors. She created one of the company’s leading products, the Hilmerson Safety Rail System, after consulting with a number of the nation’s leading general contractors — who now use the safety product on projects of all types. In this interview Deb Hilmerson speaks with reporter Kelly Busche.
The CEO of Sunrise Banks, David Reiling, was recently named chair of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values — the world’s premier value-based banking organization. Reiling is succeeding Peter Blom, who founded the GABV and served as chair since its creation in 2009. It’s made up of 66 financial intuitions across Asia, Africa, Australia, Latin America, North America and Europe, the combination of which serves more than 70 million customers and holds more than $200 billion in combined assets under management. In leading the GABV, Reiling plans to continue furthering the organization’s social and environmental impact, as well as sustain and recruit new members. In this interview with reporter Kelly Busche, Reiling talks about how he sees an opportunity to grow value-based banking in the United States, especially with a new generation of bankers and non-bankers who are more socially conscious.
Like offensive linemen on a football team, roofers tend to go unnoticed until something bad happens. “People only think about their roof if it’s leaking, right?” says Jason Stock, chief financial officer of Central Roofing, a longtime roofing contractor in Minneapolis. “Out of sight, out of mind. If water is staying out, it’s good. If it’s coming in, it’s the end of the world.” Central Roofing has done its part to keep roofs from leaking for more than 90 years. The company started out as a “one-man shop” during the Great Depression and has since grown to serve clients across the country. Local clients and projects include the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, the Hennepin County Medical Center, and the historic 1888 Masonic Temple in Minneapolis. In the following interview with reporter Brian Johnson, Stock touches on the history of Central Roofing and the impact of COVID-19 on the roofing business as a whole, among other topics.
After a 42-year career — during which she founded one of the state’s first women-owned architecture firms and impacted some of the Twin Cities’ most notable buildings — Linda McCracken-Hunt has retired from her architecture career. She started her career after graduating from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1978. She spent time at Cuningham Architects; Architectural Alliance, now Alliiance; and Ankeny Kell Architects, and then returned to the university where she was eventually appointed university architect. McCracken-Hunt left the university to join Studio Five Architects, a firm that she co-owned with her husband, Tom Hunt. Her most recent employer, JLG Architects, called her a “pioneer” of women-owned architect firms. With Studio Five, she led teams that worked on the university’s Recreation and Wellness Center expansion, Phillips Community Center and Aquatics Center project, and U.S. Bank Stadium construction. She also provided owner representation services to the Regions Hospital expansion, Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building and Penfield Apartment projects. JLG Architects acquired Studio Five in 2016, and McCracken-Hunt joined as a principal architect. Here, her projects included Frogtown Community Center and the Eau Claire City Hall. Throughout her career, she also served in several positions with the American Institute of Architects and received membership to its College of Fellows in 2009. The award is considered one of the highest honors in the profession. Out of all the projects that McCracken-Hunt has impacted, community centers are her favorite, as she told reporter Kelly Busche in this episode of Beyond the Skyline.
It may come as a surprise to some that the market for buying and selling businesses has remained strong. Are you thinking about making a change in 2021? In this special episode of Beyond the Skyline, our experts will discuss considerations for selling or buying in the current economic climate. You'll learn what to look for and what to expect in the process, including legal considerations, valuation, financing options, how to handle the proceeds from a sale and much more. More information about the panelists featured in this podcast can be found below: • Lisa Holter Ankel, Avisen Legal • John Thwing, The SBA Guy, 21st Century Bank • R. Don Keysser, managing principal, Hannover Ltd. • Young Bebus, president, VR Business Brokers • Brian Larson, Morgan Stanley Our wide-ranging conversation took place, via Zoom, on February 25.
Golden Valley-based Mortenson has long played an active role in a renewable energy sector that’s been around — as the company points out — a lot longer than some people might think. For proof, look no further than Mortenson’s own experience. Just last fall, Mortenson celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Wind Energy Group, which was launched in the mid-1990s with a “single wind turbine project in Iowa,” as the company has noted. Mortenson’s wind portfolio has since grown to encompass 200 projects with 30,000 megawatts of energy. This year, Mortenson expects to work on projects in Minnesota and more than a dozen other states. Tim Maag, a 40-year Mortenson veteran, is the vice president and general manager of the company’s Wind Energy Group. Maag leads strategies around business growth and oversees preconstruction and construction of wind power facilities, according to his bio. Maag is an active board member of the American Wind Energy Association and a past member of the Society of American Military Engineers. He previously managed the company’s Federal Contracting Group. In the following interview with reporter Brian Johnson, Maag talks about the past, present and future of Mortenson’s Wind Energy Group, the outlook for the wind sector writ large, and the PR hit that wind took following the deadly severe weather crisis in Texas, which left millions without power.
Amy Fredregill brings ample experience to her new role as senior director of sustainability at WSB, a Twin Cities-based provider of engineering, planning, environmental and construction services. Most recently, she was managing director of the Sustainable Growth Coalition, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that works with public, private and nonprofit clients on everything from clean air and water initiatives to sustainable landscaping. As a go-to expert on sustainability and resiliency, Fredregill has supported the Minnesota Association of Cooperatives, Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System Inc., and Xcel Energy initiatives, and has testified before the Legislature on clean energy and climate issues. In the following interview, Fredregill talks with reporter Brian Johnson about her duties with WSB, her previous work with public and private sector clients, and what communities are looking for on the sustainability front.
After spending nearly two decades working in Twin Cities real estate, Josh Budish has launched his own industrial real estate company. Budish founded Endeavor Development at the start of this year, and he serves as principal. Endeavor is solely focused on industrial properties in the Twin Cities market — a market that’s healthy and ripe for growth, thanks to limited supply and pent-up demand for this type of property, says Budish. Endeavor’s narrow focus on this market will be an asset to the new company, which has a team of three and several projects already lined up. Throughout his career, Budish has managed the development of more than $300 million in real estate, as well as the management of more than $500 million, the investment of more than $500 million and the leasing of more than $1 billion in real estate on behalf of institutional investors. Budish was previously vice president of leasing and development for Duke Realty and was responsible for the leasing, development and performance of Duke’s 5.1 million-square foot industrial portfolio. Budish speaks with reporter Kelly Busche about his career and his latest endeavor.
Lindus Construction traces its history back to the late 1970s, when company founders Kevin and Emily Lindus made the transition from raising farm animals to improving homes. Following in the footsteps of his father, Andy Lindus owns and operates the second generation family business, along with brothers Adam and Alex. The Baldwin, Wisconsin-based company, which serves the Twin Cities area, offers services ranging from roofing remodeling to windows and decks. Since its early days, Lindus Construction has grown from two employees to more than 150. And as the host of a home improvement radio show and podcast, Andy Lindus has established himself as a prominent voice of the industry. In the following interview, Lindus speaks with reporter Brian Johnson about the state of residential construction and the impact of COVID-19 on the supply chain, among other topics.
Duane Carter has been with the Northwest Area Foundation since 2016, and in his second year as chair of the nonprofit’s investment committee he manages the investing capital for the foundation’s endowment. The Northwest Area Foundation, based in St. Paul, supports efforts by people, organizations and communities to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable prosperity. Its region includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and 76 Native American nations. The nonprofit primarily directs resources and support to Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, and rural communities. Before joining the foundation, Carter worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, most recently serving as a senior vice president before retiring. Carter earned a doctor of education degree in organizational development as well as a master of business administration from the University of St. Thomas. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business from the University of Minnesota. In this interview with reporter Kelly Busche, Carter speaks about his role and his plans to continue supporting the foundation’s priority communities, and about how the foundation, in the midst of the pandemic and racial reckoning, is also allocating more funding to help communities in need.
The Greater Minnesota Partnership has selected Scott McMahon to serve as the nonprofit’s new executive director. McMahon is a former lobbyist with government relations firm Flaherty & Hood P.A., and has been with the GMNP since 2017. He will lead the organization in its goal of advocating for economic development policies and resources that benefit greater Minnesota. More than 60 businesses, chambers of commerce, economic development authorities, higher education institutions, cities and nonprofits make up the membership organization.. McMahon has a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. Prior to his work with Flaherty & Hood, McMahon spent more than a decade working in higher education, first as director of government relations at the Minnesota Private College Council and then as associate vice president for external affairs at Saint Mary’s University. In this interview with reporter Kelly Busche, McMahon talks about stepping into his new role during a challenging time, when greater Minnesota faces the ongoing pandemic, child care shortages, broadband issues and more.
Minnesota’s single-family homebuilding market turned conventional wisdom about the state of the economy on its head in 2020. While it may be a stretch to say that homebuilders are sorry to see 2020 go, residential contractors had a surprisingly strong year. Todd Polifka, owner of Custom One Homes in Woodbury and the newly installed 2021 president of Housing First Minnesota, a homebuilder association with more than 1,000 members, is optimistic that growth will continue in 2021. But he’s also quick to note that the industry faces daunting challenges in the year ahead. Headwinds range from the ongoing struggle to meet demand for more affordable new homes to pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. Polifka, who has more than 20 years of construction experience, has served on Housing First Minnesota’s board for nearly 10 years. Prior to owning Custom One Homes, Polifka was a principal in Brush Masters Painting and Drywall. He gives back to the community through the Custom One Charities initiative. In the following interview, Polifka talks about his personal homebuilding journey, what drove homebuilding activity in 2020, opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, and more.
The new leader of Rochester’s Destination Medical Center is optimistic about the new year — and the organization’s ability to position the city as an attractive place for remote workers. Patrick Seeb stepped into the DMC’s executive director role at the start of 2021. He’s taking over for Lisa Clarke, who retired after spending six years leading the organization. The DMC is a 20-year project to convert Rochester into a global hub for health and wellness. This, the DMC hopes, will draw development, investors, startups and entrepreneurs to the southern Minnesota city. It’s also the largest private-public economic initiative in the state’s history, according to the DMC. Seeb most recently served as the organization’s director of economic development and placemaking. Before that, he was executive director of the Saint Paul Riverfront Corp., responsible for the multibillion-dollar transformation of downtown St. Paul. Like any other city, Rochester has struggled with job losses and fewer visitors due to the ongoing pandemic. Still, Seeb said that the city is doing better than most thanks to the Mayo Clinic. Seeb speaks with reporter Kelly Busche about how leaders are assessing the community’s changing needs as they position Rochester as an essential city for workers and travelers in a post-pandemic world.
In December, Sherman Associates announced that Chris Sherman would take over as president of the company founded by his father. Chris Sherman first joined Sherman Associates when he was a teenager and later joined as a full-time employee after earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State Smeal College of Business. Most recently, Sherman held the role of senior vice president of operations and capital markets. Sherman Associates has more than $4 billion in commercial, residential, hospitality and for-sale assets. More than 8,000 housing units, four hotels and nearly 1 million square feet of commercial real estate make up its portfolio, according to its website. Sherman will guide the Minneapolis-based company’s leadership team as well as the direction and performance of their assets. In his interview with reporter Kelly Busche, Sherman talks about how in his first year as president, he plans to lead the company through expansions into new markets with nearly $400 million in development in the works — making 2021 “the “biggest year” yet in terms of development for the company.
During his 35 years as a Twin Cities-based real estate attorney, Jim Walston has served a wide range of clients on everything from commercial real estate purchases to public transportation projects. Walston, a partner with the Ballard Spahr law firm in Minneapolis, has stayed busy of late representing his clients’ interests as states and cities renew restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19. In the following interview, Walston speaks with reporter Brian Johnson about how commercial landlords and tenants are dealing with challenges related to the pandemic, civil unrest and more.
From project manager to director of supply chain operations, Chad Rempe has worn a number of hats for Kraus-Anderson during his 20-plus years with the Minneapolis-based construction company. Rempe recently took on an additional role: manager of Kraus-Anderson’s preconstruction design services, a newly created position. In his new role, Rempe works closely with the preconstruction department’s technical teams and helps establish the “front-end vision, budget and goals” for clients, according to the company. Rempe joined Kraus-Anderson in 1999 as an assistant project manager. As a project manager, he went on to oversee notable projects such as the Black Bear Casino Resort & Hotel, One Southdale Place, and various jobs for the Metropolitan Airports Commission. A LEED accredited professional, Rempe also served as project manager for the Kraus-Anderson Block development in downtown Minneapolis, which includes the company’s 100,000-square-foot headquarters, a hotel, an apartment complex and a microbrewery. In the following interview, Rempe talks about the importance of preconstruction services in the COVID-19 era and reflects on his career in construction.
Business uncertainty. Unprecedented events, from pandemic and business lockdowns to social unrest. 2020 has been a year like no other. In part two of our podcast from the Beyond the Skyline online festival, reporter Brian Johnson speaks with an expert panel on the tumultuous legislative session and ramifications of the bonding bill. Our Panelists: Rachel Robinson, Deputy commissioner, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Jessica Looman, Executive director, MN State Building & Construction Trades Council Laura Ziegler, Director of government affairs, AGC of Minnesota Mary-Margaret Zindren, Executive Vice President, AIA Minnesota The panel’s wide-ranging conversation took place, via Zoom, on December 15.
On December 15, we gathered online, for our first Beyond the Skyline Festival, a live event where listeners could connect with business leaders, commercial real estate professionals and other experts to discuss the tumultuous legislative session and ramifications of the bonding bill, and take a look at what lay ahead in the Twin Cities commercial real estate market in the midst of pandemic and economic slowdown. In this episode, part one of two, listen to our discussion about commercial real estate in 2020, and a look ahead at some of the trends that will carry into 2021. Our Panelists: Lisa Christianson, Christianson & Co Brent Erickson, Newmark Knight Frank Joe Spartz, President, St. Paul Building Owners & Managers Association
This special episode of Beyond the Skyline features a panel discussion on child care. Across Minnesota, child care is in crisis. Panelists look at the latest national and state data, and take part in a free-flowing conversation about the challenges the industry faces and the solutions being implemented to address this critical issue. Topics discussed include the short- and long-term future of the child care industry, child care deserts (which are not just a metro issue) and the direct impact child care plays in the economic health of our state, especially now as COVID-19 has presented a serious blow to the Minnesota economy.
The panelists were Chad Dunkley, Chief Executive Officer, New Horizon Academy; Rob Grunewald, Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis; Debra Marofsky, President, Affiliated Insurance Services; and Suzanne Pearl, Minnesota Director, First Children's Finance
Senior housing has been a priority for Oppidan Investment Co. for several years, but recent demographic trends are encouraging the company to expand its investment in this type of housing even further.
Joe Ryan, the company’s CEO and founder, said their increased interest in senior housing projects is due to the nation’s aging population as well as the “great” business opportunity that comes with these developments. Oppidan has also worked on multifamily, industrial and retail developments to ensure it has a diverse array of investments.
Since founding the Excelsior-based company in 1991, Ryan’s not only developed more than $3 billion in real estate, he’s also expanded the company’s footprint outside of Minnesota. He’s completed more than 420 projects across 35 states, which encompasses over 15.8 million square feet of space.
Most recently, Oppidan opened the Watermark of Napa Valley, a senior housing project in California, and has several other senior living developments in various stages in the state as well.
Ryan graduated from St. Thomas University, with both a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Master of Business Finance. Before starting Oppidan, he was a shareholding partner of REI and Limited, and directed the operations of Richard Ellis Inc.’s Minneapolis office. Additionally, he was vice president of asset management at St. Paul Properties Inc. In this episode, reporter Kelly Busche interviews Oppidan CEO, Joe Ryan.
After a slow start to the year, Minneapolis-based Sons of Norway has seen a spike in sales of life insurance products amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Pinkerton, the fraternal benefit organization’s new CEO, says the timing isn’t coincidental. “Life insurance is not something that the typical consumer is just rushing out to buy,” Pinkerton said. “But when there is an occurrence that makes you think about your own mortality and the impact that it will have on your family, people will take action.” Sons of Norway, which has 300 lodges and provides life insurance and annuity products, holds more than $365 million in assets in 38 states. From January through July, the company sold 1,469 life insurance policies, up more than twofold from the same period in 2019. Pinkerton assumed his new role as CEO in March, just before the state went into lockdown. Previously, he was chief operating officer of Sons of Norway, which recently opened a new headquarters in Minneapolis’ Uptown Neighborhood as part of a mixed-use development. In the following interview, Pinkerton talks about starting his new job just before the state lockdown, the impact of COVID-19 on life insurance sales and more.
Aleesha Webb got her first taste of the finance business at a young age when she worked as a teller for Village Bank, a financial institution founded in the 1990s by Webb’s father, Donald Kveton. She proved to be a quick study. After earning her MBA at the University of St. Thomas, Webb went on to hold leadership positions at Minnesota Bank and Trust and Sunrise Bank. Two years ago, she returned to the family business as president of Village Bank. In the following interview, Webb talks about her career journey and weighs in how closing the gender gap in the industry is still a work in progress.
Longtime MSR Design Principal Jack Poling didn’t plan to pursue a career in architecture until well into his college career, when a guidance counselor suggested it might be a good fit. The counselor was onto something. Now, after a decadeslong career in architecture, including 16 years as managing director at MSR, Poling is calling it a career. A native of Texas, Poling graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in environmental design, and he later earned a master’s degree in architecture at the University of Minnesota. Poling has worked on numerous projects in Minnesota and beyond, with a special focus on libraries. In 2019, he was inducted into the American Institute of Architects’ prestigious College of Fellows, which honors AIA members who have made “significant contributions to elevate those architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and have made a significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level.” In the following interview, Poling talks about how he decided to pursue a career in architecture, the importance of designing libraries as transformational places, the impact of the pandemic on design firms and more.
As Baker Tilly’s newest partner, Russ Fleming brings nearly three decades of experience to the Minneapolis-based accounting services firm and its construction and real estate clients. Fleming heads up Baker Tilly’s construction and real estate group. He rejoined Baker Tilly two years ago after a six-year run in a similar role with the company’s Detroit office. Among other duties, Fleming works with construction and real estate clients on services related to low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, Section 42 requirements, contract compliance, mergers and acquisitions, litigation support and more.
During his four-decade run with St. Louis Park-based Knutson Construction, Dave Bastyr has put his building and management skills to use on notable projects ranging from stadiums and hotels to hospitals and schools. Bastyr, the company’s executive vice president, kicked off his Knutson career in the early 1980s by working as a land surveyor on the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome project in downtown Minneapolis. He went on to become general manager in each of Knutson’s regional offices. During his 17 years as general manager, he oversaw “numerous new construction, remodel and renovation projects,” according to Knutson. After a stopover in Iowa, Bastyr is back in the Twin Cities, where he serves on the company’s advisory board. In the following interview, Bastyr reflects on his time with the century-old company, how he got started in the business, and his experiences working on the Metrodome, the one-time home of the Twins and the Vikings.
To a big extent, Lisa Clarke has been the name and face of the Destination Medical Center initiative in Rochester. Now getting ready for retirement, Clarke has served as executive director of the DMC Economic Development Agency since 2014. The nonprofit agency works with the city of Rochester and others to develop and implement DMC’s mission: a 20-year, $5.6 billion development initiative designed to “position Minnesota as a global center for the highest-quality medical care and to generate high-value jobs, new tax revenue and businesses.” Clarke led the effort to get state funding for the DMC. In 2013, a total of $585 million was allocated by state statute for the initiative, including $424 million from the state, $128 million from the city of Rochester and $33 million from Olmsted County. Under her watch, the Mayo Clinic and private developers have invested nearly $1 billion in Rochester development projects, including two hotels, housing and the $300 million business and research complex known as One Discovery Square. Clarke will soon hand over the leadership baton to Patrick Seeb, the agency’s current director of economic development and placemaking and former executive director of the Saint Paul Riverfront Corp. Her retirement is effective Jan. 4, 2021. In the following interview, Clarke talks about her time with the DMC Economic Development Agency, the initiative’s formative years and other topics.
Less than a month into his new job as president of Rogers-based Veit Cos., Tim Reimann has hit the ground running with an agenda that includes growing a specialty contracting business and maintaining safe work practices during a pandemic. Reimann has 25 years of business leadership experience, most recently as vice president of operations at McGough Construction in Roseville. His resume includes a stint with the U.S. Navy, and his business experience runs the gamut from working with startups to leading multibillion-dollar corporations in the manufacturing, construction and service sectors, according to his bio. He joins a company that was founded in 1928 by Frank Veit. Today, Veit Cos. has more than 700 employees, and offers specialty contracting services such as earthwork, foundations, demolition, underground utilities, hydraulic dredging and industrial cleaning. In the following interview, Reimann talks about COVID’s impact on the construction industry, the future of waste management and demolition, and other topics.
Gary Kirt bought his first home when he was still in high school, an investment that launched what would become a 50-plus year career in mortgage banking. After stints with Conservative Mortgage and Midwest Federal, Kirt purchased Minneapolis-based Bell Mortgage (then known as the David C. Bell Investment Co.) in 1980. He’s credited with growing the 100-year-old business into the largest privately owned mortgage company in the Midwest with nearly $2 billion in annual closings. Kirt stayed on as an adviser after Fargo, North Dakota-based State Bank & Trust acquired Bell in 2011. Now retired and focused largely on volunteer work, Kirt joined an elite group recently when the Minnesota Bankers Association inducted him into its Pioneer Banking Club, which recognizes Minnesota bankers for 50 years or more of industry leadership. In the following interview, Kirt talks with Reporter Brian Johnson about his long journey in the mortgage banking industry from precocious homebuyer to Pioneer Club member.
In the aftermath of the civil unrest following the death of George Floyd, Minnesota’s insurance industry has found itself in the spotlight. Amid the Floyd protests, looters torched, damaged and destroyed hundreds of Twin Cities businesses. When the smoke cleared, perhaps one of the first calls business owners made was to their insurance agents — a first step toward rebuilding. Insurance will cover damage from riots and looting in many cases, according to the Insurance Federation of Minnesota. However, many business owners learned the hard way that they didn’t have adequate insurance to cover their losses. In the following interview, Mark Kulda, vice president of public affairs for the Insurance Federation of Minnesota, discusses the insurance claims process, what may or may not be covered, and how businesses can protect themselves.
As the new executive director of the Urban Land Institute of Minnesota, Stephanie Brown assumes a leadership role with an organization dedicated to creating, among other things, “sustaining and thriving communities.” That’s a big job in any era, let alone at a time when Minnesotans are dealing with a global pandemic and struggling with issues of social injustice. Brown is also filling some big shoes as she takes the baton from Caren Dewar, who served as ULI-Minnesota’s executive director for 17 years. But Brown, who officially starts her new job Oct. 1, brings plenty of her own experience to the job. An urban planner and strategic consultant, Brown has worked across the globe to address needs ranging from housing to utilities, according to ULI. Most recently, Brown was a principal with Yellow House Ideas, a strategic planning consultancy with clients such as the McKnight Foundation, the Itasca Project, and Greater Twin Cities United Way. Previously, she had a five-year run with McKinsey & Company, where she served clients in construction, infrastructure and the public sector. In the following interview with Reporter Brian Johnson, Brown reflects on her experience as an urban planner, discusses her job duties at ULI and offers insight into the challenges and opportunities that await Minnesota communities during these difficult times.
For more than 50 years, the Economic Development Association of Minnesota has been a go-to source of information and best practices for professionals involved in economic growth throughout the state. The association, founded in 1967 as the Minnesota Industrial Development Association, aims to keep its members abreast of the latest development strategies with an eye toward “collaboration and innovation in the economic development industry,” according to its website. EDAM’s current leaders include 2020 President Kim Lindquist, the longtime director of community development for the city of Rosemount. Also active in the organization is Daniela Lorenz, business development coordinator for the city of Brooklyn Park. In the following interview, Lindquist and Lorenz talk about the state of economic development during a time of civil unrest and a global pandemic, and how EDAM’s mission has evolved during these challenging times.
As project director for Minneapolis-based Prosperity’s Front Door, Judy Johnson is part of an organization that sees housing through the lens of social justice, economic stability and community. The organization — a network of business, community, government and nonprofit leaders — promotes affordable and workforce housing and supports people who face homelessness, evictions and foreclosure, among other goals. In her role with Prosperity’s Front Door, Johnson draws on a wealth of public sector experience. She previously worked the gavel as mayor of Plymouth and is a current member of the Metropolitan Council. Her resume also includes roles with Greater MSP and the Twin West Chamber of Commerce. In the following interview, Johnson talks about her organization and the challenges of creating a housing system that works for everybody, and she explains why housing stability is more important than ever amid a global pandemic.
Dyan Ebert has had a strong interest in the law since her middle school days, when she interviewed a local attorney about the legal profession and then penned a paper about her desire to be a lawyer. That career interest led to a degree at William Mitchell College of Law, a leadership position at Quinlivan & Hughes law firm in St. Cloud, and — as of July — a turn as president of the Minnesota State Bar Association. As CEO of Quinlivan & Hughes, Ebert represents government entities, corporations and individuals on matters related to employment, liability insurance coverage, casualty law and more. In the following interview, Ebert talks about her duties as MSBA president, the challenge of attracting and retaining lawyers in Greater Minnesota, and making sure the justice system is fair for everybody.
This special episode of Beyond the Skyline features an Experts Forum on affordable housing. Housing instability and homelessness across Minnesota are being exacerbated by the converging crises of COVID-19 and persistent racial injustice, presenting a serious blow to our social and economic stability. Our panelists discussed how Minnesota’s long-term prosperity and economic competitive edge hinges on elevating housing as a priority, and making a commitment to ensure we build a housing system that works for everyone, and that access to that prosperity is available to all.
The panelists include Seanne Thomas, Warren Hanson, Jennifer Ho, Colin Barr, Lisa Clarke and Trent Bowman.
As a building and planning firm that specializes in school development, design and construction, Minneapolis-based ICS has plenty of work opportunities these days.
In recent months, the firm has advised school districts in Minnesota and beyond on how to prepare for the 2020-21 school year in the age of COVID-19. Goals include adapting buildings with proper ventilation, space management, and technology to keep students safe and healthy.
Arif Quraishi, ICS managing principal, touches on some of those strategies and best practices in the following interview with Reporter Brian Johnson.
This special episode of Beyond the Skyline, features an Experts Forum on how to make solar energy work for commercial property.
Solar energy: We’ve been hearing about it for decades, but sometimes it still seems like a fringe option, or else one of an array of renewable energy solutions.
Finance & Commerce recently brought together (virtually, via Zoom) a group of local leaders in the solar business to talk about the misconceptions business owners have about solar, what new technologies are on the horizon, and how Minnesota might be able to meet ambitious goals for its use of solar power.
Carter Nielsen’s dreams of competing as a wrestler in the 2020 Olympics suffered a massive takedown when the pandemic forced cancellation of the games. But the Minnesotan has since picked himself off the mat with help from another passion: real estate.
Training for the Olympics is a full-time occupation, so when the pandemic struck Nielsen needed a Plan B — and a job. At a time when other employers were laying people off, he landed a real estate school scholarship through Kris Lindahl Real Estate.
Nielsen hit the ground running after graduating from the real estate program and is now selling homes in a robust Twin Cities real estate market. At the same time, he’s staying ready for what he hopes will be another shot at the Olympics.
A 2015 Minnesota State High School wrestling champion, Nielsen tells his story in the following interview with Reporter Brian Johnson.
The COVID-19 crisis was just heating up in April when LS Black Development was officially launched.
Bad timing? Not necessarily, say founders Michael Hudson and William Boulay. LS Black Development, the development arm of St. Paul-based LS Black Constructors, has a strong focus on affordable housing — and the need for those homes isn’t going away.
“Once [LS Black Constructors] had kind of that confidence that their specific business lines weren’t going to be interrupted, they were ready to go,” Hudson said. “And to be honest, we think everything that’s going on now is probably going to make the need for affordable housing even greater.”
In the following interview, Hudson and Boulay talk about how they got into the affordable housing business, what’s on their plate these days, and what policymakers can do to grease the skids for more affordable shelter.
Minnesota Statewide Limited Energy JATC, a nonprofit program that trains men and women to work in the burgeoning low-voltage energy industry, hardly missed a beat after the COVID-19 crisis brought much of the economy to its knees.
The program has its main facility in Fridley, but it trains workers across the state. When the state closed schools in response to the crisis, Limited Energy quickly adapted its program to ensure that training would continue in line with state guidelines.
“We were only down for one week, and it was the definition of a team effort,” says Dave Dressler, who heads the program, which is sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association.
In the following interview with Reporter Brian Johnson, Dressler talks about his rise through the ranks in the low-voltage sector, the demand for new workers in the field, and the challenge of continuing training amid the worst health crisis in more than 100 years.
From perusing old-fashioned blueprints to dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, Mortenson Construction’s Rich Bistodeau has pretty much done it all on a construction site. Now, after nearly 50 years with the company, he’s calling it a career.
Bistodeau joined Mortenson in 1972 as a carpenter apprentice and rose through the ranks to become a superintendent. During that time, he worked on projects that include the Hennepin County Medical Center expansion in Minneapolis and other notable healthcare jobs.
In the following interview, Bistodeau talks about what led him to a career in construction, how the industry has changed in the past 47 years, the increasing focus on safety, and his plans for retirement.
As managing principal of Leo A Daly’s Minneapolis office, Cindy McCleary has seen the impact of a bonding bill and what it means for the industry and the state as a whole.
Leo A Daly’s project portfolio includes the Fort Snelling Visitor Center, the Second Harvest Heartland headquarters, and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s facility. All were paid for with help from previous state bonding bills.
Besides playing a role in those impactful projects, McCleary has provided legislative support to groups seeking state money for their construction projects.
McCleary has 20 years of experience in design, planning, and management. She joined Leo A Daly in 2011 as market sector leader for the public and institutional sector and was promoted to managing principal a year ago.
In the following interview, McCleary speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about the Legislature’s failure to approve a $1.8 billion bill, the state of the building industry during the pandemic, and other topics.
University of Minnesota professor and leading workplace expert Theresa Glomb has some advice for people working from home – and their employers -- amid the COVID-19 crisis.
“I love the phrase, ‘Don't waste a crisis,’” says Glomb, a professor in the Carlson School of Management’s Department of Work and Organizations. “And I think this is very true here because we have an opportunity to really change things and think about how we manage how we work.”
A sought-after speaker, Glomb has conducted extensive research on work environments with help from surveys, interviews and assessments and other methodologies. Participants include thousands of workers and dozens of companies.
Glomb’s research has been published in journals such as the Academy of Management Journal and the Journal of Applied Psychology, and has been cited in media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and Huffington Post, according to her website.
In the following interview with reporter Brian Johnson, Glomb talks about the pros and cons of working from home, how working from home affects productivity, the workplace of the future and more.
Dagmara Larsen brings a global perspective to the local design community, where she has made a name for herself as a mentor and a designer of award-winning libraries and other projects.
Larsen earned her architecture degree in her native country of Poland. From there, she gained international experience before coming to the U.S. and landing a job with MSR Design in Minneapolis. She was promoted to principal last year.
More recently, Larsen was one of three local architects to receive an American Institute of Architects-Minnesota Young Architects Award. The prestigious honor recognizes individuals who have shown “exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the profession within the first 10 years of being licensed to practice.”
In addition to her regular practice, Larsen teaches at the University of Minnesota and mentors architecture students at the U of M and Dunwoody College of Technology. She juggles those activities with volunteer work on committees for schools and literary organizations.
Larsen has served for more than five years as chair of the Board for Articulture, a local nonprofit that “drives positive change through the visual arts – aspirations similar to those she envisions for architecture,” according to her Young Architects nomination form.
Larsen earned the award based in part on “her excellence in design and strong voice in library and higher education design, which has a significant impact on communities,” according to AIA Minnesota.
In the following interview, Larsen talks with Reporter Brian Johnson about some of her notable projects and what drew her to the profession.
There’s nothing like starting a new job in the middle of a global pandemic and then hitting the ground running with oversight of a game-changing, $1 billion-plus development at a former auto plant site.
So it is for Maureen Michalski, who joined Minneapolis-based Ryan Cos. US Inc. in mid-March, just when the coronavirus crisis was heating up. As executive in charge of the Ford site redevelopment in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood, she’s putting her talents to use on a project that will create thousands of new homes and other uses on a 122-acre property.
A graduate of Macalester College, Michalski came to Ryan from Schafer Richardson, where she was a project manager and director of development. Previously, she was project manager at Aeon.
Michalski is a board member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, Minnesota chapter, and is the chair of the Macalester College High Winds Fund, which aims to “maintain and improve the beauty, serenity, and security of the area surrounding the campus of Macalester College.”
In the following interview, Michalski talks about the Ford site redevelopment, what attracted her to Ryan Cos., and how she got into the commercial real estate business.
As a construction lobbyist for the Associated Builders and Contractors of Minnesota and North Dakota, Adam Hanson is a familiar face at the Minnesota State Capitol. This spring, Hanson wrapped up his fifth legislative session as ABC’s director of government and public affairs. But before he went to bat for merit shop contractors, Hanson shadowed the likes of Joe Mauer and Torii Hunter as a batboy and clubhouse attendant for the Minnesota Twins. A graduate of Hamline University and William Mitchell College of Law, Hanson also served as a Minnesota Senate legislative assistant, a law clerk for the Institute of Justice, and communications intern for Gov. Tim Pawlenty, among other jobs. In the following interview, Hanson talks about his duties with ABC, a potential follow-up to the recent special legislative session, and what it was like to retrieve bats and balls for the hometown team.
From legislative hearings to medical appointments, most everything it seems has gone virtual amid the COVID-19 pandemic – and building inspections are no exception.
With inspectors in short supply because of COVID-19 and broader industry trends, contractors like St. Louis Park-based Knutson Construction are using such technology to meet their clients’ inspection needs.
Knutson, for example, recently conducted a virtual inspection for the Minnesota Department of Health. With help from a 3D video camera and a follow-up virtual meeting, Knutson completed the work with minimal foot traffic on the jobsite.
Katie Montag, a registered architect, has been leading that effort for Knutson. In the following interview, Montag talks about the process and the future of virtual inspection technology.
Enterprise Minnesota, a Minneapolis-based business consulting firm dedicated to helping small and mid-size manufactures compete and grow, bills itself as the voice of Minnesota’s manufacturing field. So it stands to reason that the organization’s CEO, Bob Kill, is to a great extent the name and face of the industry.
A sought-after speaker and industry expert, Kill appeared at the June 10 National Conference of State Legislators, where he shared the results of Enterprise Minnesota’s 2020 State of Manufacturing Survey.
The survey, which was conducted from March 2 to March 23, offered insight into challenges that keep manufacturers awake at night, including the costs of health care coverage, the shortage of qualified workers and economic and global uncertainty.
Prior to leading Enterprise Minnesota, Kill was CEO and chairman of the board of Ciprico Inc., a manufacturer of high performance data and networking systems, according to his company bio. His resume also includes a stint with Burroughs Corp., and senior management positions with Northern Telecom Inc.
A graduate of the University of Minnesota-Morris, Kill has served on a number of industry boards, including the Minnesota Agriculture and Economic Development Board and the Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence Advisory Council.
In the following interview, Kill takes a deep dive into the state of Minnesota’s manufacturing industry.
From the deadly Spanish flu pandemic to the current health crisis, the Meritex Co. has survived and thrived through more than 100 years of history.
Harry McNeely, grandfather of the current chairman and CEO Paddy McNeely, founded the Minneapolis-based commercial real estate company with a single warehouse space in 1916 — just a year before the U.S. entered World War I and two years before the Spanish flu pandemic began.
The company, which focuses on light industrial properties, has since grown to include hundreds of tenants throughout the U.S. and a portfolio of more than 10 million square feet.
In the following interview, Paddy McNeely talks about the company’s rich history, keys to the firm’s success, and the state of the industry in the COVID-19 era.
In Minnesota, travel and tourism generates more than $16 billion in gross sales, which is equivalent to more than $44 million every day. It also accounts for 11 percent of total private sector employment. Yet no sector has been hit worse during the COVID-19 pandemic than hospitality.
Throughout the Minneapolis and St. Paul region, employment in this sector, which includes arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodations, and food services, dropped 54% from March to April. Within this industry sector, employment at full-service restaurants dropped 74.1% from 60,098 in March to 16,671 in April.
On Friday, June 12, the Twin West chamber of commerce hosted its monthly Issues & Insights event, this time via Zoom. I moderated a panel discussion on how COVID-19 has impacted Minnesota industries in retail, restaurant, hotel and resorts & campgrounds. Attendees heard from the leaders who are managing a never-experienced-before economy, and coping with the potential health-related impact on its members and customers. The panelists were: Liz Sheridan Rammer, president & CEO of Hospitality MN Ann Kirby McGill, director of strategic alignment, Hospitality MN And Bruce Nustad, president and CEO of the Minnesota Retailers Association
Anyone who has been out and about in the Twin Cities in the last couple of years can’t help but recognize Kris Lindahl, the local real estate agent whose beaming image has been omnipresent on billboards, buses and light rail cars.
But Lindahl isn’t just another smiling face in the urban landscape. The founder and CEO of Twin Cities-based Kris Lindahl Real Estate is a marketable speaker, author and podcast host who’s not shy about sharing his insights on buying and selling homes.
A graduate of Minnesota State University Mankato with a degree in education, Lindahl is also a leader of the #BeGenerous Movement, which urges people to donate their time and talents to their communities.
In the following interview, Lindahl talks about how he got into the business, the state of the real estate market amid the global pandemic and civic unrest, the emergence of analytics in real estate and what lies ahead for the industry.
Maple Grove resident Laurie Karnes knows what to do when the tax man cometh.
Karnes has more than 37 years of real estate experience and roughly $66 million worth of sales to her credit. But what she really likes to do these days is help other commercial property owners lower their tax bills.
As owner of Land for Sale, Karnes works with property owners on tax appeals. Taking a deep dive into data and reports, she guides owners through the tangled web of Minnesota’s property tax system – the most complex system of its kind in the country, in her view.
Reporter Brian Johnson speaks with Karnes about some of her most notable tax appeal cases, how she got into this line of work, and what property owners can consider doing if they believe their taxes are too high.
When Brace Helgeson and Ryan Platzke each started out as real estate agents in Eden Prairie, their perspectives on the city were influenced by where they grew up. Helgeson, 59, got to Eden Prairie in 1985, a couple decades before the 37-year-old Platzke. Helgeson grew up in St. Cloud, which reminded him of Eden Prairie at the time. In that sense, he felt right at home, as the southwestern metro suburb had only 10,000 residents or so. The city is a lot bigger now with a population of 63,456, and was already well into growth mode when Platzke got to town in the early 2000s. He grew up in the Michigan village of Ontonagon, which had a population of about 1,600 when Platzke was a kid. For him Eden Prairie was the largest city he’d ever been in. Today, the two men are partners in the Helgeson/Platzke Real Estate Group, which is affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 2019, they were the brokerage’s top selling team in Minnesota for the fifth consecutive year. They closed $208.3 million in sales involving more than 490 homes.
It could be said that Minneapolis-based Hyde Development co-founder Paul Hyde’s career is a big detour from what he set out to be when he earned multiple law degrees in school. But it might be more accurate to say that his pursuit of learning the law set him on the path to his true calling. Hyde, who is 54 this year, started his work as a redeveloper of brownfields and other disused sites back in 1995. The business, which he founded with his late father, Mac, only recently finished redeveloping one of the largest industrial sites in the Twin Cities, the eight-building Northern Stacks in Fridley Paul Hyde has seen the Twin Cities commercial real estate market undergo a massive slowdown in recent weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But he is remaining optimistic about his company’s future. Finance & Commerce reporter Matt Johnson sat down virtually with Hyde during the first few days in April to talk about commercial real estate, Hyde’s growth and how Minnesota’s stay-at-home orders are impacting his industry.
As the executive director of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance, Margaret Donahoe is a go-to source of information for all things related to investments in roads, bridges and transit systems throughout the state. Donahoe, who has a background in political science, has spent 20 years with the alliance, a statewide coalition of organizations advocating for “a safe and effective transportation system that works for all Minnesotans.” Previously, Donahoe worked for a legislative commission called the Transportation Study Board, and was the committee administrator for the transportation budget division in the Minnesota Senate. In the following interview, Donahoe talks about the unmet needs in Minnesota’s transportation system, the alliance’s wish list for a 2020 state bonding bill, and why transportation investments are still important amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Making a case that buses and trains are especially important during the public health crisis, a Twin Cities-based coalition of business, faith and environmental leaders says now is the time for robust investments in transit. The coalition – which includes leaders from Move Minnesota, East Metro Strong, Fresh Energy, ISAIAH, the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce and the Sierra Club Northstar Chapter – is urging the Legislature to include $149 million for transit in a 2020 bonding bill. Move Minnesota’s mission includes advocating for investments in walking, bicycling, and transit. In the following interview, Move Minnesota Executive Director Sam Rockwell speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about the benefits of transit investment from the standpoint of job creation and transporting essential workers to their jobs.
As its name implies, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources maintains and supports everything from lakes and campsites to hatcheries and trails in the state. But that infrastructure includes a fair amount of brick and mortar – more than 2,800 buildings, to be specific.
Many of those buildings are aging and in need of repairs. In fact, one in three of the agency’s buildings are 80 years old or older, and one in four is in unacceptable or poor condition, says Sarah Strommen, the DNR’s commissioner.
In its capital bonding request, the DNR is seeking $196.3 million for a variety of upkeep needs, including $70 million for natural resources asset preservation, $30 million for acquisition and betterment of public lands and $25 million for offices, storage facilities, hatcheries and more.
In the following interview, reporter Brian Johnson speaks with Strommen about the need for continued investment in natural resources, even as the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/05/dnr-chief-buildings-crumbling/
As Kraus-Anderson’s facilities assessment manager, Tim Kittila uses his engineering talents to help building owners make smart decisions related to everything from deferred maintenance to energy efficiency.
In a nutshell, he helps owners get the most out of their facilities. Kraus-Anderson recently created his position to build upon its burgeoning facilities assessment services.
Before joining Kraus-Anderson, Kittila directed the business data unit at Eden Prairie-based Parallel Technologies. Previously, he was a partner and vice president of St. Paul-based Hypertect, a designer and builder of mechanical systems for data centers.
Born and raised on the East Coast, Kittila earned a mechanical engineering degree at Virginia Tech’s Polytechnic Institute and State University in Virginia. He followed that up with an MBA at the University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business and Economics.
In this episode Reporter Brian Johnson speaks with Kittila about his background, his new job, and his Twin Cities roots.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/03/qa-kraus-andersons-future-in-facilities-assessments/
The need for more affordable housing in Minnesota is well documented. According to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, Minnesota needs to add 300,000 more homes statewide by 2030, including at least 2,500 for those earning $30,000 or less.
Unsheltered homelessness has increased 125% since 2015 and about 8,000 Minnesotans experience homelessness each night, the agency says.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscores those needs. Put another way, the health crisis has forced Minnesotans to stay at home or “shelter in place,” but what about those who don’t have a home – or are forced to live in an overcrowded shelter?
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Commissioner Jennifer Ho addresses that and other questions in the context of the agency’s state bonding request, which includes $200 million in housing infrastructure bonds and $60 million in public housing improvements. She also offers her take on the outlook for a robust bonding bill in 2020, among other topics.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/04/bonding-2020-housing-even-more-important-agency-chief-says/
A major bonding bill for public works projects would be a big topic of conversation in a normal even-numbered year, but 2020 has been anything but normal as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Even so, advocates for a robust bonding bill say that that doesn’t take away the need to invest in buildings and infrastructure.
In a series of articles and episodes in Beyond the Skyline, Finance & Commerce is taking a closer look at some of the notable bonding requests for 2020. This episode looks at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, which is asking for $15 million in economic development grants for everything from water infrastructure in Greater Minnesota to statewide transportation initiatives.
In the following interview, DEED Commissioner Steve Grove talks about the request and makes a case for why it’s important to keep making those investments – even in the midst of a global public health crisis.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/04/bonding-2020-deed-sees-an-economic-jump-start/
https://finance-commerce.com/2020/03/bonding-2020/
When Doran Cos. President and CEO Anne Behrendt purchased a majority stake in the company last May, she set the company on a path that is both new and well worn.
The Bloomington-based general contractor and commercial real estate development company has changed since it was founded 13 years ago, moving into multifamily projects after getting a start in student housing. Company founder Kelly Doran was active before that in retail development. In 2018, the company also established an office in Denver.
In February, the company was certified as the fourth-largest woman-owned business in Minnesota by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled and operated by women in the United States. Behrendt started as Doran Cos.’ general counsel in 2011, before moving up the company’s leadership structure top lead the 300-employee company which had more than $250 million in revenue in 2019.
Reporter Matt Johnson recently sat down with Behrendt to learn more about her career, and initial months as Doran Cos. majority owner.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/02/qa-dorans-behrendt-says-yes-to-opportunity/
The aging U.S. population may bode well for senior housing providers, but the so-called “senior tsunami” doesn’t guarantee success in the complicated business of providing homes and services for older adults.
So says Jill Johnson, a Minneapolis-based consultant with more than 30 years of consulting experience in the senior living arena. Johnson, the president and founder of Minneapolis-based Johnson Consulting Services, speaks from experience.
A three-time Finance & Commerce “Top Women in Finance” honoree and Hall of Fame inductee, Johnson counts two of the nation’s 10 largest not-for-profit senior living organizations among her clients, and she has consulted on more than $4 billion worth of business activity for clients in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Taking a boots-on-the-ground approach to her work, Johnson has visited more than 2,000 senior living communities in the U.S., and has studied thousands more from a distance, according to her bio. Last month, Johnson spoke with reporter Brian Johnson about her new book, “Market Forces: Strategic Trends Impacting Senior Living Providers.” The book touches on everything from demographics to capital markets as they relate to senior living providers. In her interview, Johnson talks about challenges and opportunities for senior living providers from both a local and national perspective.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/02/qa-consultant-explores-market-forces-in-senior-living/
When we last spoke with Tony Layne in October, the managing director and principal at the Minneapolis office of architecture firm Perkins & Will talked about retaining talent, receiving an AIA award and the core values at his Minneapolis office. The world has changed since then.
Much of Layne’s focus has been on work for corporate clients, including renovation and repositioning work of office buildings. Some of his projects include the repositioning of the AT&T Tower in downtown Minneapolis, the expansion and renovation of Land O Lakes Arden Hills headquarters and the conversion of a midcentury, single-tenant office building at 3701 Wayzata Blvd. in Minneapolis into a multi tenant office building.
Layne, 42, grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and earned a master’s degree in architecture at the University of Minnesota. He currently lives in Bloomington with his wife and their son.
Reporter Matt Johnson caught up with Layne to talk about the evolving nature of design. Layne sees a future in which his work advances the integration of technology into a workplace that is both mobile and office centered. Commercial office space will continue to have a solid place in that work world, but more as a place where people choose to be together rather than a place they are required to go every day.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/03/qa-architect-envisions-office-as-place-where-workers-want-to-go/
In this episode, Finance & Commerce reporter Brian Johnson speaks with Bill Baxley, Managing Director of the Minneapolis office of the Gensler architecture firm.
Baxley has been in charge of the 30-person office for nearly 3 years. He recently oversaw Gensler’s move into 8,000 square feet of space on the top floor of the 706 Building at the Baker Center. Baxley has more than 30 years of experience in the field, including 24 in the Twin Cities region. His work on public, corporate, and educational projects has been recognized both locally and nationally.
Baxley spoke with Brian about a wide range of design topics, including the coronavirus scare and how the health crisis might have an impact on designs of the future.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/03/government-office-closings-present-risks-to-contractors/
https://finance-commerce.com/2019/11/qa-baxley-embraces-the-design-of-change/
https://finance-commerce.com/2020/03/pandemic-could-drive-office-school-design-trends/
Josh Brandsted has been president of Minneapolis development company Greco for the past five years. At the start of the year he was named managing partner and now has a 50 percent ownership in the business.
A New Underwood, South Dakota, native, Brandsted worked his way up to his leadership role from running the books for one of Greco’s apartment buildings. Now 37, he will be running much of Greco’s workload and leading the company’s 45 employees.
Earlier this year, Greco finish work on the Sable condominiums it built as part of United Properties The Nordic project, a property just down the street from Greco’s offices in the Copham apartment building the company renovated in the Minneapolis North Loop neighborhood. Greco currently manages about 900 apartments in the Twin Cities, but is seeking to grow that number to 2,500 in the coming years.
In late January, Reporter Matt Johnson spoke with Brandsted and Greco founder Arnie Gregory to learn more about Brandsted and his rise to co-lead the company.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/01/qa-grecos-new-leader-has-the-ability-to-do-it-all/
The Minnesota Legislature has some tough choices to make this year when it comes to borrowing money for public works projects.
During the 2020 legislative session, lawmakers are expected to consider a bonding bill that could range in size from just under $1 billion to $2 billion-plus. More than $5 billion requests from state agencies and local governments are in the mix for funding.
In a series of upcoming articles, Finance & Commerce is taking a closer look at some of the notable requests. Many of the stories in the series will include an accompanying interview and episode of Beyond the Skyline, offering additional in-depth analysis. Watch for those shows labeled Bonding 2020.
The series begins with a focus on the University of Minnesota’s $317.3 million wish list for everything from building maintenance to chemistry lab upgrades.
University Services is the department behind the scenes that provides the non-academic operations to the University of Minnesota on the Twin Cities campus and, for some services, system wide. According to their website, they “shovel the snow, serve the food, patrol the streets, heat the buildings, renovate facilities, monitor lab safety, and house our students.”
Reporter Brian Johnson sat down with University Services Vice President Mike Berthelsen to talk about the U’s specific needs during this bonding session.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/03/bonding-2020-preserving-the-states-educational-assets/
https://finance-commerce.com/2020/02/minnesota-coronavirus-testing-lab-needs-21-5-million-fix/
Chris Romano believes that even a half century of rebuilding and redeveloping one of Minneapolis’ most dense and diverse neighborhoods is only a beginning.
In January, Romano moved into the executive director’s position with Seward Redesign, a neighborhood-based community development organization that just celebrated its 50-year anniversary. The nonprofit recently secured tax increment financing for the planned 32-unit Wadaag Commons and the 128-unit Bessemer Apartments, which will be the first market-rate apartment developed in Seward in 40 years.
Romano sat down with Reporter Matt M. Johnson to talk about his new role and what he likes to do when he’s not at work.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/02/qa-romano-sees-complex-projects-in-sewards-future/
This special episode of Beyond the Skyline, features an Experts Forum on innovation in Rochester. Innovation being synonymous with Mayo Clinic is nothing new. But now, thanks to Rochester’s massive multiyear undertaking to present the entire city as a beacon for innovators and entrepreneurs, the entire region 75 miles south of the Twin Cities is poised for a technological and economic renaissance.
The panelists include Dr. Traci Downs, Shaye Mandle, Dr. Clark Otley, Dr. Stephen Russell, Chris Schad and Pam York.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2019/12/expert-forum-creating-a-cluster-of-innovation-in-rochester/
https://www.pageturnpro.com/FCI/93168-Creating-a-Cluster-of-Innovation-in-Rochester/sindex.html
When the new Element by Westin hotel next to Target Field in downtown Minneapolis opened in January, Lion Hotel Group CEO Mark Labovitz was there with his wife and two children to stay on opening night.
Lion is part of the fourth-generation Labovitz Enterprises, a Duluth-based company that owned clothing retailers Maurices from its founding in 1931 until 1978. The Element marks a high point for Lion, which got its start as an investment vehicle for the family business.
Labovitz is serious about the hotel business and makes it a point to stay overnight in the company’s properties. It’s a business he came to a little late when he joined the family business in the early 2000s after working in finance for the First Bank System (now U.S. Bank) and progenitors of RBC Wealth Management. Now 57, the Duluth native is focused on drawing guests to the Element.
But, he’s pretty confident that the hotel’s location next to Target Field, the city’s largest light rail station and on top of the new Fillmore music venue will do a lot of the work for Lion.
In late January, Reporter Matt Johnson sat down with Labovitz to learn about how he wound up in the family hotel and commercial real estate business, and what he likes to do with his free time.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/01/qa-family-brings-labovitz-home-to-hotels/
Reporter Brian Johnson speaks with Jessie Houlihan, who took an unconventional career path to her role as president of Minneapolis-based Stahl Construction.
Related links: https://finance-commerce.com/2019/12/qa-stahl-president-says-we-can-learn-something-from-everybody/