CEO Nexus is a market research consultancy serving CEOs and related senior management of second-stage businesses. Steve Quello, founder and President of CEO Nexus, designs and manages market development programs including the PeerSpectives® Roundtable System – a peer learning program designed specifically for CEOs of second-stage businesses. Mr. Quello also provides counsel regarding economic gardening initiatives to entrepreneur support organizations across the nation. His experience and leadership proved instrumental to the development and implementation of GrowFL. GrowFL is the most successful large-scale implementation of economic gardening principles and practices in the nation and the only “Level 3” certified economic gardening program according to the National Center of Economic Gardening and the Edward Lowe Foundation. His related publishing credits address national, state and regional issues regarding entrepreneurship including reports for the SBA Office of Advocacy, the Florida Economic Research Network (FERN) and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. He currently resides in Florida but has ties to the Midwest. He is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter MN. He also recently completed an economic gardening pilot program for Hennepin County and the Carver County Workforce Investment Board. That pilot program has since been replicated by Anoka County and is poised to scale across several additional counties in the region.

Skip Nienhaus has been the Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Burnsville since 2005. He is responsible for retaining and growing the business base. Prior to joining the city he was a small business owner for twelve years in Burnsville. His past business experience includes management roles in a major national recruiting firm, Management Recruiters, and a Fortune 500 consumer products company, Lever Brothers. Mr. Nienhaus is a graduate of the University of Missouri – St. Louis with a B.S. Secondary Education and a social studies emphasis.

Lisa Paxton has served as CEO of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber since 1995. The Chamber is a regional organization with 1,000 members and offices in Brainerd, Crosslake, Pequot Lakes, and the Highway 371 Welcome Center south of Brainerd. The Chamber’s mission is to build a healthy and successful business community in the lakes area through destination marketing, advocating business interests, and coordinating marketing programs and education. Paxton currently serves on the Governor’s Explore Minnesota Tourism Council and chairs the Public Policy committee, and was recognized in 2010 as Minnesota’s Outstanding Tourism Person of the Year. Prior to the chamber she was a regional manager for Explore Minnesota Tourism, an independent marketing and sales consultant to the tourism industry, and marketing coordinator for Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd.

Pat has provided a wide variety of research activities for Explore Minnesota Tourism (EMT) for more than two decades, including a five-year stint with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development where EMT was a primary client. His responsibilities include conducting primary research with various populations of EMT customers and stakeholders, managing contracts for tourism research and statistics, tracking and reporting on travel trends, and various work and consultation to meet the research needs of EMT staff and industry partners. Pat is a native Midwesterner who migrated north from Missouri for college, trading longer summers for longer winters and learning to embrace hockey and fishing in the process. Minnesota has him hooked – perhaps as a Minnesotan for life. In addition to travel research, he enjoys Exploring Minnesota with his wife and (as much as they are available) his 21- and 24-year old children; and watching and participating in a variety of sports and cultural activities. Pat also enjoys taking in the backroads of Minnesota and western Wisconsin by motorcycle.

Renee Mattson is the Executive Director of Spirit Mountain Recreation Area. Her career has been focused in the hospitality industry since her graduation from the University of Wisconsin Stout in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Employed for 17 years at Visit Duluth as the Director of Sales and Operations, Renee has been with Spirit Mountain since 2005 and has spent the last several years working on the transformation of Spirit Mountain into a true four-season resort. Since 2005 Spirit Mountain has made $13 million in improvements and expansions at the resort, notably a new year round Adventure Park featuring an alpine coaster, zip line, miniature golf and snow tubing park. The 2012/2013 season brings a new detachable chair lift and new chalet at the base of the mountain.

Matt Kramer is President of the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, the state’s oldest and largest local Chamber. Previously he was Chief of Staff to Governor Tim Pawlenty and served as Commissioner of the State Department of Employment and Economic Development. Before serving with Governor Pawlenty Kramer was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Syntegra, a systems integration unit of British Telecom.

Megan recently accepted a position with Greater MSP as the Business Retention & Expansion Manager. Her role will be to work with many local stakeholders and partners to establish a regional BRE program. Prior to accepting this position, Megan has had the pleasure to work for MNCAR as the Member Development and Marketing Coordinator. Her role included enhancing relationships between commercial brokers and economic development professionals. Megan has also worked for the City of Monticello as the Economic Development Director, Vice President of Operations for a development and construction company, Associate Planner for the City of Ramsey, and the City of Andover. Her past employment has equipped Megan with experience in planning, economic development, business, marketing, and finance. All of these experiences have provided her with the ability to develop innovative projects and aid in bringing more business to MN. Working for both private and public entities has allowed Megan to better understand each individual parties view point and driving factors to ultimately determine a creative solution. Megan graduated from St. Cloud State with a BA in Local and Urban Affairs. Mrs. Barnett-Livgard also received her certificate for Economic Development Finance Professional from the National Development Council. She is also in the process of becoming a certified economic developer through IEDC.

A veteran marketing strategist, Kathy has a proven track record in leading successful marketing organizations, and is an experienced entrepreneur who has successfully built and sold two businesses in the last decade. In 1992, her business was nominated as one of the Top Ten Businesses to own by Entrepreneur Magazine. In early 1993, Ms. Swanson co-founded one of the first interactive marketing organizations, eWatch, to pioneer Internet clipping and Website marketing. eWatch is still the leading Internet monitoring service, used by more than 2000 of the world's largest companies. She served as Chief Marketing Officer from 1993 through the company's acquisition in November 1998. eWatch is now a unit of PRNewswire (NASDAQ:UNEWY). Kathy has developed e-marketing strategies and proven business leadership in growth for fortune 1000 companies including 3M, Hershey Foods, Volkswagen, NWA, and Carlson Companies to start-ups and regional companies like Piper Jaffray, Lawson Software, Department 56, Toro, Personnel Decisions and Marvin Windows. She also served as volunteer Internet Strategist and Project Lead for the St. Paul Reads Program, which received the 2001 Gold Medallion Award (the highest honor given by the National School Public Relations Association), Program of the Year by the Minnesota School Public Relations Association and the Award of Excellence from the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators (MAGC). She serves, or has served, on several Boards of Directors for non-profit organizations and currently serves on the Board of Merrick, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that provides vocational training to adults with developmental disabilities. Today, Kathy works for the largest Web development company in the United States, The Nerdery, as Senior Account Director.

Jennifer Bennerotte is Communications & Technology Services Director for the City of Edina, where she has worked since 2000. Bennerotte oversees the City’s communications and marketing programs and information technology services. Her work includes oversight of the City’s many websites, Facebook pages, Twitter and blogs. Bennerotte is very involved in professional associations and the Edina community. She was named the Edina Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 Business Person of the Year. She is a member of the City-County Communications & Marketing Association Board of Directors and is the current secretary of the Rotary Club of Edina, which she will serve as president in 2015-2016. She previously served as member of the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators and 50th & France Business & Professional Association boards of directors. Prior to joining the City staff, Bennerotte worked as a newspaper reporter and editor in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Technical Communication Management from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Bennerotte and her husband, Matt, live in rural Cannon Falls with their two sons.

Kirstin Barsness has been active in economic development in Minnesota since 1990 and is recognized for launching successful economic development programs in rural and suburban communities. In 1998, she launched her own consulting business which specializes in the facilitation and implementation of commercial, industrial, housing and mixed use development and redevelopment for public and private organizations. Ms. Barsness is a Past President of the Economic Development Association of Minnesota She has served on the Boards of Directors for the Minnesota Economic Development Foundation and the Mid-America Economic Development. Ms. Barsness received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional and graduated from the Economic Development Institute.

Currently - Development Director for Podawiltz Development since 1999. PDC develops, owns, manages and consults on housing developments primarily utilizing Section 42 tax credits for equity. Mike Podawiltz has developed about 5000 units in his career. PDC, itself, has developed well over 1000 units of housing in Minnesota and we currently have about that same number under management throughout Minnesota. Our strength is structuring a workable financing model and analyzing risks. We work well with private and public entities as well as non-profits.

Mark Phillips has 30 years of leadership experience in development and finance, including launching new and creative programs for community and economic development, real estate development and business financing. Phillips has led community and economic development organizations in government, private business and the nonprofit sector. Prior to returning to Kraus Anderson Construction Company as Director of Business Development, Phillips was the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for the Dayton administration. Phillips also was director of community and economic development at the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) under Gov. Rudy Perpich, director of Corporate Relations for Duluth-based Minnesota Power, and vice president of Northeast Ventures Corp. in Duluth. The Economic Development Association of Minnesota presented him with its Career Achievement Award in 1997. Phillips is a graduate of the Minnesota Executive Program within the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Phillips is married to Patricia Phillips, who is superintendent of School District 622 in North St. Paul, Maplewood and Oakdale. They have two grown children.

Jeff Shopek is President and Principal Civil Engineer of Loucks Associates, a 35-person civil engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture and planning firm. In 2010, Jeff became a Fellow Member of the National Society of Professional Engineers for demonstrating exemplary service to the engineering profession. He was named the 2011 Engineer of the Year by the Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers, and in 2012, Jeff received the prestigious Charles Britzius Distinguished Engineer Award from the Minnesota Federation of Engineering, Science, and Technology Societies. In his role as a business owner and industry leader, Jeff serves as a valued resource for numerous organizations and associations, and he encourages his entire staff to follow suit. Jeff and his leadership team actively participate in EDAM, Sensible Land Use Collation, MN Brownfields, MN Construction Association, Urban Land Institute, MN Shopping Center Association, Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, Midway Chamber, MN Commercial Association of Realtors, International Facility Management Association, Real Estate Journal seminars and numerous other societies. Jeff and his team work closely with these groups to track economic and industry trends and identify local, regional and national development opportunities. This economic knowledge, coupled with solid, long-term partnerships with local owners, developers, and architects, directly and positively impacts Loucks’ growth. In addition, Jeff’s forward-thinking leadership style has helped him build a highly qualified, experienced team of engineers, planners, surveyors and landscape architects who consistently bring Loucks to the forefront on various projects for corporations, health care facilities, commercial/retail sites, industrial, single and multi-family developments, as well as many other development expansions.

The Port Authority's President and Chief Executive Officer has more than 30 years of experience in developing and implementing community financing programs at the federal, state and local levels. He has extensive experience with legislative policy creation, innovative development financing, and initiation of collaborative efforts between public and private entities. A Minnesota State University Mankato graduate, Jambois began his development career with the City of Prior Lake in 1976. Jambois joined what is now the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) a year later. There he managed the state's Outdoor Recreation Grant Program. He also managed the State’s Community Development Block Grant Program and the State’s Enterprise Zone Program. He was a key organizer and financial leader of a Federal and State interdisciplinary disaster recovery effort that helped rebuild communities following several tornado and flood disasters. He helped create and launch the state-funded Contamination Cleanup Program and, later, the Redevelopment Program. He helped create and then launch Minnesota's Job Opportunity Building Zone (JOBZ) program. He chaired the Governor's Airport Community Stabilization Funding Task Force and helped create the Minnesota Affordable Homes Congress. Most recently, he served the interests of local communities as executive director of the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities. Jambois was graduated from the Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1975 with a bachelor's of science degree in Park and Recreation Resource Management. He earned a master of arts degree in Urban and Regional Studies from the university in 1981. As president, Jambois will continue to leverage the Port's strengths in redevelopment, business and workforce development with similar expertise among a myriad of economic development partners and continue to develop and diversity Saint Paul and the East Metro.

Ms. Wischnack has nearly 20 years of experience in city planning, transportation planning and economic development. Ms. Wischnack is currently the Community Development Director for the city of Minnetonka, MN, a large, second ring suburb on the west side of Minneapolis. She manages the areas of environmental health, housing, economic development, building, planning and zoning for the city. She has also been the city planner for other cities (Minnetrista and Hutchinson) in the region which has helped her become a problem solver, with a particular specialty in consensus building. Ms. Wischnack currently sits on the board of the Minnesota Community Capital Fund, the I-494 Commission and the Sensible Land Use Coalition. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and also participates in the state’s APA and ULI chapter activities. Ms. Wischnack graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a bachelor’s degree in geography and earned her Master’s Degree in urban and regional studies at Minnesota State University at Mankato.

James M. Susag is a shareholder and trial lawyer with Larkin Hoffman. His trial practice focuses on real estate, construction, and land use litigation. Mr. Susag has extensive first-chair trial experience, representing clients in numerous jury and court trials, arbitrations, administrative proceedings and appeals. Mr. Susag joined Larkin Hoffman in 1997 after two years with a Minneapolis-based litigation boutique. Between 2005 and 2007, he was Chief Litigation Counsel for U.S. Bancorp. There, Mr. Susag was responsible for complex litigation on a nationwide basis, and learned about litigation from the client’s perspective. He resumed his trial practice with Larkin Hoffman in 2007. A member of the state bars of Minnesota and Wisconsin, Mr. Susag is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in both states as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. Mr. Susag is a Board Certified Real Property Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association and is certified as an arbitrator and mediator by the Minnesota Alternative Resolution Review Board. He has been named a “Super Lawyer” (and before that a “Rising Star”) every year since 2002, and was recently selected as a “Best Lawyer in America” by Minnesota Monthly magazine. Mr. Susag has presented on such topics as the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, tower sitings under the 1996 Telecommunications Act, settlement techniques in Federal Court, presentation of expert witness testimony, construction litigation, valuation litigation, condemnation and eminent domain, contracts for deed, mechanic’s liens and boundary law disputes. In 2005, he was interviewed and quoted in the Star Tribune newspaper in its coverage of the United States Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London, which relaxed constitutional requirements for redevelopment takings. Mr. Susag is a summa cum laude graduate of William Mitchell College of Law and a summa cum laude graduate of the University of St. Thomas. He serves as a volunteer arbitrator for the Hennepin County Bar Association Legal Fee Arbitration Program, a volunteer mentor to high school, college and law school students and as career day speaker to both junior high and high school students.

As the founder and principal of the Doran Companies, Kelly has been involved in the real estate development business for over thirty years. In the past thirty years Kelly has developed, constructed, leased and managed many projects that comprise millions of square feet of commercial real estate. He was selected as a member of the MSCA Hall of Fame. Kelly is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and also holds a MBA from the Carlson School of Business.