Events

Professor, Architecture, Director of the Minnesota Design Center, Director of MSM, Dayton Hudson Chair in Urban Design

Thomas Fisher, a graduate of Cornell University in architecture and Case Western Reserve University in intellectual history, was previously the Editorial Director of Progressive Architecture magazine. Recognized in 2005 as the fifth most published writer about architecture in the United States, he has written 12 books, over 60 book chapters or introductions, and over 450 articles in professional journals and major publications. Named a top-25 design educator four times by Design Intelligence, he has lectured at over 50 universities and over 150 professional and public meetings. He has written extensively about urban design, system design, and ethics. His newest books include The Architecture of Ethics (Routledge, 2019) and The International Geodesign Collaboration, Changing Geography by Design (ESRI Press, 2020), which he edited with Carl Steinitz and Brian Orland.

Credentials

Bachelor of Architecture, Cornell University

Master of Arts, Intellectual History, Case Western Reserve University

Brian has done it all with over 30 years in the restaurant industry. From creating new brands to setting trends to innovating the world of restaurant design, he brings his unique skill set to every aspect of his collection of restaurants. But creativity is his specialty. As a senior member of some of the most prominent hospitality groups in the country—MGM Resorts International, Brinker International, Restaurants Unlimited, and the Alain Ducasse Group—Brian created concepts across the country. In 2012, Brian created New Bohemia—a concept focused on craft beer and cocktails with a chef-driven menu and took it directly to the top as the winner of 2017 Nation’s Restaurant News Hot Concepts. Since then, New Bohemia has set industry standards with new labor models and profitability, changing the industry and how we look at fast-casual restaurants today. Before opening Hope Breakfast Bar in 2019, Brian knew his first restaurant as an owner would be a departure from the corporate restaurant settings in which he had built his career. His newest venture with his wife, Sarah, promised to be a team that emphasizes charitable contributions and cultivates a culture that prioritizes the well-being of workers. It would be a fast-growing family of restaurants driven by its promise and purpose to serve the community. Purpose Driven Restaurants was formed in 2019 as an act of good faith by the Ingram family. It has weathered a pandemic, fed healthcare workers, protesters, and the unemployed, served as a free community kitchen and food bank, and established a non-profit (Give Hope) to benefit restaurant workers in the Twin Cities metro area. Since 2019, Give Hope has donated 300,000 free meals and 2 million pounds of food and gifted $225,000.00 in relief grants to local families in need.

Cory Hepola is a 3-time Emmy-Award Winning Documentarian & TV Anchor.

Growing up in small town Perham, Minnesota, Cory is the Director, Writer, and Host of the popular documentary series – “My Town” – which serves to break down the popular misconceptions with the rural lifestyle showing the opportunity, innovation, and beauty in our small towns & businesses. A Brookshire Company Production, “My Town” was selected into the Twin Cities Film Fest and nominated for 4 regional Emmy’s.

It’s all part of the purpose-driven work at The Brookshire Company where Cory helps “Companies Succeed and Communities Thrive” through site selection, commercial real estate, economic development, and high-impact storytelling.

Before Brookshire, Cory won an Emmy-Award as the creator and host of the popular docuseries “Rural By Choice,” had a successful broadcast journalism career earning two more Emmy’s for “Outstanding TV Anchor” at KARE 11 in Minneapolis, and was named “100 People To Know” by Twin Cities Business Magazine as the Host of his own daily show on iconic WCCO Radio.

In 2022, Cory was honored by his alma mater – Concordia College – with the “Sent Forth Award” which is presented “to a young alumni who has made an impact early in their career, emphasizing service to others and demonstrating a strong vocational commitment.

Tommy Ryman grew up with a new-age, folk singing mother and a traditional, Lutheran insurance-agent father. This XY equation evidently equals: acclaimed comedian. Ryman has earned the title of Semifinalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, where judges raved about Tommy saying, “they had never seen anything like him, one of a kind, fantastic!”

Ryman’s act can be described as absurdist and clever, masked behind a very likable and innocent demeanor, often thought of as disturbingly adorable. He is a favorite among audiences at top clubs, colleges, and corporate events around the nation, and he is regularly featured on SiriusXM, and iheartradio.

Ryman recently won the title of Best in the Midwest at the prestigious Gilda’s Laugh Fest, and voted best comedian in the Twin Cites by City Pages. He was invited to perform at the Great American Comedy Festival at the Johnny Carson Theater. Ryman’s newest album “Having the Time of My Life” debut at #2 on the iTunes comedy charts, and he also has a brand new comedy special on Dry Bar Comedy.

Gwendolyn Freed, Ph.D., is the twentieth President of Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Dr. Freed has spent her career in higher education, arts, and nonprofit leadership. Previous higher education roles have included Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Cornish College of the Arts, Vice President for Marketing and Communication at Gustavus Adolphus College, and Executive Director of Wallin Education Partners, a college scholarship organization. She served for two years as Interim Director of the University of Minnesota (UMN) School of Music. Dr. Freed is a past graduate instructor at the University of Washington College of Education, and she currently teaches in the UMN graduate program in Arts and Cultural Leadership, as well as at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration from the UMN, and she is an alumna of the Harvard Institute for Educational Management. Dr. Freed’s primary research interests are organizational identity and external relations in higher education. Her work has appeared in the Handbook of Higher Education Theory and Research, Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Chronicle of Higher Education, and Trusteeship magazine. Early in her career, Dr. Freed was an arts journalist at outlets including the Wall Street Journal and Star Tribune. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she was awarded a National Arts Journalism Program fellowship at Columbia University. An oboist and English horn player, she holds music degrees from The Juilliard School and Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

Before arriving at Stewards Planning Group, Jerrid was a TV meteorologist. He started his TV career in 2002 at the NBC affiliate in Sioux Falls, SD. Over the next 12 years, he eventually landed at KARE11 in the Twin Cities. In 2014, after much contemplation and prayer, Jerrid left his TV career. It was a move that came as a surprise to many people, including some of his family. But it was apparent to Jerrid that he was being called in an entirely different direction.

With a tentative plan to head back to where it all started in Sioux Falls, Jerrid instead found himself unemployed with few job prospects out west. At the time, his soon-to-be future boss, Ben Taatjes was searching for the right person to help market his business, motivate people with their lives and finances, and inspire people to live for "True Wealth". Following a hunch after hearing Jerrid speak at a Willmar fundraiser the year prior, Ben decided to give him a call. 

As they say, the rest is history. Jerrid started at Taatjes Financial Group, now known as Stewards Planning Group in November of 2014 running the marketing efforts for the company. However, his position and duties have continued to grow steadily over the years. He was promoted to Director of Business Development in November of 2020.

Currently, Jerrid does leadership training, keynote speaking and authors books.

Jerrid has also hosted a number of podcasts, most recently, Retire Repurposed alongside Ben Taatjes.

Jerrid and his wife, Emily, live in the Willmar area with their four kids, Beckham, Raiya, Everleigh and Bohde.

Leah has been leading Open Arms of Minnesota since 2013, after more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership positions. A nonprofit Executive Director since 1999, Leah has worked in the arts, community education, and reproductive and community health care. She began her career out of college as a victim advocate at a battered women’s shelter – an experience that ignited a deep commitment to justice and access to resources for underserved and vulnerable populations. A mother herself at age 17, who had to ask for help, Leah is committed to ensuring that everyone who asks for help is treated with dignity and respect.

Since joining Open Arms, Leah has overseen significant organizational expansion, including the opening of a second Open Arms facility in St. Paul to increase production capacity and broaden its reach in the East metro. She has served on a variety of boards of directors and community coalitions and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the National Food is Medicine Coalition, the Second Harvest Heartland Make Hunger History Advisory Council, the Advisory Board for the Women in Leadership Certificate Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and a handful of coalitions focused on the needs of aging adults, nutrition and/or hunger.   

Erick Garcia Luna is a regional outreach director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. His responsibilities include tracking, analyzing, and reporting on several aspects of the economy of the Fed's Ninth District. Erick is a co-author of the Beige Book and has published articles on inflation, business conditions, and labor. His work has been featured in local and national media, including Marketplace and Bloomberg TV.

Prior to joining the Minneapolis Fed, Erick held a variety of roles in the U.S. Senate, the City of Minneapolis, and the University of Minnesota. His academic credentials include coursework in economics and political science from the Autonomous Metropolitan University in Mexico City, and a degree in economics from the University of Minnesota.

Gregory C. Anderson is the Chief Executive Officer of Allegiant Travel Company, a Las Vegas-based domestic value airline with over 17 million passengers annually. He assumed the CEO role in September 2024, having served as President since August 2022. Under his leadership, Allegiant has solidified its position as one of the nation's top-performing airlines, recognized for its financial strength, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

A fourth-generation Las Vegas native, Mr. Anderson joined Allegiant in 2010 and has held several key leadership positions, including Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, Principal Accounting Officer, and Treasurer. He played a pivotal role in guiding the company through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and was instrumental in developing Allegiant’s unique business model, which focuses on connecting underserved cities to premier leisure destinations with nonstop, low-fare flights.

Prior to his tenure at Allegiant, Mr. Anderson worked in corporate accounting at U.S. Airways and began his career in public accounting at Ernst & Young, specializing in the commercial aviation sector. He was a certified public accountant for over 23 years.

In addition to his responsibilities at Allegiant, Mr. Anderson serves on the Board of Directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, contributing to the strategic promotion of Southern Nevada as a leading global travel destination.

Many have known me for years as Dave Sinykin KFAN on-air host with Trent Tucker on “In the Zone” and as a solo KFAN host, a.k.a. The Head Cheese, for Packer Pride.  I’ve been doing both for 25 years.

But the other Dave has been in advertising and marketing sin the ‘90s.

I started out at a couple of Chicago Marketing agencies as an account and copywriter. Then to Minneapolis, first to an advertising agency as accountant then VP of Marketing for K-Tel International, and for eight years, radio sales account exec then sales manager.

While I have my own agency Titletown Marketing, since 2009, I also have a close association with LaBelle Barin Advertising with who I share in their strength of media planning and buying.  And, I have at the ready, a freelance creative team, allowing me to choose who you need when you need them.

Holly Callen is a member of the Eden Prairie Noon Rotary Club. A Rotarian since 1991, Holly was 5950 District Governor in 2001-02. She has also served in various capacities at the Zone and International level including Co-Chair of the 2011 Zone Institute, Zone Training Leader for Foundation Chairs and District Governor Nominees, and RI Promotion Committee Member for four Rotary International Conventions.

In addition, from 2017-2020, Holly served on the Fund Development Committee of The Rotary Foundation reporting directly to the TRF Board of Trustees. On the committee, she was responsible for Donor Recognition. In this capacity, she helped create the Legacy Society for donors bequeathing at least $1,000,000 in their estate plan.

Founder and President of Callen & Associates Financial Services, Inc., an investment firm specializing in retirement and charitable planning, Holly retired at the end of 2007.

Additionally, Holly was the Director of Development and Fundraising for Women's Athletics at the University of Minnesota from 1991-1996.

Holly now spends her time volunteering for Bravo Zulu House, an all-veteran sober housing organization for veterans suffering from addiction and PTSD.

She also serves on the Board of Directors and as chair of the Marketing Committee of Stablish Foundation, a small community foundation helping donors to create their charitable legacy.

John N. Allen is President, CEO and sole principal of Industrial Equities, LLP, a privately held commercial real estate investment, development, and management firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota with hotel, residential, commercial, and industrial projects and interest in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona, and Florida. John founded Industrial Equities in 1983 and has expanded Industrial Equities’ multi-tenant industrial portfolio through development and acquisition to its current level of over three million square feet. Allen’s related residential land development company, Windsor Development, has completed almost 2,000 residential lots in communities throughout Minnesota, Arizona, and Florida.

Past Experience:
John was a fourteen year veteran of Coldwell Banker Commercial Real Estate Services (1981-1995) where he was consistently a top five producer and arranged over ten million square feet of sales and lease transactions. He was a multiple recipient of the Colbert Coldwell Award prior to leaving Coldwell Banker in 1995 as Senior Vice President. 

Current and Past Community Involvement:
•Chairman of the Board of Community School of Naples 2011 to Present
•Community School of Naples Board Member 2005 to 2010
•Chairman of the Board of Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin 2002 to 2011
•Northland College Board Member 1997 to Present
•Chairman of Naples Airport Authority 2008 to 2010
•Naples Airport Authority Commissioner 2006 to 2010
•Member of International Advisory Council of Antique Boat Museum of America
 

Jen Ford Reedy is president of the Bush Foundation. Even for someone who works in philanthropy, she is very into philanthropic history and strategy. This book combines her love of teaching, her experience consulting, and her philanthropic nerdiness.

She has worked in foundations since 2009, and her leadership in the field includes service on the boards of Independent Sector and the Council on Foundations. She has also taught classes on philanthropy through the Minnesota Council on Foundations and the University of Minnesota, and serves as faculty for the national Council on Foundations’ retreats for new executives.

Jen regularly speaks on philanthropy to groups large and small, from the Aspen Ideas Festival and the Skoll World Forum to civic clubs and community meetings throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, and across the 23 Native nations where the Bush Foundation works. Prior to working in foundations, she spent nine years as a consultant with McKinsey & Company. She lives in the Twin Cities and has two great kids and one great husband.

John Marshall and his team manage strategic relationships across 3 states in 700 communities served by Xcel Energy playing critical roles in the areas of operations, energy policy, emergency response, social investments, economic development, and business retention and expansion.

Experience

Since joining Xcel Energy in 2008, John has held various roles focused on relationship cultivation, development and management with large customer and state, regional and local governments. His 25 years of professional experience includes eight years of public service working for the City of

Saint Paul as the Ward 3 City Council Legislative Aide.

Leif Hagen grew up in Stevens Point and graduated from St. Olaf College in 1988 with a BA in German and French. His early career included teaching languages in Zug, Switzerland, and high school English in Gero, Japan. In 1992, he entered the financial services field as a financial planner with Lutheran Brotherhood, later joining LPL Financial in 2002. He now owns Achievement Financial in Eagan, Minnesota, offering financial planning and Medicare supplemental insurance services.

Leif has held multiple leadership roles within Rotary, including two terms as President of the Eagan Rotary Club and serving as the two-year charter president of the MN Pride Rotary Club. His Rotary involvement includes leading a GSE team to Bangalore, India, hosting GSE visitors from Finland and Brazil, serving as District Conference co-chair, Assistant Governor for Area 2, and currently serving on the District Foundation grant committee. He is a Paul Harris Society member, a Major Donor, and has attended Rotary International conventions in Birmingham, New Orleans, Bangkok, and Hamburg..

Leif lives in Eagan with his partner, Valdir Oliveira, and has three daughters — Kajsa, Svea, and Britta. He enjoys foreign languages, international travel, collecting art and attending art shows.

Robert K. Vischer became the 16th President of the University of St. Thomas on January 1, 2023, following a unanimous selection by the Board of Trustees. Prior to this role, he served as interim president beginning June 1, 2022, and dean of St. Thomas' School of Law from 2013 to 2022. Vischer joined the university in 2005 as an associate professor of law.

As president, Vischer has advanced the university's key priorities while reinforcing St. Thomas' commitment to its mission of whole-person formation and fostering what Pope Francis called a "culture of encounter." A central tenet of his leadership is helping the university community aspire to ensure every member of the St. Thomas community, without exception, has the unmistakable experience of feeling seen, known, and loved.

To build community and help faculty, staff, and students "lift their gaze," Vischer launched the Claritas Initiative, aiming to cultivate the transcendental values of truth, beauty, and goodness within the university community. This initiative encompasses a series of discussions, performances, and experiences designed to explore and nurture these values across campus

Vischer's academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from the University of New Orleans, and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Before entering academia, he practiced corporate litigation at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago and clerked for three federal judges.

Vischer serves on the board of the Association for Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU). He serves on the executive committee of GREATER MSP and as a board member of the Minnesota Business Partnership and the Greater Twin Cities United Way. He is also a member of the Coalition for Transformational Education (CTE) and the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.

Dr. Archelle Georgiou is a physician who empowers people to make informed medical decisions. With over 16 years of experience as a TV health journalist, she's produced and aired more than 1000 segments that simplify complex healthcare information for viewers. Archelle has a weekly segment on KSTP-TV (ABC).

She is the author of Health Care Choices: 5 Steps to Getting the Medical Care You Want and Need and hosts a podcast, Speak Up For Your Health.

In her 30+ year career, Archelle has held leadership positions in managed care, investment banking, and medical device companies, including serving as Chief Medical Officer and senior executive at UnitedHealth Group, healthcare advisor for TripleTree, and Chief Health Officer at Starkey Hearing Technologies.

David Schultz is Distinguished University Professor in the Departments of Political Science, Environmental Studies, and Legal Studies at Hamline University. He is also an adjunct professor of Law at the University of Minnesota and at the University of St. Thomas, and an affiliate faculty member at the Lithuanian Military Academy in Vilnius, Lithuania. A four-time Fulbright scholar who has taught extensively in Europe and Asia, and the winner of the Leslie A. Whittington national award for excellence in public affairs teaching, David is the author of more than 45 books and 200+ articles on various aspects of American politics, election law, and the media and politics, and he is regularly interviewed and quoted in the local, national, and international media on these subjects including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, the Economist, and National Public Radio. His most recent books are Constitutional Precedent in US Supreme Court Reasoning (2022), Handbook of Election Law (2022), and Presidential Swing States (2022). Prior to teaching, Professor Schultz served as a city director of planning, zoning and code enforcement, and as a housing and economic planner for a community action agency. David is on the ACS Minnesota Advisory Board and is former executive director of Common Cause Minnesota and a former vice-president for the Minnesota and South Texas chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union. He is licensed to practice law in Minnesota and before the US Supreme Court.

Ron Cox, President, Midwest Workforce Strategies and Inventor of the Workforce Vector

Ron Cox applies the rigorous mathematics of aircraft design to solve complex labor market challenges. As the president of Midwest Workforce Strategies and inventor of the Workforce Vector framework, Ron moves organizations beyond guesswork, using data analytics to help executives and boards engineer lasting retention and recruitment solutions.​

Ron’s unique perspective is built on a dual career in engineering design and economic development. He began his career in aerodynamics, working on military aircraft and early testing for the Boeing 757 and 767. He transitioned to academia and leadership as the Director of the Iowa State University Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS), where he managed a $9 million budget and led a team serving 1,500 companies annually. Under his leadership, clients reported an annual economic impact of over $600 million and the creation or retention of 5,000 jobs. 

His operational expertise runs deep, with previous administrative oversight of engineering, HR, finance, IT, and online education units.​University of Oklahoma students voted Ron "Teacher of the Year", and today he is a "Legend in Manufacturing" award winner and a sought-after keynote speaker. He delivers talks on workforce topics such as "The Workforce Hype Cycle," helping diverse industries, from manufacturing to healthcare, turn workforce shortages into competitive advantages.

Alison Rempel Brown envisions museums as agents of change that make science a tool for justice, accessible to all.

Under Brown’s leadership, the Science Museum of Minnesota implemented a new strategic plan focused on the evolving role of museums in society – as centers of knowledge, places of curiosity, and sources of preparation for a science-driven world. It positions the museum as a place for meaningful conversations about critical topics like race, mental health, and climate change.

Brown was listed on the 2026 TCB 100. She has also been named one of the Minneapolis–St. Paul Business Journal’s People to Watch and received its Women in Business Award.

Before her work in Minnesota, Brown served as Chief of Staff at the California Academy of Sciences, where she leveraged her expertise to drive institutional growth and enhance visitor experiences.Brown is a board member for the American Alliance of Museums and the Minnesota Private College Consortium. She received her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Pomona College, with an emphasis in mathematics.