Nuestro equipo

Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. (GMG) existe para desarrollar intencionalmente el centro regional

Esto se logra promoviendo, apoyando y sirviendo como catalizador para el desarrollo económico a través del crecimiento, retención y atracción de empresas; crecimiento, retención y atracción de talento; habitabilidad regional y defensa del mercado. Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. se compone de cuatro unidades comerciales;

  • Mayor crecimiento de Mankato, la cámara de comercio regional y la organización de desarrollo económico al servicio del mercado regional
  • Visita Mankato, la organización local de gestión de destinos
  • Asociación del centro de la ciudad, una organización de desarrollo del centro
  • costuraverde, que utiliza la agricultura para aprovechar los extensos activos agroindustriales de la región para desarrollar la economía agrícola.
Della Schmidt
President & CEO, Greater Mankato Growth, Inc.

Della joins Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. with more than three decades of experience leading chamber, economic and workforce development, and regional partnership organizations and initiatives within southern Minnesota and southeast Iowa. Prior to joining GMG, Inc., Della served as the President and CEO of the Greater Burlington Partnership, led the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce, and served as president of the Carlton County Chamber and St. Peter Area Chamber. Della has a track record of fostering collaboration between communities, businesses, local government, and institutions, driving a robust business sector and a healthy economy.

[email protected]

andy wilke
Executive Vice President, Greater Mankato Growth

Andy oversees the chamber of commerce and all advocacy efforts across the entire GMG, Inc. organization. He previously worked with Brookfield Properties for nearly ten years managing shopping centers in Iowa, Georgia, and Minnesota. Andy is also a former small business owner and he previously worked for the Minnesota House of Representatives. He is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato.

[email protected]

ashlee blanco
Visita Mankato Director

Ashlee has more than a decade of public relations and marketing experience, which includes work on travel and tourism campaigns for domestic and international destinations such as Visit Tucson, Israel Ministry of Tourism, Visit Wales, Visit South Walton and Los Cabos Tourism. She has also led comprehensive communications efforts for countless hotels, restaurants, events, and attractions around the globe. She holds a bachelor's degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato in mass communications with a minor in marketing. After graduating, she spent close to a decade working in New York City, before moving back to Mankato in 2019.

[email protected]

sam ziegler
Director de GreenSeam

Sam Ziegler siente pasión por todo lo relacionado con la agricultura. Ser parte del suministro de alimentos, forraje, combustible y fibra a familias en nuestra área y familias en el extranjero es una profesión increíble de la que ser parte. En este puesto, Ziegler trabaja con las partes interesadas clave de la agricultura creando coaliciones junto con el desarrollo y la ejecución de iniciativas estratégicas clave que son componentes esenciales para hacer realidad las aspiraciones de GreenSeam. Sam pasó casi diez años en el Consejo de Investigación y Promoción de la Soya de Minnesota y en la Asociación de Productores de Soya de Minnesota y es socio de cuarta generación y operador de Ziegler Farms, ubicada cerca de Good Thunder. Sam disfruta ser padre y esposo, y para divertirse le gusta jugar béisbol, pasar el rato en el lago o cazar.

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Joelle Baumann
Gerente de eventos especiales, Visit Mankato

Joelle se graduó del Greater Mankato Leadership Institute. Joelle asistió a Bethany Lutheran College en Mankato, donde jugó en el equipo de voleibol y se graduó con una licenciatura en Biología en 2008. Luego asistió a la Universidad Estatal de Minnesota, Mankato y se graduó en 2012 con una licenciatura en Alimentos y Nutrición y una especialización en Corporativo y Aptitud comunitaria. Fuera del trabajo, puede encontrarla disfrutando del tiempo con su hija, hijo y esposo, estando con familiares y amigos, jugando voleibol y estando al aire libre.

[email protected]

Brittany Bowman
Program & Events Coordinator, Greater Mankato Growth

Brittany primarily works with the Young Professionals program. She grew up in Amery, Wisconsin and graduated from Bethany Lutheran College in 2006 with a degree in Sociology and Health Communiation. She then went to Alexandria Technical College and received her Law Enforcement Degree and Skills Completion Certificate in 2008. Brittany and her family enjoy attending community events and MSU sporting events when they are not busy with children's activities (soccer, football, and baseball). Brittany and her family also like traveling, hiking, boating, kayaking, paddleboarding and having bonfires.

[email protected]

acebo callaghan
Coordinador de Desarrollo Económico, GreenSeam

Holly es nativa de Minnesota, nacida y criada en los suburbios de St. Paul. Ella creció alrededor del campus de Extensión de la Universidad de Minnesota, donde llegó a amar nuestro suelo exuberante y productivo de Minnesota. Se mudó a Mankato en 2020 después de graduarse de la Universidad North Central con una licenciatura en Negocios. Después de trabajar en finanzas locales y desarrollar un conocimiento de las empresas que orgullosamente llaman hogar a nuestra región, Holly se apasionó por la economía de Greater Mankato, particularmente la agricultura. En su tiempo libre, disfruta correr senderos, tocar en su banda y pasar tiempo con su esposo y su labrador negro.

[email protected]

darcy entrar
Finance & Benefits Manager, Greater Mankato Growth, Inc.

Darcy worked for Taylor Corporation for 23 years, beginning her career in the accounting department and served in a variety of leadership roles for the organization, most recently as purchasing manager. Darcy is a graduate of University of Minnesota, Morris, with a degree in Business Management and Economics. Outside of work, Darcy has 1 daughter. She enjoys traveling, and spending times with friends and family.

[email protected]

Shannon Gullickson
Director de Programas de Liderazgo, Greater Mankato Growth

Shannon es responsable de supervisar el Greater Mankato Leadership Institute, el Greater Mankato Executive Sounding Board y el Greater Mankato Diversity and Equity Collaborative. Shannon tiene más de 30 años de experiencia en liderazgo en organizaciones sin fines de lucro y con fines de lucro y actualmente es miembro de la junta directiva de Kiwanis Holiday Lights y es presidenta de Camp Patterson, Inc. . Además, fue presidenta de Greater Mankato United Way. Shannon se graduó de la Universidad Estatal de Minnesota, Mankato con una licenciatura en comunicaciones de masas y una especialización en comunicaciones de voz. Fuera del lugar de trabajo, a Shannon le gusta jugar golf, cocinar, hornear, entretener, viajar y ser voluntaria.

[email protected]

Rachel Hermanson
Design & Marketing Coordinator, Visit Mankato

Rachel is a graduate of Bethany Lutheran College and Rasmussen University with degrees in Liberal Arts and Graphic Design. Originally hailing from Albert Lea, Rachel considers Mankato her “second hometown.” In her role with Visit Mankato, she enjoys promoting all of the wonderful amenities that the Greater Mankato area has to offer both visitors and residents. Prior to joining the Visit Mankato team, Rachel worked as a Graphic Designer for Navitor and Corporate Graphics Commercial, and as a Pre-media Specialist at Capstone Publishing. Rachel also has past experience working as a Promotional Products Assistant for Thysse in Oregon, Wisconsin, and as a Member and Communications Manager for the Oregon, Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys hiking, horseback riding, reading, listening to music, and spending time with her family.

[email protected]

Tyler Kuch
Membership Director

Tyler is a born-and-raised Mankatoan who joined the Greater Mankato Growth after seven years with the Mankato MoonDogs baseball team.  Tyler graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2013 with a degree in Sport Management and spent time in Massachusetts and Colorado before coming home to Minnesota. Even though he no longer works in sports, Tyler remains passionate about his Minnesota teams (please don’t ask him anything important during a Vikings game). Tyler lives in Mankato with his wife, Jessica, and their two children, Dora and Mickey.

Alegría Leafblad
Sports & Special Events Director, Visit Mankato

Joy se graduó con una licenciatura de la Universidad Estatal de Minnesota, Mankato en Educación Física y de la Universidad de Baylor con una Maestría en Educación Física y Promociones de Bienestar. Ha vivido y trabajado en Mankato desde 2007. Joy trabajó con Mankato Family YMCA y el Regional Fitness Center en Morris, Minnesota, centrándose en la participación comunitaria y el desarrollo de eventos y programas. Joy disfruta trabajar en la comunidad como voluntaria y pasar tiempo con su hija y su familia.

[email protected]

Tanner Meredith
Marketing Specialist, Greater Mankato Growth

Tanner is a recent graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato with a degree in Marketing. In his role with the chamber, he enjoys getting to meet all of our member businesses and helping promote the economic growth and vitality of our region. Prior to joining the team, Tanner worked as a Communications & Marketing Assistant at Minnesota State University, Mankato in eSports. He also has experience in the IBE Program at the university helping promote his own business. Outside of work, Tanner loves to play pickleball, video games, and trying new places in the area to eat.

[email protected]

Benjamin Muehlenhardt
Coordinador de marketing, GreenSeam

Ben’s hometown is Little Falls, Minnesota, but for the last seven years, he has come to love and call the Mankato area home. He completed his Marketing Management degree at South Central College. Ben enjoys amplifying the GreenSeam brand and bringing attention to this region’s extensive agricultural assets. Outside of work, Ben enjoys playing pickleball, cooking, and spending time with his significant other and Kaden, their yellow lab and golden retriever mix.

bmuehlenhardt
@greatmankato.com

Jake Rinehart
Economic Development Specialist, Greater Mankato Growth, REDA

Jake spent 3.5 years at KEYC News Now as a Digital Content Producer before moving to Corporate Graphics International (a division of Taylor Corporation) in October 2023. Jake is originally from St. Peter and graduated from St. Peter High School in 2015. He is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato where he studied marketing and mass media. Outside of work, Jake enjoys fishing, golfing, live music, and soccer.

[email protected]

liz aguda
Director of Business Event & Sales; Director of Office Operations, Greater Mankato Growth, Inc.

Liz has held multiple positions with the organization's predecessors, the Greater Mankato Chamber of Commerce from 1994 - 2007. She is responsible for overseeing the implementation and success of all special events for the organization (Business Before & After Hours; Annual Meeting; Business Showcase; Songs on the Lawn; Greater Mankato on the Green; Business Reception at Vikings Training Camp; Tour of Manufacturing; and the Business Awards & Hall of Fame... to name a few). Liz attended the University of Maryland in Munich, Germany. Liz is also a graduate of the Greater Mankato Leadership Institute and the YWCA's Elizabeth Kearney Women's Leadership. Outside of work, Liz loves spending time with family and friends, gardening and traveling.

[email protected]

beth smith
Administrative Coordinator, Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. ​

Prior to joining Greater Mankato Growth, Inc., Beth worked for over 30 years at various divisions of Taylor Corporation, primarily in Accounts Payable and Purchasing. She graduated from the University of Minnesota, Morris with a degree in English. Beth has lived in Mankato most of her life and is happy to be part of an organization that has such a positive impact on our region. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children, indulging in her life-long love of reading, and enjoying the beauty of Minnesota’s State Parks.

[email protected]

Ryan Vesey
Business Development Director, Greater Mankato Growth, REDA​

Ryan joined the Greater Mankato Growth team in February 2020 as an Economic Development Specialist and has now moved to Business Development Director. His role entails working with existing businesses to help resolve challenges they are facing, engaging new and prospective businesses to establish locations in the Greater Mankato area, and liaising with education and workforce development partners. Ryan graduated from Windom Area High School prior to attending the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated with a BA in European History in 2015.

[email protected]

Inés Wingert
Marketing & Communications Manager, Greater Mankato Growth

Ines has a Master of Arts in Technical Communication from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Public Relations, and Mass Communications from the University of Zagreb, Croatia. Ines has over a decade of experience developing and executing marketing strategies, managing external and internal communication, brand development, and more. Prior to her joining Greater Mankato Growth, Inc., Ines was a Marketing & Communications Manager at the Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota, where she worked from its infancy to the established organization it is today. She is a graduate of the YMCA Mankato's Elizabeth Kearney's Women's Leadership and Greater Mankato Leadership Institute. Ines is an active volunteer through various organizations, including the COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic and La Leche League International. Ines also serves on multiple committees at Mankato Area Public Schools. As a native of Croatia, Ines brings a unique perspective to our organization and is excited to apply her international life experiences to the work of Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. and the community as a whole.

[email protected]

liz aguda
Director of Business Event & Sales; Director of Office Operations, Greater Mankato Growth, Inc.

Liz has held multiple positions with the organization's predecessors, the Greater Mankato Chamber of Commerce from 1994 - 2007. She is responsible for overseeing the implementation and success of all special events for the organization (Business Before & After Hours; Annual Meeting; Business Showcase; Songs on the Lawn; Greater Mankato on the Green; Business Reception at Vikings Training Camp; Tour of Manufacturing; and the Business Awards & Hall of Fame... to name a few). Liz attended the University of Maryland in Munich, Germany. Liz is also a graduate of the Greater Mankato Leadership Institute and the YWCA's Elizabeth Kearney Women's Leadership. Outside of work, Liz loves spending time with family and friends, gardening and traveling.

[email protected]

Gran Mankato

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