Annual Meeting

Greater Mankato Growth’s Volunteer of the Year, John Hemstock:

John Hemstock has been an integral part of the community talent initiative. His leadership was key to designing the framework to the strategic commitments used to organize two Talent Summits. There was a tremendous amount of work to be done and he made sure people worked together. John is currently on the Greater Mankato Growth Talent Council and his leadership and voice of reason has led the council down a unified path. For more than 20 years he has been active in the community and has made an impact in strengthening the workforce through talent attraction and retention.

Visit Mankato’s Volunteer of the Year, Maureen Waltman: 

Maureen Waltman was one of the first volunteers for the inaugural Mankato Marathon weekend in 2010 when she helped with stuffing 2,500 runner bags. Each year since she has remained an incredible contributor to the event. In 2011 she was hired as the first part-time Visit Mankato staffer to take on major logistics for the Mankato Marathon. When she retired, she went back to being a dedicated volunteer showing up every year to help run the expo, take care of start line details and be a floater at the finish line. Her involvement in the Mankato Marathon has truly made it one of the best running events in the country.

City Center Partnership’s Volunteer of the Year, Randy Zellmer:

Though Randy Zellmer is a City Center Partnership board member, currently serving as chair of the Marketing & Promotions Committee and slated to become the City Center Partnership Board Chair in March, this award recognizes the significant volunteer work he has done outside of his board service. Randy chaired the Belgrade Avenue Master Planning committee in 2016 and 2017, providing leadership to community volunteers during the public engagement process. He was also active in the formation of the Old Town Collaborative Association, writing the bylaws, frequently attending meetings to offer counsel and providing advice during transitions. He has also served as a board member and president of the Blue Earth County Historical Society, among other leadership roles. Randy can frequently be found at City Center events and fundraisers, providing consistent support to local businesses and nonprofit organizations.

GreenSeam’s Volunteer of the Year, Jodie Hermer:

Jodie Hermer has been committed to building GreenSeam as a whole and the brand, since day one. She serves on the Steering Committee, the Promotions Action Team and was recently selected to the 2018 GreenSeam Board of Directors. She has been an advocate for GreenSeam within Compeer and in our region. Jodie sees and believes in the vision of GreenSeam, while understanding the long-term commitment. Jodie has been extremely resourceful while supporting GreenSeam with much of her time and energy. She continually supports the teams and GreenSeam staff with challenging, thought-provoking questions and innovative ideas.