Our Team

Downtown Partnership of Mankato-North Mankato logo
Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. (GMG) exists to intentionally develop the regional center

This is achieved by promoting, supporting and serving as a catalyst for economic development through business growth, retention and attraction; talent growth, retention and attraction; regional livability and advocacy of the marketplace. Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. is comprised of four business units;

  • Greater Mankato Growth, the regional chamber of commerce and economic development organization serving the regional marketplace
  • Visit Mankato, the local destination management organization
  • Downtown Partnership of Mankato / North Mankato, a downtown development organization
  • GreenSeam, which utilizes agriculture to build on the region’s extensive agribusiness assets to develop the ag economy.
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 Della

Andy Wilke
Executive Vice President, Greater Mankato Growth

Andy leads Greater Mankato Growth, the 5th largest chamber of commerce in the state of Minnesota. Additionally, he leads 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. In 2024, Andy was named a “Top Leader under 40” by the Minnesota Valley Business Magazine.

Email Andy

Ashlee White
Visit 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 Ashlee

Tim Huebsch
Interim Leader
GreenSeam

Tim brings nearly 25 years of experience leading global, cross-functional teams at General Mills, along with significant board governance experience. He currently serves on the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities Board of Trustees where he chairs the Finance & Facilities Committee for the system. Tim also serves as Vice Chair of the Mankato Area Foundation and is a board member of the Guthrie Theater. He is a past Board Chair and Emeritus Board Member of the Minnesota State University, Mankato Foundation.

[email protected]

Morgan Anderson
Marketing Assistant,
Visit Mankato

Morgan is a Mankato native and graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato with a degree in Marketing. She works primarily with Visit Mankato and Downtown Partnership, where she enjoys promoting the area she has called home her entire life. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, reading, crafting, and spending time with her family and dogs. You can often find her on her snowmobile, cheering on Mavericks hockey, water skiing, or relaxing at her family's cabin.

Email Morgan

Joelle Baumann
Special Events Manager, Visit Mankato

Joelle is a graduate of the Greater Mankato Leadership Institute. Joelle attended Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, where she played on the volleyball team, graduating with a degree in Biology in 2008. Then she attended Minnesota State University, Mankato and graduated in 2012 with a degree in Foods and Nutrition and a minor in Corporate & Community Fitness. Outside of work you can find her enjoying time with her daughter, son and husband, being with family and friends, playing volleyball and being outdoors.

Email Joelle

Holly Callaghan
Economic Development Specialist, GreenSeam

Holly is a Minnesota native, born and raised in the suburbs of St. Paul. She grew up around the University of Minnesota Extension campus where she grew to love our lush, productive Minnesota soil. She moved to Mankato in 2020 after graduating from North Central University with a degree in Business. After working in local finance and developing a knowledge of the businesses that proudly call our region home, Holly became passionate about the Greater Mankato economy—particularly agriculture. In her free time, she enjoys trail running, playing in her band, and spending time with her husband & black lab.

Email Holly

Darcy Enter
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 Darcy

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.

Email Tyler

Elsa Landherr
Events and Volunteer Engagement Manager, Greater Mankato Growth, Inc.

Elsa is a recent graduate from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a bachelor's degree in Sport Management and a minor in Human Resource Management. She previously interned with GMG, Inc. as an Events Intern, as well as with Greater Mankato Area United Way and the University Advancement Division at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Through these experiences, she gained skills in event coordination, community engagement, and organizational support. Elsa is passionate about the importance of supporting local businesses, nonprofits, and the overall vibrancy of the Greater Mankato community. She enjoys contributing to initiatives that bring people together and enhance regional growth. In her free time, you can find her enjoying the outdoors, doing art & crafts, working out, and spending time with family and friends.

[email protected]

Joy Leafblad
Director of Strategic Initiatives: Sports Tourism and Downtown Partnership, Visit Mankato, DTP

Joy graduated with a bachelors degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato in Physical Education and from Baylor University with a Masters in Physical Education & Wellness Promotions. She has lived and worked in Mankato since 2007. Joy worked with the Mankato Family YMCA and the Regional Fitness Center in Morris, Minnesota, focusing on community involvement and event and program development. Joy enjoys working in the community as a volunteer and spending time with her daughter and family.

[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
Marketing Coordinator, 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.

[email protected]

 

Jake Rinehart
Economic & Workforce Programs 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 Jake

Liz Sharp
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 Liz

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 Beth

Ryan Vesey
Economic 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 Economic 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 Ryan

Ines 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 Ines

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]

Liz Sharp
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]