Oles in Economics: 1990-1999
To jump to a specific class year, click one of the following links:
Lisa Tiedje Carlson (’90): Married John Carlson (attended Olaf from 86-88) in Sept 1990, and we have four children, Maggie (16), Adam (14), Joe (8) and Will (6). Worked at Target in Inventory & Buying from 1990-2000.
Joined Best Buy in 2000 and spent time as a Merchant in Accessories, TVs & Camcorders. Joined Samsung Electronics in 2004 as a National Sales Manager calling on Target & Best Buy. Went back to Best Buy in 2005 and led Studio D test, Geek Squad test with Fed Ex Kinkos & Office Depot, and am now the Geek Squad Sr Director of Parts & Claims. I also have a tremendous passion around mentoring/developing future leaders, and spend as much of my time as possible doing just that!
William Clark (’90): MBA, Clark University, Global Finance and Marketing is the Co-founder and EVP of Sales and Business Development at Virtual Causeway. He previously worked at Financial Insights, Channel Sales at Financial Fusion, Sybase and Object Design.
Christopher Durben (’90): Since leaving the Hill with an Econ degree I have done the following:
-Worked in the transportation industry in junior foreman (Consolidated Freightways) and customer service (American Airlines) roles from July 1990 to August 1992
-Started my MBA at Western Michigan University from August 1992 and officially finished in Dec 2004
-Finished off last semester of electives in a student exchange program with Curtin University Perth Australia
-Worked for a small Greek fishing company that had a relationship with Ernst & Young Consulting
-Worked with Ernst & Young Consulting from April 1995 (Perth office) to Jan 2000 (Dallas Office) till being downsized
-Joined KPMG Consulting as a Manager in July 2000 back in Perth, relocated with firm in March 2002 from Perth to Melbourne Australia
-Worked with KPMG Consultant as a Manager till being downsized in Aug 2003
-Joined Dell Services in Oct 2003 as a Program Manager in Melbourne for large managed services deals (pre sales P&L and delivery), main responsibility is with CIO and ensuring all aspects of a global IT outsourcing program go smoothly, had program responsibility with one client in Singapore and Vietnam
-Resigned from Dell Services in June 2007 to take with Cisco Advisory Services specializing in construction/real estate. The role was in Dubai where I am currently residing and still working for them. I survived my first year of a crash course around real estate and local politics within UAE.
Scott J. Hed (’90): 1990-2001: Held positions in credit analysis, management, and sales with Business Credit Leasing and Secured Funding Source (divisions of Schwan's Sales Enterprises) which ultimately were bought by US Bank.
2001-Present: Did a career "180" and have worked on Alaska conservation issues for the Alaska Conservation Foundation. Currently serve as Director of the Sportsman's Alliance for Alaska (www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org).
Life Lesson: Never let your degree dictate what you do with your life. There are lots of opportunities out there, keep an open mind. My liberal arts education from St. Olaf has been tremendously helpful in my past and current careers.
St. Olaf connections in current work: Have worked with Oles in the outdoor media and management of commercial fish processing companies in Alaska. Also ran into Professor David Emery at a fly fishing show in the Twin Cities!
Joan Barney Jaeger (’90): Carlson School of Management MBA degree, graduated June 1999
Worked at Target Stores from 1992 to 2001. Currently a stay-at-home mom. That’s about it, thanks!
Chad T. Jerdee (’90): I am currently Associate General Counsel with Accenture, a consulting and outsourcing company, and serve as global Director of Legal Services for its Outsourcing business. I manage a team of lawyers focused on shaping and negotiating Accenture’s largest BPO and ITO outsourcing transactions. My team also leads the development of training, tools, and policies that support Accenture’s outsourcing contracts and negotiations. I spend a considerable amount of time on emerging markets in Asia / Pacific and elsewhere.
Prior to joining Accenture, I practiced law in Minneapolis advising technology and growth companies on lending, venture capital financing, and technology matters.
I am married to Carolyn (Ohst) Jerdee, another Economics major from St. Olaf's class of 1990. We have two daughters (Sarah and Anna) and live in the Chicago suburb of
Geneva, Illinois.
Christopher C. Novak (’90): Masters Degree in Statistics from Iowa State University in 1992.
Have been employed with 3M Company in various roles since August of 1992.
Todd O’Bert (’90): President and CEO of Productive Corporation
About Productive
Productive Corporation, is a specialized software reseller, that helps small and medium businesses across North America with software initiatives in security, storage and infrastructure. We provide subject matter expertise, access to technical resources and excellent customer service. We also, strive to provide the most relevant resources for our customers ( www.productivecorp.com )
About Todd
In March 2001, Todd co-founded Productive Corporation as a way to provide businesses with expertise in software licensing and related services. Prior to founding Productive, Todd helped found Workstations International in July 1994, where he directed divisions within both the Sales and Operational functions. With responsibility for revenue generation throughout his tenure, he saw the company through rapid growth from start-up to $28 million in four years, as well as playing a major part in assisting in transition and corporate restructuring in 1998, when the company changed its core business focus and re-branded itself as ZoneTrader.com.
Community involvement and educational background;
Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College in Northfield Minnesota
Actively involved in the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
Also involved with St. Paul Public Schools (http://www.spps.org)
On the board of the Soo Visual Art Center (http://www.soovac.org)
Winston L. Stellner (’90): Current employment: Chair of Strategic Management Division at Mayo Clinic
Additional Education: MBA from Carlson School of Management, 1995
Family: Married to Stacie Stellner with three children - Brynne, Marin, and Lincoln
Personal Interests: Family and youth activities; running marathons; maintaining a hobby farm
John (Jeff) Zink ('90):
I obtained my Ph.D from the University of Utah in 2005.
Taught at Idaho State for the academic year 06-07.
Taught at Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA for academic years, 07-08, and 08-09,
and will teach there again next year, 09-10.
Josh Baltzell (’91): I graduated from St. Olaf in 1991 with degrees in Economics and Philosophy. I received my MBA from the University of Minnesota in 1993. Since then, I have worked in the medical device industry. My positions have included marketing and business development for Scimed/Boston Scientific, investment banking with Piper Jaffray working on public offerings and mergers and acquisitions in the medical device sector and the last 7 years as a venture capitalist with St. Paul Venture Capital/Split Rock Partners. My current title is Managing Director. Um Ya Ya. http://www.splitrock.com/page/1/Baltzell.jsp
Victor Matheson (’91): Following St. Olaf, I went out and got my Ph.D. in Economics from the U. of MN (2001). I am now an associate professor in the Department of Economics at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. I study the economic impact of major sporting events such as the Olympics or Super Bowl on host economies. My research repeatedly shows that sports boosters frequently overstate the positive impact of these events. This gets me frequently quoted in the media but doesn't make me so popular with the NFL.
Travis Penrod (’91): Econ / Asian Studies
I graduated into a tough job market in 1991, and after a couple of “starter jobs” in and around the Twin Cities I went to work for General Electric in Chicago. I learned that big companies were not a good fit for me.
1994 found me back in the Twin Cities running the Litigation Support team for the law firm of Zelle and Larson, LLP. The folks at Z & L really gave me some great opportunities to interact with their clients. My team and I were attached to mass tort litigation, and I got to use some of the analytical skills I learned with my degree to help them resolve a number of commercial issues. It was great experience, but without a JD, it would have been a tough career.
In the spring of 1998 I was recruited by Interstate Companies, and took my first assignment in our Minneapolis home office. I was promoted to Vice President in 1999, and again to President in January of 2005.
Interstate is a growing, thriving industrial distribution company. We have 23 operating locations, three operating divisions, over 800 employees, and do business in 9 states. We’ve grown our revenue to just under $300 Million / year, and we are consistently listed in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s top 100 privately held companies in Minnesota – a distinction we share with companies such as Datacard, Dorsey & Whitney and Cargill. You can learn more about us at www.istate.com
Olaf was an important part of my development. In 2007 my stepson, Aaron Johansen, graduated from Olaf with a double-major in Physics and Math. His brief work study in the Econ. Department yielded more information than a kid ought to know about their parent. Nice to know my four years were memorable to others. Many of my college friends are life-long members of my extended family – including a crazy Norwegian roommate. As my old buddy Rich Larson used to say: “they’re the four best years of your life – but you don’t figure out how great they are until they’re over. (PHOTO)
Andrea (Crawford) Potterton (’91): Economics and Communications Major, Class of 1991
I am a real estate broker with my husband’s third generation real estate and insurance family business in Dodgeville, WI. We live in Dodgeville (near Madison) and I would welcome the opportunity to talk to anyone looking to go into the real estate profession or assist anyone with buying or selling property in the area. Cheers!
Julie A. Rath (’91): Employed by Northwest Airlines since Oct. 1991. Accepted a new position in 2008 due to the merger with Delta Airlines as the Director, Reservations, Service Recovery, Automation and Alliances in Atlanta, Georgia.
Executive MBA from the University of Minnesota
Christopher Weber (’91): Since 2002, I have been at Community Resource Bank in Northfield and am currently a Vice President and Investment Services Manager. Through PrimeVest Financial Services, we offer a full slate of investment products to both retail and commercial customers. On the retail side, this encompasses everything from fee-based financial planning and wealth management to providing college savings accounts, stock trading, or insurance. On the commercial side, we assist businesses by providing retirement plans, cash management services, and business succession planning. Although I manage the department, I spend most of my time with clients.
Prior to Community Resource Bank, I spent about 10 years at Highland Bank in St. Paul and Bloomington, where worked in their investment department through PrimeVest as well. Along the way, I earned my CFP® (Certified Financial PlannerTM) certification in 1999. The CFP® has assisted me in my personal mission of “needs-based” planning and advice.
On the personal side, I married Deanne Zibell (’91) and reside in Northfield with two children. It is fun being back in town! It seems that half my old Econ professors go to my church and there are many Oles from our era around town. I am actively involved in the Northfield Rotary Club & St. John’s Lutheran Church.
Kirk Ahlberg (’92): I graduated in 1992 and, after living out in the mountains and skiing for a few years, have been working for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (formerly Lutheran Brotherhood) in Distribution Development. I got my MBA from Augsburg in '08.
Paul Beauchamp (’92): After graduating from St. Olaf in 1992 with an economics and mathematics degree I went on to take a sufficient number of accounting courses to sit and pass the CPA exam. I joined Deloitte in 1996 and have been an audit professional in Michigan, Boston, Manchester England, Amsterdam the Netherlands and now the national office in Wilton CT. I was admitted to the partnership in 2007 an am now a technical resource in the areas of revenue recognition (US GAAP and IFRS), business combinations and accounting for income taxes. I spend most of my time assisting clients in developing accounting positions for unique and complex transactions which often results in assisting them in their dealings with the securities and exchange commission. I also assist our global firm in evaluating the quality of certain member firms from other countries. The majority of this work has focused on countries in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Kevin Chenoweth (’92): After St. Olaf, I pursued an international focus by attending Thunderbird, American Graduate School of International Management. Staying active in the community and keeping a high GPA allowed me to win the top graduating student honor in my class, Barton Kyle Yount. It's named after the school's founder.
Currently, I am a General Ledger consultant with Deloitte Consulting. I'm enjoying the challenge of implementing ERP systems at clients, who all seem to have a different personality and culture.
Prior to my position with Deloitte, I held several jobs. However the most fun and challenging would be a 2 year stint as an Advanced Business Consultant in Peace Corps Ukraine. It is really true that instability and challenge in Eastern Europe has earned it the nickname, the "Wild East."
St. Olaf provided a solid foundation for me to think critically in global terms. That has served me to this day.
William Evans (’92): Since graduating from St. Olaf, I've completed my MBA through St. Thomas University and am currently employed as the Administrator for Sports and Orthopaedic Specialists in Edina, MN. By September, I will have been employed here for more than 7 years, and our firm is arguably the most prominent orthopedic practice in the 5-state region.
Robert Lemke ('92): Associate Professor of Economics and Business at Lake Forest College in Chicago. Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Madison. http://campus.lakeforest.edu/~lemke/index.html
Eric Reynolds (’92): After St. Olaf I worked in Finance for General Mills for several years before heading to Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management to complete my MBA in 1998. After a brief time at Procter & Gamble, I moved to San Francisco to begin work at Clorox where I have been employed since 1999. Over the last 10 years, I've held a variety of Sales and Marketing roles both domestic and internationally. I am currently the General Manager of Clorox's Caribbean and Central American operations. I live in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I leverage my Saint Olaf, Northwestern and work experiences as the Vice Chairman of the Vesper Society, a religious interfaith private operating foundation that develops programs around the world (www.vesper.org). I am particularly involved in our South African and Lesotho projects that teach financial literacy and help move individuals towards economic self-sufficiency.
Laurie Wile Brown (’93): I graduated from St. Olaf with a double major in Economics and French in 1993. I began working at General Mills in 1993 as a Finance Associate and completed my MBA in Finance from the Carlson School evening program at the U of MN in 1999. Throughout the years I have had roles of increasing responsibility within the Finance function at General Mills and I am currently a Director of Finance for the Marketing Services organization. I share my position with another working mother in a dual career household. I have 3 children and she has 2 children. We call ourselves a Careershare and are planning to continue our development and advancement as a pair.
Ryan C. Garton (’93):
1993: Saint Olaf College – BA Economics & Political Science
1993 – 1995: Project Manager – The Gallup Organization
1995: MBA – University of Nebraska
1995 – 2006: United Airlines
- Manager Marketing Research (Domestic and International)
- Regional Manager Midwest Region (planned the marketing, sales, flights, fares and equipment for every flight in and out of OHare – was a $3B revenue portfolio)
- Senior Manager – Brand and Marketing Strategy
- Senior Manager – Bankruptcy Restructuring Office
- General Manager – STAR Alliance Sales & Marketing – Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Americas
2006 – Present: Discover Financial Services
- Director – Brand Strategy
- Director – Consumer Insights Strategy
My wife Dr. Linda Garton (Duerst ’93), PhD. And I live in Evanston, IL just North of Chicago. Linda is Assistant Dean for Northwestern University School of Music and I am Director of Consumer Insights for Discover Financial Services (Discover Card and Discover Bank). We have two wonderful kids Tristan (B-6) and Adrian (G-3). Highlights from the career so far: been able to travel for marketing and business development to over 35 countries, led the largest revenue region for United Airlines, managed the United Airlines – Starbucks coffee relationship, was one of the leaders in Pennsylvania for United 93 on 9/11/01 assisting families and relatives, helped launch several new products (or relaunch) for Discover Card, helped to develop and launch Discover Financials entry into student loans and have been able to leverage my economic training by clearly linking marketing metrics (brand drivers, net promoter scores, advertising metrics) to key business drivers (sales, profitability and ROI) through many of the statistical techniques we learned in Prof. Bill Carlson’s classes.
Adam T. Hill (’93): Adam T. Hill, CFP® is President of Maxwell Financial Management. Adam is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®. He started in the financial planning industry in 1993 and has been honing his craft ever since. Adam`s Economics and Management bachelor`s degree is from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. Adam lives in New Albany, OH with his wife Kelly and his three sons Andrew, Spencer and Jonathan.
I am on the Franklin County Board of the American Cancer Society and was on the board of the FPA from 2002-2004. I coach my kids sports teams, play golf and basketball in my spare time. I am not sure what else you want. My contact info is below and you can get more stuff from my website which is below as well. www.maxwellFM.com
Charles A. Lamberton (’93): One of Pennsylvania's leading civil litigators. He graduated with honors from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Trial Advocacy. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Lamberton received a degree in Economics from St. Olaf College. Mr. Lamberton has been recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer. www.lambertonlaw.com
Blaine Schultz (’93): After graduating Olaf in 93 I moved around a bit. Wichita Ks, Minneapolis MN, Columbia MD, and now Raleigh NC. I'm in High Tech Sector now as a Strategic Account Manager with LSI. I'm part of a small team that manages a $400M+ revenue stream of external RAID storage OEM's with IBM.
I finished my M.B.A. with Friends University last year.
It was great to see the hill last fall for our 15 year anniversary!
Catherine “Katy” Sunde (’93):
Olaf Education: B.A. Economics and Mathematics; Statistics Concentration, 1993
Higher Education: M.S. Statistics, Iowa State University, 1995
Employment: Statistical Modeling and Data Analysis positions at:
· AT&T Universal Card Services (Jacksonville, FL)
· Deluxe Corporation (Shoreview, MN)
· eFunds Corporation (Woodbury, MN)
· Currently a Senior Modeling Analyst at Target Financial Services (Golden Valley, MN)
Peter Swenson ('93): I am the Chief Administrator for Park Dental & The Dental Specialists in Minneapolis/St. Paul. A group of approximately 100 dentists providing dental care to roughly 10% of the Twin Cities population for the past 40 years.
Kristen C. Anderson (’94): After graduation I became a New Englander. I went to graduate school at the University of Massachusetts where I received my master's degree in Public Administration. During graduate school I had an internship in administration at a community college in Western Mass, thus beginning my career in higher education. Getting a little closer to Boston, I worked at Brandeis University, then moved a little farther out spending five years at Wellesley College. In 2002 I moved up north to my current location at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont where I am the Assistant Vice President for Budget and Financial Planning. The College owns both a ski area and a golf course, so life isn't too bad.
Jennifer Balkcom (’94):
Master's in Public Policy, Urban Growth concentration, 2001 - UMass Amherst
Master's in Real Estate Finance and Development, 2006 - MIT
Currently: Lending Manager, Mercy Loan Fund, Denver, CO
Mercy Loan Fund provides commercial loans across the country to nonprofit developers of affordable housing.
Previously: Associate Director, Peabody Properties, Quincy, MA / Asset Manager, Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency
Previous Career: Tech Strategy Consultant, Forrester Research, Cambridge, MA
Jane-Marie Bloomberg (Kahn) (’94): Owner of Embellishments Design Studio, a full-service interior decoration studio specializing in custom window treatments and upholstery. My work has been featured in major shelter publications and on HGTV. My website is www.embellishmentsdesign.com.
Prior to starting my own business, I was a buyer at Marshall Field's Department Stores. During my 5 years with the company, I also worked as a Replenishment Supervisor in converting Marshall Field's, Mervyn's and Target to common in-house systems. Prior to working at Marshall Field's, I was a financial analyst at General Mills for 2.5 years.
David Henderson (’94): - Fulbright Scholarship to Japan, 1994-1995
- Worked at Aisin Seiki, 1995-1999 (Aisin is a major auto parts supplier to Toyota, located near Toyota headquarters in Japan) At Aisin, I managed the development, implementation, and improvement of lean manufacturing systems. I also served as a consultant to top Japanese management on a major turn-around effort for a transplant facility in North America .
- MBA, Cornell University, 1999 - 2001. Park Leadership Scholarship (full tuition and living expenses)
- Working at McKinsey & Company, 2001 - present (started in Cleveland, moved to Japan in 2003).
I am currently an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company's Tokyo office. My engagement experience with the firm includes:
• Leading McKinsey's CO 2 initiative for Japan . The initiative aims at providing industry and regulators with a common fact base of CO2 abatement opportunities and associated costs. The initiative has developed the first global GHG abatement cost curve in 2007, and published a detailed follow-up, V2.0, in 2009.
• Initiating and leading a Japan market entry strategy study for manufacturer of smart meters for the electric, gas, and water markets. Study leveraged multiple CO 2 regulatory scenarios to develop demand scenarios and identify risks
• Shaping a medium/long-term corporate turnaround strategy for a major semiconductor manufacturer. Strategy development included development of a corporate wide 5-year financial model, evaluation of global manufacturing footprint, construction of a financing strategy for a large-scale 300mm fab, and development of multiple contingency strategies as a prepared response to possible market developments.
• Leading a lean manufacturing transformation program for a major global semiconductor manufacturer that identified and captured opportunity to increase fab capacity by 30% with zero capital investment. Program also boosted direct labor productivity by 25%. David led the initiative to tailor the global program to the needs of the Japanese organization
• Building a comprehensive turnaround strategy for a major Japanese automotive OEM. The project included a thorough revision of the OEM's global product portfolio strategy, product development processes, global manufacturing footprint, and corporate SG&A functions.
• Implementing an aircraft maintenance strategy and turn-around-time reduction program for a major Asia-based carrier. Program resulted in turn-around-time reduction of 25% and improvement of maintenance effectiveness .
• Identifying EBIT improvement opportunities for a major energy producer by applying lean manufacturing principles to coal, oil, and natural gas fired power plants. Effort resulted in over 30% cost reduction against full plant annual spend across 10 power plants.
Also, on the side, I'm a singer / songwriter, perhaps due to the musical influence of my years on the Hill. Website is www.rightmind-music.com
Pete Martinets (’94):
I have worked in corporate banking since graduating from St. Olaf in 1994. I have worked for Wachovia Bank, Northern Trust and am currently SVP and Loan Team Manager for the Midwest division of Large Corporate Banking at Wells Fargo Bank based in Chicago. I currently manage the Midwest and Southeast offices for all underwriting and credit management for primarily Fortune 500 companies with revenues in excess of $1.0B.
Mike Aldrich (’95): St. Olaf; BA Economics/Social Studies Education/History Minor, 1995
Univ. of Minnesota; M.Ed Kinesiology, 1998
Univ. of Louisville; Ph.D Sports Management, in progress
1996: Zep Manufacturing; Assistant Manager (Management Training Program)
1996-1997: Comdisco Network Services; Network Operator/Assistant Network Operations Center Manager
1997: RHI Consulting; Sales Associate/Technical Recruiter
1998-1999: Network Guidance; Head of Human Resources/Web Page Developer
1999-2000: Freelance web page developer
In 1999 switched careers to become a full-time college football coach.
1995-1998: St. Olaf College; Assistant Football Coach
1999: College of the Sequoias; Assistant Football Coach
2000: California Lutheran University; Assistant Football Coach
2001-2002: Augustana College; Assistant Football Coach
2003-2004: University of Louisville; Assistant Football Coach
2004-Preset: Augustana College; Assistant Football Coach
(2000-2002, 2005-Present: Sioux Falls Storm Indoor/Arena Football; Assistant Coach, 4 Championships)
Currently married to the former Kristen Grohs of Denver, CO with 1 daughter (Makenna, 2007) and pregnant (due Aug. 2009)
Michael Brekke (’95): MBA, University of St. Thomas, 2000
Current Employer: Thomson Reuters (West) as Finance Manager
Married since 2000 with two girls and live in Stillwater.
Josh Decker (’95): I graduated in 1995 with degrees in Economics and English. I currently am a Certified Financial Planner. advancedadvisor.net/joshdeckercfp
John D. Holland (’95):
Partner -- Dady & Garner, P.A.
5100 IDS Center
80 South 8th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
612-359-3504
Representing the Interests of Franchisees and Distributors Nationwide
Named "Legal Eagle" by Franchise Times Magazine
Named "Rising Star" by Law and Politics Magazine
Anne Husted (’95): After graduating St. O in '95 with a dual major in Econ and Russian, I worked at Target for two years opening up new stores. I grew tired of the constant moving, so entered graduate school. I attended the University of Denver and earned a Masters of Accountancy degree in 1999. I sat for, and passed, the CPA exam in May of 1999. Since then, I've worked for CPA firms in whatever cities we've lived in - my husband's work bounced us around for awhile (BKD in Wichita, KS, Moss Adams in Seattle, Eide Bailey in Denver). Currently, I largely stay home with our kids, but do work 10 weeks per year during tax season.
Katherine Porter (Sands) Johnson (’95): BA Economics/French (double major)
Shortly after graduating from St. Olaf, I moved to California where I landed a job as a school administrator at an ESL school. As an administrator I was able to use my French on a daily basis (due to the international environment) and a bit of my economics background (I was in charge of the school's accounting and marketing. After three years there, I applied for graduate school in education. I earned my Ed.M. at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education in 2000. Upon graduate school graduation, my husband and I returned to the Bay Area where I worked in admissions at a private girls' school. Although I am currently staying at home with our children (age 2 and 5.5), I continue to volunteer in education. I help Boys and Girls Club students with the college application process through the Collegiate Steps Program.
I am grateful for Dr. Emery for his patience and guidance while I was his student as well as his confidence in me when I applied for graduate school. I am convinced that I would not have gotten into Harvard without his help!
Mark Navin (’95): Since graduating St. Olaf, I have been helping run my family business. We design machines for the food industry, primarily for packaging dry food products like cereal and coffee. For the last 10 years I've been handling our larger "strategic accounts" which include fortune 500 companies like General Mills, Kraft Foods and Quaker Oats. Our web site is www.spee-dee.com.
Matthew Stennes (’95): After graduating from St. Olaf in 1995, I attended Harvard Law School, where I graduated in 1998. After a clerkship with a U.S. District Court Judge in Minneapolis, I moved to Washington, D.C. where I worked as an attorney with Steptoe & Johnson, LLP, in their criminal defense practice group. I put my St. Olaf economics degree to good use, representing corporations and individuals in corporate fraud and other criminal cases, including in the federal investigations of accounting irregularities at Enron, Rite Aid, and Freddie Mac. In 2006, I took a position serving with the U.S. Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor in the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division. I am now busy prosecuting elected officials, government employees, lobbyists, and other individuals around the country for public corruption offenses.
I live in Alexandria, Virginia with my wife, Libretta, and our three-year-old son, Zachary.
Martha C. Vargas (’95): After graduating from St. Olaf, I worked for American Express for 12 years in various finance, business development and marketing positions. In 2008, I left Corporate America for the non-profit world. I am currently the Agency Relations Coordinator for the West Texas Food Bank in El Paso, TX.
Kelly Kleven (’96): I am a 1996 Economics major and currently the Controller of the Rowland Reading Foundation in Madison, Wisconsin.
http://www.rowlandreading.org/
Our Foundation is dedicated to improving reading instruction in the primary grades by sharing with educators and parents what research tells us about how children learn to read; training teachers of reading in instructional practices consistent with research; and
providing curriculum materials based on research and best instructional practices.
The Foundation is a nonprofit organization. Proceeds from the sale of its materials are re-invested in the dissemination of research, teacher training, and the continued development of effective classroom materials.
Tait Lillemoe (’96): I was employed as a Financial Consultant with Smith Barney from February 1997 through September 2003. I have been with Cargill since September 2003 and am currently employed there as a Senior Commodity Merchant. I also served as captain of the 2008 United Way Campaign for Horizon Milling of Cargill this past October.
Andrew Munyon (’96): Duke University, Fuqua School of Business (MBA, 2002)
Current job: VP of Business Development, Facet Technology Corp. (Eden Prairie, MN)
Ann K. Russell (’96): I starting working at Andersen Consulting right out of college (graduating in 1996), and worked there for a few years, until 2000. I was immediately hired into their PeopleSoft Consulting division, and have been working with the software in various capacities ever since. After leaving Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) I went on to a smaller company named Crestone Consulting until 2005, and then an even smaller company called Newbury Consulting. To be honest I don't use my Economics degree much at all, but it was the education and networking I received at St. Olaf that got me off on the right foot!
Jason Egginton (’97): Master of Public Health Administration and Policy (U of MN School of PH)
Health Servicess Analyst, Mayo Clinic, Division of Health Care Policy & Research
Spirituality in Health Care Committee
Chair, Sponsorship Research Committee
My primary interest is in facilitating behavior, environmental and policy changes to help prevent and treat chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. Our division is charged with helping determine factors in the value equation, i.e.- the costs associated with the pursuit of health divided by the episodes/bundles of health care received.
Olmsted County Public Health Services Advisory Board
Andy May (’97): Current employment - Business Analyst with CMG Minneapolis. CMG is the parent company for a number of Public Relations and Management firms. Weber Shandwick, GolinHarris, FutureBrand, Octagon, Jack Morton and MWW are a few. I am currently working on a project to re-write our entire BW reporting system. BW is SAP's Excel based retrieval and analysis software.
Tony Morse (’97): Education – St. Olaf – Economics
Employment – Padilla Speer Beardsley – Director, Technology Practice
www.psbpr.com
Our practice area helps technology companies grow through effective marketing and communications to ensure they reach the right people at the right time with the right message to elicit the desired action.
Cuitlahuac Turrent (’97): I currently work at Goldman Sachs as a Vice President in the Operational Risk Management & Analysis group where I oversee operational risk management for the firm's Securities Division. I earned my MBA from NYU in 2003. I continue to be in touch with the St. Olaf community as the Co-Class Fund Agent for the school's Partners in Annual Giving efforts. Please pass on my contact information to any current students who are interested in a career in Finance, I would be happy to help as a mentor.
Carl J. Arnold (’98): I live and work in Northfield. I'm an attorney and mediator with the Lampe Law Group and focus my practice primarily on divorce and family law topics. I created and manage the blog www.alwaysfamilycenter.com, which is a free resource related to family conflict and divorce and family law topics.
Joe Nelson (’98): Married in 2007 to Pam Nelson.
Further education:
JD from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2006
Work:
Attorney with Anderson, Rasor & Partners, LLP, in Chicago, IL
I currently practice in civil defense litigation, mostly defending doctors, hospitals, and railroads - I love it. Also, I completed the culinary arts program at Kendall College in Chicago back in 2002, received my pilot's license in 2005, and spent time working in restaurants, for photographers, in consulting, and in marketing communications before settling on law school. My wife and I live on the far north side of Chicago.
Nessa (Riley) Sander (’98): In 2002 I started a custom wedding stationery business, Cardgirl Invitations. For several years I operated the business out of San Francisco, and have recently returned home to Portland, Oregon.
t (415) 385-4225
f (270) 626-4319
See Cardgirl's work published in:
The Knot Northern California,
Today's Bride, and
7x7 San Francisco
custom and eco-chic wedding invitations
Ryan Laber (’99): I'm currently attending the Carlson School of Management for an MBA. My expected graduation date is May of 2011.
After graduating St. Olaf, I worked as a commodity merchant for Cargill. After a little more than a year I left and since the fall of 2000 I've been helping grow small business in St. Paul. It is called Asset Recovery Corporation. We help businesses and government offices properly dispose of their old IT equipment. Since I've been with the firm, we've grown from $6 Million in sales to $15+ Million.
Heidi Larson (’99): 1999-2000 I worked as an independent consultant specializing in handicap accessibility.
2000-2007 I worked at RCM, which is a buy side asset management firm in San Francisco. I worked in the research department, first on the industrial/business services team and later on the retail/consumer goods team. While working there, I passed the first level of the Chartered Financial Analyst exam.
In 2007, I quit my job to go to UCSF for the Accelerated Nursing Program. I completed the program in June 2008 and passed my California RN boards in July 2008.
In October, I began working at Children's Hospital of Oakland. It's been amazing!
So, I think I'm a bit more of a product of the liberal arts education, unfortunately.
Lars Leafblad (’99): I'm a 1999 econ grad from STO. I earned my MBA in strategic management from the Carlson School of Management at the U of MN in 2006. I'm currently employed as a vice president with a Mpls based executive search firm called KeyStone Search. I'd love to connect with other econ alums or current students. They can find my contact information at the website below: www.larsleafblad.com
Keith J. Lutgen (’99): Since graduation, I had a brief job stint at Dain Rauscher as a trade clearance associate. Since then, I have been at Best Buy for almost 9 years, starting as an inventory analyst and working my way up to my current role as a Sr. Buyer.
Ryan W. Marth (’99): Attorney, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P., Minneapolis (2004-present), my bio is available at http://www.rkmc.com/Ryan_Marth.htm
Law Clerk to Justice Helen M. Meyer, Minnesota Supreme Court
J.D. magna cum laude, University of Minnesota Law School, 2003
Fulbright Scholar, University of Oslo, 1999-2000
B.A. magna cum laude, in Economics, Political Science, and Norwegian, St. Olaf, 1999
Andrew P. Moratzka (’99): St. Olaf College, Economics and Mathematics, 1999
Lewis & Clark Law School, 2002, Cornelius Honor Society, Editor in Chief of the law review, Business Roundtable Scholar
During law school, I clerked for the Dakota County Attorney's Office and TCF National Bank. I have been at Mackall, Crounse & Moore, PLC, since 2002.
Since, 2002, I have been named a Law & Politics Rising Star for the years 2007, 2008, and 2009. I was named an Up & Coming Attorney in 2008 (please see http://www.mcmlaw.com/upload/pdfs/minnesota-lawyer-names-mcm-attorney-up-and-coming.pdf for explanation and economics "plug"). I have been published in a national journal a few times (see for example, http://www.mcmlaw.com/upload/pdfs/eighth-circuit-refuses-to-conflate-constitutional.pdf and http://www.mcmlaw.com/upload/pdfs/negative-equity-for-'910-day'-vehicle-purchase-receiving-positive-treatment-for-creditors.pdf).
Currently, I work in the Mining, Energy, and Regulated Industries group at Mackall. Please see bio here: http://www.mcmlaw.com/attorneys/andrew_p_moratzka/
Erin Raw (’99): I graduated from Texas Tech University with a Masters of Technical Communication in 2007. I am a Business Analyst for T-Chek Systems Inc in Eden Prairie MN (T-Chek is a subsidiary of C. H Robinson Worldwide). As a Business Analyst, I work with business users to understand their needs and work with the developers to create the programs for the users.
I am married and have 2 kids.
Sean Reilly (’99): Senior Manager - Transfer Pricing
Ernst & Young LLP
Carlson School of Business - University of Minnesota - MBA – 2007
Jake Schmitz (’99): My econ degree led me to Golf Course Management, if you can believe that. It actually serves its purpose very well, as part of my job is budget forecasting and management. Following graduation from STO in '99, I enrolled at Penn State University and received a 2-yr certificate in Turfgrass Management. I am currently a golf course superintendent at a private club in Eden Prairie, MN - Olympic Hills Golf Club.
Cheryl Trahms (’99): have a MBA from Carlson, have worked for companies such as ING, Pearson, and Pillsbury and am presently pursuing a PhD in Strategic Management at Texas A & M—Ranked in the top 10 for faculty research productivity in management. Eventual goal is to be a Professor at a Big 10 School.