About Connect Business
Where Southern Minnesota’s Business Leaders Connect
Since 1994, Connect has covered the businesses and decision-makers shaping Greater Mankato and the surrounding nine-county region. Today, we are building on that legacy with a sharper, digital-first approach to regional business journalism.
What We Cover
We focus on the people building Southern Minnesota across agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, education, retail, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and the decisions shaping the region’s future.
- Timely business news
- In-depth profiles
- Industry insight
- Editorial perspective
Our Standard
We are not a chamber newsletter.
We are not a press-release outlet.
We are not here to manufacture hype.
We aim to produce stories that serious leaders actually read. Reporting that respects the complexity of growth, risk, leadership, and change.
What To Expect
Digital Coverage
Regular reporting and analysis as stories develop across the region.
Bi-Weekly Newsletter
Curated updates delivered directly to inboxes across Southern Minnesota.
Publisher’s Perspective
An ongoing editorial about where the region is headed and what deserves attention.
Independence
Partners support the platform. They do not dictate coverage. Profiles are earned. Conversations are candid.
People Behind Connect
Wes Otto
Publisher
Wes Otto is the Publisher of Connect Business Magazine and founder of Otto Media Group, a Southern Minnesota-based creative and content agency focused on strategy and storytelling. In 2023, Otto Media Group acquired Connect Business Magazine through the purchase of Concept and Design in Nicollet, Minnesota, positioning Wes as steward of a regional business publication with roots dating back to 1994.
A lifelong Mankato resident raised in small business, Wes grew up in the restaurant his parents, Rick Otto and Marie Simmonds, operated for 35 years, Zanz Mexican Restaurant, which he later purchased alongside his sister in 2022.
Over the past decade, Wes has worked closely with business owners, nonprofit leaders, and executives across the region as a consultant with the Minnesota Small Business Development Center and as Chairman of GMG Inc., the organization overseeing Greater Mankato Growth, Visit Mankato, REDA, the Downtown Partnership, and GreenSeam. He also co-hosts Get Deep, a long-form podcast exploring the people behind the organizations shaping Southern Minnesota.
Through Connect Business Magazine, Wes is committed to serious regional business reporting rooted in clarity, credibility, and long-term thinking.
If you are building in Southern Minnesota, this is your publication.