Though now a farmer and having recently opened a 6,000 sq. ft. Sibley Seeds warehouse in Gaylord, Ron Geiger wasn’t raised on a farm. His father was a businessman and high school teacher who later headed the accounting department at now-South Central College, and his mother worked for a Mankato bank.
The Taylor flair for fluid conversation and business acumen became apparent after we spent 90 minutes interviewing her at Taylor Corporation headquarters.
You will just have to wait patiently for the unveiling of our 2015 Connect Business Magazine Business Person of the Year, which our annual panel of Minnesota State University College of Business professors has already chosen. You can read all about their choice in our January 2015 issue. What a crop of nominees we received this year!
Now to the rough: The editor had an eye-opening moment after reading details on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision allowing family-owned Hobby Lobby, under the Affordable Care Act, to opt out of having to offer insurance coverage for certain contraceptives the company believes cause abortions.
Tania Cordes grew up outside Chicago, where her father was a structural engineer and her mother a volunteer on many boards and for charities. In a telephone interview, 45-year-old Cordes said, “My mother has lots of energy and I have some of that from her, for sure.”
He has been general manager of Crystal Valley more than fourteen years and would not have been if not for persevering through many setbacks and challenges—and skillfully turning those situations into assets.
In agriculture, we feature 25-year industry veteran Roger Kienholz, 57-year-old general manager of $375 million Crystal Valley, which serves customers and members in its four business segments of grain, energy, feed, and agronomy.
Owner Kathy Depuydt manages Bradley’s on Stadium with son, Bradley, opening the bar/restaurant in the former Boomtown location on April 1, 2014
Pam Breeden, acting general manager of Marco’s Pizza, grew up in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where her mother worked in a dental office and her dad drove truck for Coca-Cola. In a telephone interview, 32-year-old Breeden said, “My dad always said if you’re going to do something, then do it right. He would lead by example. I learned from both my parents to always pay attention to detail and take pride in your work.”
