The proposed sale had caused electrical engineer and project manager Mike Behsmann a great deal of discomfort. His employer, Mankato-based pet food and feed behemoth Hubbard Milling, had been only days away from being sold in 1991 when the mega-million dollar deal evaporated almost overnight.
It looked like Chris Vorwerk was reeling from a Caribbean voodoo curse in 2000-01. She had started United Commercial Upholstery in her New Ulm garage at 409 North Broadway on a shoestring budget. During her first year in business, an ex-convict crow-barred his brawn inside to sneakily steal her expensive sewing machines and colorful upholstery fabric.
He was on the precipice. It was December 2004. The antagonistic managers of his ten bus companies had just attempted a bloodless coup d’etat. Their set of demands included having Floyd Palmer relinquish control over the day-to-day management of the school bus company he had owned and managed since 1974.
March marks the beginning of March Madness. As always, the Editor has completely unrealistic aspirations for his Dayton Flyers. My best goes out to your favorite team—unless that team plays UD, of course. Buckle your seatbelts and away we go…
Madison Lake: Critical Fuel Technoly – When leaving in 2008 as vice president of manufacturing, Terry Treanor had 14 years in at Winland Electronics in Mankato.
Mankato: Mankato Clinic Infusion Center – On April 20, 2009, Mankato Clinic’s Oncology, Hematology, and Infusion Center opened in the lower level of Mankato Clinic at 1230 Main Street in Mankato.
New Ulm: North Central International – At one time, Tom and Dave Fox were the sole owners of Fox Brothers of Sanborn, retailing and servicing medium and heavy trucks in Sanborn, Minnesota.
Business Person of the Year 2010
Pamela J. Year verbally chisels out one point crystal clear: Mankato-based MRCI WorkSource is a $46 million private nonprofit business. It has never been nor will ever be a government agency. MRCI WorkSource’s 335 paid staff members create innovative employment programs for more than four thousand people with disabilities.
Sleepy Eye: Railway Bar & Grill – Dan and Sue Helget had their open house for Railway Bar & Grill at 300 First Avenue North about a year ago.
New Ulm: The Splendid Nest – Kathleen Connell recently opened The Splendid Nest at 210 North Minnesota in the former Grand Hotel.
New Ulm: European Antiques – Aini Isaksson was born in Hosko, Finland, and early on with her parents moved to Sweden. In time, she owned a cleaning business there.
Before we start: Our many thanks go out to the seven Minnesota State University College of Business professors choosing our 2010 Business Person of the Year, Pamela J. Year of MRCI WorkSource. In her email to us on October 7 declaring the final vote results, Dr. Ann Kuzma of the MSU College of Business said, “Several of the faculty expressed that this year’s nominees were very impressive and that it was quite difficult to make a final selection.”
Business Person of the Year 2010 – Runner-Up
In roundabout fashion, sour has become deliciously sweet for Bryan Sweet. To begin, when he was only age four, his father and mother’s marriage soured down in Blue Earth. Then Dad decided to live much closer to Mankato and would not utter another word to Bryan the rest of his life. It was painful.
