10:00
10:30
11:15
11:30
12:15
1:00
1:45
2:30
2:50
3:35
4:00
Speakers, Panelists, and Moderators.
Names are listed in alphabetical order.
Matt’s journey with photography started when he was a young kid. A teacher put a camera in his hands, taught him the craft of film in the darkroom, and it's the art he has pursued since. Matt studied photography in school and has his master's from Winona State University. He has taught photography and videography for several years before leaping into the production world full-time. Matt’s work now revolves around stories told in the outdoors: ad campaigns, editorial features, and film projects. Minnesota is basecamp for Matt and his family, but he is blessed to travel the world and tell stories with cameras. Matt is constantly in awe of what God has put before us to know Him. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1. Matt says, “When it comes down to it, I just love the story behind every single frame.”
Owner of Matt Addington Creative, Founder & Chief Creative Officer for Resonate Outdoors.Matt Addington
Kjell Bergh
Kjell came to America from Norway in 1965 at the age of 19. He worked as a free-lance journalist for two Norwegian publications and also worked as an over-the-road truck driver. He went back to Oslo for a year to study at the University of Oslo but returned to America permanently in 1967. He has since earned both Batchelor’s and Master’s degrees in International Relations. He is a dual citizen. He has owned numerous companies in Minnesota, Florida, Tanzania and Norway, His main company is one of the five oldest Volvo dealerships in the U.S. He also owns Borton Overseas, an international tour company established in 1894. For nearly twenty years, he and his former wife Maria Nhambu owned Borton Volvo and Borton Volkswagen in Delray Beach. Kjell was the first Honorary Consul for Tanzania in the United States, an office he held for 15 years until he resigned in 2015. Among other organizations, he was Chairman of the Minnesota Consular Corps, Delray Beach- Moshi Sister Cities Committee, Nyerere Educational and Research center Foundation (USA), Norwegian Refugee Council (USA) and currently serves as Founding Chairman of Dallas-based Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce. Kjell is a member of the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame and the Volvo Hall of Fame. He has been given Lifetime Achievement Awards from American International Auto Dealers Association, Diaspora Council of Tanzanians in America and the Outstanding Achievement Award from Educate Tanzania!
the Chairman of Borton Volvo
Arin Brown is a technology executive and Chief Technology Officer specializing in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and enterprise data platforms in regulated industries. As CTO of SeaChange Print Innovations, he’s led the company’s transformation from a traditional print operation into a technology-enabled marketing and data services organization, building scalable digital platforms, AI-driven automation, and enterprise data capabilities that improve margins and accelerate growth. With more than 20 years of experience leading technology, data, and security teams, Arin has extensive expertise in enterprise cybersecurity and compliance frameworks, including HITRUST, HIPAA, SOC2, and PCI-DSS, helping SeaChange operate securely while supporting high-volume regulated communications for enterprise clients, including large national healthcare organizations.
His leadership philosophy centers on servant leadership and building high-performing, technically savvy teams, empowering teams to innovate, scale operations, and align technology strategy directly with business outcomes. Arin is an ORBIE CIO of the Year finalist and frequently advises his executive leadership team on digital transformation, technology strategy, cybersecurity, and AI-driven innovation.
CHIEF tECHNOLOGY oFFICER, sEAcHANGE pRINT iNNOVATIonsArin Brown
Jamison Galloway
Lead Data Scientist at 3MJamison Galloway is a data scientist with an academic background in theoretical physics and extensive experience helping enterprises unlock value from their data through modern analytics, automation, and AI. He currently leads the Data Science Center of Excellence within Legal Affairs at 3M Company, where he develops custom AI models and tools for the company’s in-house legal professionals and business teams.
Jamison holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Notre Dame and a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of California, Davis. He applies the rigor and problem-solving mindset of that discipline to complex business challenges, with a focus on practical innovation and responsible implementation. His work is guided by the belief that technology should amplify but not replace human expertise, and should always be deployed mindfully, meaningfully, and securely.
David is an award winning reporter for the New York Times. He currently writes for the Climate desk, and previously wrote for the Business section and was the Corner Office columnist. Read his recent stories here.
His reporting has won EMMY, George Polk, Gerald Loeb and SABEW awards. Before joining the Times in 2013, he spent five years with the Financial Times. At the FT, he covered tech, media and M&A in San Francisco and New York. In 2011 he conducted an exclusive jailhouse interview with Bernie Madoff, shedding new light on the $65 billion ponzi scheme. His most recent book is “DIRTBAG BILLIONAIRE: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away.” His 2022 book, “The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America — and How to Undo His Legacy,” was an instant New York Times bestseller. His first book, “Mindful Work: How Meditation is Changing Business from the Inside Out,” was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2015. He lives in New York City with his family.
New York Times Reporter and Author of Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away*David Gelles
Bill George is an executive education fellow at Harvard Business School, where he has been a professor of management practice and senior fellow teaching leadership and governance since 2004.
Bill is the former Chairman and CEO of Medtronic. He is the author of True North: Emerging Leader Edition and four best-selling leadership books. He has served on the boards of Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Novartis, Target, and the Mayo Clinic. He is a life director of the Guthrie Theater, and a board member of YMCA of the North.He received his BSIE from Georgia Tech and his MBA from Harvard University, where he was a Baker Scholar. He has received five honorary PhDs, including Georgia Tech and Mayo Clinic.
the former Chairman and CEO of Medtronic and Author of True North: Emerging Leader EditionBill George
Russell T. Lund, III (Tres) serves as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Lund Food Holdings Inc., which operates 28 Lunds & Byerlys grocery stores in the Minneapolis/St. Paul marketplace. The retail stores are supported by two company-owned food manufacturing facilities and a produce distribution center.
His career began with Lunds in 1978 as a part-time carryout. His full-time career commenced in 1985. Tres became vice President of Retail Operations of Lunds following an intensive 18-month internship, and in 1991, he was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Lunds, Inc. Following the successful acquisition of Byerly's, Inc. in 1997, and the integration of the two formats under one company, Tres was named Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Lund Food Holdings, Inc.
Tres is a graduate of the University of Montana College of Business. He serves on the Boards of the FMI Food Industry Association (Washington, DC), the Agri Beef Company (Boise, Idaho), the Minnesota Business Partnership (Minneapolis, MN) and MPSC, Inc. (Hudson, WI).
Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of Lunds & Byerlys.Tres Lund
Jihan Rush Jenkins is the General Manager and President of Everpure Home, where she leads the vision, strategy, and execution of Pentair’s premium residential water platform. Over the past three years, Jihan has guided Everpure Home from concept to launch—validating the technology and building the business, brand, and go-to-market strategy to redefine how water is experienced in the home.
Under her leadership, Everpure Home has emerged as a design-forward, performance-driven brand focused on elevating water from an unappreciated utility to a foundational element of wellness, home performance, and modern living. Most recently, Jihan led the successful launch of Naia by Everpure Home, a breakthrough whole-home water treatment appliance introduced at the International Builders’ Show. Naia represents a new standard in residential water—combining elegant design, advanced engineering, and intelligent technology to deliver consistently high-quality water throughout the home while protecting long-term investments. The launch marked a major milestone for Everpure Home and reflects Jihan’s commitment to thoughtful innovation, customer-centric leadership, and long-term value creation.
General Manager, Everpure Home at PentairJihan Jenkins
Jason is an Assistant Vice President of WSP, which is ranked as the #1 international design firm by Engineering News Record. He has over 20 years of experience in water resources engineering. Jason leads WSP’s water business in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. He is also a Board-Certified Diplomate of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers, where he serves on the Academy's Board of Trustees. Additionally, Jason serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota. He was also a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Engineering Education Foundation of America.
Jason is licensed as a Professional Engineer and Attorney. Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Management from Northwestern University, where he studied at both the McCormick School of Engineering and the Kellogg School of Management, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
Vice President of WSPJason Meyer
Rachael Ostrom is a marketing executive with over 25 years of experience leading digital transformation and global strategy in the luxury beauty industry. As a longtime marketing leader at Aveda Corporation, she has driven innovation across ecommerce, CRM, loyalty, and omnichannel marketing, always with a focus on sustainability.
On March 24th of this year, Rachael added Bookstore Owner to her resume. She is currently the owner of Acorn Bookshop in St. Paul, MN in the St. Anthony Park Neighborhood. Acorn Bookshop is a feminist bookstore focused on women's voices, community and sustainability. The bookstore shares a portion of their sales with two local non-profits, Voyageaurs Conservancy and Friends of the Mississippi.
CEO and Owner at Acorn BookstoreRachael Ostrom
Chris Samuel is the Chief Impact & Corporate Affairs Officer at Viridian Ecosystems - a global natural infrastructure services firm; Advisory Board Member at the World Agriculture Forum; and Co-Founder of Thespo, India's largest youth theatre festival.
He has over two decades of global corporate reputation, public policy, sustainability, and marketing experience with Bayer, Monsanto, P&G, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Soy, and now Viridian Ecosystems.
Chris helped advance global nutrition & food security, economic, environmental and social impact for Bayer, Monsanto, The Nature Conservancy, and U.S Soy; increase access to sanitary napkins for young girls & women for P&G; and is now advancing wildfire resilience, carbon credits and income diversification for large and small landowners in the Western United States and Africa at Viridian Ecosystems.
He has engaged diverse stakeholders at the Consumer Goods Forum, World Economic Forum, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, UN Climate Week, and UN Food Systems Summit, and other fora. He lives in Chicago with his wife Michelle - a global communications leader at Mondelez; and their 2, having previously lived in St. Louis, Singapore, Mumbai, and Dar-es-Salaam.
Chief Impact & Corporate Affairs Officer at Viridian EcosystemsChris Samuel
Laura Smith is the Sustainability and Compliance Manager at Storm Creek. Laura has been the driving force behind many of Storm Creek’s biggest sustainability milestones, including earning B Corp certification and achieving an EcoVadis Gold rating. She makes big goals feel doable—turning ambitious ideas into meaningful, measurable results.
Laura’s work is all about balance: connecting long-term vision with the everyday details that make it real. Thanks to her leadership, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword at Storm Creek—it’s woven into the way the company operates.
When she’s not leading impact initiatives, Laura can often be found exploring National Parks. Her time outdoors fuels her passion for protecting the planet and inspires her mission to help create a more sustainable future.
Sustainability and Compliance Manager at Storm CreekLaura Smith
Chanda Smith Baker is the President & CEO of Minnesota’s largest community foundation, which has granted over $2 billion to the community since its inception in 1940 and stewards $1.9 billion in charitable assets for community good. The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation is a trusted philanthropic partner for individuals, families, and organizations statewide, providing more than 9,000 grants annually.
A seasoned executive and nationally recognized thought leader, Chanda brings deep expertise in aligning vital resources with community priorities and a steadfast belief in what’s possible when people unite around a common purpose.
Chanda joins the Foundation from Smith Baker, the organization she founded to cultivate leadership and drive transformative change across businesses and communities. She previously served as Chief Impact Officer at the Minneapolis Foundation and as Chief Executive Officer of Pillsbury United Communities. In these roles, she forged expansive partnerships with donors and community leaders to expand pathways to opportunity.
A visionary in community leadership, Chanda helped launch several groundbreaking initiatives, including the Black Collective Foundation MN — Minnesota’s first Black community foundation — and North Market, a full-service community grocery store and wellness center. Her exceptional work has earned numerous accolades, including recognition as a 2025 Bush Fellow. Through the fellowship, Chanda is focusing on wellness, deepening her leadership skills in service to the community, and strengthening her storytelling to influence positive change.
Chanda has long championed equitable, enduring institutions across the region and beyond.
President & CEO of Saint Paul & Minnesota FoundationChanda Smith Baker
Market Development Leader at Kurita America and Incoming President-elect of the American Water Works Association.T.J. Strobel
T.J. is a senior professional with Kurita based out of their North American headquarters in Minneapolis. After earning a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota, he began his career at Tonka Water in engineering and then in technical sales of water treatment equipment. As a market development leader, T.J. supports Kurita's entire business by providing a technical perspective on market opportunities and product applications across all industries and product lines. T.J. actively volunteers with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and previously served on its Board Executive committee as Chair of the Manufacturers/Associates Council. He will return to AWWA's Board of Directors as President-Elect in June 2026 and serve for one year as President beginning June 2027.
Co-founder of Owamni Restaurant, co-founder of Indigenous Food Lab in Minneapolis, and NYEco Products in New York. Dana Thompson is a multifaceted social impact entrepreneur. For the last 15 years as a food sovereignty expert, she has traveled the world performing dinners focused on Native cuisine. In 2024, she launched Heti Beverages. Heti means “home” in the Dakota language. This brand was created to raise awareness about non-toxic, carbon-sequestering bio-materials for building homes out of hemp. She is now launching a biorefinery using hemp for bio-plastics, regenerative battery development, packaging, and hemp sugars.
Founder/CEO of Dana Thompson Consulting, Heti Products and NYEco ProductsDana Thompson
Victoria (Torry) Whitney is Vice President of Global Communications for Ecolab Inc., the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions. In this role, she leads Ecolab’s external communications and reputation strategy, shaping how the company engages with media, stakeholders, and global audiences.
Previously, Whitney was Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Prosper Africa at the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) where she advanced the impact of U.S. government tools to mobilize private capital, improve business climates, and accelerate trade and investment between the United States and Africa. Whitney also oversaw Global Strategy and Communications at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Prior to her government service, Whitney led marketing and communications strategies for high-profile B2B and B2C clients at Splash, a leading event-marketing software company. Whitney began her career as a news producer with ABC, CBS, and Al Jazeera America in New York.
Whitney earned her degree from Sarah Lawrence College and has lived and studied abroad in West Africa and the Lake Victoria Basin.
Vice President, Global Communications at EcolabTorry Whitney
Mark D. Williams, founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes, brings an endless curiosity and collaborative mindset to every home he builds, partnering closely with homeowners and skilled trades to create spaces rooted in craftsmanship, creativity, and lifestyle.
That same approach extends beyond the job site through The Curious Builder, where Mark has built a national platform including a podcast, in person Collectives, and immersive retreats. By bringing industry professionals together to share real stories, challenges, and insights, he continues to elevate the building craft while creating meaningful connection across the industry.
Founder at Mark D. Williams Custom Homes and Builder at Mysa HusMark Williams
Strategic advisor and best-selling author Michele Wucker coined the term “gray rhino” as a call to decision makers to better respond to obvious, probable, impactful risks. She is founder of the Chicago based advisory firm Gray Rhino & Company. Her work in risk-based decision making and governance draws on decades of experience in global economic policy and as a media and think tank executive. Her four books include the influential global bestseller, THE GRAY RHINO, and the sequel, YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK.
Author of The Gray Rhino: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We IgnoreMichele Wucker
Event Sponsors.
Thank you to our event sponsors, Paragon Group of Companies, Lunds & Byerlys, and Biomimetics International!
Event Partners.
Thank you to our partners for helping us put on today’s program.
JMG Impressions and John Graham - Stewardverse Merch, Banners, and Speaker Gifts.
Elite Epicurean and Tom Reschenberg - Lunch Catering.
Storm Creek - Featured Merch.
Acorn Bookshop and Rachael Ostrom - Sourced copies of Dirtbag Billionaire.