Milestones That Matter

Tom Ryan
President, Farms

Big news! Tom Ryan has joined R.D. Offutt Company as President of Farms!

Seeking a strategic and visionary leader with a passion for agriculture, R.D. Offutt engaged Doran Leadership Partners to scope this new role and conduct a national search led by Ali Biro and Kelly Dettmann and project managed by Jared Quade.

As President, Tom is the executive leader of farm and dairy operations of both R.D. Offutt Farms and Threemile Canyon Farms.

Tom brings extensive experience from Land O’Lakes, including most recently serving as President of Truterra, LLC. A highly strategic leader, he possesses a strong customer orientation and a wealth of experience in innovation and organizational leadership. Tom is known as a culture builder with a genuine, visible and infectious passion for farming and production agriculture.

Dr. Lew Zeidner
Chief Executive Officer

Doran Leadership Partners congratulates Dr. Lew Zeidner on his new role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Meridian Behavioral Health!

Meridian’s new owner, Renovus Capital, sought a strategic, seasoned leader with a passion for and commitment to Meridian’s mission to provide the highest quality of care to individuals with substance use disorder and co-occurring mental illness. This nationwide search was led by Maya Schultz, Nayana Jha and project managed by Jared Quade.

Lew brings an extensive background in a variety of entrepreneurial healthcare settings, including his most recent role as Vice President of Mental Health & Addiction Services at MHealth Fairview. He has a deep understanding of the behavioral healthcare industry and a proven ability to navigate its complexities. A passionate and authentic leader, Lew is well suited and well-prepared to lead the overall strategy, growth and operations of Meridian.

Jen Haase
Director of Treasury

We are so pleased to announce that Jen Haase has joined M. A. Mortenson Company as Director of Treasury.

Mortenson was seeking a strategic, highly analytical, process-orientated leader and innovative thinker to lead its treasury function. Doran Leadership Partners began a national search led by Ali Biro and project managed by Jared Quade.

Jen’s deep experience in corporate treasury and analytics from 3M and US Bank, coupled with her collaborative and high energy spirit are a perfect addition to Mortenson.

Congratulations to Jen and Mortenson!

Jim Anetsberger
Chief Revenue Officer

Congratulations to our client, Millennium Broadband Solutions, on recruiting Jim Anetsberger as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)! This is a new role for Millennium, designed to spark additional growth and further scale the business.

Millennium engaged Doran Leadership Partners to lead the CRO search. They sought a strategic, seasoned leader with experience driving enterprise growth. This nationwide search was led by Ali Biro, Maya Schultz and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Jim brings over 20 years of experience in the wireless industry, including more than 15 years at U.S. Cellular, where he held various commercial executive leadership roles in sales and business strategy. An enthusiastic and engaging leader, Jim will work closely with Millennium senior leadership to lead the development and execution of the organization’s strategic plan and drive continued growth of Millennium.

Alfonso Wenker
Vice President, Community Impact

Kudos to our client, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, on welcoming Alfonso Wenker as Vice President of Community Impact. A state-wide search was conducted by Doran Leadership Partners, led by Heidi Westlind and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Alfonso joins the Foundation after six years leading Team Dynamics, his own highly successful consulting business. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Minnesota Council on Foundations and PFund Foundation. Born and raised in St. Paul, Alfonso knows the Minnesota philanthropic community well. He also brings a strong national network and experience with program development and policy work. His passion, enthusiasm and relational forte will propel the team forward.

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation is the largest community foundation in that state, and the trusted partner of choice for thousands of donors, nonprofits and community organizations that are working to address some of the biggest problems facing Minnesota communities.

Congratulations Alfonso and to the Foundation!

Ashley Gam
AVP & Director of Investments

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation welcomes Ashley Gam as AVP & Director of Investments! A nationwide search was conducted by Doran Leadership Partners, led by Heidi Westlind and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

The Foundation was searching for an investment professional to round out the existing investment team, work closely with the CIO on all aspects of oversight and management of the portfolio, and provide leadership within the investment team.

Ashley comes to the role from New Holland Capital with strong sourcing, due diligence and recommendation experience. She was the lead portfolio manager for the firm’s impact investing initiatives and a founding member of the DEI committee. Ashley brings a strong execution orientation to the Foundation and welcomed the opportunity to return to her home state of Minnesota after spending time on the East Coast.

Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation is Minnesota’s largest community foundation and partner of choice for thousands of donors, nonprofits and community organizations working to address some of the biggest problems facing Minnesota communities.

Congratulations to Ashley and Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation!

Sophie Forest
Investment Officer

Congratulations to our client, Bush Foundation, on welcoming Sophie Forest as Investment Officer. A national search was conducted by Doran Leadership Partners, led by Heidi Westlind, project managed by Mary Abiadal.

The Bush Foundation invests in great ideas and the people who power them in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography. As the complexity of Bush’s investment portfolio has increased, additional expertise in due diligence and investment monitoring and reporting were required as well as support for their ARI/PRI activity.

Sophie began her career at Cambridge Associates conducting research on sustainable impact investing before joining Upstart Co-Lab as an impact investing leader in the global creative economy. Sophie is highly mission-driven with a strong equity orientation and experience in due diligence across asset classes. She has relocated to the Twin Cities from the East Coast. Her collaborative spirit and passion for DEI will propel her forward at the Foundation.

Congratulations to Sophie and Bush Foundation!

Sara Edmondson
Director, Public Market Investments

Congratulations to our client, Annie E. Casey Foundation, a Baltimore-based private foundation, on hiring Sara Edmondson as Director, Public Market Investments! A nationwide search was conducted by Doran Leadership Partners, led by Heidi Westlind and Kelly Dettmann and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

With the departure of the previous long-tenured investment leader, Doran Leadership Partners was engaged to leverage our network in the philanthropic investment sector for this exciting opportunity to join this highly regarded institution. Sara Edmondson brings over twenty years of public markets experience, most recently serving as Director of Public Markets at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She joins a strong, diverse and collaborative team of investment professionals.

100-year-old Annie E. Casey Foundation, is one of the nation’s largest private foundations. Their $3.5B endowment invests in proven programs that build a brighter future for the nation’s children and youth.

Congratulations to Sara and the Annie E. Casey Foundation!

Julia Quanrud
Chief Executive Officer

We are thrilled to announce that our client, ServeMinnesota, has welcomed Julia Quanrud as their new Chief Executive Officer! A regional search was conducted by Doran Leadership Partners, led by Heidi Westlind and Ali Biro, project managed by Mary Abiadal.

ServeMinnesota works with AmeriCorps members and community partners to meet critical needs throughout Minnesota, focusing on solving tough problems in educational achievement, economic opportunity, climate mitigation and environmental stewardship, recovery from substance use disorders and more.

With the retirement of ServeMinnesota’s long-tenured CEO, the nonprofit’s Board of Directors was seeking an executive to build on the legacy and continue to drive the important work of ServeMinnesota forward. Julia Quanrud was chosen for her passionate and thoughtful leadership and highly collaborative spirit.

Julia joins ServeMinnesota after serving as Chief of Staff at Ampact, one of ServeMinnesota’s AmeriCorps program partners. During her tenure at Ampact, Julia led several critically important and ambitious strategic and transformative initiatives for the organization. Julia is intellectually curious, a lifelong learner and a champion for ensuring that AmeriCorps programs are representative and inclusive of all Minnesota communities.

Jim Hilt
Chief Executive Officer

We are thrilled to announce that Jim Hilt has joined our client Asset Marketing Solutions (AMS) as Chief Executive Officer!

With the transition of its founder into an advisory role, AMS sought a strategic, seasoned leader with a track record in omnichannel retail and direct marketing. This nationwide search was led by Maya Schultz and project managed by Jared Quade of Doran Leadership Partners.

Jim Hilt brings deep retail and ecommerce experience from his most recent role as President of Shutterfly, where he led the photo personalization brand’s primary business. An enthusiastic and strategic leader, Jim previously held leadership roles at Express, Barnes & Noble and Sears. As CEO at AMS, Jim will work closely with the board and senior leadership to lead the development and execution of the organization’s strategic plan.

Founded in 1984 and based in Eagan, Minnesota, AMS is a privately held leading global multichannel direct marketing company within the collectible coin sector, jointly owned by family office, private equity and management.

Congratulations to Jim and the team at AMS!

Erik Tone
Vice President, Business Development

We are pleased to announce that our clients and friends at R.D. Offutt Company have welcomed Erik Tone as Vice President, Business Development.

With years of exceptional results and strong prospects for the future, family-owned R.D. Offutt Company was seeking a strategic M&A leader to head corporate development for the company. Doran Leadership Partners was engaged in this national search led by Ali Biro and Maya Schultz and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Erik Tone, the successful candidate, is from Minneapolis, MN. Prior to joining R.D Offutt Company, Erik spent ten years in Mergers & Acquisitions at General Mills and held positions at Lawson Software. Erik brings proven experience in deal sourcing, due diligence and portfolio management and a collaborative and positive style.

Located in Fargo, North Dakota, R.D. Offutt Company is an entrepreneurial, growth-oriented holding company with primary interests in heavy equipment dealerships, productions agriculture, consumer packaged goods, food processing and commercial and residential real estate.

Congratulations to Erik and the RDO team!

Dave Thomas
Chief Executive Officer

Congratulations to our client, family-owned Wenger Corporation, on hiring Dave Thomas as their new Chief Executive Officer! A successful nationwide search was conducted by Doran Leadership Partners, led by Linda Samide and project managed by Jared Quade.

With the announced retirement of Wenger’s incumbent CEO, the company’s Shareholders and Board of Directors were seeking an executive to lead the organization in its next chapter of growth. Dave Thomas was chosen for his visionary leadership, ability to inspire innovation and track record of driving growth.

Dave joins Wenger after a highly successful tenure with Minnesota-based SJE, a leading global manufacturer and integrator of systems and controls to residential, industrial and commercial markets. During his time as CEO of SJE, Dave led tremendous revenue growth and completed the successful sale of the company. Dave brings outstanding leadership acumen to Wenger along with a passion for the business as a lifelong musician.

Wenger Corporation is an industry-leading and highly innovative privately held manufacturer of products in the music education, performing arts and athletic storage markets. Wenger’s promise to their customers of bringing value, high quality, durability, versality and an intuitive user experience drives everything they do.

Congratulations, Dave and Wenger Corporation!

Tharangi Cumaranatunge
Finance Director & Treasurer

Congratulations to our client, Bush Foundation, on hiring Tharangi Cumaranatunge as Finance Director and Treasurer. With the pending retirement of Bush Foundation’s long-tenured finance leader, Doran Leadership Partners was engaged to lead this regional search, led by Heidi Westlind and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Tharangi most recently held finance and organizational leadership roles at Alight and brings earlier finance and accounting experience at Ecolab. Tharangi is passionate about doing good in the world both globally and locally through strong financial stewardship and as a strategic partner. At Bush, she and her finance team will continue to enable the meaningful grantmaking activities of the Foundation.

The Bush Foundation invests in great ideas and the people who power them in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography.

Congratulations to all!

Carol Peterfeso
Managing Director, Investments

Celebrating with our client Bush Foundation on hiring Carol Peterfeso as Managing Director of Investments. With the pending retirement of their highly regarded Chief Investment Officer, Doran Leadership Partners was engaged for a nationwide search, led by Kelly Dettmann and Heidi Westlind, and project managed by Mary Abiadal. Carol Peterfeso, the successful candidate from Minneapolis, MN, has impressive investment leadership experience from her 20+ years leading the investment function at the University of St. Thomas. Carol is a champion for social responsibility and impact, and excited to continue to lead mission-aligned investment activities.

The Bush Foundation invests in great ideas and the people who power them in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography.

Congratulations to Carol and the Bush Foundation!

John Bachhuber
Vice President, Total Rewards

Congratulations to our longtime client, M. A. Mortenson Company (Mortenson), on hiring John Bachhuber as Vice President, Total Rewards! A successful nationwide search was conducted by Doran Leadership Partners, led by Linda Samide and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

John Bachhuber, has helped build and transform Total Rewards in Medtronic, Thrivent and Thomson Reuters. Equal parts analytical and people-oriented, John adeptly manages the science and the art of Total Rewards. We look forward to following John’s impact as he supports Mortenson’s continued growth.

Mortenson tackles some of the most complex real estate and construction opportunities in North America. Headquartered in Minneapolis, this growing, technologically savvy professional services organization employs approximately 6,500 construction, real estate, and facility professionals and craft workers. Major industries served by Mortenson’s national businesses include renewable energy (wind, solar, storage & transmission), sports and entertainment venues, healthcare and data centers.

Congratulations, John and Mortenson!

Mollie Harig
Vice President, Human Resources

We are delighted to congratulate our longstanding partner and client, M. A. Mortenson Company (Mortenson) on hiring Mollie Harig as Vice President Human Resources! Doran Leadership Partners was engaged to conduct this search led by Linda Samide and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Mortenson retained Doran Leadership Partners to identify a strategic HR executive to lead a team of talent partners and the talent acquisition group. The successful candidate, Mollie Harig, from Minnetonka, Minnesota, brings outstanding HR leadership experience from two renowned family-owned businesses – Cargill and CWT. With a foundation in Public Relations and Communications, Mollie brings both a keen strategic mindset and a singular ability to communicate a corporate vision.

Jeremy Peterson
President

Congratulations to our client Street Smart on hiring Jeremy Peterson as President!

Rapidly growing Street Smart engaged Doran Leadership Partners to help scope the President role, enabling the second-generation CEO of this family business to shift his focus to long-term vision and strategy. Street Smart sought a seasoned general manager and business leader with significant experience scaling technology-driven businesses to have overall management accountability for all Business aspects, ensuring the Company’s strong operating performance and profitability continued. This nationwide search was led by Ali Biro and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Jeremy Peterson brings extensive experience with prior leadership roles at The Pyure Company, Stratasys and Honeywell. A highly strategic leader, he brings a strong customer orientation and a wealth of experience in IoT/software-enabled products and offerings. Jeremy is known for his engaging and approachable style as well as his entrepreneurial spirit.

Street Smart is the industry’s largest provider of specialized traffic safety equipment and smart traffic management solutions utilized in work zones across the country to keep roadways safe. Street Smart is a multi-generational family business founded in 1999, which transitioned to second-generation leadership in 2017. In 2020, the business sought out a well-aligned partner, Carlson Private Capital (CPC), to support and accelerate continued growth of the business.

CPC is a family capital platform established on behalf of the Carlson family to invest in market leaders, especially in the Midwest. CPC provides flexible, patient equity capital and resources, allowing founders and management teams to focus on growing their businesses, supporting their communities and enhancing their legacies.

Barry Gisser
Chief Financial Officer

Congratulations to our client American Public Media Group (APMG) on hiring Barry Gisser as Chief Financial Officer. APMG is the parent company to Minnesota Public Radio. Doran Leadership Partners was engaged for a regional search, led by Heidi Westlind and project managed by Jared Quade.

As the velocity of APMG’s transformation to a digital and multi-platform organization is increasing, their CEO, Jean Taylor, was seeking a dynamic and strategic CFO to join the leadership team and help architect and drive APMG’s transformation. Barry Gisser was selected for his experience championing financial transparency and data-informed decision making, his experience leading transformation and his collaborative workstyle. Barry was most recently CFO at the Science Museum of Minnesota and held earlier career roles in senior finance at Procter & Gamble, ConAgra Foods and Ecolab.

American Public Media Group (“APMG”) is the largest station-based public radio and media organization in the United States.

Patience Ferguson
Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Inclusion

Congratulations to our client, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, on hiring Patience Ferguson as Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Inclusion!
As the Federal Research Bank of Minneapolis prepared for the retirement of their long-tenured Human Resources & Inclusion (HRI) leader, they engaged Doran Leadership Partners in a search led by Ali Biro and project managed by Mary Abiadal. They sought a strategic, action-oriented leader who would create and foster a leading-edge HRI function and oversee the Bank’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, and collaborate effectively across the Federal Reserve system.

Patience brings extensive experience creating equitable, inclusive, diverse and accessible organizations. With prior experience leading HR and DEI efforts at both the City of Minneapolis and the YWCA, Patience is a passionate public servant who is known for her inspirational leadership and ability to champion change.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is one of twelve Reserve Banks that, along with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., constitute the nation’s central bank. The Bank serves the public by pursuing a growing economy and stable financial system for all.

Dr. Buffy Smith
Dean, Dougherty Family College

Congratulations to the University of St. Thomas on selecting Dr. Buffy Smith for the position of Dean, Dougherty Family College. Doran Leadership Partners was engaged for this nationwide search, led by Heidi Westlind and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Dougherty Family College (DFC) offers a two-year liberal arts associate degree program, combining rigorous academics with comprehensive and culturally sustaining support, and prepares historically underrepresented scholars to navigate and overcome social and financial barriers on their path to a bachelor’s degree.

Dr. Buffy Smith had been serving as Interim Dean and has been with DFC since its founding in 2016, creating and launching its holistic, student-centered model. Dr. Smith is a tenured professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice and has been at St. Thomas since 2004.

Megan Knoch-Dohlin
Director, Corporate Strategy & Business Development

Congratulations to our long-time client, M. A. Mortenson Company (Mortenson) on hiring Megan Knoch-Dohlin as Director, Corporate Strategy & Business Development! Doran Leadership Partners was engaged to conduct a nationwide search led by Maya Schultz and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Megan Knoch-Dohlin is the successful candidate from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Megan brings a best-in-class toolkit from McKinsey & Company, an impressive engineering background and terrific collaboration and leadership skills. She is already accomplishing great things at Mortenson!

Sarah Waite
Chief People Officer

Congratulations to our friends at Second Harvest Heartland on recruiting Sarah Waite as Chief People Officer!

Sarah is the third of three new executives joining Second Harvest’s leadership team this year. For this key role, Second Harvest Heartland sought an experienced HR leader who would be a key strategic partner to the CEO, help the organization scale and innovate, and continue to elevate the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. This search was led by Linda Samide and project managed by Jared Quade.

Sarah Waite is the successful candidate from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She brings deep passion for DEI and outstanding strategic human resources leadership both as a generalist and as a talent specialist. Before joining Second Harvest Heartland, Sarah held HR leadership roles at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Medtronic and Target. She was attracted to the critically important work Second Harvest Heartland is doing to end hunger and was impressed by the organization’s commitment to advancing DEI. Be sure to follow Sarah on LinkedIn. She posts inspiring and thought-provoking content all the time.

Second Harvest Heartland is one of the nation’s largest, most efficient, and most innovative hunger relief organizations. With its mission is to End Hunger Together, the organization distributes enough food for more than 100 million meals annually via food shelves, shelters, meal programs and after-school programs in the community.

Carlos Flores
Vice President, Sales

Ellison Bakery has hired Carlos Flores as Vice President of Sales!

Experiencing strong growth, Ellison Bakery is a premier bakery solutions provider for the industrial, food service and private label end markets. Ellison sought a strong leader, collaborator and a strategic problem solver to help Ellison manage its growing customer base.

Doran Leadership Partners conducted a nationwide search led by Maya Schultz and project managed by Mary Abiadal. Carlos’ great leadership experience and passion for combining strategy and analytics will be of great value to the Ellison Team. Congratulations Carlos!

Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana since 1945, Ellison Bakery formulates, develops and manufactures crunches, inclusions, bars, cookies and other baked ingredients. Ellison Bakery is a portfolio company of Tilia Holdings, a Chicago-based private investment firm focused on business-to-business services for the food supply chain.

Michael Hoban
Chief Financial Officer

We are celebrating with Second Harvest Heartland on hiring Michael Hoban as Chief Financial Officer!

With the retirement of their Chief Financial Officer, Second Harvest Heartland, one of the nation’s largest, most efficient and most innovative hunger relief organizations, sought a seasoned finance leader who could provide both operational and strategic support for their rapidly growing organization. Second Harvest Heartland engaged Doran Leadership Partners in this nationwide search led by Linda Samide and project managed by Jared Quade.

Michael Hoban, the successful candidate from Minneapolis, Minnesota, brings a track record of financial leadership within large complex nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining Second Harvest Heartland, Michael was the CFO for Planned Parenthood North Central States and previously directed finance for top Twin Cities healthcare providers. Michael was drawn to the mission of Second Harvest Heartland and is excited to be part of an innovative nonprofit and executive leadership team.

Second Harvest Heartland distributes enough food for more than 100 million meals annually via food shelves, shelters, meal programs and after-school programs in the community. Their mission is to End Hunger Together.

Congratulations to Second Harvest Heartland and Michael!

Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa
President & Chief Executive Officer

We are thrilled to celebrate alongside our friends and clients at Lifeworks Services, Inc. (Lifeworks) on hiring Gerturde Matemba-Mutasa as President and Chief Executive Officer!

Lifeworks successfully navigated a founder transition starting in 2017, and last year began preparing for the planned retirement of its CEO. In its search for the next leader to guide the organization, Lifeworks sought one who could navigate the complex and rapidly evolving disability services sector by supporting the innovative and inclusive practices that have made Lifeworks a leader it its field. Doran Leadership Partners was honored to conduct a nationwide search led by the team of Kelly Dettmann, Linda Samide and Jared Quade.

Gertrude is the successful candidate from the Twin Cities who brings great experience in the complex world of human services, particularly with respect to addressing issues of disparity. Most recently, Gertrude was Assistant Commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, providing leadership to address disparities in housing, behavioral health, disability services, deaf and hard of hearing, and care integration. Gertrude’s experience in nonprofit and government management, as well as her passion for making a difference in the lives of others, will support Lifeworks’ continued growth and service to the region.

Lifeworks is a Minnesota 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1965 by parents of children with disabilities who recognized the importance of advocacy and removing barriers for people with disabilities to be part of the community. Lifeworks has evolved into an industry-leading, high impact institution, serving more than 2,900 Minnesotans with disabilities and their families annually, with services that support self-direction in care, employment and activities. Lifeworks’ mission is to serve our community and people with disabilities as we live and work together.

Congratulations, Gertrude and Lifeworks!

Vikram Narain
Senior Associate & Assistant Vice President

We are pleased to announce that Vikram Narain has joined Vermilion Group!

Minneapolis-based Vermilion Group (Vermilion) is the private equity investment office of the Mortenson family. The Mortenson family built M.A. Mortenson Companies, Inc. into a highly diversified family-owned and community-oriented construction organization. Vermilion pursues private equity investments in well-positioned privately held and/or founder-owned lower middle market companies with a lens on impact investing and value creation. Vermilion follows a patient long-term capital approach and pursues control and minority investments across growth, recapitalization and buyout strategies.

Following a successful search for Principal of Vermilion, Doran Leadership Partners was re-engaged to seek talent to help execute Vermilion’s investments in family-run and founder-led businesses and partner with the management teams of portfolio companies. This nationwide search was led by Maya Schultz and project managed by Mary Abiadal.

Prior to joining Vermilion, Vikram was in Corporate Development at Chicago-based Fortune Brands. His prior experience includes Amcor (Corporate Development), Robert W. Baird & Co. (Investment Banking) and Accenture (Management Consulting). Vikram’s proven experience in business development, deal execution and portfolio management, coupled with his cooperative and positive demeanor, will be valued assets as Vermilion builds the portfolio and the firm. Vikram and his family have relocated to Minneapolis.

Congratulations to Vikram and Vermilion Group!

Chris Romano
Chief Operating Officer

Doran Leadership Partners congratulates the Bush Foundation and its new Chief Operating Officer!

In early 2021, the Bush Foundation announced significant changes to their grantmaking strategies to spur much-needed transformative change across the region. With that strategic shift, Bush also decided to realign its non-grantmaking functions under a single new leader, the Chief Operating Officer. Doran Leadership Partners was pleased to partner with the Bush Foundation on the design of this critical new role and to lead the national search. The engagement was led by Heidi Westlind and project managed by Jared Quade.

Chris Romano, who started as Bush’s inaugural COO in January 2022, brings decades of mission-oriented leadership experience from Riverview Economic Development Association, Thrivent Financial, Seward Redesign and the Peace Corps. He is known for his inclusive organizational leadership skills and his ability to lead highly complex, transformative work. Chris is a former Bush Fellow, a recognized community leader and active board member.

The Bush Foundation invests in great ideas and the people who power them in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography.

Robin Ritter
Chief Human Resources Officer

Congratulations to our client M. A. Mortenson Company (Mortenson) on hiring Robin Ritter as Chief Human Resources Officer!

As Mortenson prepared for the retirement of their long-tenured human resources leader, they sought a successor to build upon a strong foundation and to support the Company’s growth and evolution through future-oriented people and talent best practices.

Doran Leadership Partners was engaged for a nationwide search, led by Suzanne Campion and Ali Biro and project managed by Jared Quade. Robin Ritter, the successful candidate from Minneapolis, MN, has proven leadership experience at both Cargill and General Mills. She is known for her strong business partner orientation, her ability to build high-performing teams, and her empathy and social awareness.

Mortenson tackles some of the most complex real estate and construction opportunities in North America. Headquartered in Minneapolis, this growing, technologically savvy professional services organization employs approximately 6,500 construction, real estate and facility professionals and craft workers. Major industries served by Mortenson’s national businesses include renewable energy (wind, solar, storage & transmission), sports and entertainment venues, healthcare and data centers.

Jason Greni
Chief Financial Officer

Amerilab Technologies has hired Jason Greni as Chief Financial Officer!

Experiencing strong growth, contract manufacturer Amerilab Technologies was seeking an energetic, astute, strategic finance leader with strong foundational proficiency in all financial functions and a background in manufacturing.

Doran Leadership Partners began a nationwide search, led by Linda Samide and project managed by Jared Quade, with Jason Greni as the successful candidate from Minneapolis, MN. Jason brings deep financial leadership experience within manufacturing at both large and small companies. With a foundation in public accounting who progressed through a Fortune 500 CPG company to an innovative custom manufacturer where he led both finance and technology. Jason is excited to build out the finance team at Amerilab and elevate financial processes to support the anticipated business growth.

Amerilab Technologies Inc. (‘Amerilab’), based in Plymouth, MN, is a subsidiary of Dublin, Ireland-based DCC plc, a leading international sales, marketing and support services group. Amerilab is a specialist provider of contract manufacturing and related services in effervescent nutritional products for a customer base that consists of high-quality consumer healthcare companies, specialty brand owners and direct sales organizations.

Brendan Carter
Director, Labor Relations

Congratulations to our client M.A. Mortenson Company (Mortenson) on hiring Brendan Carter as Director, Labor Relations!

Mortenson was looking for a leader to drive the organization’s labor relations strategy and support Mortenson’s teams with labor relations expertise. Doran Leadership Partners was engaged to conduct a nationwide search led by Kelly Dettmann and project managed by Jared Quade.

Brendan is the successful candidate from Sacramento, California who brings great leadership and insights into complex labor issues and strategy. Brendan’s experience across all elements of Labor Relations will support Mortenson’s enterprise-wide labor relations strategy and activities in innovative construction projects across many geographies. Congratulations, Brendan!

Mortenson tackles some of the most complex real estate and construction opportunities in North America. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mortenson serves major industries including renewable energy, sports and entertainment venues, healthcare, and data centers. Mortenson’s business is guided by a strong culture of “building for the greater good”.

Sarah Moberg
Chief Operations Officer

Congratulations to our client Second Harvest Heartland on hiring Sarah Moberg as Chief Operations Officer!

Rapidly growing Second Harvest Heartland needed a Chief Operations Officer to replace their retiring COO. They engaged Doran Leadership Partners in a nationwide search led by Linda Samide and project managed by Jared Quade. Second Harvest Heartland sought a mission-oriented operations leader with deep supply chain experience, who could hit the ground sprinting during their peak season.

Sarah Moberg is the successful candidate from Minneapolis, MN who brings a strong track record of innovation, quality, and supply chain at General Mills. Energetic and bright, with a strong technical foundation, Sarah was on a rising path within General Mills, but was drawn to the mission of Second Harvest Heartland. She is eager to leverage her skills to advance Second Harvest Heartland’s efforts to end hunger and embrace the organization’s commitment to put diversity, equity and inclusion at the heart of what they do.

Second Harvest Heartland is one of the nation’s largest, most efficient, and most innovative hunger relief organizations. The organization distributes enough food for more than 100 million meals annually via food shelves, shelters, meal programs and after-school programs in the community. Their mission is to End Hunger Together.

Stuart Nemerov
Senior Vice President, Operations

Congratulations to our client Made for Retail on hiring Stuart Nemerov as Senior Vice President of Operations!

Made for Retail continues to transition leadership from its founders and grow and diversify the business. Doran Leadership Partners was engaged to conduct a nationwide search, led by Heidi Westlind and project managed by Jared Quade, for a candidate with expertise in team leadership, global sourcing and supply chain functions.

Nemerov is the successful candidate from Chicago, Illinois and is Doran Leadership Partners’ first fully remote executive. With prior experience at True Value, Groupon and Dell, Nemerov is a naturally engaging leader who is immediately known as a force for good, with a knack for balancing strategy and detail, and building strong teams.

Minneapolis-based Made for Retail, founded in 2004, is a privately-owned developer of creative product assortments for big box retailers.

Heather Riddle
Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer

Congratulations to our client American Public Media Group (APMG) on hiring Heather Riddle as SVP and Chief Development Officer, American Public Media & Minnesota Public Radio!

As APMG prepared for the retirement of their long-tenured development leader, they engaged Doran Leadership Partners in a nationwide search led by Heidi Westlind and project managed by Jared Quade. AMPG sought a seasoned and successful philanthropic leader who would capitalize on the momentum created during their previous capital campaign, embrace recent disruptions, and take the organization’s development program to its next level.

Heather Riddle is the successful candidate from Minneapolis, MN with extensive experience creating equitable, inclusive, diverse, and accessible organizational and team cultures. Heather has proven leadership experience at Augsburg University, Children’s Hospitals, and Macalester College. She is known for combining the best of the art and science of development work, using data to inspire her team and organizations for philanthropic growth and progress.

APMG is the largest station-based public radio and media organization in the United States. The operating divisions (APM, MPR, and SCPR*) offer FM broadcast channels, mobile and social media channels, events and content serving nearly 20 million listeners weekly.

Tae Kim
Chief Executive Officer

Congratulations to our client AAA Minneapolis on hiring Tae Kim as Chief Executive Officer!

After successfully navigating the challenges of COVID, AAA Minneapolis was looking for a leader to take the helm as their long tenured CEO retired. Doran Leadership Partners was engaged to conduct a nationwide search led by Linda Samide and project managed by Jared Quade.

Tae is the successful candidate from Buffalo, New York who brings great leadership from both outside and within AAA. Tae is a visionary leader who understands the unique operating model of AAA and can identify opportunities to innovate and update the way the organization approaches the market. Congratulations, Tae!

AAA Minneapolis, established in 1902, is a not-for-profit, tax-paying corporation affiliate of the American Automobile Association, a nationwide federation of motor clubs serving over 60 million members.