Business People: Kathy Megarry to lead labor relations and HR at MSP airport

Pioneer Press
·3 min read

OF NOTE – AIRPORTS

The Metropolitan Airports Commission, operator of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, announced it has named Kathy Megarry vice president of human resources and labor relations. Megarry previously served as the chief labor relations officer for Hennepin County.

ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS

Primacy Strategy Group, a St. Paul-based government lobbying agency, announced the additions of Rachael Beitler as chief of staff and Margaret Thomas, executive assistant to the CEO; Primacy Strategy is a 50/50 joint venture between law firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen and Synergetic Endeavors, St. Paul.

EDUCATION

International Training Institute, the education arm of the unionized sheet metal industry, announced it has appointed Ron McGuire of St. Paul as program administrator. McGuire previously was with Sheet Metal Local 10 in White Bear Lake and St. Paul Technical College. … Rhythm & Shoes Dance Studio, a South St. Paul dancing school, announced that Elena Toninato has purchased the business. Toninato owns consulting firm The Toninato Group, Inver Grove Heights.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Coulee Bank, La Crosse, Wis., announced the opening of a branch at 733 Grand Ave., St. Paul. … St. Cloud-based Stearns Bank announced that Sharena Ali and Isaura Gaeta will join its board of directors. Ali is president at Connect, powered by American Family Insurance, De Pere, Wis.; Gaeta is an executive with Intel, Santa Clara, Calif. … Baker Tilly, a national business consulting and accounting firm, announced the following Minnesota-based partners: Elizabeth Bergman, public sector; Dave Gette, specialty tax; Jenny Jensen, commercial services, and Matthew Johnson, financial services.

FOOD

Hormel Foods Corp., Austin, Minn., announced it has appointed Florence Makope as vice president and treasurer, succeeding Gary Jamison, who is retiring after 34 years with the company.

HEALTH CARE

Lifespark, a St. Louis Park-based provider of senior health care services, announced that Matt Nyquist has joined as chief population health officer. Nyquist previously was an executive with UnitedHealth Group-Optum.

HONORS

National accounting firm Ernst & Young announced the following Minnesota winners of its Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022 Heartland Award: Dave Perrill, Compute North, Eden Prairie; Subodh Kulkarni, CyberOptics, Golden Valley; Barry McCarthy, Deluxe, Shoreview; Scott Lien, GrandPad, Hopkins; Christine Lantinen, Maud Borup, Plymouth; Tyrre Burks, Player’s Health, Minneapolis; Barry Nordstrand, Solutran, Plymouth; Chris Metz, Vista Outdoor, Anoka, and Jason Von Bank, Wellbeats, Golden Valley.

LAW

Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, St. Paul, announced that Lisa Hollingsworth has been promoted to director of advocacy and litigation and Vannam Khen has been promoted to director of finance. … Moss & Barnett, Minneapolis, announced that attorney Jessica M.S. Brigman has joined the firm’s business law and wealth preservation and estate planning teams. … Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner, Minneapolis, announced that Drew Hirshfeld has joined the firm as a principal. Hirshfeld previously was with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, most recently serving as acting deputy undersecretary of Commerce for intellectual property and acting deputy director.

MANUFACTURING

Marvin, a Warroad, Minn.-based maker of windows and doors, announced that Sylvie Orenga has joined in the newly created role of vice president of digital and marketing operations. She will be based in Minneapolis.

OPENINGS

Wisdom Gaming Studios, a new e-sports venue, announced its opening at Mall of America, Bloomington. … Jewelry retailer Blue Nile announced its opening at Mall of America.

ORGANIZATIONS

MiningMinnesota, a Duluth-based trade association supporting the interests of the state’s mining industry, announced it has named Julie Lucas as executive director, effective Aug. 1. … Clean Emergency Response Team, or CERT, a Minnesota-based clean energy advocacy group, announced the Melissa Birch has been promoted to rural energy development coordinator and central CERT coordinator.

UTILITIES

Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy announced that Megan Burkhart has been elected to the company’s board of directors. Burkhart is executive vice president, chief human resources officer at Comerica Inc., a Dallas-based financial services company.

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