Board of Trustees
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is elected annually in November for three-year terms. Board members are responsible for providing governance, advocacy, and philanthropic support to advance the mission of the Foundation. One-quarter of the trustees are appointed by the University’s Board of Regents. Below are the current Foundation Trustees.
Officers
| Shari L. Ballard, Chair* Former Senior Executive Vice President Best Buy Co. |
| John E. Lindahl, Vice Chair Former Chairman Norwest Equity Partners |
|
Philip E. Soran, Treasurer |
| Lynn Casey, Past Chair Former Chair and CEO PadillaCRT |
| Thomas G. Olson, Secretary Retired Managing Director Prime Mortgage |
| Kathleen M. Schmidlkofer, President and CEO University of Minnesota Foundation |
| Christine K. Searson, CFO and VP of Finance University of Minnesota Foundation |
Other members
| Ruth Bachman* Chair, Community Advisory Board, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota |
| Mary K. Brainerd* Retired President and CEO HealthPartners |
| Blythe A. Brenden Founder Blythe Brenden-Mann Foundation |
| Dorothy J. Bridges Former Senior Vice President Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis |
| Rebecca A. Crooks-Stratton* Secretary and Treasurer Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community |
| Michael B. Fiterman* Chairman Liberty Diversified International |
| Joan T.A. Gabel* President University of Minnesota |
| Julie E. Gilbert Senior Advisor McKinsey |
| Kenneth C. Glaser President K. Charles Development |
| Kurt E. Heikkila Founder and CEO Tundra Companies |
| Susan S. Hoff Proprietress Fantesca Estate and Winery |
| Hoyt M. Hsiao President and CEO Shaw-Lundquist Construction |
| Russell Huffer Retired Chairman and CEO Apogee Enterprises |
| Ezell Jones Founder and Managing Partner Fifth Quarter Integrated Solutions |
| Michael P. Lehan Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Achievement Osseo Area Schools |
| Beth Kieffer Leonard Managing Partner Lurie LLP |
| Ross Levin CEO and Founder Accredited Investors Inc. |
| Richard L. Lindstrom, M.D. Founder Minnesota Eye Consultants |
| Margaret E. Lucas* Founder/Partner Brighton Development |
| David J. McMillan* Regent University of Minnesota |
| David J. Meyer* CEO & Chairman Titan Machinery Inc. |
| David C. Mortenson Chairman M.A. Mortenson Co. |
| Abdul M. Omari, Ph.D. Regent Emeritus University of Minnesota CEO and Founder AMO Enterprise |
|
Richard T. Ostlund, J.D. |
| Lynne S. Redleaf President Lynne & Andrew Redleaf Foundation |
| Michael F. Roman Chief Executive Officer 3M Co. |
| Roger J. Sit Chairman Sit Investment Associates |
| Esta E. Stecher Managing Director The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. |
| Erik M. Torgerson* President Folden Hills Partners LLC |
| Peter A. Vorbrich Retired CFO CarVal Investors |
| Bradford W. Wallin Member Minneapolis Grain Exchange |
| Theresa B. Ward Managing Director, Private Wealth Merrill Lynch |
| Penny A. Wheeler, M.D. President and CEO Allina Health |
| Jacqueline R. Williams-Roll Chief Human Resources Officer General Mills |
* Regent-nominated trustees