Members of the Driven steering committee provide energy, leadership, visibility, and advocacy, and help make connections to prospective donors and new volunteers. The University of Minnesota is grateful to members of the committee for leading the U on a path to make a direct, enduring difference to our students, state, and world.
John and Nancy Lindahl, campaign co-chairs
John Lindahl, ’68 B.S. and B.A, is the chairman and founding partner of Norwest Equity Partners. Nancy, ’68 B.S., is the founder of Creative Strategies Plus Inc., assisting nonprofits with their strategic plans. John serves on the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF) Board of Trustees and the Medicine and Health Board of Overseers, and Nancy is a UMF Life Trustee and former president of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. Most recently, John and Nancy co-chaired the TCF Bank Stadium campaign.
Campaign steering committee
Bob and Gail Buuck
Robert Buuck, ’70 B.S., ’72 M.B.A., is a partner at Medical Innovation Partners, cofounder of American Medical Systems, and a UMF Life Trustee. Gail is a former school teacher in the Twin Cities area.
Bob Duffy
Bob Duffy, ’68 B.S., is a partner emeritus of A.T. Kearney, a global management consulting firm. He serves on the Carlson School of Management Board of Overseers and the Carlson Campaign Steering Committee.
Judi Dutcher
Judi H. Dutcher, ’84 B.A., ’87 J.D., is the executive director of the Bentson Foundation. She is the former state auditor for the State of Minnesota, elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1998, and is a former member of the UMF Board of Trustees.
Chip Glaser
Chip Glaser, ’75 B.S., is the founder and president of the K. Charles Development Corp. He serves on the Carlson School of Management Board of Overseers and the UMF Board of Trustees. He was previously president of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.
Susan and Duane Hoff
Duane Hoff, ’85 B.A., and Susan, ’87 B.S., founded Fantesca Estate and Winery, located in California’s Napa Valley, in 2004 after retiring from executive positions at Best Buy Co. Inc.
Eric Kaler, President
Eric Kaler, ’82 Ph.D., has been the president of the University of Minnesota since 2011. He was previously provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Stony Brook University in New York. He serves on the UMF Board of Trustees.
Erwin Kelen
Erwin Kelen, ’60 M.S., is a venture capitalist and angel investor. He serves on the UMF Board of Trustees and the UMF Investment Advisors Board of Directors.
Mary and Bob Litterman
Bob Litterman, ’80 Ph.D., is a founding partner of Kepos Capital and was a founding member of the advisory board for the U’s Heller-Hurwicz Economics Institute. Mary, ’74 B.A., ’80 Ph.D., co-owns Curate, a gift shop in Millburn, New Jersey.
Chuck Mooty
Chuck Mooty, ’83 B.S., ’84 M.B.A., is the chief executive officer and president at Jostens Inc. He was previously president and CEO at Orange Julius of America Inc. and American Dairy Queen Corp. He is a former member and chair of the UMF Board of Trustees.
Tom Olson
Tom Olson, ’71 B.S., is the retired managing director of Prime Mortgage. He chaired the Vision 2017 Diabetes Committee for the Medicine and Health campaign and currently serves on the UMF Board of Trustees.
Chris Policinski
Christopher Policinski is president and chief executive officer of Land O’Lakes Inc. Prior to that, he held leadership positions with Kraft General Foods, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Pillsbury Co. He serves on the UMF Board of Trustees.
Richard and Ellen Sandor
Richard Sandor, ’67 Ph.D., is chairman and chief executive officer of Environmental Financial Products LLC. Ellen is a new media artist and founder of (art)n.
Erik Torgerson
Erik Torgerson, '88 B.S., is an active private investor who had a 23-year career at Norwest Equity Partners. He serves on the UMF Board of Trustees, the U of M Morris Campaign Committee, the Athletics Leadership Council, and the Carlson School's Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship Advisory Board.
Kevin Warren
Kevin Warren is chief operating officer of the Minnesota Vikings. He previously worked with the Greenberg Traurig law firm and held leadership positions with the Detroit Lions and the St. Louis Rams. He serves on the UMF Board of Trustees.
Simon Wong
Simon Wong, ’74 B.A., is founder and chairman of the Hong Kong-based Kampery Group. He serves on the UMF Board of Trustees and is president of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association’s Hong Kong chapter.
Campaign honorary co-chairs
Elizabeth Bennett
Marilyn Carlson Nelson
Charlie and Kathy Cunningham
Stan and Luella Goldberg
Beverly Grossman
Jim Johnson
Elliot and Eloise Kaplan
Janis Larson
Walter Mondale
Tom H. Swain