Team Minnesota

You are always welcome to attend the meeting of your choice.

	Nancy Giacomuzzi, Executive Director Minneapolis/Southern/Western Suburbs 612-986-6266 Send Email Nancy has been a BNI member since 1993, first in Utah and when she moved to Minnesota she started it all here! Nancy is also a successful real estate agent. When she moved here in 1995 she knew no one except her new husband, Al. She called Ivan Misner, founder of BNI, and brought BNI to Minnesota. Nancy Giacomuzzi is a contributing author to the New York Times bestseller, Masters of Networking.
	Linda Aasen, Assistant Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota St. Paul /Eastern Suburbs/Western Wisconsin 651-341-4776 Send Email Linda Aasen is a Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist (CITRMS). Linda specializes in working with companies to keep them informed about current federal and state identity theft laws, assisting them in a security risk assessment, developing a written security plan and conducting employee training on company security policies to protect both employee and customer non-public information. Linda has a BA degree from the University of Minnesota and an MBA with a concentration in marketing. Linda gained her business experience at 3M and Imation. She had a variety of assignments in long term research, product development, marketing, sales, supply chain, and channel management. Linda, and her husband Steve, are residents of Woodbury. They have two grown children and no pets which allows them to spend more time on the golf course, and tennis courts.
	Beth Anderson, Assistant Director Southern Minnesota 715-442-5449 Send Email Beth has been a BNI member since spring 1997. She is an Assistant Director who oversees all computer-related activity within BNI Minnesota. She is a partner in the company that created the software that runs this website, OrgTrack.com, and their newest site, TheNetworkingClub.com. Anyone who knows her for 5 minutes knows her true passions are for sailing and the village where she lives, Pepin, Wisconsin.
	Kari Barnes, Assistant Director Northern Minnesota/NW Wisconsin Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 218-851-1401 Send Email BNI is the best thing any business could have to help them grow. Kari finds that helping others grow their business is one of the greatest business experiences one could have. As I grow with not only my own business but also BNI, it is truly a great experience both personally and professionally.
	B. Scott Binion, CPA, Assistant Director Minneapolis/Southern/Western Suburbs (952) 270-1800 Send Email B. Scott Binion is the principal owner of The Insight Companies, Inc. The BNI system and related referrals has accounted for over one third of company revenues for the last 4 years. Scott brings with him more than 16 years of management, accounting, and business consulting experience. As the driving force of the company, Scott is responsible for leading the development of small businesses into what the respective owners “wish and hope” that it will be. This is Scott’s passion! Having owned two small contracting businesses in the 90’s, he knows what it is like struggling to make ends meet, while balancing both work and family. Not an easy “balancing act” for even the most seasoned professional or business owner. As opportunities present themselves, Scott is an accomplished speaker and writes frequently on business related topics affecting business owners. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in finance, a MBA, and is also a Certified Public Accountant.
	Dan Boisclair, Assistant Director St. Paul /Eastern Suburbs/Western Wisconsin 952-891-1794 Send Email
	LuAnn Buechler, Assistant Director Southern Minnesota 507-951-1468 Send Email LuAnn Buechler began her career in hotels and has been in the hospitality industry for 25 years. She has worked in all areas of the hotel industry including holding management positions in Banquets, Convention Services, Catering and Sales. Most recently she supervised an office of 28 individuals that planned CME meetings at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. LuAnn is an Independent Professional Meeting Consultant and is also currently teaching Meeting and Convention Management for the University of Wisconsin, Stout – where she obtained her Masters in Hospitality and Tourism in January of 2003. A member of PCMA, LuAnn has carried the CMP designation for 8 years and actively participates in the CMP program including facilitating study groups, reviewing and writing of exam questions, and participation in the APEX initiative as a member of the Minnesota APEX discussion group committee.
	Anthony Chiappetta, Assistant Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 651-407-8555 Send Email Tony has been an active member of the Forest Lake chapter since 2002. Tony has served his chapter in various capacities and is always willing to help. He is yet another BNI success story, as the majority of his company's business can be directly tracked back to a BNI referral! His company, CHIPS Computer Services, specializes in providing professional, customer focused network solutions that are specifically designed to support business growth. They offer a wide variety of IT products and services including our own astounding and cutting edge Direct Response Solution. Their courteous technicians are expertly trained, A+ and Microsoft certified to virtually eliminate downtime. CHIPS is dedicated to meeting and exceeding your expectations. www.chipscs.com.
	Jeanne Heald, Assistant Director St. Paul /Eastern Suburbs/Western Wisconsin 612-436-0404 Send Email Jeanne has been a member of BNI since October 2003. After earning her MBA and working at Procter & Gamble for twelve years in many capacities, including management and sales, Jeanne left the company and started her own business. BNI helped her spread the word to small businesses about her service offerings. Jeanne is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach. She primarily works with small business owners to design and achieve the business of their dreams. Jeanne has a passion for helping people achieve their best possibilities. She also uses her coaching skills in her BNI Ambassador role to help various chapters achieve their best chapter success. Jeanne also uses her corporate experience and coaching skills as a corporate coach, facilitator and trainer for Fortune 50 companies. 95% of Jeanne’s clients have come to Jeanne for coaching through the BNI network, either directly or as a referral from a BNI referral. Without BNI, she would not have built the base of business that she has created. Not only does Jeanne benefit from business-building referrals, but she values the resources available to her through the BNI network, using many of the products and services offered through the trusted BNI relationships she has built over the last three years.
	Wade Kenyon, Assistant Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 612.435.8442 Send Email
	Mark Krolak, Assistant Director Minneapolis/Southern/Western Suburbs 952-939-8021 Send Email Mark is the president of Master Your Money, Inc., a financial education company. At MYM we teach individuals & families basic money management skills. We also teach small business owners tax saving strategies. Since joining BNI in 2001, Mark has visited and subbed at 35 different chapters, and joined the ambassador ranks in 2004. Mark uses his listening and educational skills to empower other members to utilize the tools BNI offers to grow their relationships and their businesses.
	Chad LaRoche, Assistant Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 763.416.2616 Send Email Chad has been a member of BNI since July 2004. BNI has directly and indirectly been responsible for more than 30% of his business EVERY year! Chad is a founding member of his BNI “Core Connections” Chapter in Chaska, MN. He has worn the hats of President, Membership Coordinator and Education Coordinator with in his chapter. Chad believes that this training gave him the foundation of confidence in his business and the leadership required to be a successful mentor to new members. As an Ambassador and now Assistant Director, Chad loves to help others catch the fever of “Giver’s Gain”! Professionally, Chad is a Mortgage Broker and represents Mortgages Unlimited proudly. He specializes in “Providing the means to the American Dream of homeownership” (TM). He excels in helping potential homeowners know their rights and understand their options when financing their next home. “I want them to remember the loan process as a pleasant experience” Chad says, “And I want them to always remember The Sheriff”. “You’ve heard of loan officers, I am The Loan Sheriff”
	Gregory Norton, Assistant Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 612-716-2374 Send Email
	Ben Olson, Assistant Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 763-416-2620 Send Email
	Jill Pavlak, Assistant Director Minneapolis/Southern/Western Suburbs St. Paul /Eastern Suburbs/Western Wisconsin 952-941-1857 Send Email
	Debra Pierce, Assistant Director Minneapolis/Southern/Western Suburbs 612-387-4688 Send Email Debra Pierce, a member of Core Connections in Chaska, has been an active member of BNI since 2001. As a member, Debra has held various positions, including Sec/Treas, Membership and Visitor Host. Debra has been an Assistant Director for the Minneapolis/Southern/Western Suburbs area since 2006. She works with members to help them maximize their BNI membership, not only through chapter growth and member involvement, but by also helping them see the hidden benefits of their BNI membership and how these can help them grow their business. Professionally, Debra is a musician. She is active in the Twin Cities as a teacher and performer - she is principle cellist with the orchestra, “Allegro Sinfonia”, regularly performs at various venues around town, and does recordings. Her company, Notable Accents Music, provides live music for all kinds of special functions and corporate events.
	Paul Radeke, Assistant Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 320.253.2490 Send Email I have been a member of BNI since 2000. I took on the roll of Assistant Director in 2005. BNI has been far and away my most reliable and effective source of attracting new business for my Real Estate Finance company. The business generated through my BNI contacts allows me to focus on my goals, (spiritual, family, and career) rather than spend all my spare time out marketing in less efficient ways. Success to you all!!!
	Tara Schmakel, Assistant Director Minneapolis/Southern/Western Suburbs 952-240-3834 Send Email Tara became a member of BNI-MN’s Core Connections in 2004. Since that time she has held various positions with in her beloved chapter. In 2006 after assisting with the Awards Gala, she became an Ambassador with the sole job of helping with the Mentor Program. She has visited many chapters in the region helping them launch or invigorate existing mentor programs. In 2007 she enthusiastically accepted the role of Assistant Director with Beverly Williams. Tara is married to Dave and has three children. She is also the owner/fabricator/ and designer of Workroom at Tara’s, her business of over 10 years. She holds the category of Window Treatments in her chapter but also designs and sews any soft furnishings for the home, including pillows and bedding.
	Steve Wein, Assistant Director 952-250-4772 Send Email I've been active in BNI since 2000, and still believe that it is the best organization I've ever joined. When I'm not thinking about BNI, I like to be outside with my family.
	Amber Wick, Assistant Director Northern Minnesota/NW Wisconsin 218-348-8317 Send Email
	Sue Henry, Area Director Southern Minnesota St. Paul /Eastern Suburbs/Western Wisconsin 507-269-1051 Send Email Sue Henry has a life mission: "To make a positive difference in the life of someone everyday!” Known for her great attitude and energy, Sue brings excitement and passion to all that she does. For more than 8 years, she has actively networked with business people, helping many of them refine and grow their businesses through workshops and seminars. Sue is a published author and is also a contributing author for “Masters of Sales”, by Dr. Ivan Misner, a New York Times bestseller. Sue dreams of meeting new people while traveling all over the globe and having all of her travel “fun” tax deductible!
	Terri O'Dowd, Area Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 952-935-6440 Send Email Terri has been with BNI since 1998. She supports and grows chapters in the counties straight west of the Twin Cities. Her company, Terri O'Dowd Consulting, is a service business where she uses communication, authenticity, and common sense to partner with clients in business and life goal-setting, decision-making, and using time, energy, and space efficiently. She doesn't just help you determine you what to do; she'll do it with you and for you. In her 9 years as a business owner, Terri has worked with 100+ clients, helping them be and feel more effective and more successful. (Visit www.terriodowdconsulting.com for more information.)
	Tom Schmoll, Area Director Northern Minnesota/NW Wisconsin 218-327-9186 Send Email Tom is the Area Director for Northern Minnesota. Tom brings nearly 8 years of BNI membership and 10+ years of direct sales experience to his chapters. Tom is known for building big, strong chapters throughout northern MN and has developed many 40 plus member chapters. Tom knows and understands the value of receiving referrals and promotes the givers gain philosophy with ENTHUSIAM! Tom is the owner of Filthy Clean, a contract cleaning company in Grand Rapids, MN. He built the company from scratch and received his largest account through a BNI referral. Tom’s BNI advice is, “If you work the system the way it was intended, you WILL get results. There’s no doubt in my mind what-so-ever that BNI works.”
	Kevin Snow, Area Director Northern Suburbs/Western Minnesota 612-363-9798 Send Email Kevin has been a member of BNI for since 2000 and during this time he has served as a member of the Membership Committee, Chapter President, Ambassador, Assistant Director and is currently filling the role of Area Director for the Northern Metro and Western Minnesota area. When not promoting BNI in Minnesota, he works with Acumen, Inc, a digital surveillance company in Maple Plain, Minnesota and is the Director of Intelligence (CEO) of Mi3 Technologies, LLC, a start up company specializing in software application design for mobile devices. Mi3 Technologies is truly a product of BNI as the principal partners, Kevin and Wade Kenyon, met at a Member Success Program Kevin was teaching in St. Cloud. Kevin has been working in the technology industry since moving to Minneapolis in 1996 following his graduation from South Dakota State University with BS in Education. During his career he has been responsible for accounts such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MN, NSP (now Xcel Energy), and Presbyterian Homes. Away from the office Kevin enjoys spending his time outside and is an avid hunter, competing on the Rolling Ridge Kennels Tournament Hunting team as well as bow hunting during the fall. He also enjoys snowboarding, reading, World War 2 history and playing with his new black lab puppy Cinder.
	Beverly Williams, Area Director Minneapolis/Southern/Western Suburbs 952-890-4375 Send Email Bev attended the first ever chapter meeting in Minnesota in 1997 and saw the benefit immediately. Even though her biggest fear was public speaking, she joined on the spot. Six months later she became Nancy's Assistant Director. She has started or helped to start over 50 chapters in Minnesota and our piece of Wisconsin, and is today an Area Director for Team Giacomuzzi. In fact, Nancy and she work so well together that, last year, after representing Weekender clothing for 9 years in BNI, she made a change to real estate and joined Nancy at Keller Williams and together they are the All Star Team. She had been a Realtor many years ago but the time was not right and now it is. She is still an active member of the All About Business Chapter of BNI which meets Mondays during the lunch hour in Burnsville. Bev would "really rather you don't make a move without her". Please visit her at www.bevshomes.com to find out more information.
	Laura Amendola, Ambassador 218-722-4088 Send Email Laura Amendola is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist and has been in BNI since she was 18. She started as an Independent Contract and when she decided to make the move to open her own studio 5 years later BNI was the first place she announced it! Her own BNI group has helped Laura create the business of her dreams. Everything from the graphic designing, printing of all the materials, web site, to the credit card processing was all made possible by BNI members in her chapter and others in Duluth. Now at 24 she has taken on the Ambassador of Duluth role and looks forward to helping her fellow business owners learn the amazing benefits of BNI both on the business side of things as well as on the personal growth level.
	Jim Bear, Ambassador 763-746-0829 Send Email
	Spencer Blackwelder, Ambassador 763 753 7571 Send Email
	Marta Bradshaw, Ambassador 651-982-0588 Send Email
	Shawn Brannan, Ambassador 320 251 1924 Send Email
	Brenda Carlson, Ambassador 651-501-7850 Send Email
	Craig Chilcote, Ambassador 218-722-4705 Send Email
	Stacia Christenson, Ambassador 612-961-7009 Send Email
	Gwendolyn Cowle, Ambassador 763-528-5194 Send Email
	Patty Flaherty, Ambassador 612.799.1621 Send Email
	Ken Forner, Ambassador 952-368-3052 Send Email
	Jesse Grant, Ambassador 218.828.0250 Send Email
	Lori Groth, Ambassador 507-824-2743 Send Email
	Phil Haataja, Ambassador 763-477-3000 Send Email
	Ted Halone, Ambassador Send Email Ted Halone joined the founding chapter of BNI Minnesota at the first meeting. He is the first Ambassador in the state of Minnesota and has enjoyed sharing in and watching the growth of BNI. BNI has helped Ted to redesign his business and recreate his career path. He'll share his experience as he visits your chapter or BNI events. Ted additionally serves on the International Board of Advisors for the state of Minnesota.
	Normandy Hamilton, Ambassador 952.920.1960 Send Email
	Lauri Haug, Ambassador 952.226.1202 Send Email
	Allan Hawkins, Ambassador 763-546-8085 Send Email
	Jackie Henin, Ambassador 952-431-4814 Send Email
	Randy Heuer, Ambassador 320-485-2535 Send Email
	Dawn Jensch, Ambassador 715-395-5725 ext 106 Send Email
	Robin Johnson, Ambassador 763-477-3331 Send Email
	Andy Kaplan, Ambassador 612-337-6214 Send Email
	Amy LeMieux, Ambassador 763-553-1144 Send Email Amy has been a member of BNI since 2001, serving in various positions within her chapter. More than 40% of all her new business comes through BNI, proving the success of the organization and the Giver's Gain philosophy. Amy is the Office Manager at JASS, Judie Anderson's Secretarial Service. Her company provides virtual assistant services to small companies including bookkeeping, desktop publishing, word processing, mailings and much more. JASS also has suite and conference room rental available at their location in Plymouth. At JASS, our goal is helping our clients get from "to do" to done!
	Jayna Locke, Ambassador 952 913-6813 Send Email
	Lisa Martin, Ambassador 763-746-9666 Send Email
	Honey Miller, Ambassador 507-344-4333 Send Email
	Nancy Morell, Ambassador 763.717.0354 Send Email Someone I know had been inviting me to BNI for over 6 months...reluctantly I decided to attend a meeting and boy was I sorry it took me those 6 months to visit. BNI's structure, training and Givers Gain philosophy has helped me grow my business, establish business relationships and even make new friendships. That was in 2004 and I have been actively involved in BNI ever since. I am currently in the Diversified Business Professionals in Coon Rapids and an Ambassador for chapters in the Northern suburbs. I am the owner and founder of Baskets2Give. We are a creative design firm that focus on helping our clients say "thank" you in a unique and memorable way. We do that with the use of our gourmet gift baskets and client follow-up programs. What a dream come true... to be able to create beautiful gift baskets and work in a FUN environment. Customers love buying them and everyone loves getting them! It's a win win situation. We have employees who care and who want to be a part of this fun, faith-based, fast growing business. We've dedicated ourselves to our customers and take pride in EVERY basket we make. Our unique designs put us at the cutting edge of today's gift basket industry. Our customers rave about our creative designs, quality and excellent customer service.
	Alice Pallum, Ambassador 612-799-3991 Send Email
	Rodney Prouty, Ambassador 507-250-1880 Send Email
	Ben Scheidel, Ambassador 507-345-8852 Send Email
	Bernie Schwab, Ambassador 952-894-6282 Send Email
	Andrew Scrivener, Ambassador 612-581-9977 Send Email
	JoEllen Smith, Ambassador 651-455-6007 Send Email
	Brenda Stelter, Ambassador 651.385.7777 Send Email
	Amy Stewart, Ambassador 763-972-9968 Send Email
	Kevra Unger, Ambassador 218-454-0600 Send Email
	Clayton Wendt, Ambassador 651-484-2677 Send Email
	Greta Witzman, Ambassador 763-631-1377 Send Email
	Linda Foix, Member Services Director 763.493.5517 Send Email Fax: 763.493.5556 Bookkeeper Secretary/Treasurer Assistance: Website, Report Processing/Tracking, Membership Dues Payment Information/Questions

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