Meet the Review Board

We have assembled a diverse group of business leaders, each who has extensive experience in working with leading, early stage growth companies and providing feedback, mentorship and resources that have led to success.

This esteemed group of business leaders will select the winner of the Minnesota Cup after reviewing the many plans we receive and listening to the five finalists present their ideas.

Grand Prize Review Board at 2011 Final Awards Event (Credit: Craig Bares for Twin Cities Business)

Minnesota Cup l Clean Technology & Renewable Energy

• Todd Taylor – Clean Technology Attorney and Advisor, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
• John Dolan – Clean Technology Attorney and Advisor, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
• Debra Sundin – Director, DSM & Renewable Strategy and Planning, Xcel Energy
• Jack Ryan – Co-founder and President, Ryan Kasner Bialke, LLC
• Doug Cameron – Founder and Managing Director, Alberti Advisors
• James Schmidt – Chair of Renewable Energy Committee and Partner, Eide Bailly LLP
• Dan Lieberman – Co-owner, Lieberman Companies Inc.
• Todd Leonard – Executive Director, Minnesota Angel Network
• Dr. Massoud Amin – Director, Technological Leadership Institute, University of Minnesota
• Georgie Hilker – Clean Energy/Smart Grid Development
  
• Michelle Scarborough – Vice President of Investment and Commercialization, Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI)
• Rod Larkins – Associate Director, Institute for Renewable Energy & Environment, University of Minnesota

Minnesota Cup l BioSciences

• Ryan Johnson – Attorney and Advisor, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
• Dan Mallin – Co-founder, Minnesota Cup & Managing Partner, Magnet 360
• Jeremy Lenz – COO, The BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota
• Stephen Parente – Professor, Department of Finance, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
• Beth Leonard – Partner, Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, LLP
• Serafin Samson – Venture Partner, Affinity Capital Management
• Jay Schrankler – Executive Director, Office for Technology Commercialization, University of Minnesota
• Tim Laske – Senior Product Development Director, Ph.D., Medtronic, Inc.
• Steve VanNurden – Chair, Office of Intellectual Property for Mayo Clinic Health Solutions
  
• Jacki Jenuth – Principal, Lumira Capital

Minnesota Cup l Social Entrepreneur

• Judy Alnes – Executive Director. MAP for Nonprofits
• Terri Barrerio – Director, Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship, St. John’s University
• Laura Zabel – Executive Director, Springboard for the Arts and 2010 Social Entrepreneurs Cup winner
• Trista Harris – Executive Director, Headwaters Foundation for Social Justice
• Sean Kershaw – President, Citizens League
• Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas – Foundation Manager, Social Responsibility, The Mosaic Company
• Connie Rutledge – Associate Director of the Carlson Ventures Enterprise, University of Minnesota
• Melissa Middleton Stone – Director, Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center, Humphrey Institute
• Jeff Tollefson – Executive Director, Genesys Works
• Ben Aase – Managing Consultant, LarsonAllen Nonprofit and Government Group
  

Minnesota Cup l High Tech

• Scott Litman – Co-founder, Minnesota Cup & Managing Partner, Magnet 360
• Marti Nyman – Managing Partner, Altavail Partners
• Doug Ramler – Principal Co-Chair Entrepreneurial Services Group, Gray Plant Mooty Law Firm
• Tom Donnelly – President & Chief Financial Officer, Digital River
• Marc Usem – Principal/Portfolio Mgr., Usem Bergstrand Capital Management, LLC
• Joy Lindsay – President and Co-Founder StarTec Investments, LLC
• Sam Richter – Chief Executive of SBR Worldwide and SVP/Chief Marketing Officer at ActiFi
• Sima Griffith – Founder, Aethlon Capital
• Michael Gorman – Managing Director, Split Rock Partners
• Joel Lebewitz – Partner, Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, LLP
  

Minnesota Cup l General

• Brad Lehrman – Managing General Partner, Portage Equity Investments II, LP and Partner, law firm of Lommen Abdo PA.
• Fred Haberman – President, Haberman & Associates
• Ed Zabinski – Senior Vice President, Grand Rapids State Bank
• Thom Sandberg – Founder The Kenyon Consortium
• Art Fry – 3M Corporate Scientist (Retired ), Inventor of Post-It Notes
• Brian Turner – Cities 97 Radio Personality
• Jeffrey Robbins – Partner, Entrepreneurial Services Practice Group, Messerli & Kramer
  

Minnesota Cup l Student

• Mary Alton – Director, University of Minnesota Multi-Profession Business Law Clinic
• Elaine Hansen – Regional Director, NE MN Small Business Development Center and Director, UMD Center for Economic Development
• Franz Hofmeister – Founder, Brands Across America and President/CEO, Quaker Bakery Brands
• Brian Clark – Global Marketing, St. Jude Medical
• Jeremy Lenz – COO, The BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota
• Lloyd Sigel – Founder, Lloyd's Barbeque Co.
• Jordan Fineberg – Manager, Lean Six Sigma Operations, 3M Drug Delivery Systems
• Dick Vogen – Founder of Vocam
• Brian Gustafson – Senior Director, Portfolio Management, Tonkawa
• Steve Klick – Serial Entrepreneur
  

Minnesota Cup l Grand Prize Review Board

• Dave Cleveland – Co-founder, Riverside Bank
• Leslie Frecon – CEO, LFE Capital
• Art Fry – 3M Corporate Scientist (Retired ), Inventor of Post-It Notes
• Skip Gage – Chairman and CEO, Gage Marketing Group
• Morris Goodwin – Chief Administrative Director, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
• Michael Gorman – Managing Director, Split Rock Partners
• Sima Griffith – Founder, Aethlon Capital
• Fred Haberman – President, Haberman & Associates
• Gary Holmes – President and Owner of CSM Corporation
• Joel Lebewitz – Partner, Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, LLP
• Joy Lindsay – President and Co-Founder StarTec Investments, LLC
• Scott Litman – Co-founder, Minnesota Cup & Managing Director, Magnet 360
• Dan Mallin – Co-founder, Minnesota Cup & Managing Director, Magnet 360
• Mark Phillips – Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
• Jim D'Aquila – Managing Director, Imperial Capital
• Todd Johnson – CEO, Reuben Johnson & Son, Inc. & Affiliated Companies
• Dan Carr – CEO, The Collaborative
• Shawn McIntee – Partner, Maslon
• Shelly Elmore – Publisher of Twin Cities Business
• Jeff Kemink – Senior Vice President & Area Business Banking Manager, South Metro, Southern Minnesota, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
• Thom Sandberg – Founder The Kenyon Consortium
• Debra Sundin – Director, DSM & Renewable Strategy and Planning, Xcel Energy
• Todd Taylor – Clean Technology Attorney and Advisor, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
• Ryan Johnson – Attorney and Advisor, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
• Doug Ramler – Principal Co-Chair Entrepreneurial Services Group, Gray Plant Mooty Law Firm
• Jeffrey Robbins – Partner, Entrepreneurial Services Practice Group, Messerli & Kramer
• Brad Lehrman – Managing General Partner, Portage Equity Investments II, LP and Partner, law firm of Lommen Abdo PA.
• Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas – Foundation Manager, Social Responsibility, The Mosaic Company
• Kate Barr – Executive Director, Nonprofits Assistance Fund
• Jeff Tollefson – Executive Director, Genesys Works
• Dale Wahlstrom – CEO, The BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota