Advertising/Public Relations

The Imagine Group, a Shakopee-based provider of visual communications for business, announced Michael J. Gade has joined its board of directors. Gade’s board memberships include national fuel wholesaler and convenience store operator ARKO, and he also serves as a senior adviser at BCG and Safe Securities.

Education

The National Eagle Center, a nature center and museum in Wabasha, Minn., announced the appointment of Executive Director Ed Minnema. Minnema most recently served as vice president of operations for the Native American Community Development Institute in Minneapolis, and previously served as an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Financial Services

Market Title, a Lakeville- based title insurance company, announced the additions of Executive Closer Shelly Brekke and Director of Finance Krista Slocum.

Government

The bipartisan National Association of Attorneys General announced that Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Odette, manager of the Antitrust Division of the Attorney General’s Office, has been selected as chair of NAAG’s national Multistate Antitrust Task Force.

Honors

Darin McDonald was announced as the 2024 Minnesota ORBIE Award winner for Large Enterprise. McDonald is vice president and chief information officer at UCare, a Minneapolis-based health insurer, which made the announcement. The award, honoring technology executives, is presented nationally by the Inspire Leadership Network.

Law

Attorney Natasha Townes Robinson has received the Hennepin County Bar Association’s 2024 Excellence Award for Mentoring in the Profession. Townes Robinson is a shareholder at Fredrikson, Minneapolis, which announced the award. … Minneapolis law firms Winthrop & Weinstine, Maslon and Fredrikson each separately announced they have achieved Mansfield Certification for 2023-24. Mansfield is a year-long, structured certification process designed to ensure diversity in advancement to leadership roles.

Manufacturing

NatureWorks, a Plymouth-based maker of polylactic acid biopolymers for use in manufacturing, announced the appointment of Roger Tambay as chief growth officer and Roger Kempa as chief financial officer. Tambay comes to NatureWorks from St. Johns Packaging in Canada; Kempa has been serving as the interim CFO since September 2023. NatureWorks is a Cargill joint venture.

Openings

Scooter’s Coffee, an Omaha, Neb.-based drive-through coffee chain, announced it opened a location at 2180 105th Avenue, Suite 100, Blaine, an end-cap location at the National Sports Village. Susan and Brent Nygaard are franchisees.

Organizations

Special Olympics Minnesota announced the appointment of Bill Fish as president and CEO, effective Jan. 1. Fish succeeds Dave Dorn, who is retiring after 19 years. Fish most recently served as the organization’s chief development officer.

Services

CodaPet, a national provider of in-home pet euthanasia, announced the addition of veterinarian Dr. Jessica Mumm, joining Dr. Keri Wasmoen in serving the Twin Cities market. … U-Haul, a national supplier of truck-rental and self-storage facilities, announced the acquisition and rebranding of facilities at 101 American Blvd. W., Bloomington; 631 Transfer Road, St. Paul, and 3216 Winnetka Ave. N., New Hope.

Technology

Jamf, a Minneapolis-based provider of Apple-based software to enterprises, announced the hires of Andrew Smeaton as chief information security officer and Marc Botham as global vice president of channel and alliances. Smeaton previously served as CISO of Afiniti; Botham most recently was head of international Channel of Docusign. … Table Trac, a Minnetonka-based global provider of software and services to the gaming industry, announced the addition of Andrew T. Berger to its board of directors. Berger is a director of Autoscope Technologies Corp. and was its CEO from April 2021 to November 2022. … Icario, a St. Louis Park-based provider of health care software and related tech services, announced it has named Dr. Robert Mirsky as chief medical officer. … OneMedNet, an Eden Prairie-based provider of imaging Real World Data to the medial science industry, announced Jair Clarke has joined its board of directors; Clarke currently serves as executive adviser to the chairman at World Wide Technology.