I grew up in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Technically speaking, my father is accurate when he boasts that he sent his son out east to go to school. As an aspiring doctor with an interest in music, I was drawn to the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus by its medical school’s sterling reputation and its location in the heart of this vital arts community. A great university draws people from across the United States and around the world.

While at school, my interests shifted from medicine to business. Like Custer, I did not return to North Dakota. I met my wife, Sandy (B.S. ’81), in band at the University, and she and I chose to stay in the Twin Cities. Our decision to stay and raise our family here had much to do with the quality and opportunities of this community that we experienced while we were going to school.

A great university not only attracts people to its state, it also plays an important role in providing the workforce that drives that state’s economy. In Minnesota, we face a major labor crunch in the years ahead. Workforce projections indicate that the long-term demand for workers will outstrip supply by a wide margin. At Target Corporation, where I am senior vice president of merchandising with the Marshall Field’s division, we look to the U as a key source of bright, motivated, well-rounded, and well-trained graduates. In my experience, most U graduates seek jobs in the communities where they went to school. In fact, most of the doctors, teachers, and lawyers in Minnesota were trained at the University.

The University of Minnesota is the only major public research university in this state, and it is important that it remain among the top-ranked institutions in the nation. As workers and as individuals, we look to the University for its inventions, innovations, and medical breakthroughs. (Two of my co-workers are cancer survivors because of contributions from the U of M.)

As president this year, I look forward to working on issues essential to both the University and Minnesota. Former Governor Elmer L. Andersen (B.A. ’31, hon. Ph.D. ’83) summed it up well when he said, "The University is the engine that drives the state economy; it generates the jobs, it generates the research, it generates the students." Thousands of alumni and friends contacted their state legislators this past year with this same message: A continued commitment to excellence in education—including a top-notch university—is critical to ensuring that Minnesota remains a healthy, vital place to live and work.

The alumni association is unwavering in its commitment to excellence in education. During the coming year, please join the growing numbers of alumni speaking out for a pro-education legislature and a pro-education state. The future of the University and Minnesota depends on it.