2022 Minnesota Redevelopment Conference
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is hosted a 1 1/2 day redevelopment conference focused on brownfield and redevelopment topics and projects.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is hosted a 1 1/2 day redevelopment conference focused on brownfield and redevelopment topics and projects.
Download the Conference program.
7:30 a.m. - Registration Opens
8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Conference Sessions
5:00 p.m. Independent reception hosted by Inland Development Partners, Inc.
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - Conference Sessions
Deb Brown grew up in a town of 141 people, Geneva, Iowa. She loves to tell stories and share real world examples of how people are changing their small town into the kind of place the community wants to live, work and play in. She has a passion for small towns and brings you practical advice on how to shape a brighter future for your small town.
Her programs on small business, what to do with empty buildings, customer service, marketing, economic development and more have been received by chambers, economic developers, tourism specialists, museum experts, business groups, and small town conferences. Deb has keynoted at Rural X Summit, TEDx Brookings, Michigan Rural Economic Development Conference, Roscommon County Michigan, Central Iowa Tourism Annual Meeting, NADO, NRECA, Milbank South Dakota Chamber Annual Dinner and several 140 Character Conferences, to name a few.
As commissioner of the state's principal workforce and economic development agency, Commissioner Grove is focused on empowering the growth of the Minnesota economy, for everyone. Under his leadership, the department works on growing the state's workforce, closing the opportunity gap, and providing businesses and startups the support they need to grow and thrive in Minnesota's economy.
Ned Brooks is the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Environmental Justice Coordinator. In this capacity he works with the agency’s programs to ensure that all Minnesotans are benefitting from and have opportunities to be engaged in the MPCA’s work. Ned has also worked on a variety of air, water and waste issues at the MPCA as well as internationally. He has degrees in Economics and Environmental Studies from Hamline University.
Samantha DiMaggio is the newly hired Community Development Director for the City of Farmington. Since joining the city, she's been working diligently on streamlining the development process, the recruitment of housing, commercial, and industrial developments, and on business retention and expansion.
Prior to joining the City of Farmington, Samantha worked as the Community Development Director for the City of Le Sueur and as Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Shakopee. While in these communities, she successfully applied for and received state funds to facilitate private redevelopment, the expansion of public infrastructure, new business attraction, and local business expansion. Samantha also serves as President of EDAM (Economic Development Association of Minnesota).
Mr. Ethen oversees the credit and lending functions for Northeast Bank, a Twin Cities based, community banking organization with locations in Northeast Minneapolis, New Brighton, and Coon Rapids. Northeast Bank's commercial real estate lending activities in and around Brownfield areas facilitated a need for deeper engagement in the vapor mitigation discussion. In the past several years he has served on the MPCA Vapor Intrusion (VI) Best Management Practices (BMP) workgroups providing lending institution input to the design of the MPCA VI BMP's. With a career that covers Bank Examination, Bank President and Credit Officer, his broad banking background of over 30 years provides a unique perspective on how to balance institution, client, and environmental matters as it relates to real estate transactions.
Christopher Goscinak is a Project Manager working within the MPCA's Site Assessment Unit. Primary responsibilities at the MPCA presently include assisting in the re-evaluation of over 1,400 'closed' sites for potential vapor intrusion and drinking water risks as well as management of various Superfund and Site Assessment sites. Christopher also serves the MPCA in a Vapor Specialist role charged with programmatic decision making and coordination of vapor intrusion issues. He holds a Master's of Science from the University of Minnesota Duluth, a Bachelor of Science from Northland College, and is a Professional Geologist with the State of Minnesota.
Elissa Hansen leads Northspan with more than 20 years of experience in business, community, organizational, and economic development across Minnesota and Wisconsin. She invests her time creatively advancing others' capabilities. In Elissa's role at Northspan, she engages with and elevates every client by facilitating tough conversations and moving organizations forward with action-oriented strategic methods. She works to create a setting for meaningful communication that respects diverse perspectives, creates joint resolve, and inspires individual and group action.
Hansen grew up in central Minnesota and achieved her undergraduate and master's degrees from Northern Arizona University. More recently she has completed certification coursework with the Institute of Cultural Affairs - USA in the Technology of Participation. She is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional with the National Development Council and a graduate of both the Leadership Duluth and Blandin Community Leadership programs. Hansen has also been honored as one of the Duluth News Tribune's "20 under 40," which celebrates professionals who are making a positive impact and working for change in the region.
Monte Hilleman joined the Saint Paul Port Authority team in 2005 after several years of local community development and state level environmental work. His peers named him the inaugural Person of the Year for Brownfield Renewal Magazine and a Forty Under 40 by the Twin Cities Business Journal. He helps lead the Port Authority's Development Team and is the President of Port Consulting, the Port's statewide distressed real estate consulting business. He is responsible for, and speaks nationally about, the Port's sustainable development mission and their Green Design Review program. Hilleman is the past chair and current board member of the US Green Building Council's Market Leader Advisory Board for Minnesota. He is a licensed Minnesota Real Estate Broker.
John Hinzman has served as Community Development Director for the City of Hastings, MN, a historic community of 22,000 located within the Minneapolis\St Paul Metropolitan Area. In his 20 years at Hastings, he has worked with a broad range of development from small local business expansion to large redevelopment projects. Mr. Hinzman has served as Project Manager for The Confluence a historic rehabilitation of a former factory building located along the Downtown Mississippi Riverfront. Redevelopment included significant environmental remediation including polluted soil, soil vapor, and building contamination. The 100,000 building is being transformed into a hotel, restaurant, banquet facility, apartment, and retail destination. Mr. Hinzman helped to secure 20 grants totaling $4.9 million to assist with environmental cleanup and development of site amenities. Work on the project began in 2009 with a scheduled completion date in 2022.
Adam Kienberger is the Community Development Director for the city of Rosemount, a rapidly growing community of over 25,000 in the south Metro, where he manages development activities related to economic development, planning, and building inspections. Prior to Rosemount, he served as the Community Development Director for the city of Farmington, Economic Development Specialist for the city of Lakeville, and as a Senior Grants Specialist at DEED in the Brownfields and Redevelopment Unit.
He is a past president of the Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM) and enjoys connecting people and creating partnerships to solve local development challenges.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban and Regional Studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato and an Economic Development Certificate from Hamline University.
Mr. Lichter is a registered professional Environmental Engineer with over 40 years of environmental consulting experience gained from managing and providing technical expertise on a wide range of environmental projects. His primary areas of expertise include soil gas, soil and ground water investigations, contaminant characterization and remediation, Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments and various environmental compliance activities; including many facets of environmental permitting, filing and auditing work. He assists clients with the management of regulatory enforcement actions working with environmental counsel as required. He has completed numerous environmental compliance gap assessments for industrial clients.
Currently he is managing several soil vapor investigation and mitigation projects for Carlson McCain that involve methane, petroleum and non-petroleum VOCs. One current project has received a DEED grant funding for remediation of soil vapor. This project also includes a State funded Targeted Brownfield Cleanup on a portion of the site.
Kristin Lukes is the Director of the Brownfields and Redevelopment Unit at DEED. This unit is responsible for administering the Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Grant Programs and Minnesota Cleanup Revolving Loan Program, along with the Redevelopment Grant Program and Demolition Loan Program, and a variety of other programs and special appropriations on behalf of the state legislature. Ms. Lukes' previous experience includes the MPCA's VIC Program also serving as Minnesota's State Brownfields Coordinator.
Ms. Lukes has also served on the EDAM Board of Directors and is a member of the Advisory Committee for Minnesota Brownfields. She also has volunteered in her community by serving on various city of Woodbury economic development-related commissions and task forces, and the Woodbury Figure Skating Club Board.
Sarina Otaibi is a rural advocate, old building champion and community leader, shaped by her lived experiences in Saudi Arabia and Granite Falls, Minnesota. From organizing around clean water and energy to working with Minnesota's Main Street communities to establish preservation and arts-based community development approaches, Sarina is driven by her passion for rural community vitality. In Granite Falls, she served as an elected City Council Member and as the founding Board Chair of a local cooperative, Bluenose Gopher Public House, all while dreaming up projects and uses for her old church building. Sarina serves as a Board member of two nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, Springboard for the Arts and Art of the Rural. She holds a master's degree in historic preservation from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.B.A. in marketing from Stetson University in Florida.
Amanda Othoudt serves at the Executive Director for Benton Economic Partnership, Inc., a public-private, non-profit organization with an overall goal of promoting and facilitating economic development throughout Benton County, MN.
Amanda earned a bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University in Planning and Community Development, Magna Cum Laude. She is certified as an Economic Development Finance Professional from the National Development Council and holds a certificate in Economic Development from Hamline University. Amanda holds membership with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM), Minnesota Commercial Real Estate Association (MNCAR), and is an active board member for the Anoka-Ramsey Technical College Foundation. She is a Founding Board Member for Shoot for the Troops, Committee Chair and Merit Badge Counselor for Troop 10 BSA, and a Student Mentor for SCSU Planning and Community Development Department.
With more than 26 years of experience in community and economic development, Heidi Peper is the US East lead for Stantec's North American Funding Program, a coordinated network of more than 150 funding specialists across the country with broad ranges of funding experience. Heidi works on solving complex funding problems - ranging from pedestrian trails to highways, wastewater to drinking water projects, mobility and so much more. Throughout her career, Heidi has successfully secured more than $210 million in grants for clients' projects. Her experience in project development and securing affordable financing packages—including grants, legislative appropriations, and other financial incentive programs - helps to move projects to a successful conclusion. Heidi serves on the Career Solutions Workforce Development Board and is a member of the Rotary Club of St. Cloud. She also serves on the Economic Development Association of Minnesota EDAM U Committee.
A configuration analyst for a local health plan, Melissa is a relative newcomer to the world of redevelopment and cooperatives. She and her husband, Kyle, became involved with Bluenose Gopher Public House by chance, making connections and developing relationships along the way, and eventually becoming so enamored with the pub, the people, and the town that they moved to Granite Falls. Melissa now serves as Board Chair for Bluenose as well as being on the Events Action Team, and she is active in other community-focused groups as well.
In addition to her employment and her volunteer activities, Melissa is in the process of opening Granite Falls' first in-town vacation rental, as well as launching a new curated tours business, Authentic Excursions, designed to bring more travelers to Granite Falls and the Southwest Minnesota region. She is a champion of all things local, enjoys finding new, creative ways to use old things, is dedicated to serving her community, and loves the quiet, wild, and natural spaces found in rural areas.
Kristin has more than eighteen years of experience working at both the state and local level on community and economic development projects and has a particular passion for brownfield redevelopment. Kristin began her career as a city planner before joining the Brownfields and Redevelopment Unit at DEED, where she had the opportunity to assist many communities across Minnesota with overcoming challenging redevelopment sites. She returned to local government, working for the City of Mankato for nearly a decade in the Community Development Department on both economic development and affordable housing initiatives, including the redevelopment of more than a few particularly challenging sites. Kristin recently joined SEH as a Community Development Specialist and continues to help communities and developers achieve their goals by assisting with engagement, planning, project funding, and implementation strategies. Kristin is a Board Member of Minnesota Brownfields, a non-profit with a mission to promote, through education, research, and partnerships, the efficient cleanup and reuse of contaminated land as a means of generating economic growth, strengthening communities and enabling sustainable land use and development.
Daniel Schleck is a shareholder with Messerli Kramer P.A. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His practice includes several areas including transactional law; administrative law; environmental law and policy; commercial real estate development; financing and corporate matters; municipal and land use law; and eminent domain proceedings. More specifically, Dan has experience in structuring complex transactions and financing packages for all aspects of property development. He has successfully worked on many projects involving buying and selling, financing and redevelopment of contaminated property.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Dan worked as an environmental and chemical engineer utilizing his skills and background to provide project management to many hazardous waste site clean-up projects for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, various state environmental agencies, and private companies. Having been involved in planning, pricing and project management for these various agencies, Mr. Schleck uses his experience to deliver solutions to clients in a timely, cost effective and measurable manner.
Shanna Schmitt has experience in both the private and public sectors, and currently works as a hydrogeologist/project manager in the Remediation Division at the MN Pollution Control Agency. Shanna works on a variety of brownfield, Superfund, and grant funded sites. Shanna is a Professional Geologist licensed in MN and a Certified Professional Geologist with the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG). Shanna is a member of AIPG, Minnesota Brownfields, and the Minnesota Ground Water Association. Shanna is a native of Minneapolis and graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a BS in Geology.
Amy Schrempp is the Director of Customer Innovation with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. She is a perpetual optimist who believes the government sector can be a laboratory for testing innovative program and policy solutions. Amy has 20 years of experience working in the government and non-profit sectors. She is a skilled facilitator and a human-centered design practitioner. She is guided by the mindsets of empathy, optimism, and experimentation and the belief that our customers' needs should be prioritized through each step of a design process.
Ms. Wischnack has been involved in local government for over 25 years. As a city planner and community development professional she has experience with all types of development in various jurisdictions. She is currently the community development director for the City of Minnetonka. Prior to joining the city of Minnetonka in 2006, Julie served as planning director for the city of Hutchinson and city planner for the city of Minnetrista. She exhibits her leadership and expertise on regional organizations and as a frequent speaker on challenging issues like affordable housing, light rail, and development negotiations. Wischnack makes it her personal mission to ensure that people are included, that cities are well planned and positive community assets are the result.
Jordan Zeller has done economic development at the City, County, Regional & State levels in Minnesota for nearly 20 years.
| Time | Activity | Description | Speakers & Moderators |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:30 a.m. | Registration Opens | ||
| 7:45 - 8:45 a.m. | Breakfast Buffet and Networking | ||
| 8:45 - 9:00 a.m. | Welcome
|
Start the day with a welcome message from DEED. | Kristin Lukes |
| 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. | KEYNOTE PLENARY
Filling Empty Buildings and Lots: Practical Ideas and Answers |
In this presentation you will learn: Why buildings stay empty and how to change the owners' minds; what you can do with empty buildings, and why it matters to fill them and bring more businesses to town. You will hear of many examples of other communities already doing the work and other ideas of what to do with empty lots and roofless buildings, too. | Deb Brown, SaveYour.town |
| 10:15 - 10:30 a.m. | Networking Break | ||
| 10:30 - 11:45 a.m. | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION
Vapor Intrusion and Legal Liability Issues |
This session will discuss vapor intrusion challenges with respect to redevelopment of brownfields and how to overcome those challenges. Hear about the changing rules and what they mean for real estate transactions; proven strategies to manage vapor intrusion legal liability and to structure transactions accordingly, legal assurances available for redevelopment sites and what happens when things go wrong? | Dan Schleck, Messerli Kramer
Mark Ethen, Northeast Bank John Lichter, Carlson McCain Chris Goscinak, MPCA |
| 10:30 - 11:45 a.m. | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION
Show me the Money |
Listen while DEED staff discuss various state funding sources for Investigation, Cleanup, Redevelopment and Demolition. Also learn about federal funding available for brownfields and many other funding sources that you maybe never thought of for your brownfields project. | Kristin Lukes, DEED
Heidi Pepper, Stantec |
| 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. | Lunch | ||
| 12:45 - 1:00 p.m. | PLENARY SESSION
DEED Commissioner Address |
Steve Grove, DEED Commissioner | |
| 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. | PLENARY SESSION
When is that ^& a.m.p;*$ Building going to Develop? |
In this session you will learn how to identify and overcome development pitfalls; how to find, secure and manage grant funding to achieve objectives; and how to navigate environmental remediation and secure investors using Historic Tax Credits or Opportunity Zones. You will also hear how to manage expectations of elected officials, commissions and the public while maintaining positive momentum through unanticipated delays and changes...all with limited staff. | John Hinzman, City of Hastings
Kristin Prososki, SEH |
| 2:00 - 2:15 p.m. | Networking Break | ||
| 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION
Environmental Justice |
You've maybe heard the term "environmental justice" and wondered what that means for your community. MPCA Environmental Justice and Brownfields staff will define EJ and discuss the criteria for Environmental Justice Areas of Concern in Minnesota and help you consider ways that underserved communities can benefit from brownfield redevelopment projects. | Ned Brooks, MPCA
Shanna Schmitt, MPCA |
| 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION
Redevelopment Roundtable |
Join an interactive discussion group to explore the DEED Redevelopment Grant Program. Now that the program has received base funding starting in FY24, let's have a candid discussion about what's working, what isn't, and brainstorm possible enhancements to the program or ideas for new programs. | Amy Schrempp, DEED (Moderator) |
| 3:15 - 3:30 p.m. | Networking Break | ||
| 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. | PLENARY SESSION
Building Community: A Cooperative Effort to Redevelopment |
The Bluenose Gopher Public House opened in 2019 as a taproom and community space in downtown Granite Falls, a community of 3,000 people. This session will highlight many lessons learned throughout the project including its failures and successes. Learn how a group of active community members purchased a downtown building, started a co-op, raised money and rallied volunteers. This session also highlights the need for cities, EDAs Chambers and others to support new ideas and support a younger demographic of community leadership. | Sarina Otaibi, Department of Public Transformation
Melissa Peterson, Bluenose Gopher Public House |
| 4:30 - 4:35 p.m. | Day 1 Wrap Up | Kristin Lukes, Director Brownfields and Redevelopment | |
| 5:00 p.m. | Independent Reception | Independent Reception hosted by Inland Development Partners, Inc. |
| Time | Activity | Description | Speakers and Moderators |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 - 8:45 a.m. | Breakfast Buffet and Networking | ||
| 8:45 - 9:00 a.m. | Welcome and Recap of Day 1 | Meredith Udoibok, Executive Director, DEED Community Finance Office | |
| 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. | PLENARY SESSION
Then and Now: Market Drivers of Land Use and Economic Development |
Market forces impact land use decisions every day. This session will examine through retrospective and prospective lenses, the market drivers that impact land use and how that may be un/intentionally impacting traditional economic development outcomes. There is a necessary balance of housing for our workforce and the jobs available to it, but who and how is this balance being managed? What is the role of community and urban planning in finding a sustainable balance between the economic realities of commerce and a community's need for quality housing? | Monte Hilleman, Port Consulting/Saint Paul Port Authority |
| 10:15 - 10:30 a.m. | Networking Break | ||
| 10:30 - 11:45 a.m. | PLENARY SESSION
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Behind the Scenes of a Development Deal |
What really happens in a development deal when the different players are at odds? How are these issues addressed to finally close the deal? This will be a fun, interactive session where your favorite economic developers will play characters in a development scenario, including a developer, elected official, city staff, involved citizen and more! This will be a session you will not want to miss. | Samantha DiMaggio, City of Farmington
Elissa Hansen, Northspan Adam Kienberger, City of Rosemount Amanda Othoudt, Benton Econ Partnership, Inc. Julie Wischnack, City of Minnetonka Jordan Zeller, Renville County HRA/EDA |
| 11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Closing | Kristin Lukes |
