Jay Sachetti joined Jeff O’Brien, partner at Husch Blackwell and Dyanne Ross-Hanson, president of Exit Planning Strategies talked about the market for mergers and acquisitions, exit planning opportunities for companies that don’t end up for sale and how companies can maximize their eventual sale price during an early October panel at the first Upsize on Tap event at Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul.
When the state Legislature passed a law requiring employers to provide paid leave and safe time for employees, Justin Bieganek started hearing differing details from friends, colleagues and peers.
By Beth Ewen
Famed author Zora Neale Hurston, as played by local actress Regina Williams, was among the notable librarians featured at the grand opening party of the Minneapolis Central Library in May.
Williams also presents a one-woman show about the author at the Jungle Theatre from time to time.
Who knew that Hurston, best known for her classic novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” was also once a librarian? The organizers of the event knew, and they also hired actors to play librarians Marcel Duchamp, Batgirl, Elvis Presley and J. Edgar Hoover.
Hoover, founder of the FBI, was billed as a one-time library clerk, according to the bookmarks that were passed out at the event.
Elvis Presley was a “former library aide and musician with at least the third-largest record sales of all time.” He was played by a man in a really bad wig and blue patent leather shoes, not suede.
Marcel Duchamp was billed as a “librarian and artist who helped inspire three movements in modern art: surrealism, dada and pop.”
The Informer was unable to locate Batgirl at the event. She was perhaps lost in the crush of people lining up to check out books that day, and to receive a limited edition tote bag.
Try to make it to: The new Minneapolis Central Library has a vast collection of business resources, dozens and dozens of computer terminals, and four fireplace lounges, great for hanging out between business meetings. It houses the “third-largest collection per capita in the country,” according to those bookmarks. Small meeting rooms are available free, too: 612.630.6196; 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; www.mpls.lib.mn.us
Brenda Langton was wishing for cooler weather on a busy summer day at her new restaurant, Spoonriver, across from the new Guthrie Theatre on the Mississippi riverfront in downtown Minneapolis.
“It’s a lot of work,” she said, while closing window shades and busing tables inside and out. “When that patio closes my life will get a lot easier.”
The public grand opening of the Guthrie, in late June, attracted crowds to the corner, 750 S. Second St., as did the opening of Cue restaurant in the theater complex and across the street.
Langton has owned Café Brenda, also downtown Minneapolis, for years. Langton organized the Mill City Farmer’s Market behind Spoonriver, and foot traffic on a Saturday in July was steady.
Spoonriver is in a long, narrow space with gorgeous saffron walls and gold banquettes lining the wall.
Try to make it to: Catch the views of the Stone Arch Bridge at Spoonriver: 612.436.2236; www.spoonriverrestaurant.com
“The state of Minnesota is going to be facing a major threat and opportunity in the next few years,” said Gopal Khanna, the keynote speaker at a spring “executive breakfast briefing” sponsored by Profiles International Inc.
“Right now Minnesota offers services 9 to 5. The baby boomers say that’s not acceptable,” Khanna said. “If I can get online and take care of banking online on Sunday afternoon, why can’t I access my government services 24/7/365?”
He’s the chief information officer, Office of Enterprise Solutions, for the state of Minnesota, and he’s charged with executing Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s vision to get to round-the-clock service.
Khanna was the chief financial officer of the U.S. president/office of administration, and former CIO/CFO of the Peace Corps. Before that he was in private business.
“I’m a private sector guy. When four years ago I got the call from President Bush, people said, ‘Gopal, you’re crazy.’ When people think of the public sector, we think slow. But it’s not true. I have not met better people in my life than in the public sector.”
He said his biggest challenge in state government is to get people talking about solutions, rather than problems. “To have them recognize it’s not about discussing the problems, but about doing the solutions.” At his staff meetings now, he tells the group, “I’ll give you 90 seconds to work on the problem, and nine hours on the solution.”
Thanks to: EmPerform Inc. for hosting the Informer. Program sponsor Profiles International Inc. also offered a management analysis to attendees.
Try to make it to: Emperform and Profiles International Inc. host monthly meetings on leadership and management topics: Rick Speckmann, EmPerform Inc.: 952.746.5400; ri***@*******rm.com; www.emperform.com
Harvey Robbins introduced his topic, “Why can’t men and women just get along,” by presenting recent research about the brain.
“Studies show men listen with just half their brain,” he said, drawing knowing chuckles from the audience, made up mostly of women.
If you look at scans of brains at rest, men’s go blue, indicating that there’s no activity, he continued. Women’s go red, showing a higher level of activity. But under stress, men’s brains go really, really red, showing that “men tend to focus better” than women under duress, Robbins said.
At this point, the crowd was laughing less, until Robbins pulled out a 10-foot whip for protection and began backing away from the audience. Then everyone roared.
Robbins, president of Robbins & Robbins in Minnetonka, is a practicing business psychologist and the speaker presented by Rachel Hollstadt at her annual Woman Executives Networking Breakfast, held each spring.
Hollstadt owns Hollstadt & Associates, a management consulting and project management firm in Burnsville. She recalled growing up on a farm in northwest Minnesota, with no indoor plumbing. “The theme for today should be gratitude,” she said, introducing several notable women in the crowd. Growing up, “I could never have imagined having a morning like this.”
Robbins said leaders set expectations, hold people accountable for outcomes, and are versatile. He went on to describe the four personality types, and strengths and weaknesses of each: controller, analytical, promoter, supporter.
“People think certain personality types make better leaders. That’s not true. The one who wins is the one with the biggest versatility, the ability to deal with other people based on their personality, not yours,” he said.
“Versatility: Is it a male thing or a female thing? It’s a human thing,” he said.
Try to make it to: Rachel Hollstadt, Hollstadt & Associates Inc., hosts her breakfast annually: 952.892.3660; sa***@*******dt.com; www.hollstadt.com
