POSITIONEDFOR GROWTH

James Bendas, Age 53, oversees the international financial operations of facilities in Europe and North America for Dover Corporation in the Genesis Manufacturing division. In his current role, he has gained valuable experience and knowledge in international business. This division consistently ranks among the highest in profitability for Dover Corporation.

Prior to relocating to Northern Minnesota in 2005, Mr. Bendas worked in Long Prairie, Minnesota for RR Donnelly and oversaw the financial & IT for the largest and most profitable division. He successfully lead his organization into the digital age and was head of the companies’ new technology.  As spokesperson for the printing industry on new technologies, he worked with leading hardware & software companies to develop products that were cutting edge.

Prior to moving his wife and 4 children from Chicago in 1996 to Minnesota, Jim worked for companies in the Chemical industry, Construction and Heavy Machinery.  Working as a consultant, he was instrumental in numerous start-ups and assisting owners return to profitability in distressed businesses. He has been involved in manufacturing his entire career.

George Goldfarb is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of maurices. He has been with the Company for over 20 years and assumed the role of COO in 2009 after holding the position of SVP/CFO for the previous seven years.

In his current role, George oversees maurices operations including Finance and Accounting, Real Estate, Store Design, Facilities, Logistics, Purchasing, Information Technology, Store Operations and Human Resources. During his tenure with maurices, he has held the positions of Senior Director of Planning and Allocation, Director of Real Estate, Director of Financial Planning and Reporting, and Manager of Corporate Taxation.

Prior to joining the maurices team, George worked in Public Accounting. He holds a Bachelor's of Accounting degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. His leadership and commitment to non-profit and business philanthropy groups proves to be an asset to the organization and community. A few of the organizations George is involved with include:

• APEX — Area Partnership for Economic Expansion Board Chair
• DLEF — Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund Board Member, Chair of Grants Committee
• LSBE — Labovitz School of Business and Economics Board Member

Peter Hedstrom is the Region President at US Bank Duluth. In his role at the bank, Peter manages the Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking, Trust and the Private Client Group Departments covering Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. He has 25 years of banking experience and has served in a number of roles including credit, small-business banking and commercial banking. Prior to moving to Duluth to become the Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking in 2003, Peter worked for US Bank in the Twin Cities. Peter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Bethel University and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from University of St. Thomas. He graduated from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington in Seattle in 2009. Peter serves on the boards of the United Way of Greater Duluth, the Area Partnership for Economic Expansion (APEX), the Duluth Sister Cities International, the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, and the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce – MN.

Mr. Hodnik joined ALLETE in 1982. He was educated at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. Mr. Hodnik served as an Organizational Development Consultant, Co-Leader and Leader from 1989 to 1994, when he became manager of the Laskin Energy Center. He was named General Manager – Thermal Generation Operations in 2000, and Vice President of Generation Operations in 2005. He became Senior Vice President – Minnesota Power Operations in 2006, and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2007. Mr. Hodnik was named President of ALLETE in May of 2009 and became Chief Executive Officer effective May 1, 2010.

As the first director of the Natural Resources Research Institute, Dr. Lalich is responsible for developing and managing the 200 person applied research and development arm of the University of Minnesota Duluth. He has helped guide and build the Institute into a recognized model for interfacing the university with industry for economic development of Minnesota’s natural resources in an environmentally sound manner. Dr. Lalich oversees the Institute’s annual operating budget of approximately $16 million along with three research centers — Applied Research and Technology Development, Water and the Environment, and the NRRI Business Group. Dr. Lalich received his education from the following institutions:

• BS Michigan Technological University, Metallurgical Engineering, 1965
• MS Michigan Technological University, Metallurgical Engineering, 1966
• PhD University of Wisconsin, Metallurgical Engineering, 1972
• Harvard, Planned Management Development Program, 1982

Dan Markham is the Executive Vice President of Reuben Johnson & Son, Inc. Dan also serves as the Corporate Secretary of RJS and its sister company, Charter Films, Inc. Prior to joining RJS in 2006, Dan worked as a commercial real estate appraiser, and in the Finance and Economic Development departments at Minnesota Power. A native of Duluth, Dan graduated from Cathedral High School in 1987, from St. John’s University in 1991, and completed his MBA from Regis University in 2005. Dan serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of National Bank of Commerce, the Chair of the Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund, the Treasurer of Northland Country Club, and is a member of Duluth Rotary Club #25.

Dan Markham and his wife Cathy are the parents of three daughters – Ruby (12), Ivy (10) and Sylvie (6).

Nancy Aronson Norr of Duluth, Minn. is Manager, Regional Development at Minnesota Power, an ALLETE company. She has extensive experience in board governance, business retention and recruitment, loan fund portfolio management, and public affairs. Her management responsibilities cover a broad array of economic development services and community relations.

She currently serves on numerous boards and committees, including the Area Partnership for Economic Expansion, Duluth Airport Authority, Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund, Northland Foundation, Range Readiness Initiative and the Utility Economic Development Association. Nancy was recently named to the Grow MN Advisory Board, a program of the Minnesota State Chamber and the Anderson Center Board of Directors. Nancy is a 2006 graduate of the Blandin Community Leadership Program. She is a former board member of the Minnesota Community Capital Fund, CHUM Works, Northeast Entrepreneur Fund and the Economic Development Association of Minnesota. She is a 2004 winner of the Minnesota Vision award presented by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

A 1983 business administration graduate of the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire, Ms. Aronson Norr holds a Masters degree in Agricultural Economics from UW-Madison. Her graduate degree focused on community and regional economic development.

Prior to joining Minnesota Power in 1989, Ms. Aronson Norr worked as a downtown revitalization consultant for the City of Superior, Wis. and as a commercial loan officer at US Bank (formerly First Bank) in Duluth. She resides in Duluth with her two children, Annagrace and Peder.

Thomas G. Patnoe, MD, became President and Chief Medical Officer of SMDC Health System on Jan. 1, 2009. He has served as the sixteenth President of the Duluth Clinic since July 1, 2007. He continues both of these roles for Essentia Health, East Region.

Dr. Patnoe joined the Duluth Clinic as an orthopaedic surgeon in 1989. He has served in a number of leadership roles, including Section Chair, Associate Chief of Surgery and Director of the Bone, Joint and Spine Program.

Dr. Patnoe is an honors graduate of Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. He received his MD degree Magna cum Laude from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic before joining the Duluth Clinic.

Since 1996, John Strange has provided leadership at St. Luke’s in the role of President/CEO. He came to St. Luke’s in 1992 as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance.

Prior to joining St. Luke’s, Mr. Strange moved his way up the ranks at Memorial Hospital in Burlington, Wisconsin, and, after 14 years with this organization, left the position of Executive Vice President to join St. Luke’s.

As St. Luke’s President/CEO, Mr. Strange has led a highly-qualified, dedicated workforce in not only bringing high-tech, state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to St. Luke’s, but also in delivering health care with St. Luke’s hallmark of compassionate care of each patient. Mr. Strange leads with St. Luke’s mission always in mind: The Patient Above All Else.

Mr. Strange earned a Bachelor of Science degree with two majors, Business Administration and Economics, from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1972 and a Master’s Degree from Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee in 1985.

Mr. Strange lives in Canosia Township, just outside Duluth, with his wife. They have two daughters.