Mark Anderson (MSUM '79) is president, CEO and Chairman of BlackRidge Financial, Inc. and is the former president and CEO of Community First Bankshares, Inc.  He received a Masters of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN and also is a CFA charter holder and holds designations as a CMA and CFM.  Mark was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001 and was named Business Administration Alumnus of the Year in 2004.

Pam Wimmer Benedict  (MSUM ’67) has a passion for home renovation and is a designer of kitchens, baths and home remodels.  She is a professional Stager (preparing homes for resale) and certified Re-designer (decorating homes using clients own furnishings).  Pam is a former K-12 Art teacher and graphic designer.  She has been a PTA volunteer for nearly 20 years concentrating on science fairs, sports and theater.  Active in her Unitarian Universalist Church, she also loves to ski, hike and play bridge.

 

Christopher Birmingham  (MSUM ‘88) is a financial advisor/senior partner for Great Plains Financial Group.  Chris Attended NDSU and graduated from MSUM through Tri - College University with a finance degree.  He married Linda Halstead (MSUM ‘86) and they have two children.  He has been active in youth activities, is a past member of the Fargo Jaycees, and a current member of the Fargo Optimist club.  He is past president of the Fargo Optimists Club and a current Board Member on the Fund Distribution Committee of the United Way of Cass Clay

Maureen K. Brownson (MSUM '76) graduated from MSUM with a B.S. in English.  Following graduation she taught high school English in the Albany, Minn. and Shakopee, Minn. schools.  Since 1979 she has worked in the insurance industry for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and various of its affiliated companies, first in Milwaukee and since 1981 in Minneapolis.  She is currently a Senior Claims Consultant in the National Markets group of Liberty Mutual.

Darlene Cobian (MSUM '85) is a shareholder in the firm of Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association.  She is based in St. Paul and is a member of the Estate Planning and Administration Section.  Darlene practices principally in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, charitable gifting, and tax-exempt organizations.  She received her B.S. summa cum laude from MSUM and her law degree magma cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law.  Darlene was a probate registrar and clerk of court in North Dakota before joining Briggs in 1992.

Dr. Yvonne Condell completed her PH.D. and Master of Arts Degree at the University of Connecticut, and her Bachelor of Science degree at Florida A&M University.  She inspired thousands of students for 40 years, 30 of which were at MSUM where she taught life sciences and biology, retiring in 1995.  She is active in many organizations, boards and commissions. She was the Executive Vice President of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) 1999-2001.  She is currently a field volunteer director for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Midwest Field Office.  She is the Chair of the Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, trustee for the Candidate Advisory Council for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, a member of the Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the Minnesota Humanities Commission.  She was also a member of the board of directors for the Science Museum of Minnesota and the upper Midwest Women’s History Center, and a member of the board of trustees for Minnesota Public Radio. Dr. Condell has been a valuable member of the MSUM President’s Regional Advisory Board. She also assists the University as co-chair of the President’s Task Force on Diversity.  Dr. Condell was honored in 2000 with MSUM Alumni Foundation’s Distinguished Community Service Award.  And in 1993, the Alumni Foundation, in honor of Condell and her late husband James, a university psychology professor, created a $150,000 scholarship endowment fund.

John Haugo (MSUM '57) holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota.  Early in his career, John was a math teacher and head football coach at Parkers Prairie and Park Rapids, Minnesota High Schools; he served as CEO of the Minnesota Educational Computing Corporation, a statewide educational computing services organization; and has most recently served as CEO of several Minneapolis-based health-care software companies:  Serving Software, Inc. and SearchAmerica Incorporated.  John is the recipient of Distinghished Alumni Awards from MSUM, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Athletic Administrators Association.  He has also recently been named to the Dragon Athletic Hall of Fame at MSUM.  John and his wife, Shron, live in Hudson, Wisconsin.  They have four adult children and seven grandchildren.

Frank Leidenfrost (MSUM '85) taught physical education and driver education at the high school level for 36 years.  He has been the head football coach at Waubun High School and Staples High School.  He has also been an assistant athletic director for several years.  Since retiring he has been very active in Lions Club International.  He has been president of his club, served as the district governor of 5M-8 Lions, and has been a trustee on the Multiple District Lions Hearing Foundation for the past six years.  He is currently the chairperson of the board of trustees.  Frank is a recipient of MSUM's Distinguished Alumni Award.

Frank Mosier (MSUM '67) is owner and insurance agent for Frank A. Mosier Insurance Agency.  Frank has worked in a variety of areas of the insurance field, and as assistant dean of student life at Waynesburg College, and as a school psychologist, counselor, teacher and coach for football, wrestling, and golf.  Frank was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1984 and the MSUM Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990, both as a wrestler.  Frank is co-founder of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in New Jersey.  He was inducted as a wrestler in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Hall of Fame in 2009.

Rod Paseka (MSUM '71) owner and CEO of Hebron Brick Company in Fargo, earned a degree in accounting and business administration at MSUM.  The Moorhead native was in the Air Force for 3 1/2 years before attending MSUM.  He started his career as a salesman with Can-Tex Industries of Mineral Wells, Texas, before joining Hebron Brick in 1978.  He purchased the company in 1986.  Rod is past president of the F-M Homebuilders Association, past president of the Region 6 Brick Manufacturers Association, and a past director of the MSUM Alumni Foundation.  He and his wife Carolyn have four grown children.  

Tomi Sawyer (MSUM '76) has served as Aileron Therapeutics Chief Scientific Officer since October of 2007.  He was previously Senior Director, Pfizer Research Technology Center and concurrently served on Pfizer's Global Chemistry Leadership Team.  Prior to his tenure at Pfizer, he held several leadaership positions in drug discover at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, including Senior Vice pPesident, Drug Dscovery.  Dr. Sawyer currently holds academic and research advisory appointments at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  Dr. Sawyer received a B.S. with Honors in chemistry from MSUM and a Ph. D. with distinction in organic chemistry from the University of Arizona.

Greg Staszko  (MSUM ‘72) is a Senior Partner with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu,  a global assurance  & accounting, tax and consulting firm.  He is based in San Jose, California.  He was captain and MVP for the men’s track and field in 1972, and a member of the football team.  Shortly after graduation he founded the Winged Foot Club, a track club that has since been instrumental in funding an endowment to honor retired Coach Ron Masanz.  He has served on the Board of Governors for the Silver Valley Country Club, and is a volunteer fundraiser for the Fargo Catholic Schools Network Foundation and the San Francisco Chapter of Special Olympics.  He has been active in numerous organizations, including Presentation High School, Silver Oak Educational Partnership, Valley Christian Schools and St Francis a of Assisi of San Jose.  Greg was recipient of MSUM’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1999.

Mary Tallman  (MSUM ‘69) is a Book Buyer for Follett Higher Education Group headquartered in Oak Brook Illinois.  She is a volunteer at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Tivoli Theater in Downers Grove, IL and a member of PEO.  She has been affiliated with Washington EdPress, Washington Independent Writers and the Northern Virginia Literacy Council.

Mark Voxland  (MSUM ’72) is the City of Moorhead Mayor.  Voxland is also the President of the League of Minnesota Cities, a member of the Community and Economic Development committee, and owner of Voxland Electric.  He is a past member of the Moorhead City council, has served on the Board of Directors in the League of Minnesota Cities, chaired the Metropolitan Council of Governments, Oakport Joint Powers, and served on the Federal Commission on Railroad Relocation issues.  Mark is a member of the Moorhead Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce, and the Boy Scouts of America.  He has received honors and awards from the Boy Scouts of America including: Scoutmaster, Lamb Award (Lutheran), St. George Award (Catholic), and Wood Badge; Silver.  Mark is married to Donna (Olsen) (MSUM ’72) and they have three children.