MSUM Foundation welcomes new board members

The MSUM Foundation is proud to welcome four members to the MSUM Foundation Board. Their terms began July 1, 2022.

Tara Baltes graduated from MSUM in 2004 with a degree in mass communications and an emphasis in advertising. She currently serves as Talent Acquisition Specialist at Bell Bank. Baltes has held positions in bank operations, pricing, administration and human resources in a variety of industries including Gorder States and Schells Corporate Office. In addition to serving on the MSUM Foundation Board, she also serves as a board member of the YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties on the Endowment Fund. Baltes has a passion for community outreach and advocacy promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. Her work puts her in collaboration with the United Way of Cass-Clay, the YMCA and 4 Luv of Dog Rescue. Baltes lives in Fargo, N.D. with her husband, two children and two dogs.

Stacy Broman ’85 has relied on the community she met as a student at MSUM. Today Broman is a partner at Meagher & Geer PLLP, a firm where she represents insurers in complex litigation and bad faith matters nationally. Her work has placed her on a number of “best lawyer” lists. Among her many honors: she was named Minneapolis Best Lawyers Insurance Lawyer of the Year in 2013 and received the MSUM 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award. Broman has used her passion for law and applied it to help others succeed in the field. She serves on the board of directors of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC) and co-chaired its diversity committee. In July 2020, she received the Diversity Award from FDCC for her support of diversity efforts both within and outside the legal community. She also helps raise funds for Southern Minnesota Legal Services, knowing there are many who need good legal work but struggle to pay for it.

During his 37-year career in the Paseka School of Business at MSUM, Dr. Peter Geib initiated and coordinated the international business program on campus. He consulted with a Chinese university when it established the first MBA degree in the country. He even began an international faculty exchange. He has received countless awards and honors – including the MSUM 2021 Outstanding Service Award – and published many research papers such as South China Sea: Changing Dynamics and The Shanghai Edge. But it is in the classroom where his expertise shines. Throughout his service as a professor, he cherished seeing students get excited about ideas, encouraged them to exercise their curiosity and celebrated when they developed into fine professionals. In many ways, Dr. Geib grew up at MSUM. Dr. Geib’s great-grandfather Frank Weld was president at MSUM from 1899-1919.  Geib’s grandfather, O.J. Hagen, served as the university’s resident director, a community representative. Even Dr. Geib’s father, a psychiatrist, worked as the football team’s doctor. Dr. Geib never expected to return to MSUM after undergrad. But after completed post-doctoral study at Yale, he came home in 1982 to develop the international business program. After his retirement, Dr. Geib’s legacy continues through an endowed scholarship in his name that supports support mentorships, internships, and funding to enable students to act, collaborate and think globally by reducing international barriers of ignorance, broadening global intellectual perspectives, and developing skills for mutual understanding.

Corey Walther ‘93 (finance) is an accomplished senior level executive with more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently the president of Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC, an affiliate of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America. He helps financial professionals and their clients with retirement planning including strategies to build wealth, create sustainable retirement income and manage the many risks facing today’s investors. In addition to contributing to white papers and authoring articles, Walther is a thought leader and frequent speaker at industry events in financial services, speaking on the topic of trends and changes in retirement planning. During his time at Allianz, Walther has led growth strategies to more than double sales to over $7 billion and developed strong strategic relationships including the entry into new markets and channels. He is passionate about leading teams and driving strategies that focus on identifying and implementing ways to increase revenue, improve service delivery, and grow profitability. Walther is an active part of the financial services and Minnesota community, serving as a board member for the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), Money Management Institute, Carlson Consulting Enterprise at the University of Minnesota, Invest in Other Charitable Foundation, and Twin Cities in Motion. As an advocate for diversity, inclusion and financial literacy, he actively serves on various Allianz Life committees focused on furthering these efforts. Walther enjoys spending time with his wife, Janeen, and three children; and he is an avid runner.