Guest Speakers
At each meeting we feature insightful presentations from community members who share their expertise, experiences, and visions.
 
Please join us as you are able.
 
Our club meets from noon - 1pm on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Thursdays at Tavern 4&5 located at 16396 Wagner Way, Eden Prairie, MN.
 
If you have questions, are interested in visiting or joining the club, or if you would you like to speak to our club please contact:  John Urbanski, jaurbanski@comcast.net, 952-949-0744
 
 
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January 30 – No Meeting

 
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Dr. Josh Swanson

Superintendent of Eden Prairie Schools

February 6
 
Dr. Josh Swanson began his duties as superintendent of Eden Prairie Schools on August 21, 2017.

Dr. Swanson has been an instrumental part of district leadership since joining the district in October of 2012. As executive director of technology, his expertise and leadership was instrumental in the development and rollout of the district’s i-Learn initiative. As assistant superintendent, he assumed the role of key academic advisor to the superintendent. Over the past three years he has worked with site leadership and staff to implement the district’s strategic plan, update and align curriculum, initiate personalized learning, and provide leadership support to the sites.
 
 
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Lou Raguse

KARE11 News Reporter

 
February 13
 
Lou Raguse is an experienced, award-winning reporter for KARE 11 News in Minneapolis.  Lou joined KARE 11 as a reporter in April 2015. It is a return home after 10 years reporting and anchoring for KELO in Sioux Falls, KMSB in Tucson, and WIVB in Buffalo. At those stations, Lou won dozens of honors including an Emmy, Associated Press and NY State Broadcaster Awards.
 

In Feb. 2023, Lou’s first true crime book was published by Post Hill Press. “Vanished in Vermillion” flips the script on the genre and reveals all the ways the 40-year search for two missing teenage girls went horribly wrong.

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Community Outreach: Strategizing with Mike & Bob

February 20
 
Get ready to be dazzled by the dynamic duo of Mike Thomas and Bob Danielson, club members, as they unveil a top-notch marketing program designed to catapult our club into the hearts of local business owners and key executives!  They've compiled a robust database filled with names, titles, phone numbers, and email addresses to ensure we're reaching the right people.
 
But that's not all! They've crafted a compelling script to invite these potential supporters to a delightful free lunch, and to explore ways they might lend their support.
 
And to make our outreach efforts shine even brighter, they've created an array of fantastic marketing materials that they will introduce to you! We've got everything we need to make a lasting impression.
 
Exciting times ahead! 
 
 
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February 27 – No Meeting

 
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March 27 - No Meeting

 
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Ed Van Eeckhout, Ph. D.

The Manhatten Project

April 3, Noon
 
Ed retired from the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

 

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Greg Pavett, Humanity Alliance

April 10, Noon
 

Greg is the Founder and Executive Director of The Humanity Alliance. A 501 (c)(3) based in Victoria, Minnesota. The mission of The Humanity Alliance is to restore love and dignity as we serve our most vulnerable populations.  Their initial focus is providing improved access to nutrition to people who are food insecure and was inspired by a group of Minneapolis high school students.

Greg is committed to launching and scaling disruptive innovations that address unmet needs in our community. Greg has spent over 18 years launching and scaling new innovations in the for-profit arena.

Since 2018, Greg has applied his expertise to the non-profit space, moving at a pace commensurate with the need, and focused on unraveling the inequities that keep our communities from thriving. Greg holds a BS in Communications from Bradley University. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

 

 
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Dr. Andrew Baker, Hennepin County Medical Examiner

Visit & Tour with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner

 

April 17, 3:30pm at the ME's Office

Carpooling to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office is strongly suggested as parking is limited.

3:30pm - Welcome and overview from Dr. Andrew Baker

3:50pm - Tour of the facility (45-60 minutes)

Dr. Andrew Baker is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Medicine. He completed his residency in pathology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and completed a year of specialized training in forensic pathology in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is board-certified in anatomic and clinical pathology, with subspecialty certification in forensic pathology. He is a fellow of the College of American Pathologists (CAP), and serves on the CAP Forensic Pathology Committee. He is a fellow of the National Association of Medical Examiners and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, having served as the Chair of the Academy’s Pathology/Biology section and currently serving on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.

Dr. Baker began practicing as a full-time forensic pathologist with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2002. He was appointed to the position of Chief Medical Examiner for Hennepin County in 2004, and was reappointed in 2008, 2012, and 2016. In 2013, Dr. Baker’s office expanded to provide all medical examiner services to Dakota and Scott Counties in the metropolitan Twin Cities area. Dr. Baker also holds appointments at the Hennepin County Medical Center and the University of Minnesota. He serves as the Treasurer for the Minnesota Coroners’ and Medical Examiners’ Association and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Minnesota. Dr. Baker’s forensic interests include management of mass fatalities, the investigation of fatal child abuse, and investigation of sudden deaths in children and young adults.