B
usinesses invest in the
organization both with their
financial commitment as well
as service on committees. The theme
of their work this year is “Everyone
Working Together.” The 2020 board
members include:
a sponsor for Merrick Inc., a Vadnais
Heights company that has provided
day services to adults with intellectual
and developmental disabilities in
Ramsey County since 1964. Lake
Area Bank also provides shredding
events for the community, collects
toys for needy kids at Christmas time,
and fundraises for charity projects
throughout the year.
“I look forward to working with
everyone on the Board to make great
things happen in 2020,” he said. “We
will be coming together as a team
and sharing ideas and opportunities
to continue moving the city and
community forward.”
Johannes began his involvement with
VHEDC by producing promotional
videos and awards. He has also
been a general contributor, and the
organization President. “I’ve really tried
to lead by just simply being present. I
try to provide open, honest feedback
and guidance to bring a different
perspective to the group,” he said.
Johannes and IC Systems have also
made an impact on the community as
regular supporters of initiatives like the
Polar Plunge for Special Olympics, The
American Red Cross and the Ronald
McDonald House.
Ed Jambor, President
Ed Jambor has been involved with
the organization since 2015 when he
started working at Lake Area Bank in
White Bear Lake, where he serves as
the business banking manager. “I have
always gotten involved in community
service in the places I have worked,
and when I came to the bank there
were plenty of people involved in the
Chamber. I wanted to contribute in
a different way,” said Jambor, who
soon thereafter joined the Business
Retention and Expansion Committee at
VHEDC.
In 2017, when he joined the VHEDC
Board, he also became head of the
Committee. He will serve as President
of the organization in 2020.
One of the key projects he has been
involved in over the years is helping
out with a University of Minnesota
study to determine what businesses
like about the Vadnais Heights area
and what needs to be improved.
“Through the survey we learned the
main reasons businesses stay in the
area is easy access to both downtowns,
affordable housing and the great
support they find in the community,”
said Jambor.
Not only is Jambor heavily invested
in the community, so is the company
where he works. Lake Area Bank is
Debby Gustafson, Past President
Eric Johannes, Past President
Ed Jambor will be taking over
where the past president of VHEDC,
Eric Johannes, left off. Johannes’
involvement with VHEDC began in
2011 when he was first approached by
former Executive Director Keith Warner,
who asked him to serve on the board.
At the time, Johannes had just started
working at IC System, an accounts
receivable company based in Vadnais
Heights that has a long legacy of
leadership on the VHEDC Board.
“The prospect of learning more
about how private business interacts
with the public sector in local and
regional government settings was
an exciting one. I’ve since grown
a great appreciation for how great
the challenges are to both of those
stakeholders, and for how important
it is for groups like the VHEDC to
become a catalyst that can help
bring groups like that together,” said
Johannes.
Debby Gustafson, who currently
works for Twin Cities-Metro Certified
Development Company (TCM) in
Vadnais Heights, served as President
of VHEDC from January 2018 through
June 2019. She got involved in the
organization after her first employer
secured a consulting contract with the
City of Vadnais Heights and she ended
up working with the City and VHEDC to
promote growth in the community.
Among the more significant projects
she has worked on over the years,
qualifying Vadnais Heights as a
Star City, administration of a loan
program for gap financing, a Youth
Skills Training Grant through the
State of Minnesota and a business
retention and expansion project she
worked on in 2016. It is the latter that
she says offers the best example of
how everyone at VHEDC is working
together to make things happen in the
community.
vhedc.com
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