Growing Destinations

Leaders from two of Minnesota's largest convention and event centers are seeing positive growth at their facilities. Joe Ward is president of Experience Rochester and Mayo Civic Center. Dan Hartman is Executive Director of the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, also known as the DECC. They share results from 2022 and a look into the future. While competitors in the meeting space, Joe and Dan acknowledge the important role of collaboration and learning from each other.

Mayo Civic Center
Experience Rochester
Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC)
Growing Destinations Podcast

You know her from The Voice. Kat Perkins was a finalist on Season 6 of the popular music show. The Voice was a second chance for Kat after vocal surgery, and she rocked it. Kat keeps a busy schedule including a recent tour with Kid Rock. She also mentors young, aspiring musicians through her Rising Star Foundation and she continues her annual tradition of performing for the troops.

Kat Perkins
Experience Rochester, MN

Art plays an important role in any community. Pam Hugdahl is Executive Director of the Rochester Art Center and Misha Johnson is the Managing Director of the Rochester Civic Theatre. Their long-tenured organizations have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic with renewed optimism. As they look to grow their organizations, they acknowledge that community partnerships are key.

Rochester Art Center
Rochester Civic Theatre

John Reed has spent thirty years working in the aviation industry. Since 2015, he has served as executive director of the Rochester, Minnesota International Airport. He's inspired by Mayo Clinic's unique relationship with the airport, which has a long history in Rochester, thanks to the Mayo brothers. The Rochester International Airport serves a region in Southeast Minnesota, and while the industry has faced some challenges, John is optimistic about Rochester's future as a high-value market.

Rochester International Airport
Experience Rochester, MN

Always having a passion for toys, Brad Vigesaa turned his passion into a business. In 2017 he opened his first NerdinOut store in Rochester, Minnesota with toys from his personal collection. He has expanded to include comics, video games and more. He now operates a second location in the Twin Cities. Ever the entrepreneur, Brad also started his own version of a Comic-Con convention in Rochester called NerdinOut Con, with significant growth in the past four years. In 2023, he'll be producing two Comic-Cons-- one in Rochester, and one in Minneapolis.

NerdinOut
Experience Rochester, MN

The COVID – 19 pandemic upended the zoology careers of Diana and Dean Treangen. The husband-and-wife team leaned in on their animal background and training to start something new. On their 45-acre farm in Dennison, MN, they raise a rare breed of sheep and utilize the wool to support an emerging agritourism business. Their farm has become a classroom for young and old. An annual harvest-fiber festival attracts vendors from throughout the upper Midwest. Next up for the Treangens is to engage with tour groups and homeschoolers and provide them greater opportunities to connect with nature.

History is important, including the creepy parts of it. 

Wayne Gannaway is executive director of the History Center of Olmsted County in Rochester, MN.  In 2019, his organization debuted a new exhibit and contest called Creepy Dolls, which has become an internet sensation.  An all-new Creepy Dolls exhibit is back in 2022 with a cult movies theme.

Wayne has a background in Early American history with a focus on Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain. While the creepy dolls exhibit is an unconventional way to promote history, Wayne firmly believes history is fun and there’s learning opportunities from our toys from the past.

Creepy Dolls Exhibit at History Center of Olmsted County
Experience Rochester, MN

Muharem Dedic (Mo) and Midhat Mujic (Mido) are Bosnian immigrants who, along with their families, left war-torn Bosnia more than 20 years ago and settled in Rochester, Minnesota to start a new life. Mo and Mido met each other through soccer and became friends and business partners. In 2018, they started a soccer club called Rochester FC. Through that club, they are now bringing the highest level of pre-professional soccer for men and women to the greater Rochester area through a partnership with the United Soccer League.

Rochester Football Club

One of the biggest challenges small business owners face is how to get their business started. Amanda Leightner is Executive Director of the Collider Foundation in Rochester, Minnesota. Collider provides ecosystem navigation to help guide early stage entrepreneurs in the right direction by providing valuable resources, education, storytelling and co-working space. Amanda knows firsthand the challenges entrepreneurs face. In addition to her leadership role with Collider, she's also a small business owner.

Collider
Experience Rochester, MN

For the past 25 years, Victoria's has been a staple in the dining scene in downtown Rochester, MN. Located around the corner from Mayo Clinic, it's popular among the Clinic's patients. Along with family members, Natalie Victoria founded the Italian-inspired restaurant in 1997. Now, the next generation of the Victoria family is joining the ranks of restauranteurs.

Natalie's son, Jordan, and niece, Nadia, recently opened a sister restaurant in Rochester: Sorellina's. In this episode, Natalie and Nadia discuss their tight family bond, their passion for food and serving people.

Victoria's
Sorellina's
The Tap House
The Tap House West End
Experience Rochester, MN