68 Notable alumni of
Minnesota State University - Mankato
Updated:
Minnesota State University - Mankato is 1234th in the world, 441st in North America, and 413th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 68 notable alumni from Minnesota State University - Mankato sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Billie Joe Armstrong
- Occupations
- mandolinistsingerrecord producercomposerstage actor
- Biography
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Billie Joe Armstrong is an American musician and actor. He is best known for being the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Green Day, which he co-founded with Mike Dirnt in 1987. He is also a guitarist and vocalist for the punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder, and provides lead vocals for Green Day's side projects Foxboro Hot Tubs, the Network, the Longshot and the Coverups. Armstrong has been considered by critics as one of the greatest punk rock guitarists of all time.
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Tim Walz
- Enrolled in Minnesota State University - Mankato
- In 2001 graduated with Master of Science in educational leadership
- Occupations
- politicianAmerican football coacheducatornon-commissioned officer
- Biography
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Timothy James Walz is an American politician, former educator, and retired United States Army non-commissioned officer who has served since 2019 as the 41st governor of Minnesota. He was the Democratic nominee for vice president in the 2024 U.S. presidential election and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019.
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Melissa Peterman
- Occupations
- stage actorfilm actortelevision actor
- Biography
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Melissa Peterman is an American actress, television host and comedian. She has played the role of Barbra Jean in the television comedy series Reba, appeared as Bonnie Wheeler in the ABC Family/Freeform series Baby Daddy, and was host of ABC Family's Dancing Fools, ABC's Bet on Your Baby, and CMT's The Singing Bee. From 2017 to 2024, she played Brenda Sparks in The Big Bang Theory spinoff series Young Sheldon. Since September 2023, she has been the host of the television game show Person, Place or Thing. It was announced she was cast in the Reba McEntire led sitcom, Happy's Place on NBC which premiered on October 18, 2024.
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Adam Thielen
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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Adam John Thielen is an American professional football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Minnesota State Mavericks and signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2013, playing for them for ten seasons. Thielen holds several NFL records, including eight straight games over 100+ yards receiving, and 74 receptions in the first half of a season.
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Glen Taylor
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Glen Albert Taylor is an American billionaire business magnate and politician from Minnesota. Taylor made his fortune as the founder and owner of Minnesota-based Taylor Corporation, one of the largest graphic communication companies in the United States.
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David Backes
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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David Anthony Backes is an American former professional ice hockey forward. He played for fifteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks. Backes was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but grew up in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota.
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Gwen Walz
- Occupations
- community leaderacademic administratoreducator
- Biography
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Gwen Walz is an American educator and public school administrator. She is the 39th and current First Lady of Minnesota as the wife of Governor Tim Walz. Her husband was the Democratic Party candidate for vice president in the 2024 United States presidential election.
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Tyler Pitlick
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Tyler Pitlick is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected in the second round, 31st overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Pitlick has also previously played for the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.
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Chad Brownlee
- Occupations
- ice hockey playersingersongwriter
- Biography
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Chad Brownlee is a Canadian country music artist, songwriter, actor, and former ice hockey defenceman. He has one #1 Canada Country hit with "Forever's Gotta Start Somewhere".
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Teodors Bļugers
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Teodors Bļugers is a Latvian professional ice hockey centre for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 52nd overall in the 2012 NHL entry draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, making him the third-highest selected Latvian player in the NHL entry draft, behind Zemgus Girgensons and Sandis Ozoliņš.
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Ryan Carter
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Ryan Michael Carter is an American former professional ice hockey forward. He played nearly 500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL).
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Theresa Greenfield
- Enrolled in Minnesota State University - Mankato
- Studied urban planning
- Occupations
- real estate agentpoliticianurban planner
- Biography
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Theresa Greenfield is an American businesswoman, government official, and former political candidate. She was the Democratic nominee for the 2020 United States Senate election in Iowa, losing to incumbent Republican Joni Ernst.
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Larry Buendorf
- Occupations
- U.S. Secret Service agent
- Biography
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Larry Buendorf is a former Chief Security Officer of the United States Olympic Committee, United States Navy aviator, and Secret Service agent. He broke up an assassination attempt on United States President Gerald Ford in 1975.
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Assem Marei
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Assem Ahmed Marei is an Egyptian professional basketball player for Changwon LG Sakers of the Korean Basketball League (KBL). He also represents the senior Egyptian national team internationally.
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Tim Jackman
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Timothy M. Jackman is an American former professional ice hockey player. He was the first player from Minnesota State University, Mankato to be drafted after becoming the Columbus Blue Jackets' second round selection, 38th overall, at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Jackman made his NHL debut during the 2003–04 season with Columbus, and has also played for the Phoenix Coyotes, Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks.
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Marc Michaelis
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Marc Michaelis is a German professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for Adler Mannheim in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
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Bonya Ahmed
- Occupations
- writer
- Biography
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Rafida Bonya Ahmed is a Bangladeshi-American who is a writer, blogger, and humanitarian activist. In 2020, she founded the educational channels Think Bangla and Think English on YouTube. Along with her husband Avijit Roy, she was attacked and badly wounded by machete-wielding Islamic extremists at the Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2015, and Roy was killed.
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Dennis Hejlik
- Years
- 20th Century
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Dennis J. Hejlik is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general. Hejlik previously served as commanding general of United States Marine Corps Forces, Europe and United States Marine Corps Forces Command. Until early 2008, Hejlik commanded the newly established Marine Special Operations Command.
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Daniel Brickley
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Daniel Brickley is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing for Tappara in the Liiga.
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David G. Bronner
- Occupations
- business executive
- Biography
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David George Bronner is an American businessman. He is best known as the head of Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA), the pension fund for employees of the State of Alabama. Bronner briefly served as the chairman of US Airways in the 1990s when RSA owned many shares in the airline.
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Travis Morin
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Travis Andrew Morin is an American former professional ice hockey player who briefly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Dallas Stars. He most notably played with the Stars American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Texas Stars, appearing in 686 games across ten seasons and having his jersey retired after he finished his playing career in 2019.
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Connor Mackey
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Connor Mackey is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Mackey became highly coveted as an undrafted free agent after playing three years of college ice hockey for Minnesota State University, ultimately signing with the Calgary Flames in March 2020. He is the son of former NHL player David Mackey, who played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota North Stars, and St. Louis Blues.
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Jessica Benham
- Years
- 1990-.. (age 35)
- Enrolled in Minnesota State University - Mankato
- Graduated with master's degree in communication studies
- Occupations
- disability rights activistpolitician
- Biography
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Jessica L. Benham is an American politician and disability rights activist serving as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 36th District. She is the first openly LGBTQ+ woman and first openly autistic person elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. She cofounded the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy in 2014.
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Grant Stevenson
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Grant Thomas Stevenson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks during the 2005–06 season.
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Aaron Fox
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Aaron Fox is an American ice hockey executive and former professional ice hockey player.
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Pat Garofalo
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Patrick "Pat" Garofalo is an American politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represented District 58B, which includes portions of Dakota and Goodhue counties in the southeastern Twin Cities metropolitan area.
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Bob Bird
- Occupations
- teachersports commentator
- Biography
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Bob Bird is an American conservative activist, retired high school teacher, home-school tutor and the former chairman of the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP). He was the AIP's candidate for the United States Senate seat formerly occupied by Ted Stevens in the 2008 senate election.
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Richard C. Nash
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Lieutenant General Richard C. Nash (born 1950) was the 30th adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, having been appointed to that position by the governor of Minnesota in 2010. Nash had previously served as commanding general of both US Army and multi-national forces including the US Army's 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, the Multi-National Division-South during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the Multi-National Brigade-North (SFOR-14) in Bosnia Herzegovina during Operation Joint Forge.
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Yonassan Gershom
- Occupations
- writerrabbi
- Biography
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Yonassan Gershom is an American Rabbi and writer who was ordained in the Jewish Renewal movement during the 1980s, and is now a follower of Breslov Hasidism. He was associated with the early days of the B'nai Or movement, a forerunner of Jewish Renewal, in which he was ordained by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi in 1986, although he is not in agreement with the direction that the movement has taken in more recent years.
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Kael Mouillierat
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Kael Mouillierat is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He is currently playing under contract to the Krefeld Pinguine of the DEL2.
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Emilia Ramboldt
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Emilia Ingrid Maria Andersson Ramboldt née Andersson is a Swedish ice hockey defenceman. She was a member of the Swedish national team for twelve seasons, playing in eight IIHF Women's World Championships and at the Winter Olympics in 2010, 2014, and 2018. Ramboldt was named Riksserien Player of the Year for the 2014–15 season.
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Eriah Hayes
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Eriah Joseph Hayes is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks.
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LaMark Brown
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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LaMark Brown II is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 2012. He has also been a member of the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Utah Blaze, and Minnesota Vikings.
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Allen Quist
- Years
- 1944-.. (age 81)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Allen J. Quist is a Minnesota politician, a former state representative, and a two-time candidate for governor of the state.
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David Bly
- Occupations
- educatorpolitician
- Biography
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David Bly is an American politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 20B, which included portions of Le Sueur and Rice counties in the southeastern part of the state. He is also a retired teacher.
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Jerry Terrell
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Jerry Wayne Terrell is an American former professional baseball player. The former infielder from Elysian, Minnesota, attended Minnesota State University, Mankato and played in the Major Leagues for the Minnesota Twins (1973–1977) and Kansas City Royals (1978–1980), appearing in 657 games played and collecting 412 hits. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).
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Joe Klanderman
- Born in
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United States - Occupations
- American football coachAmerican football player
- Biography
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Joe Klanderman is an American football coach who is currently the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Kansas State University.
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Jon Kalinski
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Jonathon Brent Kalinski is a former Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played parts of two National Hockey League (NHL) seasons as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.
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Steve Wagner
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Steven Lee Wagner is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He most notably played with the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL) before playing abroad for Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
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Greg Davids
- Years
- 1958-.. (age 67)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Gregory Michael Davids is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2009, and from 1991 to 2006. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Davids represents District 26B in southeastern Minnesota, which includes the cities of La Crescent and Spring Valley, and parts of Fillmore, Houston, and Mower Counties.
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Zach Palmquist
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Zach Palmquist is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL).
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Stephon Williams
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Stephon Williams is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected by the New York Islanders in the fourth round (106th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
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John M. Zwach
- Occupations
- teacherpolitician
- Biography
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John Matthew Zwach Sr. was an American farmer, rural school teacher, and politician. Zwach was most notably a U.S. Representative from Minnesota, serving four terms from 1967 to 1975. He also served for several terms in the Minnesota legislature.
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Julia Sears
- Occupations
- suffragist
- Biography
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Julia Ann Sears was a pioneering academic and suffragist, achieving a milestone early in her career as she became the first woman to head a public college in the United States, in 1872. The school was Mankato Normal School, now Minnesota State University, Mankato, which named a residence hall after Sears in 2008. Sears was an active suffragist in Tennessee.
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Scott Newman
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Scott J. Newman is an American attorney and former Republican member of the Minnesota Senate. He represented Senate District 18, which includes portions of McLeod, Meeker, Sibley and Wright counties just west of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. He is also a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and was the Republican nominee for attorney general in the 2014 election.
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Doug Plumb
- Years
- 1988-.. (age 37)
- Occupations
- basketball coach
- Biography
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Doug Plumb is a Canadian former professional basketball player. As of 2019, he is the head coach for the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada. He is a 3 time champion of the NBLC and holds the second highest winning percentage in league history winning over 81% of his games. He finished his college basketball career at UBC and briefly played professionally in Europe, before joining the London Lightning as an assistant coach in 2016. He joined the St. John's Edge in 2017 and eventually became the head coach.
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John Jasinski
- Years
- 1966-.. (age 59)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John R. Jasinski is an American politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents Minnesota's 19th Senate District in southeastern Minnesota.
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Andy Hedlund
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Andy Hedlund is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played for the Trenton Titans, Binghamton Senators, Hershey Bears, Krefeld Pinguine, Adler Mannheim, DEG Metro Stars and EHC Black Wings Linz in his career.
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Craig W. Duehring
- Enrolled in Minnesota State University - Mankato
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts in sociology and history
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Craig William Duehring was United States Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs) from 2007 to 2009.
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Lyndon Carlson
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lyndon R. Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he last represented District 45A, which included portions of Hennepin County in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. He is also a retired teacher and coach, having taught at Camden High School in Minneapolis for many years. Carlson is the longest-serving state legislator in Minnesota history.
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Rich Draheim
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Rich Draheim is an American politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 22 in south-central Minnesota.
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Mohamed Aden Tiiceey
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Mohamed Abdullahi Moalim Adan, commonly known as Mohamed Adan Tiiceey (Somali: Maxamed Aadan Tiiceey), is a Somali politician, founder and former president of the autonomous state, Himan and Heeb.
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Ben Youds
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Ben Youds is an American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently playing with IK Oskarshamn in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
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John W. Roberts
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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John Wendell Roberts was a United States Air Force general and commander of the Air Training Command with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. He had a bachelor of science degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a master's degree from The George Washington University. He was also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the National War College.
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Arthur S. Thomas
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Arthur Sam Thomas was a Roman Catholic priest and the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force from 1995 to 1997.
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Barbara Fister
- Occupations
- novelistlibrarian
- Biography
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Barbara Fister is an American author, blogger, librarian, best known for her writing about libraries and the role they play in student learning. She is a frequent contributor to Library Babel Fish for Inside Higher Ed as well as ACRLog, a blog by and for academic and research librarians.
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Linda Higgins
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Linda Higgins is a Minnesota politician who represented the second district of Hennepin County as county commissioner from late 2012 to January 2019. Higgins is a former member of the Minnesota Senate representing District 58, which included portions of the city of Minneapolis in Hennepin County, which is in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Democrat, she was first elected to the Senate in 1996, and was re-elected in 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2010. She served as a majority whip from 2001 to 2006. In the fall of 2011, she announced that she would not seek reelection after the current term ended in 2012. However, when Hennepin County District 2 Commissioner Mark Stenglein announced in June 2012 that he would resign, Higgins decided to run for that position. On May 20, 2012, she was endorsed by the DFL party for the position, and won the election in November. In 2014, she ran unopposed and was reelected. She served as the Vice-Chair of the County Board, and Chair of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. She retired from the county board in January 2019.
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Shane Joseph
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Shane Joseph is a former Canadian professional ice hockey winger. He most recently played for the Iserlohn Roosters in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
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Kathy Sheran
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Kathleen J. "Kathy" Sheran is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she represented District 19, which included portions of Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet counties in the south central part of the state.
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Eli L. Huggins
- Biography
-
Eli Lundy Huggins was an American Brigadier General and author who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Indian Wars. He was also the commander of the 8th Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Spanish–American War.
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William A. Sederburg
- Years
- 1947-.. (age 78)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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William A. Sederburg is an American university president and politician. He is a senior scholar at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Sederburg was commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education from 2008 to 2012. He was president of President of Utah Valley State College from 2003 to 2008, overseeing its transformation into Utah Valley University. Sederburg was president of Ferris State University from 1994 to 2003 and served as a member of the Michigan Senate from 1978 to 1991.
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Rich Murray
- Years
- 1957-.. (age 68)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Richard J. "Rich" Murray is a Minnesota politician serving as the mayor of Albert Lea, Minnesota, since 2023. From 2011 to 2013, he served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 27A, which includes all or parts of Freeborn and Mower Counties.
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Greg Stevens
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Greg R. Stevens is an American politician in the state of Iowa.
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John Rose
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John T. Rose was an American state representative and former teacher from Minnesota. Prior to entering politics, Rose taught at Emmet D. Williams Elementary school and St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Roseville as a physical education teacher.
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Shannon Savick
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Shannon Savick is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she represented District 27A in southern Minnesota.
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Mike May
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Mike May was the Iowa State Representative from the 6th District. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2005 through 2011. He received his BA from Simpson College and his MS from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
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Michael Cormack
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Michael G. Cormack is an American politician in the state of Iowa.
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Marcella Frevert
- Years
- 1937-.. (age 88)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Marcella R. Frevert was the Iowa State Representative from the 7th District. She served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1996 through 2011. She received her AA from Emmetsburg Junior College, her BS from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and her MA from the University of Northern Iowa.
