The Economic Development Association of Minnesota recognized Northspan’s research director Karl Schuettler and Northspan board member Tamara Lowney with the Excellence in Economic Development Awards, presented during the EDAM Winter Conference this January 21.
The annual awards recognize individuals, businesses, and projects for their “continued leadership, support, and innovation for economic development in Minnesota,” as stated in this year’s awards video.
Due to the pandemic, this year’s awards were recorded and presented virtually. Award selections emphasized professionals who “have gone above and beyond or faced significant challenges in the last year,” according to EDAM’s press release.
Northspan’s Research Director and Consultant Karl Schuettler received the Emerging Professional of the Year
Award, which recognizes “outstanding achievement by an emerging leader with less than five years of experience in the economic development industry who shows promising leadership skills and positively impacts their organization, community, and/or region through economic development.”
“Shortly after joining Northspan, he was assigned to provide consulting services to GPS:45:93, an east central Minnesota regional economic development organization. Karl quickly became the go-to economic resource for the region,” EDAM described in Karl’s award video. “He ran point on a business retention and expansion program in the City of Silver Bay and was able to quickly build trust with businesses and government … Karl’s ability to quickly develop expertise and fill gaps in regional frameworks demonstrate he’s a tremendous asset to the Northspan group and an emerging professional in economic development.”
Northspan board member and President of the Itasca Economic Development Association Tamara Lowney
received the Innovation Award, which recognizes “a creative solution to an economic development challenge.”
“Tamara led and supported several innovative programs to drive economic growth in 2020,” EDAM highlights in Tamara’s award video, pointing specifically to Itasca Strong, “a media campaign to share accurate and factual information about the pandemic which quickly turned into a county-wide movement of hope, inspiration and support … Tamara was also instrumental in implementing an aggressive strategic action plan to recruit a new manufacturer to rural Big Fork, MN, advocating for CARES Act dollars to be allocated to assist businesses, and assisting Grand Rapids Economic Development Authority administer their emergency working capital loan program.”
Further EDAM 2021 awards recognized the following professionals and businesses:
- Economic Developer of the Year: David Olson, City of Lakeville
- Public Official of the Year: Minnesota House Representative Zack Stephenson
- Project of the Year: Le Sueur Main Street, Le Sueur, MN, led by Samantha DiMaggio in partnership with Mankato-based developer Building Good Communities LLC
- Project of the Year: Mousse Sparkling Wine Company, City of Jordan, MN, Josie Boyle and Micah Lennox
Congratulations to all of this year’s EDAM award recipients! Watch the entire 2021 EDAM Excellence in Economic Development Awards video presentation on ISG Inc’s Youtube channel here.