DCTC Foundation Board
Chair
Lowell Miller Stolte has nearly 30 years of environmental engineering experience that includes consulting for local and federal regulators, 10 years in environmental engineering with 3M, and nearly 15 years in petroleum refining with Flint Hills Resources, a leading supplier of petroleum fuels in the Midwest. As environmental director at Flint Hills, Stolte is responsible for environmental regulatory compliance programs and strategic planning for the site. He is a chemical engineering graduate from the University of Minnesota and has previously served on the city of Lakeville Planning Commission, including the role of chairman. He has always had a strong interest in education as exemplified by previous volunteer work with SMART and Storybook Readers literacy programs, Engineers in Schools, Science Olympiad and University of Minnesota student mentoring.
Joel Trinkle assists clients with environmental permitting, compliance, and management projects. He has more than 15 years of experience in air quality permitting, regulatory applicability analyses, compliance audits, risk management planning, dispersion modeling, and regulatory-agency negotiation. He has assisted a broad range of clients—including petroleum refiners, renewable fuels producers, forest products companies, utilities, and manufacturers—at facilities in states from Alaska to Louisiana. Joel's assistance has included completing air permit and regulatory applicability analyses in 15 states, managing and preparing PSD and Title V permit applications for clients in a wide range of industries, and presenting instructional courses on air quality permitting to more than 200 clients including Minnesota Pollution Control Agency staff, industry representatives, and environmental consultants.
A native of Hastings, Minn., Dale Olson graduated from the DCTC Accounting program in 1977 before earning his MBA at the University of Minnesota. A certified public accountant, Olson soon advanced to the position of vice president of finance at Smead, a multi-million dollar manufacturer of quality office products. He is responsible for accounting and finance at Smead as well as planning related to insurance, retirement and acquisitions.
A resident of Dakota County, Ann Byre joined the board with a strong desire to help students prepare for the future. Byre has extensive pharmacy operations experience, including expertise regarding health-system based pharmacies, large-chain retail pharmacies and health system strategies. As the director for Allina Health Pharmacy, she oversees retail/outpatient pharmacy locations at Allina Health hospital and clinic locations across the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul area. She earned her PharmD and Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences at South Dakota State University. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, ages four and one. Her interests include traveling, reading, volunteering, scrapbooking and visiting the family cabin. She looks forward to helping grow the Pharmacy Tech program at DCTC based on recent Minnesota Board of Pharmacy changes in training requirements.
Tolu Adeleye was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up partly in Nigeria and partly across the east coast of the United States. He has an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Baltimore in Maryland. He earned an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute Technology Sloan School of Management. He serves as director of strategy at Thomson Reuters in Eagan, Minn. He’s also a co-founder of Café de la Pensée, a global idea exchange platform and Minnesota-based startup. Adeleye enjoys teaching, is a passionate tennis player and an avid traveler. He has visited more than 100 countries in the last several years.
Amy Diede, M.D., practices family medicine at the Apple Valley Medical Center in Apple Valley, Minn. Diede earned a Bachelor of Science and her M.D. at the University of North Dakota. She did her residency at Methodist Hospital and the University of Minnesota. Her professional focus is on family medicine, women's health, pediatrics and preventive health. She chose her field of medicine because she enjoys the rewards of taking care of an entire family. Diede belongs to the American Academy of Family Physicians, Twin Cities Medical Society, Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians and the Minnesota Medical Association. She is certified with the American Board of Family Medicine, Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. She is actively involved with Crystal Lake Elementary Junior Great Books.
Stephen Engel has nearly 20 years of research, development, and engineering experience at Ecolab, the global leader in water, hygiene, and energy technologies and services. Engel's experience includes chemistry and equipment product development and commercialization, technical service, and team management with focus in the food service and hospitality markets. He is a University of Minnesota chemistry graduate and a retired U.S. Navy veteran with 20 years of active and reserve service. He is an active board member with the Rosemount Beyond The Yellow Ribbon Network providing support for community veterans and service members, including support for DCTC veteran students. He also leads a military employee business resource group at Ecolab to support professional development, community outreach, and talent acquisition initiatives.
Emily Fox Williams practices law with Dakota Law, P.L.L.C. in Lakeville, primarily in the areas of for-profit and non-profit business law; business succession planning; employment law; contracts; business mergers and sales; and wills and trusts agreements. She completed her undergraduate degree at Iowa State University, and received her law degree at Hamline University School of Law. Emily is licensed to practice law in the states of Minnesota and Iowa. She is also admitted to practice in the United States Court, District of Minnesota. Emily is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association and Dakota County Bar Association. She is involved in Lakeville Rotary and the Lakeville Area Chamber of Commerce, where she also serves on the board.
Bernie earned his bachelor's degree in Business – Economics in 1986 from UW-River Falls and began the first 10 years of his career working at what was Northern States Power Company (now Xcel Energy). In 1996 he moved to Dakota Electric Association where he currently holds the position of Utility Services Manager. His ground up, hands-on approach has served him well both in learning and in educating others in the field along the way. He has been an active member of the Upper Midwest Utility Fleet Council; currently a Board Member, past positions include Secretary/Treasurer and President. He married Georgene in 1989 and became a resident of Dakota County where they raised their two children, Alex and Sydney. He became active with the South St Paul Lion's Club in 2001 and has enjoyed and respected the work they do to give back to their community. Bernie and his wife enjoy traveling, golf, boating, winter sports and cabin life.
As a resident of Rosemount, Scott Manwarren can see DCTC becoming more visible in the community. He recognizes the college's ongoing commitment to students through the application of additional resources. Manwarren has a Masters of Business Administration–Management from the University of North Alabama and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Marketing with an Agronomy emphasis from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He is a traveling board member for the Rosemount Area Athletic Association; his previously served on the Minnesota 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees; he is the U of M CFANS Scholarship Golf Tournament board chair; he serves as a committee member for the CHS-United Way Golf Tournament in 2011. Recognized with the U of M Alumni Association Alumni Service Award in 2008, Manwarren is involved with the university's College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources.
Ryan O'Gara has worked for SKB Environmental for over 20 years in various positions. For the last seventeen years, he has been SKB’s Government Affairs liaison. He is responsible for monitoring and lobbying issues at the Minnesota State Capitol as well as political issues at the county and city level. He is a registered lobbyist in Minnesota. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce's Solid Waste Subcommittee. He is also currently serving on the the Dakota County Technical College Foundation Board of Directors. He has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) and the Minnesota Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). He was appointed to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Environmental Innovations Advisory Council (EIAC), the Construction/Demolition/Industrial Landfill Workgroup and has been active on the Advisory Committees for writing Non-MSW rules, Beneficial Use rules, Transfer Station rules, Demolition Landfill Guidance, and Industrial Landfill Guidance. He has been active in the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) and National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA). He received a B.A. in English at the University of Colorado.
With nearly 17 years of experience with Maximum Potential, Clint Schult has received the opportunity to excel in a wide range of roles. In his present position as head of distributor development, he works closely with current and potential distributors as well as with the company's personal client base. Being an integral member of a successful family business has proved very rewarding. Schult attended the University of Minnesota Duluth, earning a B.A. in business communication. Time away from the office is spent with his wife, Tammy, and the couple's two children, Weston and Violet. Schult also enjoys running, basketball and cycling.
Dan Sjolseth is the owner of Superior Service Center, a mechanical and collision shop with two locations in Eagan and Apple Valley. Dan has 44 years of experience in the automotive business. He shares his passion for the industry by speaking with parents and teachers at the middle and high school levels to encourage a degree in the Automotive field by way of technical colleges. Sjolseth also serves on the DCR Chamber Board of Directors as well as the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers on the local and national board. Dan also enjoys spending time with his wife, three daughters and four grandchildren.
Kerry Sutherland, a marketing major alumnus of the University of Northern Iowa, has held the position of general manager at the Life Time Fitness Crosstown location in Eden Prairie, Minn. since 1997. In 2010, he also took on the role of skills & development trainer and Crosstown program manager. Sutherland served as assistant head coach of boy's basketball at Saint Bernard's High School in St. Paul, Minn., from 2003 till 2009, helping take his team to three conference championships and three state tournaments.
Kathleen has been a practicing certified medical assistant since obtaining certification in January 2000. A 1999 alumna of the DCTC Medical Assistant Program, Kathleen joined the MA faculty in fall 2010. In 2016 Kathleen became the campus SkillsUSA advisor and enjoys working with the faculty and students in this student-led organization. Kathleen is a member of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the Minnesota Society of Medical Assistants (MSMA) and is active in both professional organizations. She lives in Northfield, Minn. with her two daughters and granddaughter.
Susan Garcia is currently pursuing a degree in Executive Assistant A.A.S. Susan and serves as President for the DCTC Student Senate. She truly believes in the power of the student voice. If you meet her in the hall she will most likely talk to you about how to get involved in Student Senate and Student Life activities.
In addition to being a member of the Student Senate, Susan is a member of Business Professionals of America. After graduation, Susan plans to pursue an executive assistant position within a large international company.
Michael Berndt has served Minnesota State for 18 years in several capacities including as faculty member, dean, and executive leader. In his current role, he has served as the vice president of Academic Affairs at Century College since 2014.
Previously, he served Normandale Community College as the administrator overseeing research, planning, accreditation, and online learning from 2008 to 2014. He was a full-time English instructor at Normandale from 2000 to 2008 and the English Department chair from 2002 to 2004. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota Morris and a master’s from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Michelle Boe, J.D. is the DCTC Foundation Director. As director Michelle leads fundraising efforts for the foundation as well as advocates for students and DCTC by engaging community partners. The DCTC Foundation helps hundreds of students a year through scholarships, emergency grants and academic programs that help ensure success. Michelle started at DCTC in 2016.
She earned a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Minnesota. Before coming to DCTC, Michelle worked as an Associate Attorney for Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak and Pikala in Minneapolis. Before that, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Referee Mary Madden in Hennepin County. In her spare time, Michelle serves on the Fourth Judicial District Ethics Committee as a Volunteer Investigator. She also enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.
