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CEDA

CEDA

Community Economic Development Associates

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Southeast

Kenyon, MN

Kenyon, MN

Kenyon – Minnesota

Kenyon located along the North Fork of the Zumbro River.

  • County: Goodhue
  • Region: Southeast Minnesota
  • Zip Code: 55946
  • City Website
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Cora Boelman

Cora Boelman

Grants Specialist
Kenyon, MN
Email Cora

Cora became a member of the CEDA team in February 2022 as a Community Grant Specialist. As a graduate of Minnesota State University in Mankato with a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Studies, Cora started her career in the nonprofit sector in Rochester focusing on helping homeowners with necessary repairs to their home to help them age in place.

Originally from Lake City, Minnesota, Cora has a passion for tourism, community engagement and looks forward to helping the communities we serve to grow.

Wabasha, MN

Wabasha Minnesota

Wabahsa – Minnesota

Wabasha is located on the Mississippi River.

Home of the National Eagle Center and the Grumpy Old Men Festival.

  • County: Wabasha
  • Region: Southeast MN
  • Zip Code: 55981
  • City Website
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Cathy Enerson

Cathy Enerson

Community & Business Development Specialist
Eyota, MN
Lanesboro, MN
Wabasha, MN
Email Cathy

Cathy is the EDA Director for two communities in southeastern Minnesota – Eyota and Lanesboro. Cathy joined the CEDA team in 2009, bringing with her vast knowledge of construction, real estate, finance, economics, budgeting, grant writing, and customer service. Cathy is a visionary with expertise in generating new ideas and solving problems. She has brought millions of grant dollars to the communities she serves. She has created pilot programs with the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation to bring succession planning to local businesses and with Greater Minnesota Housing to pilot revolving loan funds to revitalize rental housing above downtown commercial spaces. She has implemented main street renovations for three communities including partnering with CEDA grant writers to bring nearly $2 million dollars of small cities block grant funding to SE MN. Cathy works with the EDA Board in Preston to showcase area assets and strengthen the local economy, she is responsible for the creation of the National Trout Center, and a successful $10 million dollar State grant to build a MN State Veterans Home.

Cathy is a graduate of Mankato State with a degree in Finance and Economics, and she holds a MN Realtors License. Through her work, Cathy is a member of the Rochester Area Builders, the Preston Area Chamber, and the Southeast MN Association of Realtors.

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Ben Strand

Ben Strand

Community & Business Development Specialist
Lake City, MN / Port Authority
Wabasha, MN
Email Ben

Ben Strand has lived in Winona since 2012 when he started his freshman year at Winona State University studying Journalism and English Writing. While in school he worked at the Winona Daily News for three years covering arts and culture and education. He also spent a year working at the Pump House Regional Arts Center in La Crosse, WI. He started getting involved in Winona’s arts and culture community by hosting monthly open-mic poetry events in 2014 and volunteering for various music and arts festivals in the region. During his last year of school he co-founded Treedome Productions, a multi-media entertainment production company presently located in Rochester, MN. Ben is a cohort of the 2018 Blandin Community Leadership Program and 2019 Leadership Winona program.

Prior to starting with CEDA in June, Ben spent three years at the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce as the Main Street Program Manager working with the city’s downtown district and aiding in its economic development and revitalization.

Ben is extremely passionate about rural community development and rural downtowns. He looks forward to contributing to the growth and development of Lake City and Wabasha in the coming years, as a lot of important projects are in progress that will have drastic and positive impacts on the community.

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Ben Strand

Ben Strand

Community & Business Development Specialist
Lake City, MN / Port Authority
Wabasha, MN
Email Ben

Ben Strand has lived in Winona since 2012 when he started his freshman year at Winona State University studying Journalism and English Writing. While in school he worked at the Winona Daily News for three years covering arts and culture and education. He also spent a year working at the Pump House Regional Arts Center in La Crosse, WI. He started getting involved in Winona’s arts and culture community by hosting monthly open-mic poetry events in 2014 and volunteering for various music and arts festivals in the region. During his last year of school he co-founded Treedome Productions, a multi-media entertainment production company presently located in Rochester, MN. Ben is a cohort of the 2018 Blandin Community Leadership Program and 2019 Leadership Winona program.

Prior to starting with CEDA in June, Ben spent three years at the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce as the Main Street Program Manager working with the city’s downtown district and aiding in its economic development and revitalization.

Ben is extremely passionate about rural community development and rural downtowns. He looks forward to contributing to the growth and development of Lake City and Wabasha in the coming years, as a lot of important projects are in progress that will have drastic and positive impacts on the community.

Claremont, MN

Claremont MN Economic Development

Claremont – Minnesota

Claremont is located off Highway 14 between Rochester and Owatonna.

An ideal location in Southeast Minnesota and central to two major highways – Highway 52 and Interstate 35.

  • County: Dodge
  • Region: Southeast MN
  • Zip Code: 55924
  • City Website
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Robert Harris

Robert Harris

Community & Business Development Specialist
Claremont, MN
Ellendale, MN
Mapleton, MN
Email Robert

Robert joined the CEDA team in 2019 (and rejoined in 2021). He is a graduate of Carleton College and holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a specialty in development and conservation. As an undergrad, Robert was the co-founder and director of Heart of the Heartland, a workforce development initiative focused on agriculture in southern Minnesota.

Prior to joining CEDA, Robert worked for the largest regional chamber of commerce in MN as the Public Policy and Employer Engagement Manager. In this role, he extensively engaged stakeholders from the private, public and nonprofit sectors to advance priorities related to transportation, housing and workforce development in the metro region.

Robert’s goal is to bring a holistic and creative lens to community and economic development.

Ellendale, MN

Ellendale Minnesota Economic Development

Ellendale – Minnesota

Ellendale is located about 82 miles south of the Twin Cities.

Ellendale is located 14 miles south of Owatonna and 16 miles north of Albert Lea at Interstate 35 and Highway 30.

  • County: Steele
  • Region: Southeast MN
  • Zip Code: 56026
  • City Website
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Robert Harris

Robert Harris

Community & Business Development Specialist
Claremont, MN
Ellendale, MN
Mapleton, MN
Email Robert

Robert joined the CEDA team in 2019 (and rejoined in 2021). He is a graduate of Carleton College and holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a specialty in development and conservation. As an undergrad, Robert was the co-founder and director of Heart of the Heartland, a workforce development initiative focused on agriculture in southern Minnesota.

Prior to joining CEDA, Robert worked for the largest regional chamber of commerce in MN as the Public Policy and Employer Engagement Manager. In this role, he extensively engaged stakeholders from the private, public and nonprofit sectors to advance priorities related to transportation, housing and workforce development in the metro region.

Robert’s goal is to bring a holistic and creative lens to community and economic development.

Zumbrota, MN

Zumbrota MN Economic Development

Zumbrota – Minnesota

Zumbrota is located between the Twin Cities and Rochester off Highway 52.

Located along the North Fork of the Zumbro River and is home to the last functioning covered bridge in the state of Minnesota.

  • County: Goodhue
  • Region: Southeast MN
  • Zip Code: 55992
  • City Website
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Kurt Meister

Kurt Meister

Community & Business Development Specialist
Zumbrota, MN
Email Kurt

Kurt became a member of the CEDA team in July of 2022.  As a graduate of South Dakota State University in Brookings (Go Jackrabbits!!) with a Bachelor of Arts in History, and a Masters Degree from the University of Minnesota, Kurt taught AP and regular Human Geography at John Marshall High School in Rochester for 23 years.
Kurt grew up in the community of Hamilton, Illinois and is passionate in helping small communities succeed.  His father was a 3rd generation small business owner (Meister Music - Keokuk, IA) which will aid Kurt as he helps the community of Zumbrota in its growth.

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Munira Alimire

Munira Alimire

Planning Specialist
Zumbrota, MN
Planning Department
Email Munira

Munira joined CEDA in September 2022 as a Planning Specialist for the City of Zumbrota and the CEDA Planning Department.  As a graduate of Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies, Munira cares about helping communities develop, evolve, and solve long-lasting issues. Munira hails from Rochester, Minnesota and is passionate about preparing Southeastern Minnesota for the future.

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