West Concord – Minnesota
West Concord is located 31 miles northwest of Rochester.
Named after Concord, New Hampshire.
West Concord, MN
State
Rushford Village, MN
Rushford Village – Minnesota
Rushford Village surrounds the two cities of Peterson and Rushford Minnesota..
The City of Rushford Village is nestled in the Root River Valley between bluffs and State Forest Land and is near the Root River State Bike Trail and Root River.
Rebecca Charles
Rebecca joined the CEDA team in May of 2017. Rebecca has a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Wales, Swansea, and Bachelor of Science in Political Science from South Dakota State University. She has spent the past 15 years working on/leading political campaigns for both local and national candidates, as well as issue based campaigns.
Rebecca’s interest in rural economic development stems from her experiences working with rural communities during her political career, where she heard about the needs and difficulties facing rural communities across the nation. She has a strong desire to help to make positive changes for rural America.
Jayme Longmire
Jayme grew up in Holmen, WI (go Pack!) and attended the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education. After living and working in Austin, TX for almost seven years, Jayme and her husband Patrick moved back to the midwest in 2017 to Spring Grove, MN, where Patrick grew up and his family owned and operated the local grocery store. There, Jayme and Patrick both became novice entrepreneurs, starting and operating retail and food service companies; one of which turned into Fat Pat's Brewery, of which Jayme is an owner.
Business development and management, marketing, and community support and communication is what Jayme has become passionate about over the years. She is looking forward to helping Spring Grove develop further and prosper for years to come!
Le Roy, MN
LeRoy – Minnesota
LeRoy is located about 38 miles south of Rochester.
Small town located near the Iowa border. Lake Louise State Park is just outside of the town.
Allison Whalen
Allison began her journey with CEDA as a Community and Business Development Specialist in October of 2023. As a lifelong resident of a small rural town and the daughter of a small business owner and entrepreneur, she spent her formative years working at her family's businesses. Here, she developed the soft skills required for successful interactions and leadership, and discovered her passion for marketing, branding, and communication.
Allison recognizes the value of community service, and the critical role small businesses play in the vitality of rural communities. She continues to advocate for and support rural small-town growth and sustainability, bringing her passion for economic development and strategic marketing to every project she undertakes.
Hayfield, MN
Hayfield – Minnesota
Hayfield is a small town between Austin and Rochester.
Hayfield prides itself with a booming local economy with over 40 local businesses.
Rebecca Charles
Rebecca joined the CEDA team in May of 2017. Rebecca has a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Wales, Swansea, and Bachelor of Science in Political Science from South Dakota State University. She has spent the past 15 years working on/leading political campaigns for both local and national candidates, as well as issue based campaigns.
Rebecca’s interest in rural economic development stems from her experiences working with rural communities during her political career, where she heard about the needs and difficulties facing rural communities across the nation. She has a strong desire to help to make positive changes for rural America.
Kurt Meister
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.
Pine Island, MN
Pine Island – Minnesota
City of Pine Island Minnesota is located 15 miles north of Rochester, and 45 miles south of St. Paul..
Located along the beautiful banks of the Zumbro River.
Mitch Massman
Mitch joined the CEDA team in April as a Community and Business Development Specialist for the City of Pine Island. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with his primary focus in Finance and Financial Industry Management. Mitch’s background is in sales, customer experience, and relationship management. He has spent the last 5 years working at a regional bank where he started as a teller in 2014. His most recent position that he held for 3 years was as a banker where he specialized in loan profiling as well as relationship management.
Mitch is originally from Caledonia, Minn., where he spent his entire childhood. He moved to Winona after graduating High School for college and lived there for 5 years. He and his wife moved to the Twin Cities area for 2 years and then moved back to the Southeast MN area in 2016. He enjoys spending time with his wife, dog, and two cats, as well as getting outdoors both hunting and playing golf.
