(KNSI) – St. Cloud State University has convened its first Community Advisory Board meeting, bringing together more than 20 regional leaders to collaborate on initiatives that benefit both the campus and the broader St. Cloud community.
The board is co-chaired by CentraCare CEO Dr. Ken Holmen and Granite Partners Founder and CEO Rick Bauerly. It will focus on advancing projects of mutual interest to the university and the region.
“We are so fortunate to have such support and enthusiasm for the university in the Greater St. Cloud region,” said St. Cloud State President Dr. Gregory Tomso. “There’s so much we can accomplish by working together. This is a huge step forward for St. Cloud State.”
The foundation for the advisory board was laid during last fall’s presidential search, when participating community members helped develop a stewardship survey and welcomed Tomso to the region following his arrival in January.
“We are grateful to the more than 260 university and community stakeholders who participated in our Stewardship Survey last fall,” Bauerly said. “The report and meetings provided valuable input for President Tomso and the SCSU Presidential Cabinet for forward planning, and it served as a catalyst for our energized Community Advisory Board.”
The inaugural meeting included 21 community advisors from local organizations, with 14 being SCSU alumni.
Members have been divided into six newly established committees focused on reputation, investment, athletics, enrollment, workforce, and stewardship.
The committees began setting priorities and identifying short-term goals that can be accomplished in 2026. Many discussions centered on student success and creating a welcoming, vibrant campus environment.
Campus Modernization Vision
Since beginning his tenure in January, Tomso has praised initiatives started by former president Larry Dietz, particularly efforts to modernize the campus by removing unused buildings and leveraging the university’s Mississippi River location.
“He had absolutely the right vision, and that vision also comes from the community,” Tomso said. “We need to be a destination campus — not just in terms of our beautiful waterfront and green space. We need to have events.”
Tomso has already begun outreach to major donors about funding campus improvements, including building demolition, though he acknowledges it is a challenging ask. He is also looking to state bonding and community support to help transform the campus.
The Community Advisory Board will meet quarterly, with the next meeting scheduled for early April.
The board’s members include:
Community Advisors:
Jake Anderson, Mayor, City of St. Cloud
Rick Bauerly, Founder & CEO, Granite Partners
Greg Flint, President & COO, ColdSpring
Melinda Gau, Retired CEO, Quinlivan & Hughes
John Herges, President & CEO, Falcon National Bank
Ken Holmen, M.D., President & CEO, CentraCare
Lori Kloos, President, St. Cloud Technical & Community College
Vince Miles, President and Professor, Human Factor Leadership
Jason Netland, Chief Logistics Officer, ATS
Ayan Omar, Director of Equity Services, St. Cloud Public Schools
Jeff Oxton, Chief of Police, St. Cloud Police Department
Laurie Putnam, Superintendent, St. Cloud Area Schools
John Quade, VP/General Counsel, Landwehr
Clare Richards, Co-Founder & CEO, Impacks
James Ringwald, CFO, Community Giving
Joan Schatz, CEO, Park Industries
Christie Schulte, VP of Legal Operations, Coborn’s
John Torgerson, Board Chair, St. Cloud Downtown Alliance
Amy Trombley, VP of Community Impact, Initiative Foundation
Joe Webb, Chief of Staff, CSB/SJU
Donella Westphal, Owner and CEO, Jules’ Bistro
SCSU Cabinet and Participants:
Shahzad Ahmad, Associate VP for International Studies
Meredith Athman, Executive Assistant to the President
King Banaian, Center for Policy Research and Community Engagement
Dan Golombiecki, VP for Finance and Administration
Renee Hiller, VP for Human Resources and Workplace Experience
Dr. Mark Parsons, Interim VP for Advancement and Alumni Engagement
Dr. Katherina Pattit, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Holly Schreiner, Director of Athletics
Judith Siminoe, VP for University Affairs and Title IX Coordinator
Phil Thorson, VP for Technology Strategy and CIO
Dr. Gregory Tomso, President
Dr. Jason Woods, VP for Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
Jeanie York, Dean of Professional and Continuing Education
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