Tom McLaughlin

Trent Nielsen is a native to the St. Peter, Mankato area.  A high school wrestler, United States Marine Corp Reserve Vet, husband, father of 3, youth wrestling coach and local business owner.  Trent continues to serve and grow as a person and business owner.  From humble beginning to his new journey of sobriety and continuing to grow the family business… there is no slowdown in sight for Trent Nielsen.

Brandon Macemon
Husband – Father -Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care Operations Manager - Retired Green Beret – and all-around good guy who continues to use the skills he learned on his way to becoming a Special Forces Master Sergeant to serve his community.

Enjoy our chat with Brandon Macemon.

As the founding member of Carlson Partners, Ted charts the course for the company. Ted is constantly going, moving, doing, seeking – working towards something more. He brings his innate leadership skills and passion for creating winning strategies to meet clients’ real estate needs, while delivering a high level of service. Having completed work in nearly all 50 states and with an aggregate value of over $7 billion, Ted’s level of expertise offers the client a diverse wealth of knowledge. Prioritizing client’s goals, he dedicates himself to the detail of advisory services. Ted is a trusted leader and an award-winning advisor. He proudly sits on the boards of The Foundation for Exceptional Warriors and Lifeworks, where he is dedicated to his commitment to the Twin Cities community. Ted is an avid water sports enthusiast, outdoorsman and family man. He and his wife, Amy, are the proud parents to Dani and Cody, and two black labs, Cabo and Hank.  Ted also serves the veteran community with duck hunts of a life time at his private “resort” in North Dakota.

Lifeworks – Board of Directors

Foundation for Exceptional Warriors – Chair of Development

Logan Sheppard grew up quick in the Mankato area, built a family and now a successful business.  Logan has been serving his community as a youth coach, mentor, and now employer.  His story is a good one, his drive and dtermination is an inspiration.

John M. Kriesel is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 57A, which includes portions of Dakota and Washington counties in the southeastern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.  Kriesel served in the Minnesota Army National Guard from 1998 to 2008, rising to the level of staff sergeant. He was stationed in Kosovo in 2004 as part of a NATO peacekeeping force and, later, at Camp Fallujah in Iraq. He lost both of his legs in military combat in 2006 in an encounter with an IED, or roadside bomb. He now has prosthetic legs. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal for his service to his country.  A Republican, he is a motivational speaker, veteran service officer, and a contributor on KFAN-FM 100.3 radio during the "Power Trip Morning Show."[1][2], Since leaving the Legislature, Kriesel has served as director of veteran services for Anoka County.

Sherriff Jeff Wersal grew up in law enforcement, with a father that served.  From city patrol officer, to head of the River Valley Task Force, to now serving as Sherriff of Blue Earth County - Sherriff Jeff Wersal talks about the ups, downs, and frustrations of serving at a time when police are not always seen as the "good guys".

Chris Hinton, a Navy Vet that served in the Gulf immediately after 9-11, came back to Minnesota to continue to serve.  Studying law enforcement, and working corrections, to serving on Veterans Court, now Waseca County Veterans Service Officer, as well as the current President of the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers.  Chris is married with 5 kids and continues to serve.

Tim Murray is a mission bigger than himself.  Working with Trinity Sober Homes https://www.trinitysoberhomes.org/ Tim is diving head first into the world of Military and Veteran Sober Homes with "Bravo Zulu". bravozuluhouse.org 
From getting sober himself to 13 years of working to help provide quality, dignified, sober housing for men and now vets, Tim Murray has a great story to tell.

Dr. George Komaridis, PhD, LP

Dr. Komaridis immigrated to the United States at the age of 1yr from Greece, after growing up on the tough streets of Manhattan’s lower east side he eventually was selected to attend Wesleyan University, and then on to the University of Nebraska where he earned his PHD is Psychology.  George entered the world of teaching in 1970 at then, Mankato State University in Mankato, MN where he resides and practices today.  George specializes in trauma and stress-related disorders, anxiety and depressive disorders, co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders, forensic examinations, and expert witness testimony.  

Dr. Komaridis works closely with Military Vets and Veteran Organizations, and has been hands on in his community from day one.  As he says, “During my career, I have lived by the philosophy of the Golden Rule, do onto others as you would have them do unto you. My goal has been to serve and treat every person in therapy and otherwise equally and respectfully with the idea that every individual, regardless of their state in life, is an equal human being. This has been and remains my primary value.”

Staff Sergeant Gary John Guggenberger, United States Army, was held as a Prisoner of War in South Vietnam and Cambodia from January 14, 1969 until his release on February 12, 1973.  

Gary was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal, The Purple Heart, and two Bronze Stars. After his release in 1973, Gary went on to work for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, he is now retired and lives in Bemidji Minnesota with his wife Pam where he continues to serve by speaking to youth groups and organizations as well as serving as the head of the Bemidji Vietnam Memorial Project.