Labovitz School of Business and Economics, UMD

It's orientation szn. Parents, we see you.

We're extremely proud to call Curt an alum, and also know first-hand just how much he supports LSBE and the Financial Markets Program in a multitude of ways.

Folks like Curt are the behind-the-scenes driving forces for many of our programs, and we're fortunate to have such invaluable support from such wonderful people!

Champions Circle Spotlight: Curt LaChappelle

Curt LaChappelle’s connection to UMD is rooted in gratitude for an experience that helped shape both his career and his life. As a participant in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics Financial Markets Program, Curt gained hands-on, real-world experience managing money. This preparation allowed him to “hit the ice running” when he entered his career.

While the technical skills and financial knowledge were invaluable, Curt says the program’s greatest impact was how it helped develop him as a young adult. Exposure to new perspectives and ways of thinking reshaped his life trajectory and reinforced the importance of remembering where you came from.

“I was taught to not forget where I came from and to support those who supported me,” Curt shared.
By supporting the LSBE Financial Markets Program, Curt hopes to multiply his experience for future students and ensure they receive the same opportunities, mentorship, and personal growth that helped launch his career.

Learn more about joining the Champions Circle: z.umn.edu/championscircle

We'll do our usual fun photos/video for commencement, BUT...

..for now, we had a bunch of random fun photos from the past 2 months that we wanna share.

Thought this was the most fun way to close out the school year, ya know? We even captioned each one. Let's goooooo:

1.) Group photo of !

2.) Photo of members Jacob Smith, Haley Patel, Sara Carlson, and John Harms during the AI Shark Tank event they planned/executed!

3.) Photo of LSBE student Ashley Schmidt with Dean Dr. Praveen Aggarwal, who presented her the "Academic Excellence in Entrepreneurship" award. Ashley missed the LSBE Awards Ceremony because she had Air National Guard duty. (We LOVE this. Ashley, you rock.)

4.) LSBE students Maddie Bopp, Woody Tischer, and Emma Bradford answer a few Accounting questions for a video that LSBE student worker Landon Abdo-Neilsen is producing!

5.) LSBE students / sisters / nice people Olivia and Kenzie Mustar do some camera cheesin'!

6.) LSBE Student Mitchell Erickson poses for a VERY serious photo. 😆 Fellow student Leah Blomquist in the background completes the seriousness.

7.) We sniped these 3 LSBE students doing some group studying from WAY up high.

8.) LSBE faculty members Nik Hassan, Kim Dauner and Adbou Elkenaway (along with SCSE Faculty Jomara Sandbulte!) judge the MIS/BA Shark Tank competitors while student Lucas LeSarge supervises.

9.) This group of LSBE students helped plan the "There is no Planet B" Sustainability Summit event AND hand-painted the marketing poster. They're using the LSBE Dean's work room to make some grommets.

10.) End of year gathering for new and current BGS students!

11.) .cia director Steve Sharkey gives a few words of advice to his next cohort!

12.) We added this photo from the Sustainability Summit because the student on the right's eyes were like "WHOA."
*****HEY! More captions are in the comments!*****

Best friends, but make it "That time we got our MBAs together..."

Grace and Anneka met in class while getting their bachelor's degrees at Luther College, completed the same internship at Hormel Foods the summer before their senior year, and were both offered subsequent full time positions at the company. Moving to the same city to work at the same company meant an easy decision - becoming roommates as they started their professional careers.

Soon after the move, Anneka devoted herself to completing the exams to attain her CPA. Not long after, Grace decided she was ready for graduate school. Anneka was intending to pursue her MBA after taking a bit of a longer studying break, but Grace was persuasive enough to get her to jump in right alongside her.

Anyone who is in class with these two knows they are a best friend pair of all pairs. They are kind, smart, level-headed, and ambitious. Their academic contributions to the classroom and humor add value to the experiences of their peers, and they are supportive of each other through and through. (A nod here to Anneka being Grace's maid of honor in her upcoming wedding.)

Both ladies cited their reasons for choosing the Labovitz MBA as its collaborative, in-person offering, high rigor of coursework, and ability to broaden their exposure to experiences outside of their own company. They look forward to continuing to grow their professional network among incoming peers, and the alumni network upon graduation next spring.

We know that they have only greatness ahead of them!

The Dean’s Business Advisory Council at UMD’s Labovitz School isn’t just made up of exceptional business leaders from our community…

…it’s made up of leaders who are deeply, personally invested in the success of our students — something for which we are exceptionally grateful.

The council gathered Thursday, April 30 at Duluth’s historic Kitchee Gammi Club, hosted by Labovitz Dean Dr. Praveen Aggarwal.

We’re incredibly fortunate to have such an engaged and generous Dean’s Business Advisory Council.

Please enjoy a few photos capturing some of the discussions from the evening. (The photos with big smiles/laughter mainly happened during beginning introductions, and we're happy we captured them!)

Meeting highlights included:
• Welcoming Dr. Christopher McIntosh as LSBE’s new associate dean, as Dr. Jannifer David steps down from her interim role to return to the classroom.
• Introducing new council member Nina Salinas, Finance Director for the City of Duluth.
• Celebrating Suzanne Anderson, LSBE’s Development Director, as she prepares for retirement.
• Updates from Anderson on several recent major gifts supporting LSBE and the Center for Sales Excellence.
• A report from Dean Aggarwal highlighting several impressive student-led events and initiatives.
• An overview from Financial Markets Program Director Joe Artim on the program’s unprecedented success — and what’s ahead.

LSBE Dean's Business Advisory Council members:
• Eric Albrecht // President, National Bank of Commerce (WI/MN)
• Debora Almirall // President/CEO, Minnesota Power Employees Credit Union
• Bill Drazkowski // Executive Vice President, National Accounts Sales, Fastenal Company
• Joe Dusek // Senior Vice President & Regional Brokerage Manager, Wells Fargo Private Client Svc.
• Chiamaka Enemuoh // Founder and President, Lifestone Health Care, Inc.
• Nicole Johnson // President, ALLETE Clean Energy
• Mark Labovitz // President & CEO Labovitz Enterprises
• Philip Rolle // Owner, PDR Consulting
• Sue Ross // Executive Vice President, Human Resources, maurices
• Jenn Ryan // Chief Credit Officer, Security State Bank of Hibbing
• Nina Salinas // Finance Director, City of Duluth
• Fred Shusterich, MBA // Senior Consultant - Krech Ojard & Associates; President, Midwest Energy Resources - DTE Energy (Retired)
• Bhadresh Sutaria // President, AMSOIL INC.
• Shawn Wellnitz // President and CEO, Entrepreneur Fund
• Melanie Wilson // Senior Vice President of Revenue, Essentia Health

Ex officio members:
• Praveen Aggarwal // Dean, Labovitz School of Business and Economics
• Suzanne Anderson // Development Director, Labovitz School of Business and Economics
• Jannifer David // Interim Associate Dean, Labovitz School of Business and Economics
• Charles Nies // Chancellor, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Rebecca Ropers // Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University of Minnesota Duluth

This past week, we held our 2026 UMD Labovitz School of Business & Economics Spring Awards Ceremony.

It's a true feel-good event where we get together to honor LSBE's best students, faculty, and staff for their academic accomplishments.

It was SUCH a great event. Enjoy the photos!

ºººº Student Academic Excellence awards ºººº

• Bachelor of Accounting Degree: Dallas Fix
• Bachelor of Business Administration Degree: Kayleigh Anderson, Greta Feist
• Bachelor of Arts - Economics Degree: Joshua Peterson
• Business Analytics: Edith Erenz
• Consumer Insights and Analytics: Kayleigh Anderson
• Economics (BBA): Ava Klennert
• Entrepreneurship: Ella Nissen and Ashley Schmidt
• Finance: Kayleigh Anderson
• Financial Markets Program: Jacob Gillespie
• Financial Planning Program: Caden Pigsley
• Health Care Management: Clara Stinson
• Human Resource Management: Alexa Parsons
• Management: Aviana Skytta and Olivia Surratt
• Management Information Systems: Amelia Chelgren
• Marketing: Olivia Mustar
• Marketing & Graphic Design: Cora Brooks
• Professional Sales: Breanna Storlie
• Risk Management & Insurance: Connor Pederson
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• Academic Achievement & Commitment to the Entrepreneurship Profession: Ilsa Bastiaens
• Academic Achievement & Commitment to the Human Resource Profession: Samuel Janski
• Academic Achievement & Commitment to the Management Profession: Annette Mauer
• Robert S. Hancock Award for Excellence in Marketing: Logan Simpson
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• Labovitz MBA - Duluth (4+1): Nicholas Westphal
• Labovitz MBA - Rochester: Hunter Prouty
• Labovitz MBA - Accelerated: Ashley Messier
• Labovitz MBA- Duluth Part-Time: Samuel Rasmussen
• Labovitz MBA Leadership and Service Distinction Award: Ashley Michels
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• LSBE Outstanding Student Employee Award: Ava Klennert, Kaleb Arndt
• LSBE Student Service Excellence Award: Jenna Whiting
• LSBE Outstanding Student Organization Award: AMA Duluth

ºººº Labovitz Staff/Faculty Awards ºººº

• LSBE Above & Beyond Award: Yufei Ren
• LSBE Faculty Service Excellence Award: Christopher McIntosh
• LSBE Faculty Research Excellence Award ~ Early Career: Yuhosua (Joshua) Ryoo
• LSBE Faculty Research Excellence Award ~ Advanced Career: Lin Xiu
• LSBE Faculty Teaching Excellence Award ~ Early Career: Angie Braud, CPA, MBT
• LSBE Faculty Teaching Excellence Award ~ Advanced Career: Joe Artim
• LSBE Staff Excellence Award: Kristen Lesemann, Daisy Wallace
• LSBE Staff Service Excellence Award: Georgina Spears
• LSBE Random Act of Kindness Award: Jeremy Belanger
• LSBE Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year Award: Jessica Gardner!

When wants to get things done...they get things done.

This time they wanted their fellow business students to learn more about careers in sales in the tech industry....

..so they brought four visitors to campus to share experiences and insights in tech sales: Johnny Peltz, Kayla Rodenberg (Nelson), Emmet Shwiff, and Luke Ricker!

(Side note: Kayla, Emmet, and Luke are LSBE alums!)

As usual, great questions from the audience, EXTREMELY useful insights from our panelists, and outstanding moderation by Alison Zander, Colton Kunkel, and Brady Cook of Sales Club.

See you at the next panel!