INTRODUCING A SUCCINCT, NEW LOOK. BECAUSE YOU’RE A BUSY PERSON.
Today we’re relaunching our e-newsletter as Developing News, presenting information that’s important to you in bite-size portions. For those times you want to learn more about a topic, you can click through to read the entire article.
You’re busy running your organization, so we’ll keep this introduction – and our newly reformatted newsletter – brief. Thanks for reading!
Patti Gartland
President
SOME UNVAXXED WORKERS NOW PAY MORE FOR COMPANY HEALTH INSURANCE
Covid-19 Coronavirus Vaccine vials in a row macro close up
Delta Air Lines recently told unvaccinated employees they’d have to pay an extra $200 a month for their health insurance, due to the financial pressures those workers’ decisions were placing on the company. Will this become a policy at other companies?
EPIC POSTPONED TO FALL 2022
The Exploring Potential Interests and Careers (EPIC) Event will be postponed to Fall of 2022 instead of its originally planned date in February 2022.
After much discussion, thoughtfulness, and information sharing, the EPIC Board, in partnership with the event host, St. Cloud Technical and Community College, made the difficult decision to postpone the EPIC day event that had originally been planned for February 25, 2022. Many factors, including COVID safety, staffing, planning time and logistics were considered in deciding to postpone the event.
While this event won’t be happening in February, the aim is to find a date in the Fall of 2022 to host the event with the business and community partners who make this event happen for the youth in Central Minnesota.
“We are of course very disappointed to have to postpone this event after having to completely cancel it last year,” shared Gail Cruikshank, Talent Director from Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation and a co-chair of the EPIC Board. “This is such an important and inspiring event for career exploration for young people in Central Minnesota. With the many uncertainties and unknowns, along with wanting to have an amazing experience for all that attend, it was determined that postponing the event was in the best interest for all involved.”
The EPIC Event premiered in 2019 and grew in size and scale in 2020 to include over 200 businesses and over 3,300 youth from 29 area schools. While the EPIC initiative started as a community collaborative in support of the one-day event, the initiative is growing to include career posts that will allow for hands-on experiences at different businesses and community organizations around the Central Minnesota community, and an EPIC for Influencers event that will invite the community to a career exploration event. In the past, there have also been EPIC events held at schools that the EPIC Board will work to safely continue in the future. Career exploration materials and kits are being created for individuals or community partners who would like that resource.
If you have further questions, please contact Gail Cruikshank at gcruikshank@greaterstcloud.com
INVESTOR SPOTLIGHT: JOAN SCHATZ GETS INPIRATION OUT OF THIN AIR
Joan Schatz’s ascension at Park Industries during the past 15 years, where she went from CFO to COO and is now Co-President (with Mike Schlough), isn’t the only example of how she’s risen to the top. That’s because Joan has also taken many backcountry trips with her family over the years – mostly in the Rockies, but not always.
“Our most memorable experience was a 10-day hiking trip on the Incan trail in Peru that ended at Machu Picchu,” she says. “The hike was incredibly beautiful and included crossing over a mountain pass at 15,250 feet. The air was very thin!”
Back down here with the rest of us, Joan serves as Vice Chair of our Board and Co-Chair of our Expand Talent Team.
“The GSDC provides a great link between business, local and state government, school districts and educational institutions. This is a critical role given the talent shortage,” says Joan. “When Park expanded our facilities a few years ago and we were looking for guidance regarding local and state resources, our first call was to the GSDC. That proved to be an invaluable initial step and opened several doors for us as well as broadened our knowledge.”
You might call Joan’s outlook a breath of fresh air, no matter what the elevation.
“It’s fun to be a part of an organization that is creating a positive future for our entire community in Central Minnesota. I gain great energy from being a part of something that’s so big-picture and has so much impact in our area.”
gBETA PITCH NIGHT – DECEMBER 13
Please join us December 13th from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at the College of Saint Benedict’s Gorecki Center for the gBETA Greater St. Cloud MN St. Cloud Fall 20201 Pitch Night. Pitch Night is a celebration of gBETA Greater MN St. Cloud’s latest cohort. This event features an exclusive reception during which participating companies have the opportunity to pitch to an audience of entrepreneurs, mentors, investors and community members.
Learn about gBETA Greater St. Cloud MN Fall 2021 companies and RSVP for Pitch Night HERE.
gBETA Fall 2021 Companies:
gBETA Greater St. Cloud MN programming made possible from the following sponsors:
Contact Our Staff Team
Patti Gartland, President
pgartland@greaterstcloud.com | 320-260-2442
Leslie Dingmann, Business Development Director
ldingmann@greaterstcloud.com | 320-493-9003
Gail Cruikshank, Talent Director
gcruikshank@greaterstcloud.com | 320-260-6775
Amelia Barkley, Communications & Program Specialist
abarkley@greaterstcloud.com | 320-292-9296