Board of Regents

Andra Adolfson is the business development director of Adolfson & Peterson Construction, Inc., a nationwide commercial construction company co-founded by her grandfather in 1946, and led by her father, David Adolfson. She oversees market analysis for the firm and provides leadership in marketing and the management of client relationships. Adolfson’s background also includes a significant expertise in and support of the arts, including work for the Southern Vermont Arts Center and the Manchester Film Festival. Her volunteer service also includes Minnesota Commercial Real Estate Women (MNCREW), and Luther Seminary, where she has served on committees including Master Planning, Young Donors, Member Services, and Women in Philanthropy. Adolfson holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota. She was elected to the Augsburg board in October 2007.

Dan W. Anderson is chairman of AdvisorNet Financial in Minneapolis, with planners located throughout Minnesota and neighboring states. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Augsburg College in 1965. He was an All-American basketball player at Augsburg and led the team to three MIAC championships, being named MIAC Player of the Year three times. In 1977 he was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame. Anderson was a charter member of the New Jersey Nets and played for both the Nets and the Minnesota Pipers professional basketball teams in the American Basketball Association.He is a member of several professional organizations including the Financial Planning Association and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. He is a Regional Director of Financial Network Investment Corporation, a securities broker-dealer. He was elected to the Augsburg board in October 2003.

Ann Ashton-Piper is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and has worked extensively in the information technology field and is president of The Bridgie Group, a small IT consulting firm. She is active in her church, Peace Lutheran Church in Bloomington, where she recently chaired the Call Committee. She and her husband, Ken, who is an architect, are also active in their community, supporting local nonprofit and charitable organizations such as Lake Country School, Groves Academy, and the Children’s Theater Company. They have five children and live in Bloomington.

Jennie Carlson is a 20-year veteran of the banking industry, serving as executive vice president, human resources, of U.S. Bancorp since 2002. Carlson previously served as executive vice president, deputy general counsel, and corporate secretary of U.S. Bancorp. From 1995 until 2001, she was general counsel and secretary of Firstar Corporation and Star Banc Corporation. Carlson holds a J.D. from the Vanderbilt University School of Law and was the managing editor for the Vanderbilt Law Review. She earned her B.A. from the Centre College of Kentucky and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Carlson is currently on the Board of the Greater Twin Cities United Way and the Midwest Affiliate of the American Heart Association.

Karen (Miller) Durant ’81 is the vice president and controller of Tennant Company, a Golden Valley-based manufacturer of equipment and coatings. An accomplished senior finance executive with more than 30 years’ experience with complex multinational, publicly traded companies, Durant also serves on the Tennant Foundation Board, which supports non-profits primarily in the areas of social services and education. Prior to Tennant, Durant’s career included 18 years with Pentair, where she ultimately served as senior vice president of finance and analysis, and also 8 years with Honeywell in a variety of finance and accounting positions.  In addition to her B.A. from Augsburg, Karen holds an M.B.A. in finance from the University of St. Thomas. Over the years, Durant has been an active volunteer and donor to a variety of organizations including Operation Bootstrap Africa, Courage Center, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, and Junior Achievement.

Matt Entenza is a graduate of Worthington Senior High School in Worthington Minnesota. He attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. and graduated cum laude from Macalester College. He received a Diploma in Legal Studies from Oxford University (U.K) and received a J.D. cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School. Matt has served as an Assistant Minnesota Attorney General (prosecuting charitable fraud) and an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney (prosecuting felony white collar crime). He served for six terms in the Minnesota House and for four years was the House Democratic Leader. He was a DFL candidate for Governor of Minnesota in 2010. Matt is the Founder and Senior Fellow of Minnesota 2020, a state public policy think-tank. He is also a Senior Advisor on Energy and the Economy to Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton. He is active in the Lutheran Church and has served on numerous local and national boards.

Mark A. Eustis is the former President and CEO of Fairview Health Services, an integrated, academic health system based in Minneapolis. Under his leadership and in partnership with the University of Minnesota, Fairviews 20,400 employees and 2,500 aligned physicians, Fairview committed to delivering greater value exceptional patient care and experience at a lower total cost of careto the communities they serve. Working with payers and other partners, Fairview created new care delivery models that demonstrated enhanced value for those served and new payment methodologies that recognized the value created. In December 2011, Fairview was selected by CMS as one of 32 Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) across the country. Eustis is currently serving as an advisor to leadership and governance of health systems committed to improving the health of populations. In addition to Eustis serving on the Board of Regents for Augsburg College and he has continued as an active member of the Northern Star Council, Boy Scouts of America and has past service on boards of the Minnesota Hospital Association, Premier, Inc., Premiers AEIX Insurance Group, Minnesota Medical Foundation, Faith in the City, Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI), Minnesota Business Partnership, Itasca Project and Minneapolis Club Board of Governors. Mr. Eustis has served as the Chair of American Heart Associations Twin Cities Heart Walk, American Cancer Societys CEOs Against Cancer, and March of Dimes Minnesota March for Babies campaign.

Anthony L. Genia Jr., MD ’85 served as president of the Augsburg College Intertribal Student Union during his education at Augsburg. He attended the University of Minnesota Medical School, during which time he served on the Executive Council of the Association of Native American Medical Students (including serving as chairperson, 1989-90). Genia then attended the University of New Mexico where he completed a residency in emergency medicine at the university hospital. Currently, Genia is certified as a diplomate of the American Board of Emergency Medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. His principal practice is at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, in Minneapolis. Genia was elected to the Augsburg College Board of Regents in October 2004.

Alexander J. Gonzalez ’90 is a senior financial advisor at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and is a member of the Stonebridge Group, a values-based team with a non-commissioned structure. He is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and the National Association of Fraternal Insurance counselors (NAFIC), where he received their President’s Production Award. In addition he has received the Home Service Quality Sales Award. He currently is president of the board at La Oportunidad in Minneapolis. He was elected to the Augsburg board in September 2008.

Michael R. Good graduated from Augsburg College in 1971 with a major in sociology and a physical education minor. He became the Colleges head wrestling coach and admissions counselor for one year after his graduation. He then completed his masters degree at the University of St. Thomas. During his career at Augsburg, Good was a two-time NAIA All American in wrestling, twice captain of the wrestling team, and was recognized as the Honor Athlete in 1971. He is currently chief executive officer of Sothebys International Realty Affiliates, Inc. and lives in New Jersey. In 1991 Good was inducted into the Augsburg College Athletic Hall of Fame. Good was elected to the Augsburg board in 2001, and was elected its chairman in May 2008 and served in that capacity for four years. Now serving in his 12th year on the Board, Good is now the Campaign Chair of the Augsburg College Capital Campaign for the Center for Science Business & Religion.

Norman R. Hagfors is the founder and retired president of Norsen, Inc., a management and engineering consulting firm. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota in electrical engineering. He served as an Augsburg College regent from 1989-2001, providing active participation during a critical stage of the College’s growth. In October 2005 he was re-elected to the Augsburg board. Hagfors is active in the community and church.

Jodi Harpstead is Chief Executive Officer of Lutheran Social Service (LSS) of Minnesota. LSS, Minnesotas oldest and largest human service nonprofit, has a mission to express the love of Christ through service that inspires hope, changes lives and builds community. Prior to her position with LSS, Harpstead was an executive for 23 years with Medtronic, Inc., holding several key positions, including president of global marketing and U.S. sales in the Cardiac Rhythm Management Division, and general manager of cardiac surgery technology. She has also served on the boards of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Mutual Funds, the Plymouth Christian Youth Center, and Lutheran Campus Ministry of Minnesota. She holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a Master of Business Administration in finance from Michigan State University. She was elected to the Augsburg board in October 2005, where she now serves as Chair.

Rev. Rolf Jacobson is a writer and educator, and associate professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary. Prior to joining the Luther Seminary faculty in 2003, he was an assistant professor of religion at Augsburg College. Jacobson earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of St. Thomas, a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary, and a doctoral degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. Ordained in 1991, Jacobson served for five years as associate pastor of Como Park Lutheran Church in St. Paul. Jacobson’s credits include four books and many articles that focus on Old Testament theology and the study of the psalms and prophets. Rev. Jacobson has been on the board of Regents since 2007.

Eric J. Jolly has been president of the Science Museum of Minnesota since 2004, and led the museum through its centennial year in 2007. He is recognized nationally for his commitment to improving the achievement gap and education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Jolly earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a minor in physics, from the University of Rhode Island. He has master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from the University of Oklahoma. He was elected to the Augsburg board in September 2008.

Toby Piper LaBelle ’96 is senior vice president of Northland Securities, a Minneapolis-based securities brokerage firm, where he built and leads the corporate-client services group that supports companies from the entrepreneurial stage through their eventual liquidity events. Previously, LaBelle served as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley and held several positions, including institutional equity trader, at Piper Jaffray & Co. LaBelle has been an active volunteer for the StepUP program at Augsburg, providing important leadership to the program’s advisory board, which, since 2002 has given its annual service award in his name. Alongside his service to Augsburg, LaBelle is also on the Board of Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners and several foundations.

LaJune Thomas Lange ’75 is known for her international expertise in law and human rights and served a distinguished career as judge in the Fourth Judicial District of Minnesota. She is a former co-vice chair of the Minnesota Supreme Court Task Force on Racial Bias in the Courts, and of the Minnesota Supreme Court Task Force on Gender Fairness in the Courts. Lange currently serves as president of the International Leadership Institute, which provides technical assistance, civic education, election monitoring, conflict reduction, and rule of law programs to people and nations in transition. She is an adjunct professor of civil rights and human rights at William Mitchell College of Law, a senior fellow with the Humphrey Institute, and honorary consul for the Republic of South Africa in Minnesota. Lange  obtained her JD from the University of Minnesota Law School.

André Lewis has served as director of marketing and community affairs and president of the RBC Dain Rauscher Foundation since 2002, and previously held a similar position at Honeywell. His background in education includes serving as principal at both Washburn and South high schools. Lewis graduated from Augsburg in 1973 and earned a PhD from the University of Minnesota. He has been active in Augsburg’s Corporate Connections program. Andre has been on the board of Regents since 2006.

Jennifer H. Martin is senior vice president of human resources for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and is a member of the Executive Management Team. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Southern Illinois University, and a master’s degree and doctorate in education from the University of Minnesota. After 15 years teaching in the Minneapolis public school system, she accepted a personnel training specialist position with Sperry Corporation, now Unisys Corporation, where she was vice president of human resources at Unisys Corporation Government Systems, as well as director of human resources for Unisys’ Electronics and Communications Systems Divisions. In 1995 she joined Lutheran Brotherhood as senior vice president of human resources. Martin is a former board director of both Allina Health Care and the Minneapolis Downtown Council, and was recently elected to the board of the Children’s Home Society. She was elected to the Augsburg board in October 2001.

Marie O. McNeff, is professor emerita of education at Augsburg College, where she also served as vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College. She began her long career in education as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in her native Nebraska. In 1968 she joined Augsburg’s education faculty, and for the next 27 years taught elementary education classes, as well as courses in both Weekend College and the Master of Arts in Leadership program. In 1995 she was appointed vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. She left this position in 1999 to spend her last year prior to retirement as Augsburg’s academic master planner, creating a blueprint to implement the academic provisions of Augsburg 2004, the College’s vision document. McNeff earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, as well as an EdD in administration from the University of Nebraska. She was elected to the Augsburg board in October 2005.

Pam Moksnes ’79, is an independent management consultant and formerly a partner at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Pam and husband Mark Moksnes ’79, executive vice president, Delta Dental, have been among Augsburg’s most engaged alumni, with generous gifts to support athletics, campus ministry, the Lindell Library, Oren Gateway, and as lead annual fund donors in the Maroon & Silver Society. Moksnes is passionate about financial literacy and leadership for women and was instrumental in several Women’s Connections events at Augsburg. Currently, she is involved with the Augsburg Women Engaged initiative. Moksnes has served on Fellowship of Christian Athletes state board, and is currently vice chair of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCFE) National Board of Directors. She attends Cross View Lutheran Church in Edina.

Paul S. Mueller ’84 is a staff consultant in the Division of General Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. During 2009, he was appointed chair of the Division of General Internal Medicine. He is a Professor of Medicine and a Professor of Biomedical Ethics in the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Mueller completed his undergraduate studies at Augsburg College in 1984. He received his medical degree and master of public health degree from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. His clinical practice encompasses outpatient and inpatient diagnostic and consultative internal medicine.

Dr. Mueller has been a volunteer for a number of community organizations. He was elected to the Augsburg board in 2005, where he now serves as Vice Chair. He is married and has three children.

Jeffrey Nodland ‘77 is the president & CEO of KIK Custom Products. Nodland has a 30-year career in specialty chemicals and coatings manufacturing, serving in executive leadership positions of companies such as Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc., Resolution Performance Products, and McWhorter Technologies, a specialty chemical company spun off by Valspar in 1994. He spent thehis first 17 years of his career with The Valspar Corporation in various management and leadership roles. He currently is President and CEO of KIK Custom Products (KCP), one of North America’s largest custom manufacturers of both national brand and retailer brand consumer products. KCP’s product lines include household and health & beauty products for Fortune 500 companies including Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Dial, Colgate-Palmolive, and L’Oreal and Retailer Brand products for top retailers including Kroger, Loblaws, Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, and Sysco. In addition to his BA from Augsburg, Nodland holds an M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas. Nodland and his wife Becky ’79 are dedicated Lutherans with a passion around kids and ministry. They live in The Woodlands, Texas, a suburb of Houston.

Lisa Novotny ’80 serves as vice president of human resources at General Mills. Novotny has responsibility for human resource strategy and leadership across the supply chain and technology organization. This role encompasses 17,000 domestic employees, 47 manufacturing facilities, and the Research and Development organization. Prior to General Mills, Novotny held the positions of vice president of human resources for Dain Bosworth in Minneapolis, Minnesota and manager of human resources for First Bank System. Novotny holds an MA in industrial relations from the University of Minnesota. She and her husband, Pastor Mark Flaten, are members of Edina Community Lutheran Church. They have three children including one who is an Auggie graduate.

Paul C. Pribbenow is the 10th president of Augsburg College. Before coming to Augsburg College in 2006, Pribbenow served as president of Rockford College in Rockford, Ill. He also has served as research fellow for the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College (Indiana); dean for College Advancement and secretary of the Board of Trustees at Wabash College; vice president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; and associate dean of the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. Pribbenow holds a bachelor’s degree from Luther College, and a master’s degree and PhD  in social ethics from the University of Chicago. Pribbenow has chaired the state board of the Illinois Campus Compact. He was named a McCormick Presidential Civic Leader Fellow in 2003-04 and 2005-06.

Rev. Peter Rogness is in his second term as bishop of the Saint Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He first was elected during 2002. In addition to serving as a member of Augsburg College’s Board of Regents, Rogness also serves as a regent to St. Olaf College. He is president of the Minnesota Council of Churches. He has served as vice chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, and as an advisory bishop to the ELCA Church Council. Prior to his call to the Saint Paul Area Synod, he served as bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod, where he was first elected in 1987 and re-elected twice. He also served as bishop of the Southern Wisconsin District of The American Lutheran Church (ALC) from 1985 prior to his election to bishop in the Greater Milwaukee Synod. Rogness, who was born in Mason City, Iowa, grew up in St. Paul where he graduated from Murray High School. He majored in history and philosophy at Augustana College, began his theological education at Union Theological Seminary, New York, and graduated from Luther Seminary in 1972. Ordained during 1973, Rogness has served as associate pastor of Wellington Park Lutheran Church, Milwaukee; and as pastor of Hephatha Lutheran Church on Milwaukee’s north side.

Curtis A. Sampson, a 50-year telecom industry veteran, was the founder, Chairman & CEO of Hector Communications Corporation and president of its nine telephone subsidiaries in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Sampson is the chairman and cirector of Communications Systems, Inc. In 1994, Sampson purchased Canterbury Downs racetrack in Shakopee and serves as chairman and director of Canterbury Park Holding Corporation. He previously served on the Augsburg Board of Regents from 1989-2001, and has remained an active and generous friend of the College, with major contributions to Lindell Library, the Music department and the Augsburg Fund. He hosts the annual Auggie Night at the Races at Canterbury Downs which has become one of Augsburg’s most successful alumni events. Sampson is an active Lutheran who has several Augsburg alumni in his family. He is a 1955 graduate of the University of Minnesota.

Gary Tangwall ‘80 is a wealth advisor with Thrivent’s Landmark Group. He has 27 years of experience advising Thrivent Financial clients and is a member of the Thrivent Financial Hall of Fame. Tangwall’s responsibilities include investments, wealth management strategies, retirement distribution strategies and long-term care planning strategies. He holds a master’s degree in business management from the University of St. Thomas. In 2007, he earned a Certificate in Advanced Retirement Concepts from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He has been a media source on financial matters for the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine and Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. As a volunteer for Augsburg, Tangwall has played a key role in the formation of Augsburg’s new planned giving initiatives, serving on the Planned Giving Task Force. His volunteer work also includes board service at the White Bear Lake YMCA and the Magnusson Christian School. Gary and his wife, Deanna, have two children.

Dr. David Tiede is emeritus Professor of New Testament and President of Luther Seminary, emeritus Christensen Professor of Vocation at Augsburg College, and served as interim President of Wartburg Seminary. His Ph.D. at Harvard University in New Testament and Christian Origins fostered his academic studies of the world of the New Testament and Luke-Acts. He is an ELCA pastor who served at Trinity Lutheran Congregation in Cedar Riverside, 1972-1975. He was President of the Association of Theological Schools in the U.S. and Canada. He is a governance mentor for IN TRUST and a Senior Colleague at the Auburn Center for the Study of Theological Education. He is also a Regent at California Lutheran University and chairs the board of Spirit in the Desert in Carefree, AZ. He and his wife Martha are blessed with eight grandchildren in their two children’s families.

Rev. Harold L. Usgaard was first elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2007 to a second six-year term as bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Previous to his call as bishop, he served as a pastor at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Austin, Minn.; at Mount Hope Lutheran Church in West Allis, Wis.; and at Zumbro Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minn. Usgaard holds degrees from Luther College and Luther Seminary, and was ordained as a pastor in 1973. He was born and raised in Decorah, Iowa. He and his wife, Lynette, have three grown children and currently reside in Austin, Minn.

Rev. Norman Wahl is executive pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church, the site of Augsburg’s campus in Rochester, Minn., and served on the task force that led to the formation of the Rochester program. After Augsburg, Wahl graduated from Luther Seminary and returned to earn a Doctor of Ministry degree from the seminary in 1997. He was ordained in 1979 and has served parishes in Viborg, S.D., rural Alden, Minn., and St. Charles, Minn. Wahl also served on the Alumni Board, Campaign Cabinet, and on staff at Augsburg College. Rev. Wahl has been on the board of Regents since 2006. His wife, Kathryn, is also a 1976 graduate of Augsburg, as are their three adult children:  Christopher ’00, Kari Solak ’02, and Timothy ’07.

Bonnie Wallace, an enrolled member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in northern Minnesota, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Welfare in l974 from the University of Minnesota. She is the recipient of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program (86-87), elected the only Native female to serve as Trustee for the Minneapolis Institute of Arts ((95-01), appointed by the Supreme Court to serve two terms (90-96) on the I.O.L.T.A. (Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts) Board, served as Board Member for the Mixed Blood Theatre (86-96) is a recipient of the Blandin Foundation Reservation Community Leadership Program (09) and has been a member of the National Indian Education Association since 1974.In 1978 she came to Augsburg to develop and implement the American Indian Support Program which she administered until 1996 when she met her goal of assisting and providing academic, financial and personal support to 100 American Indian graduates. Moving back to her home reservation of Fond du Lac she continues her work as the Tribal Scholarship Director providing grants to eligible band members. She continues to serve on a number of community and state advisory committee’s including, Chair of the Board of Directors for 12 years for Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College and currently a Board Member for the past 4 years.Augsburg College established the Bonnie Wallace Leadership Award in 1998 in recognition of her service to the College. Bonnie has been on the Board of Regents since 2007.

Steve Wehrenberg ’78 is a 30-year veteran of the advertising industry, and became Campbell Mithun’s CEO in 2006. He has been a major influence behind many of Campbell Mithun’s most successful and award-winning campaigns. At Augsburg, Wehrenberg majored in English and played on the football team. He was a speaker for the Strommen Executive Leader Speaker Series . Wehrenberg teaches a strategy course in the University of Minnesota’s master’s program in strategic communications and has co-written a new edition of The Successful Marketing Plan with former Famous Footwear client Scott Cooper. He serves on the board of the Greater Twin Cities United Way and is a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Apple Valley.

Rev. Mark N. Wilhelm currently serves on the staff of the Congregational and Synodical Mission Unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), overseeing the ELCA’s commitments in higher education. Previously he served as associate director of the Center for the Study of Theological Education at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York. He also has served pastorates in Maryland and New York City. Wilhelm earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College, a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary, and a PhD in American church history from Union Theological Seminary in New York.