If you happened to visit the Minnesota Twins’ spring training facility in Fort Myers (FL) last month, you may have purchased a FINNEGANS beer, available this year at Hammond Stadium for the first time. You might be surprised to learn that, with that purchase, you also would have helped supply fresh produce through the Harry Chapin Food Bank.
Minnesota-based FINNEGANS, owned by Jacquie Berglund ’87, was the first for-profit beer company in the world to give away 100% of its profits, a feat accomplished through the FINNEGANS Community fund—a sustainable business model through which the company can make a difference in the community. Last year alone, FINNEGANS raised over $100,000 that went to support the purchase of fresh produce at local food shelves. This unique beer business intrigued Buffie Blesi ’90 ’97, who had done volunteer work at FINNEGANS over the years, and who turned to Berglund in 2009 for networking advice when she started her business coaching company, KnowledgeSphere, Inc. In turn, Berglund called on Blesi for help in managing FINNEGANS’ future—a mutually beneficial way of reconnecting since their first meeting years ago as Augsburg students.
As a result, FINNEGANS has rebounded nicely (growing by an average of 40% each year), and Blesi continues to help Berglund strategize about its growth—looking at new markets and products, determining who should be on the team and how to engage them in the company’s mission, and earning more profits in order to make a greater impact in the world. Recently, FINNEGANS received two special awards: Social Entrepreneur Award for Minnesota Business, and the Small Business of the Year Award from the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to her coaching work, Blesi has worked in recent years with other Auggie alumnae and Donna McLean to establish the AWE (Augsburg Women Engaged) program, which provides opportunities for Auggie women to connect, learn, and give.