Department of Economics

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Alumni 2000-2009

Alyson Bjornstad, '06, is working as a Retail Branch Manager for State Bank & Trust in Fargo.  After completing her BA in Economics with a Finance minor at MSUM, she went on to complete her MBA with the University of Mary, Bismarck ND. (updated 1/2008)

Bryan Brenden, '01, is a Branch Manager for Smart Financial Credit Union in The Woodlands, TX.  He is married (Jacey) with a three year old daughter (Jacelyn).  (updated 7/2008)

Chad Churchill, '00, is a financial services representative for First Investors in Bloomington, MN.

Jeff DeWitt, '00
, is a financial analyst supporting U.S. sales and marketing at Microsoft Corporate Headquarters in Redmond, WA.

Lindsey Ellingsen, '00
was awarded the 2007 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture's Charles N. Shepardson Graduate Student Teaching Award. This national award recognizes outstanding graduate students who excel as teachers in agricultural disciplines. In January 2008, she accepted an Assistant Professor or Lecturer position at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. She will be starting the position the end of February 2008 and teaching undergraduate and graduate microtheory as well as working with water allocation issues. (updated 3/2008)

Craig Ehrmantraut, '08, is a Credit Analyst at VISIONBank in ND.  (updated 11/2008)

Ian Flagg, '03,  graduated with M.S. in Agribusiness and Applied Economics from NDSU in 2005.  He is employed as the Assistant Director of U.S. Wheat Associates in Portland, Oregon.  His job duties include export market development, commodity market analysis and international trade development.

Mike Gesellchen, '01, is the business manager of a small non-profit organization that works with student journalists to help them improve their journalism skills. He is also currently working toward a Master's Degree in counseling and social services.  (updated 06/2006)

Lori Gieselman, '01, is a Personal Banker with Wells Fargo in Minnetonka, MN.

Darren Glur, '04, worked at Osterbauer Law Firm for the summer. He's now at law school at Hamline University.

Eric Graff, '02, accepted a position at Carlin Financial Group in Downtown Manhattan, NY where he is working as an Equity Trader.

Derek Hagen, '05,  is an associate in the Trading/Operations department of an investment firm in Minneapolis, Riverbridge Partners, LLC.  He is in charge of the firm's performance evaluation and Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) compliance.  He also works with IT to automate the office.  His goal is to always find better ways to do something.  Recently, he earned the CIPM (Certification in Investment Performance Measurement) designation and is a Level II candidate in the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) program. (updated 02/2009)

Jesse Hoban, '05
, is working for BNSF Railway training as a Corporate Management Trainee.  In his position he: assists in the implementation of policy and the execution of the operating plan; supervises train, yard and engine employees; plans daily train and switching operations; conducts operations tests; monitors and controls costs; investigates accidents and injuries; and insures compliance with BNSF policies and government regulations.

Shiho Inomata, '06, is working as a systems engineer for NCR Corporation in Toykyo, Japan.

Dustin J. Jeske, '04,
is currently employed at RSM, a sister company of McGladrey & Pullen and a subsidiary of H&R Block, as an Assistant Plan Administrator.  He will soon begin course work as he pursues a Pension Actuary designation. 

Jeremy Johnson, '01
, has been named Assistant Director of Admissions at Minnesota State University Moorhead.  His responsibilities include coordinating freshman recruitment and managing Admissions Department communication.  After finishing his Economics degree at MSUM, Jeremy earned an MBA from North Dakota State University.  (updated 08/2006)

Katie Kapsner, '04, accepted a position as an Account Manager with Kraus Anderson Insurance in Burnsville, MN.

Marshall Kilzer, '00
, works as a Reposessor for AR Services in Fargo, ND.

Shane Kroeplin, '00, is an Account Executive with James River Technical in Georgia and Alabama.

Curt Kuntz, '04, is employed at Red River Commodities in Fargo, ND as a cost accountant.  His responsibilities include financial reporting for his division, production analysis and reporting, as well as budget planning.  "If you asked me 5 years ago what I wanted to do with my Economics Degree, I would have said a lot of things that I'm essentially doing now.  I believe that the area of Economics that has benefited me the most is the ability to think analytically.  To first be able to obtain useful information, then being able to analyze and incorporate new ideas from it.  And to always be aiming for enhanced efficiency in anything you do."  He and his wife have been married for 5 1/2 years and have a 4 year old son.  They live in West Fargo along with "two incredibly spoiled" dogs.  (updated 7/31/06)

Chris Liberda, '04, accepted a position as an underwriter with The Hartford Company in Charlotte, NC.

Tessa Lunders, '00, works as a Pharmaceutical Account Representative for Novartis Opthalmics in St. Paul, MN.

Thomas Mielke, '00
, is working as an Economist in the IRS-Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Research Division in St. Paul, MN.

Akiko Nakamura, '08, is pursuing a master's degree in Applied Economics at North Dakota State University, Fargo ND.  (updated 6.2009)

Elvis Nyame, '08, is pursuing a master's degree in Applied Economics at North Dakota State University, Fargo ND.  (updated 6.2009)

Nathan Och, '08, is pursuing his graduate degree in Applied Economics at North Dakota State University, Fargo ND. He hopes to graduate with his M.S. Degree in December 2009. (updated 2/2009)

Knute Ohman, '00
, is a Senior Account Analyst for Frontier Trust Co., FSB out of Fargo, ND, working remotely from Chicago.

Cori Otto, '01, is the Economic Development Director for Washburn, ND.

Sarah Paulson Borgerding, '03,
received her Master's in Health Administration at the University of Minnesota in May 2005.  In June 2005, she moved to Wilmington, NC where she accepted a fellowship at New Hanover Health Network.  There  she is involved in strategic planning, business development and operational improvements.

Ian Perkins, '04 (Econ Minor),  "..the Econ Department....was where I learned the most and have been able to apply what I have learned to what I am doing.  I am currently working at a company called Bioscrip, it is a specialty pharmacy, we service people with chronic diseases, Aids and transplant patients.  I am working in the Cash Applications department as the team lead.  I have helped move the department away from paper to doing more of the process electronically which has greatly helped improve accuracy and affiance...." (updated 7/2007)

Heidi Peterson, '04, is currently working at the McGladrey & Pullen accounting firm in Minneapolis, MN.

Isaac K. Poku, '03, accepted a position with the Home and Consumer Finance Group of Wells Fargo Bank as a Risk Analyst in Mineapolis, MN.

Susan Rose, '01, is working toward her Ph.D.

Mitch Rosland, '05,  is employed at Woodcraft Ind. as a Production Supervisor in St. Cloud, MN.  Mitch is pursuing his MBA and PMI certification.  He, his wife and their dog live in Sartell, MN. 
 
Kyle Schmit, '00, is a District Sales Manager for Interstate Seed in Fargo, ND.

Josie Snyder Fix, '02, is an assistant vice president in the Financial Modeling department of Benfield in Minneapolis MN.  She recently received the designation of Associate (ACAS) from the Casualty Actuarial Society.  She lives in Inver Grove Heights MN with her husband, Jeff, MSUM '02.  (updated 2/09)

Kelli Steffl, '03
, accepted a position with Fidelity Bank in Edina, MN, as a credit analyst.

Akiko Takeuchi, '03, is working for Toyoshima USA Inc. in Cordova, TN. Toyoshima USA is a trading (import/export) company headquartered in Japan. They buy cotton domestically and internationally and sell it overseas.

David Torpen, '06, is a business analyst at U.S. Bank in Fargo, ND.  He recently published "Stakeholder Preferences for Water Management Alternatives in the Red River Basin" in the Agribusiness and Applied Economics Report No. 629 (http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/36774/2/AAE629.pdf).  He and his wife, Amy, are enjoying their new daughter, Allison Jane.  (updated 4/2009)

David Thompson, '07, is working in Hollywood, CA as a chess instructor. 

Roy Thomsen, '01, is the owner/manager of Ordinary Joe's Restaurant in Detroit Lakes, MN.

Kaila Wells Jones, '01, is an Information Systems Manager/Economist with Western Range & Water, Inc in Twin Valley MN.  Western Range provides Environmental & Regulatory Services in the Rocky Mountain region. (updated 4/2009)

Brian Wentz, '00, " I recently joined KleinBank in Maple Grove, MN as Vice President Business Banking.  I am also about half way through my MBA program at the University of St. Thomas." (updated 7/2007)

Erick Wikoff, '01, is a Catastrophe Modeling Analyst with Benfield in Minneapolis, MN.