Business People: Catherine Penkert named chief of staff at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

NONPROFITS Catherine Penkert Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity a St Paul-based advocate for and provider of affordable housing declared the appointment of Catherine Penkert as chief of staff Penkert the greater part not long ago served as vice president of operations at business advancement group Greater MSP and before that served as director of the St Paul Population Library and as a member of the St Paul Mayor Melvin Carter s Cabinet MATURATION The Opus Group a Minneapolis-based national commercial real estate developer publicized that President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Murnane will retire at the end of after years with the company Matt Rauenhorst currently president and CEO of Opus Rise Co will succeed Murnane Phil Cattanach formerly of Opus will return to assume the role of president and CEO at Opus Advance upon Rauenhorst s succession REGIME The U S Department of Agriculture communicated the appointment of Kurt Blomgren as state executive director for the Farm Provision Agency in Minnesota a provider of financing for farmers Blomgren is a fourth-generation family farmer from Butterfield Minn STRENGTH CARE Children s Minnesota a Twin Cities-based chain of hospitals and clinics focused on pediatric care communicated the following leadership changes after the May retirement of Dr Susan Sencer Dr Aimee Sznewajs succeeds Sencer as clinical vice president of specialty pediatrics Dr Anupam Kharbanda formerly clinical vice president of critical care services becomes vice president of clinical innovation and transformation Dr Tim Lander clinical vice president of surgery assumes responsibility of critical care services and Dr Gigi Chawla clinical vice president of general pediatrics takes on the additional role of vice president of professional staff affairs HONORS The U S Small Business Administration informed it has named Brittany Howard of Triumph Business Solutions in Minneapolis as its Minnesota Young Entrepreneur of the Year Preeminence provides accounting and tax services prioritizing women- and minority-owned small businesses LAW Faegre Drinker declared that attorney Wagma Gharwal has joined the firm s finance and restructuring group as counsel in the Minneapolis office Gharwal joins from financial services company Deluxe where she served as director of contract strategy and management PHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEM RION a Rochester Minn -based clinical-stage developer of regenerative medicine for exosome-based therapeutics communicated the addition of Suneet Varma as senior adviser to its leadership organization Varma previously was global and U S president at Pfizer Oncology RION is a spinoff of Mayo Clinic MANUFACTURING GF Building Flow Solutions Americas an Apple Valley-based manufacturer of Uponor-branded indoor plumbing products disclosed the promotion of John Reutter to president Reutter joined the organization in as vice president of finance MILITARY The Minnesota National Guard s th Infantry Division Red Bulls revealed the installation of U S Army Brig Gen Joseph Sharkey as commanding general succeeding Army Maj Gen Charles Kemper who will serve as special assistant to the director of the National Guard Bureau for the U S Army Combined Arms Center NONPROFITS Aeon a Minneapolis-based provider of affordable housing reported that Eric Anthony Johnson has stepped down as president and CEO effective May Caroline Horton Aeon s chief financial officer is serving as interim CEO Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation an Owatonna Minn -based donor-supported organization investing in south-state counties stated the appointment of Benya Kraus as president and CEO effective June succeeding Tim Penny Kraus the greater part not long ago served as grid advancement director at Asset Rural a national population grant-securing organization SPONSORSHIPS U S Bank Minneapolis disclosed its partnership with the Special Olympics USA Games to be held in Minnesota from June - U S Bank is both the Official Volunteer Sponsor and the Official Competitive Cheer Sponsor of the USA Games DEVICE Saltbox Mgmt a Minneapolis-based provider of business program within the Salesforce ecosystem communicated the appointment of Brian Wagner as chief revenue officer Wagner the majority lately served as vice president of revenue and commerce cloud specialists at Salesforce Related Articles Business People Longtime NAMI Minnesota executive director to retire Business People Instruction Minnesota elects Monica Byron as president UnitedHealth CEO Witty resigns amid setbacks Business People HomeServices of America announces leadership change Business People Pakou Hang takes undertaking post at Northwest Area Foundation EMAIL ITEMS to businessnews pioneerpress com