Board of Directors

Gordy Anderson of Two Harbors Term 2009 - 2014
Gordy was born and raised in Two Harbors leaving for almost 20 years while pursuing his career in the Communication Industry. He spent over 25 years of his 30 year career in customer service. Starting as a construction lineman he retired in the mid 90's as a District Manager of Northern Minnesota. After retiring he was hired as a part-time Director for the Two Harbors Area Chamber of Commerce and today works as President/CEO in a full-time capacity. Working as the Chamber President he wears many hats from marketing the community and North Shore of Lake Superior to creating events, to business retention and recognition. He belongs to many local organizations and represents Two Harbors as a director on different Minnesota Tourism boards.

Cheryl Erickson of Duluth Term 2011 - 2016

Cheryl Erickson has worked over 20 years as a consultant providing professional and technical services including planning, project coordination, community outreach and public information for various NE MN projects including the DNR North Shore Harbors Program and the North Shore Forest Collaborative. Other current projects include interpretation planning for the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway and Board membership on the North Shore Scenic Drive Council. Past work includes other resource management, regional planning, tourism and community development projects. Erickson has a BA from Metropolitan State University in Communication.

Mindy Granley of Duluth Term 2010 - 2015

Mindy Granley is the Sustainability Coordinator at the University of Minnesota - Duluth. Her responsibilities include, coordinating activities, communicating progress, and assess the changes UMD is making to be more sustainable. Mindy enjoys planning for future changes on campus that will reduce our carbon emissions, connecting UMD students with projects that help reduce waste and save energy on campus, learning about sustainable changes her UMD colleagues have made, and finding ways to tell their stories to the campus. She has a Masters degree from University of Minnesota.

Wayne Johnson of Palisade Term 2011 - 2016
Wayne Johnson is a graduate of the U of M St. Paul campus with a BS in Forest Resources Development. He is presently on the Board of Governors for Palisade Energy Park, a waste to bio-fuels company, and a member of the design engineering team. He is Treasurer for the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, member of the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association and Life member in the Itasca Art Association. Areas of interest include sustainable resource management.

Robert (Bob) Lindahl of Grand Rapids Term 2009 - 2014
Bob is a native of Hibbing, MN with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Minnesota - Duluth. He currently resides in Grand Rapids, MN and works for Minnesota Power as a Technical Group Leader for the chemistry department. His areas of interest are water resource management, education and energy.

Tony Mancuso of Duluth (Chair) Term 2009 - 2014
Tony was born and raised in the Cromwell area. He served four years in the United States Navy. He has 25+ years experience in building management, maintenance and operations with St Louis County, Hennepin County, Federal Reserve Bank, ISD 698, and Control Data Corporation. Tony received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Metropolitan State University in St Paul. He is a member of the American Solar Energy Society, Midwest Renewable Energy Association, Minnesota Renewable Energy Society. He serves on the board of the Duluth Steam Cooperative Association, Duluth Area UDAC, and Duluth Area Regional Care Centers. Tony is a long time advocate and activist in facilities related energy conservation, water conservation, and renewable energy programs. He has implemented several successful conservation and renewable energy projects in public sector facilities resulting in significant ongoing annual energy cost savings. Tony has held his position of Director of Property Management for St Louis County since 1997. Tony became Vice Chair of the Northeast Minnesota Sustainable Development Partnership in January 2010.

Sue Ellen Moore of Duluth Term 2009 - 2014

For over twenty years, Sue Ellen Moore has been involved in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry. Although she is originally from this area, she lived abroad for many years in Sweden and Italy, returning to Duluth with her family in 2001. Sue Ellen is the Director of Sales at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC). Because the DECC is such a massive facility handling conventions, community, entertainment and sporting events, it has the capacity to inflict great harm on the environment. By creating and upholding environmental initiatives and efforts, the staff and management have succeeded in significantly reducing the DECC's environmental impact. In October of 2008, the DECC held it's first zero-waste conference and now continues to expand on its efforts by building one of the first LEED certified arenas in the world. The DECC is always eager to work with clients who wish to plan a "greener" event. These practices are not only the responsible thing to do, but they are paving the way for new business opportunities in the area. Such environmental efforts are a source of pride for the DECC team and the city of Duluth. In 2008, the DECC became the proud recipient of the Governor's Minnesota Great Award, as well as the Lake Superior Bi-National Forum Award within the US Business category.

Ardy Nurmi-Wilberg, of Virginia (Vice Chair) Term 2011 - 2016
Ardy is a self employed organizational consultant and proud lifelong Iron Range resident of Virginia, MN. She is a former YMCA program director, and started her own successful consulting business in 2005. She is a 2009 Labo Award nominee for Micro-Entrepreneur of the Year from the Center for Economic Development at UMD. She has coordinated a variety of successful community projects and events including; the Range University Study, fund raising events for the Mesabi Family YMCA, Executive Director of Club Mesabi, Inc., and Tour Director of the Great River Energy Mesabi Trail Tour. Ardy is passionate about sustainability and the balance between the three elements of community, economy and environment. Related projects include; coordinating the creation of the Virginia Sustainability Task Force - a group dedicated to educating the residents, businesses and city government of Virginia, MN about energy efficiency and sustainability, Event Director of Iron Range Earth Fest - a one day celebration of local traditions and practical resources for sustainable living (held every April in Mountain Iron), and Executive Director of the Iron Range Partnership for Sustainability (IRPS) - a 501c3 nonprofit corporation whose mission is to stimulate conversation and action for a sustainable future on the Iron Range of NE Minnesota.

Deb Shubat of Duluth Term 2010 - 2015
Deb Shubat is greenhouse director and instructor in the UMD Biology Department. She has an organic farm and orchard in French River, and a long history of interest in food and energy sustainability.

David Wilsey of Cloquet Term 2010 - 2015
Dave is an Assistant Extension Professor with University of Minnesota Extension and is affiliated with the Forestry and Small Farms teams. Dave also works closely with Minnesota's Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) communities, most notably with Fond du Lac Band, developing Tribal College Extension programs. Dave's expertise lies in farm/forest livelihoods, market-based conservation, and community-based development. Once a business analyst with Target, for much of the past decade Dave worked in Latin America as a researcher, consultant, and, with his wife, as Peace Corps volunteers in Ecuador's sustainable agriculture and small business program. Dave earned his doctorate from the University of Florida for research in Mexico on livelihoods and value chains. He has a master's in conservation biology from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor's in business from Wisconsin-Madison