Celebrating Dr. Larry Lundblad's Retirement
I had the pleasure of speaking at Dr. Larry Lundblad’s retirement reception at MN State Southeast on Tuesday.
Larry’s contributions to the staff, students, and business community will benefit Red Wing and our surrounding region for years to come. I am honored to have partnered with Larry and MN State SE on many initiatives, including the Youth Skills Training grants, Workforce Development Scholarships, and student loan tax credits.
We are all grateful for his service and wish him well in retirement. You can read my full remarks below
Good Afternoon,
It’s my pleasure to be here this afternoon to join you all in recognizing President Lundblad’s contribution to MN State SE and to this community.
I met Larry shortly after he accepted the Interim President position. I was in my second term as your State Representative. When I first Larry, I was knew he’d be a good fit for Red Wing and this campus. He was eager to meet community leaders, was focused on the staff and moving the college forward, and showed genuine concern for the challenges students’ faced – both academically and personally. Larry was focused on SUCCESS for all these groups. And as I said to Larry practically each and every time we talked –
Your success at MN State SE feeds OUR success in Red Wing and this region.
Much of my work in St. Paul has been focused on policy in the areas of education, jobs & workforce. I have a keen interest in making sure our statewide policy better aligns the business community needs with our education system to better ensure that our students have the right skills and knowledge to compete in a fast-changing world and that in turn, our businesses have a ready and able talent pool to keep them in positions to grow and thrive in MN. Larry both shared and supported this vision.
And together, we worked on legislation like the Youth Skills Training Grants, Workforce Development Scholarships, and the nation’s first of its’ kind – tax credits on student loan debt. Larry was always available to answer my technical questions and provide context to the policy debates. He testified numerous times in St Paul to help move legislation forward. Of course, Larry also called me every budget and bonding cycle to advocate for crucial investments in our entire MN State System.
Larry – you shouldn’t leave without knowing I’m still fighting for you right now in this budget cycle as I don’t agree with the current budget allocation - I’ll get you more money!
Larry was also an incredible community partner and worked closely with many organizations, including the Chamber, RW Ignite, the Manufacturer’s Association, Every Hand Joined, and the Jones Family Foundation. I know they all share in thanking you and congratulating you today.
When people ask me how I “put up with St. Paul” and can work in this polarized political environment, I say that I look for good work to do, with good people, that will benefit the good of all MN’s. My work with Larry to support MN State SE – it’s staff, it’s students, and the community it serves - has been one example of that GOOD work. Our community has benefitted from your commitment. I’m so grateful for your leadership Larry and your partnership. I wish you all the best as you embark on real retirement this time!
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