Former Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Commissioner Mark Phillips passed away on Aug. 23.

Mark retired on Jan. 2, after serving as the agency’s commissioner for eight years under both Gov. Mark Dayton and Gov. Tim Walz. His career included more than 40 years of leadership in business, community and workforce development. Improving the quality of life – for both residents and visitors – was at the forefront of his approach to economic development in northeastern Minnesota.

"We are saddened by the passing of our dear friend and former commissioner Mark Phillips,” said Commissioner Ida Rukavina. “His legacy will live on through his leadership in strengthening the region’s economy, communities, schools and amenities. He will be greatly missed. We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Patty, his children, Jessica and Joe, and his grandchildren."

During his tenure at the agency, he focused on expanding child care, increasing broadband access, improving downtowns, strengthening education and enhancing outdoor recreation.

When he retired, Mark shared these thoughts, "I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect back with gratitude on a wonderful eight years as commissioner. It has been my privilege and honor to serve northeastern Minnesota as a representative of both the Dayton and Walz administrations."

Northeastern Minnesota is a better place due to Mark’s service and commitment. Thank you, Mark.

View Mark Phillips’ obituary.

Eye Clinic North opened a new 4,000 square-foot office along the main commercial corridor of Highway 169 in Hibbing last week. The clinic relocated from a 1,000-square-foot office in downtown Hibbing which was no longer adequate to meet their needs. The new location has seven exam lanes, two optometry providers, five staff members and room for more providers and staff as they grow. The former location had only two lanes, one provider and four staff.

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $300,000 Development Infrastructure grant and a $100,000 Commercial Redevelopment grant to the city of Hibbing. The Development Infrastructure grant helped with site and infrastructure work. The Commercial Redevelopment grant helped mitigate the brownfield property for redevelopment by adding four feet of correction soil. The 1.4-acre property was abandoned and had served as a city dump area from the 1940s to the 1960s. Dr. Matthew Sipola and his wife Hannah, also a licensed optometrist, purchased the lot and divided it in half. The new eye clinic sits on one lot. The other lot is for sale with the intent to attract another medical or health facility.

“We were excited to partner with Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and the Drs. Sipola on this project to reclaim a contaminated site on the beltline in Hibbing,” said Mayor Pete Hyduke. “We’re happy to work with any business who is willing to invest in our community.”

The agency also provided $40,000 in Business Energy Retrofit (BER) and $10,000 in Downtown Building Rehabilitation (DBR) grants to the Sipolas to help pay for new energy efficient optometry equipment and other materials.

“The new location is larger and centrally located. By expanding and adding more providers and staff, our clients will have shorter wait times for their eye care,” said Dr. Matthew Sipola. “And being the only full-time medical eye clinic in the Hibbing area, we are often solely responsible for treating patients with urgent or emergent eye care needs, such as red, painful eyes and foreign bodies. The new clinic better serves the entire Hibbing community for both routine and emergency care. It is important to us to better serve the needs of the assisted living and those with limited mobility, and we are able to do so with our fully ADA compliant facility."

The new Hibbing location is one of three Eye Clinic Norths. The other two locations are in Virginia and Duluth, and all are owned by the Sipolas. The clinics offer a wide variety of services, from family eye care and contact lenses to management of complex medical eye conditions and access to world-class LASIK technology and surgeons.

The Sipolas purchased the original Hibbing location in 2016 from Dr. Scott Mescher. This year marks 104 years of continuous operation as optometry. The same year the couple purchased the Virginia and Duluth offices from Matt’s father, who succeeded his father. Drs. Matt and Hannah incorporated the three offices into Eye Clinic North.

Learn more about Eye Clinic North.

Other project partners included Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and Hibbing Economic Development Authority. The total project investment for the new eye clinic was over $2.8 million.

Email Chris Ismil or call him at 218-735-3010 for more information about Development Infrastructure or Commercial Redevelopment grants.

Email Erik Bennett at Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Association or call him at 218-780-8061 to learn more about BER and DBR, two grant programs funded by Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and administered by AEOA.

Whitney Ridlon accepted the new Community Development Director position at Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation. She began her new role last week of overseeing the Community Development team and the agency’s work supporting the region’s towns, communities, tribal governments and nonprofits.

Ridlon brings 15 years of community and economic development experience to the position, working for local and state government in rural and urban communities. She has been involved with some of the region’s major development projects related to broadband deployment, downtown revitalization, zoning and redevelopment, energy, housing and education. She also brings experience in grant writing and tapping into federal fund opportunities for northeastern Minnesota.

“Whitney has the knowledge and experience to achieve region-wide goals for northeastern Minnesota while still supporting the unique needs of each community in our service area,” said Commissioner Ida Rukavina. “She has a proven track record of truly listening to communities, organizations and people and helping them connect with human and financial resources to advance their projects. I am very confident in her abilities to lead the community development staff as they do the important work of strengthening our local communities.” 

Prior to her new role, Ridlon served for nine years as one of the agency’s community development representatives. She has built relationships with the region’s elected and government officials, city councils, private businesses, nonprofit boards and charitable foundations. Ridlon was the city planner for Oakdale, Minnesota before she came to the agency and relocated to the Iron Range.

Ridlon was born and raised in Hibbing. After attending Hibbing Community College, she left the region to further advance her education. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Housing Studies from the University of Minnesota-St. Paul and a Masters in Public and Nonprofit Administration from Metropolitan State University.

She now resides in Chisholm with her husband and two children.

The second and final renovation phase of the handicap-accessible playground at Cloverdale Park in Nashwauk Township was recently completed. Additional playground equipment was installed, and a pavilion with outdoor, shaded seating and an eating area was added. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $10,697 Culture & Tourism grant. Total project investment was $72,550.

Phase I of the playground project replaced the majority of the equipment that was outdated and aging. The playground which is designed to serve children ages 2 to 12, also became ADA-accessible. The project’s overall goal was to further improve the community center built at Cloverdale Park in 2015. The complex is adjacent to the community athletic fields.

“The playground addition and pavilion space are modern, welcoming and accessible to all,” said Amy Drake-Baumchen, Nashwauk Township clerk-treasurer. “This project tremendously enhanced our Community Center area. On any given day in the summer, there are families enjoying the new playground and pavilion.”

Drake-Baumchen explained that the community center buildout enhances the quality of life in Nashwauk Township. The center and new amenities are important assets for the people and families who live there, as well as for attracting new residents.

Phase II project partners included Blandin Foundation and Itasca County.

Nashwauk Township includes three distinct areas: the city of Nashwauk, Little Sweden and Cloverdale.

Learn more about Nashwauk Township & Cloverdale Park Playground.

Email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022 for Culture & Tourism grant information.

Giants Ridge won the GOLD award for the “Best Ski Resorts” in the Star Tribune’s Minnesota’s Best Readers’ Choice Contest. This is the second consecutive year to garner the prestigious accolade.

Minnesota’s Best is an audience-driven contest with over 350 categories. The contest recognizes the best in businesses, things to do, places to go, entertainers and others. There are three winners (Gold, Silver and Bronze) in each category. The public may vote once each day during the voting period.

Congratulations to Giants Ridge.

Read more about the 2023 Gold Award.

The recreation area offers alpine and cross-country skiing, snow tubing, snowshoeing and access to over 2,000 miles of snowmobile trails. The summer months bring golf, lift-served mountain bike trails, hiking, a climbing wall and lake access.

Giants Ridge is owned by Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and managed by Guest Services, a hospitality management company in the United States since 1917. The agency invests in the Giants Ridge amenities and infrastructure to support the facility’s significant annual economic impact of roughly $55 million in northeastern Minnesota.

Learn more about Giants Ridge – Winter season passes are on sale now.