Staff & Board

Melissa has over a decade of experience in Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development, everything from starting her own business, to managing small business, to consulting small businesses and doing economic development for small business development programs. She holds her CEcD and EDP certifications from the International Economic Development Corporation, as well as a bachelor’s degree from UW-Eau Claire in Marketing.

Amanda is a lifelong resident of Western WI. She grew up on a hobby farm in River Falls with her five older siblings. She graduated from UW-Stout in Education and a Business minor. She has served as a Director at Trinity Early Childhood Academy and as an Administrative Assistant at the Hudson School District. Outside of work, she loves to be up north on the lake, traveling, trying new things and cooking with her husband! She is excited to partner with the community, businesses and incoming families in the St. Croix Valley.

Susan Yohnk Lockwood is the Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness and New Richmond Campus Administrator for Northwood Technical College. She is active with several local organizations including the Forward New Richmond and New Richmond Area Community Foundation. Susan lives in New Richmond with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

Tom is a business, real estate and municipal attorney with Eckberg Lammers, PC a law firm with offices in Hudson and Stillwater, MN. He has worked in the St. Croix community for the past five years advising businesses in various transaction and serves as the civil city attorney for several communities.

Marina Onken is Professor Emeritus of Strategy and Innovation at UWRF after serving as the interim dean of the College of Business and Economics. Her work in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship for the past 30 years has helped students start businesses, accelerate careers, and stimulate economic development. She is active in the Hudson community and has lived there for 16 years.

Carrie Borgstrom is a Business Banking Officer with Royal Credit Union, serving New Richmond, River Falls, Somerset, Hudson, and surrounding areas. She enjoys helping small business owners find the right lending solution to take their business to the next level. As an Ambassador for New Richmond Area Chamber, River Falls Chamber, and Somerset Chamber, she is very involved in the local communities. Carrie serves as Vice Chair for Forward New Richmond, working towards the growth, development, and vision for the city. She is also a board member of the New Richmond Area Community Foundation.

Tom Aaby is currently the Senior Vice President of Business Development at OEM Fabricators Inc. in Woodville, WI. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Stout with a degree in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Manufacturing Engineering. Tom has completed Executive Development programs at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business and the University of Wisconsin Business School. Tom also just completed his first year as a Board Member for the Wisconsin Technology Council. He has three grown children and has lived in Rush River Township with his wife Mary for more than 30 years.

Mike has a background in sales, marketing and finance spanning two decades in the Twin Cities. He is the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Fortress. He is also St. Croix County Board of Supervisors District 16. Mike has been a resident of St. Croix county since 2002.

Megan Boldig is Xcel Energy’s Community Service Manager, based in Hudson, WI. She leads relationships with key stakeholders, community leaders, elected officials, economic development organizations, business groups and non-profit partners in St. Croix, Barron, Pierce and Polk Counties. Over the past 15 years with Xcel Energy, she has spent most of her time as a Senior Designer where she managed and worked with community officials and contractors on current and future electric and natural gas projects. Megan holds a B.S. in Geography from UW-Platteville and an Associate degree from UW-Wood County. In her free time she loves to Geocache and travel with her husband and five sons.

Sheri Marnell, Ph.D., is the Director of the St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center, a non-profit business incubator. She has helped over 40 businesses grow. She enjoys talking ‘business’ to anyone and everyone, loving to learn about new businesses and tour facilities, she has been through hundreds in her career. She has been with the Universities of Wisconsin since 2016. Before Higher Education, she spent 16 years at Target HQ in various leadership roles, driving innovation, organizational change, and delivering solid results. She has a BS in Apparel Design & Development, MBA, and Ph.D. in Business Management, research on Leading Innovators. Sheri and spouse Tim are both Hudson grads and moved back in 2005 where they are raising/raised their 4 children. In Sheri’s free time she is with her family/ friends, on an adventure, traveling, trying new things, playing cards, puzzles, and anything outdoors.

Scott brings 34 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with First National Bank River Falls and focuses on commercial banking in the western Wisconsin market. He is involved with the River Falls Sunshine Fund, a local student lead non-profits, Rotary, and serves on the River Falls City Council as President. He was also past Board Chair of the River Falls Chamber of Commerce.

Bob is the Vice Chairman of the St Croix County Board of Supervisors and chairs it Public Protection and Judiciary Committee. He has previously served on the EDC Board. Educated as an attorney, he worked for roughly forty years in the Washington DC area to include lengthy periods with the U.S. Senate, the Federal Judiciary, and as a consultant with the World Bank and USAID on international projects. He also had a military career in the Army including service in the first Gulf War and later as Director of Strategic
Defense Education for a major military association. He is Vice President of the Wisconsin Association of Scholars and on the board of Free Speech for Campus Inc. He and his wife, Patricia, live south of Hudson in Troy Burne. They both enjoy golf, history, reading and travel.