A native of Chicago, Amy is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She began her career in public relations in Orlando, Fla. After a few years, she returned to her roots in Chicagoland, where she accepted a new challenge: a position in the human resources field as a recruiter. She worked for Ernst & Young LLP and the American Dental Association before joining the Hormel Foods team in Austin, MN. Since then, she has served as corporate recruiter, supervisor of recruiting and corporate manager of talent acquisition to her current role, Director of Talent Acquisition.

Amy is passionate about developing talent and working with youth/high school programs in her community to help future generations realize their potential.  

Jeff is a native of Austin, his career includes 33 years of restaurant management and was the successful owner/operator of Austin Culver’s Restaurant until he sold in June of 2009.

After selling the restaurant he went to work for the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, supporting Ambassador activities, membership and the 4th of July Freedom Fest.

Baldus was selected as the Austin Area Foundation’s first executive director in May of 2014.

He has been previously active on many local boards and in volunteer positions including past Austin Chamber of Commerce president, Freedom Fest Director, KSMQ board member, Mower County Health Services advisory board member, Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau board member, Austin ArtWorks steering committee member, Paint the Town Pink steering committee member, board member of the United Way and board member on The Hormel Foundation.

Jeff lives in Austin with his wife Kris, and has two adult children. 

Allison has worked in education for 16 years.  During that time she has worked as a 3rd grade teacher, Kindergarten teacher, 5th grade teacher, Technology Integrationist, Behavior Coach, COVID Coordinator, and now as an AHS Assistant Principal.  This is her first year as part of the Mower County CEO Board as a school representative.  

Jill is the rehabilitation services manager at Mayo Clinic Health System Albert Lea and Austin.  She has worked in healthcare for 34 years.  Her current role includes supervising staff, marketing and ongoing development of rehab services, fiscal planning, collaborating with other departments and team building.  She is a graduate of Washington University, St. Louis, with a master's and bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy.

Jill is currently involved in many community activities and volunteering in Austin.  She is also on the board of the Riverland Massage Program.   In the past, she has been a volunteer at Austin Public Schools and previously involved with the high school mentorship program.

Jill and her husband, Garry, live in Austin and have 3 grown children.

 Mortgage Expert | Wealth Advocate | Community Builder

 As a dedicated Ceritifed Mortgage Advisor and leader in Southeastern Minnesota, Kris Heichel, serves as the driving force behind a top mortgage team in the state for helping families purchase homes. Based in Austin, MN, and focusing on the Rochester and SE Minnesota areas, Kris is passionate about real estate as a wealth-building tool and is committed to empowering families through real estate ownership.

 In addition to guiding clients through the mortgage process,  Kris is also an advocate for financial literacy, believing it should be a core subject in secondary education.

 Active in the community, Kris serves on the Executive Board of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Port Authority, and supports young entrepreneurs through the Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities board.

Lyndsey has worked in Finance for 20 years and is currently the CFO at Accentra Credit Union.  She has a Bachelor in Accounting and recently graduated from CUNA Management School as a Certified Credit Union Executive.

Lyndsey also serves as the Treasurer of the Mower County Senior Center and the Vice President of the Music Boosters of Austin.

She lives in Austin with her husband Jason and their two daughters.

Andrea has worked in Austin Public Schools for over 20 years.  During that time she has worked as Social Studies teacher, assistant principal, Austin High School Principal, and now in the Office of Teaching and Learning coordinating gifted and talented programs, teacher mentorship, and 5-12 curriculum.  She has been a part of the Mower County CEO Board as a school representative since the start of the program in 2018. 

Born and raised in Austin, Dr. Page began as Superintendent of Austin Public Schools on July 1, 2021. Prior to the Austin superintendency, he was the superintendent of Byron Public Schools. Before Byron, he worked in the Richfield Public Schools at The Richfield S.T.E.M. School and was named the Minnesota Science and Mathematics Elementary and Middle-Level Principal of the Year.

Dr. Page also served as the President of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) from 2013-2015. MESPA is the professional association of Minnesota’s elementary and middle-level principals, with over 950 principal members that serve thousands of Minnesota students.
 
Dr. Page received his bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from Dakota State University, Madison, South Dakota. He began his teaching career in the Bloomington Public Schools as a fourth-grade teacher, followed by a multi-age teacher and media director. Dr. Page continued his education while teaching in the Bloomington Public Schools, earning a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Mankato State University and endorsements in library media science and school administration.
 
In 2003, Dr. Page moved to the Yellow Medicine East School District, where he served as principal in Granite Falls and Clarkfield, Minnesota. He was a principal in the Richfield Public Schools for thirteen years and earned a Doctorate of Education from St. Mary’s University-Twin Cities. In the spring of 2021, Dr. Page completed the AASA National Superintendent Certification Program with Distinction. 

Austin is my hometown, although I spent most of my adult years living in Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, and Indiana. I loved growing up here and chose to return home in 2019.

I'm fortunate to serve currently as the Executive Director of the Austin Area Foundation, the fiscal sponsor of the Mower County CEO Program.

Much of my professional career allowed me to establish my own businesses. After grad school, I spent 4 years as a stock broker before transitioning into the executive search profession, specializing in the recruitment of attorneys. Several years later, I had the opportunity to start a new business directing charity golf tournaments. While in the golf industry, I helped clients raise nearly $3 million for their organizations. In addition, I have served on the boards of multiple nonprofits and professional organizations.