Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is governed by its board of trustees.
The board has fiduciary responsibility for the governance of the university.
Operationally, the board relies on a strong committee structure to oversee the important functions for which it is responsible. The president is the chief executive officer of the university and is also a trustee. The role of a trustee is not ceremonial. It involves serious work and a significant time commitment. The board meets three times a year for two days, on either the Winona or Twin Cities campus. Committees meet in conjunction with regular board meetings. The trustees are a highly accomplished, dedicated, and enthusiastic group of people who share a commitment to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Officers of the Board
BOARD CHAIR
Terry K. Russell B’76
Bonita Springs, Fla.
Retired, Executive Vice President
Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC
VICE CHAIR
Michael Laak B’77, J.D.
Maple Grove, Minn.
Senior Legal Counsel
Medtronic, Inc.
PRESIDENT
Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.
Winona, Minn.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
SECRETARY
Sandra (Kaiser) Simon CST’72
Jupiter, Fla.
Retired President, KJ Investments
TREASURER
Gregory Stevens B’74
Saint Paul, Minn.
Retired, Senior Vice President – Wealth Management
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
Board Members
Most Rev. Robert Barron, S.T.D
Winona, MN
Bishop, Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Jennifer Baryl B’86
Chicago, Ill.
Vice President of Development
Kohl Children’s Museum
Matthew Bilski B’07
New Brighton, Minn.
Lead Chemist
Ecolab
Brother Robert Bimonte, FSC
Bronx, N.Y.
Robert Cerone B’75
Wilmette, Ill.
Founder and CEO
Cognos HR, LLC
Jerome Colletti B’69
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Retired, Managing Partner
Colletti-Fiss, LLC
Brother Jack Curran, FSC, Ph.D.
Bronx, N.Y.
Vice President for Mission
Brother Michael Fehrenbach, FSC
Burr Ridge, Ill.
Visitor of the Midwest District
Brothers of the Christian Schools
Raffi Festekjian
Winchester, Mass.
Executive Chairman- Managing Partner
NuArca, LLC
Bobbie (Smith) Gostout ’83, M.D.
Rochester, Minn.
Retired, President
Mayo Clinic Health System
Roger S. Haydock B’67, J.D.
Spearfish, S.D.
Professor of Law
Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Mark Jacobs
Winona, Minn.
Chief Executive Officer
The Watkins Co.
Brother Thomas Johnson, FSC
Romeoville, Ill.
Julie Kaiser B’84, DPT
Sheboygan, Wis
Sarah (Marek) Landman B’04, M’07
Naples, Fla.
Executive Vice President
Insightful
Brother Michael J. McGinniss, FSC, Ph.D.
Philadelphia, Pa.
President Emeritus and Professor of Religion
La Salle University
Shaun Powers
Chicago, IL
Retired President, Airgas, Inc.
Brother Michael O’Hern, FSC
Lake Forest, Ill.
President Emeritus
Christian Brothers Investment Services
Angela Steger B’76
Wilmette, Ill.
Retired, Financial Representative
Rabjohns Financial Group
Ann (O’Connor) Trauscht B’77, M.D.
Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Retired, Physician
Advocate Occupational Health
Marcy Van Fossen, Ph.D.
Winona, Minn.
Trustees Emeriti
Michael Gostomski B’62
Winona, Minn.
Michael Dooley B’66
Chesterfield, Mo.
John Ehlert B’67
Sarasota, Fla.
Thomas F. Meagher B’53
Burr Ridge, Ill.
Paul J. Meyer B’64
Phoenix, Ariz.
Mary Ann Remick, CST’64
Rochester, Minn.
Joseph Ross B’67
Bonita Springs, Fla.
Loras “Red” Sieve B’60
Edina, Minn.
David Thies B’59
Edina, Minn.
Bernie Wagnild
Lakeville, Minn.