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Leadership

Leadership team

Ben Leonard

Senior Vice President of Historic Sites Network & Operations

As the Senior Vice President of Historic Sites Network & Operations, Ben Leonard plays a critical role in carrying out the Minnesota Historical Society’s strategic mission and vision at 33 properties across the state. 

Ben has a long history with MNHS; he began his career as a program associate, delivering educational programs for Mill City Museum and classrooms around Minnesota. He then spent nine years as the executive director of the Nicollet County Historical Society.

Ben returned to MNHS in 2013, when he was named director of greater Minnesota sites. He’s held multiple roles since that time, including a one-year special assignment as the senior coordinator for the Historic Fort Snelling Revitalization Project. Ben holds a B.A. in History from the University of Minnesota-Morris and an M.A. in History from Arizona State University.

Governing board

Officers

  • Peter M. Reyes, Jr., President
  • Thomas M. Forsythe, Vice President, Treasurer
  • David R. Hakensen, Immediate Past President
  • Kent Whitworth, Secretary

Executive council

  • Ford W. Bell
  • Jesse Bethke Gomez
  • Linda Brekke Mona
  • M. Mitchell Davis
  • Elizabeth Driscoll Hlavka
  • Joanell M. Dyrstad
  • Richard E. Engebretson
  • Carolyn M. Essig
  • Stephanie L. Fehr
  • Thomas M. Forsythe
  • David R. Hakensen
  • Dustin B. Heckman
  • Bridget A. Larson-Lindner
  • Jennifer J. Murray

  • Richard C. Nash
  • Krista E. O’Malley
  • John Pacheco Jr.
  • Peter M. Reyes Jr.
  • Sharon Sayles Belton
  • Daniel J. Schmechel
  • Diana L. Schutter
  • Daniel W. Shogren
  • Roger J. Sit
  • Anton S. Treuer
  • John R. Tunheim
  • Noelle P. Turner
  • Kyle R. Ward
  • Gwen N. Westerman
  • Kent Whitworth (Nonvoting, Director & CEO)

 

Ex Officio

  • Tim Walz, Governor
  • Julie Blaha, State Auditor
  • Keith Ellison, Attorney General

  • Steve Simon, Secretary of State
  • Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor

Emeritus council

  • Nina M. Archabal+
  • Charles W. Arnason+
  • Annette Atkins+
  • Sharon Avent+
  • Bruce W. Bean+
  • Gretchen U. Beito+
  • Diane Berthel
  • Kathleen Blatz
  • Suzanne Blue
  • Robert Bruininks
  • Barbara E. Burwell
  • Judith S. Corson
  • Grant W. Davis
  • Mark Davis+
  • Michael J. Davis
  • Charlton Dietz+
  • D. Stephen Elliott
  • Michael B. Farnell

  • Harold A. Frederick
  • Ram Gada+
  • Phyllis Rawls Goff+
  • William Green
  • James T. Hale
  • MayKao Y. Hang
  • Stanley S. Hubbard
  • Karen A. Humphrey+
  • Ruth S. Huss
  • Lucy R. Jones+
  • Sylvia Kaplan+ 
  • Dennis L. Lamkin
  • Jean M. Larson
  • Monica Little
  • Elizabeth S. MacMillan+
  • Charles Mahar
  • Susan B. McCarthy
  • William C. Melton+

  • Joseph S. Micallef+
  • Dean M. Nelson
  • Richard H. Nicholson
  • Elizabeth M. Nordlie
  • Peter R. Reis
  • Mark Ritchie
  • Kennon V. Rothchild+
  • Susan Kenny Stevens
  • William R. Stoeri+
  • Edward C. Stringer
  • Bo Thao-Urabe
  • Karen Wilson Thissen
  • Missy Staples Thompson
  • Kathy H. Tunheim
  • Benjamin Vander Kooi
  • Eleanor C. Winston
  • Warren J. Zaccaro

Honorary council

  • Lowell C. Anderson
  • Marvin R. Anderson
  • Nina M. Archabal+
  • Charles W. Arnason+
  • Annette Atkins+
  • Sharon Avent+
  • Bruce W. Bean+
  • Gretchen U. Beito+
  • Ford W. Bell
  • S. K. Dash
  • Mark Davis+
  • Charlton Dietz+
  • Elizabeth S. Driscoll
  • Dennis Dvorak
  • Richard L. Ferrell
  • Michael J. Fox

  • Ram Gada+
  • Phyllis Rawls Goff+
  • Karen A. Humphrey+
  • John Huss
  • Ruth Huss+
  • Lucy R. Jones+
  • Sylvia Kaplan+
  • Colles Larkin
  • Robert C. Mack
  • Elizabeth S. MacMillan+
  • Terry McGibbon
  • Peg Meier
  • William C. Melton+
  • Joseph S. Micallef+
  • Richard Moe
  • Stephen Nelson
  • Larry G. Osnes
  • Donald G. Patton
  • Fred Perez
  • Mark Peterson
  • Kennon V. Rothchild+
  • Ramedo J. Saucedo
  • Jeff Savage
  • Barbara W. Sommer
  • William R. Stoeri+
  • Gerald Vizenor
  • Vernell Wabasha
  • Jeanette E. Warner
  • Annette M. Whaley
  • Mary Lethert Wingerd

    + Emeritus and Honorary
    Council Member