At their July Board of Directors meeting, the LSC Foundation Board elected new officers for the upcoming fiscal year. Terese Tomanek, Chaplain at Essentia Health and newly appointed Duluth City Councilor, will serve as Board Chair this upcoming year. Terese has served on the LSC Foundation Board for nine years and has been an instrumental leader in the organization. She replaces Tom Renier, retired President of the Northland Foundation, who served as Board Chair in fiscal year 2020 and now will serve as past chair. Carl Crawford, Human Rights Officer for the City of Duluth and former Intercultural Center Coordinator at Lake Superior College, has been elected to serve as the Vice Chair and Chair-Elect. Carl has served on the LSC Foundation Board since 2018. Andy Reierson, COO of Flint Group in Duluth, was re-elected as Treasurer. He has served on the Board since 2012. Kelsey Johnson, President of the Iron Mining Association, has been elected to serve as Secretary. Kelsey has served on the Board since 2019 and will replace Linda Basara, recently retired Director of Education at St. Luke’s, who concluded her third and final term on the LSC Foundation Board of Directors. Sandy Hoff, President of F.I. Salter Company, also concluded his third and final term on the LSC Foundation Board. He served as Chair in FYI 2019 and past Chair in FY 2020. The LSC Foundation has also announced the addition of a new board member Michael Watters, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Essentia Health. He has been elected to serve a three-year term.
 Andy Reierson |
 Kelsey Johnson |
 Carl Crawford |
 Michael Watters |
“We are thrilled to have Terese Tomanek serving as the LSC Foundation Board Chair this year,” said Daniel Fanning, Vice President of Advancement and External Affairs at Lake Superior College and Executive Director of the LSC Foundation. “She has served on our board for nine years and embodies the mission and values of this organization and our desire to help support student from all backgrounds. We have a very impressive Executive Committee, and very strong Board of Directors, and truly appreciate their volunteer service to our organization. We are very grateful for our two outgoing Board members, Sandy Hoff and Linda Basara. Both served on the Board for nine years and truly helped serve and support our students, our organization and our community.”
The 2020/2021 Board will look to build on the success from this past few years. Fiscal year 2019 was a record year for the Foundation both in terms of funds raised and funds distributed, including providing over $350,000 in direct support distributed to help support students at Lake Superior College. Fiscal year 2020 was on pace to be nearly as successful until COVID-19 halted most fundraising efforts in the spring of 2020. Still, the Foundation distributed nearly $300,000 in direct support to LSC students throughout the year through scholarships, grants and emergency loans. The LSC Foundation also serves as the fiscal host for the free summer camps for youth; LSC athletic programs, events and fundraisers; academic and student support programs and initiatives at Lake Superior College; as well as helps make the connection between community/industry partners and the college.
Like most organizations, the LSC Foundation is having to make adjustments to deal with the impacts of COVID-19. Staff and the Board of Directors recently made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 LSC Foundation Annual Dinner after attempting to reschedule the annual event from its original date in April to September. The LSC Foundation Annual Golf Outing, typically held in August, has also been cancelled this year. These two events, the annual dinner and golf outing, are the Foundation’s largest events and fundraisers. Those who are interested in helping support the Foundation are encouraged to donate online at www.lsc.edu/donate.
“We know the need is there now more than ever,” said Fanning. “We hear from our students who are trying to make it all work, balancing school, work and personal commitments while being dramatically impacted by economic hardship caused by COVID-19. Sometimes something like a $500 emergency grant or $1,000 scholarship is the difference of them staying in school or not. It’s unfortunate we won’t be able to gather in person this year for either the annual dinner or the golf event, but we hope those who are able and willing will still consider making a contribution to the LSC Foundation so we can continue to help serve and support students, who really are our community’s future workforce.”
The mission of the Lake Superior College Foundation is to support Lake Superior College by cultivating community relationships and philanthropic support that will advance educational opportunities for students, staff, and community. 100% of funds raised by the LSC Foundation benefit students at Lake Superior College. For more information on the Lake Superior College Foundation, please visit www.lsc.edu/foundation or contact staff at [email protected].
