There are five candidates running for four seats on the DMNA Board at the Annual Meeting on Tuesday. The top three vote getters will receive three-year terms, and the remaining will serve a one-year term. You must live, work or own property in the Downtown East or Downtown West neighborhoods to vote in the elections.
Thomas Flippen – Tom is highly regarded for leading sales organizations to record levels of growth. He has broad experience and expertise in building, motivating, and mentoring high functioning teams. Tom is an executive coach and consultant, specializing in active career management coaching. He is certified in EQi 2.0, EQ 360, and various coaching assessments, and is an active participant in the College of Executive Coaching.
At Wyeth/Pfizer, Tom’s most recent position was Vice President, Office-Based East Sales, he led a team of 1,400 people and generated over $2 billion dollars in revenue. In his prior position at Wyeth, he was Vice President, Sales, Vaccines, leading his team to achieve the fourth fastest ever pharmaceutical product to achieve $1 billion in sales.
Following a stellar career at Wyeth/Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Tom was the Executive Vice President of Business Development at Merryck & Co., a consulting firm helping business leaders build successful businesses and lead fulfilling lives. He has also collaborated with CANDOR and Clearstone Consulting by developing business leaders and assisting corporations to create effective sales and management strategies.
Tom received his BS in Management from Fisk University in Nashville, and has completed numerous high level executive education courses. He also has gained outside experience by holding NFP Board positions at the Urban League of Philadelphia, as the former Chair for ACHIEVEability, and being active as a member of various Diversity Council’s and as a member of the faculty of a corporate Executive Leadership Program. Tom is currently a Board member of the Monitor’s Foundation. Tom and his wife Candace have lived in Minneapolis since 2014.
Kevin Frazell – Kevin was first elected to the DMNA Board of Directors in 2015. He and his wife, Terri, have lived at the Zenith since 2010. They love living downtown and will be staying put for a long time! During his first term Kevin chaired the DMNA Land Use Committee.
Kevin has worked in professional city management for 40 years. He is currently Director of Member Services at the League of Minnesota Cities, where he oversees education, advice and support for city elected officials and staff from across the state. He holds Master’s and Doctoral degrees in public administration. One of his current areas of focus and passion is supporting cities in developing strategies to address racial equity.
Kevin is strongly committed to the idea that government and all civic institutions, including neighborhood associations, really belong to the citizens they are supposed to serve. He loves hearing a diversity of opinions, finding common ground, and helping people make their communities great places to live. He would like to continue serving on the DMNA Board of Directors, working on improvements to the land use review process, setting budget priorities, and a more energized citizen engagement strategy.
Pam McCrea – Pam has served on the DMNA Board since October of 2015. She was born and raised in Minnesota and spent a large part of her life either working or living in Minneapolis. She has three pretty awesome, grown children who are not only smart but have a wonderful social commitment to society.
Most of her career was in the not for profit world, working with individuals to enhance their lives. (Homeless woman with children, homeless youth, individuals with developmental disabilities, disabled veterans, seniors and families)
- Chief Operating Officer Mains’l Services, Inc. 10 years
- Chief Executive Officer Good Shepherd Communities 8 years
- Chief Operating Officer Lutheran Social Services on MN 4 years
- Executive Director YWCA of St. Paul 9 years
Community service has always been important to her. Listed below are some other groups that Pam has been involved with:
- Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce- CEO TEC
- Institute of Black Chemical Abuse (IBCA) Board Member
- United Way Council of Agency Executives- Member
- City of Eagan – City Council Member
- Middle Management Association- Board Member
Pam also serves as a member of the DMNA Land Use Committee.
Travis Nordgaard – Travis was appointed to the DMNA Board during a special election at the June 20, 2016, board meeting. Travis moved to Minneapolis after graduating from Carleton College in 2013 and has been living and working in the Downtown West neighborhood ever since. He began his career as an analyst on the capital markets desk of the investment bank Piper Jaffray and now works in the field of real estate development at Lennar Multifamily Communities. Travis is passionate about improving the built environment in Minnesota’s most dynamic urban core and hopes to engage with the neighborhood (particularly Millennials) to foster greater participation in our downtown community.
Joe Tamburino – My wife and I moved to downtown Minneapolis in 2014 and we immediately became involved with the DMNA. I was elected to the board in 2015 and was elected Chair in 2016. I have organized and led a number of well attended public forums including: two forums on the tailgating borders for Viking games, two forums on the development of the city owned lot on 205 Park Ave., a forum on downtown crime, and a candidate forum for Ward 3. I have also represented the DMNA on the Hennepin Ave. Transportation Committee, the Hennepin Ave. Public Safety Committee, and the Hennepin Ave. Stakeholders Committee (concerning the redesign of Hennepin Ave.) I have helped the DMNA become involved with the North Loop Neighborhood Association for Washington Ave. clean up days. I love helping our neighborhood and serving as a member and Chair of the DMNA Board and I hope you elect me for another term.