OF NOTE

Brian Sikes

Cargill, a Wayzata-based global food and commodities company, announced that Rishi Varma has been named corporate senior vice president, chief legal and compliance officer, corporate secretary and general counsel, effective Jan. 29. Varma succeeds Anna Richo, who will transition to corporate senior vice president, strategic adviser to the general counsel and CEO, until her retirement in September 2024. Varma joins Cargill from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, where he served in similar corporate roles. The company also announced that Cargill President and CEO Brian Sikes has been elected chair of the board of directors, effective Jan. 1; he succeeds Dave MacLennan, who retired as executive chair of Cargill’s board at the end of 2023.

ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS

CLUTCH, a Minneapolis-based advertising and consultancy agency, announced it has been selected as the national marketing partner for the Concrete Masonry Checkoff Board. Checkoffs are a public/private funding mechanism to advance the interests of a specific industry; CLUTCH’s role will be to communicate the advantages of participating in the program to industry members.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Greater Mankato Growth, regional chamber of commerce and economic development organization, announced the appointment of John Kind as interim leader during a search for a permanent president and CEO; he succeeds Jessica Beyer, who left the organization at the end of last year. Greater Mankato Growth also includes Visit Mankato, City Center Partnership, and GreenSeam. … St. Paul Downtown Alliance announced the following additions to its board of directors: D’Angelos Svenkeson, NEOO Partners; Mark L. Henneman, Mairs & Power, and Subir Chatterjee, downtown resident.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Mahoney, a St. Paul-based accounting firm, announced Managing Partner Roz Allyson will retire in 2025; the firm also announced the appointment of Tom Johnson as chief executive officer and Kari Erickson as chief operating officer, transitioning to take on Allyson’s role with the firm. … Securian Financial, St. Paul, announced it has hired Darrin Hebert as senior vice president and chief information officer, succeeding Pete Berlute, who now leads Securian Financial’s Affinity Solutions Division. Hebert has executive experience with GE Capital and U.S. Bank.

HONORS

Ideal Credit Union, Woodbury, announced it has been recognized for marketing excellence by the Minnesota Credit Union Network for its “Ideal Life” commercial series. … St. Paul-based Ecolab, a provider of sanitary protection products and services to business and also runs several related subsidiaries, announced it has again earned a place on both the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index.

LAW

Zimmerman Reed, Minneapolis, announced that Managing Partner Carolyn Anderson will retire at the end of this year; the firm also announced that June Pineda Hoidal and Caleb Marker were voted in as managing partners. … Fredrikson, Minneapolis, announced attorney Anthony S. Mendoza has rejoined the firm as an officer in several of its legal groups. … Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, St. Paul, announced the following additions: Candace Miller Lopez, director of development; Melanie Majors, grants manager; Eli Kantt, legal secretary; Tonicia Ambrose, intake specialist, and attorneys Kalene Engel, Winona; Jonilynn Shogren, St. Paul; Evan Hoel, Rochester; Susan Nation, St. Paul, and Val Perkins, Rochester. … Cozen O’Connor, Minneapolis, announced that firm attorney Heather Marx was named by Minnesota Lawyer magazine as one of its Top Women In Law.

RETAIL

Custom golf club fitter Club Champion announced the opening of a fitting studio at 7060 Valley Creek Plaza, Suite 107, Woodbury.

SERVICES

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, an Eden Prairie-based global provider of third-party shipping logistics for business, announced the planned retirement of Chief Financial Officer Mike Zechmeister in May.

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