Barbara is a longtime community volunteer.  She and husband Mike are 11 year residents of North Star Lofts. They share a long-standing interest and commitment to the Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhood, fulfilling their deep, personal commitment to enhance the neighborhood and remain engaged as the community grows.

Dick Olson enjoyed a 30 year career with IBM the last third of which was spent on assignments in Tokyo and Hong Kong. In 1994, he and his wife Martha established a marketing consulting company and spent most of that year in Vietnam assisting US companies in re-establishing on-shore businesses.
During the 1990’s their home base was in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL,  where he served on the board of the Sawgrass Association, Inc and for two years as its president. He is active in The Rotary Club near their lake home in west central Minnesota, and they participate in advocacy programs supporting health and wellness in aging.
No moss on them: the Olsons moved to the Cobalt Condos in the fall of 2008 ---- it was their 25th home in 50 years of marriage. Looking back, they believe that being personally involved in new venues is the first important step to building warm and supportive communities. Dick and Martha have three married children and six grandchildren.

Penny recently retired from Medtronic where she was Vice President, Medtronic Foundation and Community Affairs. An experienced nonprofit board member and attorney with more than 20 years in corporate philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, Penny brings her rich perspective to Mill City Commons, convinced that the value of the Riverfront neighborhood will be enriched and strengthened by an organization that supports lifelong community living.

Recruited from his faculty position at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Kin-Shing (Kin), led Medtronic’s Greater China Zone operations in Asia. He has also served as advisor to the American Red Cross in St. Paul and volunteered with Youth Emergency Service in Minneapolis. Today, Kin combines his passion for theater and public service as a volunteer with government elections and at the Guthrie Theater. He is convinced that Mill City Commons’ focus on community building is essential to improving and preserving quality of life and the vigor of the Riverfront neighborhood. Kin and his wife Dora enjoy their home at North Star Lofts.

Business leader Ken Searl has made a career of anticipating trends and reinventing his companies in advance of evolving marketplace requirements. A creative, visionary CEO who focuses on profitability, he adapts quickly to industry changes, growing his first business (Kennsco) from one office and $500K in sales to 16 locations nationwide with 200 employees and revenues in excess of $35M. Ken is accomplished at merging company cultures through collaboration between the core business and the newly acquired operations. Ken’s strength is his combination of entrepreneurial skills coupled with operational skills. “I’m an entrepreneurial person,” he says, “but I also enjoy running companies.” Ken and his wife Katie are both active in the community as leaders and volunteers. They have lived in the Mill District since 2009.

Leslie moved to Minneapolis and the Mill District in 2005 after teaching at numerous universities across the U.S. and Europe.Leslie’s interest in the design of products, buildings and programs for an aging population led her to serve on the board of Mill City Commons. In 2010, Leslie moved on to Vancouver to assume the role of Director of the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia. Despite being over 1400 miles away, she is a still a dedicated member of the MCC board and community.