Business Partner Feature - MASA

Business Partner Level: Leader
Industry: Municipal Advisory Firm
Why do you partner with MASA? We are empathetic to the challenges our clients face and love contributing toward improvements in educational opportunities for students throughout the State of Minnesota.

MASA Member Contact:
Jodie Zesbaugh
Senior Municipal Advisor
jzesbaugh@ehlers-inc.com | 651-697-8526
www.ehlers-inc.com

Business Partner Level: Friend
Industry: EdTech
Why do you partner with MASA? K12 Insight partners with MASA in support of its mission to meet the needs of members and provide districts the resources and tools necessary to grow and thrive. St. Paul Public Schools uses K12 Insight’s customer service and intelligence platform, Let's Talk, to foster a culture of community engagement, accessible information, and data-driven decision-making. Hear Dr. Joe Gothard, as Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools, share his powerful insights on how Saint Paul uses Let’s Talk to streamline processes, boost efficiency, and deliver superior customer service within their district. Watch the video here.

Considering implementing generative AI tools like Let’s Talk in your district? Register for your free 30-minute workshop.

MASA Member Contact:
Steve Ebinger
Regional Partnership Director
sebinger@k12insight.com
218-839-2116 | www.k12insight.com

Business Partner Level: Fellow
Industry: Business Industry:Insurance and Financial Services
Life changing success story from Molly C., Minnesota educator:
"After being told [by the Department of Education] that my loan payments didn’t count toward forgiveness because they were with the wrong loan provider, I felt defeated. With the changes to the PSLF program, I received a letter saying I have reached my qualified 120 loan payments, and I’ve had $87,000 in debt forgiven. It’s a huge weight lifted, a noticeable release of tension."

MASA Member Contact:
Keith Jorgensen, Educator Programs & Partnerships Consultant
association.relations@horacemann.com
402-290-3116 | www.horacemann.com

Business Partner Level: Leader
Industry: Public Finance
Why do you partner with MASA? Baird is a Global Firm Headquartered in Wisconsin with a Proven Commitment to Public Finance. Baird was founded and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin over 100 years ago. Baird has grown into a super-regional, employee-owned full-service financial firm with more than 4,500 associates in 200+ offices across three continents. An Employee-owned, independent and privately held corporation, we were formed through the merger of two fixed income bond desks whose early clients include local governments across the State. We operate five core businesses including fixed income capital markets (public finance and sales and trading), equity capital markets, asset management and Baird Funds, Baird Capital and Private Wealth Management. 

MASA Member Contact:
Michael Hoheisel, Managing Director
mhoheisel@rwbaird.com
651-426-8533 | www.rwbaird.com/mnschools

Business Partner Level: Leader
Industry: Leadership Development & Business Consulting
Why do you partner with MASA? The FranklinCovey Ed team is eager to show our dedication and support to MASA members given our new focus and financial grants available to the MN market. Our goal is to increase impact in Minnesota by solving your greatest challenges. Districts are seeing results in diverse areas including; 7 Habits for Staff, Trust, Executive Coaching, MTSS alignment, Prek-12 Life Skills curriculum, Staff PD, Board & Supt relations, Family Engagement, and Extended learning. Leaders appreciate our solutions helping to:

1. Decrease behavioral referrals
2. Retain staff and keep families happy
3. Increase attendance and engagement
4. Building a culture centered around student leadership
5. Giving time back to teachers!

We do this through research-based application that is sustainable and get specific measurable ROI back to your district.

​MASA Member Contact:
Jennifer Huber
MN Director, Education K-12
jennifer.huber@franklincovey.com
612-751-3007 | www.leaderinme.org

Business Partner Level: Friend
Industry: Education and Organization Consultant
Why do you partner with MASA? We partner with MASA and Minnesota schools serving as a premier partner developing education leaders and systems that improve the lives of students, families, staff and communities.

Success Story: "The role of superintendent can often be a lonely one. While we can talk to each other about our challenges, being able to work with a knowledgeable and experienced executive coach allowed me to focus specifically on my needs, to grow personally and professionally and to have those confidential conversations with an amazing thought partner. Having a coach that listens well, asks insightful questions and brings a wealth of experience combined with tremendous tools and processes, has been invaluable. I would highly recommend executive coaching to all leaders and the team at TeamWorks is second to none." - Cory McIntyre, Superintendent, Anoka-Hennepin Schools

MASA Member Contact:
Dr. Ray Queener
Owner & Principal Consultant
ray@teamworks4ed.com
651-336-4015 | www.teamworks4ed.com

Business Partner Level: Friend
Industry: Executive Coaching and Training
Why do you partner with MASA? I partner with MASA to increase the success and wins of Minnesota School District leaders. When I last presented to MASA Region 6 Superintendents and District leaders, they commented that it was the best, most applicable, leadership training that they had in the last six years.
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MASA Member Contact:
Dr. Dave Webb
Executive Coach and Trainer
drdavewebb@homerunleadership.com
651-226-6318 | www.homerunleadership.com

​Business Partner Level: Friend
Industry: Student Transportation
Tell us about your business: Palmer Bus Service has been serving communities by safely transporting students throughout the state of MN since 1974. We do this important work with our core values of Safety, Integrity, Dignity, Help and Community. We free up schools to educate students while we take care of transporting them.

"I was attending the Spring MASA Conference in 2020 when our session was interrupted by the announcement that we were shutting down schools in MN temporarily due to COVID. I was sitting next to Bill Strom, Superintendent of Mt. Lake Schools, and we looked at each other and asked each other simultaneously, 'What are you going to do now?' It was the beginning of many conversations with superintendents across the state with a focus on how WE might work together in the best interest of our students. That moment in time, in a room full of school leaders, the responsibility shared by all was to do our best for Minnesota kids."

MASA Member Contact:
Jenna Fromm
CEO & Co-owner
jennaf@palmerbusservice.com
​612-384-2302 | www.palmerbusservice.com

Business Partner Level: Friend
Industry: K-12 Operations Consulting, Management & Staffing
Tell us about your business: We believe in the power of an equitable learning journey for every student. By focusing on K-12 operations, we help keep schools running smoothly so leaders can focus on what matters most. Several of our success stories are featured on our website's Impact page.

MASA Member Contact:
Bob McDowell
Senior Vice President, Leadership & Organizational Health
bob.mcdowell@theceso.com
612-221-8869 | www.theceso.com

Business Partner Level: Friend
Industry: Education Nonprofit
Tell us about your business: A partnership with World Savvy is a multi-year collaborative journey combining engaging resources and dynamic professional learning with the power of 1:1 coaching to embed global competence into teaching, learning, and school culture. World Savvy is a national organization, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. We have an ambitious goal of engaging a network of 10,000 K-12 schools in diverse geographies across the U.S., impacting nearly 5 million students. Locally we are working in small charter schools and within large districts, including Minneapolis, St. Anthony New Brighton, and Prior Lake Savage. Nationally we are working in districts in CA, CO, NC, and NY.

MASA Member Contact:
Adriana Matzke
Director of K-12 School Outreach and Engagement
adriana@worldsavvy.org
612-599-7362 | www.worldsavvy.org

Business Partner Level: Fellow
Industry: Educational Services
Tell us about your business: PartnerED is honored to align with MASA as both organizations share similar visions and missions. PartnerED shares MASA's vision of empowering leaders at all levels and our work reflects this vision. Our approach to professional development matches MASA's vision of continual improvement. Simply put, the services offered by MASA and PartnerED support leaders who support students. PartnerED recently worked on the Strategic Plan for Brainerd Public Schools as well as led their board through a series of learning sessions meant to guide the group on how to function cohesively for the betterment of student achievement. We pride ourselves on being nimble, and it was this ability to adapt to their unique needs that led to successful completion of the plan and leadership development at the board table that will carry them throughout their term.

MASA Member Contact:
Denise Pontrelli
Founder and CEO
denisep@partneredconsultants.com
651-247-3906 | partneredconsultants.com

Business Partner Level: Premier
Industry: Accounting and advisory services
Tell us about your business: Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors helps school districts with comprehensive financial solutions including financial management, budgeting, bond issuance and capital planning needs. Our professionals are passionate about helping K-12 leadership prepare now for tomorrow. Many of our advisors are former school district leaders who understand the real-world implications and implementation requirements of the recommendations we provide. Baker Tilly is ready to be your Value Architect™.

MASA Member Contact:
Ryan Fetters
Director
ryan.fetters@bakertilly.com
651-223-3005 | www.bakertilly.com/specialties/municipal-advisory

Business Partner Level: Friend
Industry: Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Commissioning
Tell us about your business: Established in 1979, Hallberg Engineering, Inc. (HEI) is a consulting engineering firm specializing in mechanical, electrical, and technology systems design, commissioning, and building analysis. HEI is a Small and Minority-Owned Business (S/MBE).

MASA Member Contact:
Rick Lucio, PE, LEED® AP and Paul Fettinger, PE, LEED® AP
Owners
hei@hallbergengineering.com
651-748-1100 | www.hallbergengineering.com

Business Partner Level: Executive
Industry: Financial Services
Tell us about your business: The Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Fund Plus (MSDLAF+ or the Fund) is a Local Government Investment Pool (LGIP) designed to help Minnesota school entities. MSDLAF+ was established in 1984 to allow Minnesota school districts to pool investment funds to seek the highest possible investment yield while maintaining liquidity and safety of principal.

MSDLAF+ is proud to partner with MASA and Minnesota school districts. MSDLAF+ has been serving the cash management and investment needs of Minnesota school districts since 1984.

MASA Member Contact:
Brian Johnson
Director
johnsonb@pfmam.com
612-900-5542 | www.msdlaf.org

Business Partner Level: Leader
Industry: Communications
Tell us about your business: Captivate Media + Consulting is based in Minnesota and has worked with 300+ school districts and education organizations to craft high-impact professional video, animation and graphic design that communicates complex messages with clarity, purpose and intent. From referendums campaigns to attracting more students and staff, Captivate partners with districts on a variety of communication needs. Company founder Jake Sturgis worked for 12+ years for two metro school districts before starting Captivate in 2014 and knows the issues facing educators.

MASA Member Contact:
Jake Sturgis
CEO/Founder
jake@captivatemedia.us
612-314-3314 | www.captivatemedia.us

Business Partner Level: Friend
Industry: Floor Coverings/Carpet and Resilient Flooring
Tell us about your business: Since 1947 Hiller Commercial Floors has provided floor covering solutions for schools throughout MN. As the holder of two public purchase contracts (State of MN and Service COOP) we can provide the best quality products at discounted prices with extended warranties. All our quotes are based on on-site reviews and we can provide expert installation also.

MASA is made up of the ultimate decision makers for school settings regarding their flooring needs. We have met many long term customers through MASA. Many of which bring us along when they move to different districts. We are proud to support this great organization.

MASA Member Contact:
Dave Bahr
Vice President
dbahr@hillercarpet.com
507-354-6858 | www.hillerfloors.com