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Three local business leaders join DAI Board
Three local businessmen were elected to three-year terms on the DAI’s board of directors this January during the Annual Membership meeting. All three are active volunteers in the Knight Foundation’s Creative Communities Initiative (KCCI) in the Twin Ports supported by the Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation. KCCI is designed to motivate economic development in the Twin Ports.
Pat Heffernan is a managing partner with Wheeler Associates, a financial planning and employee benefits company in Duluth. His KCCI project, Pathways, hopes to capitalize on the many unique urban and natural territorial assets of our area by creating greater connectivity and accessibility to these places via non-motorized transportation routes. Pat is also involved in the Leadership Council of the Chamber of Commerce Duluth Young Professionals. A native of Duluth, Pat describes himself as a “boomarang” to our community, having moved away for 15 years, returning in 2006. He and his wife are parents of twin boys.
“I hope to provide new ideas and a fresh perspective to the board. I hear from many people in my age group that there aren’t enough arts in Duluth; I hope this gives me the opportunity to expand peoples’ awareness of what is going on in the arts in our community,” says Heffernan.
John Heino, CEO of Como Oil & Propane, specializes in management, communications, marketing, and public/governmental relations. He is Treasurer and Vice Chair, Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Board, a member of APEX (Area Partnership for Economic Expansion) Board, a member of Iron Mining Association Public Affairs Committee and V.P. St. Michael’s School. John has served as co-chair of the KCCI initiative titled: Art Works! The group successfully held an “activating a creative economy” conference in March with the goal to improve regional prosperity through inspiring innovative collaborations between arts and business.
Special talents and abilities John offers the DAI as a board member are: Training and work experience in collaborative leadership models (Blandin Community Leadership Program, KCCI, Humphrey Institute) and strategic planning consulting experience. He is an avid digital photographer -- a lifelong extension of his undergraduate art studies -- a musician and a songwriter.
John says, “I hope to be part of the DAI's efforts to promote the arts. In my work as co-chair of KCCI Art Works, I've come to believe that Duluth has great potential as a regional arts hub. If artists, arts-related organizations and business can work with interested arts supporters and people who care about economic development, I believe we can achieve much by building on our area's creative assets through strategic coordination and joint marketing.”
Jon Heyesen works in sales, marketing, operations, and business development for Compudyne, a computer systems, networking and service company. He is a member of Duluth Young Professionals, is on the board of Positive Energy (outdoor adventures), is Finance Chair for Art Works (KCCI), and served as co-chair for the arts committee on the Don Ness Transition Team.
As a board member Jon’s education and experience offers creative, out-of-the-box development skills to the organization. Over the last two years he has honed these skills by helping to double the size of Compudyne. A lifelong Duluth resident, Jon self –describes as a “music junky, avid skier, snowboarder, cyclist and runner.” He hopes to present new perspectives and ideas to the Duluth Art Institute, while giving support to the staff.
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