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John Stout Eric V. Gray John Stout John Stout is the co-founder and Chair of Milestone Growth Fund, Inc. He has been active on the organization's Board of Directors since Milestone's inception. Mr. Stout is also a partner at the law firm Fredrikson & Byron, where he practices in corporate and partnership organization, finance and governance. In his practice, he represents family-owned, closely-held, and publicly-owned businesses in financial, commercial, and e-commerce matters. He also advises executives and boards of directors on governance, risk assessment, legal compliance, and the legal implications of business strategies and decisions. Mr. Stout is also affiliated with a number of other professional activities including the advisory board of the National Association of Corporate Directors and is President of its Minnesota Chapter. He is co-founder and past chairman, secretary, and director of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association; the co-founder and past chairman and director of the Minnesota Film Board; member of the American Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association, and the Hennepin County Bar Association. Mr. Stout has received numerous awards, including the Leadership Award from Milestone Growth Fund, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Metropolitan Economic Development Association, the Distinguished Legal Service Award from the American Bar Association, the Minnesota Senate Citation for Leadership in Developing Minnesota's Motion Picture Industry, and the Carleton College Award for Distinguished Achievement. Mr. Stout graduated from the University of Michigan Law School with a J.D. and earned his Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College. He is admitted to practice law in Minnesota. Steven R. Ashley Steven Ashley is Vice Chair of Milestone's Board of Directors. Mr. Ashley recently retired from his position as a Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank and the Manager of the Leveraged Finance Division. He joined Wells Fargo in 1990 and has managed various leveraged lending and capital market activities at the Bank. Prior to joining Wells Fargo (fka Norwest), Mr. Ashley held a variety of management and credit positions with both First Bank Minneapolis and First Bank St. Paul. In addition to serving on Milestone's Board, Mr. Ashley is a member of the Finance Advisory Committee for School District #197 and Treasurer of the School District #197 Foundation. Mr. Ashley has an M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Ching-Meng Chew Ching-Meng Chew was elected to Milestone Growth Fund's Board of Directors in 2003. He has over 20 years in the finance industry. He currently serves as Treasurer of Ecolab. Prior to joining Ecolab, he was Assistant Treasurer at Medtronic where he headed a department handling cash management, investments, foreign exchange, debt, banking, and pension investments. Prior to joining Medtronic, Mr. Chew was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for SpectraScience, Inc., where he handled raising capital for the company. Other past positions include Treasurer at SCIMED Life Systems, Inc. (subsequently acquired by Boston Scientific Corp.) and Vice President of International Banking at Norwest Bank Minnesota (subsequently changed to Wells Fargo Bank). In addition to serving on Milestone's Board of Directors, Mr. Chew volunteers for the Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth, serves on the Board of the Minnesota Chinese Cultural Association, and is a youth soccer coach. Mr. Chew has also served on Medtronic Foundation's Education Committee, the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, and had been governor-appointed as a Board Member to the Minnesota Export Finance Authority. Mr. Chew received his M.B.A. in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.Richard A. Copeland Richard Copeland, a former recipient of financial backing by Milestone Growth Fund, now sits on the Milestone Board of Directors. He started Thor Construction in 1980 with a pick-up truck, a rake, a shovel, a broom and a borrowed wheelbarrow. Mr. Copeland has since developed these humble beginnings into two multi-million dollar corporations. The combined volume of his companies is over $22 million annually. Mr. Copeland has been a member of the National Association of Minority Contractors for 15 years. He has served as the local association president from 1990-1992 and again in 1999. He was recently elected to the national board of directors. Mr. Copeland has established himself as a business leader through his commitment to the community and continuing education. He maintains involvement in many civic groups, associations, boards and advisory panels. He has spearheaded the push for strong minority inclusion in the local and national business community. He has formed important alliances within the contracting community that have resulted in the overall growth of the minority business community. Eric V. Gray Milestone Growth Fund Director Director, Cash Management, Xcel Energy Inc. Eric Gray is Director, Cash Management of Xcel Energy Inc. Mr. Gray began his career with Northern States Power Company as Payroll Administrator in 1992. He was promoted to the treasury area as Manager of Cash & Banking in 1994. Mr. Gray continued in treasury and subsequent to the merger between New Century Energies, Inc. and Northern States Power Company in 2000, ascended to his current position at Xcel Energy Inc. - the newly combined company. Mr. Gray began his career with Cargill, Inc., serving in a variety of accounting functions. Mr. Gray graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN with a BA degree in accounting and his MBA in finance from the University of St. Thomas. Mr. Gray holds the CPA designation and is currently working towards completing requirements for the Chartered Financial Analysis program. Thomas Mahowald, CFA Thomas Mahowald is the Vice President & Portfolio Manager at Great Northern Capital in St. Paul, MN. Mr. Mahowald brings over 20 years of financial industry experience in equity research and analysis to the Milestone Board. Prior to joining Great Northern Capital, Mr. Mahowald directed mid- and large-cap equity research for FAF Advisors, a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp. He has also held positions at American Express Financial Advisors, Northern Trust Corporation, and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation; is a member of the CFA Institute and the Twin Cities Society of Security Analysts. Mr. Mahowald received a B.S. in business administration from St. John's University and an M.S. in finance analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Edwin S. Shirley III Ed Shirley is a managing director of Fairview. Ed joined Fairview in June of 1998. From 1987 until joining Fairview in 1998, Ed was a principal in several private investment firms where he was responsible for the design and placement of private debt and equity securities for small and middle-market companies. Ed began his investment career at Equitable Capital Management Corporation, the investment subsidiary of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. While at Equitable, he successfully invested in private debt and equity securities across a broad range of industries including broadcasting, telecommunications, airline transportation, insurance and general manufacturing. Ed holds a B.A. from Hampton University and a Master of Public Affairs degree from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University. Anton Vincent Anton Vincent is Vice Chair of the Milestone Board of Directors. Mr. Vincent is a Vice President of Marketing at General Mills, Inc. There he manages a five brand business unit that includes brand names like Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn, Chex Mix Snack Mix and Bugles Corn Snacks. Mr. Vincent also maintains marketing responsibility for the division's Strategic Growth Channels (Wal Mart, Drug, Dollar and Discount) and new product development. Prior to returning to General Mills in late 2000, he served as the Managing Principal for Delta Bluff, LLC, a restaurant operating company (Applebee's franchisee) he help found. Before joining General Mills, Mr. Vincent worked for MCI Telecommunications and Fidelity Investments. In addition to serving on the Milestone Board, he is the Vice-Chairman of the board of the General Mills Federal Credit Union and serves on the Indiana University Center for Brand Leadership's Advisory Committee. |
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