Amanda Bertrand the former Montevideo Fiesta Days Queen, is the Minneapolis Aquatennial 2012 Queen of the Lakes.  She is currently a junior at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, pursuing majors in journalism and French, with a minor in art. 

In high school, Manda was involved in tennis, track, and dance.  She was also a class
officer and a member of the National Honor Society.  At Concordia she has been involved
in track & field and competitive dance teams, multiple choirs, residence life, written
for Concordia's newspaper, and volunteered with the Children's Miracle Network. 

Manda aspires to graduate with Honors and has been on the Dean's List each semester.
When she has free time, Manda enjoys rollerblading around the Fargo/Moorhead area and watching documentaries on the Discovery Channel.

Cayla Yund the former Cambridge Ambassador, is the Minneapolis Aquatennial 2012 Princess.  She is a freshman at Northwestern College in St. Paul, pursuing a double major in public relations and intercultural studies.

She is currently involved in Writing in the Sand, which is a ministry that works with women who live in a transitional home after living through sex-trafficking.

Cayla graduated high school with honors, and was actively involved in the Model United Nations Debate Team, student council, and varsity tennis, as well as a being a dancer and dance instructor for “Just For Kix.” 

Cayla feels a strong connection to non-profit organizations and someday hopes to work
for one in the public relations field.











Stephani Reding the former Miss Maple Grove, is the Minneapolis Aquatennial 2012 Princess.  She will be returning to Winona State University for her senior year to complete her degree in mass communications, public relations and marketing.

While studying at WSU, she served as a Resident Assistant during her sophomore and junior years, and will hold the position of Assistant Hall Director this year.  Stephani is
involved in various campus clubs including volunteer organization Circle K International,
National Residence Hall Honorary which recognizes student leaders, and Intervarsity
Christian Fellowship.  In high school she was involved in track, cross country skiing,
Spirit Council, and Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD).

Stephani also has a heart for volunteerism. Through her sponsorship of a 13-year-old girl in Honduras, Stephani is humbled to be a part of something that supports and mentors underprivileged children.  Most important to Stephani is her family who keeps her grounded and her life balanced through laughter and unconditional love.
 

Ted Zwieg is the 2011 President of the Aquatennial Ambassador Organization. Ted has
been employed at Brookfield for the last 25 years in the downtown Minneapolis area. Currently serving as the Vice President of Midwest Operations and General Manager, he
has held many positions within the organization, each with increasing responsibilities.
His responsibilities include the strategic decisions and daily oversight of 5 properties
totaling three million square feet of combined Class A office and upscale retail space.

Ted is also very involved in several committees and organizations in Minnesota. His
professional organizations include NAIOP, MSCA, Downtown Council of Minneapolis, and
the BOMA Minneapolis Board of Directors. Additionally, in representing BOMA, he serves
on the Executive Committee of the Governor’s Council on Fire Prevention and Control for
the State of Minnesota.  He is co-chair of the Downtown Emergency Advisory Committee,
as well as a board member and Finance Committee Chair at Great River Greening.  His
many years as a volunteer at the St. Paul Winter Carnival (including his post as King
Boreas in 1994) and with the Minneapolis Aquatennial as a board member 1995 – 1997,
and the 2006 Aquatennial Commodore, have prepared him well for the position of
Aquatennial President.

Ted is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal
Justice and Sociology, and has enhanced his real estate skill sets by obtaining  a
Minnesota Real Estate License and BOMI’s RPA and FMA designations.   He also serves as
a member of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association Board.
Ted and his wife Kathy of 28 years live in Lino Lakes.

Bill Hogan is the 2011 Commodore for the Minneapolis Aquatennial
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Hogan Group
He has more than 33 years experience in line management experience that includes
positions of Operations Vice President, Chairman and CEO. His management career spans large Fortune 100 to entrepreneurial companies. He served as Chairman of Investment and Finance committees for several billion dollar companies and organizations.

His leadership experience includes these senior executive roles at organizations like Honeywell and Medtronic where he served as Operations Vice President on a worldwide basis for the company or business sectors at Honeywell and Medtronic and Chairman of a billion dollar organization.  Mr. Hogan was an investment banker for ten years. He has served as director or advisor on a number of Fortune 100 boards including Bayer, Medica, AM International and the American Express Trust Fund. He has served as director on numerous Education Boards including large universities and many non-profit boards.

Mr. Hogan’s education includes a Ph.D. in Engineering from Oklahoma State University, MS in Engineering from SMU and BS Electrical Engineering from Oklahoma State University.
 

Jennifer Brentano is the 2011 Captain of the Minneapolis Aquatennial.
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Brent LaSalle is the 2011 Captain of the Minneapolis Aquatennial.

Brent LaSalle is a long time resident of the Twin Cities.  A graduate of Macalester College and the University of Minnesota Law School, Brent practiced for three years with the firm of Kelly & Lemmons, PA, working with both the Real Estate group and the Employment/Labor Law group.  In 2007, Brent went to work for LaSalle Development Group, LLC and Tapestry Management, LLC.  Brent served as in-house counsel, as well as a regional property manager for Tapestry Management and as a developer with LaSalle Development Group.  He recently formed the law firm LaSalle Legal Services, PLLC. 

Brent has a long history of work with his community.  Brent worked for Southwest Community School, in Southwest Minneapolis, throughout high school and college, where he taught fishing class.  Brent continues to serve on the Southwest Community Education Advisory Board. He spent the last 14 years as a youth soccer coach, both with Minneapolis based clubs and with Minneapolis South High School.  He also serves as the vice-chairman of the National Youth Recovery Foundation; an organization dedicated to raising awareness of, and treatment for, alcoholism and drug addiction amongst middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college students

Peter King is the 2012 Minneapolis Aquatennial Senior Commodore.

Peter is proud to have worked with the instructional staff in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District for 38 years.  During that time span he served as a teacher, with the majority of time dedicated to the role of Elementary Principal.  He considers it a privilege to have had the opportunity to work with the students and families of those school communities.  
Peter and his brothers grew up on a farm and attended Rosemount High School.  In his teenage years he and his twin brother Richard were chosen from 74 sets of twins to be the first twin batboys for the Minnesota Twins in 1961.  Both brothers held that position for three years.
Peter was also a member of the United States Army Reserve 5501st Medical Hospital stationed at Fort Snelling, MN.  That experience fostered a deeper understanding of the true sacrifice made by service personnel who stepped forward to serve their country.  Peter has served in many capacities with the churches his family has attended.  He currently serves as an usher captain at Hosanna Lutheran Church located in Lakeville MN.
Peter is a graduate of Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education.  He also has a Master of Arts Degree and Specialist Degree in Education Administration from St. Thomas University, St. Paul, MN.  Peter resides in Credit River Township with his wife Susan of 41 years.  He relishes time with his wife, three married children and eight grandchildren.  He also enjoys bicycling, following the Twins, and retirement.

Jan Christianson is the 2012 Minneapolis Aquatennial Senior Queen.

Jan graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and  taught 3rd and 4th grades in Mason City, Iowa.  She also taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for 6 years.  After her marriage, she moved to New Orleans and then to Charlottesville, Virginia and Spruce Pine, North Carolina.  She moved back to Minneapolis and worked in the Office of the Registrar at the UofM for 17 years. Jan is an avid Gopher fan and has had season football tickets for 27 years and been a contributor to the Williams Fund at the UofM.
She is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and is part of the Funeral Ministry.  Jan tap dances with the Rhinestone Rockettes which performs at various venues throughout the Twin Cities, such as churches and assisted living facilities.  She also volunteers with the Goodwill Industries as a model for  their vintage fashion shows. The money generated benefits the Goodwill/Easter Seal scholarship programs.  She has sponsored a child through the Christian Childrens Fund for 12 years.  She is her neighborhood collection volunteer for the American Heart Association and is involved with the American Diabetes Association.
Jan's hobbies are gardening, reading, and knitting.  She knits prayer shawls for her church and mittens, caps, scarves, and slippers for the Edina Senior Center which are given to children throughout the Twin Cities every fall.

Lou Micheals is the 2012 Minneapolis Aquatennial Senior Vice Commodore.

Lou Michaels was born 13 pounds, 6 and one-half ounces and 21 inches long in the back of a taxi speeding to Women’s Hospital in Detroit, Michigan on November 27, 1943.   To this day, he always arrives at least 20 minutes early for everything.

He attended James Vernor Elementary School and went to Mumford High School for one year (a school made famous by Eddie Murphy in the movie Beverly Hills Cop).   He spent the next three years attending Henry Ford High School where Lou graduated on June 21, 1962.  After high school Lou attended McComb Community College in Detroit where he earned an AAS in photography.

In 1960, at the age of 16 and while still in high school, Lou started his 30-year career in radio working weekdays as a co-op student at Detroit Radio WXYZ and weekends at WCAR.  Lou worked at a series of radio stations, wrapping up his career at WLOV in Kansas City, Missouri in 1991.

Lou started his business “Lou the Photo Guy” after moving to Minnesota in 1991.   His photos, which concentrate on sports, political and special events, can be seen in newspapers, magazines, and on his website.

In 1996 at the Minnesota state convention of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lou was elected to a 2-year term as Grand Master.  From January 2010 to January 2011 he served as the Prime Minister of the Senior Royalty for the Saint Paul Winter Carnival.  On Grand Old Day in 2011 Lou played Waldo in a day-long game of “Where’s Waldo?” while taking pictures of the celebration for the Grand Avenue Business Association.

Lou is a current member of the National Press Photographer’s Association and the Minnesota Press Association.  He is also a member of the Elks, Moose, Lions, Eagles, Kiwanis and Rotarians.

Lou Michaels makes his home in Saint Paul, Minnesota where he enjoys spending time with his granddaughter Alie and grandson Averie.

Cheri Blood is the 2012 Minneapolis Aquatennial Senior Princess.

Cheri is a true Minnesota gal, born in Minneapolis and raised in Richfield and Minnetonka, now residing in Mound, Minnesota. Cheri is married to Michael for 41 years. She is a mother of a daughter and son, both married, and a grandmother too.  She loves the lake, the ocean, skiing, fishing, the outdoors, the north woods, mountains, and life!

After graduating from Normandale State College in dental assisting she was a chairside dental assistant for 10 years. She then was a Customer Service Representative for Wells Fargo for 28 years, now retired.  Cheri still loves to work with people and works part time for Ulta Cosmetics.

Cheri's husband, Michael was a police officer for the Edina Police Department and was critically wounded in the line of duty at a bank robbery. She soon learned that a positive attitude, faith, family, and physicians can do miracles!  He survived!!  She was diagnosed with breast cancer, had surgery and she too is a survivor!  Michael and Cheri are motivational speakers for many organizations in the state of Minnesota and all over the country.  Life is ever changing and it is great to reach out to others and find the best in life.

Cheri is a advocate and spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life, Memorial Blood Centers, the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, and now most recently a board member and secretary for the Minnesota Association for Injured Police Officers.  She and Michael do seminars for police survivors for C.O.P.S in the USA.

Cheri so looks forward to a wonderful year of reaching out to others while being an Ambassador Princess for the Minneapolis Aquatennial and Minnesota.