ABOUT Us

Our Founders

Harold and Rollie Anderson were founding benefactors of Anderson Center in 1998. Rollie continues to serve as an active board member, and many Anderson Trucking Service managers are frequent participants in Center forums.

WHO WE ARE

Our Mission

We provide management and leadership development services that facilitate economic progress in Greater Minnesota.

Our Objective

We aspire to be the leading provider of management and leadership development services in Greater Minnesota. 

our values

Experienced Participants

Leaders and professionals from varied backgrounds who share perspectives and learn from each other.

Curriculum

Real-world applications that stimulate decision-making and action planning.

Discussion Leaders

Highly skilled and trained facilitators who combine the experiences of the participants.

our team members

BOARD CHAIR

Scott Anderson – MBA

Scott serves as a volunteer Board Chair for the Center. He is a grandson of the late Harold Anderson, the founder of Anderson Center. Beginning his career by washing trucks at Anderson Trucking Service when he was 17 years old, Scott is proud he has been given the opportunity to work in the family business. After graduating from college, Scott worked at St. Cloud Truck Sales, a freightliner dealership, as a leasing manager for 120 trucks. Over the years, Scott worked in various positions within ATS and St. Cloud Truck Sales, including serving as the Director of Safety for ATS where he managed Safety, Risk Management, Claims, Recruiting, and Leasing.

Today, Scott is the Vice President of Risk Management and Driver Services for ATS. While retaining his previous responsibilities, Scott now assists in planning, directing, monitoring, and controlling strategic efforts to ensure the future and continued success and profitability of the company. As an active member of the community, Scott serves on the board of directors for Westwood Community Church, where he and his family are members.

Scott graduated with a degree in finance from St. Cloud State University, where he also earned his Master of Business Administration degree.

Scott lives with his wife Myndee and three children in St. Augusta, Minnesota. He enjoys fishing, hunting, playing golf with Myndee, going to Twins games, and spending time with his kids.

PRESIDENT

Aleisha Gaalswyk Stephens – M.Ed

Aleisha serves as the President for Anderson Center. She is passionate about leadership development and management education and wants to see the Center empower future leaders to bring economic growth to her home state of Minnesota. Aleisha spent nine years living in the Czech Republic serving as a non-profit leader for an international organization, Josiah Venture. Her focus areas included fundraising, recruiting, operations management, curriculum development, and training of adult learners. In her last role, as Director of Human Resources, Aleisha designed and implemented the first ever staff development initiative. She led the charge in increasing organizational capability by creating a leadership development forum for 350 leaders from 14 different countries.

Aleisha holds a Masters in Education from Queens University in Charlotte where she gained expertise in applying researched-based practices to education. She received her undergraduate teaching degree from the College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, MN. Aleisha conducted qualitative research in best teaching practices, has an emphasis in Communications/Language Arts, and K-12 Literacy.

For seven years, she served on the school board of Beskydy Mountain Academy, a high school in Frýdlant nad Ostravicí, Czech Republic. She volunteered as English camp leader and mentored young leaders in the Cirkev Bratrska Frydlant Church in the Czech Republic. Aleisha started going on short-term mission trips with her high school youth group the summer after her senior year. She continued to serve on short-term trips teaching English at camps in Poland during the summer throughout college and when she was first a classroom teacher.

Aleisha lives in Sartell, Minnesota, with her husband and their four children. She enjoys running, kayaking, and her favorite Minnesota lake is Dade Lake.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS PARTNER

Rebecca Clobes

Rebecca joined Anderson Center in 2013 as Forum Coordinator and began working as the Leadership Development Business Partner in 2022. Originally from Cottage Grove, Minn., Rebecca settled in St. Cloud after graduating Magna Cum Laude with a major in communication and a minor in psychology from the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University in 2012. Her work for the Center includes coaching and leadership development planning for clients, researching businesses to identify client needs, and strengthening ties and coordination with the Center’s partners.

Throughout her college career at St. Ben’s, Rebecca participated in two communication-related internships, through the Central MN Habitat for Humanity and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud. She also volunteered and studied abroad in Port Elizabeth, South Africa for a semester in 2011.

Today, Rebecca is an active volunteer in the Central Minnesota community. She joined the College of Saint Benedict Board of Alumnae in 2015, serving as co-chair for the Resource Development Committee and currently as Chair-Elect for the Chapters Committee. She has also volunteered numerous times for fundraising events including the Paramount Center for the Arts’ Autumn Moon and CentraCare Health’s Holly Ball.

Rebecca and her husband enjoy traveling, hiking, trying out new restaurants and spending time at their cabin in Crosslake. In her spare time, she stays active by teaching dance and is a certified Jazzercise Instructor.

Business Development & Marketing Specialist

Kaytlin Cropp

Kayt joined Anderson Center in March 2021 as the Forum Coordinator and began working as the Business Development & Marketing Specialist in 2022. Her work for the Center includes researching businesses to identify client needs, partnering with clients to create leadership development plans, new business development, and overseeing all marketing efforts.

Kayt graduated from The University of North Dakota in 2016, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing. Kayt participated in a marketing internship while studying abroad in Florence, Italy for one semester in 2015. Prior to her time with Anderson Center, Kayt spent several years as a meeting and incentive coordinator, which developed her love for planning events! Kayt is passionate about the small details and building relationships.

Her and her husband currently reside in Darwin, Minnesota and enjoy camping, hiking and traveling.  In her personal time, Kayt enjoys crafting, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Forum Coordinator

Beth Cummings

Beth joined Anderson Center in May 2022. Her work for the Center includes planning and coordinating logistics for each of our Forums as well as hosting Forums, both virtually and onsite, creating an atmosphere where participants can engage most effectively in management and leadership development. Beth spent nearly five years working as the Event Coordinator for CentraCare Foundation where she led Holly Ball and other events, while working with hundreds of volunteers and community leaders. Prior to that, Beth worked at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, MN for six years as the Communications and Public Relations manager. In her role, she oversaw all communications and marketing efforts in addition to leading fundraising events.

Beth graduated from the University of Iowa where she received her Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Mass Communication, with a minor in Business. She is also a 2015 graduate of the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program.  In addition, Beth is on the board of the Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota.

Beth lives in Sartell, Minnesota, with her husband Michael. They have a one son who attends St. John’s University and another son in high school.  She enjoys attending sporting events, traveling and spending time at their cabin in Wisconsin.

Forum Coordinator

Josh Fischer

Josh joined Anderson Center in 2024 as Forum Coordinator. He grew up in Sauk Centre, MN, before obtaining his bachelor’s in psychological science and minoring in coaching. He followed that by getting his M.A. in sport and performance psychology. Through his academics, he developed a passion for leadership and developing leaders in sport. 

Josh moved to Salt Lake City, Utah following graduate school to continue his work as a mental performance coach working with athletes ranging from elementary school to professional levels in a variety of athletics. After some time out west, he moved back home to Minnesota and now lives in Monticello with his fiancé, Abby, and their dog, Finn.  

Josh has also spent time coaching youth sport, training future coaches, and learning more about human development through his experience in consulting. He loves spending time with his family, watching sports, grilling, and being a dog dad. 

 

our board of directors

Board Leadership

Scott Anderson, Board Chair
Executive, Anderson Trucking Service

Shelly Bauerly Kopel, Governance Committee
Partner, Granite Partners

Rollie Anderson, Governance Committee Chair
CEO, Anderson Trucking Service

Lee Hanson, Investment Committee Chair
Hanson Law Office

Board Members

Rick Bauerly
Managing Partner/CEO, Granite Partners

Diana Anderson
President/CEO, Southwest Initiative Foundation

Earl Edeburn
President, Business Services, Creative Planning 

Greg Flint
President/COO, Coldspring

Steve Windfeldt
Executive Vice President, Preferred Credit, Inc.

Get Away – and Grow!

WE HOST OUR FORUMS AT RETREAT DESTINATIONS THROUGHOUT GREATER MINNESOTA.

To best serve clients throughout the state, we schedule our forums at various corporate retreat and conference venues that allow participants the time and space to focus on their growth and development. Forum venues include Madden’s on Gull Lake and Grand View Lodge in Brainerd, River’s Edge Convention Center and Courtyard by Marriott in St. Cloud and MinnWest Technology Campus in Willmar.

Scholarships Available

Scholarships Available Through Minnesota Initiative Foundations

 

Throughout Greater Minnesota, the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations are collaborating with Anderson Center to provide scholarships for forum participants. These scholarships can help smaller organizations, non-profits, and high potential individuals and organizations that might not otherwise be able to afford full tuition for a Center forum. The Minnesota Initiative Foundations have served to strengthen communities, families and regional economies since 1986. See their website at  GreaterMinnesota.net  for more information.

learn more about your region’s Foundation; see the map and key below.

Inquire about scholarships

Email info@anderson-center.org for more information.

Our Curriculum

We value real-world case studies and acclaimed curriculum that simulate decision-making and action-planning. The case method engages participants in evaluating opportunities, analyzing data, recommending solutions, and presenting their thoughts with experienced colleagues.

FIND A FORUM TO FIt YOUR NEEDS

meet our discussion leaders