The Platzke Real Estate Group is Eden Prairie’s Home Selling Team across all brokerages, known for exceptional marketing, expertise, and results. Partnered with the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® program an industry leader with $288 million in daily sales we provide unmatched local, national, and international exposure across hundreds of websites. Your property reaches countless qualified buyers, delivering outstanding results. You simply will not find better representation.
There is a lot to consider when choosing a financial institutionsuch as convenience, technology, and products. Perhaps you want a bank that gives back to the community it serves. More than anything, your bank should have familiar, friendly people you know you can count on any time of the day. At First Western Bank, we are all these things and more. You can bank on us.
Whether you need siding repairs or new windows, we use high-quality materials and work with you to elevate your home’s design.
We work with Len Busch Roses to bring in these fresh blooms from Tessa, a globally recognized Ecuadorian grower cultivating more than 100 premium rose varieties. Along with unmatched color, size, fragrance and longevity, each rose is grown sustainably using irrigation systems designed to optimize water use and minimize waste.
A single rose can speak volumes. Imagine the impact of a dozen or more. Find them at all of our markets.
Are you treating your dog for Pupentine’s Day?
Book an appointment today and upgrade to one of our Select Packages for some bonus goodies!
After your appointment check out our selection of Emmi Lu’s Barkery cookies and pick up a FREE Valentine’s Day cookie and an exclusive Strawberry bandana!
“At
Dear Eden Prairie Lifestyle reader,
Elmer Gantry called it “the morning and the evening star.” Kim Casali wrote that it’s “real, when so much else is fake.” John Lennon promised it’s “all you need.” What is it? Why, it’s LOVE of course! The strongest power in the known universe, followed only by print advertising.
At this moment I feel truly inspired by love – so much so that I can’t help but compose a Shakespearean sonnet, which isn’t something I normally do. Hold on a second while I sharpen the nib on my comically large feather quill … OK, here goes: Which local business doth I love best?
Is it Executive Transportation, which will chauffeur you anywhere? Or Bill’s Toggery, which tailors suits most handsome upon request? Or is it Monster Tree Service, which pruneth branch with great care? Perhaps it is Bearpath, which hosts beautiful weddings; Or Brace Helgeson, Realtor, whose experience cannot be bested; Or CottageFoodieCon, which promotes fine homebaked things; Or Pieway to Heaven, whose desserts’ supremacy is uncontested. I realize just now that choosing but one Local business to declare my most beloved isn’t doable. Playing favorites in such fashion simply isn’t fun And may render certain contracts unrenewable. So I say that I love all of them best! And I say so sans cunning or guile. It is the only sensible conclusion to reach when you publish Eden Prairie Lifestyle. As always, I would like to thank all of Eden Prairie Lifestyle’s sponsors, without whose generous support we could not mail our magazine directly to our readers’ homes. I always welcome any feedback or interest you may have in appearing on our magazine’s pages!
Best regards,
JOHN LEE, PUBLISHER @EDEN_PRAIRIE_LIFESTYLE
February 2026
PUBLISHER
John Lee | john.lee@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
David Scheller | david.scheller@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Bill Scheller
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Posers Photography, Shane Long Photography
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsi Southard
QUALITY
Unlock Your Best Health with Predictive 360. Discover your personalized health roadmap with LX Medical’s Predictive 360. Our extensive lab panel examines key biomarkers—from insulin sensitivity, hormone levels, and inflammation markers to cortisol and gut health— revealing what your body truly needs. Enhance your insights with optional genomic, allergy, and predictive imaging tests. Benefit from a one-hour expert consult, nutrition and supplement balancing, access to advanced peptides and ongoing monitoring to keep your health plan in tune with your evolving needs. Take charge of your health today.
Redesign your home for single-level living with a well-planned addition. Increase your value and always maintain your independence. Our Universal Design and Construction process ensures reliability by getting things done right the first time. You’ll know what’s happening and who’s coming with your own Project Dashboard.
Alerus – an Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce member for over 19 years – recently put the finishing touches on their local office’s new remodel. A very nice place in which to provide wealth services, devise retirement and benefits plans, and help clients achieve their personal and business banking goals! From their humble beginnings in the Dakota Territory to a nationwide commercial bank and retirement services provider, Alerus continually grows and evolves.
Professionalism. Punctuality. Precision. Unparalleled customer service! Mr. Detail treats every vehicle with the utmost care – and every client with equal respect. If the winter has left your vehicle badly in need of interior detailing, exterior detailing, complete detailing, paint correction, or ceramic coating, have Mr. Detail come to your home or place of business to make it look pretty as a postcard. Save massive moolah with Mr. Detail’s exclusive maintenance packages! MrDetailMN.com
Alta Honors (originally Viking Trophies) has created exceptional, industry-leading awards for Twin Cities sports teams, corporations, organizations, clubs, and individuals since their foundation in 1969. Their business has grown over the decades to include promotional products, branded clothing, and much, much more. Show your customers how much you appreciate them. Forge the brand recognition your business needs for success. Order a custom plaque or trophy for your favorite magazine editor! AltaHonors.com
SPRING INTO SPRING WITH THE LATEST IN MEN’S FASHIONS
ARTICLE BY BILL SCHELLER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY POSERS PHOTOGRAPHY
The turn of the season is approaching, and along with it comes the turn of the men's wardrobe year – time to take a good look at the clothes we put away last fall, when we brought out the woolens, and start thinking about an update to our spring sartorial lineup.
At Bill’s Toggery, a Shakopee institution that’s been making men look their best since 1931, third-generation proprietor Billy Wermerskirchen has been thinking about wardrobe updates for the coming months – and, what’s more, he’s been stocking his shop with the latest in spring fashions for men.
“Looking at spring sportswear, we’re seeing a trend towards knit polos,” says Billy. “The look tends towards fine knits, with button fronts – think of short-sleeve ‘sweater polos’ that have a less ‘golfy’ look.” Brands like Criquet and 7Diamonds, available at Bill’s Toggery, are right in line with the style. Other popular labels at the shop are Bugatchi – known for its shirts in an eight-way stretch mercerized cotton – Johnnie-O, and, for dress shirts, David Donahue. All look great paired with a pair of jeans from 34 Heritage, tailored from a superior, long-wearing denim.
CONTINUED >
The need for late-season cruise wear also brings men into the shop. “Guys come in at the last minute, as they always have, after booking a cruise,” says Billy. “So we always keep plenty of shorts and swim suits on hand, no matter the season.”
Bill’s Toggery has always kept up with what’s happening in footwear, as well. One popular new offering, according to Billy, is the line of hands-free, slip-in shoes by Kizik. “They’re sporty, and very fashion-driven –come on in, try on a pair, and see for yourself.”
Sandal season is also on the way, and the shop is ready with the popular OluKai line. OluKai, based in Hawaii, also offers a distinctive selection of white-soled dress sneakers, which nicely complement a casual, open-collared look in suits and sport jackets. Martin Dingman, well represented at Bill’s, is another name to look for in the upscale sneaker realm.
Along with keeping up with contemporary trends in casual wear, Bill’s Toggery continues to be the place to go for the latest looks in dressier apparel. In keeping with the season, Billy reports, there’s a trend towards lighter-color suits, and sports coats in textured, stretchy, more comfortable fabrics. Look for jackets with soft, “unconstructed” tailoring. The term refers to apparel free of padding, interfacings, and linings that detract from a fabric’s natural, casual drape.
Springtime is prom time. Used to be, a date for the prom meant a trip to the tuxedo rental shop – a ritual as routine as ordering a corsage to pin on your date while her father gives you a good looking over. Not any more – the tux rental part, at least – because nowadays, says Billy, young men are much more likely to buy a suit to wear to the prom, and to all the other events that crowd a spring calendar and beyond. As Billy has observed, the rules have changed for proms – “they’ve gotten more ‘suity,’” he remarks, and the days when everyone would show up sporting identical rented formal wear are long past. “Kids like to dress up, and they’ve discovered that it’s possible to buy a suit for the cost of a rental. They can wear the suit to graduations, homecomings, end-of-season sports dinners, and whatever else comes along at this time of year.”
“Ninety-five percent of our wedding party customers choose to buy rather than rent. We can take care of them at all price levels, from inexpensive labels up to suits made in our custom shop by our full-time, in-house tailor.”
Weddings, of course, lead the list of springtime celebrations. Here, too, it turns out that tux rentals are old hat, with grooms and their groomsmen opting to dress in suits that strike just the right note of formality but still serve well for other occasions. “Ninetyfive percent of our wedding party customers choose to buy rather than rent,” says Billy. “We can take care of them at all price levels, from inexpensive labels up to suits made in our custom shop by our full-time, in-house tailor.”
What’s the look for spring weddings these days? “This time of year,” Billy notes, “wedding parties are tending to lighter colors. Tans and light browns are popular. Some groomsmen will match the color the groom is wearing; some will sport their own look. Either way, we encourage a practical color that will see use after the wedding.”
Casual, formal, or in between, it’s easy to suit the season at Bill’s Toggery. Visit 138 Lewis Street South in Shakopee to shop, or visit BillsToggery.com to learn more.
Gusto™ Orange Zest Blanket Flower
• Gaillardia
• Blooms late spring into fall without deadheading
• Grows 14" H x 16" W
• Great for hot sunny spots
Tempo™ Rose Avens
• Geum
• An early bloomer that attracts pollinators
• Grows 21" H x 12" W
• Prefers a little afternoon shade & fertile soil
Thinking Spring is great however strolling through our radiant greenhouses is even better! Come feel for yourself.
ARTICLE BY DAVID SCHELLER
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL, SUNNY DAY. You are at a farmer’s market, and feeling so sociable that you are even making eye contact with vendors whose goods you have no interest in.
Suddenly, the most interesting thing in the world – cookies –catches your attention. The nice lady manning the booth offers you a sample. “The first taste is always free!” she says, like the sunglasses-wearing character in a D.A.R.E. instructional video. Your sweet, temptable self caves in instantly.
And you’re glad you did. It is the greatest cookie you have ever eaten. It tastes like it was baked by chubby-baby Renaissance angels, or, secularly, Care Bears. “My goodness!” you exclaim. “You could sell these for a fortune! Why haven’t I heard of you yet?”
“Alas,” the cookie lady sighs. “As a registered cottage food producer, I am boundlessly passionate about the specific food or foods I create. But the challenges to scaling my business are daunting. Cottage food producers predominantly operate solo and part time, and therefore for the most part lack the connections and expertise they would require to grow their brands.”
“That’s a real pickle!” you commiserate. “If only there were some kind of annual symposium on the cottage food business, wherein the industry’s leading experts share everything they know with anyone who would care to learn. This hypothetical convention would also interest me, a non-producer, because it is filled with neat stuff I can buy.”
“Indeed,” agrees the cookie lady. “That would be nice! But let me ask you something, candidly. Do you ever get the sense that you and I aren’t … real? And that this interaction between us is only being portrayed for rhetorical effect?”
Matt Rosen: twenty-three-year veteran of the United States Army turned cookie man upon the establishment of Sergeant Shortbread, his own cottage food business, in 2018. Matt bakes and delivers shortbreads so good they’ll make your hairs stand on end. You should order them at SergeantShortbread.com.
But Matt’s interest in cottage foods extends far past his own kitchen. He envisions an America where home bakers and bottlers and canners and makers are equal parts visible and intertwined. To that first end Matt created The Cottage Foodie: an online directory featuring cottage food producers nationwide, which you should visit at TheCottageFoodie.com.
To the second?
“I promoted The Cottage Foodie at a decorated sugar cookie convention in Reno, Nevada last year,” Matt recounted. “I had a great time at CookieCon! But I also spent that whole time thinking about how specific its focus was, and how great a convention would be if it broadened its scope to encompass all cottage foods.”
Matt hit the net in search of such a con. Bupkis. There had been a virtual-only affair in 2023, but as anyone who has worn pajama pants to a Zoom work meeting can aver, that’s not the same thing.
Matt decided to rectify the situation. He’d enlisted before the U.S. Army introduced its “Army of One” slogan, so the thought of organizing a convention on his own presumably didn’t occur to him.
“I assembled a real dream team,” said Matt. “We have Lisa He, founder and chief baking officer (CBO) of Borderlands Bakery and My Custom Bakes, Jessica Cowley, Lisa’s de facto COO, and Tiffany Dixon, whose Vegan Treats by Tiffany falls on the exact opposite end of the butter-usage spectrum as my own Sergeant Shortbread.”
After several months of conspiration, the party of four had planned it: CottageFoodieCon, to be held at Hennepin Technical College’s Eden Prairie campus on April 23rd, 24th and 25th of this year.
Keynote speakers Tina Rexing of T-Rex Cookie Company and Allison Smith of The Cake Crusader. A town hall panel moderated by Stephanie Hansen of myTalk 107.1, featuring experts such as Lisa He and Maddie Gartmann of Garty Goodies (the latter of whom has nearly one million TikTok followers). Roundtable discussions addressing cottage producers’ most pressing challenges, such as how to create compelling social media content, and how to assemble a booth that looks nice (“Verticality and a branded table skirt are two must-haves,” advises Matt). The inaugural CottageFoodieCon has them all!
“Our vendor fair, to which the general public is more than welcome, will run concurrently to all the speaking events,”
said Matt. “Go there to meet several of Minnesota's greatest cottage food producers, including Red Door Confections of New Prague, whose macarons prove that shortbreads aren’t the only life-alteringly good type of cookie, and Willow’s Wonders of Prior Lake, which freeze-dries candies to a state of freeze-dried perfection. There will also be vendors of greater interest to attendees who are already cottage food producers, or considering becoming one: Baking Me Crazy of Utah, which supplies fine baking supplies; Cake Business School of Colorado, which will teach anyone how to bake, professionally or otherwise; Mixer Skirt of New Jersey, whose cotton splash guards prevent mixers from making a mess; and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, which graciously runs the cottage food program that makes all of our state’s small, home-based treat businesses possible.
“Here’s hoping CottageFoodieCon becomes a huge hit! We would love to expand it to two events each year: one in Eden Prairie, which I’d like to turn into the Silicon Valley of cottage foods, and another in a different state so we can spread the word even farther.
“What word is that? ‘Success,’ I suppose. We want everyone to know that anyone can master the business side of cottage food production. We want this country to be full of happy entrepreneurs who can proudly point to a shelf in a coffee shop, grocery store, or their own brick-and-mortar and say ‘I made that.’ We want there to be more cottage foods! ”
ARTICLE BY DAVID SCHELLER
Bearpath . In Eden Prairie and the Twin Cities at large, the name stands for something special. Fitting, then, that Bearpath Golf & Country Club should offer the best spot for special events.
Wedding. Birthday. Anniversary. Retirement. Place the name of any occasion between Bearpath and party, and it becomes a truly remarkable one. And it won’t do so by chance. Every private event at Bearpath Golf & Country Club is shaped under the skilled stewardship of Kim Davis and Katie Dix.
“Teamwork makes the dream wedding work,” said Kim, catering and events director. “That’s why I’m so glad Katie joined Bearpath Golf & Country Club shortly after I started here twenty-five years ago. She loves making magic happen just as much as I do. We’ve become such close friends over the years that we aren’t just finishing each other’s sentences anymore–”
“–we’re perfectly in sync,” added Katie, catering and events assistant director. “We know each other’s strengths. We don’t have to ask what the other is doing. We just know. We even coordinate our outfits without planning to!”
“Many of our clients treat Katie and I as if we’re the same person,” Kim laughed. “Which, frankly, is a little too true to discourage.”
“I’m still amazed by how gorgeous Bearpath is every time I come here,” Kim continued. “Our Signature Ballroom hosts up to three hundred guests in refined luxury. Our pavilion-style garden patio and pergola sit against the tranquil backdrop of the eighteenth hole, where there is a bridge that might just be the prettiest spot for golden hour photography in the city. We are the only Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in the Upper Midwest, too. Our guests are surrounded by natural beauty at every turn.”
“Kim and I are grateful to the landscapers and turf management team who keep this place a paradise, and to our catering staff who make it even more fabulous,” said Katie. “They allow us to focus on the thousands of tiny details that define every great wedding or special event. The menu. The flowers. The linens. The décor. Aunt Mary’s shellfish allergy. Sewing a loose button back onto a gown three minutes before the procession begins. We’re there for all of it, every step of the way.”
“Defining our job is nearly impossible,” Kim added. “Depending on the event, we may end up doing almost anything – but we’ll know we did our job right when guests don’t notice us at all.”
“Challenge us to do more than book the band and build a champagne tower,” Katie said. “Just last year, we suspended an eighty-pound floral installation from the ballroom ceiling, staged a full pyrotechnic display over the golf course, and hosted an authentic Japanese sushi station. Want a wood-fired pizza oven? A flambé station? A petting zoo for the kids? If you can envision the party, Kim and I will make it real.”
“I’m still amazed by how gorgeous Bearpath is every time I come here.”
“Of course, Minnesota’s weather can challenge even the best party plans,” noted Kim. “But when it does, we adapt so seamlessly that guests may never know there was a backup plan. We may have to hand out a few umbrellas, warm towels, and extra cocktails on occasion, but that has never prevented us from creating a truly memorable experience.”
“Bearpath is so much more than weddings,” added Katie. “We host bridal and baby showers, celebrations of life, graduation parties, and every other special occasion as well, and our business clients love how effortlessly we can incorporate golf into their gatherings!”
Make your next celebration the best kind – the Bearpath kind – with Kim and Katie at the helm. Visit BearpathGolf.com or email kdavis@bearpathgolf.com today to begin planning.
From day-to-day transactions to month-end close, our team brings structure, accuracy, and visibility to your financial operations.
Get the financial leadership you need—without hiring a full-time executive. We help you make data-backed decisions with confidence.
Track performance, plan ahead, and prepare for what’s next. We give you the clarity and tools to lead with purpose.
SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION | 6 12 . 293 . 9368 | WWW.RESOLVE-WORKS.COM | INFO@RESOLVE-WORKS.COM
ARTICLE BY DAVID SCHELLER
Their fruits and nuts? Tasty. Their shade? Cool. Their branches? Bird filled, and convenient refuge when wolves are around. Their effects on landscaping and surrounding property values? Positive. These are all reasons why:
…within reason. You can do well enough without ones that are shabby, ill, dead, or dangling precarious limbs over your car, house or head.
But what do you do when your trees are misbehaving? Unleash your inner Bunyan, and chop them all down by yourself? NO. Your curb appeal and rotator cuffs would both hate you for that. That is why you must:
“A reputation for great service, and an active role in my community,” said Mark Thompson. “When I decided to leave the corporate world for business ownership in 2024, those were the only two things I knew I wanted."
Good fortune would put both right in Mark’s lap. “I had already met the previous owner of Monster Tree Service when I learned it was for sale,” he said. “I knew his hard, careful and honest work garnered respect throughout the Twin Cities. My own father-in-law, who had previously hired him, and who is … let’s say ‘particular,’ fully vouched for his services. Better yet, he did his job in the one place I most wanted to be after so many years in an office: outdoors.”
Thus Mark became a tree man. And a well accompanied one at that, thanks to the co-ownership he soon struck with his longtime pal Tom Policano. “Tom was just as eager to leave the corporate world as I had been. A couple days of shadowing me were all it took to convince him to partner up,” said Mark.
CONTINUED >
Affable as they are, you would not want Mark and Tom to tend to your trees all by themselves. “Another great appeal of purchasing Monster Tree Service was its existing staff: career tree men, whose skill and passion for their craft are unmatched,” Mark continued. “Our team is also committed to safety – the topic of daily discussion and weekly meetings here at Monster Tree Service, where we insist on everyone going home to their families in one piece at the end of each day. That takes a great deal of care when your job involves scaling great heights, and chainsaws!
“Our commitment to safety extends to our clients’ properties, of course. Our trimming and pruning services will make any residential, multi-family, townhome association, or commercial landscaping far more aesthetically pleasing. But even more importantly, our work makes those landscapes safe.
“If our state-of-the-art health treatments can’t revive them, then we’ll remove sick or dying trees all the way down through their stumps. We make certain trees pose no risk to nearby property – or, worse yet, people – by cutting away potentially dangerous branches. And whether you have us out for regular maintenance or emergency service, we’ll inspect every single tree on your property for any signs of trouble.
“I strongly recommend welcoming us to your property every two or three years, especially now that so many pests and diseases are on the rise. The emerald ash borer is a regrettable new addition to the North American ecosystem, but there is still time to protect healthy trees against the insect. Oak wilt, apple scab, and several other airborne fungal diseases threaten a wide variety of other Twin Cities tree species, but early detection and prevention can save them all, too.
“I’m happy to say I’m now living the dream. I spend every day being reminded of my childhood playing out in the woods. I’m actively engaged in my community, and can no longer drive anywhere without feeling an immense sense of pride in my surroundings. And best of all, I’m now genuinely helping my neighbors. Monster Tree Service has given me everything I wanted!”
And it will give you everything you want from your tree service, too. Call (612) 326-0131 or visit MonsterTreeService.com today!
Leave nothing to chance. With attorney Andy Gregory at your side, you will rest assured that your wealth will be distributed exactly as you intend– and you will have comfort knowing there is someone to make health care decisions for you. Reach out today to schedule a FREE virtual or in-person consultation. Your peace of mind deserves nothing less than a personalized, comprehensive estate plan.
Estate Planning • Wills • Incapacity Planning Trust Administration • Trusts • Formal & Informal Probate
612-562-9130 www.andygregorylaw.com info@andygregorylaw.com
Brace Helgeson helped build a juggernaut: Minnesota’s leading home seller since 2015, and Eden Prairie’s number one home-selling team since 1995. Even though the company name has recently changed from Helgeson/Platzke to Platzke Real Estate Group after forty-three years of selling homes, he’s re-focusing on what he loves best, selling homes.
“Our finely tuned marketing systems, which often sell homes before we can even list them. Our strong affiliations with Zillow and Homes. com, which almost invariably put our listings in front of buyers first. I am very proud of the agency I spent forty-three years of my career shaping, which now sells over five hundred homes each year,” said Brace.
“So now that I’ve stepped aside from managing our team of agents, I’m more excited for the future than ever before. I’m once again free to give my clients one hundred percent of my attention.
“I’m not just leveraging the full power of a marketing system I spent forty-three years helping to perfect. I’m also backed by my own team of great Realtors – a team within a team, as it were. Brie Dusek, a ten-year veteran of the business, does a beautiful job with my buyers, as does Ben Luedtke, who is the son of one of my best friends, and has all the makings of a future superstar. I cannot overstate the level of confidence I feel knowing that Emily Stertz, another seasoned pro, is here to make every transaction go along seamlessly as my primary assistant.
“This newly formed team within a team is even more reason why I can now apply all my years of experience for my client’s greatest benefit. I’m completely available to my clients. After so many years in the business, I’ve pretty much seen it all before. I can conduct their entire transaction without requesting much more than their signature and a house key. For them, it’s like hitting the ‘easy button.’ Most importantly, I can reliably sell their home for a higher price than most of my competition, regardless of market conditions as long as my seller is willing to trust my process.
“A huge part of that comes from knowing how to present a home to the market. I can’t help but see opportunities to increase salability that other agents may overlook or simply lack the ability to capitalize on. Years ago, I was inspired to create the ‘Smart Money Formula.’ It determines exactly which home improvements will on average represent a twenty to thirty percent return on investment at the closing table. By the time I’ve completed my first walkthrough, I’ve already come up with a list of updates that will definitely net my seller their greatest profit. A critical piece to my Smart Money Formula we have developed is our great team of contractors (‘our team’s personal Angie's List,’ as I refer to it).
“I just recently represented a seller whose house is in Bearpath, which had grown a bit outdated since its construction twenty-five years ago. I advised against listing it as-is, which he initially did, only to discover that no one wanted it. He would become a sworn believer in the Smart Money Formula after finally applying it to his home, which sold in multiple offers for $1,325,000 just four days after it relisted!
“Those kinds of wins fill me with enthusiasm and confidence! You see the goal is to inspire ‘positivity’ not ‘negativity’ because you never get a second chance at a first impression! Strong positive feedback in the early showings is your best indicator to a successful outcome, which translates to a higher sale price in the shortest amount of time for my sellers. Again, I want to reiterate, my sellers are never asked to do anything more by committing to my Smart Money Formula! Just hit the ‘easy button!’”
For more details contact: BHelgeson@cbburnet.com | (612) 310-4300 | BraceHelgeson.com
Premium Awards and Promotional Products
ARTICLE BY DAVID SCHELLER
The internet contains the sum total of all mankind’s wisdom and silliness. And yet here you are, reading a magazine containing only a scintilla of each.
Why is that? Because physical objects rule. They are real. They have weight. They make an impact, and not just when they’re thrown.
“After thirty-eight years in this business, that’s still what I enjoy best about it,” said Zenon Dawydowycz, Alta Honors’ third owner since its foundation in 1968. “Whether they’re awards or promotional products, we’re creating things people genuinely value!”
“Our company was still named ‘Viking Trophies’ when I bought it in 2019,” said Zenon. “I changed it, because trophies had become only two percent of our business by that time. I felt our old name took too much spotlight away from the vast range of other, equally eye-catching and high-quality awards we create daily for businesses, schools, sports leagues, youth groups, and churches around the Twin Cities and throughout the country.
“I’m grateful to be surrounded by so many medical device companies, whose engineers seem to be constantly celebrating the creation of something new and exciting. Their team members are always delighted to receive souvenirs of their latest crowning achievement, featuring a real, physical example of that very same achievement inside.”
Circuitry. Plumbing. Car parts. Golf clubs. Even ordnance components. Alta Honors has transformed them all into awards. “Our strangest request to date was a jet black muffin,” recalled Zenon. “It was for a lady who wanted to commemorate her first baking session with her granddaughter. It now lives on, forever burnt until the end of time.
“There’s almost nothing we can’t turn into an award. So long as hot lucite won’t melt it – and the known laws of physics make it otherwise possible – then our only two limitations are time and cost.”
CONTINUED >
“So now, here we are: Alta Honors, with a new facility that will double our current size soon to come.
“Awards have come a long way since I began making them here. We are now able to create crystal, glass, marble, granite, and acrylic awards, as well as plaques, sculptures, commemorative plates, and even functional items such as clocks.
“Our glass and crystal awards are truly remarkable – sparkly, prestigious and impressively weighty, with hypnotizing depth of image and optional color. Acrylic lets us get the most creative, though. It can take any shape or color and contain almost anything, making it the ideal way to preserve memories forever.
“We create everything a business or other organization needs to present a strong, unified image,” Zenon continued. “If your business is public facing, then our custom apparel, name tags, signage and banners will all instill confidence in your customers.
“We also provide promotional products people will actually want to keep – not cheap ballpoint pens and jar lid grippers that are destined for junk drawers, but phone chargers, water bottles, headphones, and other handy things that will find permanent places in their lives. That’s especially helpful to work-from-home employees, who might otherwise never see their employer’s brand during their day.”
Zenon acknowledges that Alta Honors isn’t the only business of its kind. “You certainly can roll the dice on an online-only service, and hope that the final result is correct and arrives on time and undamaged. But by supporting our local team, you remove all chance from the equation. We’ll understand your goal, and produce exactly what you envision within the budget and timeframe you specify. We personalize what ought to be a personal process – the reason why eight out of ten of our customers are repeat business.”
AltaHonors.com | (763) 537-342
THE PREMIER CHOICE FOR LOCAL CAR SERVICE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY POSERS PHOTOGRAPHY
Everyone in Hibbing knows Fraboni’s – the kind of neighborhood institution every Minnesota town seems to have. The place where you recognize the smell before you reach the door. Where the stories travel faster than the sausage.
“When I was a kid, going anywhere with my Grandfather Leo was like traveling with the mayor,” says Gus Ortis, founder of Executive Transportation. “People didn’t admire him because he was famous. They admired him because he created jobs, supported families, and treated everyone with care. That stuck with me early – success is measured by what you give to your community.”
That early lesson didn’t fade. It matured. By the time most students were planning internships, Gus was running a semitruck trailer rental and a card playing league that eventually expanded into game events. “College was great,” Gus jokes, “but building something real was what got me out of bed in the morning. The more I learned about business, the harder it was to focus anywhere else.”
In 2007, at twenty-four, he made a leap that would shape the next two decades: he launched Executive Transportation with two immaculate black stretch limousines and a goal he still repeats today – deliver service so good, it builds relationships for life.
Opening a luxury transportation company months before the 2008 recession is a test most business plans don’t survive. Private celebrations slowed. Big moments became smaller ones. But the need for reliable, secure transportation in the business world grew, especially in corporate travel and professional logistics.
“If you listen closely, markets tell you where to go,” Gus says. “We kept the heart of our business – weddings, anniversaries, celebrations – but shifted our focus to what Minnesota’s private sector was asking for: consistent, stress-free transportation with a personal touch.”
Over the next decade, Executive Transportation evolved into a full-service private car company for executives, conferences, global travelers, and large-scale events. The fleet grew from two vehicles to a range of luxury sedans, SUVs, 14-passenger vans, and executive coaches capable of moving individuals, families, entire departments, or thousands of attendees.
Today, Executive Transportation arranges services for clients traveling across the country and abroad, offering a single point of contact to coordinate every ride along their journey.
Even as the fleet expanded, Gus realized something important. “The real edge isn’t the car,” he says. “It’s the person behind the wheel.”
Over the years, Gus learned something most transportation companies don’t think about. People expect professional service from someone who understands what professionalism feels like. Executives don’t just need transportation, they need mental space between moments.
“Our chauffeurs aren’t just safe, courteous drivers,” Gus explains. “They’re former executives, business owners, and career professionals themselves. They’ve lived the early flight before the board meeting. They understand the pressure of getting three tasks done during a twenty-five-minute ride. They can tell when someone needs conversation and when someone needs silence.”
That philosophy influences everything Executive does. The company keeps detailed service profiles – favorite beverages, preferred playlists, quiet rides between meetings, scenic detours for visiting family.
“There’s no such thing as ‘standard service,’” Gus says. “Luxury is doing the little things well without being asked. If that means a surprise route to protect a family vacation reveal, or a perfectly quiet ride so someone can reset, we make it happen. That’s the fun of this job. Making someone’s day better just by paying attention.”
In 2023, Gus moved Executive Transportation’s headquarters to Eden Prairie where he and his wife are raising their family. “When the opportunity came up to move into the Golden Triangle, it was an easy decision,” he says. “This community is full of people who work hard, invest in each other, and care about doing things the right way. That’s how I was raised, and it’s exactly how we run our business.”
The move allowed Executive to provide fleet services to local companies offering professional maintenance, whiteglove repairs, and commercial vehicle care delivered by the same team that maintains their own luxury fleet.
“This community is full of people who work hard, invest in each other, and care about doing things the right way. That’s how I was raised, and it’s exactly how we run our business.”
“That’s been a surprise joy, helping fellow business owners keep their wheels turning. I love that part just as much as the driving.”
Gus coaches Eden Prairie youth hockey, Squirts and Termites, where ties and friendships are built rinkside. He supports local nonprofits including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and organizations celebrating military families. Executive Transportation partners with the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, supporting community events and local initiatives.
“I’m grateful for everything Executive has given me,” he says. “Not just the chance to build a business, but the chance to be useful. To support my neighbors. To help families create memories. That’s what Grandfather taught me: you don’t serve your community to be admired. You do it because you love it.” ExecutiveCarUSA.com
Our clinic specializes in Semaglutide and Tirzepatide treatments along with offering the new and promising Retatrutide. On average, patients lose 15% of their body weight.
These game-changing medications have given our clinic over 400 local success stories and climbing. No matter what your weight loss goals may be, we are here to help you!
Feel free to call or stop by, walk-ins welcomed!
UPPER CRUST CATERING • FULFILLING PRIVATE CLASSES
Carina Smith was crying.
Thanksgiving, thirty years ago. She, in the kitchen. Pie, fresh out of the oven. Crust, hard as ballistic steel.
Time, wasted. Expectations, dashed. No pie
“It was the first apple pie I’d ever baked, and I couldn’t even cut through it,” Carina laments. “I never should have used margarine!”
Such tragedy might have caused a weak spirit to forsake pie for good. But Carina is tougher stuff. Once she regained her composure, she made a vow to herself and to the pie-loving world at large. She resolved to master the pie arts.
“My cakes and cupcakes are just OK, and I can’t bake bread to save my life,” Carina confesses. “But after three decades of study and practice, I can confidently say I bake a mean pie.”
Why did Carina specialize in that crustiest of treats? “It’s simple,” she explains. “I just really like pie – fruit pies, especially. They’re nearest and dearest to my heart because they’re connected to so many happy childhood memories. To me, a pie baked with intention and care is the purest expression of love there is.”
Carina’s pies surely are power ballads. I tested one in the interest of journalistic integrity, and instantly found myself soaring across the universe upon its flakiest, most buttery crust. (“Made with Minnesota’s best, by Hope Creamery,” adds Carina.) Its filling’s sweetness, tartness, and crispiness proved the existence of the tripartite apple pie soul. (“The secret is locally grown honeycrisps,” Carina testifies.) It was the flavor of autumn, topped with caramel, streusel, and delicate fleur de sel.
CONTINUED >
“I grew up around a lot of great bakers, like my grandma, who made birthday cakes for all twenty-six of her grandkids,” says Carina. “Sadly, their talents didn’t rub off on me. I had to teach myself through trial and error, and by going beyond the recipe to truly understand why certain things must be done. Thankfully, I could always count on my husband whenever I needed encouragement.”
Having thus honed her piecraft, Carina began hearing those magic words: You could sell these. “My children insisted I should,” she recalls. “I tossed and turned over the idea until I realized they were right. I thought to myself ‘What the heck! Why not become a professional pie lady?’” Carina Smith is thriving.
Pieway to Heaven, founded three years ago. Carina, its sole baker. Pies, baked in her home kitchen. Crust, the edible manifestation of absolute perfection. Business, booming. Customers, abundant. Mucho pie
“I’ve greatly enjoyed providing employeeand client-appreciation gifts for local businesses, but weddings are my favorite of all. I say ditch the boring old cake. Let me customize individual mini pies for each of your guests, complete with the bride and groom’s initials spelled out on top!”
Want to embark on your own pie journey?
“At the end of the day, isn’t that what pie is all about? Bringing people closer together?”
Set sail in Carina’s kitchen with friends. “I offer two types of classes for private groups of up to six,” she explains. “In ‘Bake and Take,’ each student prepares their very own pie under my instruction. In ‘Watch and Learn,’ students observe as I demonstrate my science. Whether you join me for an intensive fourhour hands-on workshop or the more laidback two-hour exhibition, you’ll enjoy hand-crafted charcuterie by From the Diner, whichever beverage you believe best inspires your love of baking, and wonderful company.
“The pie business has been wonderful to me,” says Carina. “Whether it’s one pie for a special occasion or as many as two hundred pies for a really special occasion, it’s always a joy to bake for others. My top-selling is salted caramel apple, followed closely by mixed berry (straw, black, blue, and rasp: the classics).
“At the end of the day, isn’t that what pie is all about? Bringing people closer together?”
Get closer to pie. Visit Pieway-To-Heaven. square.site for catering, classes and gift cards. (All pies are pre-order only. Forty-eight hours advance notice is highly recommended.)
Flying Cloud Animal Hospital has assembled a devoted care team that has been part of the community for 45 years, providing quality care to our clients and their furry friends The new location provides more resources, more parking and more appointment availability. We offer routine wellness visits, vaccines, sick visits, urgent care visits, dental prophylaxis, surgical procedures and more. We have a board certified cardiologist and board certified surgeons that travel to our facility to assist our clients and patients with advanced diagnostic tools and procedures.
941-8676 | www.flyingcloudanimalhospital.com 12365 Singletree
Eden Prairie, Minnesota, 55344
ARTICLE BY DAVID SCHELLER
THE YEAR WAS 2,500,000 B.C. It would have been a bad time to reside in Eden Prairie, because the entire Upper Midwest was soon to vanish beneath the first of several milesthick slabs of ice. There were also no restaurants. Those glaciers gave form to Eden Prairie: pancaking large swaths of it, and chiseling pretty creeks, lakes and hillsides throughout. They did so very slowly. Glacially, in fact.
Our town’s founding agriculturalists loved the result. But as light became electric, and asphalt unfurled more of its ribbons, and a thriving local economy appeared to have less and less to do with turnip farming, it became apparent Eden Prairie would have to change yet again – and much faster than glaciers had done before.
“The year was 1985,” said Dave Lindahl. “I needed an internship to complete my college degree. I had lived in Eden Prairie since I was four years old, so naturally, the city was one of the first employers I called.”
That would turn out to be the last request for employment Dave ever made. “The city planner told me he could use all the help he could get,” he continued. “An explosion of new development had him totally preoccupied with developers to meet and plans to review. He needed someone to start focusing on long-range planning and administering the community block program, and he had needed them last week.”
Dave owes much of his early success to an exciting new state-of-the-art technology: computerized spreadsheets, which he used to forecast city growth with siliconclad certitude.
“How many houses could be built? Which areas of land should be zoned commercial and industrial? How much demand would exist for sewer and other city services? VisiCalc helped us answer tough questions like those as we developed an infrastructure that would bear such tremendous growth,” said Dave.
“Our town’s comprehensive plan first took form in 1968, when city council – farmers, one and all – took note of all the ongoing development in surrounding cities. They determined that Eden Prairie wouldn’t fall by the wayside – but not at the cost of its natural beauty.
“It was in that spirit that I worked diligently, very early on in my career, to help plan the ideal placement for Highway 212. MnDOT’s initial concept would have bisected Big Woods and several gorgeous wetlands. My goal was to preserve those best parts of our landscape. I believe the current location of Miller Park proves I was at least moderately successful.
“I’ll spend my retirement ice fishing. Bike riding. Grilling. Just kicking back and enjoying the city I had the privilege of shaping, with the people I have the honor of calling my neighbors.”
“I contributed to another big win for the city toward the start of my career: redrawing the Metropolitan Urban Service Area line, which enabled us to extend key services to new parts of town. Southwest Eden Prairie would look a lot different today had it never received water or sewer lines!
“Our founding city council members didn’t just envision a community that everyone could share. They also laid its foundation by specifying the diverse types of housing that would be built here. To this day, single-family detached constitutes only half of Eden Prairie housing. The rest – townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and apartment buildings – ensures affordable housing options to all.
“That also became my mission upon my promotion from planner to Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) manager in 1994. We compelled residential developers to make at least twenty percent of new units affordable to those earning less than the median income, and we did it through the mutually beneficial power of tax increment financing.
“One of my proudest accomplishments during my tenure as HRA manager was helping to establish the Housing, Opportunities, Partnerships, and Employment (HOPE) program. At the time, a new applicant to Eden Prairie’s project-based housing may have had to wait seven years before an opening became available. An inordinately large number of those units were occupied by single mothers on welfare, whom HOPE was created to benefit. If any one of them agreed to commit to a self-sufficiency program, which included education and employment counseling, as well as receive mentorship from a volunteering Eden Prairie family, then HOPE would award her the
Section 8 voucher that would allow her family to leave the projects.
“HOPE changed countless lives for the better during its ten-or-so-year run.
“When I became economic development manager in 2002, my focus shifted to supporting the growth of Eden Prairie’s business community. That largely involved overseeing real estate transactions, such as leasing city land to private entities and selling off excess right-of-way. We made certain those transactions would ultimately enrich citizens of Eden Prairie by diligently socking away parts of their proceeds into an economic development fund – a war chest, of sorts, for roadway, public transport, and other pressing infrastructure projects. Eden Prairie’s traffic would be nowhere near as pleasant as it is today were it not for those timely investments! The fund also helped us build Eden Prairie’s brand, so to speak, by creating entry monuments like the new one by southbound 494.
“The largest infrastructure project I worked on was also the largest in Minnesota history. I spent over ten years scrutinizing the Light Rail’s track and station placement, and communicating with property owners who would be affected. At this point, it looks like the trains should be fully operational by 2027 – around two years after my retirement.
“I shared a lot of challenges and triumphs during my thirty-nine years with the city. And I intend to keep sharing them as I spend part of my retirement volunteering with several of the great organizations I once worked alongside, including Eden Prairie Schools.
“And the other part? I think I’ll spend it ice fishing. Bike riding. Grilling. Just kicking back and enjoying the city I had the privilege of shaping, with the people I have the honor of calling my neighbors.”
I have an unsettling confession to make. Sometimes … I don’t always feel like a clam at high tide. It’s true! In spite of the prevailing assumption that every regional magazine publisher’s life must be constantly ducky, my own occasionally bears no resemblance to any waterfowl at all.
That’s why I keep close count of life’s simple blessings. The crisp exterior of a cheese omelet fried in butter. A cold, refreshing Coors Light on a hot day (or any other day). Riding in a hired Escalade to
the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious Of the Year Awards, and then to a party at the country’s largest indoor golf simulator establishment. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, I say!
And to Executive Transportation, I say thank you for the ride. I felt just like James Bond as Eden Prairie’s premier car service pulled up to my office slightly earlier than Santiago, the dispatcher, had promised. Greg – a consummate chauffeur, whose mastery of etiquette is equaled only by his mastery of the road
ARTICLE BY JOHN LEE
– ushered me into the paradise that is the backseat of a Cadillac. A quick stop by Luebeck Geisler Hamm Wealth Management to pick up Todd Laudenslager, its managing director, and away we went to Green Acres Event Center.
A beautiful venue for a beautiful award ceremony. The chamber really knows how to honor the local, hardworking professionals who make our city and its business community so great!
Congratulations to Todd for being nominated. He lost to an equally local and hardworking professional, but the blow of defeat was no doubt softened by our next destination.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen!” Chris, our next chauffeur, welcomed Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce president Pat MulQueeny, David Thompson and Tony Seipp of First Western Bank & Trust, and me into the warm immaculacy of yet another Escalade. Chris assured us there were no surprises in store, as he had rehearsed the route between Green Acres and Office Golf earlier that day. This might seem like too much in light of the unbroken civilizedness separating Eden Prairie from Bloomington, but it really speaks to Executive Transportation owner Gus Ortis’ commitment to invariably seamless road travel.
Office Golf! Now there is a fun place. Any of its eighteen stateof-the-art Trackman iO golf simulators can put you and your friends on one of four hundred seventy-four of the world’s greatest courses in a matter of seconds. Those same machines do other
things that I, an enthusiastic golfer who consistently scores at the PGA level but only when no one is looking, appreciate greatly.
I’ll have to return to Office Golf soon so I can appreciate them, because I didn’t actually enter the virtual golf realm during the afterparty. I instead spent that time socializing with my favorite people, and freely availing myself of The Boardroom’s fine fare. Office Golf’s onsite restaurant prepared charcuterie (the best known use for boards), bone-in wings, pretzel bites, multiple species of pizza, and other deliciousnesses so enrapturing that they defy description by printed word. Our party also monopolized one of Office Golf’s three full bars, from which we withdrew a healthy share of craft cocktails and white wine and beers.
OG Amber Lager, which can exclusively be savored at Office Golf? Worth the trip alone.
Thank you, Katie Rose and Cole Johnson, for making a thin sliver of Office Golf’s thirty thousand square feet of event space so hospitable to our little bunch. Thank you again to Executive Transportation for providing the best car rides we’ll ever share. Thank you to the chamber for the delightful award show, and for considering adding “Most Handsomest Magazine Publisher” to next year’s categories. And above all else, thank you to YOU – a reader of premium magazines, whose audience makes everything I enjoy possible.
When your retirement is at stake, only the soundest decisions will do. Trust Demery Wealth Advisors to provide the insight you need to achieve your unique financial goals. Minimize risk. Maximize opportunity. Build a solid foundation for your financial future.
www.demerywealthadvisors.com
952.837.2687 | kiley@demerywealthadvisors.com 7760 France Avenue S #1100, Bloomington, MN 55435
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS FEBRUARY 2026
FEBRUARY 12TH
Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce Purse Bingo Fundraiser
8335 Crystal View Rd, Eden Prairie 6:30pm
Join the Women's Committee at Fat Pants Brewing Co. for an evening of B11, N43, and even G60! Win a fabulous purse, or an equally fabulous cash/prize package. Meet new friends, and support initiatives to host women-focused programming, training, resources and scholarships! $25 for ten games; cash only; must be eighteen or older to play. EPChamber.org
FEBRUARY 18TH
Takin’ It to the Limit: A Tribute to the Eagles
501 West 78th St, Chanhassen 5:30pm
Collective Unconscious and the Fabulous Armadillos will once again join forces at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres to present their unforgettable tribute to the Eagles – the quintessential band of the seventies and eighties. Sing and dance along to hits like “Take It Easy,” “Life in the Fast Lane,” “Desperado” and many more. Shows also on February 19th, 20th, and 21st. ChanhassenDT.com
FEBRUARY 27TH
1100 Canterbury Rd, Shakopee
Minnesota’s number one muskie fishing show returns to showcase retailers, resorts, tackle manufacturers, guides, factory reps, boats, reproductions, Muskies Inc., seminars (about muskies), and much more! You’ll definitely want to muskelLUNGE at this opportunity! Daily admission is just $12; children twelve and under get in FREE! Event also held on February 28th 10am-6:30pm and March 1st 10am-4pm. MN-MuskieExpo.com
