Off the Record

Hosted by Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal and Platinum Bank

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Dec 2024

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About the show

Off the Record is a podcast exploring the lives and stories of Twin Cities executives. Join the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, in partnership with Platinum Bank, for robust conversations with local leaders as they share pivotal moments in their lives, some of their career highlights, and their goals for the coming years. You know their names and faces, now get to know their stories.

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49 recent

December 23, 202452 min

Off the Record’s original podcast hosts Kathy Robideau and Dave Faust reconvene for finale episode

In a wrap-up episode of Off the Record, the original hosts Kathy Robideau, now the chief growth officer at Versique, and Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, join Jen Hellman, president and CEO of Goff Public, in a memorable conversation. The two special guests open up about their own career journeys and what they’ve learned by going “off the record” over the past 49 episodes with Twin Cities business leaders. “It’s so inspiring to watch the risks people take and the bets they place on themselves and how they do it,” says Faust. Listen to the episode to hear more about: Robideau’s “rapid ascension” through her career from a recruiter role to her position with the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (19:53)What fuels her competitive nature (26:11)What Robideau sees as her biggest win professionally to date (30:27)Where Faust learned “not to start a job unless you know what you’ll get paid” (35:44)What he truly loves about banking — hint: it’s not the numbers (40:57)Faust’s favorite Twin Cities restaurant (49:27)Leaders like Robideau and Faust understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

December 9, 202436 min

Tami Diehm, president and shareholder at Winthrop & Weinstine, on keeping calm under pressure

To this day, Tami Diehm, president and shareholder at Winthrop & Weinstine, still relies on a valuable professional lesson she learned in her early days as a restaurant server. “We had a number of little sayings and things at Perkins that I have carried through to my practice today, one of which is really important to the whole Winthrop & Weinstine culture, and that’s, ‘Poise under pressure,’” Diehm says on the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast, brought to you by Platinum Bank. “We often say we don’t necessarily have the ability to predict what might be thrown at us in any given day, but we absolutely have the ability to control how we react to those situations.” Listen to the episode for Diehm’s other nuggets of wisdom and details of her career journey from restaurant server to the top seat at her firm. Learn more about: What Diehm learned from her mother (14:29)Her “curvy path” to a law career (16:37)Stepping into a leadership role amid the uncertainties of Covid-19 (27:42)Why Diehm maintains her client practice alongside her management role (30:17)Giving herself grace when it comes to balancing work and family (32:40)The country Diehm would serve as an ambassador to, if she had the opportunity (36:09)Leaders like Diehm understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

November 25, 202450 min

Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt on trusting the process

Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.In her younger years, Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt felt she couldn’t look too far into the future. As someone who grew up with a lot of adversity and then became a young mom at age 15, she knew the challenges of just living from one day to the next, she says on the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast. But determination and trusting the process helped get her through. “People have to have some sense of hope. They have to believe they do deserve better, that they can have better. But (they also need to) stay disciplined in the process — you might not see it day one, day two, month one, but it will come,” Witt says. Listen as Witt shares her journey and career story with hosts Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, and Jen Hellman, president and CEO of Goff Public. The discussion touches on topics such as: What Witt learned from 10 years as a volunteer coach (18:24)The first time she considered a career in law enforcement (20:58)When she started “trusting the process better” (25:38)Asking trusted colleagues on her command staff to keep her grounded (28:51)Why community interactions remain a key part of Witt’s job, even in her elevated role (36:52)Witt’s goals in influencing the next generation coming into the law enforcement field (41:49)Leaders like Witt understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

November 11, 202442 min

Chris Harrington, president and CEO of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, on getting immersed in the Twin Cities community

One of the best ways to get acquainted with a new home is to start meeting people. Detroit-born Chris Harrington, now the president and CEO of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, admits on the latest episode of Off the Record that he had never before set foot outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when he accepted the top job with the nonprofit. But he had some familiarity with the region, he says — and it didn’t hurt that he spent his first six months meeting a thousand community members. Yes, a thousand.“I’m not making that up,” Harrington says. “I confirmed that with my colleague, Nikki. It was very interesting because it was during a time where we were still meeting virtually… We were just on Zooms back to back. I always say that if we had to actually go back and replicate meeting a thousand people within the first six months, it would probably take six years.” Check out the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast with Harrington and hosts Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, and Jen Hellman, CEO of Goff Public, to learn more about: How the Twin Cities punches above its weight class when it comes to the arts (17:05)What Harrington’s most excited about for the Ordway’s upcoming season (18:24)What it means to be “carefrontational” (23:10)Curating his own personal board of directors to consult for life’s big decisions (26:05)Why Harrington has no aspirations of performing on stage (30:53)NOOMA, the opera for babies — and how there’s truly something for everyone at the Ordway (35:35) Leaders like Harrington understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

October 28, 202431 min

Aaron Engler, president of Border Foods, on grinding toward success

Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.From chasing a girl from California to Minnesota to working his way up the ladder at his family’s company, Border Foods, Aaron Engler has always been what his parents call a “grinder.” His hard work and persistence paid off: that California girl has been his wife since 2008, and Engler is now the president of Border Foods. But getting to that career status certainly wasn’t easy, he said. “In my experience, it was harder (to succeed at Border) being a family member than not being a family member. The expectations were harder,” Engler admits in the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast, brought to you by Platinum Bank. Listen to Engler’s conversation with hosts Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, and Jen Hellman, CEO of Goff Public, to learn more about: What it’s like to run Border Foods and operate over 250 Taco Bell franchises (10:37)Workforce changes Engler has noticed during his career in the restaurant world (12:36)How Border Foods distinguishes its company culture from that of other QSRs and fast casual eateries (16:34)Engler’s favorite Taco Bell menu item (20:18)Ways restaurants are being built now to accommodate advancements in digital tools and post-pandemic delivery options (21:41)Getting comfortable “being uncomfortable” in a new executive role (27:06)What Engler loves about fitness and how he’s gearing up for his fourth marathon (28:30)Leaders like Engler understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

October 14, 202452 min

Dr. Pearce McCarty, orthopedic surgeon for Allina Health and co-founder, DOCSI, on entrepreneurial inspiration

Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Allina Health orthopedic surgeon Dr. L. Pearce McCarty III won’t settle for doing things halfway. When, as a team physician for the Minnesota Twins, he needed a certain type of medical implant he couldn’t get in the operating room, he created it himself. The next step was to figure out how to commercialize it, he says in the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast. When others told him he could learn to build a business “on the fly,” he made it clear that “that’s not the way I work,” McCarty says. “So I went to Duke and got my MBA.” Now, as an entrepreneur, renowned surgeon and co-founder of health care IT company DOCSI, McCarty puts his education to good use. Listen to his conversation with Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, and Jen Hellman, CEO of Goff Public, in this episode to hear about his career journey. Learn more about: Of the several universities he attended, which college sweatshirt McCarty likes to wear the most (5:05) Wrangling a jackhammer that weighed almost as much as him in a high school job (10:59)How McCarty decided what medical specialty was his calling (20:26)Learning entrepreneurial lessons from his father (22:16)Inspiration for building DOCSI (26:01)What it was like to be a physician for the Minnesota Twins (37:04)McCarty’s favorite thing to cook for dinner (43:59)Leaders like McCarty understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

September 30, 202441 min

Michael E. Jordan, UNRL founder and CEO, on his journey from college dropout to athleisure entrepreneur

At an early age, UNRL Founder and CEO Michael E. Jordan knew he didn’t want to enter the construction industry like his parents and brother.“My roommates, they were always up all night playing Call of Duty. And I was … in the middle of designing a catalog for a company that does sublimation printed jerseys.”When Jordan saw the hockey team Minnesota Wild’s logo, he thought, “How cool is that? All of the depth in that logo of the river and the sun. … I want to design logos like that when I grow up.”Jordan started his first “mini business” crafting web and graphic designs around the age of 13, and he hasn’t stopped since. Shortly after closing the doors on the company he started in college, Jordan started UNRL, an athleisure clothing company designed to take you from the office to the gym.“Our true end goal is to leave a legacy … to have a company that stands the test of time and is bigger than all of us individually.”Jordan discusses his exciting career journey and more in this episode of Off the Record with hosts Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, and Jen Hellman, president and CEO of Goff Public. Listen in to hear more on:· Pitching a design idea for a large engineering company at age 16 (4:07)· Getting a deal opportunity with “the NFL of video games” in college (10:53)· Starting UNRL a month after dropping out of college (14:56)· What’s helped UNRL stay ahead in a competitive industry (24:04)· Where you’ll find Jordan on a Saturday morning (39:16)Leaders like Jordan understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

September 9, 202432 min

Benjamin Jo VandenWymelenberg, founder and CEO, Woodchuck USA, on the magic of getting your hands dirty

Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.On the eve of starting grad school, Benjamin Jo VandenWymelenberg dropped and shattered his phone. After building an early prototype of a wood phone case to protect it, he nixed the grad school idea and started a business selling high-end custom wood products. As the founder and CEO of Woodchuck USA, VandenWymelenberg now aims to “connect people with nature,” as he says on the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast. The company is proud of its “Buy one. Plant one.” program, where a tree is planted for every product sold, he says. “When we came up with that idea, I had a strong feeling like, this is going to do really well because we can literally show an end consumer exactly where their tree was planted,” VandenWymelenberg says. “I think there’s something extremely magical that happens when you can get your hands physically on dirt, and I’ve witnessed this with corporate teams we will take out (on a planting day).” Listen to the episode as VandenWymelenberg shares more about his company’s inception and career journey. Learn more about: VandenWymelenberg’s passion for architecture and how those design skills have translated to his business (8:59)Woodchuck USA’s most popular items (14:46)How VandenWymelenberg’s other business, Nature Link, feeds into his goal of connecting people with nature (15:46)Giving back to the community in the realms of nature and entrepreneurship (24:27)VandenWymelenberg’s favorite national park (27:12)Leaders like VandenWymelenberg understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

August 26, 202437 min

Robbie Harrell, CEO of Minnesota Ice, on embracing the Minnesota winters

Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Someone who thinks of Minnesota Ice as a company that sells frozen water is sort of missing the point, according to Robbie Harrell, the company’s CEO. From ice sculptures to craft cocktail cubes to life-size ice block mazes, Minnesota Ice’s products are innovative in their design and function. “You think of it as, ‘Oh, it’s just freezing water.’ It’s so much more than that. I’ve somehow managed to get into a complicated business where you take this raw material you get out of a spigot. You freeze it using these expensive machines, and then you have to store it in a very expensive room that stays below freezing,” Harrell says on this episode of the Off the Record podcast. Harrell shares more about the company’s origins and what it’s doing to “embrace the winter” in Minnesota through ice mazes and more special events with hosts Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, and Jen Hellman, CEO of Goff Public. Listen to the episode to learn more about: Harrell’s first job frying cheese curds at the state fair (3:18)Coming to learn who you want to work with and who you don’t (6:24)Business serendipity on a flight to Texas (8:41)Minnesota Ice’s big break with the Super Bowl (16:26)How ice events came to be (20:54)Where you’ll find Harrell on a Saturday morning (33:36)Leaders like Harrell understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.

August 12, 202440 min

Todd Duesing, president and CEO of Hennepin Arts, on big, bold visions

Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.When Todd Duesing became the president and CEO of Hennepin Arts, formerly Hennepin Theatre Trust, one of the first things he wanted to do was make some bold decisions about the Twin Cities’ theater district. He saw so much potential there, he says on the latest episode of the Off the Record podcast. “Our new tagline is braver, brighter, bolder — and that’s our vision for Hennepin Avenue. We want to be braver and take risks on buildings that could be great things. We want to brighten up the district, make it lively and really illuminate it,” says Deusing. Duesing expands on his big, bold decisions and what it’s been like to relocate to Minneapolis from Cincinnati in his conversation with Off the Record hosts Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank, and Jen Hellman, president and CEO of Goff Public. Listen to the episode to hear more about: Putting on festivals in his family’s backyard in Northern Kentucky as a kid (2:08)Duesing’s involvement in campus concerts during college — and what happened when he picked up Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers from the airport (8:41)Bringing 35,000 international visitors to Cincinnati as part of the World Choir Games (15:06)Duesing’s vision for the Twin Cities’ theater district (22:45)Projections for the Broadway show industry (28:22)Area restaurants Duesing is excited to visit with his husband — and what song he’s likely to sing at karaoke (37:52)Leaders like Duesing understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.