Contact: Steve Solmonson
Carmichael Lynch Spong
612-375-8536
steve.solmonson@clynch.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AirSpace Minnesota Officially Takes Flight
With Election of Officers
Showcasing Minnesota’s Aerospace and Aviation Achievements and Impact
MINNEAPOLIS (August 23, 2012) – AirSpace Minnesota, a new non-profit
organization created to tell the story of Minnesota’s achievements and impact in
aerospace and aviation, has officially launched with the election of its first
officers. AirSpace Minnesota will commemorate the state’s extraordinary aviation and
aerospace legacy, promote skill-building for students and showcase the exciting
work of today’s innovators.
AirSpace Minnesota Officers
Dale Klapmeier - Board Chair
Klapmeier co-founded Cirrus Aircraft, a recognized leader in general aviation, in
1984. In his role as CEO, he is responsible for day-to-day oversight of the company.
Passionate about expanding all forms of aviation, Klapmeier, a private pilot with more than
4,700 hours of flight time, is involved with many aviation boards and programs such as the
Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagle Program and NASA programs to explore
critical issues related to aeronautical research.
Kristi Rollag Wangstad - President
Rollag Wangstad, founder and principal of Stakeholder Energy netWorks, formerly
served as a vice president for GE Capital Fleet Services and First Bank System (now US Bank).
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AirSpace Minnesota Officially Takes Flight – Page 2
She was a founding executive officer of Alliant Techsystems (ATK) and founder and
president of ATK’s community foundation. Active in science and technology and
community leadership, Rollag Wangstad has served as SciMathMN board chair, a Minnesota
High Tech Association board member and president of the Minnesota Women’s Economic
Roundtable.
Dr. Thomas Bartoe - Treasurer
Bartoe is the founder, president and CEO of PTB & Associates, an independent
consulting firm. A former Naval commander, CEO of Waltek Corporation and executive at
Cirrus Aircraft and Potlatch Corporation, Bartoe is an adjunct professor of Strategic
Management and Mathematics at the College of St. Scholastica and a private pilot. He is
active in a number of professional and civic organizations, including the board of
STARBASE Minnesota.
“AirSpace Minnesota is about making connections – to our legacy, between students
and practitioners, and to future opportunities,” said Rollag Wangstad. “Aviation and
aerospace are key to Minnesota’s economic success, supporting agriculture, commerce,
communication, navigation, tourism and public safety. When we celebrate our past and
present achievements, we can help inspire and equip the next generation with the dreams and
skills they need to succeed.”
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AirSpace Minnesota Officially Takes Flight – Page 3
AirSpace Minnesota Board of Directors

Noel Allard, Executive Director, Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame

John Andrews, Scout Executive/CEO, Northern Star Council, Boy Scouts of America

Dr. Tom Bartoe, President & CEO, PTB & Associates Inc. and STARBASE Minnesota

Dr. Clayton Cowl, Chair, Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic

Dr. Bill Garrard, University of Minnesota Aerospace Engineering and NASA Minnesota
Space Grant Consortium

Jeff Hamiel, Executive Director, Metropolitan Airports Commission

Gordon Hoff, Executive Director, Minnesota Business Aviation Association

Andrea Kajer, Deputy Director, External Relations, Minnesota Historical Society

Bruce Kitt, Executive Director, NWA History Centre

Dale Klapmeier, Co-Founder & CEO, Cirrus Aircraft

Commander Chip Laingen, U.S. Navy (retired), Executive Director, Defense Alliance

William Lentsch, Senior Vice President & Minnesota Operations Leader, Delta Air Lines

Brigadier General Mark Ness (retired), former Chair, Minnesota Air National Guard
Historical Foundation

Ann Novacheck, Attorney, Lindquist & Vennum

Doug Paulson, STEM Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education

Eric Raarup, Chief Marketing Technology Officer, Avtex – a Pohlad Family Company

Brigadier General Dennis Schulstad (retired), State Chair Emeritus, Employer Support of
the Guard and Reserve (ESGR)

Doug Spong, President, Carmichael Lynch

Jana Vaughan, Executive Director, Airport Foundation MSP

Steve Wagner, Executive Director, Workforce and Community Development, Lake
Superior College –Minnesota State College and Universities

Brad Westphal, Boeing Business Leader for Honeywell Aerospace

Lt. Colonel Richard Wiessner (retired), Chair, Minnesota Air National Guard Historical
Foundation
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