The 2025 Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers (MnSPE) Annual Meeting, held at the North Oaks Golf Club, was filled with thought-provoking discussions, engaging sessions, and well-deserved recognition, all tied together by the commitment to advancing the engineering profession and serving the public good.
The event kicked off with an insightful keynote by Minnesota Senator Ann Johnson Stewart, PE, who brought a unique perspective as both a Minnesotan and a professional engineer. Her talk resonated deeply with attendees as she answered the often-unspoken question, “What can I do?” with actionable advice.
Senator Stewart urged engineers to get involved by joining advisory boards or even running for office. She emphasized the importance of helping legislators grasp the complexities of engineering projects they vote on, ensuring the profession’s voice is heard where it matters most.
MnSPE’s Guillermo Gandara PE, led a lively and engaging ethics seminar that explored Boeing’s sacrifice of ethical practice to its hunger for profits. Gandara recruited MnSPE members Jennifer Lowry, PE, Brittany Jaramillo, PE, Ben Adams, PE, and Wayne Hochrein, PE, to help bring that struggle to life — creating the most engaging ethics seminar on record.
This collaborative session shed light on the critical balance between professional ethics and corporate profitability, leaving attendees with practical insights to apply in their own work.
Celebrating Achievement
Awards are a highlight of the MnSPE Annual Meeting, and 2025 was no different. Past President David Fautsch, PE, led the awards presentation, recognizing individual professional engineers who have gone above and beyond in serving the public health, safety, and welfare.
This year’s honorees included:
- Engineer of the Year: Lisa Breuer, PE
- Young Engineer of the Year: Zach Thoma
- Extra Mile Award: Darin Mielke, Legislative Committee Chair
These awards celebrated not only individual excellence but also the profession’s collective commitment to bettering our communities.
Fautsch also presented the 2025 MnSPE Project Awards, given to projects that exemplify PEs impacting the public health, safety, and welfare. This year, the Lake Waconia Paradise Commons project received the Public Health Award. The Hodgson Road Reconstruction received the Public Safety Award, and the Downtown Chaska Highway 41 Improvements received the Public Welfare Award.
NSPE President, Minnesota’s own Brian Malm, PE, led a panel discussion focused on the engineering workforce of the future. Demographic forecasts mean that developing the future engineering workforce is becoming a significant challenge. Panelists offered suggestions ranging from PEs becoming more involved in their regional Economic Development Councils to multiple options for expanding avenues to licensure
- Melisa Rodriquez, PE, SET, Chair, MN Board of AELSLAGID
- Heather Fishel, Iron Range Professional Engineering Program Coordinator at the Swenson College of Science and Engineering – otherwise known as UMD.
- Emily Saed, MN STEM Ecosystem Director
- Nola Slagter-Johnson, Hennepin County Workforce Development Director.
The day’s events did not end when the meeting adjourned. Instead,members went on to build brush bots, relax on the Golf Club’s sunny patio, and enjoying friends old and new.
