{"id":860,"date":"2026-03-18T11:43:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T16:43:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/?page_id=860"},"modified":"2026-03-18T14:44:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T19:44:05","slug":"distinguished-minnesotan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/distinguished-minnesotan\/","title":{"rendered":"Distinguished Minnesotan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bemidji State University’s Distinguished Minnesotan award acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States. The Distinguished Minnesotan traditionally delivers Bemidji State’s commencement address.<\/p>\n

Nature writer Sigurd Olson (1899-1982) received BSU’s first Distinguished Minnesotan award from President Rebecca Stafford in 1981. Olson was instrumental in the creation of the protection of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters area and he helped establish the state’s Voyageur’s National Park.<\/p>\n

There have been 42 Distinguished Minnesotans in the 40 years the honor has been awarded. The award was presented annually from 1981–2009 and was not awarded in 2010, 2012, 2020 or 2021. Two persons were honored in both 2007 and 2016.<\/p>\n

Bemidji State University’s Distinguished Minnesotan Award Recipients<\/h2>\n

Listed in reverse chronological order<\/b><\/p>\n

\n

\"Portrait<\/a>
\n2025
\nRobert Anderson<\/a>
\nBSU alumnus, Former Solicitor of the Department of the Interior<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

2024
\nMike Roberge<\/a>
\nBSU alumnus, CEO of Boston-based MFS Investment Services<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\"Tuleah<\/p>\n

2023
\nTuleah Palmer<\/a>
\nCEO, Blandin Foundation<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\"Dr.2022
\nDr. Arnie Vainio<\/a>
\nPhysician<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
2021<\/div>\n
no award given<\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
2020<\/div>\n
no award given<\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\"Alan<\/a>2019<\/div>\n
Alan Page<\/a><\/div>\n
Retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and Minnesota Vikings Defensive Lineman<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Will<\/a>2018<\/div>\n
Will Weaver<\/a><\/div>\n
Author<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Anne<\/a>2017<\/div>\n
Anne K. McKeig<\/a><\/div>\n
Minnesota Supreme Court justice<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Dr.<\/a>2016<\/div>\n
Dr. Darby Nelson<\/a> and <\/span>Geri Nelson<\/a><\/div>\n
Philanthropists<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Jon<\/a>2015<\/div>\n
Jon McTaggart<\/a><\/div>\n
President & CEO, American Public Media<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Trudy<\/a>2014<\/div>\n
Trudy Rautio<\/a><\/div>\n
CEO, Carlson Companies<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n

\"Lt.<\/p>\n

2013<\/div>\n
Lt. Gen Thomas Waldhauser<\/a><\/div>\n
Senior military assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Defense<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2012<\/div>\n
no award given<\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Susan<\/a>2011<\/div>\n
Susan Marvin<\/a><\/div>\n
President, Marvin Windows & Doors<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2010<\/div>\n
no award given<\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Don<\/a>2009<\/div>\n
Don Shelby<\/a><\/div>\n
Television anchor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Dr.<\/a>2008<\/div>\n
Dr. Alex Cirillo, Jr.<\/a><\/div>\n
Vice president for community affairs, 3M<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Paul<\/a>2007<\/div>\n
Paul Wellstone<\/div>\n
U.S. Senator<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
and<\/div>\n
Sheila Wellstone<\/div>\n
Advocate against domestic abuse<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2006<\/div>\n
Kathleen Blatz<\/div>\n
Chief Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2005<\/div>\n
Gerald Vizenor<\/div>\n
Author, educator<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2004<\/div>\n
Herb Brooks<\/div>\n
Men’s ice hockey coach<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2003<\/div>\n
Edgar Heteen<\/div>\n
Entrepreneur, snowmobile pioneer<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2002<\/div>\n
Rosalie Wahl<\/div>\n
Minnesota Supreme Court justice<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2001<\/div>\n
Libby Larsen<\/div>\n
Composer<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
2000<\/div>\n
Jon Hassler<\/div>\n
Author, educator<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1999<\/div>\n
Coya Knutson<\/div>\n
Congresswoman<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1998<\/div>\n
Bob Bergland<\/div>\n
Congressman, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1997<\/div>\n
Ann Bancroft<\/div>\n
Explorer of North & South poles<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1996<\/div>\n
Jerry Willet<\/div>\n
Businessman, former state senator<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1995<\/div>\n
William H. Kling<\/div>\n
Public radio innovator<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1994<\/div>\n
Cheryl Dickson<\/div>\n
Leader in humanities programming<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1993<\/div>\n
Nellie Stone Johnson<\/div>\n
Political & social activist<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1992<\/div>\n
Veda Ponikvar<\/div>\n
Newspaper publisher<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1991<\/div>\n
Meridel LeSueur<\/div>\n
Writer, social activist<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1990<\/div>\n
William S. Marvin<\/div>\n
Businessman, community leader<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1989<\/div>\n
Curtis L. Carlson<\/div>\n
Businessman, philanthropist<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1988<\/div>\n
Elmer L. Andersen<\/div>\n
Businessman, former governor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1987<\/div>\n
Muriel Buck Humphrey Brown<\/div>\n
Advocate for the disadvantaged<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1986<\/div>\n
Dr. Harlan Cleveland<\/div>\n
Political scientist<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1985<\/div>\n
Dr. John Najarian<\/div>\n
Transplant surgeon<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1984<\/div>\n
Frederick F. Manfred<\/div>\n
Author<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1983<\/div>\n
Janet Dearholt Esty<\/div>\n
Businesswoman, entrepreneur<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1982<\/div>\n
Karl Kassulke<\/div>\n
Athlete, handicap advocate<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
1981<\/div>\n
Sigurd Olson<\/div>\n
Naturalist and author<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bemidji State University’s Distinguished Minnesotan award acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have performed exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States. The Distinguished Minnesotan traditionally delivers Bemidji State’s commencement address. Nature writer Sigurd Olson (1899-1982) received BSU’s first Distinguished Minnesotan award from President Rebecca Stafford […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-860","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=860"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/860\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":861,"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/860\/revisions\/861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bemidjistate.edu\/offices\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}