After a four-month hiring process, Nisswa’s Tyler Glynn has been promoted to lead the Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation (BLAEDC).
BLAEDC’s Board of Directors unanimously selected Glynn earlier this week, closing the book on an era that started 32 years ago when Sheila Haverkamp was hired as executive director. She resigned in September to help adults who are battling addictions.
Glynn understands that he has huge shoes to fill, but he said he’s got a great staff and the support of the board to help him through the transition. More importantly, he worked closely with Haverkamp for the last three years and will use that experience to guide him as he moves forward.
“Sheila and BLAEDC have been synonymous for many years, so those are definitely big shoes to fill,” Glynn said. “She had a tremendous impact in the community, the region and even in the state. She was a mentor to me and was great to work for but now it’s time for me to walk in my own footsteps. I’m not reinventing the wheel here as I think about what’s next. We’ll be managing the programs we have and continue to focus on our mission of growing businesses and increasing jobs in the area.”
BLAEDC hired Glynn in 2017 to help with daily economic development activity and to manage the Unified Fund, which is a $2.9 million pool of revolving funds that are loaned to local businesses. The money came from the cities of Brainerd, Baxter, Crosslake and Deerwood, Crow Wing County, Consolidated Telephone Company, Crow Wing Power, BLAEDC and Crow Wing County HRA, each of which pooled their loan funds and allowed BLAEDC to manage them. To date, 13 businesses – located in nearly every community in Crow Wing County – have received loans totaling more than $971,000. Those businesses have created 72 new jobs and retained another 73, with the average loan being about $75,000.
ADVERTISEMENT
Glynn was one of five candidates interviewed for the position, and then one of two finalists that were voted on by the board. The board was unanimous in its selection.
“Tyler is a great asset to BLAEDC and the business community as a whole,” BLAEDC Board Chair Tom Haglin said. “He’s done a great job managing the new Unified Fund and really proved to us that he understands the organization’s mission and how critical BLAEDC’s programs and efforts are to ensuring that the region has a diverse, growing and vibrant business sector. We think he has all the tools – including a clear vision for the organization’s future – for a smooth transition and to pick up where Sheila left off. We’re really excited for him.”
Glynn’s background includes work in the finance industry, 13 years with Mayo Clinic in Rochester and two years as a marketing consultant before joining BLAEDC. He received an economics degree from Hamline University before marrying his wife, Michelle, who’s a dental hygienist. They have three daughters.
Established in 1985, BLAEDC is a community-driven, non-profit organization created to preserve and enhance the area’s economic base by expanding business, building community and growing jobs in Crow Wing County.
