MFESTS: June EC Meeting
2025-06-27 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Chicago) | Virtual webinar class, Webex / Microsoft Teams / Zoom
MFESTS Executive Committee Meeting. If planning to attend, please email Antonio Sacin @ president@mfests.org.

MFESTS: BOD Meeting Q2
2025-06-30 17:30 - 19:30 | Minnesota
Board of Directors meeting for Quarter 2. Will add more details later.

INCOSE: July Leadership Meeting
2025-07-02 18:00 - 19:30 | 6715 Lake Shore Drive South, Richfield, MN 55423, 6715 Lake Shore Drive South, Richfield, Minnesota, 55423
Leadership meeting

ASQ: Program Meeting July 2025 - ISO 9001 Updates
2025-07-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Webinar
July 2025 Program Meeting – “ISO 9000 & 9001: Changes coming in 2025, 2026 & 2027 – Perspectives from an ISO Working Group Member” by Mark Swanson

When: Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Where: Virtual
Recertification units available:
0.1 RU Meeting (Business/Networking)
0.1 RU Workshop (1 hour)
Agenda:
6:30 P.M. Welcome, Announcements
7:00 P.M. Presentation: Mark Swanson, “ISO 9000 & 9001: Changes coming in 2025, 2026 & 2027 – Perspectives from an ISO Working Group Member”
7:55 P.M. Closing Notes
About the Presentation:
Title: ISO 9000 & 9001: Changes coming in 2025, 2026 & 2027 – Perspectives from an ISO Working Group Member
Attend this presentation to learn more about:

Restored appreciation for the content in ISO 9000 – we will outline how this sets the foundation for your quality management requirements and the expectations for the results that implementing a QMS should have
Understanding working group member perspective on ‘changes’ to ISO 9001
Thoughts on how to prepare for the publication of the revisions to ISO 9001
How you can provide input to the revisions of ISO 9000/9001 (and 9002)

Mark will answer your questions on the content of these key standards
About Our Speaker:
Mark Swanson (MBA, ASQ CMQ/OE, CQE, CMDA) is one of the Founding Partners of Quality and Regulatory Expert Partners, LLC; a partnership focused on helping small to mid-sized companies have the same regulatory and quality management systems knowledge as large companies. Mark has more than 25 years of experience in the medical device industry/quality management, including numerous quality and regulatory roles. He is a senior member of ASQ, RAPS member and a corporate AAMI member (serving on several AAMI standard development committees). Mark currently serves as the exam chair for the Certified Medical Device Auditor (CMDA) certification through ASQE.
Mark has spent the last several years as an active member of ISO Technical Committee 210 (ISO TC210), Working Group 1 (WG1) working on ISO 13485 that was published in March 2016. He is the project leader to update the Practical Guide (handbook) on ISO 13485 (ISO TS 23485) and in the AAMI group responsible for TIR 102, the comparison of ISO 13485 to the US FDA Quality System Regulation and contributor to the Advisory group for the final rule (new QMSR). He also participates with ISO TC176 on ISO 9000/9001:2015 and is currently part of both working groups on the revisions to be published in 2025/2026 and the secretary of the group updating ISO 9002. To add to this, Mark also participates in the US TAG for risk management (ISO 14971) and liaison from ISO TC210 to ISO TC262 for risk management. In this work he leads the discussions regarding the impact of changes in the ISO management system standards (MSSs) and how to effectively integrate these various international standards and other regulations into a single management system.
Register now using the link below!

More information

MFESTS: Summer Professional Networking Event
2025-07-17 17:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota
MFESTS will organize a professional networking event in the Twin Cities. Details coming soon.

MFESTS: July EC Meeting
2025-07-31 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Webinar – Webex / Microsoft Teams / Zoom
Details TBD.

MFESTS: Engineering Picnic
2025-08-03 17:00 - 19:00 | Wabun Park Pavillion A, 4655 46th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55406
Join us for our annual summer picnic with other local engineering organizations!

INCOSE: August Leadership Meeting
2025-08-06 18:00 - 19:30 | 6715 Lake Shore Drive South, Richfield, MN 55423, 6715 Lake Shore Drive South, Richfield, Minnesota, 55423
Leadership meeting.

ASQ: Program Meeting August 2025 - Networking Event
2025-08-12 17:00 - 21:00 | Punch Bowl Social Minnepolis, 1691 Park Place Boulevard, St. Louis Park, Minnesota, 55416
Come join us…..
There is plenty of social space, and we will have lots to do, like Bowling, Bocce Ball, Corn Hole, Bucket Toss, and Giant Jenga. There will also be a buffet with two drink tickets per person.
Location: 1691 Park Place Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55416
Cost: $20 per person. A plus-one is welcome! Please register your guest as well. We have 50 spots available. Your guest does not have to be an ASQ member to join us.
Venue Information: https://punchbowlsocial.com/location/minneapolis/

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ASQ: What does CMMI, the FDA and Your Organization's Maturity Have in Common?
2025-08-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Webinar
What is maturity, when applied to a company? Simply, it is a quantifiable measure of how consistently and efficiently a company operates, and how well it can identify and meet its key process metrics.
In 2011, the FDA launched its Case for Quality. They saw that just being compliant with the Quality System Regulations (QSR) did not make companies produce better products. The FDA worked with Medical Alley to create a new public-private partnership so the FDA could work directly with industry. The FDA’s Voluntary Improvement Program (VIP), launched in 2018, is a way to assess your organization’s maturity to industry best practices while getting some preferential treatment by the FDA. The VIP program leverages the Capability Maturity Model for Integration (CMMI) model and lets you tailor the assessments to where you need help the most.
Join in the discussion with Mark as he reviews:

The history of MDIC
The history of CMMI
Organizational maturity concepts
The FDA VIP program and benefits
Effects of the new QMSR
Case studies

Who should attend? Individuals who want to promote continuous quality improvement beyond regulatory compliance.
Venue: Online. A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants closer to the event date.
Date: Tuesday, August 13, 2025
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm CST
Cost:

ASQ Members $15
Non-Members $25
Students, $10 when registering with your valid, current school email.
Groups of 5 or more will receive the Member rate.

Certificates of Completion: Issued via email, after event completion, for .2 ASQ RUs or .2 CEUs
Please contact Karen Peifer, Committee Chair, at asqmnbmc@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Your Speaker
Mark Rutkiewicz, Consiliso, LLC
For over 35 years, Mark Rutkiewicz has led Quality organizations and has managed company business processes in six medical device companies. He has designed Quality Management Systems for active and non-active implantables, disposables, combo devices, software and capital systems. Mark built and rebuilt online integrated corporate-wide quality/business systems. He has a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and a Masters of Applied Liberal Studies from Hamline University. Mark retired in 2024, but started his own consulting company Consiliso LLC. Mark is the author of two books on Consiliso, which define how to create reconfigurable organizations and implement integrated business processes. He led efforts for the MDIC’s Case for Quality (CfQ) Voluntary Improvement Program (VIP) and is involved in the MDIC Safe Space program.
Sponsor Information
The MN ASQ Biomedical Consortium (BMC) is a group of quality professionals promoting and advancing quality tools, principles, and practices through educational events. We focus on the medical device industry but promote events for other regulated environments.

Follow us on LinkedIn to stay informed of upcoming events: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/90642322/

To become a member of the MN ASQ Biomedical Consortium, please contact Karen Peifer, Committee Chair or Sahi Datla, Committee Co-Chair, at asqmnbmc@gmail.com.
The American Society for Quality (ASQ), is a knowledge-based global community of quality professionals, with nearly 80,000 members dedicated to promoting and advancing quality tools, principles, and practices in their workplaces and communities. As your career partner, ASQ membership benefits are designed to help meet your growing needs as a quality professional. Membership provides exclusive access to quality knowledge, solutions, and resources to solve challenges, and skill development to advance your career. ASQ is committed to providing enhanced expertise, professional networks, tools, and solutions to help our members advance their products, services, and industries.
ASQ: https://www.asq.org/
More information

MFESTS: August EC Meeting
2025-08-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Webinar – Webex / Microsoft Teams / Zoom
Monthly meeting for the MFESTS Executive Committee.

MFESTS: September EC Meeting
2025-09-24 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Webinar – Webex / Microsoft Teams / Zoom
Meeting of the MFESTS Executive Committee. If want to attend, please send an email to president@mfests.org.

MFESTS: Q3 Board of Directors Meeting
2025-09-25 17:30 - 19:30 | Minnesota
Placeholder for MFESTS BOD meeting for Q3. More details to come.

MFESTS: Fall Professional Networking Event
2025-10-16 17:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota
Placeholder for the MFESTS Fall Networking Event.

MFESTS: October EC Meeting
2025-10-30 18:00 - 19:00 | Minnesota
Meeting of MFESTS Executive Committee. If wishing to attend, please email president@mfests.org.

MFESTS: 2025 Awards Dinner
2025-11-06 17:30 - 20:30 | Wildfire, 8251 Flying Cloud Drive, Suite 3020, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, 55344
Celebrate Excellence at the 2025 Awards Dinner of the Minnesota Federation of Engineering, Science & Technology Societies (MFESTS)
Get ready for an inspiring evening of recognition, networking, and community celebration — the annual Minnesota Federation of Engineering, Science & Technology Societies (MFESTS) Awards Dinner returns on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at the elegant Wildfire Restaurant in Eden Prairie. The night begins with welcome and mingling at 6:30 PM, followed by dinner and awards presentations at 7:30 PM.Register now on Eventbrite →

Honoring the 2025 MFESTS Award Recipients
This year’s MFESTS Awards Dinner will proudly honor three exceptional individuals whose achievements exemplify the spirit of innovation, leadership, and service that drive Minnesota’s STEM community forward.

Jon Ness, recipient of the Charles W. Britzius Distinguished Engineer Award, is recognized for his outstanding career contributions and lasting impact on the engineering profession.

Rama Sahithi Datla, honored with the Young Science and Technology Professional Award, represents the next generation of scientific excellence, blending creativity and technical mastery to advance emerging technologies.

Rachel Scheu, this year’s Young Engineer of the Year, stands out for her remarkable professional growth, problem-solving acumen, and commitment to community engagement.

Together, their achievements highlight the breadth of talent and dedication within Minnesota’s engineering, science, and technology community — and serve as an inspiration to current and future innovators alike.

Why Attend?

Celebrate Excellence: Join the STEM community in honoring those who are shaping Minnesota’s technological future.

Network with Leaders: Connect with distinguished professionals, rising stars, and representatives from MFESTS’ member societies.

Support the Future of STEM: Attend as a guest, sponsor, or member society — and help strengthen Minnesota’s tradition of innovation and collaboration.

Enjoy an Elegant Evening: Experience Wildfire Restaurant’s refined setting, fine dining, and warm fellowship with peers who share your passion for engineering and science.

Event Details at a Glance
Date & Time: Thursday, November 6, 2025 — 6:30 PM Welcome & Mingling | 7:30 PM Dinner & Awards Location: Wildfire Restaurant, Eden Prairie, Minnesota️ Registration: Eventbrite — MFESTS 2025 Awards Dinner Who Should Attend: Members of MFESTS societies, professionals across STEM disciplines, students, sponsors, and anyone passionate about advancing science and technology in Minnesota.

Join Us
Mark your calendar for what promises to be an extraordinary evening of recognition, fellowship, and inspiration. Whether you’re cheering for this year’s honorees, connecting with leaders in the STEM community, or simply celebrating innovation in Minnesota, the MFESTS 2025 Awards Dinner is not to be missed.
Reserve your seat today →

MFESTS: November EC Meeting
2025-11-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Webinar – Webex / Microsoft Teams / Zoom

ECM: Membership Meeting
2025-12-11 11:30 - 12:30 | Chester Bird American Legion, 8900 Golden Valley Road North, Golden Valley, MN, 55422, United States
ECM meeting for members and prospective members.

MFESTS: December EC Meeting
2025-12-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Webinar – Webex / Microsoft Teams / Zoom

MFESTS: Q4 Board of Directors Meeting
2026-01-20 17:30 - 20:30 | Minnesota
Placeholder for Q4 Board of Directors meeting + Networking Event

NSBE: Professional Engineer Society Mixer
2026-03-11 18:00 - 21:00 | Walter Library East Bank – University of Minnesota, 117 Pleasant Street Southeast, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455
Overview

Connect with Twin Cities STEM Professionals. Join engineers, technologists, and students from across the Twin Cities for the Professional Engineering Society Mixer, a collaborative networking event bringing together members from multiple engineering and STEM organizations.

Participating organizations include NSBE, IEEE, INCOSE, SAE, SHPE, EWB, MNSPE, BIT, APWA, SME, ION, AIAA, MN ASQ, ASCE, and MFESTS.
This event provides an opportunity to connect with professionals, learn about engineering societies, and build relationships across disciplines and career stages. Whether you are a student exploring career paths or an experienced professional looking to expand your network, this evening is designed to bring the engineering community together.
The evening will include interactive networking activities, organization introductions, and a keynote talk by Steve Gompertz, QRx Partners, who will share insights on how engineering plays a critical role in saving and restoring lives through medical technology.
A catered Italian dinner will be served during the program with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options.
Students, early-career engineers, and experienced professionals are all welcome.

Speaker
Steve Gompertz is a leader in Quality Systems management. His career includes roles in quality systems development and implementation, project management, engineering automation, configuration management, audit, and software development for companies including St. Jude Medical, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Vital Images, and Control Data. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University, and certifications in quality management, biomedical auditing, project management, and configuration management.
Mr. Gompertz has developed a Quality Systems Capability Model merging Risk Management and CMMI concepts to create the only method available to quantitatively measure a quality system’s effectiveness and potential. He is also responsible for coining the term, “dysfunctional compliance” to describe the situation where a company meets all regulatory and statutory requirements but still experiences significant quality issues due to not addressing quality from a true systems perspective.
Steve Gompertz’s LinkedIn profile

Venue Information: Walter Library | University of Minnesota Libraries – Room 402
Parking Information: https://campusmaps.umn.edu/walter-library

INCOSE: Forgotten Star + INTERTEK Facility Tour
2026-03-17 16:30 - 20:00 | Forgotten Star Brewing Company, 38 Northern Stacks Drive, Fridley, Minnesota, 55421
Forgotten Star + INTERTEK FACILITY TOUR

By: North Star Chapter INCOSE

Follow

Forgotten Star Brewing Co.Fridley, MN
Tuesday, Mar 17 from 4:30 pm to 8 pm

Overview

1. Nothing via Mailchimp is authorized by the INCOSE North Star Chapter. • 2. Gather at Forgotten Star Brewing • 3. Intertek facility tour

• Please avoid clicking links in Mailchimp email that claims to be from the INCOSE North Star Chapter, and disregard any such email. The Chapter discontinued use of Mailchimp after January. A security notice follows the event announcement below.
• Please come and join us in-person for the March INCOSE North Star event,
falling incidentally on St. Patrick’s Day, progressing from Forgotten Star Brewery to a facility tour of Intertek.
RSVP: at right, red “Reserve a spot” button
location: two sites in Fridley, Minnesota 55421
Agenda
site: Forgotten Star Brewing Company
38 Northern Stacks Drive
4:30 – Networking and socializing—Ask the staff and look for signage, for direction to the space set aside for the INCOSE North Star Chapter.
5:30 – Welcoming remarks from the North Star Chapter, outside Forgotten Star’s doors, weather permitting
Progress north to the northeast corner of Intertek, in the Northern Stacks industrial park —option: 20 minutes’ walk up the tracks.
site: Intertek
40 51st Way NE #100
6:00 – Reconvene in the lobby in the northeast corner.
Intertek is a Total Quality Assurance resource for operations and supply chains in multiple industries. 1000 laboratories and offices in more than 100 countries provide outsourced, innovative, tailored, mission-critical assurance, testing, inspection and certification solutions. The Fridley location is the home of the region’s Electrical Safety testing teams; including Medical Device, General Industrial and EMC/EMI.
With the same street address, Intertek Building and Construction (Professional Service Industries) provides assurance, testing and inspection in civil and commercial construction. This includes construction materials testing, geotechnical services, environmental consulting, industrial hygiene, and specialty testing
Speakers, conducting the tour for us
Mary Margaret Bartik, PhD [linkedin.com], Medical Device Electrical Safety Team Lead Centered in Microbiology & Immunology, with a substantial background in academia, business, and work in the industry; Biotechnology, Medical Devices, Cell Culture, R&D, and business development.
Before 2023, Mary Margaret owned MMB Scitech Consulting and Midwest SiTech, as a consultant for scientific writing, editing and grantsmanship, proposal development, data analysis and experimental design, Business development, strategic planning, and laboratory design.
Byron Smith is the Engineering Manager for Electrical Safety at Intertek (Fridley, MN) where he has been helping clients achieve their testing and certification goals for the past 11 years.He started as an engineer testing medical devices to national and international standards before moving to management roles within the organization. He now leads the lab with an emphasis on improving training, doing work the right way, being open-minded when problem solving, and clearly communicating with clients.
Byron graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Outside of work he enjoys competing in triathlons, hiking, and playing overly complicated board games with his friends.
Again, please

Disregard anything from Mailchimp claiming to represent the INCOSE North Star Chapter.
Let us know how many are coming with the red button at upper right, “Reserve a spot”
Gather between 4:30 and 5:30 at Forgotten Star.
Meet at 6:00 in the lobby at the northeast of Intertek.

____
Security Notice: unauthorized email
The Mailchimp deliveries Feb. 11 with the subject “information” were not authorized by the North Star Chapter. No notices distributed by Mailchimp after January have been authorized by the North Star Chapter.
At this time, the chapter has no indication that financial or sensitive personal information was exposed. However, email addresses in our contact list may have been accessed. We are issuing this notice out of an abundance of caution for our members and community.
At this time, official chapter communications are distributed through our chapter Gmail account, Eventbrite, our website, and the Connect platform internal to INCOSE members.
Not necessarily related or associated with the North Star Chapter, email this month regarding continuing education, from “Huntress” re assigned tasks, are also considered illegitimate and so a risk for phishing and malicious links.

ASQ: Biomedical Consortium - Situational Leadership
2026-03-18 17:30 - 19:15 | Webinar
Situational Leadership –
Influence people to build solutions

You didn’t get into quality to be the bottleneck.
You’re here to build excellence and ensure quality. But if your days are filled with friction, constantly having to enforce rules with resistant colleagues and frustrated teams, it’s exhausting. Being seen as the primary rule enforcer can make you feel like a bottleneck, not a strategic partner.
It’s time for a new approach.
In this 90-minute virtual masterclass, you will learn a proven leadership framework to diagnose why people resist and exactly how to adapt your approach to get buy-in, reduce conflict, and champion quality effectively.

Click Here for more info or to register!

SAE: Regional Collegiate Vehicle Showcase
2026-04-11 09:00 - 12:00 | AutoMotorPlex Medina, 3600 Arrowhead Drive, Medina, MN, 55340, United States
The Twin Cities Section of SAE will be hosting a regional collegiate design vehicle showcase at the AutoMotorPlex-Medina ‘Caffeine & Octane’ Event on April 11th. Local collegiate teams be showing their vehicles at the event. This is a great opportunity to meet the students and see the great work they have done on their vehicles.
Events — Automotorplex

INCOSE: Integrating AI into Systems Engineering for Medical Devices: A Case Study
2026-04-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Augsburg Park Library, 7100 Nicollet Avenue, Richfield, Minnesota, 55423
Overview

Findings from Boston Scientific’s early practice with IntelliU’s ALEX implementation

Agenda (Central Standard Time)
6:00 – Network and socialize over pizza (provided)
6:30 – Welcome & INCOSE Chapter Overview by Chapter President
6:45 – Presentation, Integrating AI into Systems Engineering for Medical Devices: A Case Study from Practice
7:45 – Adjourn
Hybrid Microsoft Teams meeting
Meeting ID: 290 561 832 063 94 Passcode: [REDACTED]
Join: teams.microsoft.com/meet/29056183206394?p=cGnz114ed5Cej4fUFn
Synopsis
Following development discussed at an earlier presentation to the chapter, of IntelluU’s ALEX platform, Boston Scientific is exploring the future of medical device design through its stategic evaluation of AI capabilities. The engineering team is leveraging ALEX to augment and accelerate quality design while navigating the organizational and technical realities of AI adoption.
This presentation shares the methodology, challenges,and measurable impacts from deploying ALEX within Boston Scientific’s engineering workflows, demonstrating how AI not only boosts productivity but also elevates design quality. Attendees will gain actionable insights into the future of AI in medtech, including best practices for implementation and scaling AI-driven engineering.
Presenters’ Biographies
Aaron Bowser is an experienced R&D leader with a background in systems engineering, process development, and technical team leadership. As Senior R&D Manager of Systems Engineering at Boston Scientific, he leads teams developing implantable medical devices, focusing on collabotration, problem-solving, and helping engineers grow in their careers. Aaron has been involved in integrating AI-driven tools into engineering workflows, including efforts to improve requirements analysis and test scenario generation. He is particularly interested in how AI can enhance efficiency, streamline development processes, and support engineers in tackling complex challenges. With experience spanning both medtech and semiconductor industries, Aaron has held engineering and leadership roles at Boston Scientific, Seagate Technology, and Cypress Semiconductor. He has guided teams through complex product development efforts, balancing innovation with the realities of working in highly reglulated environments. Aaron holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. He enjoys working at the intersection of technology and teamwork, applying new tools and approaches that help engineers do their best work.
Xiaofan Mai is a visionary leader, fueled by growth and innovation. Her passion lies in developing digital techologies that advance patient care through customer-driven strategies and focused execution.
As the CEO and Founder of IntelliU LLC, Xiaofan brings over 20 years of experience to the table. She has successuflly launched numerous new products and innovative technologies for Fortune 500 companies, leading cross-functional teams across the globe. Her expertise spans strategy, new product development, and collaborative partnerships to drive business growth in regulated markets. Having spent two decades in the field before venturing into entrepreneurship, she possesses a passionate vision of AI and a deep understanding of the industry. IntelliU addresses critical gaps in healthcare, aiming to reduce risk to patients while expediting business commercialization and growth for its clients.
Xiaofan holds an MBA from the Carlson School of Management and an MA from the Education Department, both from the University of Minnesota. She enjoys the beautiful four seasons, rich culture, and vibrant performing arts scene that Minnesota offers. As an international student from Beijing, China, who arrived 29 years ago, she appreciates the diversity and “Minnesota Nice” culture that have allowed her to thrive. She considers Minnesota her second hometown.

ASQ: Program Meeting - First Pass Design Controls
2026-04-14 18:30 - 20:00 | Webinar
First Pass Design Controls –
Getting it Right on your First Medical Device

If you’re part of a new startup or an insulated development team in a larger company, you probably know how daunting it can be to collect the evidence required to demonstrate to a regulatory body that design requirements have been met.
FDA regulations require design controls to help ensure this, which can translate into many hours of reviews, oversized spreadsheets, and enough signatures to slow a change assessment system to a crawl.
But when implemented correctly, design controls enhance – rather than hinder – development efforts while providing the assurance needed to enter the submission process with confidence.
This presentation takes a practical look at design controls within FDA regulations and how they’ve been implemented across the medical device industry. And you’ll earn 0.2 RU’s (Recertification Units)!

Click Here for more info or to register!

MFESTS: Q2 Planning Meeting
2026-04-16 18:00 - 19:30 | Join Zoom Meeting
Please be prepared to discuss some key action items we can discuss again with the whole group at the MFESTS Q2 mtg on Tuesday 4/28 at the Ridgedale Public Library (Minnetonka) 6-7:30p. I intend that at the Q2 mtg we will pick 2-3 action items that seem most urgent/beneficial to get started on and get some people to volunteer to help get them accomplished before the Q3 mtg in July. Some key things we’ve talked about at our past mtgs include:

Dan has put together a master list of engineering/scientific societies and contact info. He also has started working with AirTable to help facilitate communications w/ these societies in the near future.

Venkat has shared some basic principles we could follow to develop a mentoring program that would begin w/ MFESTS representatives reaching out to their respective societies for any potential volunteers who would be willing to mentor as needed.

Roquesan and Jason have both given several ideas of how we can and really should reach out to engineering/science students at our local universities/colleges and build connections–with special focus to them as they start their new academic year this fall.

I’m hoping to use Dan’s contact info in the near future to try to reach out to a few societies that may know nothing about MFESTS but start initial conversations with them about us and ask what they might want in our kind of “umbrella” organization.

As well as several other good ideas we can look into (ex. finding information about grants/funds that might be available for society events or helping students w/ research projects/etc.)

Even if you can’t attend this Thursday’s planning mtg, please try to attend the MFESTS Q2 mtg 6-7:30p on Tuesday, April 28th either in-person at the Ridgedale Public Library (Rm 172) or online in the Zoom call. Thank you. If you can’t attend, then please email your thoughts and questions about a few simple actions we can take to try to provide real, meaningful value to our current member societies. We left the January Q1 mtg with the understanding that, as good as it is that we have a new president, that our continued existence as an “umbrella society” is completely dependent on how successful we can be at providing meaningful value to others.

MnSPE: Young Engineer's Network Happy Hour
2026-04-21 16:00 - 19:00 | Steel Toe Brewing, 4848 W 35th St, St Louis Park, Minnesota, 55416
MnSPE Young Engineer’s Network Happy Hour Event at 4pm on April 21 at Steel Toe Brewing in St. Louis Park. It’s mainly for participants in MnSPE’s Young Leadership training series, but anyone can attend. No registration required.

MFESTS: Q2 Board Meeting
2026-04-28 18:00 - 19:30 | Ridgedale Library, 12601 Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka, MN, 55305, United States
I intend that at the Q2 mtg we will pick 2-3 action items that seem most urgent/beneficial to get started on and get some people to volunteer to help get them accomplished before the Q3 mtg in July. Some key things we’ve talked about at our past mtgs include:

Dan has put together a master list of engineering/scientific societies and contact info. He also has started working with AirTable to help facilitate communications w/ these societies in the near future.

Venkat has shared some basic principles we could follow to develop a mentoring program that would begin w/ MFESTS representatives reaching out to their respective societies for any potential volunteers who would be willing to mentor as needed.

Roquesan and Jason have both given several ideas of how we can and really should reach out to engineering/science students at our local universities/colleges and build connections–with special focus to them as they start their new academic year this fall.

I’m hoping to use Dan’s contact info in the near future to try to reach out to a few societies that may know nothing about MFESTS but start initial conversations with them about us and ask what they might want in our kind of “umbrella” organization.

As well as several other good ideas we can look into (ex. finding information about grants/funds that might be available for society events or helping students w/ research projects/etc.)

MnSPE: Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony
2026-05-01 08:00 - 17:30 | North Oaks Golf Club, 54 E Oaks Rd, North Oaks, Minnesota, 55127
MnSPE’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on May 1, 2026 at North Oaks Golf Club. The event includes lunch and educational sessions worth 4 PDHs. Registration is required. Cost is $105 for MnSPE members and $260 for non-members.
