Jill Osborn of Eden Prairie Joins Enterprise Minnesota Board of Directors

Minneapolis (June 17, 2010) – Enterprise Minnesota announced today that Jill Osborn has joined its Board of Directors. Osborn is president of Minneapolis-based Urban Ventures Leadership Foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on the Central and Phillips neighborhoods of South Minneapolis. Since 1993, the organization has helped break the cycle of generational poverty by developing youth leadership and strengthening families. Urban Ventures serves more than 3,000 children, youth, and adults each year.

“We are very excited to welcome Jill Osborn to the Enterprise Minnesota Board of Directors,” said Enterprise Minnesota president & CEO Bob Kill. “Her breadth of experience working with business in Minnesota will be a tremendous asset to our board and to Enterprise Minnesota.”

Prior to joining Urban Ventures, Osborn served as president of Total Focus, Inc., consulting for professional services, financial, and non-profit organizations. Previously, Osborn served as human resources officer at Grant Thornton, LLP, a global audit, tax and advisory organization

Enterprise Minnesota, the state’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) affiliate, works with small and medium size manufacturing companies. Its services help clients improve their efficiencies, contain their costs, and achieve real growth in sales revenue and earnings.

In addition to Osborn, Enterprise Minnesota’s Board of Directors includes: Board Chair Steve Thul, president, Whirltronics, Inc.; Vice Chair Merritt Marquardt, general counsel (retired), 3M; Dennis Dotson, president, Dotson Iron Castings; Paul Flood, vice president & SBA division manager, Bremer Bank; Louis Jambois, president, St. Paul Port Authority; Bob Kill, president & CEO, Enterprise Minnesota; Lorin Krueger; Michael Orrick, vice president, large law sales & account management, Thomson Reuters; and Rich Pogue, president and CEO, Remmele Engineering.

Enterprise Minnesota helps Minnesota manufacturing enterprises grow profitably. Chartered by the Minnesota State Legislature in 1987, Enterprise Minnesota is a 501(c)3 non-profit and affiliate of the Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Enterprise Minnesota offices are located in Minneapolis, Bemidji, Moorhead, and Owatonna.