For Enterprise Minnesota employees, it’s the highest praise to win the organization’s Esteemed Colleague award. It means that co-workers agree that the honoree does excellent work, has their back, gets things done, and earns respect from clients and colleagues alike. The 2025 winner, Abbey Hellickson, is now the first person to receive this award two times — a testament to her abilities and achievements.
A business growth consultant, Hellickson joined Enterprise Minnesota in 2016 and won her first Esteemed Colleague award right away in 2017. It’s readily apparent how much Hellickson cares about supporting her co-workers and helping manufacturers grow profitably, says Lynn Shelton, vice president of marketing and organizational development.
“Abbey is the quintessential person to win this award. Our Enterprise Minnesota core values are practical creativity, exceptional service, respectful interactions, and transformational growth, and she embodies all of them in an outward and exceptional way,” Shelton says. “Abbey is trustworthy internally and externally, and she is purposeful about her role. She thrives on helping companies retain and grow their employees.”
Hellickson brings a varied background to Enterprise Minnesota that benefits her clients and contributes to their regard for her, observes President and CEO Bob Kill. She grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and continues that tradition with her husband — they raise hogs and crops in Preston. Hellickson began her career in human resources and worked as a corporate training instructor at Fastenal in Winona. Then she spent nearly 12 years at Rochester Community and Technical College, serving as director of business and workforce education, including customized training.
“Abbey blends all of that experience together, and it gives her respect and appreciation for what it takes for small businesses to succeed,” Kill says. “I have so much personal respect and appreciation for what Abbey does for our organization. She is an Enterprise Minnesota leader, she does great work, she’s appreciated by all of our clients, and she’s straightforward in problem-solving situations. She is really a catalyst for making talent leadership a core offering for our clients.”Kill notes that Hellickson also has won Enterprise Minnesota’s Above
and Beyond award four times for going the extra mile for clients or colleagues. She’s a sought-after asset for any Enterprise Minnesota team when business developers are pitching their services to potential manufacturing clients. In addition, Hellickson facilitates Enterprise Minnesota’s oldest peer council, based in southern Minnesota. Kill was impressed when he saw her in action there.
“The respect these senior executives have for Abbey is just obvious. She’s worked with virtually every single one of them in a consulting role,” he says. “Outside of her service delivery, they often reached out to Abbey for her thoughts on topics because of her pragmatism and thoughtfulness. She always seems to go one step further than you might need to move something forward.”
Business development consultant Kurt Bear works closely with Hellickson. As the winner of the 2024 Esteemed Colleague award, Bear had the opportunity to announce Hellickson as this year’s honoree. Bear had plenty to say, having worked with her for five years and witnessed what she can do — and does — day in and day out with clients and their Enterprise Minnesota co-workers.
“I think Abbey has a genuine concern for people and particularly for the people who get the work done every day at our clients’ companies. She understands the importance of leadership in an organization and particularly manufacturing organizations,” Bear says, noting that Hellickson often shares business acumen that she learned from her family’s business and other work experiences.
When consulting with business owners, Hellickson is especially adept at using her human resources background to help them address employees’ concerning behaviors. “She is an effective person for fixing those problems. The other thing I appreciate about Abbey is her willingness to serve clients and move forward even with a small group of participants,” Bear says. “She has an extraordinary attitude and willingness to work with others and have respectful and difficult conversations when necessary.”
Hellickson thoroughly enjoys her leadership and talent development role. She likes working closely with clients and manufacturing leaders, doing executive coaching, creating customized leadership series, and helping grow Enterprise Minnesota’s service offerings in talent development.
Being one of the longest serving employees in talent and leadership development, Hellickson has institutional knowledge that she gladly shares when asked. And she isn’t shy about challenging her co-workers or advocating for her peers with Enterprise Minnesota leaders. She does it all with the base acknowledgement that consulting and talent development can be difficult.
“I do try to coach and mentor and support my colleagues when they are dealing with some tough times,” Hellickson says. “I appreciate working with my clients and love the diversity of my days. I get to interact with fabulous people, and they all care about their employees and want the best for them.”
Hellickson was very surprised to win the Esteemed Colleague award again, and she greatly appreciates the recognition from her colleagues. She hopes it’s a reflection of how rewarding she finds her work with peers and clients.
“I just truly love what I do, and I hope that everyone loves what they do, too. That’s my purpose,” Hellickson says. “When I work with leaders, my ultimate goal is to help them be successful in their jobs. Being a leader is so hard and helping them find their way as a leader is what drives me. I enjoy watching the growth and development of my clients and watching them be successful.”
Return to the Fall 2025 issue of Enterprise Minnesota® magazine.
