September 22: Joan Hemker, Co-Founder and Owner, Hemker Wildlife Park. What began as a simple dream in 1977 has grown into a destination where families can enjoy up-close encounters with more than 200 animals of 50 species from around the globe. The mission of Hemker Park & Zoo is to foster an appreciation for wildlife and encourage environmental conservation through meaningful partnerships and practical approaches to animal care and wildlife management.

September 29: Mark Gill, Visualization Engineer, SCSU College of Business, Engineering & Technology. Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next? Mark Gill, visualization engineer and director of the Visualization Lab at St. Cloud State University, will join us for a timely and conversational look at artificial intelligence. Mark has more than 30 years of experience working with emerging technologies and helps faculty and students explore AI, virtual reality, extended reality and other innovative tools across a wide range of disciplines. Mark will discuss where AI is headed, explore recent developments and concerns making headlines, and demonstrate some of what these rapidly evolving tools can do. Come ready with your questions!

October 6: Lori Kloos, President, St. Cloud Technical Community College. Lori will be giving a tour and presentation of SCTCC at SCTCC!!  Mark your calendars for this Club meeting location change!

October 13: Joe Cavanaugh, Founder, Youth Frontiers. In 1987, Joe Cavanaugh met a student named Diane who told him about being treated unkindly at school. She said, “There are these kids who make fun of me every day. Can you do anything to stop them?” This question was the catalyst that inspired Joe to launch Youth Frontiers. He wanted to build school communities where every person is treated with dignity and respect. Today, in all Youth Frontiers programs, students and the people in their communities are told that they matter and that there is power behind their actions. Youth Frontiers exists to inspire character and build community.

October 20: John Larson, Chief Operating Officer, Niron Magnetics. Niron Magnetics, a Minnesota-based advanced materials company developing a new generation of permanent magnets made without rare-earth materials, uses innovative Clean Earth Magnet® technology that has the potential to strengthen domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. The company is currently building a commercial-scale manufacturing facility in Sartell, Minnesota, which is expected to begin producing magnets in 2027, and is anticipated to create approximately 175 high-quality jobs in the region.

Meeting Time: Tuesdays at 12:00 PM