MANKATO — Greater Mankato Growth and its subsidiaries recognized its Volunteers of the Year for Greater Mankato Growth, CityCenter Partnership, Visit Mankato, Greenseam and Young Professionals at its annual meeting Tuesday.
Jessica Blais, of APX Construction Group, was recognized as Volunteer of the Year for GMG; Justin Ek, of Bellissimo Paints and Coatings, was recognized as the City Center Partnership Volunteer of the Year; and Tina Wilson, of Waseca County, was named Volunteer of the Year for Greenseam, the group’s agricultural focused entity.
The Greater Mankato Bike and Walk Advocates received the award from Visit Mankato for their effort to promote Mankato as a national destination for biking and walking.
GMG, Inc. Board Chair David Krause, CEO of Pioneer Bank, said the volunteers make a “lasting impact” on the organization they help and described them as “exceptional leaders.”
Wilson, who grew up in a small town in Idaho, said she has always supported small towns and agriculture and her volunteer role at Greenseam allows her to continue in that role. She is the community development coordinator for Waseca County and on the Greenseam Business Attraction and Creation Committee.
Blais said her family was always involved in community volunteer efforts where she grew up in small-town Iowa and encouraged those thinking about volunteering to take a risk and “don’t be afraid to take a chance on yourself.” She was chair of the GMG Ambassadors in 2024.
Ek said his immigrant family also set examples for community involvement, and he has enjoyed engaging children from My Place and others in his community mural projects. He has helped grow the Old Town Day of the Dead event, Mankato Art Crawl and History and Art Walk.
The Greater Mankato Bike and Walk Associates has long been involved with the popular River Ramble bike ride, but now plan a new event this year called the Sakatah Scramble that is expected to draw cyclists from near and far.
And Francis Otaigbe, of United Prairie Bank, was recognized as Volunteer of the Year for the Young Professionals group at GMG for his enthusiasm and energy for promoting the group.