Minneapolis Foundation Welcomes Five New Trustees

“These new Trustees bring diverse perspectives, deep experience in their fields and a shared commitment to strengthening this community, and I look forward to their contributions on our board,” said R.T. Rybak, President and CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation.

The Board of Trustees is composed of three dozen residents of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area who are leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. All the new members have been appointed to four-year terms.

The new Trustees are as follows:

Christopher Ferguson, President and CEO of Bywater Business Solutions, is a strategic thinker and problem solver focused on improving the competitiveness and bottom line of his organizations. At Bywater Business Solutions, Chris develops innovative marketing, print, and promotional product solutions for businesses, governments, and nonprofits. Chris began his career in commercial and investment banking in Toronto and New York. He has held leadership positions in finance, operations, and sales in several technology-based companies ranging in size from startup to Fortune 500. Chris holds an MBA from Schulich School of Business, a J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School, a master’s degree in environmental engineering, and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Queen’s University.

Elda Macias is Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at MidWestOne Bank, a $6.7 billion community bank serving Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Elda was brought on to transform the marketing organization into a best-in-class function that drives innovation and growth opportunities for the company. Previously, Elda spent seven years at Securian Financial and has held positions at Ameriprise Financial, Wells Fargo & Company, the universities of Minnesota and Texas, and the Walt Disney Company. She is an active volunteer in the Minnesota Hispanic community and has been recognized by several organizations including the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal in its “40 Under Forty” list, the Latino Economic Development Center with its Mano Amigo of the Year Award, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota in its list of “25 on the Rise.” Elda earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from the University of Texas at El Paso and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota.

Gwen McFadden has been the President and Managing Partner of Risk Management Consulting Services, LLC (RMCS) since 1997. She specializes in providing high-level risk management consulting to domestic and international corporate clients. Her risk management and insurance consulting services include over 18 years of progressively more demanding positions national insurance brokerage firms. In addition, she is the COO of Cyber Guardians, LLC, a newly created cyber security training firm aimed at emerging businesses. Gwen volunteers as a mentor with several emerging businesses and nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities. She serves on the board of Appetite for Change and serves as a community member on the Finance Committee of the YWCA of Minneapolis. She has also served on several other boards and committees in the past. She is a native of Williamston, Michigan, and a longtime resident of Minneapolis. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in management from the University of Minnesota and her MBA from the University of St. Thomas.

David Piper Jr. is a retired judge who most recently served statewide as a Senior Judge. Appointed to the bench in 2011 by Gov. Mark Dayton, he was a district court judge in Hennepin County District Court for eleven years. Prior to that, he worked for many years in Hennepin County Family Court as a referee, a child support magistrate, and a public defender. His recent community leadership roles include service as a foundation board member of Allina Health and the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. In 2022, he received the Hennepin County District Court Heart and Soul of the Court Award. Piper holds a B.A. from Whittier College and a J.D. from Hamline Law School.

Alene Tchourumoff is a leader at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, where she serves as Chief Human Resources Officer of the Human Resources and Inclusion Division, Senior Vice President of the Learning Management Support Office, and Senior Vice President of the Community Development and Engagement Division, which includes the Center for Indian Country Development. In these roles, she leads the Bank’s internal human resources as well as its external engagement with communities throughout the Ninth District, with an emphasis on low- and moderate-income people and those living in Indian Country. Before joining the Bank in 2018, Alene served as chair of Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council, where she built strong partnerships with local governments and community groups to advance transit, housing, and other critical infrastructure. She has also held leadership roles in the executive branch of the State of Minnesota and Hennepin County. Alene holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from George Washington University School of Business and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Alene was named a 2020 Women in Business honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and is chair of the Family Housing Fund Board and a trustee of the Minnesota Science Museum.