MINNEAPOLIS—Hennepin Theatre Trust has announced the addition of five new members to its board of directors. The accomplished business and community leaders bring to the board of this nonprofit organization a wide array of experience in corporate business, philanthropy, politics, communications, real estate, law, and the arts.

“I am pleased to welcome these five respected leaders to Hennepin Theatre Trust during an exciting time for our organization,” said Mark Nerenhausen, president and CEO of Hennepin Theatre Trust. “As we prepare to celebrate the centennial of our three historic theatres along Hennepin Avenue, we are also expanding our work in education and public art programs in ways that support our vision to drive cultural and economic vitality of Minnesota. Each new member brings a fresh perspective that is vital to our work in the Hennepin Theatre District and around the state.

The board members will serve a three-year term to provide guidance and leadership to drive Hennepin Theatre Trust’s vision forward. They are:

Ryan Johnson, CFO, Doran Companies. Named CFO of the Year by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal in 2016, Ryan championed a reorganization of Doran’s corporate structure that led to a doubling in size of the company and its most profitable years in history.

Dorraine Larison, employment law attorney, Gray Plant Mooty, St. Cloud. Larrison concentrates her practice in the areas of employment law, bankruptcy law and debtor/creditor law. She joined Gray Plant Mooty in 1989.

Melvin Tennant, CEO, Meet Minneapolis. Tennant He has served as CEO of Meet Minneapolis since 2007 and is also executive director of Sports Minneapolis. He also serves on the board of YouthLink.

Bret Weiss, president and CEO, WSB. Under his leadership since 2000, WSB has grown and transformed from an engineering firm into a full-service consulting and design firm.

Jennie Weber, vice president of customer and user experience, Best Buy. Weber, former vice president of brand strategy for Best Buy, also serves on the board of the Best Buy Foundation.

Hennepin Theatre Trust board of directors includes officers: Jay Novak, chair; Travis Barkve, vice chair/treasurer; Syl Jones, secretary; Mark Nerenhausen, president/CEO; Judy Blaseg, development committee chair; Mark Marjala, board affair committee chair; Andrea Christenson; sponsorship subcommittee chair; Jeannie Joas, capital campaign co-chair and sponsorship sub-committee co-chair; and Scott Benson, capital campaign co-chair. Additional members include Ann Simonds, Babara Brin, Michele Engdahl, Gloria Freeman, Kathleen Gullickson, Jeremy R. Jacobs, Barbara Klaas, Annette Thompson Meeks and Andrea Mokros.

Hennepin Theatre Trust drives cultural and economic vitality in Minnesota through leadership of the dynamic Hennepin Theatre District in downtown Minneapolis and educational programming that reaches every area of the state. Its historic theatres — Orpheum, State and Pantages — and new event center at 900 Hennepin light up Hennepin Avenue with top-tier entertainment, including the best of Broadway and a wide variety of arts programming. Hennepin Theatre Trust is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

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