I missed a deadline on Friday and did not get my Breakfast Links blog out, but I think I have a solid excuse that many Minnesotans can relate to. No, it wasn’t the weather causing difficult driving conditions or a last second flight to somewhere warm. Instead it was a tradition that my dad started with me and my brothers over 35 years ago; and I more than happily continue today. I along with my hockey enthused son went to St. Paul with thousands of other Minnesotans and watched the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.
- We witnessed one of the better recent class AA tournaments and certainly the best Class A tournament with two teams from northern Minnesota claiming the championships respectively. Being from northern Minnesota and knowing a few familiar names on each team made it a pretty awesome weekend except that Hermantown’s double-overtime victory in the championship came at the expense of my wife’s former school Monticello. For me, and thousands of avid hockey fans, the action on the ice and the opportunity to bond with family over such a great sporting event is why we tune in. And for many others, it’s the now famous all tournament hockey hair team. Here is a link to this year’s team.
- Continuing on the Minnesota sports theme in 328 days our great state will be hosting Super Bowl 52. Branding and marketing experts are already deep into highlighting all that Minnesota has to offer the many global tourists this event brings to town. I recently attended an event where Maureen Bausch who is the CEO of the Super Bowl Host Committee spoke and discussed all the different events and activities planned the week of the Super Bowl. It’s going to be an amazing opportunity for people to volunteer or just simply go take in some great events that are planned. The marketing department for this event have been busy. Check out a video they created around what they are calling Minnesota- The Bold North.
- A great Minnesota company and one that helps many of us survive winters and well, mornings in general is Caribou Coffee. They made the news this weekend dropping artificial ingredients from its drinks. Read the Star Tribune story here.
- The automotive industry has adapted quite well in the ever-changing landscape of technology and it’s said that car companies are now considered tech companies. They are often fighting for some of the same tech talent as technology companies themselves. Now one of the most powerful tech companies in the world, Intel, has jumped headfirst into the car industry, or more specifically the autonomous driving car industry with its purchase of Mobileye. See article here. I wonder how well these vehicles perform on our icy roads in Minnesota.