We Are the Chamber: Charity Johnson, STARBASE Duluth
“Much of my career has been spent in the nonprofit sector, where I’ve become passionate about building and revitalizing programs that make a meaningful impact,” said Charity Johnson, the Director of STARBASE Minnesota, Inc.’s Duluth branch. “I originally started my professional journey in biology and environmental consulting, but I quickly realized that my strengths and […]
A Home of One’s Own
Wadena West and Welch Place Built to Address Critical Housing Need The housing crisis rages on. The post-pandemic era has been marked by an imbalance in supply and demand with regard to affordable homes and apartments. Recently, it was reported in many places that real-estate investors with the means bought up around one-third of all […]
We Are the Chamber: Judy Seliga-Punyko, Mary Kay
“I was first introduced to Mary Kay products after attending a bridal fair at the coppertop church back in 1983,” said Judy Seliga-Punyko, who is now an Independent Sales Director with that company. “I only planned on having the makeup done for the day of our wedding, but I fell in love with skin care […]
We Are the Chamber: Elsie Storm, Turning Life Gold
“I have been coaching professionally for the last 10years,” said Elsie Storm of Turning Life Gold, the business she established in 2018. “I have a Master’s in Spiritual Psychology and a coaching certificate through Tony Robbins.” Storm opened Turning Life Gold when she realized the path to happiness for others is one that includes helping […]
We Are the Chamber: Christina Woods, Duluth Art Institute
“My career has been shaped by over 35 years of leadership experience in education, arts and social justice work,” said Christina Woods, Executive Director of the Duluth Art Institute since 2017. “Before joining the DAI, I spent 14 years in education, often using creative problem-solving and art as tools to nurture communication and connection. My […]
We Are the Chamber: Peter Mellin, Mellin Promotional Advertising, Inc.
“I started the business in my basement,” said Peter Mellin of Mellin Promotional Advertising, Inc. Now, he’s celebrating three decades in operation, and he’s got significantly better digs – showroom and all – in the Duluth Airpark. “We are a promotional products distributor that provides imprinted products – stuff with your logo on it – […]
We Are the Chamber: Jason Vincent, JayBee Travel
Jason Vincent of JayBee Travel previously worked for more than a decade as a television news anchor and has been a restaurateur since 2014, owning and operating the Vanilla Bean in Two Harbors and Boat Club Restaurant in Duluth. But now he’s onto something quite different. “I began working in the travel industry about a […]
We Are the Chamber: Ben Lindello, Business Music Ltd.
“I was pretty much born into this,” said the fourth-generation owner of Business Music Ltd., Ben Lindello. “My great-grandfather started it back when our family was in radio. Business Music Ltd. really grew out of that, combining his passion for broadcasting with the growing need for businesses to have music for their customers.” “Business Music […]
We Are the Chamber: Anthony Anderson, Demolicious
“Demolicious is a family business,” said Anthony Anderson, who co-owns that roll-off dumpster business and transfer station with his brother, Travis. “Our mother co-founded the company in 2000, and in 2025 I stepped into the day-to-day operations, as she wants to retire.” “We offer different-sized roll-off containers to customers in the local area for construction […]
Downtown Renaissance
The Lakeview Proudly Represents a Commitment to the City’s Future Downtown Duluth continues its burst of vertical growth in recent years with the addition of The Lakeview at 333 E. Superior, a brand-new housing development located right across from the new Essentia Health hospital and built by the same company that tackled that $900 million […]