On November 13, 2025, the University of Minnesota’s Corporate Engagement Center (CEC) hosted its annual dinner bringing together more than 135 leaders from the corporate community, researchers, and University leaders at the McNamara Alumni Center.
The focus of the evening was hearing from experts in their fields and specific ways that the CEC assists in strengthening the University and the Minnesota business community.
The event began with a welcome from University of Minnesota Foundation President and CEO John Morris. University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham addressed the audience by sharing the University’s strategic roadmap, Elevate Extraordinary 2030, and how it impacts businesses, innovation, and collaboration with the University.
Steve Corkery, vice president and executive director of the Corporate Engagement Center, introduced Physics Force, an outreach program at the University of Minnesota that includes a troupe of physics professors and high school physics teachers that seeks to generate interest in science in K-12 students through performances on a grand scale. Attendees had the opportunity to view a demonstration on the phenomenon of air pressure.
David Roberts, Counsel at DCH Law LLP, delivered the keynote address, highlighting how Indiana built a thriving national security innovation ecosystem by starting with the end in mind, strategically uniting state, federal, and academic partners around shared outcomes. His remarks offered valuable insights for the University of Minnesota and the state as we continue to grow and shape our own national security innovation efforts in this space.
The evening closed with Vice President for Research and Innovation Shashank Priya moderating a panel made up of Randy Schiestl (chief operating officer at Vocxi Health) and Jean Sage (vice president of advanced and applied technology at Honeywell Aerospace).
Schiestl currently serves as chair and Sage as board member of Innovation Minnesota, an initiative designed to foster collaboration between the private sector and academia with an advisory board composed of Minnesota corporate R&D and higher education leaders. Its goal is to identify issues affecting Minnesota’s ability to launch, attract, and grow existing companies in the state. The board meets three times each year to identify issues and then develop and propose solutions for its annual report.
The panel discussed two key areas that Innovation Minnesota identified for improvement in 2025—increasing investment in K-12 STEM and AI and national security.