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The Welcome Center has the Pulse of the Village
Our Chamber Welcome Center is located at 37 Water Street and houses the Chamber offices. You can find community information, including schedules and tickets to local events, restaurant hours and menus, as well as get directions to area hot spots and venues or purchase merchandise.
- 24 friendly volunteers on staff
- 495 volunteer hours logged
- Open during the holidays
- Free gift wrap of locally purchased gifts offered
- 20-30 visitors per day and sometimes a whole lot more
- Visitors came from 13 countries: Taiwan, Austria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, France, China, Ireland, Ukraine, Tokyo, UK, Spain, Cayman Islands and Norway
- Visitors came from over 30 states, recorded to date: CA, FL, WI, MO, CT, TX, UT, IL, ND, NC, SD, PA, OK, AZ, WADC, WY, NV, NY, MD, MA, VA, IN, IA, NE, MI, TN, WA, NH, OH, CO.
- Minnesota Cities: We have recorded 42
Your Guide to the Community!
Get to Know our Friendly Volunteers:
Diane Steinkraus: Diane grew up in St Louis Park and has been a resident of Excelsior/Chanhassen for 27 years. Diane and her husband, Merle, have three children, Jason, Heidi and Erica, all graduates of Minnetonka High School. Diane recently took early retirement from Pillsbury General Mills.
Miki and David Huntington: Both Miki and David are retired Army and moved back to Excelsior about 2 years ago after “seeing the world”. Miki is a helicopter pilot foreign area officer. David worked in helicopter maintenance. When visiting Excelsior Miki fell in love with “the village”and “ordered” that they move here when they both retired.
Gail Quam: Gail Quam has been a resident of Greenwood for 30 years along with her husband Bob and daughter Allison (a graduate ofMinnetonka High School). Gail recently retired from Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management company after 17 years.
Jacque Lund: Jacque and Jim Lund have been here all their lives. Jacque managed her husband’s business office, Chaska Machine & Tool, Inc. in Chanhassen for 15 years. They have 3 children and 8 grandchildren who occupy every spare hour and driving mile. She has been a volunteer since her mid twenties for about 50 years. They have lived here for 68 years.
Jane Heiland: Jane raised her family of 3 sons here and they all graduated from Mtka High School Currently she is a dental assistant to a prominent dental surgeon in Chanhassen – she pulls teeth! Jane is very busy in the community having served as President of the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Rotary Club and positions in many other organizations. She has lived in Shorewood, Deephaven and Mtka for 48 years.
Karen Siegman: Karen and her husband Alan owned and operated Water Street Clothing for 30 years and also had another clothing store at 50th & France where Alan was president of the 50th & France Merchants Assn. They must have chaired every committee in the Chamber at one time and have taken their turn as officers in the organization. They have lived in Shorewood for 40+ years.
Bev Lane: Bev has been a resident of Cottagewood and Excelsior for 51 years. She graduated from Northwestern in nursing and joined her husband in business (Lane Envelope Co) in 1972. She has 4 daughters and 7 grandchildren, all are Minnetonka High Schoolgraduates.
Shirley Livingston: Shirley is intimately familiar with our Welcome Center space. She had a 15 year career at Nygren’s Clothing. Before Nygren’s she sold clothes at Liberg’s which is now Yumi’s, formerly the Aldritt building and before that the old theatre building. Her heart is and always has been in Excelsior for 66 years. Shirley can tell tales right alongside Bob Williams who was working at The Record while she was selling clothes.
Val Stuessi: Val retired in 2013 from Crystal Kitchens Center where she had a 27 year career. Val and Keith have lived in Greenwood V They have been very active in almost every village event in the past in one way or another al and Keith have lived in Greenwood on the shores of the lake for 40 years. Their 2 children, Mtka grads, and 3 grandchildren live close by.
Sharon Provost: Sharon and her late husband, Jerry Provost, moved into the Lake Minnetonka area in 1973. Shortly after, they heard the story of the sunken steamboats. Being in the commercial diving business, finding the boats became a quest. Sharon did the research and Jerry the diving. In 1979 he found the Minnehaha and in 1980 he orchestrated the raising …the rest is history. Sharon has 3 children and 6 grandchildren with another grandchild on the way!
Kathy Ruehl: Kathy continues her 41 year career as a flight attendant with now Delta Airlines. Recently she has been busy shuttling soldiers home from active duty. Kathy and Nick have 2 children who have grown up here and graduated from the Mtka schools. Excelsior has been their home for 40 years.
Judy Walman: She lived in Excelsior for more than twenty-five years and then moved to Chanhassen where she has resided for the past fifteen years. Judy graduated from the Univ of MN in elementary education and has taught school in Minneapolis and San Diego and is now employed in the Hopkins school district as a kindergarten paraprofessional. Judy worked part time at Water Street Clothing Company for Karen and Alan Siegman.
Martie McGlasson: Martie and Ross have lived in the Minnetonka School District for 38 years – 3 in Mtka and 35 in Tonka Bay. Martie had a community relations career at The Bank Excelsior for several years. During these years she held several positions with the Excelsior South Lake Chamber of Commerce organization. She and Laura began a wedding planning business, Mother of the Bride Weddings, in 1996. Both Martie and Ross have been active in the restoration and promotion of the The Minnehaha and the Streetcar projects.
Sue Veazie: Sue and her husband Gary have lived in the Lake Minnetonka area for more than 30 years and moved to Excelsior a little over a year ago. They have three grown children (all Minnetonka High School graduates) as well as nine grandchildren. . She was a non-profit program manager for “Ready for Success” a program that has established roots here in Excelsior almost 16 years ago. Sue has served on the Refugee Services board for many years and has assisted numerous families as they begin their new lives in America.
Maxine Dickson: Maxine has lived in Minnetonka for 30 years and enjoys writing history of people and places around Lake Minnetonka. She volunteers with the Minnetonka Yacht Club, Minnetonka Center for the Arts and Hopkins Center for the Arts and is a member of the Deephaven Historical Society. Retired from Northwest Airlines and has fond memories of travels to Europe and Alaska summers
Joanne Hart: I moved to this area in 2012 from Mankato, Minnesota where I lived for 42 years. This was following the sudden death of my husband on 11/11/11. I retired from my job as a registered nurse and moved here to be closer to my children. I am enjoying my life here in the Excelsior/Lake Minnetonka area and look forward to learning as much as I can about my new home.
Laurie Notermann: Laurie grew up in Wayzata and has been a resident of Excelsior for 46 years. She and Wally have two daughters who went through the Mtka Schools. Laurie started working at Dayton’s as a part time sales person in women’s clothing and jewelry and finally retired from Macy’s 35 years later. Laurie is very interested in advocacy for animals and volunteers with MVAP (MN Voters for Animal Protection).
Mary Jo Clapp: Mary Jo has lived in Minnetonka, Chanhassen and now in Shorewood for 65 years. She graduated from Minnetonkaschools as well as her 2 children and one granddaughter. She also retired from a career with Minnetonka Schools. She also volunteers at the Arboretum where she enjoys walking the trails.
As a group we have accumulated a wealth of knowledge, experience, wisdom and skills. After all, 915 cumulative years of residency account for a lot of stability, growth and love of community.
Miki and David Huntington: Both Miki and David are retired Army and moved back to Excelsior about 2 years ago after “seeing the world”. Miki is a helicopter pilot foreign area officer. David worked in helicopter maintenance. When visiting Excelsior Miki fell in love with “the village”and “ordered” that they move here when they both retired.
Gail Quam: Gail Quam has been a resident of Greenwood for 30 years along with her husband Bob and daughter Allison (a graduate ofMinnetonka High School). Gail recently retired from Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management company after 17 years.
Jacque Lund: Jacque and Jim Lund have been here all their lives. Jacque managed her husband’s business office, Chaska Machine & Tool, Inc. in Chanhassen for 15 years. They have 3 children and 8 grandchildren who occupy every spare hour and driving mile. She has been a volunteer since her mid twenties for about 50 years. They have lived here for 68 years.
Jane Heiland: Jane raised her family of 3 sons here and they all graduated from Mtka High School Currently she is a dental assistant to a prominent dental surgeon in Chanhassen – she pulls teeth! Jane is very busy in the community having served as President of the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Rotary Club and positions in many other organizations. She has lived in Shorewood, Deephaven and Mtka for 48 years.
Karen Siegman: Karen and her husband Alan owned and operated Water Street Clothing for 30 years and also had another clothing store at 50th & France where Alan was president of the 50th & France Merchants Assn. They must have chaired every committee in the Chamber at one time and have taken their turn as officers in the organization. They have lived in Shorewood for 40+ years.
Bev Lane: Bev has been a resident of Cottagewood and Excelsior for 51 years. She graduated from Northwestern in nursing and joined her husband in business (Lane Envelope Co) in 1972. She has 4 daughters and 7 grandchildren, all are Minnetonka High Schoolgraduates.
Shirley Livingston: Shirley is intimately familiar with our Welcome Center space. She had a 15 year career at Nygren’s Clothing. Before Nygren’s she sold clothes at Liberg’s which is now Yumi’s, formerly the Aldritt building and before that the old theatre building. Her heart is and always has been in Excelsior for 66 years. Shirley can tell tales right alongside Bob Williams who was working at The Record while she was selling clothes.
Val Stuessi: Val retired in 2013 from Crystal Kitchens Center where she had a 27 year career. Val and Keith have lived in Greenwood V They have been very active in almost every village event in the past in one way or another al and Keith have lived in Greenwood on the shores of the lake for 40 years. Their 2 children, Mtka grads, and 3 grandchildren live close by.
Sharon Provost: Sharon and her late husband, Jerry Provost, moved into the Lake Minnetonka area in 1973. Shortly after, they heard the story of the sunken steamboats. Being in the commercial diving business, finding the boats became a quest. Sharon did the research and Jerry the diving. In 1979 he found the Minnehaha and in 1980 he orchestrated the raising …the rest is history. Sharon has 3 children and 6 grandchildren with another grandchild on the way!
Kathy Ruehl: Kathy continues her 41 year career as a flight attendant with now Delta Airlines. Recently she has been busy shuttling soldiers home from active duty. Kathy and Nick have 2 children who have grown up here and graduated from the Mtka schools. Excelsior has been their home for 40 years.
Judy Walman: She lived in Excelsior for more than twenty-five years and then moved to Chanhassen where she has resided for the past fifteen years. Judy graduated from the Univ of MN in elementary education and has taught school in Minneapolis and San Diego and is now employed in the Hopkins school district as a kindergarten paraprofessional. Judy worked part time at Water Street Clothing Company for Karen and Alan Siegman.
Martie McGlasson: Martie and Ross have lived in the Minnetonka School District for 38 years – 3 in Mtka and 35 in Tonka Bay. Martie had a community relations career at The Bank Excelsior for several years. During these years she held several positions with the Excelsior South Lake Chamber of Commerce organization. She and Laura began a wedding planning business, Mother of the Bride Weddings, in 1996. Both Martie and Ross have been active in the restoration and promotion of the The Minnehaha and the Streetcar projects.
Sue Veazie: Sue and her husband Gary have lived in the Lake Minnetonka area for more than 30 years and moved to Excelsior a little over a year ago. They have three grown children (all Minnetonka High School graduates) as well as nine grandchildren. . She was a non-profit program manager for “Ready for Success” a program that has established roots here in Excelsior almost 16 years ago. Sue has served on the Refugee Services board for many years and has assisted numerous families as they begin their new lives in America.
Maxine Dickson: Maxine has lived in Minnetonka for 30 years and enjoys writing history of people and places around Lake Minnetonka. She volunteers with the Minnetonka Yacht Club, Minnetonka Center for the Arts and Hopkins Center for the Arts and is a member of the Deephaven Historical Society. Retired from Northwest Airlines and has fond memories of travels to Europe and Alaska summers
Joanne Hart: I moved to this area in 2012 from Mankato, Minnesota where I lived for 42 years. This was following the sudden death of my husband on 11/11/11. I retired from my job as a registered nurse and moved here to be closer to my children. I am enjoying my life here in the Excelsior/Lake Minnetonka area and look forward to learning as much as I can about my new home.
Laurie Notermann: Laurie grew up in Wayzata and has been a resident of Excelsior for 46 years. She and Wally have two daughters who went through the Mtka Schools. Laurie started working at Dayton’s as a part time sales person in women’s clothing and jewelry and finally retired from Macy’s 35 years later. Laurie is very interested in advocacy for animals and volunteers with MVAP (MN Voters for Animal Protection).
Mary Jo Clapp: Mary Jo has lived in Minnetonka, Chanhassen and now in Shorewood for 65 years. She graduated from Minnetonkaschools as well as her 2 children and one granddaughter. She also retired from a career with Minnetonka Schools. She also volunteers at the Arboretum where she enjoys walking the trails.
As a group we have accumulated a wealth of knowledge, experience, wisdom and skills. After all, 915 cumulative years of residency account for a lot of stability, growth and love of community.
Comments from Visitors:
“Thank You” • “Lovely and quaint” • “Love the town” • “Excellent trip on the boat” “First time here — nice!” • “Enjoy the atmosphere” • “Will definitely come back” “Enjoyed the trolley, pattiserie and shops” • “Thanks for the info and maps” “Great Chamber” • “Absolutely fabulous” • “Awesome” “Beautiful” “Great greeters” • “Great memories of my childhood home town” “Fun reliving my childhood of 50-60 years ago” • “Great help” • “Love this town” “Super friendly volunteers” • “Nice art” • “Glad Chamber is open Sundays”
Questions? Contact us today!
Martie McGlasson Volunteer Coordinator or Laura Hotvet Executive Director at 952.474.6461.
Or Stop by the Chamber Welcome Center.
Or Stop by the Chamber Welcome Center.
