Marcy Costello, Lakefield, and Janice Nelson, Montevideo, were recently elected to the Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF) Board of Directors and began their duties on July 1, 2009.
“Marcy and Janice bring important expertise and experience to our board of directors,” said SWIF President/CEO Sherry Ristau. “They are committed to southwest Minnesota and, along with the entire board, will help steer our organization in a direction that best serves our region.”
Costello is a native of Lima, Peru, and was an exchange student in Lakefield, Minnesota. Costello received an International Business Administration degree from ADEX, Lima, Peru. She worked for her family’s silver factory in Lima for 20 years and moved to Lakefield in 2006. Costello conducts an importing business selling jewelry and other fashionable products from Peru, as well as representing her family’s business selling sterling silver jewelry to retail merchants. She and her husband, Patrick Costello, are the parents of two children. She is active in community service, including the Prairie Ecology Bus Center, Pearson Lakes Art Center, Historic Dayton House, Boy Scouts, Jackson County Central School and her church.
Janice Nelson is an attorney with the firm of Nelson Oyen Torvik, P.L.L.P. in Montevideo, where she concentrates in real estate, estate planning, elder law and probate, as well as serving since 1983 as the Montevideo city attorney. She is the secretary of the real property council for the Minnesota State Bar Association and will progress to the position of president. Nelson graduated from Augsburg College, Minneapolis, with a degree in history, worked in banking and later graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School. She returned to practice law in her hometown of Montevideo, where she has been involved with many municipal projects and was a frequent volunteer while her two children were in school. Nelson is active in her church and enjoys gardening, golfing, traveling and attending high school athletic events.
In addition to Costello and Nelson, the SWIF Board of Directors includes Chair Sandy Ludeman, Tracy; Past Chair Wayne Freese, DVM, Worthington; Vice Chair William McCormack, Marshall; Secretary Gary Geiger, Willmar; Treasurer Robert Saunders, Bird Island; Rick Ellingworth, Redwood Falls; Connie VanDerBill Medin, Spicer; H. Cris Remucal, MD, Hutchinson; and Jim Keul, Slayton.
The Southwest Initiative Foundation is a regional community foundation dedicated to advancing southwest Minnesota through leadership, relationship-building, program development and philanthropy. The Foundation has contributed more than $48 million through its grant and loan programs in southwest Minnesota. It has also helped more than 460 businesses start or expand through its business finance programs, which has created or retained more than 7,500 jobs. To learn more, visit www.swifoundation.org.
