Republican-Eagle: In business, healthcare and service, Southeast alumni make an impact on the Red Wing community

By Skyler Stone, January 24, 2024

"Southeast is near and dear to me," said Brenda Stelter, one of many Minnesota State College Southeast alumni who have made themselves pillars of the Red Wing business community.

Andrea Korsten, owner of Valentines and Loving Residence, and her daughter April Gernentz, who works alongside her to help manage both facilities, are also proud to call themselves graduates of Southeast.    

Brenda Stelter serves on the board of the Red Wing Area Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Cannon Falls Area Advisory Board for Merchant's Bank. She is the founder and the owner of Anchor Promotions, Apparel, and Signage.

Stelter's business is a full-service marketing agency providing graphic design, promotional products, printed materials, branded apparel, company stores, fulfillment, and indoor/outdoor/vehicle/boat signage. She also provides website design and hosting. 

Stelter completed MSC Southeast's Secretary/Clerical program in the early 1980s, when the college went by the name "Red Wing Area Vocational-Technical Institute." She returned to the college to study for an associate of applied science in Supervisory Management, which she completed in 1998. 

She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Business Management from Cardinal Stritch University and a bachelor's in Marketing from Concordia University.

In August of 2004, Stelter started her business. Now, almost 20 years later, her work can be found all over Red Wing. For example, the signs outside MSC Southeast were installed by Stelter's business.

Another MSC Southeast alum, Andrea Korsten, recently became owner of Valentines and Loving Residence, two assisted living homes here in Red Wing. They aim to help residents remain comfortable and happy through to the end of their lives. 

Korsten began working at Loving Residence as a nursing assistant about 22 years ago. She decided to pursue further education in nursing and completed Southeast's Practical Nursing diploma in 2004. In 2009, she became a Registered Nurse.

While attending college, Korsten continued to work and raise a family. She remembers that Southeast's small class sizes meant she could get valuable help from her teachers.

Korsten stayed with Valentines and Loving Residence, and in December of 2021, she assumed ownership of the two facilities.

Korsten plans to run Valentines and Loving Residence as a family business. Already, she receives the help of her daughter April Gernentz. 

Gernentz also attended Southeast, earning a Business Administration degree through the college in 2017. When Korsten became owner of the two facilities, Gernentz returned to Southeast and became a Licensed Practical Nurse.

"This has just always held my heart," said Korsten. She's proud of the way Valentines and Loving Residence have been able to connect with so many local families and is glad to know that her work is improving people's lives.

For Gernentz, Korsten, and Stelter, convenience was a major factor that drew them towards Southeast. The college's location here in town allowed them to study while they continued to live and work in the local community they loved. 

And ever since graduating from Minnesota State College Southeast, Gernentz, Korsten, and Stelter have continued to make a positive impact in the Red Wing community through their expertise, dedication, and service.

Photo Captions:
Top: Brenda Stelter
Bottom: Andrea Korsten (left) and her daughter, April Gernentz