Page 3 - Spring Summer 2022 FoC Newsletter
P. 3
“FoC Welcomes New Friends of Chimbote
Board Members” Board of Directors
REV. THOMAS M. GRANER
Reverend Thomas M. Graner
grew up in Garrison, ND
and graduated in electrical Lucho Espejo, Fargo, ND
Board Chairman
engineering from UND in 1988
before attending seminary. Eric Krueger, Fargo, ND
He has been a priest of the Vice Chairman
Diocese of Fargo for over 27 Brian Berg, Fargo, ND
years and was ordained in Treasurer
1994. Fr. Tom pastored in many Tammy Campbell, Fargo, ND
rural communities including Secretary
Rolette, Rugby, Anamoose
and Grand Forks. He was very Fr. Phil Ackerman, West Fargo, ND
involved in the development Rev Thomas Graner, Anamoose, ND
of the rural communities from Michelle Jirik, Jordan, MN
pastoral as well as economic and social perspectives. He served on the
Boards of Directors for Catholic Charities North Dakota (formerly Catholic Kelli Kester, Minneapolis, MN
Family Service), National Catholic Rural Life Conference (now Catholic Dan Kunkleman, Charlotte, NC
Rural Life), Trinity Youth Camp, and Rugby Job Development Authority. Dan Kuzlik, Minneapolis, MN
Fr. Tom learned about Chimbote as an undergraduate at UND while Dan Mahli, Fargo, ND
participating at St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center. He heard many Joe Mikrut, Clifton, VA
presentations by Fr. Jack Davis during his time in seminary and since Mathias (Matt) Samuel, Edina, MN
ordination, regularly with the invitation to visit Chimbote. Fr. Al Bitz invited
Fr. Tom to accompany the group traveling with the Board of Directors on Hubert Seiler, Rugby, ND
their trip in December 2015 which was timed to include the beatification. Bill Seiler, Fairfax, VA
He decided that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and took it and
his passion for the mission has continued. The Friends of Chimbote Board is deeply
MATHIAS (MATT) SAMUEL committed to the mission of transforming
lives of the poor including an annual
Matt Samuel lives with his meeting in Chimbote engaging in our
family in Edina, MN. He grew up mission work. The broad and diverse
in Fargo and attended Nativity nature of challenges facing our mission
Catholic School. Father Davis is met head on by the amazing skills,
used to come back for visits knowledge, advocacy, and passions of our
and his mother grew a passion Board Members.
for the mission and even
traveled to Chimbote. Over
the last fifteen years, Matt and
his wife have been donors. Friends of Chimbote Staff
He is now at a point in his life
where he has the time to get Todd Mickelson
more involved. Executive Director
toddm@friendsofchimbote.org
In his professional career, Matt Julie Dolbec
was a technology trial lawyer. Mission Visit Director
Mostly working with patents. In that role he led large teams and tried julied@friendsofchimbote.org
many large patent cases to juries. Matt has also served on the boards Cari Rauch
of several non-profits, including the Minnesota Center for Environmental Accountant
Advocacy and ULLU (Matt and his wife founded). He has also served on a carir@friendsofchimbote.org
corporate board. Matt has been an angel investor in various tech start-ups
for the last 10 years. All of these experiences gives him the knowledge and
perspective that will be useful to our Mission.
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