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KTD FEATURED SPEAKERS

2024 SPEAKER - Dave McCauley

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    Dave's Bio: I was born in Mason City, Iowa. Grew up in Worthington, Minnesota and graduated from Worthington High School in 1956, 7th in a class of 157. I was a member of the varsity debate team and president of the Student Council my senior year.

     I was active in scouting as a Boy Scout and later as an Explorer Scout and became a member of the Order of the Arrow, an advanced scouting fraternity.

As an adult I also served as a merit badge counselor.

     After high school, I attended the College of St. Thomas, Worthington Community College and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Business Administration.

     During my early professional career I worked for Univac and Honeywell Aero Division as a systems analyst at the time when computers where being introduced into the business environment. In the early 1980’s I started my own business, DSM Information Services, Inc., a manufacturer of business and accounting computer software.

     I was married; my wife, Lonni Heidebrink grew up in Rushmore, Minnesota and graduated from Worthingtion High School with me in 1956. Sadly, Lonni passed away in 2023 We have three children, sons Kerry and Patrick, and daughter Susan. We have four grandchildren, Bridget and Megan Schirmers, Clair and Connor McCauley. Shortly after our marriage in 1960 we moved to Coon Rapids, Minnesota, where I still live. Lonni and I were active in our community. I served as a City Councilman and Mayor of Coon Rapids and as an Anoka County Commissioner for twelve years. Lonni also served as Mayor of Coon Rapids and as a member of the Metropolitan Airports Commission.

     I enjoy writing, reading, playing bridge, woodworking, traveling, flying (I am no longer an active pilot) and outdoor activities (hunting, fishing, cross country skiing, hiking, bird watching). I have written and published Á Fair In Time, a book about my adventures growing up in Worthington.

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CLICK ON DAVE'S BOOK TO PURCHASE!

FEATURED SPEAKERS 1939-2023

  •                1939      No Keynote Speaker

  •                1940     Gov. Harold Stassen

  •                1941       No Speaker – first Evening Torchlight Parade held

  •                1942      No Speaker – With World War II raging there was a mass induction of Navy enlistees – the 40-voice Navy Choir sang

  •                1943      No Speaker – Military Unity was featured and eight Civil Air Patrol plans flew overhead

  •                1944      Cancelled due to the war

  •                1945      Cancelled due to the war

  •                1946      Secretary of Agriculture Clinton Anderson, introduced by Minneapolis Mayor Hubert H. Humphrey

  •                1947      Gov. Luther Youngdahl

  •                1948      Miss America Bebe Shopp of Hopkins, MN, was honored guest, Senate candidate Joe Ball cancelled

  •                1949      Forty Sioux City businessmen were special guests

  •                1950      Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey

  •                1951      Sen. Edward Thye

  •                1952      Sen. John Sparkman, Alabama, DFL candidate for Vice President

  •                1953      Rep. Charles Hoeven, Iowa, cancelled two days prior to the event; Rep. Ralph Harvey, Indiana, took his place

  •                1954      Vice President Richard M. Nixon

  •                1955      Gov.  Orville Freeman

  •                1956      Sen. Estes Kefauver, Tennessee, DFL candidate for Vice President

  •                1957      Council Member Dr. Hans Theusner, Crailsheim, Germany

  •                1958      Secretary of the Interior Fred Seaton

  •                1959      Sen. Hubert Humphrey

  •                1960      Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, DFL Vice Presidential Candidate

  •                1961      Major General Frank H. Britton

  •                1962      Howard Bertsch, Administrator of the Farmers Home Administration

  •                1963      No political speaker – Navy’s Blue Angels Jet Team performed, dignitaries from Armour and Co. were special guests

  •                1964      Ambassador W. Averell Harriman of New York

  •                1965      Hubert H. Humphrey, Vice President

  •                1966      Sen. Robert Kennedy – brought 80,000 people to Worthington

  •                1967      Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller, Arkansas

  •                1968      Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, New York

  •                1969      Elmer T. Klassen, Postmaster General

  •                1970      Sen. Charles Percy, Illinois

  •                1971      Sergeant Shriver, Director of the Peace Corps

  •                1972      Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey

  •                1973      In place of featured speaker, the city was host to Rebecca An King of Iowa, the newly crowned Miss America

  •                1974      Attorney General Elliott Richardson

  •                1975      Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey

  •                1976      No speaker – Hubert H. Humphrey was present

  •                1977      Gov. Rudy Perpich

  •                1978      Rep. John Anderson, Illinois

  •                1979      Gov. Al Quie

  •                1980      Sen. John Tower, Texas

  •                1981       Minnesota Attorney General, Hubert H. (Skip) Humphrey III

  •                1982      Sen. Rudy Boschwitz

  •                1983      Sen. David Durenberger

  •                1984      Sen. Rudy Boschwitz

  •                1985      Rep. Map Sweeney, Texas

  •                1986      The Rev. Jesse Jackson

  •                1987      Sen. David Durenberger

  •                1988      Minnesota Lt. Gov. Marlene Johnson

  •                1989      State Auditor Arne Carlson

  •                1990      Rep. Fred Grandy, Iowa

  •                1991      Brigadier General David H. Adamson

  •                1992      Sen. Paul Wellstone

  •                1993      Rep. Rod Grams

  •                1994      Rep. David Minge

  •                1995      Minnesota Lt. Gov. Joanne Benson

  •                1996      “National Teacher of the Year” Mary Beth Blegen & Minnesota Attorney General Skip Humphrey

  •                1997      Sen. Rod Grams

  •                1998      Jesse Ventura, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota

  •                1999      Sec. of Agriculture, Gene Hugoson

  •                2000      Mrs. Minnesota, Susan Nelson

  •                2001      Tony Olivia – MN Twins

  •                2002      No Keynote Speaker

  •                2003      St. Paul Police Chief William Finney

  •                2004      Gov. Tim Pawlenty         

  •                2005      Lew Hudson & Jim Wychor

  •                2006      Andre Kirkwood

  •                2007      Babe Winkelman

  •                2008     Republican Candidate Brian Davis and Congressman Tim Walz

  •                2009     Major General Larry Shellito (Adjutant General of MN National Guard)

  •                2010      Earl Morse (Co-Chair of Honor Flight)

  •                2011       Liz Collin (WCCO TV)

  •                2012      Michael Patrick

  •                2013      Holly Hoffmann (Survivor Contestant – Nicaragua)

  •                2014      Lew Hudson & Jim Wychor

  •                2015      Dan Gable

  •                2016      Amy Klobuchar, US Senator

  •                2017      Paul Ten Haken

  •                2018      Duane Drost

  •                2019      Paul Summers LaRouche

  •                2021      Gordon Moore​​

  •                2022      Chuck Foreman

  •                2023      Rick Brandl

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