Ann (Brunkhorst) Wagner, MA, founded Practical Leadership in early 1998 after an 18-year career in corporate HR and development. She brings to the firm a passion for creating pathways to success — by creating powerful teams, involving employees in important work, and developing new leaders to inspire stronger organizations.

Ann began her career at Dayton’s Department Store, an early predecessor of today’s Target Corporation. For ten years, through 1987, Ann was the director of HR for Berman’s, The Leather Experts. In 1988, she became a partner in the Wagner Retail Group, where she specialized in human resource strategy, customer service training and management development for a range of service businesses.

Ann joined Grand Casinos, Inc. in 1991 as corporate VP of education and associate development. Seven years later, she assumed responsibility for the corporate HR and communications functions as well. When she left Grand Casinos in 1998, it had approximately 18,000 employees and operations in four states.

Ann earned her Master’s in organizational leadership from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, MN. In addition to her work with Practical Leadership, she is program director for Normandale Community College in Bloomington, MN.

As part of her commitment to the HR profession, she serves as a volunteer career development instructor for WomenVenture, a non-profit career and business development services center based in St. Paul, MN. This organization recognized Ann’s generous service with their Volunteer of the Year award. She also is an active member in several professional associations.