MREA has a rich history of being led by a series of strong, passionate education leaders. They have been the driving force for the organization’s growth and ability to bring about change to benefit students across Greater Minnesota.
Here’s a look at the first presidents to lead MREA after it was founded in 1985:
Pat Mohn
The MREA Board selects Pat Mohn from Amboy-Good Thunder as its first president. Mohn, one of the few female superintendents in Minnesota, outlines the goals MREA will strive to accomplish: “We must combine communication skills with leadership skills and involve each member. One person can and does make a difference.”
Bruce Kasden
School board member Bruce Kasden becomes the second president. He writes at the time, “There is a bigness in this group that is beautiful…people coming from many diverse backgrounds, all working for the improvement of rural education.”
Harold Remme
The third president is Superintendent Harold Remme of Tracy. Later in his career he reflects on MREA’s initial success after MREA builds its membership to 150 districts within the first two years: “It is not often in a person’s career one can start an organization from a grass roots effort…Rural school issues will require a united voice and MREA has proven it can provide such a voice…”
The “united voice” Remme refers to is the MREA Board which is comprised of administrators, school board members, teachers, and representatives from higher ed. Having all the education players at the table allows MREA to put students first and makes MREA unique among other education lobbying groups who represent a single constituency.
