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Nate Postma, President
Nate is the founder/President of Vertical Endeavors and has more than 15 years of experience in the ownership and operations of three large commercial climbing facilities. He is a founding board member of the Climbing Gym Association (CGA) and the Climbing Wall Association (CWA) and past board member of the Climbing Wall Industry Group (CWIG). In addition, Nate is a member of the CWA’s Engineering Standards Committee (ESC) - the group that is currently updating and re-issuing the old CWIG climbing wall standards. Nate has been an avid climber for 26 years.
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Pam Postma, Vice President, CFO
Starting in 1979, Pam formerly worked in administration and accounting for Midwest Great Dane Trailers. Pam married her high school sweet-heart, Nate, in 1981 and was introduced to climbing later that year at a time when you didn't really see women on the rock. Pam traveled from the east coast to the west coast climbing everything and trying to keep up with Nate. She participated in numerous local and national competitions meeting great people in the climbing industry. Climbing became the way of life. In 1995, Pam left her career of sixteen years with Midwest Great Dane Trailers to help with the birth of Vertical Endeavors, her husband's dream.
During the growth stages of Vertical Endeavors, and in the early days when the company operated from the couple's residential garage, Pam worked in almost all of the various jobs at VE. Pam takes care of the financial and HR aspects of the business today. In her free time, Pam enjoys wind surfing with Nate, which results in vacations to the Hood River, Columbia River Gorge, & Carribean Islands. She enjoys the beautiful country and of course scoping out the rock formations.
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Larry Bachman, Director of Operations
Larry comes to Vertical Endeavors with twelve years of experience as a director of operations in the fast food industry. He is in the process of learning all aspects of the climbing industry. He and Jane, his wife of 31 years have two sons and have recently added a daughter-in-law to their family (Do we hear grandchildren in the future?). Larry enjoys camping, geo caching, biking, scuba diving, and cross-country skiing in his free time.
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Jason Noble – District Supervisor
Bio coming soon... |
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Pat Mackin/ Director of Instruction for Vertical Endeavors and AMGA Guide
I have been climbing for 25 years and as a professional for 14. I discovered climbing when I was 28 years old and my friends took me to our local crag and I was hooked. Since that time I have climbed extensively throughout the US and Canada fueled by a passion for adventure and challenge. Mountaineering in the Tetons and Wind River Range in Wyoming and the Bugaboos in British Columbia was my initial obsession. I then became a rock climbing specialist focusing on long traditional “trad” routes. I volunteered to help in the construction of Vertical Endeavors and then found myself working there as an instructor.
In 1992, I took the AMGA Rock Guides Course and from this experience started Vertical Endeavors Guided Adventures (VEGA ). I have been guiding ever since. In 1998, I completed the AMGA 10 day Advanced Rock Guides Course. There is a long standing tradition of mentoring in climbing and the role of guide/mentor was a natural evolution for me. Now in my role of Director of Instruction and Guiding for VE, I am embracing the indoor climbing industry and am proud to be a part of the next evolution in the sport.
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Noal Ronken – Facility Manager
Current facility manager at VE St. Paul. Noal enjoys long walks on the beach, underclings, hugs (not drugs) and the occasional gaston. He spends his leisure time on belay.
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Ryan Hansen – Program Coordinator
Ryan Hansen began climbing in 2004 when he took a “slacker” one-credit climbing course instructed by his wrestling coach during his senior year at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he earned a B.S. in Biology. The natural transition from headlocks to hand jams fueled his passion for a career in climbing, and in 2006 he completed a M.S. in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. In March 2007, Ryan was added to VE St. Paul's line up as the new Program Coordinator to compliment veteran Jennifer Wilson's “Take-No-Prisoners” attitude. When Ryan isn't working an arm bar on an off-width, he enjoys other outdoor pursuits such as backpacking, camping, fishing, and hunting. During his leisure time, Ryan discusses random, scientific facts with his wife Katie, and enjoys watching Spongebob Squarepants with his daughter Taylor.
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Steve Davis – PT Shift Manager
Steve Davis is probably the finest rock climber alive today with a Ph.D. in Medieval English Literature from an Ivy League University. He gave up academia three years ago to start his own businesses and to climb more. His favorite climbs: long moderate multipitch trad climbs out west, as far from the trailhead as possible.
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Jeremy Risner – PT Shift Manager
Jeremy started climbing 12 years ago in college and it has been a hobby of his ever since. Jeremy has been a full-time youth pastor for 8 years and is currently a youth pastor in Inver Grove Heights. After moving back to MN in 2003, he started working at VE part-time during his wife's maternity leave and has loved being part of the VE team ever since. You'll most likely find him managing the gym on most Mondays. He has been married to his beautiful wife Darci for almost ten years. They have two daughters and another child on the way! Jeremy is addicted to the show “LOST” and “Heroes”. Other hobbies Jeremy enjoys include snowboarding (in Vail!), camping, gardening, a variety of sports (played or watched), and traveling.
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Tyler Hoffart – FT Shift Manager
I love eating. And climbing. Eating and climbing is dangerous, so I don't necessarily like doing them together. Alas, I do love a nice handful of trail mix after falling repeatedly on my latest project. On a less serious note, I hail from the lovely plains of Dallas, South Dakota, a place where the angus roam and the skies are forever and then a little bit more. For the last five or six years I've been tearing my fingers open on the bully boulders of the Mt. Rushmore and Sylvan Lake areas and then massaging them back to supple lovliness upon the world-class limestone walls of Spearfish Canyon. Oh, I also went to school once in awhile. When not climbing or working around those who are climbing, I enjoy those odd-shaped things called books and running around with my dog Nakoma. He's the shizzy yo. Hey you, come to the gym and we can talk face to face or ear to ear and theorize about cosmic forces or perfect pumpkin bread recipes or little invisible ninjas. They're everywhere.
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Kimberly Prager – Marketing Team
Kimberly has been working forVertical Endeavors since 1999. She has done a little of everything for the company from production to packaging to invoicing to marketing, advertising, and design work. She has worked as a part (or all) of the marketing team for the past five years. Originally from Southern California, Kimberly went to a small environmental liberal arts college in Northern Wisconsin (where she saw snow for the first time!) and where she graduated with a B.S. in Outdoor Education and a B.S. in Mathemat ics. Kimberly loves to be busy.
Currently she is juggling a second job, graduate school where she’s working on her Masters of Arts in Teaching High School Math and Biology, she does freelance design and video work, she’s involved in volunteering for several local nature centers, and is heavily involved in Girl Scouts both in programming and training.
When actually able to enjoy free time (free time, what’s that?) she enjoys going on trips to different areas of the country and climbing or visiting all the touristy things to do in a new city, and she loves taking pictures. Kimberly lives in a house where she built her own climbing wall in her garage with her snake, The Great Escape, and her two cats Simon and Papel.
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Phaydara Vongsavanthong – Marketing Team
She sat next to me perched on a stool, teeth splayed like an alligator. “Some men are born for adventure,” was the fortune loosely translated. I had her read it again.
After graduating from college in 2000 or 2001, Phaydara found himself without a home. So, he traveled with no particular destination in mind, just backpacking, climbing, looking, learning, heartbreaking, in search of the best ice cream the world had to offer. Did he find what he was looking for? Perhaps. Many speculate that he found more questions; questions that veered him off his current path.
Those questions would eventually lead him to the doorsteps of Vertical Endeavors. With a smile, Phaydara accepted the Marketing Coordinator position; a job he finds stimulating and fun mostly because of his co-workers. When not at Vertical Endeavors, Phaydara manages to keep himself busy with freelance design work, weekly bike excursions, and the occasional nap (he is apparently enjoying the comforts of climbing retirement).
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Trinh Mai – Marketing Team
Trinh is the newest member of the marketing and design team. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Graphic Design; this is where she also sparked her interest in climbing. Her education allows for marketing, advertising, and promotional pieces to be produced while her interest in climbing allows her to combine work and play. Her diverse background and interests bring about fresh perspectives and an open-mind towards new things and people. In her free time she likes to read, take photographs, and of course design.
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Kate Molitor – Marketing Team
Kate recently made the transition from Rock 'N Roll to Rock Climbing. As the new addition to the Advertising/Marketing team she plans to contribute her three years of marketing experience to the greater good of Vertical Endeavors. In her free time she likes to cook (eat), spend time with family/friends and drive with the windows down.
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Russell Hobart –FT Employee
At a stately 220lbs., Russell has quickly become an inspiration to plus-sized climbers in the Twin Cities. Much of his climbing style and language is tinged with his native Kentucky. Customers and VE employees alike have been patient and obliging with his rustic/idiosyncratic country ways. The following simplified glossary has helped bridge the gap in understanding:
Holdie Widget = Belay Device
Gotta Go Up = Beta
Corn Starch = Climbing Chalk
County Fair = Whipper
Rock Corner = Arete
Buck-tooth Mama = Vigorous, Non-technical Climb
Sticky Slippers = Climbing Shoes
Catch Me Now = Take
Swedish Belt = Harness
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