Lynn Hunt is a 15-year entrepreneurial veteran managing high tech companies. Wearing hats that cover most managerial issues and also technology issues Lynn helped grow a start-up company to almost 200 employees. The company gathered many awards in both technology and fast growth. Ernst and Young honored Lynn as a finalist in the Entrepreneur of the Year competition for 2004.

Having finished her MBA at Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota she is preparing to grow companies to help the world. Some areas that Hunt Utilities Group, LLC (HUG) is focusing on are alternative energy, ecological housing and sustainable living and micro-farming. With her husband Paul's creative abilities and downright stubbornness to get materials to do what he wants them to, it might be possible to create a house out of local/indigenous materials that creates a large footprint in comfort, but a small environmental footprint.

Paul Hunt - During the day, this mild mannered techno-nerd with white hair and a slight stammer barely attends his regular job as a HUG engineering guru. When the phones stop ringing and the moon comes out, Paul then gets a chance to retreat into the secret lair of his own mind and becomes…Ta-Da... SUPER INVENTOR!!!

Faster than a train of thought!  Able to reap tall buildings from simple ground! While occupying his special world, he can bend reality to fit his super plans. He can make electrons dance at his bidding. His X-ray vision can peer deeply under the laws of physics, allowing him to see things as they could be instead of how they are.

Several hours after the daylight returns, our super hero sluggishly dons the clothing of his alter ego, Paul. He slowly gets pulled back into the consciousness of the popular world (the one that most of us call reality). On very special occasions he manages to bring a new gadget into this reality that helps make the world a better place.

Ryan Hunt was born and raised in Brainerd, Minnesota. After skipping through junior high and taking advantage of the post secondary enrollment option, he graduated from Brainerd Community College at age 16, one day after receiving his high school diploma. He then attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where he earned a double degree in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the age of 20. After school, Ryan moved up to Pequot Lakes to help his parents with their rapidly growing company Hunt Technologies, Inc. At Hunt Technologies, he learned a great deal about the electric power industry and how we all use it in our homes. From there, he followed his folks when and their interests turned to energy conservation and efficient buildings and they founded Hunt Utilities Group LLC (HUG). At HUG, he has explored technologies to help us all live in a more sustainable manner on our planet. Some of those include natural building materials, solar heating, solar and wind power, and renewable fuels.

Bob McLean has worked with the founders of Happy Dancing Turtle, Paul & Lynn Hunt, since 1988.  First as head of Hunt Technologies Sales and Marketing and now as COO of Hunt Utilities Group LLC

Nearly 30 years ago he started his career at West Publishing serving in a variety of roles and progressing to Director of Market Development for their national online system, WESTLAW.

A healthy vibrant community is important to Bob and he actively volunteers with a number committees and boards including the Initiative Foundation Loan Committee, Rotary District Strategic Planning, GreenStart Communities Advisory Board and the Essentia Community Hospitals and Clinics.

An advocate of life long learning, he has organized and/or participated in numerous forums on Business and Finance. Academically, his undergraduate degree is in Business from St. John’s University and his MBA is from The University of St. Thomas.

Bob, his wife and four boys enjoy the lake region of Minnesota and its wonderful quality of life.

 Chip Borkenhagen is as happy as the turtle in being asked to join this board. With a deep-rooted interest in helping to build a better world for our great grandchildren, he looks forward to being a part of sharing the Hunt's vision.

With a background in marketing, design, photography and publishing, he trusts his knowledge and experiences will be put to good use in building on the strong foundation established by Lynn and Paul. Currently, Chip is founder/president of Evergreen Press, publisher of Lake Country Journal Magazine, and the Initiative Foundation's I.Q magazine, and E.P.Creative, a full service advertising agency.

Lots to learn, lots to do - life is good.

Born in Fargo, ND, Ruthie Gmeinder moved to the Brainerd Lakes Area at the age of 11. She graduated from Brainerd High School and later from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and a minor in Chemistry.

Her passion for curriculum was evident in her 20+ years of service as a member of the Brainerd School Board. She brought this same enthusiasm to the HDT Board where she has found it amazingly interesting to work with such gifted minds as those of the Hunt family. Although it was the focus on community that initially attracted Ruthie to HDT, it was ultimately the “outside the box” thinking that led her to become involved with the board.

Ruthie chairs the Brainerd noon Rotary Club’s Literacy Program where she can continue to focus on education.

Amy McLain keeps more than busy as the owner of Citadel Games in Brainerd, MN, and mother in a house with six children.  She enjoys learning about sustainable living, and lends to the Happy Dancing Turtle board her unique perspective on how to "help save the world!"

Amy is also a licensed massage therapist, loves to read, and passes her scant free time watching bad science fiction television.

Cheryal Lee Hills, Executive Director of Region Five Development Commission, provides progam development, program implementation, organization planning, financial planning and oversight, communication to Commission and the five counties served by Region Five, and staff supervision. Previously Cheryal held the position of Executive Director of the Mid-Minnesota Builders Association; was a small business owner; and has experience in marketing, sales, and business consulting.

Cheryal's credentials include Licensed Pratical Nurse performing Hospice work; Executive Director of the Mid-Minnesota Builders Association; and has held a MN Contractors and a MN Realtor license.  Cheryal is an approved MN Dept. of Commerce and MN Dept. of Labor continuing education coordinator.

Bernie Roberts was born and raised in St. Peter, a small farming community in southern Minnesota.  After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a sociology major and an economics minor, he moved back to his hometown and worked in a community bank for 1.5 years.  He moved to the Brainerd Lakes Area in Janaury of 1985.

Bernie is a certified financial planner (CFP) and has been a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments for the past 25 years.  He has volunteered with the Central Minnesota Boy Scouts, the finance councils of both St. Andrews and St. Christopher's Churches; coached youth hockey and baseball; and served as president of the Kiwanis Club of Brainerd.  He has also served on the boards of: The Confidence Learning Center, R.S.V.P. Advisory Board and the Brainerd School Board for 13 years.  He was co-founder and original board member of the Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation, and recently finished a 2-year term on the Brainerd Lakes Health Board.

Bernie and his wife Linda live at their lake home near Nisswa and have three adult children.