Community Man
If it seems like everybody knows Don Hickman, that’s because his efforts have helped transform economic development and energy in Central Minnesota for a quarter-century. He can pass the torch, but his legacy is here to stay, and his heart will always be in the work.
By Kevin Allenspach | Photography by John Linn
When Don Hickman began his career, social media consisted of a hearty handshake and “Hello.” Long after modern technology made it easier and faster to reach people from a distance, Hickman still climbed into a succession of Toyota Priuses with the firm belief that it’s better to meet people where they are—and that hours of windshield time are worth any minutes that matter.
His sunny personality, sensitive listening, and incomparable mental Rolodex made Hickman a true influencer before the term meant “Internet celebrity.” For more than two decades, commuting from his home in Merrifield, Hickman has lived and breathed the ambitions of the Initiative Foundation. He’s channeled resources to advance entrepreneurship and has connected nonprofits, local units of government, and schools to create childcare and housing solutions. His work has been primarily rural and regional, but his networks are nationwide.
“Face-to-face is very important for trust and credibility, so, in our business, there aren’t too many people I’ve never met,” said Hickman, who retired in January 2025. “I can’t think of a job that has been more fulfilling.”
It remains to be seen just what “retirement” will mean for Hickman. In February, he stepped into a part-time role as a community development officer. He will continue to offer counsel and a warm handoff for Amy Trombley, new vice president for community, and Elizabeth Mboutchom, who assumes his considerable work in clean energy.
“Don is interwoven into the fabric of who we are, and this is a momentous time,” said Initiative Foundation President Brian Voerding, who came to the organization in 2021 after working in economic development in the Winona area. “He’s been an exceptional mentor, guide and leading light for me, and I’d say his reputation precedes him. His connections in rural development are rich, and there truly aren’t words to describe his legacy and impact.”
Hickman was born in Iowa, where his grandparents had a farm, and grew up in Madison, Wis., where his father was a professor. In 1970, Don’s elementary school class participated in the first Earth Day, picking up garbage on the shore of Lake Mendota, and he was hooked on the feeling that came with doing good and bringing people together for a common cause. Hickman studied biology at the University of Minnesota and in 1986 earned a master’s degree in water chemistry at Western Colorado State. Along the way, he was a trail guide, park ranger, lab director, and policy analyst. While pursuing a Ph.D. in aquatic ecology, Hickman spent part of 1994 living on a raft in the Grand Canyon, where he studied the endangered humpback chub and was introduced to his wife, Sandy. They were engaged within six months, and Don returned to Minnesota to marry Sandy in the spring of 1996.
In the late 1990s, Hickman worked as an Initiative Foundation contractor for several years for founding President Kathy Gaalswyk. His job was to focus on environmental grants to promote healthy lakes and rivers. In 2001, Gaalswyk decided it would be useful to have someone on staff with a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) background who loved to solve problems.
“Working with Don required some adjustment,” said Gaalswyk, who retired in 2016 after 30 years of Initiative Foundation leadership. “He can create the longest grammatically correct sentences of anyone I know, and his ability to retain details, dates, and history is phenomenal. He has an amazing mind—to the point of being kind of a nerd. Yet he’s also very relatable, gentle, and kind, committed to his principles and beliefs. Bringing him on was one of the best decisions I ever made for the organization.”
Perhaps Hickman’s crowning achievement has been helping the city of Becker and Sherburne County adapt to Xcel Energy’s transition of the Sherco power plant from coal to solar energy.
It was a nerve-wracking time for former Becker mayor Tracy Bertram.
“Don had great ideas and connected us with everybody,” Bertram said. “Sometimes I would think, ‘I don’t know why I’m doing this, but Don said to do it.’” During “bonding tours,” where state lawmakers ride around on a bus, Bertram recalled that Hickman eased her fears. “He’s like, ‘You have to get them here and show them what is happening.’ He probably knew 28 of the 29 people on hand. It got to the point where every time somebody of importance came to Becker, we would make sure Don was there.”
Just having Hickman in the audience when she was at a speaking engagement helped keep her cool: “It set a comfort level for me,” Bertram said. “Here we are, coming out the other side now, and there’s no way we could have done it without him.”
Hickman’s impact is also hidden in smaller projects that are just as important to those they benefit. Nancy Hoffman, one of his first grant applicants, said she has leaned on Hickman during the 13 years she’s served as director of the Chisago County HRA and EDA, where Hickman recently helped leverage $115,000 for a childcare initiative and provided funding for a study to determine how to target workforce housing solutions.
“Don is helpful without telling you what to do,” Hoffman said. “I’ve always thought he challenged me. It was like, ‘Let’s strive to get more participation from more organizations.’ Everything he thought about was a little bigger and a little better than what we might’ve attempted on our own.”
Hickman still has a role in administering Minnesota Main Street Economic Revitalization grants, a state program that invests in downtown revitalization across Greater Minnesota. Over the past two years, the Initiative Foundation delivered $4.5 million during the program’s initial round. The support drove more than $25 million in additional private investments in six communities. A second round of $500,000 will start this spring to support business improvements in five Central Minnesota communities.
Even on his toughest days, Hickman believes his work makes a positive difference in other people’s lives. “Whenever I had a bad day and was feeling like, ‘I didn’t accomplish anything this week,’ I’d look down the hall and someone would be fighting methamphetamine addiction, and someone else would be encouraging youth development programs, and someone else would be supporting children with an incarcerated parent,” he said.
While many of those programs have transitioned or changed, Hickman is inspired by the fact that the Initiative Foundation will always be looking toward the next challenge: “I’m so appreciative that I had the chance to go on this ride. It sure made it easier to leap out of bed every morning and sleep well at night. As you might tell, I love this work. I can’t quit cold turkey. If I can add value, I’ll be there.”