Steve Leen, CPA, CGMA
 
Where do you work, what do you do? BerganKDV since 2000; I am a tax partner.  The largest group I work with is manufacturers and my goal is to help them navigate the business and tax world so they can keep more of the profit they make.
 
What was your first job? I grew up in Bemidji and worked at Bemidji Aviation starting at age 12. I mowed lawns, washed rental cars and other miscellaneous odd jobs around the place. I had to pay for anything I wanted so I was motivated to work as the Gameboy had come out recently.
 
Hometown? I was born in Hibbing, but we moved to Bemidji when I was 9. Most of the years I remember were in Bemidji, and I graduated high school and college there, so I consider Bemidji to be my hometown.
 
Family? Wife Penny, son Nick, daughters Bella and Tia.
 
Do you have any hobbies, play any sports or favorite games? In the summer I enjoy mountain biking, golfing, and boating (when I can get it off the lift). In the winter when COVID doesn’t mess with it I like playing community ed basketball. We also get out cross country skiing occasionally when there is enough snow. We like to travel, but who doesn’t! We recently did our first ever backpacking trip on a portion of the Superior Hiking Trail - that might be something new we’ll do more often!
 
Comment on your involvement with CMMA: Our company has been a member for several years. I am going on year 10 of being on the CMMA Board of Directors, as well as participation as an MMA board member since 2015. I originally joined CMMA to meet contacts and learn more about manufacturing and it has been great for both. It has been exciting to see the meetings go from 30 attendees on average to commonly over 100. Also, the golf tournament success and the collaboration between schools, government and private businesses is improving, too, so a lot of positive change since I started which is fun to be a part of.  
 
What would CMMA members be surprised to learn about you? Maybe some will look at it as a good thing and others bad since we also asked them for money but I was originally the one that started the push for the CMMA Foundation so that we had a way to accumulate funds that could eventually be a self-sustaining fund to provide ongoing scholarships in manufacturing and other support to manufacturers and schools supporting manufacturing as needed. A big thank you to the founding partners for that which contributed the original $20,000 needed to start that fund: Cedar Lake Engineering, Glenn Metalcraft, Falcon National Bank, Marco, Louis Industries, Park Industries, Starrett, Pellco Machine and St Cloud Window. Since then the balance has grown to over $84,000 while still providing several scholarships and grants along the way. Let’s keep it going!