BRETT SKILBRED

CEO | Development
[email protected]
Direct: 507.625.4715 | Cell: 507.720.8842

Brett Skilbred is an entrepreneurial operating executive with a proven track record of developing and growing middle-market businesses. His expertise spans transformational activities, including strategic planning, team building, leadership development, execution, continuous improvement, digital transformation, and financial discipline. Driven to maximize business potential, Brett transforms strategic opportunities into sustainable stakeholder value, grounded in critical thinking and emotional intelligence, with a passion for excellence. He has a history of building high-performing management teams that succeed through collaboration, execution, learning, and adaptation, and communicates effectively to inspire action.

Brett's accomplishments include developing and capitalizing on two successful ventures, each achieving rapid market share and profitability. He has implemented numerous operational excellence programs, achieving significant improvements in plant uptime, cost reduction, employee engagement, safety, and productivity. He has led large-scale industrial facility construction projects, negotiated multi-million dollar supply agreements, planned real estate developments, established sustainability programs, and designed infrastructure investment strategies for municipalities. He has also effectively led government relations efforts to repeal unfavorable legislation.

Brett's experience includes operational leadership roles at private equity-owned mid-market industrial companies, and he has expertise in manufacturing, mining, construction management, and real estate acquisition through entitlement. He holds a BS in Computer Technology with a focus on Business Systems from Purdue University and an MBA in Finance and Operations from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

Originally from Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Brett and his wife Christie have called Mankato home since 2012, where they are actively involved in the community. Brett’s community involvement includes serving on the State’s Silica Sand Advisory Committee, United Way impact committees, chairing South Central College’s Mankato Foundation, serving on the Executive Committee for the Mankato Sports Commission, and contributing to fundraising efforts for the Mankato Children’s Museum and Mankato Youth Place. He enjoys spending time with his two sons, Jayden (16) and Reece (13), and pursuing outdoor activities like boating, fishing, camping, coaching, and golfing.