Keith Warner Memorial
Golf Tournament
E
ach summer, the VHEDC hosts the Keith Warner Memorial
Golf Tournament which raises money for its Business
Education Partnership Fund. The proceeds are used to
sponsor internships and address local workforce development
issues. The 2018 tournament was held at Dellwood Country
Club; the 2019 tournament will be at White Bear Yacht Club’s
golf course.
Keith Warner served as the VHEDC’s executive director 2008
– 2013 after retiring from the baking and milling industries.
He’s credited with transforming VHEDC’s organizational
focus from “Open for Business” to “Taking Care of Business”
according to former Vadnais Heights City Administrator and
current VHEDC Advisor, Gerry Urban. “Keith was a master
organizer and brought people together, dialing down
objectives and transforming people’s ideas to get things
done. He was a bulldog — persistent until you said ‘yes’ —
and then hand-picked people to make it happen.” It was a
simple but effective leadership style, according to Urban. “He
was very social, and inclusive in getting people involved, and
always thankful, in so many ways.” Not without coincidence,
“maKEITHappen” became his signature phrase and also
happens to include the spelling of his name.
Additionally, Warner and his wife, Patty, founded the White
Bear Lake Relay for Life event, which has raised over $4 million
40
Northeast Metro Business
for the American Cancer Society. And, the Keith Warner
Standard of Excellence Award is given at the VHEDC Annual
Dinner & Awards event to a member business that has shown
a singular degree of excellence in the areas of business
success, philanthropy and community service.