Minnetonka School Board Candidate: Charlie Kanan

Editor's note: This week we feature the eight candidates running for four seats on the Minnetonka School Board. We will publish two candidates per day for four days. You can meet and grill all the candidates at our Speed Dating For Your Vote event at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the Gold Nugget Tavern.

CHARLIE KANAN

Minnetonka Patch: What qualifications do you have that will make you an effective Minnetonka school board member?

Kanan: I will bring a proven track record in leadership and service that will allow me to be an effective Minnetonka School Board member. My leadership experience consists of 18 years in executive leadership positions within the business community and 15 years as a business owner. These positions required high accountability to all stakeholders: employees, financial institutions and stock holders. Success in these positions is achieved by having a keen understanding of the community and its needs, development of strategic plans to meet those needs and inspiring employees to execute the plans. Experience: Play It Again Sports-President; Haagen-Dazs Shoppe Company-President; Miracle Ear-Executive Vice President; Burger King Corporation-Senior Vice President; Kanan Marketing Group-Owner; Belle Aire Foods Corporation-Owner.

I have 20 years of board level experience serving as a member of several Boards of Directors/Advisors for businesses. These positions have provided me with the experience of holding companies highly accountable for clearly defining corporate vision, creating a strategic growth plan and executing “Best Practices” of flawless execution to deliver the expected results: Lubrication Technologies Inc.; Waytek ; Brush Masters; Great Clips; Video Update; National Sporting Goods Association. 

Patch: What is the biggest issue for Minnetonka's school district? Why? 

Kanan: Two things: financial stability combined with predictability along with an educational model that addresses the changing needs of the student and the world.

Financial stability—statewide deficits have resulted in a threat to funding education at the district level. In the event the financial support from the state declines, we face a series of difficult strategic decisions in order to continue to obtain the results the district has achieved in the past 10 years.

Patch: What is current Minnetonka School District leadership doing well? What could be better?

Kanan: The Minnetonka School District has created an educational experience and culture by which graduates are well prepared for post high school academics and are able to succeed in all aspects of life. Minnetonka ranks among the best academically in the State of Minnesota. We also rank high on a national level in many key areas of student performance.  

The past decade has been marked by improvements in student achievement, increased enrollment, and improved facilities. In part this has been accomplished by generating additional revenue that can be invested towards our children’s education.

Educational model—the areas for continued improvement and a significant challenge for educators is meeting the rapidly changing needs of the students. Those students are learning faster and in a very different manner than five years ago. If we are going to properly prepare students for the real world, we must better understand how they will best perform in the 21st century and adjust our curriculum and teaching methods around that.  

Patch: How will you get input from your constituents?

Kanan: I have built a career listening and getting input from all stakeholders. I have 18 years of franchising experience, 15 years owning two businesses and 20 years of board level experience with privately held companies and non-profit organizations. Proven results in these three segments of my career could not occur without ongoing input from stakeholders. This will be done on an ongoing basis through meeting with parents and other stakeholders who have concerns, interests or ideas towards bettering the Minnetonka education system.   

Patch: Give us a brief background of yourself.

Kanan: The Kanan family is a four-generation family in the Minnetonka area. Each generation has given back to our community in many ways.  As a community member, I have volunteered to make significant contributions to the Minnetonka School District and broader community. Most significantly, through the Minnetonka Diamond Club, Minnetonka Schools Foundation and DECA, I have developed an 8 year working relationship with the Superintendent of Schools and his staff. Those relationships have resulted in raising over $2,200,000 in the past 6 years. My ability to identify opportunities, develop strategic plans, and create positive partnerships have provided me the pleasure of being able to give back to the community in which I was born, raised, and chose to raise my own family.  

I was born and raised in Excelsior and graduated from Minnetonka in 1969. My sister Patti also graduated from Minnetonka (1972).  My parents, Sam and Lucille Kanan, and my uncle George Kanan owned 3 businesses in Excelsior. Long time citizens know those restaurants as the Belle Aire Yacht Club, Marine Bar and Skippers Café.  I worked in those restaurants while growing up. I have a very strong work ethic and I attribute that work ethic to my experience working in those restaurants.  

I have been married for 30 years and we have a 23-year-old son, Christopher, who is also a graduate of Minnetonka (2006).  Chris graduated from the University of Minnesota and is now gainfully employed in what he calls “the real world”.

My wife has been employed at the School District for 18 years as a Para- professional in the Early Childhood Family Education program (ECFE). As indicated above, I spend a significant amount of time donating back to the community.  Most notably my work at the Minnetonka Diamond Club, the Minnetonka Public Schools Foundation, the Minnetonka High School DECA program, and Tour de Tonka.  I have also been a member of the Strategic Planning Committee for the School District, a member of the Innovation Team for the School District, and a member of the Strategic Planning team for the Minnetonka Alumni Association. 

Minnetonka Diamond Club, Chief Operating Officer

Minnetonka School District, Member of the Strategic Planning Team

Minnetonka School District, Member of the Innovation Team

Minnetonka DECA Program, Created a 1st of its kind Mentor Program

Minnetonka Public Schools Foundation, Trustee and Officer

Minnetonka Alumni Association, Member of the Strategic Planning Team and recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Service Award

Minnetonka Community Education Center (MCEC), Advisory Board Member

Tour de Tonka, Route Captain and Volunteer