Young Professionals Spotlight: Brandon Rohrig

Brandon Rohrig was recognized as the Young Professional of the Year at the our annual Business Recognition Luncheon on November 14th. We thought we'd talk with him about himself, the Lakes Area Young Professionals, and why he loves living here!

Name: Brandon Rohrig

College/University Attended:

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science with honors in dietetics from the University of Wisconsin Stout

Graduate: Master of Science in exercise physiology from Minnesota State University, Mankato

Graduate thesis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5360372/

Year of Graduation:

High school: 2006

Undergraduate: 2013

Graduate: 2015

Current Position: Director of Population and Public Health

Company: Lakes Regional Healthcare in the Public Health Department

Which YP Group are you a part of?

Lakes Area Young Professionals – if you can make it to Okoboji Brewing Company at 7pm on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, you’re invited!

Tell us a litte about you:

I am the father of the cutest little girl in the world (so says every father) and married to Beki, my wonderful wife of five years. I grew up in Owatonna, MN and had come to different Lutheran camps in the Okoboji area as a child. After high school, I moved to Rochester, MN to live the dream of playing junior hockey for the Minnesota Ice Hawks.  From there I moved to Menomonie, WI to complete my undergraduate degree.  Desiring more knowledge, I went to Minnesota State University, Mankato to get my graduate degree.  Beki and I moved to Dayton, OH so I could complete a Dietetic Internship at Miami Valley Hospital.  Switching from a large city to a small town, we moved to Ashland, WI where I was the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program director for three counties in Northern WI.  Wanting more responsibility, I was blessed with the opportunity of coming to the Lakes Area and working as the Director of Population and Public Health where I have been for 1.5 years!  In my free time I enjoy being outdoors, spending time with my daughter, reading and lifting weights at the YMCA at 4:30am.

Why do you love your Lakes Life in NW Iowa?

Northwest Iowa is unique in that it has a small town feel, but the residents and community are incredibly inviting.  My wife and I have lived in 4 diverse locations throughout our marriage and the sense of community we have felt in the Lakes Area is unmatched.  Along with the welcoming atmosphere, the Lakes Area has a multitude of activities to get involved with year round.  Living here has also provided me a job that meets my needs of autonomy, mastery, and purpose as well as a community that is beautiful and inviting.

What are some particularly great things you’ve been a part of through your YP group?

In April of 2018, the Young Professionals group did a community clean-up of multiple beaches.  There was a large group of us that filled multiple garbage bags in the few hours of hiking around. In October 2018, the Young Professionals worked with the local Rotary group and helped restore the picnic tables at Pikes Point State Park. In November 2018 the Young Professionals held a toy drive at a monthly social and were able to give over 20 new toys to Kaden’s Kloset so they can give them to kids in need. 

What do you love about your YP group and why should others attend meetings and events?

First, an outstanding part of the group is networking with many diverse individuals.  As an introvert by nature, the group has given me an avenue to meet many new professionals in the area that I otherwise would not have met.  Listening to others’ stories is incredibly interesting to me, and I have been able to meet a diverse group of friends that I would never have expected to meet in a small town.

I feel we have created a smaller niche community where we can get together, network, and improve the area in a way that makes us feel comfortable and valued.

The Lakes Area Young Professionals meet every 3rd Tuesday at 7pm at the Okoboji Brewing Company. Follow them on Facebook for information on various other events!