assethr team

Chris Kelly
Founder & President

Senior executive, entrepreneur and business owner since 1990 offering Human Resource, Payroll and Employee Benefits solutions to clients across varied industries including banking, financial and business professional services, information technology, health and medical services, and manufacturing. Chris has extensive knowledge in all facets of the HR outsourcing marketplace including human resource management system (HRMS) technology, payroll administration, employee benefit products and administration, plus employer insurance products.

Katie Birthler
Senior Human Resource Consultant

A seasoned HR consultant with extensive experience in setting up new or assessing existing HR functions for companies in all stages of evolution including start-up, rapid-growth, reorganized and well established. Former VP of HR for a fortune 500 international company, Katie has consulted with companies in the communications, electronic, giftware, hi-tech, insurance, legal, manufacturing, medical, and service industries. Katie is the creator of and majority contributor to Libretto: Sensible HR the premier on-line tool of choice for assessing HR practices. Katie holds a B.S. degree in Personnel Development from the University of MN and maintains her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.

Kathleen Bordas
Accountant

A senior executive with over ten years experience encompassing financial analysis, strategic planning, financial consulting, transaction structuring, and marketing of financial products and services, Kathleen has extensive knowledge of the accounting world.   Kathleen is a focused, confident, and decisive professional, as well as an expert team builder and organizational leader with the ability to generate cooperation among all levels of employees.  Kathleen acquired a B.S. degree in Accounting from Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma.

Catherine Breet Byers
Senior Consultant

Catherine brings a rich history of success in recruitment and selection across a wide variety of industries, at companies large and small. Her roles as a recruiter, director of recruitment, account director, and consultant have built her passion for attracting and retaining top talent. From strategic planning to no-nonsense tactical activities, Catherine is adept at blending her personal experience, industry best practices, and a company's unique strengths to dramatically improve both the success and predictability of recruiting. Catherine holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology and has had continuing education throughout her career. Her practice is "Smart Hiring Made Simple." If you struggle with any aspect of your recruiting process, she can help.

Bill Cade
Senior Consultant

With a wide range of knowledge in account management, HRMS systems, payroll administration and employee- and employer-benefit administration, Bill brings significant experience to his client organizations. Bill’s licensure allows him to consult with business leaders to secure both individual and company benefit programs appropriate to satisfy the needs in health, life and property-casualty insurance. Bill earned his bachelor-of-science degree with honors from Radford University in Virginia.

Mary Kay DuChene
Senior Management Consultant and Leadership Coach

Mary Kay is deeply passionate about empowering people to strengthen their character and leadership skills.  Her combination of management, marketing and sales, and small business leadership, along with business coach training, enables her to be keenly in tune on many levels with her clients.  May Kay received her B.S. degree in Technical Communication with emphasis in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota.  Managing software engineers in high tech companies, Mary Kay learned that leading and empowering people was a calling.  Mary Kay received her Coach training from Coach U, Inc., and has run her own business coaching practice, and successfully started, ran, and sold a marketing and events company. 

Barb Minkel-Dusek
Senior Management Consultant and Leadership Coach

Working with Fortune 500 companies in a variety of industries, Barb has accomplished expertise as an HR consultant and management advisor to company owners and management teams. Barb consults on a myriad of human resource practices and is well received as a consultant, presenter, trainer, meeting facilitator and executive coach. Barb holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Mankato State University and earned her Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology from the Adler Graduate School and she holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.

Lori Kingston
Senior Consultant

Having been in the Human Resource industry for nearly twenty years, Lori has enjoyed the opportunity to work in a variety of industries.  Lori effortlessly tailors her technical knowledge to each business's needs, utilizing her expertise in operations, management, training and development, payroll, and benefits.  Lori holds a Senior Profession in Human Resources (SPHR) certification and is an active member of the local Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapter and the Twin Cities Human Resource Association (TCHRA).  She received a B.S. in Management and Office Administration from MN State University, Moorhead and is soon to complete her M.B.A. in HR Management at the University of St. Thomas. 

Dan Ostgaard
ThinkWise Partner

Dan has more than 12 years business and consulting experience. He began his career at Accenture (then Andersen Consulting) where he worked on the Knowledge Management Team. He has since worked for US Bancorp and The Schwan Food Company as a leader in the Organizational Development and Organizational Effectiveness functions. Since founding Workforce Architects in 2002, Dan has completed projects for companies large and small, for profit and non-profit organizations.  Dan has developed a reputation for being a loyal contrarian; a full partner who believes that he has not done his job until the difficult questions have been asked and alternative points of view and possibilities are considered.  Dan holds a Ph.D. in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of MN and a BA from St. John’s University.