Business Journal

By Sam Black

After 28 years as a developer at Opus Northwest, Michele Foster is leaving to join CSM Corp. on Sept. 5.

Foster will take over day-to-day operations management of a 20-person development team previously headed by Dave Carland.

Carland will become vice-president of business development at Minneapolis based CSM. Carland, who recruited Foster earlier this summer, said he wanted more time to focus on finding and doing deals and less on administrative and managerial tasks. He’s been at CSM since 1980 and has developed more than 9 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space.

“I wanted to be able to focus more energy on the development aspect of the business, which is where I probably add the most value to CSM,” Carland said.

In Foster’s new role as vice president of development, she’ll work closely with Carland on development projects and will oversee the development team’s day-to-day operations. Foster will report directly to Gary Holmes, president and CEO of the company he founded in 1976.

“I think CSM has an outstanding reputation in the industry,” Foster said. “I’ve always admired the strength and quality of the projects they do.”

Foster, 53, has an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University. Before joining Opus in 1978, she spent three years in government planning, including stints at the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and at the Minneapolis planning department.

Foster said she’s grateful for all the experience she had at Minnetonka-based Opus. Her most recent title was senior director of real estate. Much of her work over the years was developing office and industrial space, including buildings at Opus Business Park in Minnetonka, Plymouth and Savage. She’s also developed buildings in Omaha, Neb.

Tim Murnane, who heads the Twin Cities office of Opus Northwest, praised Foster for her work over the years.

“She was here for 28 years and did a great job and a lot of great projects,” he said. “I think she was looking for another opportunity and found in with another great company.”