Meet the inductees
Scandinavian hall of fame
Photo: Christie Ericson
Ingebretsen’s Nordic Marketplace, the Twin Cities’ oldest retail business dedicated completely to Scandinavian foods and products, will be added to the honor roll of the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame.
Norsk Høstfest
Minot, N.D.
A Minot restaurateur, a Nordic marketplace, and an international entertainer will be added to the honor roll of the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame at its annual awards banquet Tuesday, Sept. 25, at Minot’s Grand Hotel. Held in conjunction with Norsk Høstfest, the SAHF honors persons of Scandinavian descent who have achieved greatness in their field and bestows other special awards when warranted.
Photo courtesy of Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame
Myron Thompson, Minot, N.D. restaurateur.
Upham, N.D., native Myron Thompson, who is of Norwegian heritage, has been in the restaurant business almost non-stop since 1970 and has built or purchased 23 Applebee’s restaurants in California, Arizona, Minnesota, and North Dakota. He also co-owns two Noodles & Company restaurants in Montana and, with his son Chad, four Qdoba restaurants in North Dakota. Thompson has also been active in the temporary help industry. The company he started in 1989, Labor Force, has evolved into a publicly traded entity on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The younger Thompson will serve as presenter for the award.
Photo courtesy of Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame
Julie Ingebretsen, granddaughter of the founder of Ingebretsen’s Nordic Marketplace
Ingebretsen’s Nordic Marketplace is the Twin Cities’ oldest retail business dedicated completely to Scandinavian foods and products. Family owned and operated since 1921, it began as a meat market and deli catering to the area’s Scandinavian immigrant population. The Ingebretsen’s of today offers not only extensive food items, a kaffe bar, gifts, and special sections devoted to needlework and children’s interests, but also classes in cooking, crafts, culture, and stitchery. Julie Steller of Steller Handcrafted Goods will present the award, and Julie Ingebretsen, granddaughter of the Norwegian immigrant founder, will accept on behalf of the family.
Photo courtesy of Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame
Daniel O’Donnell, Irish singer.
Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell will receive the Høstfest Humanitarian Award for his great compassion for his fellow human beings and his philanthropic work, most notably with the Romanian Challenge Appeal, an effort aimed at helping assimilate into society thousands of young people famously left to languish in that country’s orphanages in the 1980s and 1990s. O’Donnell has used his fame to raise the profile of the Appeal and is also well known for his usually close relationship with his fan base. John E. Harris III, president and CEO of Prairie Public Broadcasting, will present that award.
Tickets to the SAHF Annual Awards Banquet are $60 per person and available online at hostfest.com or by calling (701) 852-2368. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., and dinner and program begins at 7 p.m.
This article originally appeared in the September 21, 2018, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
