WINONA, Minn. – A 1978 grad of Minnesota Southeast Tech, then known as Winona Vo-Tech, Thomas Brandt, was honored as an outstanding alum. Brandt graduated from the college’s Winona campus with an auto body certificate. At the college’s commencement ceremonies Friday, Brandt told grads: “If you listen to your heart, you’re likely to find success.” Brandt worked in the field until 1986, when he returned to Southeast Tech as an instructor. He’s been on the faculty since. Brandt has consulted internationally, including a role in a new auto-repair program at Quzhou College of Technology in China. Also honored as an outstanding alum Friday was Mark Rathbun, a 1984 Red Wing campus solar energy grad. He is renewable resource manager for Great River Energy in Maple Grove. In his commencement address, Rathbun said: “You can’t build anything sustainable without a strong foundation.”
Brandt. Class of 1978.
Rathbum. Class of 1984.