Becky Lourey for Governor •• Professional

Professional

Becky Lourey has pursued a varied menu of professional endeavors as an artist, farmer, health care advocate, and co-owner of a data management software business. The variety of her real-world working experiences brings a broad perspective to Sen. Lourey’s public policy activities.

Farmer

Seeking a life connected to nature, surrounded by animals and open spaces, Gene and Becky Lourey uprooted their lives in Minneapolis and moved north to a farm in Pine County where they have now lived for more than three decades. While raising their children in rural Kerrick Township, Becky learned firsthand the risks and challenges of running a family farm on 240 acres of land. She raised cattle, goats, sheep, and hay, learning the ropes with the help of other local farmers. As did so many young family farmers coping with historically low commodity prices during the difficult ’70s and early ‘80s, the Loureys endured the heartbreak of selling animals and equipment at auction to help pay their farm debts. Keeping the land, however, was their good fortune. They were able to purchase more land later, which eventually provided them the collateral necessary to invest in a promising new business.

Health Care Advocate

In the early’80s, Becky went to work as Administrative Assistant for the Northern Lakes Health Care Consortium in Duluth. Becky began taking a visible public leadership role. She co-chaired the Minnesota Public Health Association’s Public Affairs Committee and has been a longtime member of the Rural Health Advisory Committee. In 1989, she was appointed to the state's first Health Care Access Commission where the challenge of achieving universal coverage was a principal goal. Using the expertise gained from her work at Northern Lakes and service on these statewide health care panels, Becky helped pass the groundbreaking MinnesotaCare—one of the nation’s first statewide health coverage programs.

Business Owner

Gene and Becky Lourey are the sole owners of Nemadji Research Corporation, a software data management and analysis company specializing in cost recovery for health care services delivered by public hospitals. Nemadji’s capital includes leading information technology and software. Headquartered in Bruno, MN, Nemadji Research employs 70 workers in Minnesota and California. NRC is developing diversified renewable energy operations, including value-added lumber; vacuum, kiln-drying, and milling machine processing; and aquaculture and greenhouse operations in a closed-loop system. All NRC employees are eligible for full medical, life, dental and disability insurance coverage, and the business houses on-site child day care at the Bruno facility. Becky serves as vice president. During the legislative interim, she is responsible for strategic planning, benefits design, marketing, customer relations and human resource issues.