Meet The Board Members

Connie Kreikemeier
Board Chair
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Focus, Maximizer, Achiever, Relator, Individualization.​
​
Connie Kreikemeier, MSE, is a Talent Management Consultant and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach who works with individuals and teams to leverage talent for success and engagement.
Prior to this, she served as the Executive Director of the Career Studio at Midland University. In this role, she collaborated with leadership in academics and across all campus divisions to implement Strengths, engagement, experiential learning and career development initiatives for students.
Before joining Midland University, she spent 25 years as an associate with The Gallup Organization, where she led in many roles, including: Poll Center Manager, Strengths Analyst, Director of E-Sourcing and Communications, Executive Director of Gallup’s degree programs, and Talent Management Consultant.
Be it with college students or professionals well into their careers, Connie’s strengths and passions revolve around empowering others to discover, understand, and leverage their own talents as their best paths to success.

Steve Navarrette
Treasurer
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Learner, Input, Responsibility, Analytical, Individualization
​
Experienced Owner with a demonstrated history of working in the accounting industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Budgeting, Analytical Skills, and Risk Management. Strong entrepreneurship professional with a BS focused in Economics, Business from Midland Lutheran College.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​

Todd Conkright
Board Member
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Maximizer, Connectedness, Futuristic, Input, Intlellection
​
​
Todd Conkright has been the Dean of the Dunklau School of Business at Midland University since August 2018, responsible for the undergraduate business offerings including the renowned accounting program, as well as the MBA, Code Academy, and Project Management Certification Programs.
With more than 20 years of professional experience, Todd’s leadership encompasses a variety of market knowledge spanning areas of process improvement, talent development, and change management. Prior to Midland University, Conkright was the Director of Global Client Education Services for First Data (now Fiserv), where he led a team of client-facing instructional support representatives to help educate users on products, systems, and tools to manage and grow their credit and debit issuing business.
Serving as Owner and Principal Consultant, Conkright established Cornerstone Global Training and Performance Solutions, a successful free agent consultancy firm, where he focused on human capital strategy and executive coaching, working with organizations to identify and eliminate barriers to performance. He is the author of A Guide to Peak Performance Through People, a guide for small businesses.

Spencer Wilson
Board Member
Spencer graduated from Creighton University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude and obtained his juris doctorate from the University of Nebraska, College of Law, in 2016 with an emphasis in litigation. Spencer has been married to his wife, Claire, since 2016 and they have a son, Ian. Spencer has been actively involved in the community, including serving as an adjunct professor at Midland University, past president of the Dodge County Bar Association, president of Fremont Area Young Professionals, Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce diplomat, Fremont Creative Collective board member, John C. Fremont Days former board member, Dodge County Humane Society former vice president, and Nebraska State Bar Association Young Lawyers board member. Spencer enjoys spending time with friends and family, boating and fishing, cooking, reading, watching Husker football and Creighton basketball, and playing board games.

Dr. Susan Bath
Board Member
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Maximizer, Individualization, Activator, Belief, Input.
​
Since joining Gallup in 1989, Dr. Bath has been involved in management, consulting and research related to talent-based selection and development, strengths-based coaching, performance management, employee engagement, and maximizing the potential of human capital. She is passionate about coaching individuals to enhance their effectiveness. Dr. Bath is certified as both an ICF ACC Coach and Gallup Strength’s Coach. She received her B.A. in Speech Communication and M.A. in Educational Psychology from UNL and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from USC (Dissertation: The Effects of Mentoring in the Workplace, 2000). Sue enjoys spending time at the lake with her husband and two adult daughters and helping others learn to paint and selling her contemporary art through her small business Serendipity Abstracts.

Kate McCown
Board Member
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Harmony, Futuristic, Developer, Positivity, and Empathy.
​
Kate is a higher education professional with over 15 years of experience in college recruiting, admissions, leadership development, academic affairs and information technology. She currently serves as the Director of Academic Technologies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kate enjoys working with college students and young professionals, helping them identify and pursue their personal and professional goals.
Kate previously operated Sunflower Paperie - a small business where she created custom party supplies. Her interest in entrepreneurship stems from this experience and supporting local entrepreneurs was her motivation in joining the Fremont Creative Collective board.
Kate earned a B.A. in History from Washburn University and a M.S.E. in Higher Education from the University of Kansas. She loves watching college sports, listening to podcasts, tackling home improvement projects and is currently in pursuit of visiting all 50 state capitol buildings (39 down, 11 to go!).

Blair Horner
Secretary
Top 5 Clifton Strengths
Futuristic, Achiever, Learner, Maximizer, Strategic
Blair has spent over 30 years working in the agriculture industry for companies such as Cargill, Inc., Miller Milling Company and as an independent consultant. His background includes food safety, milling and baking science, quality, grain handling, operations, inventory pipeline management, and contract wheat growing programs. Blair entered the restaurant industry when he opened two pizzerias in Omaha dba My Pie Pizza. This means he can now say that he has worked from the farm to the fork. In a move that took him outside of the food industry, Blair recently became a licensed Realtor® and joined Don Peterson & Associates here in Fremont NE.
Blair’s volunteer service includes USA Swimming, Goodwill Industries of Kansas, The Wichita Swim Club, Fremont Creative Collective, Fremont Kiwanis Club, and Sinai Lutheran Church Council of Fremont.
He recently earned his Graduate, Real Estate Institute designation. Blair also holds a MBA in finance.
Blair lives here in Fremont with his wife Jody Horner. His daughter Anna, son-in-law Matt, and granddaughter Charlotte (aka. The O’Reilly’s) also reside in Fremont. Blair’s son (Sam) lives in Wichita Kansas.
.jpg)
Kelsey Martinez
Board Member
Top 5 Clifton Strenghts
Empathy, Adaptability, Developer, Connectedness, Strategic
​
Kelsey is the Director of Business Services at the Greater Fremont Development Council. Prior to starting this role, Kelsey studied Environmental Science and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Kelsey was born and raised in Fremont and her fondness of the community has strengthened even more through her professional involvements. Kelsey’s parents owned and operated a local business for much of her childhood. She feels that this has given her a greater appreciation and insight into what it takes to be a small business leader. Kelsey serves on the Fremont Area Chamber Diplomats Club, and thoroughly enjoys the opportunities this provides to learn about and connect with local, existing, and incoming businesses and entrepreneurs. Kelsey enjoys spending her time coaching for the Fremont Senior High Dance Team, listening to true crime podcasts, running, and watching scary movies