In 1973, Jim Hansen graduated from Hill-Murray School and set out to conquer the business world. For a busy 30-year period, Hansen worked at multiple organizations and served on boards in both the profit and nonprofit sectors. Some of these companies include Braas Co. and Medtox Laboratories. Despite his success in the corporate world, Hansen’s true passion was in education, and he always seemed to find himself in the classroom, where he served as a high school teacher in the Mahtomedi school district as well as being an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas. “I’ve spent most of my whole life in business, but I’ve always been a teacher at heart,” says Hansen.
This year, Hansen returns to his alma mater as the new president of Hill-Murray School, a Benedictine prep school for grades six through 12; currently, the student population is around 720 students.
Ready to start the new school year, Hansen brings with him a successful track record and, of course, a love for the school. Excited to join the team, he is most looking forward to “continuing to build Hill-Murray, by bringing together friends of the school and alumni to be members of the school community,” he says. It is said that community brings people together, and the stronger the community, the stronger the school, all of which align perfectly with Hansen’s goal.
