Please remember in your prayers Kate Herzog '09 MBA, who passed away Oct. 16 after a battle with cancer.
After earning her MBA, Herzog founded House of Talents, a company connecting artisans in developing countries with consumers worldwide. She also used her entrepreneurial knowledge to teach Opus College of Business courses and serve as an adviser at Brightstone Venture Capital.
"Many in the St. Thomas community are grieving not only the loss of our friend Kate, but also the loss of all that she brought to our lives and the Minnesota and global community. Kate was kindhearted, patient and empathetic as a friend. As a businesswoman and entrepreneur, she was fierce and loyal in her dedication to working tirelessly to create opportunity and hope for female entrepreneurs that she met all around the world and most specifically in Ghana, where she grew up," said Hannah Borden, senior director of graduate business programs at Opus College of Business.
"Kate supported this mission through the creation of House of Talents. Walking through the offices on the Minneapolis campus, it is not uncommon to spot a basket or bag that was made by one of Kate’s artisans from Ghana," Borden added. "You just know one when you see one. It brings a small comfort that those reminders of her will continue to surround those of us who knew her, loved her and were impacted by her unwavering commitment to leaving this world a bit better than she found it each day."
Services were livestreamed on YouTube at 12 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, from Presbyterian Church of the Way in Shoreview. Following the burial at Roselawn Cemetery, there was a celebration of life ceremony at the O'Shaugnessy Distilling Co. in Minneapolis. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kate Herzog Family Memorial Fund via GoFundMe.
