The RiverView Health Foundation has a new director. Randy Schoenborn is replacing Kent Bruun, who is retiring. Schoenborn has been working alongside Bruun for the last two weeks, but officially takes over as director on Monday, March 2.
Schoenborn said he is familiar with northwest Minnesota, having grown up in Mahnomen and has been impressed with RiverView. “I just started two weeks ago,” said Schoenborn. “I’m taking over Kent Bruun’s job as the Director of the Foundation. I’m from the area itself. I grew up in the small town of Mahnomen. I’ve been in the area for 37 years, and I find that health care is so important for the area. I’m so impressed with what RiverView has done with this new hospital because so many towns this size don’t have hospitals. The people in this area care about RiverView, and they want to make sure their health care is close by.”
Schoenborn said a congratulatory message to Bruun, whom he’s known for many years, led to the suggestion he applies for the position. “I’ve known Kent Bruun for almost 40 years,”’ said Schoenborn. “Both he and I were in men’s retail. He had Bruun’s for Men, and I worked for Silvermans in Grand Forks, so we knew each other. I’ve been in development for 21 years. I sent Kent a congratulation on his retirement, and my phone rang. He said – you should apply for this – so, I did, and here I am.”
Schoenborn is first cousins with Dale (Marcia) Schoenborn of Crookston, even though they pronounce their last name differently, which Schoenborn explains is common in the family. “Dale is my first cousin, and as a matter of fact, his parents live next to my parents in Mahnomen,” said Schoenborn. “Every relative you ask, they pronounce it a different way. Even my parents pronounce it a different way, but we say SHIN-born. When you look at the spelling, you’d never guess why we say Schoenborn, but we do.”
Schoenborn said he’s happy to be a part of the welcoming health care community at RiverView. “I’m just happy to be at RiverView,” said Schoenborn. “I’ve met wonderful, wonderful people in the first two weeks I’ve been here. It’s been a very welcoming health care community, which I appreciate.”
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