Hopkins Notable Residents

We have some famous residents!

Notables

This is a representative, not a definitive list of people from Hopkins, Minnesota, who have had a unique impact on the community and in many instances beyond the area, state, and nation.
  • L. Thomas Aldrich – (1817–1913) Geophysicist - was known worldwide for his work as a geophysicist and geochemist at the Carnegie Institute for Science's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism as part of a research team that pioneered the development of methods and instruments for determining the age of rocks through dating their constituent minerals.
  • Nate Berkus - Interior designer, author, TV host and personality, featured on the Oprah Winfrey television show. His Chicago interior design firm, Nate Berkus Associates has issued a variety of product lines including a collaboration with the Target retail stores on a 150 piece line of home interior items - bedding,lighting, rugs,etc.
  • Catherine (MacDonald) Blake – President of National Auxiliary American Medical Association. She became a powerful force in public health and nursing movements and was very active in the Red Cross.
  • Dr. James Blake, Sr. – Prominent Hopkins pioneer and physician. Established early "clinic" approach to his practice. Three of his sons became doctors and his two daughters became nurses.
  • Aaron Brown – American broadcast journalist on ABC and CNN. Most recognized for his coverage of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
  • Dr. Catherine Burnes – First doctor to serve the Hopkins area and first female to graduate from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Practiced medicine from 1886 - 1917.
  • Walter Bush – As a national leader in the growth and development of amateur and professional hockey elected to the U. S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.
  • Tim Carr - Music critic, writer and promoter. A&R (Arts and Repertoire) executive for Capitol Record, Warner Brothers Record and DreamWorks.
  • David Carr – Media and culture columnist for The New York Times. Author of a memoir and best seller ‘’The Night of the Gun.’’ Early in his journalist career he was the editor of the ‘’Twin Cities Reader,’’ a weekly alternative newspaper in Minneapolis.
  • James Cramer – Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects of Minnesota. Then moved to Washington D.C. as the Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects of the USA.
  • Ernie Fliegel – Professional prize fighter, a founder of the 620 Club bar and restaurant (1933-65) in Minneapolis.
  • Thomas Forbes – Engineer, inventor - Conceived uses for gyroscopes to stabilize ships, toys, and other uses including patents used in aircraft auto pilots. Invented an automatic toaster and electric blanket controls.
  • Mark Forgy - Artist assistant and author.Traveling on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Ibiza in 1969 he met and became the personal assistant of a Hungarian artist, Elmyr de Hory, who had a flamboyant career as a great and prolific forger of the work of modern artists including Picasso,Modigliani,Matisse and many others. Mentored by and participating in the last seven years of de Hory's life, Mark wrote a detailed biography of this remarkable artist," The Forger's Apprentice, Life With The World's Most Notorious Artist" published in 2012. Mark inherited three hundred of de Hory's works and returned to live in Minnesota.
  • William E. Gardner, PhD – Educator/Historian - Professor of secondary education, chairman of the department, and dean at the University of Minnesota. Authored a number of books and articles in the area of education, history and social studies.
  • Daniel Grodnik - Movie producer, Chairman of the Board/CEO of Mass Hysteria Entertainment. He has been an active force in the independent film industry. Working with every major studio he has produced more than forty motion pictures and television movies including the Golden Globe best picture nomination, "Bobby" , about the last day of Robert Kennedy's life. He is currently teaming with Remark Films, a production company, to finance 2-5 feature films a year
  • Harley H. Hopkins – (1823–1882) First railroad station master and postmaster - A relative of Stephen Hopkins, one of the 26 signers of the Declaration of Independence.
  • John Hardgrove – Wisconsin State Assemblyman.
  • Samantha Harris – Television hostess and actress. Her most prominent role was as E! Entertainment correspondent and a Dancing with the Stars co-host.
  • Archie Japs – (1913–2003) Graduated from Hopkins High School in 1929 at the age of 15 and then at the age of 19 graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in chemical engineering. This fast start did not slow during his 43 years at B. F. Goodrich. One of his first inventions was PVC, followed by seven patents for vinyl and solid propellants.
  • John B. Keefe Sr. – Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Senate, Hennepin County Board Commissioner and a Municipal Court Judge.
  • Greta Kessenich – A scholar of peonies authoring several books on the subject. Secretary-Treasurer of the American Peony Society and editor of the quarterly "Peony Bulletin'.
  • Arthur Kleiner – Musical Director for the Museum of Modern Art Film Department. At that time “world's only full-time pianist for silent films.” Pianist and composer for George Balanchine and Agnes DeMille. Active with Walker Art Center and Guthrie Theatre. In 1979 he received the "Film Band in Gold" from the West German government for "many years and exceptional activity in German film". His collection of music scores and manuscripts for almost 700 silent films was donated to the University of Minnesota in 1981.
  • Harry Leathers – Built one of the area's first automobiles in 1895.
  • Michael Lehan – American football player (cornerback) for the Miami Dolphins. A defensive cornerback who graduated from the University of Minnesota. He played for the Miami Dolphins and several other NFL teams.
  • Russell S. (Butsie) Maetzold – Exceptional Hopkins High School football and basketball coach. Football - 88 wins - 6 losses and 5 ties. Basketball 508 wins and 62 losses.
  • James Markham – (1897–1963) Owned and operated the Hennepin County Review weekly newspaper from his office in Hopkins. In 1934 and 1935, Markham was named one of 11 “All American Newspaper Editors.” He was named President Emeritus of the Minnesota Newspaper Association. Markham was a friend and political mentor of Hubert Humphrey.
  • Archie H. Miller – Born June 8, 1886, the third generation of Millers in Hopkins. His grandfather was the first white settler on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The grandfather, J. P. Miller, then homesteaded in Hopkins in 1852. It was, yes, a log cabin where Archie's father, Frank, was born. Archie started his community life in Hopkins and was elected to 4 terms as City Clerk, Hopkins School Board, and Minnesota State Senate in 1930 where he served as majority leader until his death in 1958. Archie served as Lieutenant Governor from May 1943 to January,1945 during WWII. His legislative commitment involved transportation; expansion of the roads system led to the 'Beltline Road' to allow traffic to circle the Minneapolis expansions and to move commerce more efficiently. It was the first city freeway idea. Two of Archie’s sons, Jerre Austin Miller and Robert "Bob" F. Miller, served as mayors of the City of Hopkins, Jerre 1975 – 1981 and Bob 1981 - 1985.
  • Bloomie Mountain – For over 30 years, she, with the assistance of Helen Kron, Mary Bastendorf, Hilda Johnson and others provided public library service to the community from the historic Dow mansion.
  • Jerry Noyce – University of Minnesota tennis coach for 15 years compiling a 260-132 (633%) and three Big Ten championships. Inducted into Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Collegiate Tennis Hall of FameIn 2007, he was one of 20 people appointed to the President's Council Sports and Fitness.
  • Dale R. Olseth – President and CEO of Tonka Corporation, Medtronic Inc and SurModics. "He demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to community and ethical leadership" as recognized by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents in 2004.
  • Vance K. Opperman – Chairman of the Board and CEO of Key Investment, Inc. He has served as President and CEO of West Publishing and Chairman of the Board of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota as well as a board member of a number of other companies such as TCF Financial.
  • Roger Ernest Peterson – 1955 Hopkins High School Graduate. Highly respected ABC news correspondent assigned to the Saigon Bureau and seriously wounded while doing a live report on the Vietnam War.  Worked for ABC news for 23 years until his untimely death from cancer in 2004. Member of the White House Corresponding Association and the House-Senate Radio Television Gallery.
  • BeBe Shopp – Miss America 1948. Noted for her expertise on the Vibraharp. First Miss America to travel abroad and to be crowned in an evening gown, not a swim suit. In 2009 she and five of her "Pageant Sisters" went to Afghanistan to entertain and support the troops. For the past few years, she has lent her talents performing and staging shows for "Share The Music," which produces programs from the American Song Book and Broadway.
  • Steve Simon - Minnesota Secretary of State. After serving four terms as Hopkins Representative in the Minnesota Legislature, Steve was elected to a four-year term as Secretary of State taking office in January 2015. In prior years he also served as Assistant Minnesota State Attorney General and as an associate in the Minneapolis law firm, Robins,Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi.
  • Jerry Slavin – Minnesota Golden Gloves champion boxer. Successful in the professional ring. Fought 22 bouts- won 18, draw - 2, lost - 2. In the Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame.
  • Peter Smith – A veteran advertising man. He writes magazine articles, fiction and poetry and has been a commentator on Minnesota Public Radio's "Morning Edition,” and in the Minneapolis StarTribune and other venues. The "Morning Edition" segments resulted in a book about Minnesota life, "A Porch Sofa Almanac" and later he wrote a memoir, "A Cavalcade of Lesser Horrors.
  • Frank Stodola, PhD – Scientist/Biochemist who played a leading role in the development of penicillin in the early 1940s which was effectively used to combat infections during WWII.
  • Paul Swenson – Head of Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company (later known as Minneapolis Moline), banker, community leader, four time president/mayor of Hopkins.
  • Annette Turngren – The October 20, 1938 the Hennepin County Review newspaper announced Annette Turngren, a writer of seven books, had just returned from Sweden where she gathered material for a new novel. Her Flaxen Braids novel was, and still is, widely read. It is a story of what established her as a teller of experiences growing up in Sweden and as immigrants here in Minnesota. Her mother wrote poems and “sketches” which were published in Swedish magazines. Annette never tired of reminding folks she was from Hopkins and couldn’t wait to come back home.
  • Joseph C. Vesely – Mayor, civic leader, secretary of 1934 Hennepin County Emergency Relief Administration, chaired a WWII Regional War Powers Office. Hopkins City Attorney, longtime president of the Hopkins Library Board. Member of the University of Minnesota Debate Team.
  • W. Robert Worrell – Award winning industrial designer. In 1976 Bob and wife, Judy, founded Worrell Design Inc. which has designed 35 medical devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These designs include diabetes management tools to infusion devices, heart valves, cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators and others awaiting approval. While a substantial portion of the firm's output are medical products, other designs include the ubiquitous "smart straw" on cans of WD-40 and the long lived logo found on Bob Cat Inc. loaders.
  • Fartun Ahmed – Elected to the Hopkins, MN School Board in 2016. First Somali-American in the United States to be elected to a local school board and one of four Somali Americans in the United States to have won a local election in 2016.  
  • Paul Bengston – The “Godfather of Hopkins Wrestling” and Legendary Hopkins Senior High Wrestling Coach. Started wresting program in 1960 and led the team to a Minnesota State Championship in only three years. He won two more state championships in 1967 and 1968 before becoming athletic director Mound Senior High.
  • Richard Brubacher – Longtime public servant with career spanning several decades. He was first appointed in the 1950s as City Manager for the City of Hopkins and in 1968 he went on to serve under both Republican and Democratic governors as Director of the Minnesota State Department of Administration. 
  • Courtney Dauwalter – Ultra Marathoner. 1986 Hopkins High Graduate. Won the 2017 Moab 240 mile Endurance Run by more than 10 hours. Set a new American women’s record in 2017 at the Riverbank One Day 24-Hour race in California, running 155.4 miles. 
  • Betty Folliard – First woman from Hopkins to be elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, District  44A, serving two terms from 1997 – 2002. She remained active and continued to work on women’s rights issues. Earned 2017 Women’s Hall of Fame Woman of Distinction Award. 
  • Ellen Lavin - First female to be elected mayor of Hopkins, serving from 1985 - 1987. Ellen Lavin fostered wise economic growth while maintaining an ecologically sound environment, a practice which continues in Hopkins today. 
  • Robert and Helen Lehman – Robert Lehman, a minister of the 1st Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, was active in supporting civil rights, farm workers and sanctuary for Central American Refugees. As a result, he was ‘black-listed’ by Joseph McCarthy’s ‘UnAmerican Activities Committee‘. When the Lehmans moved to his last congregation in San Jose, California, Helen an actor, founded the San Jose Playhouse. 
  • Payton Manning - Veteran quarterback and two-time SuperBowl winner. Peyton Manning attended Tanglen Elementary School in Hopkins during the time his father, Archie Manning, quarterbacked for the Minnesota Vikings.  
  • Gene Maxwell – Elected to an unprecedented 8 terms as mayor of Hopkins from 1990 to 2016. Remembered for promoting community involvement and progressive economic development. Shepherded many projects significant to the growth of Hopkins including Southwest Light Rail Transit, the Shady Oak Road Expansion, Cottage Grove Park, the Citizens Academy, the Community Emergency Response Team and expansion of the Police Reserves. During his tenure, Hopkins was named the 13th friendliest city in America by Forbes Magazine.
  • Gene O’Brien – Co-publisher of the Hopkins-based Hennepin County Review from 1941 through 1967 and later executive and opinion page columnist for the Minnesota Suburban Newspapers. During that time, he was president of the Hopkins Chamber of Commerce, President of the Notre Dame Alumni Association, Chairman of the Hopkins Zoning and Planning Commission, Director of the Suburban Press Foundation, Director/Treasurer of the Hopkins Rotary and also served from 1959 – 1961 as assistant to Minnesota Third District Member of Congress Roy Wier.
  • Nadine Strossen – 1967 Hopkins High School Graduate. 1975 Harvard Law School Graduate. President of the American Civil Liberties Union 1991 – 2008.
  • Craig Lincoln – 1972 Munich Olympics. Awarded Bronze Medalist in Diving. 1968 Hopkins High Graduate.  
  • Larry Bader – 1972 Sapporo Olympics. Participated in Hockey. 1967 Hopkins High Graduate. 
  • Pat Marcy – 1976 Montreal Olympics. Participated in Greco-Roman Wrestling. 1968 Hopkins High Graduate. Augsburg’s first N.A.I.A. (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) National Champion in 1972. He was a four-time National Greco-Roman Champion, being voted the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler twice. A member of three U.S.A. World Teams (1974, 1975, and 1977) placing as high as 7th in the world. He won the Pan-American Games gold medal in 1975. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 1976, where he placed 10th. A member of the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame, he was successful in all three styles of wrestling, Folkstyle, Freestyle and Greco-Roman.
  • Larry Zilverberg – 1976 Montreal Olympics. Participated in Wrestling. 1971 Hopkins Lindbergh Graduate.
  • Dave Snuggerud – 1988 Calgary Olympics. Participated in Men’s Hockey. 1984 Hopkins Lindbergh Graduate. 
  • Joan Guetschow – 1992 Albertvile Olympics and1994 Lillehammer Olympics. Participated in Biathlon. 1985 Hopkins High Graduate.
  • Robert Kempainen – 1992 Barcelona Olympics and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Participated in Men’s Marathon. 1984 Hopkins High Graduate.
  • Garrott Kuzzy – 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Participated in Cross Country Skiing. 2002 Hopkins High Graduate.
  • Kathryn Johnson – 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics. Participated in Rugby. 2001 Hopkins High Graduate.