Paul J. Wagner is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Minnesota Wire and Cable Co. (MWCC).   He has been with the St. Paul based custom development and manufacturing firm since 1985, when he joined the sales department.  Before coming to MWCC, Mr. Wagner worked for Northstar Financial Corporation, and the Metropolitan Sports Center.

He became president of MWCC in 1992, and was named CEO in 2000.  During that time, Mr. Wagner greatly expanded the company’s market exposure which now includes the medical, defense, industrial and commercial sectors; and he has provided strategic direction to evolve the business into a high technology development house primarily through federal research and development grants.  The company has a nearly 50 percent capture rate on federal grant applications, compared with a 10 percent national average.

Mr. Wagner developed MWCC’s subsidiary MINNESOTA MED-EQUIP, the Minnesota Defense division, a joint venture with Primordial, Inc., and was a founding member of the state’s Manufacturers Alliance and Leaders Alliance. 

In 2004, Mr. Wagner founded the Defense Alliance of Minnesota, the region’s defense and homeland security industry network that is the first of its kind nationally.  A collaborative among businesses, organizations, federal agencies and state and national political delegations, the Defense Alliance is having a positive impact on businesses securing federal research dollars and government contracts, and thereby developing the high technology infrastructure of the state.  The Alliance is also involved with service member support, and lobby efforts to make Minnesota more “Veteran friendly.”  Mr. Wagner and the staff of the Defense Alliance were awarded the Small Business Administration’s Veteran Business Champion of the Year Award for the state of Minnesota for 2006.  In 2007, the Defense Alliance was selected by the Defense Sustainment Consortium to be a Center of Excellence for the Midwest.

Mr. Wagner was the President of the General John W. Vessey Jr. Chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) from 2005 to 2007, significantly expanding its corporate and individual membership levels, and leading it to two consecutive “Best Chapter” awards during that time.  In 2006, he was selected to be on the national Defense Advisory Board of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), which advises the Secretary of Defense on ESGR initiatives.

Additionally, Mr. Wagner is a member of the board of Minnesota Bramstedt Surgical and the St. Joseph’s School.  He supports the Downs Syndrome Association of Minnesota, and coaches softball, soccer, and basketball for youth teams.  He also created a charitable giving program called "Charity Park.”

Mr. Wagner has traveled internationally to over 24 countries throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe, including with Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson’s trade delegation to Asia.  In 1999 he was honored with the Governor's International Trade Award. 

Mr. Wagner holds a Bachelor's degree in business with an emphasis in management from the University of Saint Thomas.  He and his wife Cindy reside in Eagan, Minnesota with their five children.

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Fred Wagner is the founder of Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University in Illinois and went on to pursue a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Saint Thomas in Minnesota. Before starting his own business, Mr. Wagner worked for such companies as Motorola, ITT and Garrett Corporation. Mr. Wagner has traveled extensively in Europe and Asia establishing and maintaining business opportunities. In addition to being the founder and Chairman of Minnesota Wire & Cable, Mr. Wagner has also been actively involved in a variety of community and volunteer activities, including serving as a school board chairman, and as a board member and spokesperson for numerous charities and disadvantaged groups.

Joan Thompson is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. and subsidiaries. Prior to joining MWCC in 1981, Ms. Thompson was with Precision Associates, Inc. She and her company are staunch supporters of the community in which they do business. Over the past several years, Ms. Thompson has been highly involved in education and workforce development. One example of giving back to the community has been Minnesota Wire & Cable Co.'s involvement with the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce's programs Prepare Saint Paul, Leadership Saint Paul and their School to Work Partnership. Such activity supports student success through business/school partnerships and workplace experiences. Students of all ages have benefited from tours, classroom presentations, internships, job shadowing and mentoring by Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. employees.

In November of 1999, Ms. Thompson participated in a European trade mission with Saint Paul Mayor Norm Coleman and his delegation. The group traveled throughout Germany meeting with government, business and schools to support trade opportunities and promote education. The main focus was building relationships in St. Paul's sister city Neuss, Germany. Joan became Chair of the Sister City Partnership in January of 2002.

Ms. Thompson is a well-established public speaker addressing a wide range of issues from managing a multicultural work force to creative staffing ideas and resources. She currently sits on several board of directors, in addition to MWCC, including The Executive Committee for the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, Saint Paul Area Chamber Preparing Workforce!, Saint Paul Area Chamber Charitable Foundation Advisory, United Hospital and Jeane Thorne, Inc.

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