Al Wenstrand is Vice President External Relations at Joi Scientific where he liaisons laboratory activities and demonstrations with suppliers, customers, and business development.He has extensive experience in for-profit, not-for-profit, government, and education sectors. Wenstrand’s experience ranges from creating start-ups to the executive. management of government and not-for-profit entities as well as board of director experience for financial organizations. He has grown small businesses and has operated a business incubator, helping entrepreneurs to succeed.Wenstrand has been active in economic development for over 25 years, serving as the chief executive at the local, regional, and state levels. He was appointed by Governor Mike Johanns to the cabinet level position of Director of Economic Development for the State of Nebraska where he managed the divisions of business development, community and rural development, travel and tourism, and administration. He has earned a reputation for integrating economic development, education, business and workforce development activities into cohesive, unified strategies and for utilizing public-private partnerships to accomplish these strategies.Wenstrand served for five years as the Chairman of the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, Nebraska’s bonding, financing, and tax credit authority for housing, agriculture, manufacturing, medical, and community development endeavors. He also served on the board of directors as treasurer of the Applied Information Management (AIM) Institute, a not-for-profit membership organization created by a consortium of business, education, and government entities to support and promote business growth related to information technology.
