The St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation has selected veteran marketing executive Patrick Klinger as its next president and chief executive officer.
Klinger succeeds Lisa Jacobson, who has led the organization since 2021. He assumes leadership as planning continues for the 141st Saint Paul Winter Carnival, scheduled for Jan. 28-Feb. 7, 2027.
A longtime downtown St. Paul resident, Klinger brings more than 30 years of experience in marketing, sponsorship development and nonprofit leadership. He previously founded Agile Marketing Partners and spent 14 seasons with the Minnesota Twins, where he served as vice president of marketing and helped guide promotional efforts during the opening of Target Field.
Foundation Board Chair Dennis Egan said Klinger emerged from a competitive search process because of his experience building partnerships and engaging communities.
The nonprofit oversees the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the nation’s oldest winter festival, which dates to 1886 and remains one of the city’s signature events.
Klinger said preserving the festival’s traditions while keeping it relevant for future generations will be a key priority.
The leadership transition comes as the organization continues efforts to expand community engagement and strengthen support for year-round cultural programming tied to the Winter Carnival.
More information is available at wintercarnival.com.
Leave a Reply