On the recordApril 21, 2015
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Jim Kruse and Melissa Kelley of J.F. Kruse Jewelers in St. Cloud, Minnesota. They have been named the Minnesota Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Last year, the St. Cloud Area Chamber honored them as the Small Business of the Year. Jim Kruse opened J.F. Kruse 15 years ago. From humble beginnings, using secondhand jewelry cases, to a newly built facility and a team of 17 people, the father-daughter duo built a dynamic business that has seen steady growth year after year. Family-run businesses like J.F. Kruse are the backbone of central Minnesota, and I know I speak for everyone when I say congratulations and good luck in competing for the national title. ____________________
