A Twin Cities Business roundup that centers on a local debate over data centers and includes restaurant pricing quirks, a civic-minded CEO named person of the year, a prolific local artist, and possible changes to corporate giving.
Ecolab CEO Christophe Beck was named Twin Cities Business’ 2026 Person of the Year for actions on water use in data centers and economic initiatives in St. Paul.
Restaurant pricing patterns—exemplified by $15 side salads—are drawing insider scrutiny about how menus are priced.
A proposed tax-law change could remove deductions for some corporate donations and shrink nonprofit funding.
This edition of Twin Cities Business collects five concise local business stories that touch on infrastructure, consumer pricing, leadership, art, and nonprofit funding.
Practical takeaway: expect more local debates and policy proposals around data-center siting, resource use, and community input as candidates and voters react.
A separate item looks at restaurant menu pricing and why certain small items now carry unexpectedly high prices. Insiders are quoted to suggest pricing reflects costs, labor, and how operators structure menu math to hit target margins.
Twin Cities Business selected Christophe Beck, CEO of Ecolab, as its 2026 Person of the Year. The decision cites his global efforts on reducing water use in data centers and local actions to stimulate Minnesota's economy and revitalize downtown St. Paul. The profile positions Beck as an executive combining environmental initiatives with regional economic engagement.
Practical takeaway: expect continued attention to water-efficient technologies and corporate investments tied to downtown revitalization in St. Paul.
Another item profiles Adam Turman, an artist whose murals, paintings, and prints are widely visible across Minnesota. His increased presence at the State Fair is highlighted as evidence of his ubiquity and growing public profile.
Practical takeaway: Turman's reach reflects demand for local visual identities and opportunities for artists to build a statewide presence through public events and commissions.
The roundup notes an upcoming tax-law change that could eliminate deductions for some corporate contributions. That shift could reduce the flow of revenue to nonprofits that rely on corporate philanthropy.
Practical takeaway: nonprofits and corporate philanthropy programs should evaluate potential revenue impacts and consider alternative fundraising strategies if deductibility changes reduce contributions.
The five items highlight a local ecosystem where infrastructure policy, corporate leadership, consumer pricing, cultural production, and nonprofit funding interact. Data-center policy and water-use efforts link directly to corporate decisions and public reaction. Corporate leaders' community investments and tax-policy shifts have direct implications for downtown economies and nonprofit budgets. Meanwhile, consumer-facing issues like menu pricing and public art shape everyday perceptions of local business health.
Bottom line: Minnesota's business conversations this week are a mix of policy, culture, and practical economics. Each item points to concrete questions — about resource use, pricing choices, civic investment, and charitable funding — that will affect local leaders, voters, and organizations in the months ahead.
At the Climate Forward live event, policymakers, executives and activists debated the boom in data centers, the growing backlash and its environmental effects.
Today we visit Pennsylvania, where there’s a high-stakes clash over A.I. jobs and the environment.
Several companies tied to the data center industry have delayed their initial public offerings amid the increasing public backlash to these energy guzzling facilities.
The White House and Congress promise that data centers will not cost consumers a dime. That is like a husband pledging not to beat his wife as his fist draws blood. The politicians who spent a year gaslighting the public about data centers’ power use now acknowledge the problem and promise to cover grid upgrades. But e
Communities are pushing back as massive facilities consume up to 5 million gallons of water daily and may affect local electricity rates
An AI Data center dumps diesel fuel in New Jersey, Georgia Power starts operations on an Air Force base, Branch Energy raises $33M for its 'grid-in-a-box,' SRP approves the Marigold Energy Center, 38 Degrees North closes on community solar financing, and Excelsior sells two solar sites to Enel.
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