Robin Kocina, of Kocina Branding and Marketing Companies, dedicates time to area nonprofits
by Jessica Harper
Dakota county Tribune
Empowering women is a deep-rooted value and mission of Robin Kocina, co-owner of Burnsville-based Kocina Branding and Marketing Companies.
“When I started, there was not much for women businesses in terms of leadership,” Kocina said. “I believe if you have a passion and a strength, you should volunteer in that area.”
Each year, she dedicates time to assist local nonprofits that aid women in the community.
For this dedication, Kocina was named the 2010 Volunteer of the Year by the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.
The Volunteer of the Year award is one of the seventh annual WOW Achievement awards that honors individuals who have contributed to the success and empowerment of women.
Each year, Kocina and several of her employees donate time and money to the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit that assists financially strapped women who are battling breast cancer.
They took a personal interest in the cause after two colleagues, Patti Splettstoeser and Robin Miller, were diagnosed with the disease.
Splettstoeser died Oct. 22, 2008 at age 45 from the illness, while Miller’s cancer has gone into remission.
Mid-America Events and Expos, a division of Kocina Branding and Marketing Companies, donated 50 percent of its ticket sales last February to the Hope Chest from four of its expos.
Kocina also does pro-bono work for the Hope Chest and the National Association of Women Businesses.
Kocina also mentors a female start-up business owner through WomenVenture, a St. Paul-based nonprofit that helps people start a business, find a new job or develop a fresh career path.
In addition to volunteering at WomenVenture, Kocina previously served on its board of directors and chaired its conference committee.
Kocina said she volunteers her time because she feels it is a duty everyone should fulfill.
“I believe everyone has certain strengths, and we should use those to help somebody,” she said.
Kocina founded Kocina Branding and Marketing Companies in 1987.
A graduate of Metropolitan State University in St. Paul with a bachelor’s in finance, Kocina previously worked as an accountant at Cargill and as a credit manager for Ecolab.
E-mail Jessica Harper is at:
jessica.harper@ecm-inc.com
