NDSU graduate featured among top Minnesota CEOs

Cheri Beranek, an NDSU graduate and CEO of Clearfield Inc., has been named among the leaders highlighted by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal in its list of where CEOs of Minnesota’s top public companies earned their degrees.

Beranek earned her master’s degree from NDSU in 1987 before launching a career that would lead her to one of Minnesota’s most respected technology companies. She has served as CEO of Clearfield since 2007, guiding the company through major growth in the telecommunications industry.

Beranek was named Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2023 and selected to the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame in 2021. She is from New Ulm, Minnesota.

Clearfield Inc., based in Minneapolis, manufactures and distributes fiber management and connectivity solutions used by broadband service providers across the country. The company’s products help deliver high-speed internet access to homes, businesses and community institutions. Under Beranek’s leadership, Clearfield has expanded its reach as broadband networks grow nationwide and demand for reliable fiber infrastructure increases.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal is a leading regional publication that covers business, industry, and economic development across Minnesota. Its rankings, profiles, and data reports are widely used by professionals and investors to track the state’s corporate landscape. The feature on Minnesota’s top CEOs explores where the state’s most influential business leaders earned their education and how their academic backgrounds have shaped their careers.

Beranek’s inclusion reflects both her leadership in advancing broadband access and the continued success of NDSU alumni in executive roles across the region.

A longtime advocate for innovation and workforce development, Beranek has often credited her education for helping her lead through change and drive measurable results. Her success story underscores NDSU’s impact in preparing graduates who contribute to industries that power the nation’s economy.

Clearfield employs hundreds of people across its operations and continues to play a central role in expanding fiber broadband in underserved areas, a mission that aligns closely with NDSU’s own land-grant values of service, innovation and statewide impact.

As a student-focused, land-grant, research university, we serve our citizens.