Management and Sales Staff
Steve Gnoza, President/Sales
Steve grew up in Hibbing on Minnesota's Mesabi Iron Range hunting, fishing and exploring the great north woods. A graduate of St. Cloud State, Steve now resides in Edina and enjoys traveling, in-line racing, riding motorcycles and snowmobiles and being in the outdoors with his sidekick Jager, a registered male Drahthaar (a German wirehaired pointer), at all times during the year. His time is also dedicated to volunteering in various sportsmen's clubs and to making the north Minneapolis community a better place to live.
Kent Larson, Sales
A native of Minnesota, Kent spent his younger years in Austin, Rochester and Blue Earth. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Kent remains a huge Golden Gopher supporter and booster. Kent founded Minnesota Athletic Apparel in 1991 after spending a number of years working in the retail sporting goods industry. Kent and his wife Leah live in Minneapolis with their four very active sons. The six of them spend a lot of time running to, and playing various sports.
Pat Forciea, Marketing/Sales
Pat is a three-time winner of the American Marketing Association’s top national award and has won five national EFFIE marketing awards in both the political and sports categories. He was named to City Business’s “40 Under 40” list which profiles Minnesota’s top young business leaders and was recognized as “one of twelve residents of northeastern Minnesota who has made a mark on life in northeastern Minnesota in the 20th century” by the Star Tribune.
He currently works as an independent marketing and sales consultant with M.A. Apparel, specializing in the development and execution of branding and identity plans, non-profit and corporate fundraising and sponsorship plans, national retail sales and product development plans, sports marketing sponsorship and promotional plans. His clients have included the Minnesota Twins, the University of Minnesota Health System and Athletic Department, the Target-Ganassi CART and NASCAR racing teams, Hell’s Kitchen and Meritage Restaurants, EVEVE Global Reservations Systems, the Naples Arts and Wine Festival, Touchstone Energy, the University of St. Thomas, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Mission Hockey, the Minnesota State High School League, the Minnesota Wild, Dairy Queen, Sun Country Airlines and numerous Minnesota school districts.
He currently works as an independent marketing and sales consultant with M.A. Apparel, specializing in the development and execution of branding and identity plans, non-profit and corporate fundraising and sponsorship plans, national retail sales and product development plans, sports marketing sponsorship and promotional plans. His clients have included the Minnesota Twins, the University of Minnesota Health System and Athletic Department, the Target-Ganassi CART and NASCAR racing teams, Hell’s Kitchen and Meritage Restaurants, EVEVE Global Reservations Systems, the Naples Arts and Wine Festival, Touchstone Energy, the University of St. Thomas, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Mission Hockey, the Minnesota State High School League, the Minnesota Wild, Dairy Queen, Sun Country Airlines and numerous Minnesota school districts.
Katie Carlson, Finance/Accounting
Katie Carlson grew up in Edina, Minn. Before joining M.A. Apparel, she worked in management at Starbucks for 10 years. While working at Starbucks, Katie pursued an associate's degree in accounting and a bachelor's degree in finance at Metropolitan State University. She lives in Bloomington with her husband Zack and their daughter, Cassidy Mae.