WASHINGTON, D.

Wednesday, October 17, 2001

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Stephanie Brand is involved with making a major adjustment from living in Freeborn County to working in Washington, D.C.

On Oct. 1, she became the communications director for Congressman Gil Gutknecht of Minnesota’s First District.

&uot;Washington is an amazing place. It’s really inspiring to walk up the street to the office, and knowing that I’m working in the nation’s capital,&uot; she said.

Gutknecht’s office is on the fourth floor of the Cannon Building, which is just across Independence Avenue from the nation’s majestic capitol structure.

Stephanie is the daughter of Herb and Karen Brand and grew up in the Maple Island-Hollandale area. She graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1985 and Arizona State University (Tempe) in 1989. After working as a sales manager for a hotel in Denver, Colo., and for the Rockport, Texas, Chamber of Commerce, Brand became the president of the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce in 1993 and stayed until February 2000.

This was followed by employment in the communications department of the state’s House of Representatives Republican Caucus in St. Paul. While working in this office she was informed by a fellow employee who had previously been on Gutknecht’s staff that there was an opening in the Washington office.

&uot;My focus before was on state legislation. Now it’s national,&uot; she said.

One of the first challenges was to find a place to live in the Washington area. After staying in a hotel for more than a week, she found an apartment.

&uot;As of Monday (Oct. 8), I’m living in Annandale.&uot; she explained.

Annandale is one of the Washington suburbs in Virginia, south of Alexandria. This community of more than 50,000 people is about 12 miles from the nation’s capitol building, as the crow or eagle may fly. However, the daily commute involves 45 minutes to an hour each day on busy roadways and crossing one of the Potomac River bridges.

Brand said she had visited Washington a half dozen times over the past 15 years, so she was ready to cope with finding a place to live and driving in the metropolitan traffic. Yet, there is one daily problem she really doesn’t have to encounter: parking.

&uot;I’m assigned to a special parking lot two blocks away. From there I come here and go through security,&uot; she said.

&uot;I’m responsible for the communications coming out of this office,&uot; is how Brand explains a portion of her new position. &uot;I help the congressman prepare his speeches, and post the material on the Web site.&uot;

Another part of her duties is to work with the radio and television stations and newspapers in the First District.

There are 10 people on Gutknecht’s staff in Washington. Stephanie says they’re very friendly. She added that the staff members are from Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Kansas.

&uot;I’m looking forward to being a part of this team,&uot; she emphasized. &uot;Our congressman is so professional and capable and has assembled a first-rate team.&uot;

Stephanie said she will be commuting by air to Minnesota and working with Gutknecht’s district office in Rochester.

She and her husband, Sean Passingham, will be maintaining their home in Clarks Grove. She has two stepchildren, ages 9 and 11.

&uot;My husband is very supportive of what I’m doing out here in Washington,&uot; she said.

And whenever Stephanie Brand looks up on the wall above the receptionists desk just inside the entry to Congressman Gutknecht’s office, there’s a real reminder of southern Minnesota. It’s a large clock featuring the Spam brand name.