Minnesota / Explore Minnesota Tourism

Agency file

Explore Minnesota Tourism

Source file: Minnesota — State Employee Payroll / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Explore Minnesota Tourism is a government agency that delivers public services and programs within its jurisdiction.

In 2025, this agency had 47 employees with median total compensation of $74,697; the highest distinct record was $156,794.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $3.5M
Employees: 47
Median total: $74,697
Highest record: $156,794

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$11,968$144,193+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 47 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($74,697) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $72,996 (99%)
Overtime — $123 (0%)
Other — $720 (1%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$21,826

$45,317

$74,697

$97,734

$125,092

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $125,092 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $21,826. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Customer Services Specialist

8 · $22,978

Communications Supervisor

3 · $117,373

Communications Specialist 3

3 · $91,553

Communications Specialist 2

3 · $73,959

Tourism Travel Information Center Sup

3 · $70,986

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 2 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2024	$2.7M —	39 —	$71,022 —
2025	$3.5M ▲ 27.1%	47 ▲ 20.5%	$74,697 ▲ 5.2%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Leann Kispert

State Program Administrative Manager Senior/Explore Minnesota Tourism

2024 total comp

$71,022

Sub-department: Tourism-Adv/Public Relations
Base pay: $43,277
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $27,745
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $71,022
Hire date: 2007-01-22
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 17
Union / bargaining unit: Manager
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2024: No
Agency Number: B20
Bargaining Unit Number: 220
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Unclassified
Classified Status: Unclassified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Leann Kispert works as a State Program Administrative Manager Senior for Explore Minnesota Tourism within Tourism-Adv/Public Relations. They have served since 2007 (about 17 years) as a full-time employee. Leann earned $71,022 in 2024. Union affiliation: Manager.

Sandra Karnowski

Buyer 1/Explore Minnesota Tourism

2025 total comp

$71,003

Sub-department: Tourism-Program Services
Base pay: $71,003
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $71,003
Hire date: 1988-08-29
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 5
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: B20
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Sandra Karnowski holds the role of Buyer 1 at Explore Minnesota Tourism within Tourism-Program Services. They have served since 1988 (about 37 years) as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $71,003. Union affiliation: MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Linda Vuicich

Tourism Travel Information Center Sup/Explore Minnesota Tourism

2025 total comp

$70,986

Sub-department: Tourism Consumer Serv
Base pay: $69,205
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,781
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $70,986
Hire date: 2008-07-29
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 10
Union / bargaining unit: Middle Management Association
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Freeborn

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: B20
Bargaining Unit Number: 216
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Linda Vuicich is a Tourism Travel Information Center Sup at Explore Minnesota Tourism within Tourism Consumer Service. They have served since 2008 (about 17 years), working full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $70,986. They are represented by Middle Management Association.

Dawn Bushman

Management Analyst 2/Explore Minnesota Tourism

2025 total comp

$69,290

Sub-department: Tourism-Program Services
Base pay: $69,290
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $69,290
Hire date: 2008-10-20
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 7
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: B20
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Dawn Bushman is a Management Analyst 2 at Explore Minnesota Tourism within Tourism-Program Services. Their tenure dates to 2008, about 17 years, working full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $69,290. They are represented by MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Gail Walkowiak

Tourism Travel Information Center Sup/Explore Minnesota Tourism

2025 total comp

$68,058

Sub-department: Tourism Consumer Serv
Base pay: $68,058
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $68,058
Hire date: 2014-06-16
Employment type: Part-Time
Pay grade: 10
Union / bargaining unit: Middle Management Association
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 0.8
Work county: St Louis

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: B20
Bargaining Unit Number: 216
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At Explore Minnesota Tourism, Gail Walkowiak serves as a Tourism Travel Information Center Sup within Tourism Consumer Service. They have served since 2014 (about 11 years), working part-time, 0.8 FTE. Their 2025 pay totaled $68,058. Union affiliation: Middle Management Association.

Amy Drazkowski

Accounting Officer/Explore Minnesota Tourism

2024 total comp

$67,927

Sub-department: Tourism-Program Services
Base pay: $67,927
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $67,927
Hire date: 2018-08-27
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 5
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2024: Yes
Agency Number: B20
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At Explore Minnesota Tourism, Amy Drazkowski serves as a Accounting Officer within Tourism-Program Services. Their tenure dates to 2018, about 6 years, working full-time. Their 2024 pay totaled $67,927. They are represented by MN Assoc of Professional Empl.