Meet The 2026-2027
Board Members

Meet the dedicated team working hard all year to make this amazing race possible!

Cliff wang,
president

A two-time Beargrease Marathon champion and Iditarod finisher, Cliff
brings deep trail experience and a creative perspective to the board.

With a background in outdoor leadership and business, he is committed to helping the race grow by enhancing the experience for mushers, spectators, and volunteers, and by fostering strong, lasting partnerships with the race’s sponsors.

alex angelos,
vice president

Alex works construction and enjoys hunting, fishing, and music. He lives in Duluth, Minnesota.

Wendy Durrwachter

Wendy Durrwachter is a composer residing in Duluth, Minnesota. Durrwachter received a Bachelor of Arts from the U of MN Twin Cities with concentrations in piano performance and composition. She also received a Master of Music in Film Composition from the Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program of the Seattle Film Institute. Durrwachter’s body of work includes song cycles, chamber music, and large-scale orchestra. She also accompanies the choir at Peace Church UCC. Durrwachter is also the City Councilor for District 1 in Duluth. She serves on the Duluth Public Utilities Commission, the Duluth Public Arts Commission. Originally from Green Bay, WI, Durrwachter is also the Duluth wine rep/account manager for New France Wine Company out of St. Paul. She spent 19 years in Duluth working in the restaurant/hospitality industry and raising her two kids, graduates of East High School, now graduates of the U of MN Twin Cities.

James tackeberry, Secretary

James lives for the action. This is his 3rd year on the BG board. He’s served as a musher rep and as Secretary. In the meantime he handles for Dogwoods and uses the warmer months to compete in adventure races.

Darrell Knecht

Hello, I have followed the Beargrease for many years and then became a volunteer at the Two Island road crossing for the last 8 races. I am a Ham radio operator, retired from Emergency Management, retired Fire Chief, and electrician for 48 yrs. I have served on many boards and committees, and have volunteered for countless events over the last 40 years. My goal is to help any way I can with any experience and skills I have, to help keep Beargrease a great race and continue to grow.

I live in the small town of Elma in Northeast Iowa with my wife Cindi of 45 yrs and our special needs son, Logan. Our family loves the Northshore and Duluth. Every September,I push Logan (in his racing wheelchair) in the Northshore Inline Marathon from Two Harbors to Duluth. We are not fast….but we get it done!!

Marcia Eiynck

Boozhoo! Ozshaawasko Binesiikwe nindizhinikaaz. Makwa nindoodem.
Hello! My name is Indigo Thunderbird Woman. My clan is the bear clan.
My English name is Marcia. I live with my husband in Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota. We
have 3 huskies that I mush recreationally and for transportation in and out of sugar
bush. This year we are adding a trapline that we will mush. I have run one Beargrease
race, the BG 40, after that race I sustained 2 separate lifelong injuries and can no
longer rigorously train for racing. Both my husband and I have been long-time volunteers with the Beargrease, past and present Board members, and I am the great, great granddaughter of John Beargrease as well as the Race Coordinator. I look
forward to working with everyone with a balance of culture, education, respect, and forward thinking.

stan passananti

Julia Cross, BG 40 Musher representative

Hi, I’m Julia! I’ve been mushing for 18 years, starting when I was just 5 years old. An early passion for the outdoors and dogs led me to the wonderful world of dogsledding and I never looked back! I love spending time with my canine companions exploring and adventuring wherever the wind takes us! I have a passion for sharing this unique sport with youth and teaching others about goal setting and following your dreams. The Beargrease was the very first dogsled race I ever attended and raced, and I am super excited to be the 40 mile race representative! Happy Trails!

David Burge, Marathon Musher Representative

We are a kennel in northern Minnesota where Cristen and David raise there 3 children, a flock of sheep, countless chickens and share a love of traveling the trail with our 29 dogs. We love running longer distance races and our kids love running shorter kids races.

Scott edgett,
Bg 120 Musher Representative

We have a kennel of 18 dogs. I am married to a wonderful and very supportive wife (Cindy). We have two daughters both married and we also have two Grandchildren (Carter, Hayden). We have many things that we do, too many to list. I started running dogs at 41 years old, and had my first husky at 8 years of age and it pulled me on a big wheel. That was my inspiration.

Dale Kurschner

Dale grew up on a farm near Hutchinson, MN, where he came to love all things outdoors and appreciate the bond between people and their dogs (as well as horses; he was an avid bare-back rider). Today, he spends as much time outdoors as he can through running, biking, hiking, BWCA trips, skiing, boating…

Dale’s day job is as an executive advisor and fractional strategic CFO, where he taps 30 years of experience to help business owners buy or sell businesses, solve tough financial challenges or plot new courses for growth. His background spans early‑stage companies to Fortune 20 environments and includes more than 20 years as an award‑winning financial journalist, most recently as editor-in-chief of Twin Cities Business and as an on-air financial commentator for WCCO-AM, KARE11-TV and other new outlets.

Dale lives in Excelsior, MN, has served on that city’s planning commission and city council, and volunteers for various community-enhancing events. This includes becoming a founding board member of the Lake Minnetonka Klondike Dog Derby, which became the nation’s only professional sled dog race to take place in a major metropolitan area, attracting more than 30,000 people each time it occurred.

Meet The 2026-2027Board Members