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Born to Irish immigrant parents in 1838, railroad mogul James J. Hill died one of the richest men of his era. Asked to explain his success, he answered: "Work, hard work, intelligent work, and then more work." But it was all play and no work at A Great Northern Evening. The gala, held at the James J. Hill Center in downtown St. Paul, honored its founder's legacy by supporting "the entrepreneurial spirit in the 21st century."
Marci Schmitt is an editor on the Audience team who curates startribune.com and newsletters including Evening Update, Sunday Best and Floored. She's a Wisconsin native and graduate of the University of Minnesota.
marci.schmitt@startribune.com612-673-7644