Whether he was in the role of business executive, board member, athlete or father, David Koentopf was one of those people who produced extraordinary results, both in himself and others, those who knew him said.
The Minnetonka businessman started his career with Arthur Andersen in 1966 after graduating with distinction from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. After working as a controller with Arctic Enterprises, he became president of General Leisure Products Corp. in Omaha. In 1973 he was recruited as one of the youngest vice presidents in the history of First National Bank of Chicago.
Koentopf subsequently served as president of Steiger Tractor Inc. and president of the Eden Prairie-based photography giant Lifetouch Inc.
"He was one of the brightest business leaders I've ever worked with," said Nancy Dahl, president and COO of Lifetouch Portrait Studios in Eden Prairie.
Koentopf, who had suffered from dementia for the past few years, died Tuesday at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park. He was 66.
Colleagues attributed much of his business success to his integrity, his high standards for excellence and his willingness to mentor business students and manage co-workers looking for career direction.
Koentopf served many nonprofits, including as director and president of the Fargo Symphony Orchestra, director and chairman of Methodist Hospital and the first chairman of the board of directors of HealthSystem Minnesota, formed when Methodist merged with Park Nicollet Medical Center in 1993.
"As a board member he was totally responsible, always on time and never compromised responsibility," said Lloyd Sigel, who in 1978 founded Lloyd's Barbecue and served on several boards with Koentopf. "He was an upstanding citizen that any board would be proud of."
