Nov. 10, 2008 – Snowmobile Digest

Todd Palin tours Arctic Cat plant

Todd Palin, husband of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and his Team Arctic Cat race partner, Scott Davis, took a recent two-day tour of northern Minnesota. The two racers made stops in Duluth, Grand Rapids, Bemidji, Moorhead and Arctic Cat’s production plant in Thief River Falls, reported Arctic Cat.
Palin said his tour was both a political and snowmobile promotional event, according to the Grand Forks Herald. Tom Steward, a communications director for the presidential ticket, says the tour was to appeal to voters who enjoy the outdoors and favor gun rights.
Palin kept the political talk to a minimum, but he did state, “Alaskans and Minnesotans have a lot of the same qualities. They like hunting and the outdoors. If you vote for the McCain/Palin ticket, you’ll have advocates for what I love to do, you love to do and Sarah loves to do. I encourage your support.”

Former Arctic Cat owner Swenson dies at age 86

Lowell Swenson, former Arctic Cat and Mesaba Airlines owner, died of natural causes at the age of 86, reported the Grand Forks Herald.
Swenson, a native of Lancaster, Minn., had purchased a majority interest in Arctic Enterprises, now known as Arctic Cat, in 1965. Under Swenson’s leadership as chairman, president and CEO, the company made the Arctic Cat brand a household name.
“The snowmobile industry was basically nothing when he started,” Swenson’s second-oldest son, Alan, of Cody, Wyo., said in the article. “He created it. He had tremendous drive, and he was very persuasive.”
Swenson also served as director and director emeritus for the present-day Arctic Cat.
“He was a tireless promoter of the companies he was with and the community,” said Ole Tweet, Arctic Cat’s vice president of new product development, who worked with Swenson in the 1970s. “He was very generous with grants. He was just a great guy, who was very enthusiastic.” PSB