A town of just over 25,000, Winona is nestled in the Mississippi River Valley two hours south-east of Minneapolis-St. Paul.  Located on the ancestral lands of the Dakota people, Winona is currently home to three institutions of higher education, including Winona State University, the first normal school west of the Mississippi River. A number of companies have a presence, if not a headquarters, in Winona including Benchmark Electronics, RTP, Watkins Corporation, We-No-Nah Canoe, Coda Bow, and the Fastenal Company to name a few. Winona hosts a thriving cultural scene that includes the Minnesota Maritime Art Museum, Midwest Music Festival, Great River Shakespear Festival, and Minnesota Beethoven Festival. To top it all off, outdoor activities abound from fishing to climbing, to biking and paddle boarding.