After leading a successful appraisal business with her husband, Rick, in Owatonna for nearly 50 years, Debra Gnemi has joined the Steele County Times in a volunteer role as community outreach coordinator focusing on the Report Local nonprofit campaign.

Though she is mostly retired from Gnemi Appraisal Service, which has been going since 1977, she still co-owns the business with her husband who continues to do appraisal commercial work.

While Debra wasn’t born in Owatonna, she has lived in the community for most of her life. She moved to O-town in 1963 and graduated from Owatonna High School in 1973. 
Throughout her life, Debra has been an avid reader of newspapers, particularly stories of local interest. This is why she is particularly attracted to helping the Steele County Times with its nonprofit campaign to support the future of local news. 

Debra and Rick have a daughter and three grandchildren. 

In her spare time, Debra loves to scrapbook, especially for her grandchildren. She is a lifelong student of all things involving American history with an emphasis on Civil War and WWII. She is also a fan of the golden age of cinema and trivia. 

Her bucket list includes visiting Tuscany, Greece, and riding in a hot air balloon, but not necessarily in that order.