Mission Belt Co. was founded in 2012 to make world-class, no-hole leather belts, which proceeds of sales help aggressively fight global hunger and poverty. After successfully being funded on ABC's "Shark Tank" in April 2013, the company took off. Inspired by modern, simplistic design and intuitive functionality, Mission Belt gives the classic belt accessory a fresh start with a unique ratchet buckle to provide a more comfortable fit. Behind the name, Mission Belt Co. works with Kiva's peer-to-peer micro lending to provide loans to borrowers around the globe, mostly in developing countries.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and wrestling. Women's-specific sports include rowing, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Joel Maturi has been the Athletic Director since 2002.