13 things about Mister Global 2025 third runner-up Riley Hedstrom

Riley Joseph Hedstrom represented Minnesota, United States in the first edition of Mister USA and the country in the 11th edition of Mister Global. He is the first ever Mr. America Global.

BIOGRAPHY

Hedstrom is an American data engineer and beauty king born in Blaine, Minnesota to Michael “Mike” Hedstrom and Kay Wienk Hedstrom. Mike and Kay got married on October 18, 1986.

Riley finished high school in Blaine. He and his two brothers Blake Hedstrom and Cody Hedstrom are alumni of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota where he played football.

On May 24, 2025, Riley turned 29. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. In 2014, he graduated from Blaine High School.
2. From 2014 to 2018, he attended St. Olaf College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and finance.
3. In 2015, he faced two felony charges of fifth-degree possession and a two-semester suspension from St. Olaf College and attended South Central College in North Mankato, Minnesota.
4. In 2016, he started dating Alec Smith of Chesapeake, Virginia, USA.
5. From 2018 to 2019, he was a business analyst at GlobalTranz in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
6. From 2019 to 2022, he was a business intelligence engineer at GlobalTranz.
7. In 2022, he joined Humana in Minnetonka, Minnesota as a business intelligence engineer and got engaged to Smith.
8. He is Mister Minnesota USA 2024.
9. He was a Mister USA 2024 finalist.
10. He is Mr. America Global 2024.
11. In 2025, he visited Mexico and Thailand.
12. He is Mister Global USA 2025.
13. He was Mister Global 2025 third runner-up.

TIMELINE

Riley is openly gay and 6’2″ tall. He is eight years younger than Blake and five years younger than Cody.

2010s

• In June 2014, he graduated from Blaine High School.
• In August 2014, he entered St. Olaf College in Northfield.
• On September 13, 2015, he was arrested and imprisoned after police caught him in his dorm room at St. Olaf College with marijuana wax, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and additional paraphernalia.
• In June 2018, he graduated from St. Olaf College.
• In July 2018, he joined GlobalTranz in Minneapolis as a business analyst.
• In November 2019, he became a business intelligence engineer at GlobalTranz.

2020s

• In January 2022, he left GlobalTranz and joined Humana in in Minnetonka as a business intelligence engineer.
• In July 2024, he became a senior business intelligence engineer at Humana.
• On August 31, 2024, he represented Minnesota at Mister USA 2024 and competed against 19 other candidates at the Crystal Ballroom of Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California, USA. He finished in the Top 10.
• On May 12, 2025, he was appointed Mr. America Global 2024 and Mister Global USA 2025.
• On May 15, 2025, he traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.
• On August 23, 2025, he crowned his successor Mr. America Global 2025 Rowan Musick at the Hilton Washington DC in Washington, D.C., USA.
• On October 5, 2025, he represented the U.S. at Mister Global 2025 and competed against 36 other candidates at the MCC Hall The Mall Lifestore Bangkapi in Bangkok, Thailand.