BUSINESS/RETAIL Vision Brookings
Driving 10 years of positive change! By: Al Heuton, Vision Brookings Administrator Brookings Economic Development Corporation One thing is for certain in the lifespan of a city – there is no such thing as “status quo!” Cities either forge ahead or fall behind. Successful cities must continually adapt to an ever-changing economic environment. This adaption process requires a common vision, an engaged community and strong leadership. The continued success that we have seen in the Brookings area didn’t happen by accident. In 2005, the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, Brookings Economic Development Corporation, and Downtown Brookings, Inc. came together with the goal of ensuring the economic and social vitality of the area. The Vision Brookings Coalition, represented by an impressive array of business leaders, worked hard to build a strategic, results-oriented economic development strategy that would capture new and expanding business opportunities while taking advantage of the area’s unique assets. The alliance ushered in the dawn of a new era in Brookings with private sector, investor-driven programs providing the leadership to move the area forward in its efforts to grow the economy and build an attractive business climate for all. The two initiatives of this coalition,Vision Brookings 2010 and Vision Brookings II, resulted in $4.75 million raised from 153 private investors. More importantly, Vision Brookings funds leveraged an additional $24 million from other sources for local economic development projects. Fast-forward 10 years and the impact of Vision Brookings is all around us. A tremendous amount of community progress and success can be attributed to efforts undertaken by Vision Brookings and its four main components: • Business Expansion & Recruitment GOAL: Grow businesses, generate jobs and increase community wealth. • Support for Entrepreneurship GOAL: Develop entrepreneur support services and proof of concept and com-
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mercialization facilities. • Research Park at South Dakota State University GOAL: Develop and expand the Research Park at SDSU • Workforce Development GOAL: Increase the supply of available workers. Some of the key community projects supported by Vision Brookings include: • 125-acre research park and 44,000-squarefoot incubator, home to 37 businesses and 170 employees • 30,000-square-foot technology commercialization center with tenant Prairie AquaTech • Full-time Director of Entrepreneur Support • Full-time Director of Workforce Development • South Dakota Education Campus at Brookings • Enterprise Institute • Community branding, marketing and awareness campaigns • Brookings/SDSU Day at the Capitol • Community, business and alumni surveys and community visioning charrettes • Brookings jobs website (jobsinbrookings.com) and Facebook page • Housing market study and update • $300,000 worth of shared and leased science equipment • Networking, educational events, and small business development support for entrepreneurs The accomplishments of the past 10 years are a true testament to the leadership and collaboration made possible by Vision Brookings. Thank you to the Vision Brookings investors for your contributions to this success! But there is still work to be done to keep the momentum going. While the community and its economy are doing well, we need to continue to capture the opportunities that are available to us to ensure an exciting and prosperous future for the area. Vision Brookings 2010 and Vision Brookings II supported the development of physical structures and infrastructure and assisted in the formation of programs designed to help grow the community and the economy from within.Vision Brookings
III seeks to grow the economy by building upon prior investments and successes.The Vision Brookings III initiative will focus on the area’s major challenges and opportunities – workforce, entrepreneurship and business development. Brookings is a tremendous place to live, work and play. We have the best quality of life in the country – a strong and dedicated workforce, friendly people, amenities typically only seen in much larger cities, and an environment that encourages and supports business growth and development. It is imperative that we continue to fully develop the potential of the Brookings area by supporting Vision Brookings III. When people work together in support of a common vision, there is no telling what can be accomplished. Please contact me at 605-697-8103 for more information about Vision Brookings and to be a part of this important initiative that will help propel our community forward!
City assessed value
81% increase
Population 23% increase 1,742 housing
units added City construction
$$ $481 million Taxable sales 51% increase
++ 100-plus
new and expanding businesses
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S R E S I T R E V D A INDEX OF COMMUNITY LIFESTYLES CONTD.
HEALTH/WELLNESS/FINANCIAL Brookings Health System .............................. 6-7 Pivotal Health .................................................... 8 Paul Kruse State Farm ...................................... 9 Sanford Health Brookings Clinic .................... 10 NAMI .............................................................. 11 First Bank & Trust .......................................... 12 United Living Community .............................. 13 Anderson Insurance ........................................ 14 Meyer Orthodontics ........................................ 15 Brookings Dental Clinic .................................. 17 Jeff Fish Edward Jones .................................... 18 BankStar .......................................................... 19 SDSU Nursing .................................................. 20 Homecare Services ........................................ 21 VanLaecken Orthodontics .............................. 22 First Bank & Trust .......................................... 23
INDUSTRY/AG/TECH/RESEARCH S.D Manufacturing & Technology .............. 26-27 Quality Tool .................................................... 29 Larson Storm Doors .................................. 30-31 DuPont Pioneer .............................................. 33 SDSU Research & Economic development ............................ 34-35 SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences ............ 36-37
HOME/HOME IMPROVEMENT Century 21 ................................................ 38-39 Mills Development .................................... 40-41
COMMUNITY LIFESTYLES
Brookings Sustainability Council .............. 42-43 Brookings Parks & Recreation .................. 44-45 Brookings Landfill ......................................46-47
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Institute of Lutheran Theology .................. 48-49 Brookings Street Department ........................ 50 Volga City ........................................................ 51 First Presbyterian Church .............................. 52 Jager’s Grocery .............................................. 53 Gracepoint ...................................................... 54 Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education ...................................... 55 Bethel Baptist Church ...................................... 56 First United Methodist Church ........................ 57 Brookings County ...................................... 58-59 S.D Festival of Books .................................. 60-61 DeSmet Events & Wellness ............................ 62 Brookings School District .............................. 63
SPORTS/RECREATION/ ENTERTAINMENT
Prairie Repertory Theatre ........................ 64-65 Swiftel Center ............................................ 66-67 Outdoor Adventure Center ...................... 68-69 Prussman Racing ...................................... 70-71 Athletic Edge .................................................. 73 Children’s Museum of South Dakota .............. 74
BUSINESS/RETAIL
Brookings Economic Development Corporation ..............................75 La-Ti-Da ......................................................76-77 Brookings Liquor Store .............................. 78-79 Dave’s Collision .............................................. 81 Brookings Auto Mall ........................................ 62 Clites Electric .................................................. 83 Wink’s Fine Jewelry ........................................ 84 Arlington Beach Resort .................................. 85 EarthBend ...................................................... 86 Allegra ............................................................ 88 Total Eyewear .................................................. 89
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HEALTH/WELLNESS/FINANCIAL Brookings Health System growing with community Steel beams soaring into the air along 22nd Avenue and Yorkshire Drive are now giving area residents a better idea of the exciting changes that are happening at Brookings Health System. Construction is well under way on two additions to the facility, and further renovation will follow. And in little more than a year, increased capacity, greater patient privacy, and enhanced access to new amenities, specialties and outpatient services will allow the health system to better meet the needs of a growing community. On the east side of the hospital, workers are adding 62,500 square feet of new space. The addition’s first floor will house surgery and medical imaging. The addition’s second floor will house obstetric and medical/surgical units. On the northwest side of the facility is what will become a new 30,000-squarefoot medical office building. The space will be leased to current and future medical specialists. The hospital's main, front entry will then be renovated, and a new entrance and exit will be constructed to the health system from the Third Street stoplight. Once the expansion is completed, existing hospital space will be renovated to accommodate services displaced due to the new construction or house ancillary staff currently located off campus. Jason Merkley, Brookings Health System
CEO, said a good winter has helped the In 2017, the health system will go back project move along on schedule. and renovate the areas it moved out of in On the east side, structural steel is in the hospital. Many of those services, such place and floors are poured, and work on as surgery, imaging and obstetrics, are the utilities comes next. Walls will soon go up ones relocating to the east hospital expanto enclose the addition. Then come the fin- sion. Renovations should be complete by ishing details on the inside. July 2017. "That is slated to be com"This was all slated for about pleted at the end of this 21 months total, and that's year. December 31 is the what it's probably going schedule for completo end up being. We're tion for the whole east fortunate that we have We're going to addition. Obviously different areas we can get there, and it's we're really looking work on. When we got forward to that as delayed on the northgoing to be great things are starting to west side, we went to when it's all done come together,” work on the east addiJason Merkley Merkley said. tion until the front side On the northwest was reconfigured," side, the medical office Merkley explained. building was delayed "It's going to be very nice slightly with utility work, but when it's all done and cerit's still on track for completion by tainly change the way we look the end of August 2016. New tenants are from 22nd Avenue. And lots of folks, when expected in September. they drive by, aren't even seeing what's Work on the new entrance/lobby area happening in the back." starts after that, Merkley added. When the east addition is complete, the "From a phasing standpoint, we're trying main entrance to those services – surgery, to figure out how do we work through this imaging and obstetrics – will be located off and also get access off the stoplight. The Yorkshire Drive, said Julia Yoder, marketing city and Brookings Health System have and public relations director at Brookings worked together to redo the stoplight. That Health System. work's scheduled to be completed mid-Au"So when people come to visit new gust, right before school gets back in ses- moms, or they're checking in for a surgical sion." procedure, that's going to be the entrance they want to go to." The front entrance will primarily be for people with clinic visits and guests coming for administration purposes. The Emergency Department also has it's own entrance. But Yoder and Merkley assured that signs will be in place to get patients and visitors where they need to be. In the end, the reconfiguration will make for easier access for everyone. Merkley said since the project is much more visible now, not a day passes without someone offering positive feedback. The Brookings Health System Foundation's successful $4.6 million capital campaign, completed in just nine months, shows just how much the community supports the changes. Yoder thanked residents for their patience with the ongoing construction. "This process, it does get to be a challenge, but at the same time, I think everyone's very understanding of the reason why we're doing it." "We're going to get there, and it's going to be great when it's all done," Merkley Construction is ongoing at Brookings Health System, which is expanding to the west and east added. and will follow that with renovation on existing facilities.
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It started with a table ... At Pivotal Health Solutions, our story started with a table. But not just any table, one that our customers helped us design from the floor up. From that first table, PHS has become a leader in the manufacture of high-quality products for the complementary healthcare field. Chiropractors, massage therapists, athletic trainers, anesthesiologists and physical and occupational therapists rely on our extensive line of beautifully-designed and durable products to help build their practices. As our business has grown, we've watched how health care is continually evolving, and in response, we design and build our products so they can meet the demands of our customers' changing needs. It's all about flexible design, so that no matter what field of complementary healthcare you're in, you'll find products that help make your practice run more smoothly and provide a safe and comfortable environment for your patients and staff. Pivotal Health Solutions is based in the United States, with locations in Watertown,
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S.D., and Eugene, Ore.We manufacture the bulk of our products in the U.S., which gives us the flexibility to adjust product designs more quickly for those customers who want beautiful, Chiropractic tables are manufactured at the Pivotal Health Solutions c u s t o m - d e s i g n e d plant in Watertown, SD. products. Our family chairs, equipment and accessories. of craftsmen: steel fabricators, painters, tex• Apollo – A Chiropractor-designed cold tile workers, and woodworkers put their laser system that delivers substantial healhearts into each and every product we ing results. build. • PHS Medical – The sole producer of the Our product lines include: original, patented Epidural Positioning Device. • PHS Chiropractic – An industry leader At Pivotal Health Solutions, we don't miss in customizable chiropractic tables and ac- much. We work closely with recognized cessories. leaders in the various fields of comple• PHS Theraputics – Therapy products mentary healthcare, so that our products designed and manufactured to raise the continue to evolve to meet the needs of our bar for standard equipment customers' practices today and tomorrow. • Custom Craftworks – Designing and That's just who we are and it's exactly what we building the best quality massage tables, do. Learn more at pivotalhealthsolutions.com.
Insurance agency offers many financial services, discounts When Paul Kruse decided to move his State Farm Insurance agency to larger quarters, he found a fitting location. On Oct. 1, 2015, the business moved into the former Home Federal Bank building at 1024 Sixth St., just east of Brothers Pharmacy. The irony of working out of a former bank building isn’t lost on Kruse. “We offer a full line of financial services,” Kruse said, including checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit and car loans. “We also offer securities products like IRAs and 401(k)s.” The new location offers Kruse and his staff more space to work in while providing customers with more privacy. “Now we can keep people’s conversations private,” Kruse explained as customers discuss items like a Social Security number, a driver’s license number or a date of birth. The remodeled location is also home to Brookings County Title Co. with office space for one more tenant. In addition to a wide array of financial services, Kruse and his staff offer the policies that anyone would expect from an insurance agency. What might not be
expected are the wide range of discounts new location, Kruse and his staff brought that customers can enjoy when they bun- with them the same dedication to customer dle their State Farm policies. service that kept the old location busy. “If you purchase more than one product, “We’re all able to answer any customers’ the discounts kick in,” Kruse said. questions,” Kruse said. “We handle everyCustomers can earn discounts with com- thing from IRAs to Medicare supplements binations of life insurance, homeowner’s in- to health insurance.” surance or a personal liability umbrella. Car insurance customers can enjoy multi-car discounts, accident-free discounts and good driving discounts. Student drivers can qualify for three discounts: Steer Clear, driver’s education and good student. “Those discounts are very popular with the parents of young drivers,” Lined up to help with insurance or financial needs is the staff at the Kruse said. Paul Kruse State Farm Insurance Agency. They include, from the left, While the busi- Kruse, Crystal Himley, Val Welu, Cheryl Duin, Jacquelin Rosado and ness may be in a Deyatta "De" Jurrens.
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Jennifer Olson, M.D., listens to the heartbeat of patient Stephanie Wright at the Sanford Health Brookings Clinic. Sanford offers acute care needs to local patients.
After-hours medical care for inconvenient ailments Illnesses aren’t an 8-5 occurrence. It could be a sudden migraine after dinner. Or a nagging case of the flu that you just haven’t had time to get checked out because you are busy working. Sanford Health Brookings Clinic offers after-hours medical care for those non-emergency ailments that strike when least convenient. “I think the asset to the community is that opportunity during the time of day when options prior to us being open was to go to the Emergency Room and be charged $500 or $1,000, or make a trip down to Sioux Falls,” said Jennifer Olson, M.D. Olson is one of several doctors who serve the needs of patients at the local Sanford Clinic (922 22nd Ave. S.). The Acute Care team – which consists of a single physician and nurse on any given evening (M-F 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) or Saturday morning (8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.) – addresses mostly minor illnesses and injuries. In other words, if you have a chronic condition or severe injury, you’ll want to see your family doctor or make a trip
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to the Emergency Room. But Acute Care can cover many basic needs. With on-site lab and radiology and an adjacent pharmacy (Lewis Drug) that will stay open until the final patient leaves, the Sanford team can help you with that late night earache, or ankle sprain incurred during after-school football practice. While the Acute Care team works as quickly as possible to care for every patient, the small crew tends to see a backlog if patients arrive en masse. The firstcome, first-served system means a patient who arrives after 10-12 others could be in for a long wait. Because they are dedicated to giving each patient the attention and care he or she deserves, Sanford physicians will not rush appointments, even if the result is a longer wait time. However, to gauge potential waiting times, patients are strongly encouraged to log on to www.sanfordhealth.org. Click the “Patients & Visitors” tab and select “View Current Wait Times.” If you have any questions about Sanford Health Brookings Clinic and its services, please call 605-697-1900.
The nation’s voice in mental illness
HEALTH/WELLNESS/FINANCIAL
NAMI stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families. Since 1979, NAMI has become the nation’s voice on mental illness. It’s a nationwide organization with affiliates in every state and nine affiliates in South Dakota, including Aberdeen, Brookings, Huron, Mitchell, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown and Yankton. Brookings NAMI was formed in 1986 by Donna Yocom. NAMI families help each other learn more effective ways to live with a person with a mental illness. They work together to help reduce the stigma associated with mental illnesses and work to educate the public about the neurobiological basis of mental illnesses. NAMI SD’s mission statement is to lessen the stigma of brainbased disorders and to encourage the development of a comprehensive system of services and treatment. Mental illnesses include such disorders as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic and other severe anxiety disorders, autism and pervasive development disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, borderline personality disorder and other severe and persistent mental illnesses that affect the brain. These disorders can profoundly disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, moods, ability to relate to others and capacity for coping with the demands of life. Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing.
What does NAMI do? NAMI’s education programs include Family to Family, a 10-week course taught by three teachers in Brookings – Brenda Johnson, Judy Karen and Nancy Sonnenburg.These free classes are offered twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. These classes are available with the help of Brookings United Way, which gives funds for the manuals, advertising and supplies. For public education, the web site www.nami.org provides information, referrals and education. The NAMI Helpline is 1-800950-6264. Public events that raise funds and awareness are the NAMI Walks. The annual NAMI Walk is held in Sioux Falls each May; this year will be May 21. We would love to have you join the NAMI Walk, or you can donate.You can also help the organization by becoming a member or donating by writing to NAMI SD, P.O. Box 88808, Sioux Falls, SD 57109. Brookings NAMI meets the third Thursday of the month at the Brookings hospital at 7 p.m. For more information about the Family to Family classes, the NAMI support group or the NAMI Walk, call Nancy Sonnenburg at 605-692-8948.
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Bank from the Palm of your Hand With all the innovations in mobile banking, it’s easier than ever to bank on the go. First Bank & Trust’s mobile app gives you great access to banking tools without visiting the bank or even logging in on your desktop computer. Right from your phone, you can: Check your Balance and See Recent Transactions In Mobile Banking, your accounts are all listed so you can easily see your balances.Tap on an account, and you’ll be taken to your transaction history for a more detailed look. View Check Images Need a quick reminder of check details? Now you can view images of your checks right from your smartphone, making it easier than ever to see whom you paid. Transfer Funds Easily transfer money among your accounts while you’re out and about. With the mobile banking app, you even get a text to tell you the funds have transferred. Pay Bills No need to sit down at home to pay bills.You can pay bills from the mobile app by selecting a payee, entering an amount and selecting a date to pay. Make a Person-to-Person Payment It’s easy to pay a person from Mobile Banking. All you need is the recipient’s email address, and all that person needs is a keyword from you to securely retrieve the money you sent. Deposit a Check With Mobile Deposit, you just snap a photo of the check from the app, entering the amount and the account in which you’d like it deposited. (Fees may apply.) View Your Statement Online statements give you fast, safe access to your monthly statements. Manage Your Debit Card Turn your debit card “off” (suspend) and “on” (activate).This is helpful when you receive a new card, but it also serves as great fraud protection if you misplace your card. Receive Alerts Set alerts to see when your balance reaches a certain threshold, or to monitor when checks, ACHs, wires, and other transactions occur. Find Bank Locations and ATMs If you’re traveling around the region and want to find one of our locations or ATMs, simply check the app.
First Bank & Trust, Member FDIC
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Keeping residents engaged “We meet people where they’re at.” That’s the approach taken by Fred Hatton, who has served for three years as activity coordinator at United Living Community in Brookings. He sees a big part of his job being “engagement for the residents vs. entertainment” in his day-today interactions with the elderly men and women who call the ULC home. However, in a best-case scenario en-
gagement and entertainment can complement each other. As an example, he referenced the musical talents of the residents: “Four or five people who play piano, some play guitar and the organ. ” The musicians who entertain the residents are themselves engaged. Another activity that both engages and entertains is gardening – at the ULC this is made possible by the “raised gardens,” where even residents needing assistance can participate. Hatton has been especially dedicated to intergenerational activities involving the ULC residents and the children of the Bright Horizons Early Learning Center. He works at seeing both the elderly and the children in spontaand One way United Living Community keeps its residents engaged is by in- neous teracting with children from the Bright Horizons Early Learning Center. “mutually beneficial
social interactions.” He noted that such activities “bring purpose to their lives; they can still do things that they’re used to doing.” One such activity that Hatton recently promoted was a Green Day Parade on St. Patrick’s Day. There was a parade marshal and a bagpiper led the ULC residents and daycare children, who made their own musical instruments, through the halls of the ULC. An especially key item on Hatton’s agenda of keeping residents engaged is his goal “to promote fitness as a lifelong endeavor. Just because a person is older doesn’t mean they can’t be fit, doesn’t mean they can’t be health conscious.” He has organized an “exercise club” that in addition to physical activity also promotes “a good social environment and fun. So it’s entertainment, exercise and a social gathering. We do that every single week except for Saturday. That’s because we have bingo, and that’s a big thing around here.” The ULC also has a walking club that gets outside when the weather permits and a swimming club that uses the pool at the Wellness Center.
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Continuing to meet their clients’ needs One rite of passage that Americans meet with mixed emotions is that 65th birthday. For some it brings retirement; for all it brings Medicare. One way to face Medicare proactively is to stop by Anderson Insurance Associates in Brookings and visit with
Terry Anderson, agent-owner, or Jessica work with multiple insurance companies, TPAs and healthcare.gov to find the Blum, his partner-agent. best plan for your needs and “We’ve kind of got the word budget.” Anderson said. out,” Anderson said. “If For 2015, Blum’s and you’re getting ready to If Anderson’s professiongo on Medicare, we’ll you’re getting alism was evident let you know everyready to go on when they were thing you need, so among the top 10 you’re ready to Medicare, we’ll let you individual agents in make that move.” know everything you sales production “We like to talk to need, so you’re ready to and retention of our clients about make that move. clients for Wellmark, what to do, what to Blue Cross, Blue prepare for based on Terry Anderson Shield of South Dakota. what their plans are.We Anderson received the need to fit in how “Promise Award,” which recMedicare, health plans, preognizes “agents who represcription plans and supplesent the dedication to integrity and ments all work. We want them to come in and talk about how timely decisions af- excellence.” Blum was elected to NAIFA (South fect their options.” Another key health insurance area An- Dakota), the National Association of Insurderson and Blum can walk you through is ance and Financial Advisors board of diindividual, family and group medical plans rectors. She will serve as vice president and which is best or most “affordable” given and later move up to serve as president of all the “Affordable Care” or “Obamacare” the state’s professional insurance organization. changes that are going on. Stop in and see them at Sixth Street (U.S. “Don’t be confused or intimidated. Just call or stop in and we’ll help you through it Highway 14) across from Pioneer Park. and be a resource you can depend on. We Their phone number is (605) 692-4722
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Jessica Blum, partner-agent, and Terry Anderson, agent-owner of Anderson Insurance Associates, are available to help their clients make the move to Medicare.
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Meyer Orthodontics
30 years of creating smiles As Dr. David Meyer celebrates 30 years of practicing orthodontics in Brookings, he has seen quite a few changes in his profession. “We’ve gone from X-rays that we used to dip in chemicals and develop to digital Xrays that automatically show up on a computer,” Meyer said. “You can email them to your dentist and print them immediately.” Last year Meyer Orthodontics made another leap forward. Gone are the days when patients had to bite down on viscous impression material to make a mold of their teeth. “Now we have a scanner that will give you a virtual model and print a 3-D model to make your dental appliance,” Meyer said. “It’s been a big help to us because it saves time and a big help to patients because they don’t have to worry about having an impression where they might have problems with that material in their mouth.” While braces have not changed that much in the past 30 years, Meyer said there have been improvements in the ease of putting on the braces and keeping them clean. The also use clear, less visible
braces. and feel youthful,” Meyer said. “When we “The actual movement of teeth has be- have a healthy, beautiful smile, that can be a come more gentle as we have better wires,” big part of that improvement.” Meyer said. Patients often visit an orthodontist for the first time between the ages of 7 and 9. “It’s a good time to see if the teeth are erupting in correctly, if the growth of the face is coming along normally and if we have to remove any baby teeth to help permanent teeth come in,” Meyer said. Orthodontics treatment often starts in the early teen years and usually lasts from 18 to 24 months. At some point in the 1990s, Meyer began to see an increase in adults wanting to straighten their teeth with braces. Currently, about 20 percent of his patients are adults. Dr. David Meyer works on patient at his orthodontics prac“I believe adults want to look tice in Brookings.
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All in the family dentistry Looking for quality dental care in pleasant surroundings with a touch of family atmosphere? Consider Brookings Dental Clinic. Ready to care for all your dental needs are Dr. Geoffrey Johnson; his daughter, Dr. Anne (Johnson) Harris; her husband, Dr. Christopher Harris; and Dr. Erin Diers. While Dr. Diers is not per se a member of the family, she comes from a background, education and training that all four dentists share. All of the doctors are graduates of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Dentistry. After graduating from dental school, Dr. Geoffrey Johnson founded the clinic in Brookings in 1978. During his years in practice, Dr. Johnson has served on the state dental board, and he also assisted in the testing of new dentists and hygienists. He was honored by Gov. Dennis Daugard with "Dr. Geoffrey Johnson Day" in 2011. Dr. Christopher Harris joined the practice in 2006, after completing a surgical fellowship at UNMC, as well as serving on the faculty. Dr. Anne Harris, who completed her un-
Dr. Erin Diers and dental assistant April Van Dyke perform a restorative treatment at the Brookings Dental Clinic.
dergraduate work at South Dakota State University, and Dr. Erin Diers were classmates in dental school, graduating together in 2006. After graduation, Dr. Anne returned to Brookings to join her father and husband in practice, while Dr. Erin practiced in Lincoln, Neb., for six years prior to joining the clinic in October 2012. The Brookings Dental Clinic has been serving the Brookings community for over
30 years and offers all aspects of general dentistry for adults and children, as well as dental implant services, IV sedation options, endodontics, surgeries, crowns and bridges. The clinic takes pride in providing a unique dental experience, drawing on the skills and experience of its multiple providers, outstanding staff, and commitment to making their patients' dental experience as pleasant as possible. In the past year they have added another hygenist and a new operatory, a room for dental care. Dr. Christopher Harris said, "We have thousands of loyal patients who appreciate the high quality personal care they receive. We strive to make everyone comfortable, and we have a well-trained and courteous staff." The philosophy of Brookings Dental Clinic is a simple: To provide high-quality, compassionate care. New patients are always welcome at the clinic at 2215 Derdall Drive in Brookings. Call (605) 692-1222 or toll-free (866) 2023262 for additional information or to schedule an appointment.
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HEALTH/WELLNESS/FINANCIAL Fish ready to help you achieve financial goals As an athlete on the SDSU football and baseball teams, Jeff Fish learned the importance of working with his teammates to achieve greater goals. Those lessons have served him well at his current work as financial advisor for Edward Jones, working with area residents to help them achieve their goals of more secure financial futures. Fish is a Milbank native, and as his athletic skills brought him to Brookings to fight for the blue and gold, he says he developed a deep appreciation for the Brookings community. He worked for an insurance firm in Sioux Falls before joining Edward Jones. He added that he and his wife, Andrea, are happy to have become a part of the community with their daughter,
Audrey, who was born in March. Fish runs the Edwards Jones office at 1718 Sixth St., along with branch office administrator Jackie Telkamp. Fish says his strong work ethic and great communication skills are the keys to his success. He added that face-to-face contact with his clients is critical to give him good sense of their needs and he works with them to help them achieve their financial goals. He added that he works in a proactive manner to ensure they stay on track on their journey to financial security. “As an Edward Jones financial advisor, I believe it’s important to invest my time to understand what you’re working toward before you invest your money. It's also im-
portant to understand the level of risk you're comfortable accepting when investing so we can balance it with the steps necessary to reach your long-term goals,” Fish said. The financial advisor said that working with Edward Jones is best for him, because the company’s philosophy allows him the independence to develop investment strategies that best meet his clients’ needs. “This lets me focus on what’s best for the client, not what’s best for the company,” he said. He added that Edward Jones offers the support of thousands of people and the advanced technology support to ensure that his clients receive the most current and comprehensive guidance. His areas of focus are: investors saving for retirement, retirees, college savers, individuals with insurance needs and individuals with estate needs. Edward Jones is one of the largest financial service firms in the country, helping nearly 7 million clients in its more than 90 years of existence. The Edward Jones approach is to determine its clients needs and developing tailored financial strategies to meet those needs. Edward Jones has more than 11,000 offices across the company with thousands of associates and sophisticated technology to support its clients. The philosophy behind the large network of financial advisors is the belief that clients need more than a 1800 number when it comes to financial decisions. The company offers a wide range of investment choices to help clients meet their specific needs. Among the services offered by Edward Jones are: wealth management, retirement and college savings, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, insurance, annuities, as well as providing assistance for business owners. For more information, contact Fish at his office at 1718 Sixth St. at 697-7762 or 888697-7762 or visit www.edwardjones.com.
Jeff Fish knows the secrets to success on the athletic fields and in the investment business.
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Bank on the bright side There is a new bank in Brookings at the corner of Sixth Street and Campanile (13th) Avenue. While the facility is new, the bank’s roots in Brookings County are deep. After nearly a year of construction, January marked the opening of the new BankStar Financial facility at 1301 Sixth St. The planning for the new facility began shortly after the acquisition of the First National Bank of Volga in March of 2014. This merger combined two of the oldest banks in Brookings County, each with strong community ties and a history of support and involvement in their respective communities of Elkton and Volga. Both banks had also branched into Brookings prior to the merger. With this consolidation, the need for an expanded facility was apparent. “We are excited about our new facility and the opportunity that it offers for our customers and staff,” said Greg Fargen, president of the Brookings BankStar office. “Moving to the main business corridor in Brookings provides us with increased visibility, as well as convenient access for our customers.” This year BankStar Financial will cele-
The team at BankStar Financial in Brookings includes, back row from left: Kyle Peters, David Jones, Greg Fargen and Sam Lindgren; middle row: Julie Puetz, Georgia Theodosopoulos-Lynn, Kathy McDougall and Jennifer Soma; and front row: Amanda Lauer, Stephanie Reicks, Barbara Adelaine and Patty Winter.
brate its 90th anniversary. The bank, headquartered in Elkton, operated under the name of Corn Exchange Bank for its first 75 years. In 2001, one year prior to its branching into Brookings, the name was changed to BankStar Financial. The Sixth Street location represents its third location since entering the Brookings market. Each move has brought about additional space and expansion opportunities. Even with all the changes at BankStar and within the banking industry, the bank still prides itself on being a community bank.
“We continue to add technology and services to meet the demands of our customer base, but at the end of the day, our success is based mostly on our ability to build relationships with our customers and the communities we serve.” “We are grateful for the friendships and support we have received from each of the communities we serve,” Fargen said “We look forward to establishing new banking relationships, continuing to meet the expectations of our customers and to living up to our core value to brighten people’s lives.”
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Helping others reach their potential Nursing is a caring role in the health care profession, according to Mary Minton. The South Dakota State University College of Nursing’s associate dean for graduate nursing, Minton has been a member of the college’s West River faculty since January 2007.
“I was passionate about patient care as a candy striper in junior high in Minneapolis and that passion has continued over a 30plus year nursing career which has encompassed roles in the hospital, community, the church and now a university,” Minton said. “The thread that is con-
Andrea Harmelink, a South Dakota State University College of Nursing doctor of philosophy student, listens to a comment from Mary Minton, the college’s associate dean for graduate nursing, following a discussion. Minton has taken a hands-on role in helping the students achieve.
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tinuous is the purpose and the shape of the care I deliver, while different according to the setting, but always around the inherent dignity of each human being. Whether it’s patients, parishioners, students and now faculty, I see this as a caring role.” While caring takes precedence, she also strives to see each student or faculty member reach one’s potential. “I believe in the potential for growth and transformation that accompanies lifelong learning, practice and research,” Minton said.“The difference in this role is while I’m still an advocate for the student in facilitating learning, I’m now an advocate for the graduate faculty and the goals they set for their teaching and their research.” As a nurse researcher, Minton’s recent collaborative projects cover quality of life areas related to breast cancer patient navigation, palliative and end of life care, abdominal massage for constipation, and nurse’s comfort with patient request for prayer. She believes the graduate faculty benefits from protected scholarship time and also seeks to extend the scholarly impact of the college’s master’s, doctor of nursing practice and doctor of philosophy students.
Homecare Services: Expert advice, professional care Homecare Services has a long history of working with families throughout South Dakota. Since 1984, the organization has been providing services to individuals, allowing them to remain living independently in their own homes. Homecare Services remains committed to that mission today but also offers something of additional value: expert advice. Ann Spitzenberger, coordinator of services in Brookings, said that the organization has been able to assist individuals and families in the decision-making process by sharing educational material developed by Homecare Services, which can also be found on the company’s website. “As I visit with families or individuals, I am able to share this information so they have it to refer to as they are making a difficult decision,” she said.
“Families have told me how useful it has been to have this information at their fingertips. It provides good information and answers questions families have when faced with decisions about their loved ones.” In addition to providing services to individuals in their own homes, Homecare Services is providing services to students on college campuses, residents in long-term care facilities, as well as patients in hospitals or rehab facilities. The agency is able to schedule care any time services are needed, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Homecare Services also provides 24-hour in-home care. For more information, contact Ann Spitzenberger at 692-4253, or visit Homecare Services at www.homecareservicessd.com.
Homecare Services has a history of working with countless families throughout the state of South Dakota. Ann Spitzenberger, shown above, is coordinator of services in Brookings, covering Brookings, Kingsbury, Hamlin and Moody counties, and helps individuals and families decide what types of services are best for them.
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Live life smiling! Helping you live life smiling! That’s the mission at VanLaecken Orthodontics. “Our team’s goal is to make our appointments with you one of the best parts of your day,” said Dr. Rob VanLaecken.“We do this by creating an environment that is professional, fun and upbeat, all while giving you a smile that you are proud to show off to the world.” VanLaecken Orthodontics strives to make the orthodontic experience fit your lifestyle.“We want to offer treatment and budgeting options that meet the goals YOU want for your smile, ” VanLaecken explains. They proudly offer the latest technology in braces, digital X-rays and precision scanners that avoid having to take goopy impressions. With these tools and being the region's only Invisalign Elite Provider, the team at VanLaecken Orthodontics can provide today's best customized orthodontic care. “Our care goes far beyond simply aligning your teeth. Modifying growth of facial structures and engineering your smile to grow with you as you age will give you a beautiful, confident smile that is a solid investment for years to come whether in your career or social life, ” Dr. VanLaecken explains. Their Smile Rewards program rewards things like good oral hygiene and makes treatment even more fun and interactive. With over 300 years of combined orthodontic experience, board certified specialists and all doctors having three years specialty training in engineering your face and smile, VanLaecken Orthodontics can help you Live Life Smiling and have a lot of fun along the journey toward your own beautiful, confident smile.
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Dr. Rob VanLaecken works with a patient at his Brookings office this spring.
Knowing When to Sell Your Home Maybe you’ve outgrown your home. Maybe you’d like to live in a different neighborhood. Whatever the reason you want to sell your home, it’s important to know the best time to put it on the market. That way, you can sell fast and get the best price possible. “Listing your home at the right time is an important step to selling fast,” said Steve Wilber, VP, Mortgage, First Bank & Trust in Brookings. “At the same time, if you meet with your mortgage lender and become prequalified for your next mortgage, you’ll be ready to buy quickly, too.” Spring or summer Warmer months tend to be known as some of the best times to sell your home. First off, prices tend to be higher since most people list their houses around this time, and houses are more in demand. After the influx of listings We just established that the most popular time of year to list is the spring or summer, so naturally, there tends to be an influx of houses listed once spring begins. A great time to list is right after that influx hits (like two or three weeks). When rent prices increase At times when rental prices are on the rise, people who previously rented an apartment might decide it’s a good time to buy a home. Every time there’s an increase, it triggers the decision processes of whether or not renters should go into the market and buy. First-time home buyers moving into the market help sellers to feel more comfortable about their prospects of moving up, too.
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During the holidays Many people consider the holiday season the worst time to sell a home; it’s the time of year when homeowners are hosting family members, putting up favorite decorations, and planning vacations. Nevertheless, it actually makes a great time to list because fewer homes on the market means buyers might actually be willing to pay more for your home. When your home is in tip-top shape You don’t have to spend thousands renovating every aspect of your home, but it does pay (literally) to make it look its absolute best before listing. Spend just a little bit of money sprucing up the home, like improving the bathrooms or kitchen, and you’ll get a much better return. For example, update the old vinyl floors or outdated cabinetry or simply apply a nice, neutral shade of paint. Removing everything personal and decluttering also helps create a fresh, clean look. If you’re selling your home, call or stop by First Bank & Trust to find out the mortgage options available to you.
First Bank & Trust, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender
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INDUSTRY/AG/TECH/RESEARCH New partnership designed to benefit manufacturers The combination of S.D. Manufacturing and Technology Solutions and the S.D. Education Campus at Brookings is designed to help Brookings’ manufacturers and businesses get the training they need for their employees without having to leave town to get it. Dan Kippley, who works in business development for MTS, explained that the Sioux Falls-based office is affiliated with the federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership. MEP is under the National Institute of Standards which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. “There’s at least one center in every state,” Kippley said. “What we really are is the MEP affiliate for South Dakota.” The offices were set up in the 1980s during the Reagan administration to help manufacturers in the United States combat foreign competition. “Our vision is to be the first choice of South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, Counterpart, Inc. General Manager Jeff Jacobson, CounSouth Dakota manufacturers, as a trusted terpart President Don Deibert, Counterpart Engineering Manager Tom Jacobson and Tim Reed, partner, to advance their economic pros- mayor of Brookings, celebrate the opening of a new addition at Counterpart in Brookings. Counperity and become the best in their mar- terpart is a partner with S.D. Manufacturing & Technology Solutions and the S.D. Education kets,” Kippley said. Campus at Brookings, benefitting by gaining more highly skilled employees which has helped As a statewide organization, MTS has their company grow and expand. more resources than the S.D. Education “We’re able to bring him in for several apprenticeship, certified nursing aid, weldCampus when it comes to attracting traindays in several cities in South Dakota ing and an industrial technology program. ing expertise to Brookings. “It really is focused not just on bettering “There are many things that MTS can where Lindsie wouldn’t be able to stick her bring to Brookings that I or the Education neck out for that kind of thing,” Kippley said. your current employees, but also just bet“We just wouldn’t have him in Brookings tering all the adults in the community as far Campus wouldn’t be able to do alone,” said Lindsie Bartley, campus director.“MTS is a if there wasn’t that partnership,” Bartley as training is concerned,” Bartley explained, “in hopes that high school students great way to enhance some of the larger said, referring to the Hoseus appearance. Kippley notes that Brookings is the sec- to any age range in the work force will stay trainings, some of the big picture trainings.” One example of the help MTS offers is ond largest manufacturing county in the in Brookings.” state, trailing only Minnehaha County. In partnership with Minnesota West leadership training. Kippley said that “We’re trying to help all com- Community and Technical College, SDEC leadership training can “help panies with the low unem- also offers college courses. Students can companies build their bench ployment rate,” Kippley earn the equivalent of a two-year liberal strength.We offer training said. “We’re trying to arts degree. to strengthen their leadhelp them become “Our classes are almost always full,” Bartership development so Our vision is to be more productive and ley said.“Our Minnesota West credits have those people become the first choice of South more efficient with grown every single semester.” better supervisors, Dakota manufacturers, as a the same number of College credits offered at SDEC can be better managers.” employees. The em- transferred to South Dakota State UniverLeadership traintrusted partner, to advance ployees are hard to sity or other four-year colleges. Bartley said ing in business is their economic prosperity find.” SDEC students aren’t looking for the colvital because many and become the best in Providing training lege experience. firms are losing seafor local employers is “Our nontraditional students aren’t looktheir markets. soned employees as the mission of the S.D. ing for a wellness center and all those the baby boomers Dan Kippley Education Campus. things,” Bartley said.“They come, they take begin to retire. “SDEC was created on their classes and they want to get on with “A lot of institutional that exact concept,” Bartley work and their life.” knowledge is going to walk said. “There’s enough business Enhancing that life is a job that falls to the out the door,” Kippley said. “The younger people have the very good skill and industry here, let’s find an entity that partnership created by MTS and the Eduset of doing the hard-core skills, but they can bring training to us rather than have cation Campus. our employees go elsewhere.” “Since we’re a statewide organization,” don’t have leadership skills.” Created two years ago, SDEC offers a Kippley said, “we’re partnering with LindThis summer, MTS will bring Michael Hoseus, author of “Toyota Culture,” to speak wide array of certificate and licensure pro- sie so we can work together, hand-in-hand, grams including a residential carpentry to help Brookings companies.” in Brookings as part of a statewide tour.
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Quality Tool in Brookings lives up to its name It was fitting that Quality Tool won Rockwell Automation’s “Quality Award” for supply chain excellence last year. On hand to accept the award with Quality Tool President Chuck Proulx was Mike Kabris, director of operations based in the company’s Brookings plant. “When your company is recognized by an industry leader like Rockwell Automation, it really speaks volumes about the caliber of your employees,” Kabris said. Quality Tool has 90 employees working at its 70,000square-foot plant in Brookings. The St. Paul, Minn.-based Quality Tool has more than 58 years of manufacturing experience. The company expanded to Brookings in 1991 with the purchase of an existing building in the industrial park. The building has been expanded three times since. At the Brookings plant, three
shifts work on stampings, milling, turning, manual machining, welding, assembly, fab-
ricated sheet metal, forming and prototypes and production. Quality Tool has customers
At Quality Tool, state-of-the-art equipment is used to serve customers in industrial, medical, technology, telecommunications and defense industries.
across industries and around the world. A strategic alliance was formed with Dongguan Longguang Electric Company in Shenzhen, China, in 2004 to meet the production needs of overseas customers. “We have a ‘full service approach’ at Quality Tool,” Kabris said. “Our company is able to design exactly what a customer needs, develop the prototype for testing and then take it all the way to full production.” State-of-the-art equipment is used to serve customers in industrial, medical, technology, telecommunications and defense industries. As a certified lean manufacturer, Quality Tool is focused on inventory reduction, shortened production cycle times and ontime delivery of both prototype and production parts. For more information about the company, visit www.quality tool.com.
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INDUSTRY/AG/TECH/RESEARCH Larson Storm Doors
More than manufacturing When you walk in through your storm door, you may think it’s just a simple door – but the complexity in design and engineering is what makes Larson Storm Doors unique. A tour through Larson Manufacturing will prove that these simple storm doors have advanced engineering, innovation and design built into each storm door.
ment, design and manufacturing to ensure fit, function and, most importantly, an exceptional experience for our customers,” said Mike Kondratuk, director of engineering. From the large robot arm that moves and cuts materials to the wall of patents, LarLarson prides itself son Manufacturing on being the innovators in has the clout to our industry. Our customers prove that it is so much more than look to us for the next new Larson’s wall of more than 20 patented designs and innovations. manufacturing. idea. Our ideas originate to “Larson has convators in our industry. Our customers look meet a customer's needs tinued to automate where it makes sense in to us for the next new idea. Our ideas origour manufacturing process. The technology inate to meet a customer's needs,” EngiAllen Lee field is constantly changing for the better, neering Manager Allen Lee said. and if we are going to keep pace, we need to This change means new tools to build consistently review our processes and smarter, leaner factories and options to exequipment to remain No. 1 in the storm door plore new innovations and techniques that New and emerging technologies are industry,” Brookings Plant Manager Ryan weren't possible before. A tooling machine on the factory floor at Larson builds new changing the face of manufacturing and Johnson said. Larson’s wall of more than 20 patented tools for new products, giving them options turning it into a sophisticated technical driven environment – and Larson Manufac- designs and innovations already estab- to build prototypes in-house with all of the lished combined with access to new tech- tools they need. turing is on board. “The development process begins with “We utilize the latest technologies to syn- nologies mean big things for the company. “Larson prides itself on being the inno- several concept designs that are created by chronize everything from product developthe engineering department utilizing 3D modeling software.These parts can now be produced in a few hours that used to take days or weeks a few years ago. The prototype is subjected to a rigorous test protocol. Once all of the design specifications are met, it is then tooled for production.” Lee said. Yet as high tech as the machining and robots on the manufacturing floor may seem, all of Larson Storm Doors still have a human touch. “Larson manufacturing employs the best of the best,” Johnson said. “Our employees are dedicated to make the best products for our customers and are open to continuous improvement to meet our customers’ needs. Each door that is built has the Larson touch and our employees take great pride in offering the best product on the market.” From its start more than 60 years ago to its now highly technical machining, Larson As high tech as the machining and robots on the manufacturing floor may seem, all of Larson Manufacturing is proof that there is so much more to manufacturing. Storm Doors still have a human touch.
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DuPont Pioneer South Dakota Research Center celebrates 10th anniversary Corn and soybean research conducted in Volga informs best options for area growers Just as they have been for the past 10 years, DuPont Pioneer researchers in Volga are hard at work identifying the best corn and soybean products to stand up to South Dakota’s tough environmental conditions. Chris Schaefer is a DuPont Pioneer research scientist who conducts corn studies under way at the facility. Schaefer notes that 2016 Pioneer research studies will include testing pre-commercial products for traits like root strength, brittle snap resistance and Goss’s Wilt resistance. The Volga facility also conducts testing for new transgenic events, using trap crops with added corn rootworm pressure to evaluate the effectiveness of corn hybrid resistance when the pest is present. The Volga soybean research program in 2016 will again be evaluating thousands of unique pre-commercial varieties across multiple South Dakota testing environments. These lines have been selected to contain the defensive traits that South Dakota customers have come to expect from DuPont Pioneer, such as phytophthora root rot tolerance, brown stem rot resistance and soybean cyst nematode resistance. The full-time research staff at the Volga facility has a wide range of educational
The DuPont Pioneer South Dakota Research Center in Volga is celebrating its 10th anniversary of identifying the best corn and soybean products to stand up to South Dakota’s tough environmental conditions. backgrounds, from entomology and animal “Having a college and technical school science to plant breeding and agronomy. with such strong agriculture programs so The team hires 10 to 20 seasonal employ- near our facility is a great asset,” Schaefer ees each spring and summer to help with said. “We get a lot of our seasonal and infield trials, offering an excellent opportunity tern candidates right in our own backyard, for college students in ag programs to get so we know they understand the area and some hands-on experience with seed prod- the issues we face.” uct research. Internships are also available Area residents interested in seasonal job each season. Additional short-term em- opportunities should call administrative speployees are added during the July pollinat- cialist Gena Hult at 605-627-9167. Interning season, including high school students ships and other full or part-time openings are from the surrounding communities. posted on www.careers.dupont.com.
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The start of the Green Revolution The Green Revolution started here in a backyard in Brookings, according to Kevin Kephart, vice president for research and economic development. The seed from which it grew was Hope wheat, a successful breeding outcome 100 years ago by South Dakota State University graduate Edgar S. McFadden (left). The discovery was no accident. It was the result of early purpose-driven research to address stem rust, a fungus that corrodes the stalk and shrivels production of wheat. It was wiping out as much as 50 percent of the continent’s wheat production during epidemics in the early 1900s. McFadden experienced that first-hand in Webster when he took over operation of the family farm in 1904 at age 12 after his father was badly injured. Before harvest, the wheat crop was attacked by stem rust. Stalks broke, kernels shriveled and what should have been a 40-bushel-per-acre yield was reduced to only five bushels per acre. In McFadden’s time, starvation was to be feared. Rust tended to go in cycles, often in connection with weather patterns. Hope changed that. McFadden entered the South Dakota School of Agriculture in fall 1911 with an idea: Was it possible to cross an ancient variety of wheat that resisted stem rust with common bread wheat? Scientists of the time said no, the plants were too different. But McFadden, encouraged by his professor, Manley Champlin, did it anyway. He made the cross in the garden of a Brookings boarding house on the southwest corner of Eighth Avenue and Ninth Street in 1916. The result was a small handful of poorly developed seeds, only one of which grew when planted the following spring. But that plant yielded more than 100 seeds, which McFadden planted in 1918 at the South Dakota State College research station in Highmore. Over the next seven years, descendants of that single seed were cultivated, segregated and selected until, in 1925, a variety designated as H49-24 was given the name “Hope wheat” because of its resistance to stem rust and hail damage, and its high yield and protein content. In the spring of 1926, it was distributed to other experiment stations for use as a parent. By World War II, some 15 million acres of wheat derived from that initial strain were planted. In 1943, U.S. wheat production totaled 23 million tons, up 3 million tons from 1939. The yields fed not only America and its troops, but millions of others worldwide. In 1945, McFadden’s specimens were introduced to Mexico, where research was underway to make it and other developing nations become grain sufficient. Doctoral student Bimal Paudel, left, and Yang Yen, a professor in the Department of Biology and The result was the green revolution. And Microbiology, examine wheat that Paudel had prevouisly inoculated with Fusarium graminit continues today with work done by Karl earum to identify which gene in a wheat variety is responsible for resistance to the fungi which Glover and Sunish Seghal, who are using causes head blight. Paudel has identified one candidate gene and will determine how that gene expresses itself to trigger resistance to the pathogen. SDSU’s Northeast Research Station in technology for better precision and maxi- South Shore is the main site where spring wheat grower discussions take place. Winter wheat mum genetic gain and with a modified research and trials are conducted at five SDSU farms and another 10 locations where trials are conducted on producer/cooperator farms. strategy for long-term goals.
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INDUSTRY/AG/TECH/RESEARCH SDSU College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences prepares students to feed the world The College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences at South Dakota State University covers a continuum from biology to animal health, food science and natural resource management. The college has a three-fold mission to teach, conduct research and use Extension programs to serve people in South Dakota and around the world, explains Barry Dunn, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council Endowed Dean of the SDSU College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences and SDSU Extension Director. The College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences is organized into eight different academic departments. Service and research laboratories, the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU and regional Extension offices are also vital to the college mission.
The Breadth of the Programs in the College of Ag & Bio Sciences “I am proud and amazed at the diversity of the programs in the SDSU College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences and the career opportunities that await our graduates, ” Dunn says. “Overlaying all of our diverse programs is our land-grant mission that not only includes teaching, but also research and outreach. How do we make these missions work together for the benefit of not only our students, but other stakeholders? It means that after one of our outstanding faculty members teaches a class in cell biology, for example, they will move down the hall to their research laboratory where they may be studying an aspect of a plant or animal disease. Or a researcher in biofuels will teach a course in agricultural engineering.” Students in the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences can learn more about their chosen fields by participating
in a myriad of hands-on learning activities. Within close proximity to campus, state-ofthe-art livestock production facilities provide real-world learning opportunities. Students in the Natural Resource Management Department are only minutes away from the picturesque Oak Lake Field Station, where research and learning intersect on topics from wildlife and fisheries science to range management. Students in the Biology and Microbiology Department may be pursuing pre-professional majors on a path toward medical school, for example, and become well-prepared by working in the undergraduate human gross anatomy lab. Students who wish to become veterinarians can find oncampus work in the South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (SD ADRDL). The SD ADRDL is the only accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory in the state, and is located at SDSU within the Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department. Additional hands-on learning is taking place in campus greenhouses, a meats lab and retail meat sales facility, dairy processing plant and dozens of research laboratories. Excitement is building as construction begins this spring on a new 1.3-acre Local Foods Education Center on the SDSU campus as part of the Plant Science Department. This new teaching and learning facility will benefit SDSU students and community members interested in local foods production. The research mission of the college provides opportunities for students at all levels. Undergraduate students can conduct research projects under the guidance of faculty and alongside graduate students.
Conclusion
While summing up the critical role each department plays within the college, Dunn points out that the fields associated with agriculture and biology are growing broader and deeper as understanding of the scientific principles underlying them continues to grow. Each department helps students grasp the cutting-edge knowledge necessary to succeed in their chosen Students in SDSU’s College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences careers.“Here in the Colget involved in plenty of in-the-field research. lege of Agriculture and
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SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences Undergraduate Majors Agricultural and Resource Economics Agricultural Business Agricultural Education, Communication and Leadership Agricultural Science two- and four-year degrees Agricultural Systems Technology Agronomy Animal Science Biology Biotechnology Dairy Manufacturing Dairy Production Ecology and Environmental Science Food Science Horticulture Microbiology Natural Resource Law Enforcement Rangeland Ecology and Management Precision Agriculture* Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Pre-Professional Areas of Study including: Pre-Chiropractic Pre-Dental Pre-Medicine Pre-Mortuary Science Pre-Optometry Pre-Physician Assistant Pre-Veterinary Medicine *Pending Board Of Regents approval
SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences Departments Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Dr. Van Kelley, department head Animal Science Dr. Joseph Cassady, department head Biology & Microbiology Dr. Volker Brozel, department head Dairy Science Dr. Vikram Mistry, department head Economics Dr. Eluned Jones, department head Natural Resource Management Dr. Michele Dudash, department head Plant Science Dr. David Wright, department head Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences – Dr. Jane Christopher- Hennings, department head Biological Sciences at SDSU, we are proud of our role in the workforce and economic development of our state and region,” he concludes.“There is no question that in the lives of our students, the knowledge and skills they master during their time at SDSU will help them differentiate themselves in a highly competitive, knowledgebased economy.”
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HOME/HOME IMPROVEMENT
Helping others reach their potential There’s no place like home, and when you’re looking for your next home, the folks at Century 21 Gustafson, Krogman & Associates are ready to help with 21st century technology and services paired with oldfashioned neighborliness. As home buyers continue to first turn to the web – as many as 80 percent of buyers look online before reaching out to an agent – the local Century 21 crew has worked on staying up-to-date with customer demands. With an increasingly mobile clientele who want to be able to check the Century 21 website on their mobile devices, they’ve made good use of the mobile version of their website and their app. Since it is the only franchise in town, it has relationships with more than 600 websites through Century 21 nationwide to post listings and make sure that the information is as up-to-date and accurate as possible. Brothers Matt and Ryan Krogman are excited about the implementation of new showing software and transaction software that will help make information and dealings more immediate and convenient for everybody involved. The showing software allows showing reports to come instantly to the office and au-
tomatically go to the seller so they don’t have to wait for a response from the agent conducting the showing. Feedback, Ryan said, has been positive. “They like how quick it is, but they also like to be able to email it from their phone, to click on it and have access to it right away rather than wait the next day for a phone call.” The transaction software allows for e-signatures, eliminating the need for handling tedious physical documents. “Some clients want a phone call every time, and if those clients want a phone call and a fax copy of something because that’s what they’re comfortable with, we can do it,” Matt said.“We used to have to scan it in to them and they had to print it out, physically sign it, scan it again and email it back to us. Now, we can send it to them and they can read everything on their screen.” And once the agents got the hang of the new technology, they’ve loved the freedom it gives them and their clients. “We used to keep just a paper file and if a client needed a signed document on a Sunday, if the agent was out of town, they’d have to wait until Monday to get that physically,” Matt said.“Now, they have access to that on their tablet and can send it directly to the client right away.”
It’s just another way to provide the quality service they strive for. It’s easy to see their signs across Brookings, to see their building along 22nd Avenue or any of their moving vehicles, but it’s the little things like that that can really make a difference. Their dedication to providing up-to-date technologies to stay apace industry needs in the 21st century has not only paid off, but been recognized as well. In 2015, Century 21 Gustafson, Krogman & Associates earned the Quality Service award and the Gold Medallion award. It’s a bit of a rarity to win both in the same year since it’s difficult to walk the line of attention to customer satisfaction and strong sales numbers, but it’s another sign of the hard work that goes on at Century 21. “Some companies will focus only on production and less on customer service and how you treat the client. All that matters to them is how much you produce,” Matt explained.“To be able to have that production while maintaining customer service is not easy to do, but it’s what we strive for every day.” The men and women of Century 21 Gustafson, Krogman & Associates can be reached by phone toll free at 800-743-2959. They can be found at 323 22nd Ave. in Brookings and www.Century21Brookings.com.
Century 21 Gustafson, Krogman and Associates has expanded into the entire building at 323 22nd Ave, to meet its space needs.
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HOME/HOME IMPROVEMENT An exciting new development from Mills Development Mills Development Corporation has decades of experience in developing real estate projects as varied as a simple retail build out in a strip mall to the multi-decade completion of a master planned mixed-use community. In Brookings, places with well-known names like Village Square, Indian Hills and Meadow Green are synonymous with Mills Development. The latest, and its largest to date, is Prairie Hills, a sprawling 210-acre planned community in south Brookings designed to include not only a variety of housing options, but amenities ranging from a grocery store to a retail plaza, as well as a lakeside park. Prairie Hills is bordered by Main Avenue South on the west and Medary Avenue on the east.The northern border is 20th Street South, and the southern border is 32nd Developer John Mills and Broker Ron Borchardt stand at the 20th Street South entrance to Street South. With the city bike trail and Fishback Soc- Prairie Hills, a sprawling 210-acre planned community in south Brookings designed to include not only a variety of housing options, but amenities ranging from a grocery store to a retail cer complex adjacent to the east, the plaza, as well as a lakeside park. Dakota Nature Park close by to the southeast and the new Dakota Prairie Elemen- Intended as a hub for dining, shopping, enPrairie Hills is planned for numerous tary just to the west, the location is perfect tertainment and seasonal festivities, the de- housing options to fit anyone's needs. Sinfor anyone wanting to experience an active sign features of the multilevel plaza include gle-family homes, twin homes, row housing, lifestyle in the vibrant and growing south- a variety of seating/gathering options, a loft apartments and condominiums are all ern section of town. stage for outdoor entertainment or presen- envisioned possibilities, with each carefully Visitors can enter Prairie Hills from 20th tations, a community bell tower, an en- planned to fit in balance within the master Street South, where a wide, landscaped trance pergola, ornamental landscaping planned community. median with a large Prairie Hills sign wall and a pond and water feature. “The Landing,” an 80 to 90 unit twin home announces your arrival on Tall Grass ParkThe trail system winding through the de- development, is located in the northeast way, one of the native plant/animal velopment will be accessed by residents portion of Prairie Hills. Owners at The named streets leading into the in the grassed open and nature Landing enjoy access to a neighborhood heart of the community. areas designed to flow community building and close proximity to An expansive commerthroughout Prairie Hills. service and recreation opportunities. Concial area in the northWith The layout of the trail struction in “The Landing” began in 2013 west corner, dubbed system connects resi- with home sales in this upscale community a smile and a “The Crossing,” is dences to all commu- moving steadily. handshake, we strive planned to be annity open spaces, the As one moves south through the develfor success, not just for chored by a grocery park and the com- opment, a large central roundabout marks us, but for all we work store and retail dismercial district, the transition to residential neighborhoods trict. making all of Prairie on gently curving streets and into cozy culwith – as a standard, “The Crossings” at Hills very pedestrian de-sacs. The residential lots are arranged every time. Prairie Hills is infriendly. with rear access to a common open space tended to meet the Street underpasses and nature areas and the development's John Mills growing grocery, shopat busy crossings will trail system, where pedestrian underping and dining needs of allow for uninterrupted passes safely separate kids and cars. the rapidly expanding trail connectivity while enMaster planning, unexpected extras and south/southwest portion of the hancing the safety of bicyclers attention to detail are Mills Development community. A limited number of commerand pedestrians. A special feature of Prairie hallmarks. At Prairie Hills, developers have cial sites along 20th Street South are avail- Hills will be the Lakeside Park. The north raised the bar again. able for immediate sale or lease while section of this lake area is already in place “We believe the long view is the best view,” much more commercial land will be on the with the larger portion to be created in the say developer John Mills and Broker Ron market later. near future. The park features a planned Borchardt.“With a smile and a handshake, we A dining and retail plaza is an important 1.2-mile looped trail with a connection to strive for success, not just for us, but for all part of the design within “The Crossings.” the city bike trail. we work with – as a standard, every time.”
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Brookings now, Brookings tomorrow Sustainability Council pursues the dream “For this council, sustainability shall mean stewardship of all our resources in such a way that we can maintain a quality place to live today and leave a legacy of enhancement for generations.” So reads the mission statement of the Brookings Sustainability Council, an 11member group representing a wide crosssection of the community, with expertise in such diverse areas as manufacturing, agriculture, arts and sciences and operation of a regional landfill. The council was formed in 2011 and hit the deck running. Norma Nusz Chandler, of the South Dakota State University Department of Construction & Operations Management, said, “We as a council felt something needed to be done.We needed to get a baseline and understand how Brookings fits what our sustainable levels are.” Chandler went on to chair the council from 2012 to 2014 and took the lead on developing a baseline, which demanded the compilation of “an immense amount of data into meaningful, measurable text.” The outcome was “Brookings Benchmarks” – a“baseline sustainability report”– compiled by Chandler and the council. It took from 2012 to 2014. The key to turning the benchmarks into sustainability is a set of 11 principles, with a total of 56 indicators tied to those principles. Under each principle are four to eight indicators that measure the progress of the benchmarks. The principles are: regional economy, smart energy use, smart resource use, community design, green buildings, healthy local food, community knowledge, clean water, reasonable mobility, healthy air and native plants and animals. As an example of the match of indicators to principles, consider regional economy. Its indicators are: growth in gross domestic product (GDP) per capita; net job growth; unemployment rate; economic section diversity; poverty; gender wage gap; debt burden; and interest rate on municipal bonds. Remaining indicators spread across other principles include groundwater conservation; trash/refuse generation, historic preser-
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vation, affordable housing, healthy foods, and proximity to healthy foods. Sustainability not a new philosophy In developing the benchmarks, the Brookings Sustainability Council did not have to reinvent the wheel. Members had access to a sustainable indicator model developed for the city of Dubuque, Iowa, by the University of Iowa. The model uses a combination of historical data for the home city, in this case the city of Brookings, and comparison community statistics. Brookings was compared to five “peer cities” relative to sustainability: Dubuque, Iowa; Manhattan, Kan.; Grand Forks, N.D.; Grand Island, Neb.; and St. Cloud, Minn. While they all have larger populations, Chandler pointed out their similarities to Brookings: “They all have colleges; they’re all ag-based in different forms; they have some manufacturing.” While some people may see “sustainability” as a buzzword for the 21st Century, it’s not a new philosophy. “It evolved over time,” Chandler said. “We’ve had sustainability within the United States for more than 200 years. Some of our first documented signs of it came in the late 1800s when cities were developing. We needed to maintain clean streets and a healthy environment for people, because we had horses as a mode of transportation, plus the beginning of industrial pollution. “During the late 1800s and early 1900s is
when we started having conservation in our national parks. Sustainability has evolved over time. We called it conservation; we called it green.” Good neighbors, good stewards Looking at the scope of the council’s undertakings in today’s world, Chandler said, “Sustainability – it’s a very, very large umbrella. It’s natural resources; but it’s social aspects. You’re not offending your neighbors, but you’re also building and developing your mind through the arts. “And there’s an economic element to sustainability. When we talk about projects being sustainable, it means we want to minimize the use of natural resources.” And projects undertaken need to be in agreement with other members of the community. Chandler explained,“Brookings residents have to be both good neighbors and good stewards. Essentially every resident is a stakeholder because they’ll be impacted by multiple elements. “It’s a tool for us to understand where we should direct our energy and also to understand what the needs and interests of the community are.” Finally, it’s “a way to educate and to help the people of Brookings to understand where things are.” She concluded,“It really boils down to maintaining a life so that our children have good quality food; that they feel safe in the community; that they have heat; they can travel when they need to and they aren’t restricted. “Sustainability means stewardship of all of our resources in such a way that we can maintain a quality of life today and leave a legacy of enhancement for future generations.”
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Parks & Rec creating community “What I believe the Brookings Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department does for the city is, simply put, creating community through people, parks and programs,” said Dan Brettschneider, director of Parks, Recreation & Forestry. Brookings has a population of more than 22,000 with an additional 10,000-plus people attending South Dakota State University. The Parks, Recreation & Forestry team has 21 full-time employees with approximately 120 part-time seasonal employees to keep things running at the 23 parks that encompass 643 acres, multiple miles of trails and numerous programs that add to the quality of life in Brookings.
Hillcrest Aquatic Center The seasonal schedule for the Aquatic Center is May 28 through late August. The hours are noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Individual season tickets (tax is extra) for all ages are $50, for a family of three it's $120, and for each additional family member it's $20. Daily admissions are $5 for all ages. Children one year old and under are admitted free. Important season ticket information: All season ticket holders (including all family members) will be issued a photo ID and must possess this ID when entering the aquatic center. Season ticket purchasers are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets/IDs prior to the season from 3-6 p.m. May 25-27 at the pool, or after May 27 during open hours of the pool. “We have a great line-up of special events,” Brettschneider said, including Brookings Swim Club Invitational on June 10-12, Father's Day Aquatic Center Special on June 19, Water Carnival on Aug. 6, Duck Pluck on Aug. 21, and the 4th Annual Soggy Doggy Day on Aug. 21.
Red Cross Swim Lessons Hillcrest Aquatic Center will offer three sessions of swimming lessons, from June 623, June 27-July 14 and July 18-Aug. 4. Reg-
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istration is required and all participants must be four years old or older and no older than 16 years on the first day of class. There will be no classes held on July 4. Lessons will be at the Hillcrest pool and Brookings High School pool. Hillcrest also offers a Red Cross Junior Lifeguarding program July 18Aug. 3 for kids 1114 years old who are interested in becoming lifeguards when they're old enough. Registration deadline is July 14. “We're always looking for lifeguards. This class is a great opportunity to give them a peek at what it's all about,” Brettschneider said.
EdgeBrook Golf Course
The Hillcrest Aquatic Center provides hours of endless fun during the summer months in Brookings. This year’s season begins May 28.
The EdgeBrook Golf Course is an 18-hole facility. The regulation 18 holes play at 6,200 yards with par 70. There is a ninehole par three short course for juniors, beginners and experienced golfers who wish to improve their “short” game. All season tickets must be purchased at the EdgeBrook Clubhouse. The course received a facelift in the fall of 2015 to solve a drainage problem and Brettschneider said it will improve disbursement of water on the front nine, “improving the golf experience and hopefully bringing in some new golfers,” he said. “Last year was the first year that we had a partnership with First Tee Golf Program (for kids ages 4-17). The First Tee program improves the lives of young people by providing educational programs in a learning environment that builds character, promotes values and healthy choices through the game of golf,” Brettschneider said.“The goal was 20-30 kids, we had 217. The First Tee team do an awesome job and we're looking forward to the second year of that program.”
Adult Corn Hole League at EdgeBrook Golf Course New this year is Adult Corn Hole League or bean-bag competition on Mondays, from May 2 to Aug. 22. Teams will consist of two people. For more information or registration forms, call the Parks & Rec office.
Dakota Nature Park Dakota Nature Park is a 135-acre park where visitors can fish, watch birds, hike, bike, snowshoe, cross-country ski, ice skate, canoe and kayak, and have picnics. The public can rent the buildings or equipment such as kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, adaptive bikes and mountain bikes. There are kayaking lessons and Funtastic Fishing Fridays, where the bait and equipment is provided. “As a department, we strive for excellent customer service,” Brettschneider said. You can find information and register for programs online at www.cityofbrookings.org or call our office at (605) 692-2708 weekdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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Landfill continues solid waste service Expands with sustainability and improved environmental programs The staff of the City of Brookings Regional Landfill has been serving the Brookings area for years, safely taking in and processing the region’s solid waste. The regional landfill is committed to the management of solid waste by encouraging the public to engage in more sustainable lifestyles, especially in regard to recycling, transforming the waste into energy and operating an environmentally safe landfill in a cost-efficient manner. In particular, the average citizen is familiar with the typical landfill services of garbage and recycling collection, yard waste pickup and Christmas tree pickup for the residents of Brookings. But according to Director of Solid Waste Management Todd Langland what they might not know is the robust composting program that’s been going on since 1999. Anything from grass clippings, leaves, yard waste bags, garden waste, wood chips, straw or hay is placed into massive piles at the landfill. It stays in that pile for a year, than it’s moved into a windrow to begin the composting process. There are currently four windrows that are busy at work decomposing the rubbish. To help speed up
the process, water can be sprayed on the The yard waste bags are picked up on material that is composting. From start to Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of finish, the composting process can each week based on your address. take 18 months. The yard waste bag program When those 18 months are has grown from 26,000 bags through, the resulting comin 1998 to 72,000 bags in It’s post is then screened and 2015. made available for resi“It’s another way to another way dents to use in gardens give back to the commuto give back to the or for small areas of nity. The residents of community. lawn or even for potted Brookings take pride in plants. how their property looks Todd Langland The compost is free to by mowing, planting the residents, and Langflower beds and picking up land said he’s happy his dethe leaves. So, if they do need partment can provide this some compost material for yard service. projects, they have an opportunity A big part of the compost material is col- for that,” he said. lected from the City of Brookings curbside As the community continues to grow, the yard waste program. The Solid Waste Col- compost program will grow with it and that lection has a yard waste program that will result in more opportunities to put the starts in April and ends in November each compost material to good use. year. This program is funded by the sale of The landfill offers a service where they City of Brookings yard waste bags, which will load small pickups and trailers by apare available at the following businesses: pointment on Wednesdays only. If you WalMart, Hy-Vee and Hy-Vee Gas Stop, would like to have your vehicles loaded, Lewis Drug Store, Homestead-Do-It Cen- please call ahead and make an appointter, Lowes, Running’s, and Gas and Mor. ment. The phone number is 693-3667.
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Brookings Regional Landfill Director Todd Langland collects some compost from the landfill’s pile. The compost, anything from grass clippings, leaves, yard waste bags, garden waste, wood chips, straw or hay, is available for free to city residents.
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Another good thing growing in Brookings Are you new to Brookings, or have you lived here your entire life? Even if you have lived here for decades you may not have heard yet about us – the Institute of Lutheran Theology. Yet we are the “other” school of higher education in Brookings. Unlike SDSU, however, we are not a comprehensive institution with undergraduate and graduate programs in many fields. We do two things: 1) We are a graduate school of theology that offers a masters of arts in religion, a masters of divinity, a masters of sacred theology, and a Doctorate of ministry, and 2) we are a certificate school offering courses of interest to congregations, training to individuals seeking leadership roles in congregations, and education for many international contexts, including South Sudan, Ethiopia, Southeast The Institute of Lutheran Theology has students across the globe, thanks to its online presence. Asia, India and the Congo. Why have you not perhaps heard of us? call us “ILT” – has a library. Ours has about working hard at it and hope to have gained Well, we are very new, incorporating in De- 30,000 physical books and journals with full institutional accreditation within the cember 2007 and offering graduate another 20,000 monographs and periodi- next three years. And what about financial courses since the fall of 2009. And, of cals online. We have classrooms, adminis- aid? Yes, we have it. And is there housing course, we are not very big yet, at least by trative offices and conference rooms of for students? Yes, this is available for those worldly standards – though having a 70- various kinds and computers. wanting to come to Brookings. student headcount a semester is bigger The last is for us very important.You see, ILT does not merely teach online. We than many seminaries. we use the latest online technology to de- have international students in Sioux Falls, Also, since we tend to be known in liver a fully-interactive residential class- in Omaha, in Des Moines and in Cedar Lutheran circles only, our name would room experience anywhere in the world Rapids. We teach African students in resilikely not come up as table talk for many having a broadband Internet connection. dence because cross-cultural teaching is readers of this article. We have students in online courses with us difficult in an online setting. While new, small and Lutheran probthroughout North America and in We also go to where the students are. ILT ably explains why we are not well India. faculty traveled to Ethiopia last fall, to known, none of these things is We have graduated more Southeast Asia this spring, and are planThe an excuse for not being than 20 of these students ning to be in the Congo and India later this good. But I hear the quesInstitute of already from our various year. tion: “Can anything good programs. Most are now People are starting to hear about us, and Lutheran Theology come out of Brookings?” pastoring congrega- the number of international connections is something that has Many good things tions in the United we are making is growing rapidly. have emerged out of been growing and States and Canada, Perhaps our growing reputation is why Brookings. SDSU leads though some are work- we were recently selected to be featured in developing in the list, of course, but we ing in academic settings the Voices of America series on public TV. Brookings for a cannot forget Larson as administrators and (They are doing a series titled,“Leaders in Doors, Daktronics, Fishnumber of teachers. Some are in the the Future of Education.”) We are happy to back Financial, and many mission field. receive the film crew to Brookings for a day years. other businesses that have We are tough academically of shooting ILT and the town from which it national and international con– some think we are too rigorous. emerged. nections. Many of our faculty have an international Want to know more about us? Visit our The Institute of Lutheran Theology is scholarly reputation. All of these faculty do website at www.ilt.org, or call 605-692something that has been growing and de- not live in Brookings, of course. They don’t 9337. Or stop down and visit us in the first veloping in Brookings for a number of need to because of our online technology. floor of the old Catholic rectory next to the years, almost under the radar. We are, in But people do continue to move to Brook- Old Sanctuary. We are Lutheran, and the fact, an institution owning property – the ings to work at ILT. And next fall we shall coffee is always on! Old Sanctuary (the former St.Thomas More have students on fellowships beginning *ILT is a non-profit SD corporation havCatholic Church campus). We are also rap- residencies with us as well. And the year ing 501c(3) status. We accept donations idly gaining a national and international after that, we shall be training seminary and gifts from around the world, and have reputation. faculty from Africa here in Brookings. We received more than $3 million in donations Like any institution of higher learning, the welcome you all to Brookings! since inception. All gifts to ILT are tax Institute of Lutheran Theology – our friends But what about accreditation? Yes, we are deductible.
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A vision for the future Be proactive. Grow and expand as the city grows and expands. That’s the goal of Brookings Street Department Superintendent Matt Bartley. Bartley sees his mission tied to the city’s continuing efforts to improved “livability.” He explained,“I think that is our mission: to provide the most livable street conditions, safety conditions, traffic signaling, snow operations, all things so motorists don’t have to deal with adverse road conditions.” Bartley strives to stay ahead of issues “before they become such major problems that they demand an emergency fix. An emergency fix can become a Bandaid fix.” He added that “Bandaid fixes will cost the city more money down the road in future maintenance.” Bottom line: “If we’re proactive in determining where we’re going down the road – and this might take a couple years – I think we’ll find ourselves with a better strategy, more of an organized approach to how we can meet challenges.” Bartley’s strategy is undertaken with a crew of 14 to 15 full-time employees and
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The Brookings Street Department will soon be at home in a new 36,000-square-foot maintenance facility on Front Street.
about four part-time summer-help employees, two assigned to the asphalt crew and two to the painting and sign maintenance crew. His fleet of vehicles has about 30 pieces of rolling stock. Crews have a big job that will get even bigger as the city adds lane miles. The street department will face more demand for such services as general maintenance and snow removal. What will be vital in completing the
Street Department’s mission is a new 36,000-square-foot maintenance facility. The facility was designed to accommodate future growth so it can grow with the city. Its features include: eight pull-through bays; a wash bay that can also be used by the police and fire departments; a training area for continuing education; a mechanics bay with a truck lift; and a paint shop with more storage for its sign inventory. Today the Brookings Street Department’s future can be summed up in a word: proactive.
Volga just keeps growing, improving With a long list of projects and improvements, it’s no wonder that Volga keeps growing. Two housing developments are helping to spur that growth. “We have two developments, one on the east and one on the west right now,” said Volga Finance Officer Ashley Rentsch.“The west side development is more affordable
housing.The east side is just the lots where people can buy them and build whatever they want.” As Brookings County struggles to offer more affordable housing, some buyers are finding the solution to their problem in Volga. “They’re very popular,” Rentsch said of the developments. “I’d say every time a house is built out on the west side it gets bought really quick. The lots are going quickly on the east side, too.” While new houses spring up in Volga, city leaders, including new Mayor Randy Santema, are busy working on community improvements. “We are now in the planning stages of a new activity center to replace the auditorium,” Rentsch said. Proposed to be in The Sunrise Development on the east side of Volga is helping spur growth in town. the city park, just
south of the swimming pool, the activity center is the subject of the bi-weekly meetings of a planning committee.With the help of Banner Associates, the committee should have a design picked out sometime in May. Once the new activity center is open, Rentsch explained that the city will issue a request for proposals for the old auditorium. “People can, if they’re interested, tell us what they want to do with the building,” Rentsch said.“The council can decide if it’s a good fit for the building.” Volga’s downtown renovation also saw progress in the past year. “The Volga Development Corporation’s Downtown Revitalization Program is a $5,000 matching grant to restore storefronts,” Rentsch said. “CC’s Bar and Grill was one of their main ones last year. Now it has nice new windows.” Volga residents are working together to create a new park. “There’s a group of community members working on fundraising for a small park on the east side,” Rentsch said.“It’s going to be located in the First Reformed Church lot.”
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COMMUNITY LIFESTYLES First Presbyterian Church
All generations serving Christ together Joyful, spirit-filled worship in a beautiful sanctuary. A warm environment where real friendships form and grow. Loving outreach and service to others. These are just a few notable qualities of First Presbyterian Church, a multi-generational congregation that has been part of the Brookings community for more than 130 years. As a church in the Presbyterian tradition, this congregation is led primarily by elected lay people. Current pastor Kristie Berglund believes her primary role is to inspire, encourage and equip all the people of the church to love and serve Jesus in active and meaningful ways. Worship services at FPC provide opportunities for people of all ages to participate – for instance, by joining a music group (such as choir or praise band), reading
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Scripture, giving the children’s message, sharing about mission opportunities or greeting people as they arrive. Weekly small group Bible studies and fellowship groups encourage deeper relationships with God and one another. Service projects bring church members together to make a difference in the community, and mission support enables that impact to spread worldwide. First Presbyterian Church places a high value on training children and youth as disciples of the Lord and helping them discover their great value in God’s kingdom. High school students are given the opportunity to participate in inner city missions. Younger kids serve smiles and baked treats to homebound congregation members. No matter where you are in your journey of life and faith, there is a place for you in this loving church family.
Come enjoy joyful, spirit-filled worship in a beautiful sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church, 405 Seventh Ave., Brookings.
Hometown grocery store thriving At a time when many small South Dakota communities are losing their grocery stores, Jager’s Grocery in Volga, owned and operated by Jeff and Sharon Jager, is alive and thriving. And the husband-and-wife team work hard to ensure that the store continues to serve their loyal customers. They bought the Volga store in 1999. Prior to that they had a store in Lake Norden and a locker in Hayti. They tried to expand so they “could buy better, in larger volume, and buy cheaper and sell cheaper and, quite honestly, make more money.” In 2002, the Jagers found themselves having to compete with the big-box stores and super centers. “That was squeezing our percentage down more and more all the time,” Jeff explained, “But yet every year we continued to grow. Our sales are still growing – which is good.” However, since the Jagers are nearing retirement age they recently sold the stores in Hayti and Lake Norden. Jager Grocery offers a full-service grocery store: produce; groceries; their own cut meats; and an in-house bakery and limited deli with salads, pies, cheesecake and fresh rolls daily.
Customers come from the surrounding focus on Jager’s. rural area and also from Brookings. Jeff Finally, “We are online. You can go to said, “We have some very good, loyal cus- jagersgrocery.com and look at our ad. You tomers. They’re happy; we’re happy. can pull it up every week. You can have it “We find a lot of times that some people delivered to your mailbox. We also have a are surprised at what we have to offer. Jager’s Grocery Facebook page. If you have We’ve got a real good reputation for meat a chance, ‘like us’ on Facebook.” Jeff said. and produce. Our meat is all from American sources.” The Jagers have a business philosophy with four key points. No. 1, keep regular hours, so people know when the store is open. No. 2, provide the best service possible while always trying to improve. No. 3, be as competitive as possible. No. 4, don’t be concerned with the competition, but offer the best deal In a time of big box stores and supercenters, Jager’s Grocery remains possible with a a growing, thriving community grocery store in Volga.
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Share your faith journey at GracePoint Visit GracePoint Wesleyan’s website and the first thing you’ll see is their vision – “Encounter Grace,”“Grow in Grace” and “Give Grace.” The church, located at 1420 Orchard Drive in Brookings, seeks to help people encounter grace and grow in grace by providing relevant, engaging preaching and worship. GracePoint services are relaxed and non-traditional and provide a welcoming environment in which people can worship. GracePoint believes people aren't
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meant to engage their faith journey alone; they need community. For this reason they focus on "growth groups," offering a wide range of relevant topics, as a means of encouraging and challenging one another to develop and deepen their relationships with Jesus Christ. GracePoint also has vibrant youth and children’s ministries. These ministries engage students with the hope of the gospel through teaching, worship and events. The Youth and Children’s ministries also equip parents to provide spiritual training for their children. Oasis, its college ministry, meets on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. and is an opportunity for college students to worship together. The church encourages people to become grace givers by providing opportunities for them to share
Christ’s love through tangible acts of service. GracePoint’s OneThing program highlights an opportunity each month to serve others. The OneThing program involves helping non-profits like the food pantry, Habitat for Humanity or the Salvation Army or serving the community through events like Trunk-or-Treat or a Drive-In Movie Night. GracePoint Wesleyan Church is part of The Wesleyan Church, an evangelical, Protestant denomination, which has its roots in John Wesley's Methodism. Over its 60-plus years of ministry, GracePoint has grown from a group of six charter members to an average worship attendance of more than 1,500. GracePoint’s size gives it the resources to offer ministry to people of all ages. At the same time, church leaders have discovered that they don’t have to sacrifice relational closeness. Church members develop close relationships with others through the Growth Groups and serving. Worship services are held Sundays at 8:45, 10 and 11:15 a.m. For more information, visit www.gracepointwesleyan.org.
SDSU Kindergarten, part of the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education, is a learning experience not only for its students, but also for its teacher-researchers.
Teachers, students learning at SDSU Kindergarten
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The SDSU Laboratory School began in 1928 when Helen Young established a play group. Majors learned best practices in child development, guidance and lesson planning in an applied laboratory setting. Her original intent remains true today. Now part of the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education, which also includes a kindergarten laboratory, the center’s mission is consistent with that of the university to generate knowledge of teaching and learning, prepare teachers and serve families and the local community. The SDSU Kindergarten is a collaborative program between SDSU and the Brookings School District. The families select the SDSU Kindergarten as an alternative placement during the annual screening process. Then the school district completes a lottery drawing for placement. Teaching and learning are closely connected through the teacher’s role of teacher-researcher. Each classroom develops a teacher research project implemented by the entire teaching team. In addition, the laboratory school invites research opportunities from faculty across the campus. Children and families have been part of nutrition and exercise studies, visual rhinking strategies, Sanford Harmony Project and an interior design partnership to give input into the designs of children’s furniture. As teacher-researchers, change agents, activists, and reflective thinkers who study teaching practices and the experiences of children in systematic ways, they are able to address real problems of practice and improve educational processes. In essence, the Fishback Center is a place where theories and ideas are demonstrated and researched, and where new knowledge about children and practice are generated. ECE majors gain teaching experience under the guidance of Master teachers. The ratio of children to teachers is usually 5:1. teaching and learning connects to many campus resources, such as, etymology, music, the South Dakota Art Museum, the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, art, athletics, physical education and physics. The kindergarten experiences PE and music with teacher education majors from their disciplines. They have weekly guidance counseling interactions with a guidance counselor, a graduate student in the counseling program. The kindergarten puts curriculum together in innovative ways to meet South Dakota education standards and engage children in multiple ways of learning.
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COMMUNITY LIFESTYLES Bethel Baptist
Living by the E’s Bethel Baptist Church is a group of imperfect people who have encountered the life-changing love of Jesus Christ and who desire others to cometo know that love as well. We exist to Exalt God’s Name (we want to make a big deal about God’s greatness), Equip God’s People (we want to help people learn how to live as followers of Jesus Christ in every area of life) and Evangelize God’sWorld (we want to share with others about who God is, who the Bible says we are, and why we need Jesus).
Making Brookings better We are a welcoming community that strives to draw people together in all of life stages to worship God, and to have meaningful relationships with one another. We desire to make Brookings a better place to live through serving the Brookings community and the South Dakota State
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University campus. Small groups, men’s and women’s ministry, MOPS, children and youth programs, college meals, international ministry and missions are some of the areas where we are striving to carryout our mission.
Join us, if … If you are new to the community and looking for a church, we would love to have you join us. If you have been in Brookings for a long time but have not connected to a church, we would love to have you join us. If you are trying to figure life out and just have a lot of questions about God, we would love to have you join us.
You feel welcomed Join us on Sunday mornings for worship at 10:30! We know walking into a church for the first time can seem intimidating, which is why we work really hard to make
you feel welcome when you walk in our doors! Hope to see you as togetherwe strive to Exalt God’s Name,Equip God’s People, and Evangelize God’s World.
Connecting with Bethel Eighth Street South and 17th Ave. 605-692-2858 www.bethelbrookings.org Facebook Bethel Baptist Brookings
First United Methodist serves church, community The vitality of First United Methodist Church can be seen in the calendar on its website. On many of the days it takes an extra click to get the complete list of the day’s activities. The busy nature of the church isn’t lost on Pastors Wade and Theta Miller, who began serving the church last July. “It’s been a great opportunity and we’re really enjoying it,” Wade Miller said, “even as we’re trying to catch our breath.” Miller served two churches in North Dakota, at Arthur and Castleton, prior to his Brookings appointment. His wife served the United Methodist Eastern Sunrise District in North Dakota. His congregation in Brookings is bigger, with about 900 members and an average Sunday attendance more than 500. Worship takes two forms at First United Methodist. There are two traditional services on Sunday. Modern services are held on Sunday, “The Well,” and on Wednesday, “Manna in the Middle.” Miller explained that the modern services are more informal, taking place around tables at the church’s Community Life Center. The services use video clips
and the band plays songs currently heard on Christian radio. Worship is just part of the ministry. “Harvest Table is by far our most public ministry,” Miller said, noting that serving the hot meal each Monday night draws partners from throughout the community. Other ministries include the Diaper Den, international missionary work with Solar Oven Partners, mission trips and a full schedule of ministry for kids and youth. The coming year will find the church working dili- Pastors Wade and Theta Miller began serving First United gently toward the future. Methodist Church in Brookings last July. “We’ve been one of six churches selected this year to be part of a “at the Corner of Church and Community.” “I absolutely love that our mission unvisioning process,” Miller said. “We’re trying to head towards focusing on raising up derstands that where we stand as a church Christian leaders, giving people leadership is at the intersection of faith and life,” Miller said.“What we’re called to do is to change opportunities to make a difference.” One thing that won’t change in the our community, to transform lives for the glory of God.” church is its motto that proclaims it serves
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COMMUNITY LIFESTYLES Ensuring quality of life in Brookings County For any of the 33,000 citizens of Brookings County, it can be easy to forget the role of county government until taxes are collected even when traveling over the miles of county-owned and maintained roads and bridges, or when reading about the hard work of the Sheriff’s Office in the newspaper. But the county does play a major role in ensuring the quality of life for the thousands of people who have made Brookings County their home. Overseeing it all is the Brookings County Commission, dutifully looking after and putting to use taxpayer dollars. The commission consists of five members who are elected at-large to fouryear terms. Currently serving on the county commission are Chairman Ryan Krogman, Vice Chairman Larry Jensen, Stephne Miller, Lee Ann Pierce and Tom Yseth. Politically, they are a diverse group with two Republicans, two Independents and a Democrat all serving together to make day-to-day decisions, pay the bills Members of the Brookings County Commission include, back row from left, Ryan Krogman, Stephne Miller and Commission Department Director Stacy Steffensen; and front, Larry Jensen, and set the annual budget. Although located in the same building as LeeAnn Pierce and Tom Yseth. many city of Brookings government offices, permits, but it also helps communities the county commissioners and all county the county has its own duties and depart- across the county establish emergency departments. ments that aren’t replicated on the city plans, preparing for the worst of situations. Outside the City & County Government level. The Commission Department provides Center are three indispensable departThe County Finance Office is often the human resources and information technol- ments. The Brookings County Sheriff’s Offirst county department the average citizen ogy for county employees and Geographic fice and Detention Center are located next steps into, to pay for their vehicle registra- Information Systems (GIS) for the county. to the Brookings County Courthouse. The tions and titles. But beyond taking care of Just as the name suggests, it also serves as purpose of the Sheriff’s Office is to provide the county’s fiscal challenges, the Fia liaison between the county com- protection for the citizens of Brookings nance Office also oversees the missioners and county depart- County, whether that means the apprehenduties of elections, making ments, the media and the sion and prosecution of those who violate sure there’s enough staff, general public. the law or assisting in emergency situaThe equipment and supplies The Veterans & Human tions. By contract, the office provides law County at the vote centers and Services Office is an in- enforcement services to Aurora, Elkton, tallying the votes when valuable resource for Volga and White along with patrolling the Finance Office is the polls close. veterans and their fam- rural areas of our county. often the first county In the Department of ilies as they navigate The Highway Department is located on department the Equalization office is a the paperwork to get Western Avenue in Brookings, though it average citizen group of people dedithe benefits they’ve has shops in Sinai,White and Bruce as well cated to valuing the real earned. It also provides to better serve the public. Department emsteps into. property of Brookings assistance with hospital ployees maintain all county roads and County at its full and true bills, rent, utility bills and bridges in Brookings County. market value, or its productivburial to qualified county resiDuring the summer months the Highway ity value if it is agricultural land in dents that meet certain income Department is joined by the Weed & Pest question. guidelines, with the understanding that any Department, which is responsible for conThe Register of Deeds office is the “li- assistance rendered by the county be re- trolling noxious weeds on county, state and brary” for the county. This office records paid. interstate roads, rights-of-way and other Brookings County real estate documents The State’s Attorney’s Office is the only easements. The Weed & Pest Department’s from as early as the mid-1870s all the way office on the third floor of the Brookings official office is open year-round and is loto present day. It also records and pre- City & County Government Center and cated in the County Resource Center next serves birth, marriage, death, burial and a handles all felony and misdemeanor adult to the Swiftel Center. host of other records. crimes as well as juvenile matters and Any questions can be sent to commisThe County Development Department mental health commitments for the county. sion@brookingscountysd.gov or call 605not only takes applications for building It also provides advice and legal counsel to 696-8205.
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SD Festival of Books coming to Brookings Brookings hosts the South Dakota Festival of Books for the first time in 2016. The move also brings to Brookings the 100th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize, the 2016 One Book South Dakota and the third annual Young Readers Festival. As South Dakota’s premier literary event, the annual Festival of Books attracts thousands of readers and writers to meet and learn from their favorite nationally-known and regionally-recognized authors. The 14th annual event begins with an evening author meet-and-greet on Thursday, Sept. 22. More than 100 presentations and workshops featuring more than 60 authors continue Friday through Sunday, Sept. 23-25. Jane Smiley, author of the 2016 One Book South Dakota “Some Luck,” headlines the festival with her keynote on Friday, Sept. 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center. A mass author book signing at 6:30 p.m. in the PAC’s atrium precedes the keynote. Her appearance serves as the capstone for the 2016 One Book South Dakota. The program works like a state-level book club to introduce the readers to a single, relevant title chosen by the South Dakota Humanities Council. “Some Luck’ does a beautiful job of blending ordinary moments in the life of a typical Midwestern family with the major historical events going on in the world around them. South Dakota readers will definitely be able to relate to the rural setting and the family relationships,” said Jennifer Widman, Festival of Books coordinator. The book carries readers through 33 years of the Langdon family, whose story provides an intimate look at the triumphs
and tragedies of a Midwest sayist Freya Manfred and farm family. “Some Luck” is screenwriter Thomas Pope the first in Smiley’s trilogy discuss their latest projects that follows 100 years in the and offer insight into the reLangdon family. release of Frederick Man“Some Luck” and Smiley’s fred’s five Buckskin Man visit to South Dakota doveTales, including “Lord Grizzly,” tails with the South Dakota by the University of Nebraska celebration of the Pulitzer Press. Prize’s 2016 centennial. SmiFirst-time presenters inley won a Pulitzer in 1992 for clude two South Dakotans: her book “A Thousand Acres” Dirk Lammers of Sioux Falls, a and joins other winners at veteran journalist, longtime the Festival. sports blogger and author of “We’re especially excited “Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders: to host Jane Smiley at the Jennifer Richard Jacobson More Than a Century of Pitchfestival. Not only is she one ing’s Greatest Feats,” and of America’s most versatile Jerry Nelson of Volga, whose and decorated writers, but pitch for “Dear County Agent she is also a dynamic Guy: Calf Pulling, Husband speaker and a down-to-earth Training, and Other Curious person,” said Widman. Dispatches from a MidwestOther winners confirmed ern Dairy Farmer” caught the to present at the Festival ineye of The Book Doctors at clude Shirley Christian the 2014 Festival’s Pitcha(1981, international reportpalooza event. ing), Michael Dirda (1993, In August, the festival will criticism) and Ted Kooser announce the full list of au(2005, poetry). Kooser rethors and the schedule of turns in 2016 for his sixth events. Sign up for festival upfestival appearance. dates from the newsletter at The prize winners join a Jane Smiley sdhumanities.org. growing slate of authors and favorites, like At the third annual Young Readers FestiNational Book Award winner Pete Dexter val of Books, Jennifer Richard Jacobson, au(for “Paris Trout” in 1988) and non-fiction thor of the 2016 Young Readers One Book author Marilyn Johnson (“Lives in Ruins,” South Dakota, and a dozen children’s and one of Publisher’s Weekly’s 100 best books young adult authors and illustrators will of 2014). visit schools and meet students. The husband-and-wife team of poet/esSecond-graders in select schools will meet Jacobson’s lovable, low-key hero Andy Shane through the Young Readers One Book South Dakota. More than 5,000 copies of the special edition “Andy Shane and Dolores Starbuckle: 4 Books in 1” will be in the hands of elementary students starting in spring. Students will meet Jacobson in Sioux Falls on Thursday, Sept. 22, in Brookings on Friday, Sept. 23, and in Rapid City on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Students from the following school districts will receive copies of the book: Brookings, Canton, Deubrook Area, Milbank, Pipestone, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Vermillion and Watertown. This year is the third year of the program, which has expanded in 2016 thanks to partners First Bank & Trust and United Way William Kent Krueger and Sandra Brannan applaud with the audience at the 2015 Festival of of the Black Hills with the Rapid City PubBooks in Deadwood on the announcement of the 2016 One Book South Dakota,“Some Luck” by lic School Foundation and the John T. Vucurevich Foundation. Jane Smiley. SDHC photo
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The new De Smet Events and Wellness Center also includes beautiful views of this Little Town on the Prairie.
Dream project now a reality With the opening of the De Smet Events and Wellness Center in June 2015, a dream that had begun in 2012 became a reality and helped make the Little Town on the Prairie an even more progressive community. The entire town – and more – contributed to the project, as 1,508 contributions exceeded De Smet’s population of 1,086 people. “It’s a community building.” Those few words by Rita Anderson, who spearheaded the drive to fund and build the project, sum up the center as a $3.83 million asset to the City of De Smet. Add to that a $1 million school athletic complex project, and the community has $4.83 million invested in its future. “We designed it to make it multi-functional, and it has exceeded our expectation of events. Its usage has been tremendous. It’s heartwarming to me to see how important it is to the community now,” Anderson said of the multi-faceted project. While there were many large donations – individual, public, private, corporate and family – smaller donations came from across the community. That effort also played out in the design of the 23,000-squarefoot facility, with more than 100 people on a dozen committees making recommendations. “This project is really important for economic development, because we wanted a place for young people. We’ve been fortunate with young people moving back to De Smet over the past few years, because they wanted to raise their families here,” Anderson said. “But one of the things we heard was that they hated to leave the amenities they found in larger communities. We wanted to create something that would attract young people here and give them the same opportunities they would have in the larger metropolitan areas.” And it’s been working. In six months of activities, the Center has brought in plays, concerts, dance recitals, wellness programs, weddings, regional events and corporate business meetings. De Smet is centrally located in the eastern half of the state, making it an ideal site for regional gatherings for organizations, families and businesses. Laura Ingalls Wilder attractions provide additional appeal in De Smet, and Center staff are happy to accommodate requests for tours plus all catering and meeting needs.
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Projects point Brookings School District toward the future Two projects under way in the Brookings School District – a strategic plan and a comprehensive facility plan – will help guide the district for years into the future. According to the Brookings School District superintendent, Dr. Klint Willert, both projects will involve heavy community participation. For the strategic plan,“we’re going to be surveying very broadly our community and our constituent base, and we want to get some key questions asked on things that we’re really hoping to understand, and that will frame where we’re going as a district,” Willert said. Among those questions are: • How do people know and gauge that the Brookings School District is being successful? • How should the school district communicate with constituents to ensure that it is meeting expectations? • What are constituents’ key priorities as the district tries to set overall goals and objectives? The school district hopes its plan will offer a district-wide performance scorecard so that patrons can gauge how the school is doing in reaching its goals. The goal, according to Willert, is to say to
district patrons, “Here are the measurements that we’re tracking, and that ultimately we’re reporting to the community, so they can understand how we’re doing relative to those stated targets.” After the strategic plan’s implementation, there will be periodic monitoring of the satisfaction levels of teachers, students, parents and the community. As part of the planning process, the district is reviewing the Baldrige Model of Continuous Improvement, which offers guidelines on leadership, planning, using data and implementing processes to help guide action steps. When Willert started as the district superintendent last year, he held meetings with a variety of district stakeholders. He kept hearing about facility issues. Some were concerned that Medary and Hillcrest had to be brought up to the same modern levels as the new Dakota Prairie School. Others talked about an impending space crunch at Mickelson Middle School. To find out if the problems were just a blip on the radar or part of a sustainable growth pattern, Willert turned to state demographer Weiwei Zhang at SDSU. “Her results came back and said that over the next 10 years, roughly, we’re sup-
posed to become a district of just under 4,000 students,”Willert said, noting that the district has about 3,350 students this year. “That’s considerable growth over the next 10 years.” He then brought together a broad-based community group that developed a request for quotes from firms that handle facility planning. Willert and his planning group were overwhelmed by the reaction, receiving 10 responses from firms throughout the Midwest. The community group is evaluating the responses and should make a recommendation to the school board at its May meeting. The two planning projects overlap each other in some areas. Both will examine how the possibility of creating a technical institute in the Brookings School District will impact strategic planning as well as facility needs. There will also be financial considerations during the planning processes. “At the end of the day, we know it may result in the district using some capital outlay resources to address what it is we need to do with some of our facilities,” Willert said. “Or it could very well lend itself to a question before the voters that might be another bond referendum.”
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The 2016 Prairie Repertory Theatre season, its 46th, opens June 8 in Brookings with “Don’t Hug Me.” Numerous fans enjoyed the 2015 season, which included “The Sound of Music.”
Prairie Repertory Theatre presents upcoming summer season This summer, South Dakota State University’s Prairie Repertory Theatre will present its 46th season, during which PRT will play to its 500,000th audience member. This year’s season features three musicals. Prairie Repertory Theatre 2016 includes “Don’t Hug Me,”“Smokey Joe’s Café,”“The Murder Room” and “Hairspray.” The season begins with “Don’t Hug Me,” a musical comedy that takes place on the coldest day of the year in Bunyan Bay, Minn., when a slick karaoke salesman turns the town upside-down. Up next, the musical “Smokey Joe’s Café” includes more than 40 of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest hits, such as “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock” and more.
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“The Murder Room” is a hilarious crime thriller with secret chambers and trap lids galore. Finally, the musical “Hairspray” takes place in 1962 Baltimore where the lovable Tracy Turnblad pursues her dream to dance on the Corny Collins Show. Performances for “Don’t Hug Me” will be June 8-12 in Brookings and July 16, 17 and 20 in Brandon.“Smokey Joe’s Café” will run June 15-19 in Brookings and July 21-24 in Brandon. For “The Murder Room,” performances will be June 22-26 in Brookings and July 27-29 in Brandon. Finally, “Hairspray” will take place July 6-10 in Brookings and also July 13-15, 30 and 31 in Brandon. Individual tickets and season subscrip-
tions may be purchased at the box office located in the SDSU Performing Arts Center or by calling 605-688-6045. Season subscriptions for Prairie Repertory Theatre entitle the holder to attend all four shows for less than the price of three with the option to exchange seats and dates of each show in the event of a conflict. Additional information and season subscription order forms may be found by visiting www.prairierep.org. Subscribers will be able to select seats and purchase additional tickets beginning May 31. General ticket sales start June 1. The PRT box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning May 31.
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Creating special moments “The Swiftel Center is a building but it's what happens inside that's important,” said Kristina Lankow, sales and marketing manager for the Swiftel Center. “That’s what makes it special.” Since opening in 2001, the Swiftel Center has been in the business of creating special moments for all who enter. From banquets to rodeos to concerts to tournaments, every event is an opportunity for the staff at the Swiftel Center to create a long-lasting, favorable impression. “Our staff believes in and carries out our motto ‘Midwest hospitality at its best’ every day,” said Tom Richter, executive director for the Swiftel Center.“The people are what makes the Swiftel Center so successful and are why we’ve been able to do things here that no one ever imagined we could.” Being recognized as the best venue in the entire world may be one of those
1,528,139 Attendance since the building opened in 2001
30,000 Square feet of arena space
13,502 Wings eaten at 2015 wing& brew fest
6,500 Capacity of a concert with general admission open floor
4,037 Event days hosted since the building opened in 2001
702 Guests in attendance for one wedding in 2011
14 Artists nominated for a CMA Award in 2015
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Swiftel Center staff celebrate the facility’s 2015 Venue Excellence Award for Arenas by the International Association of Venue Managers.
things. In 2015, the Swiftel Center was awarded the Venue Excellence Award for Arenas by the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM). This is the highest international award in the venue industry. The award winner is determined based on operational excellence, team-building and professional development, safety and security, and service to the community. Out of all arenas worldwide, the Swiftel Center was acknowledged as the best of the best in the arenas category.This prestigious award is a significant accomplishment for any venue but comes with even greater reward considering the size of the Swiftel Center facility, staff and city population. To date, no arena award winner has been located in a city with a population of less than 380,000. “We are all part of winning this award!” said Molly Nagelhout, box office manager. “The Swiftel Center, the city of Brookings and our community all keep putting Brookings, S. D. on the map!” The Brookings Chamber & Visitors Bureau recognized the facility at the first annual Tourism Luncheon by awarding the Swiftel Center as the 2014 Tourism Facility of the Year. Additional accolades for the facility include a fifth consecutive Facilities & Destinations Prime Site Award selected by talent buyers, booking agents and event
planners as well as the 2015 Great Star Service designation from the South Dakota Department of Tourism for hospitality training and employee recognition for great service. Each event is a new experience and at the end, attendees walk away having made a new memory. No matter how much time passes, those memories remain. Technically, the Swiftel Center is a building.Truly, the Swiftel Center is a gathering space and memory-making place.The core mission of the Swiftel Center is to bring people together to experience a moment in time together. “Some of the biggest moments in people’s lives happen in our building,” Lankow said. “The energy and excitement that walks through the doors on a daily basis is powerful. That's what makes the Swiftel Center excellent.”
The Swiftel Center has attracted plenty of bigname acts since opening in 2001, including Little Big Town.
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SPORTS/RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT Outdoor Adventure Center keeps adding activities Open just more than two years, the Outdoor Adventure Center of South Dakota has become the premier place for shooting sports and outdoor activities. Located on 3.8 acres at the Dakota Nature Park in Brookings, the OAC’s 29,530square-foot facility includes shooting ranges, classrooms, conference space, meeting rooms and offices. Its full slate of activities provides outdoor education and skills for people of all ages. While there are archery and pistol ranges in Sioux Falls, according to OAC Youth Coordinator Robert Contreras, shooters would have to travel farther to find comparable ranges. “As nice as ours, I think you have to go to Pierre for pistol; for archery,Yankton,” Contreras said. The archery range sees plenty of action as it serves 4-H’ers as well as young archers competing in Junior Olympic Archery Development. JOAD archers compete in three eight-week sessions that end in a pin shoot. Contreras compares the archers earning pins to the way that belts are awarded for achievement in karate. Activities for young people go beyond the archery range. In April a Youth Activities Jamboree was held. Among the 29 youth groups participating were Scouts, Wildfire Cheer, Brookings Swim Club, McCrory Gardens, United Way and Brookings Figure Skating. “We had over 330 people attend this year,” Contreras said. While the April jamboree centered on getting young people active during the summer, another jamboree is planned for
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school clubs at the beginning of the academic year. Participants can offer games, activities or booths. With so many activities going on at OAC, there’s always a need for volunteers. People who would like to help out can sign up by clicking on the volunteer tab on the center’s website at oacofsd.org. Volunteers don’t necessarily have to be proficient with a bow and arrow. “If you don’t have any knowledge in it, yes, you can still help out,” Contreras said. “You won’t get to instruct but you can help out in other parts of the OAC.” Contreras serves as one of the instructors at OAC, teaching archery, BB guns and .22 rifles. He said, “People are often surprised that the classes place a continual emphasis on safety.” “We teach a lot of safety,” Contreras said. “Our first day includes 30 minutes of safety. Every day after that is five, 10 minutes of safety talks before we even start shooting. I do get parents who are impressed that we talk about safety so much.” The Outdoor Adventure Center offers a variety of individual and family memberships. Members can use the facility from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Non-members can also enjoy the center and its many programs after taking their scheduled free archery lessons. A variety of packages are offered for birthday parties, corporate retreats and bachelor or bachelorette parties. The high spirits of a children’s birthday party or a bachelor party don’t overshadow the center’s emphasis on range safety. “There’s still a safety lesson,” Contreras
Brookings Girl Scouts, shown above and below, learn to shoot at the Outdoor Adventure Center of South Dakota’s archery range. Open for about two years, the center offers a full slate of activities focused on outdoor educationand skills.
said, often 20 to 25 minutes at the start of the event. “We’re a non-alcohol facility. If you have any bit of alcohol on you, you’re not allowed to shoot. I think of our facility as a pre-bachelorette activity.” The center recently had 35 women in a pistol league, and women also make up the majority of students in basic pistol classes. “Women are the up-and-coming demographic of shooters,” Contreras said. He recalled an older woman telling her instructor, “I didn’t know I could have this kind of power to protect myself.” Outdoor activities can be costly, so the center’s classes are geared toward giving participants an introduction to an activity before they invest in it. As an example, Contreras said that the youth archery classes, which range in price from $10 to $50, are a good way for parents to discover if their child likes archery before they make the investment in a bow and arrows. Potential gun owners can try out pistols to find out which kind they would like to buy. “If you want to try out five guns before you go and buy one, there are two packages that we have for something like that,” Contreras said. New activities planned in the coming year include merit badge packages for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Brownies; a trick shot tournament; and bow fishing classes. “There’s always something great going on here,” Contreras said.
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SPORTS/RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT Prussman looks forward to getting back on the track Chris Prussman spends his weekends the track there are more adjustments to be While he doesn’t particularly enjoy the going around in circles – always to the left. made, particularly after Prussman puts the continual quest for sponsorships, he brings He is, after all, a racer of dirt modified stock car through its paces during hot laps. to it the same competitive spirit that has cars. Even through Prussman is racing on the served him so well on the race track. Pruss“You turn right to go left,” Prusssame track every week, he needs man explained that he enjoys the relationman explained.“You’re always to be vigilant about the ship he has with sponsors, he just doesn’t sliding, so the front tires are changes it goes through. like asking them for sponsorship money. always turned to the “You’ll see the colors in “Always try and do the best you can with With right while you’re the track change with what you have,” Prussman said, bringing racing and going to the left.” the moisture levels, that attitude with him in every race. While After taking a year the dust particles he enjoys the speed and adrenaline of ractough competition, if off from racing to change, where the ing, Prussman said his favorite part is the you’re not pushing to build a new shop for fast line is of the excitement he gets from his sponsors, fans the limit, there’s almost working on his car, cars,” Prussman said. and crew after an exciting race. Prussman hopes to “As you learn more A construction worker in a rich man’s no way you’re ever have his 11c modidrivers, you can see sport, Prussman knows firsthand about the going to win. fied car on the track how their car is react- value of sponsorships. “I am very thankful regularly for the Saturing to the track.” and appreciative with God, my family, my Chris Prussman day night races in With speeds on the crew and each and every sponsor for alHuron along with races at track often in excess of lowing me to race as long as I have,” Prussother tracks. It will be the 100 mph, race drivers need man said. continuation of his lifelong love to place an emphasis on “Where I’m most relaxed is actually sitaffair with the sport. safety. Some safety items, like helmets ting in the car,” Prussman said. “That’s Prussman started racing three- and four- and seat belts can only be used for so long. where I feel at home, relaxed and can’t wait wheelers in high school.“I actually bought “After that date, that helmet or those seat to be back.” my first three-wheeler before I bought my belts are illegal,” Prussman first car because I wanted to race,” Pruss- said. “You can’t wear man recalled. them.” Eventually he joined a four-wheeler rac“These modified cars ing team out of Beresford. “We raced na- are so fast in acceleration tional events all over the country and deceleration that if professionally for a few years,” Prussman you are not in a five-point said. harness that is tightened He got his first modified stock car in so tight that you can’t take 1997, and he’s been racing in the same a deep breath, it can actuclass of car ever since. ally lift your body out of Prior to the races starting in late April in the seat even while you Huron, Prussman has been busy getting his are pushing back on the car ready for the new season, tinkering steering wheel and brakwith the suspension in particular. “With a ing,” Prussman said. very limited budget, learning and adjustPrussman likens driving ing on the suspension amounts to free a modified to driving a speed,” Prussman said. Corvette that weighs “With racing and tough competition, if 1,000 pounds less and has you’re not pushing to the limit, there’s almost 650 horsepower. Then no way you’re ever going to win,” Prussman throw it sideways around a said. “I’m not saying you can be illegal, but curve pulling two or three you need to get every inch you can.” lateral Gs, turning back The winner of many races in his long ca- around the other way in reer, Prussman’s routine before one of six to eight seconds. Huron’s Saturday night races starts on Cars, repairs and safety Monday night with washing and cleaning equipment aren’t cheap. everything to start work on the car Tues- That’s why Prussman day after work. makes a constant effort to “When Friday night comes, I’m finishing attract sponsors. “You’ve up everything else I don’t have done on the got to sell your real estate, car, ” Prussman said.“Quite a few times, that as it’s called,” said Prussends up being a pretty late night.” man, referring to the adSaturday morning there are more car vertisements for sponsors chores before it’s loaded into the trailer. placed on his car and Chris Prussman has dozens of trophies and racing wins on his Then in the afternoon, it’s off to Huron. At trailer. resume, after being a competitive racer for more than 20 years.
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Inspire your team to greatness First impressions mean a lot. At The Athletic Edge, we understand this. It's why we put such an emphasis on working closely with each of our customers to ensure that their training and locker rooms and the public areas of their facilities not only meet
their specific needs, but look great, too. Our custom products tell a story – your story. The Athletic Edge is a division of Pivotal Health Solutions and is one of the largest manufacturers of durable and visually appealing products for athletic trainers, phys-
The Athletic Edge can build the durable equipment your training area needs.
ical therapists and other health care providers. These are products that go well beyond standard. One of our core competencies is the ability to draw upon a variety of processes and materials to support our customers' needs. The results are a feature-rich line of products, including the uniquely-designed, patent-pending Leg and Shoulder Therapy (LAST) table; our ruggedly handsome modular locker series; our industry-leading cold lasers for therapy and more. We promise our customers that all of our products meet exacting standards in terms of durability, user-friendliness and patient comfort. At our heart, we are a Midwestern company and our products are crafted every day at our plants in Watertown, S.D., and Eugene, Ore.The Athletic Edge products have been installed in facilities owned by professional teams, colleges and universities and high schools all over the United States. We're proud of our growth and of maintaining our values by providing our customers with high-quality, beautifully functional equipment for their facilities. Learn more about The Athletic Edge at teamedgeathletics.com.
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SPORTS/RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT New experiences at Children’s Museum of South Dakota The Children’s Museum of South Dakota is excited to announce some new play opportunities beginning this spring. The museum’s Sensations Exhibit will adjust as a portion of the space becomes dedicated to a new, interactive component that involves science, physics, engineering and more. “We know it’s going to be an area that visitors will love,” Associate Director Mike Mogard said. “It is something completely different for us, and will give a unique hands-on guest experience.” Similarly, there will be changes to the Traveling Exhibit in coming months. The Big Blue Blocks will give way to a racing exhibit where guests can experiment with forces and gravity by designing their own race car and testing it on the tracks. An outdoor, larger-than-life set of music chimes will also be added to the outdoor prairie space in the future, allowing guests to make music from natural elements. “We are continuously evaluating our exhibits to determine the best opportunities for change and growth,” Mogard said. “We always want the best, world-class learning experience for our guests.” Program offerings are also undergoing
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slight changes. New opportunities such as Sensory Studios, Curious Kids Club and weekly Science Sundays follow in the footsteps of Playful Preschoolers, Play Dates, Saturday in the Studio and more, all offering unique, hands-on learning opportunities. “The Children’s Museum is a place that ignites the imagination, nurtures creativity,
and enhances a sense of wonder,” Director of Education Carrie Benson said. “We are dedicated to inspiring a love of learning.” The Children’s Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Programs, events and museum updates can be found at www.PrairiePlay.org.
A family captures memories at the Children’s Museum of South Dakota. Jackie Toft Photography
Growing Brookings: A roadmap for success By Al Heuton, Executive Director Brookings Economic Development Corporation You have probably heard the saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” For the most part, this is how BEDC views the Brookings area economy. Things just keep moving along: business expansions, new business starts, housing development, public amenity and infrastructure improvements, new schools, continued development and growth at SDSU, philanthropic investments in civic organizations, services and non-profit ventures. If you sit and think about all that has transpired in the last 10 years, the change that has occurred through this incremental growth process in Brookings is simply staggering! What needs fixing? The truth is probably not much. But, there is one constant in the lifecycle of a community, and that is change. Communities are in a constant state of change, growing or declining, becoming richer or poorer. Sometimes change can be so subtle that you don’t see it until it’s too late. This is not the case here. BEDC, public and private community leaders and other civic organizations are all working hard to continue the momentum and positive change that has occurred in Brookings. BEDC has developed a sound strategy that builds upon prior community investments and success while taking a hard look at how the community might direct change to create new opportunities and future growth.Three areas of focus for the next 10 years at BEDC will include:
• Workforce supply and development • Growing Brookings from within through business expansion and start-up processes • Exploring and developing next generation industries that better align growth with SDSU research and graduates
Workforce development Brookings County industries continue to expand. Capturing that growth in Brookings will require new and concentrated efforts to supply a talented workforce in an era where tight labor markets and the retirement of the babyboom generations will become the norm. BEDC, with the assistance of Vision Brookings and industry partners, has taken two key steps to address future labor market needs. These include the creation of the South Dakota Education Campus at Brookings, which provides workforce education and training, and the recent hiring of a full-time workforce development director who will focus on creating stronger connections with the area student population (particularly with SDSU students) and explore and implement projects to recruit talent to Brookings. The latter effort will also include the creation of a Regional Talent and Innovation Network (RETAIN) in conjunction with our partners in adjoining counties to ensure the presence of both a future workforce and an affordable variety of housing to accommodate this workforce.
Start-up enterprises The Brookings community and BEDC
have invested heavily in infrastructure to support start-up enterprises, including the Research Park at SDSU, the Brookings Technology Commercialization Center, shared science equipment, the ENspired program and the Brookings Area Makerspace. BEDC, with the assistance of Vision Brookings and the state of South Dakota, has hired a full-time director of entrepreneur support. This position will focus on building the entrepreneurial culture of the community, engaging the array of start-up assistance providers and programs to build an entrepreneur support system and develop events, programming and services to support innovators, entrepreneurs and the businesses they develop.
Business Development BEDC staff will continue to support the expansion of existing business and industry, a process that has been and will continue to represent Brookings’ primary growth strategy. However, we are also interested in supporting the efforts of our base industries in growing through product and process innovation. Additionally, we will be exploring opportunities to create or attract new generation businesses and industries that align with SDSU research and talent production. Brookings is extremely fortunate to have so many growth opportunities right here in our backyard. We are truly excited about the future and the momentum that will be continued through collaborative efforts found within the Brookings community!
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BUSINESS/RETAIL La-ti-Da is the one-stop boutique for fashion, decor The sign says “Welcome” at La-ti-Da Boutique, but it might as well Kicks: La-ti-Da has a wide range of fashion footwear from sneaksay “No Boys Allowed.” Sure, men are welcome at La-ti-Da, too, ers to stylish boots. but if there was ever a place geared just for girls and Kid and Baby: Young girls love fashion, too, and La-tiwomen – this is it. Da has the looks that will keep them current with La-ti-Da’s wide range of departments reads like their stylish moms. Babies can get in on the fun We a siren song for smart female shoppers. with the month-aversary ties to chart their Clothing: For the fashion forward, La-ti-Da is growth through the first year. pride ourselves the place for unique looks in tops, bottoms and Luggage: Chances are, your luggage needs on personal service. dresses that can’t be found anywhere else in an update. Look to La-ti-Da for stylish travel We’ll help you find just the area. bags and an ever-changing selection of the right look in just the purses for all occasions. “We pride ourselves on personal service,” right size. said owner Lisa King. “We’ll help you find just Home Decor: La-ti-Da shines in this area the right look in just the right size.” with everything the decorator in you could Lisa King Jewelry: To complement that new outfit, La-tiwant to make your rooms pop with style. For Da has the perfect choices, whether you need earthose who like to display their local loyalties on rings, a necklace or a bracelet. their walls or shelves, La-ti-Da has decor that declares Accessories: Complete your outfit with a headband or try your love for Brookings, Volga, the Cossacks, the Bobcats, the new line of fashion caps that declare “Football Mom,” “Rodeo South Dakota, the Jackrabbits and SDSU. Girl” or “Softball Forever.” “If one of your rooms seems a little drab or needs updating, we have just the bit of home decor to help your room come alive,” King said.“It’s less expensive than a complete remodel and more fun, too!” With more than 3,000 likes on the boutique’s Facebook page, it’s obvious that La-ti-Da has quite a few fans. The comments left on the page are as heavy on praise as they are on exclamation points. “Always a fantastic selection of fabulous items!!!!” “There is literally something for everyone! Such a well-run cute boutique. The owner is fantastic and will make sure you get what you want and you’re completely happy! Love this place! For King, satisfying customer needs is what being in the fashion business is all about. “Our customers are incredible,” King said.“They keep us motivated every day to offer the best boutique selection of clothing, accessories and decor in the area.” That selection is quite a bit like South Dakota’s weather: Just wait a few minutes and it’s likely to change. “We have new shipments of stock arriving daily,” said King,“and we do our best to rush it out to the sales floor. Smart shoppers stop in often so they don’t miss out.” Holidays are always fun at La-ti-Da with special themed items for every season. There are sure to be some gifts perfect for Mother’s Day as well as clothing and decor geared for summer. Any day is the right time to check La-ti-Da for new, fun items like adult coloring books, bath pops and cupcakes. For anyone who is unsure about what to purchase— especially the estrogen-impaired half of the population, don’t worry. La-ti-Da offers one-size-fits-all gift cards. As an added bonus, the staff at La-ti-Da is always ready to gift wrap your purchase. “We have a passion for fashion at La-ti-Da,” King said. “We’ll go out of our way to help you, your girls and your ?????? home stand out from the crowd.” ????
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BUSINESS/RETAIL Brookings Liquor Store honors SDSU alumnus Beer. Wine. Spirits. And a not-bad selection of handmade cigars – albeit none from Cuba yet! In the city of Brookings, there’s a one-stop shop that can meet all those needs: the city-owned Brookings Liquor Store in Eastside Commons. Under the management of Janet Coplan, the 13,500-square-foot store can boast the largest selection of wine, beer and spirits in the state. The store was reset in August 2015. Coplan studied schematics for several months and worked with two liquor distributors to bring about what she calls “a major overhaul, doing a facelift on the store.” The reset involved physically moving each and every bottle of wine and liquor and purchasing new product.The resulting features include expanded selection and a new look that greets patrons as they enter the store. A grand reopening was held on Aug. 28 to showcase the new look. “The store is now more visually appealing,” Coplan explained. A customer entering the store sees an overall general view of the product selection including the new JLohr Wine Gallery. In October, it officially replaced what had been previously called the wine gallery.The occasion was honored by Jerry Lohr attending the opening where he visited with customers and signed wine bottles. The newly redecorated gallery pays tribute to one of South Dakota State University’s most notable alumni, who graduated as an engineer and went on to be acknowledged as one of California’s and America’s
premier vintners. The gallery now has memorabilia with photos and a history of the JLohr vineyards. The French-made wine-tasting machine – the Enomatic Wine Service System – now holds eight JLohr signature wines for tasting. “We know what he’s done for the community,” she said of showcasing Lohr’s vintages. Meanwhile, beer drinkers were not being neglected. In July, the store completed installation of its “Growler” station. It holds eight 6-gallon kegs of different “craft” beers, which can be sampled before being purchased. The selected craft beer can be taken home in a 32- or 64-ounce growler. The beers available at the station vary over time.“We like to rotate the kegs so that there are always new, innovative and unique craft beers on tap,” Coplan explained. While beers and wines are very popular among patrons, the No. 1 in driving sales revenues is liquor. The Brookings Liquor Store is the only place in town where offsale liquor can be purchased. Beer and wine can only be purchased at various other store outlets in the city. Understandably, Coplan is “very proud” of what is now called simply the Brookings Liquor Store. (She dropped “municipal” from the store’s former official-sounding title.) She described the store as “now so visually appealing.” She said the newly remodeled store is good for both the city and the state.“This is
The 13,500-square-foot Brookings Liquor Store underwent a major overhaul last summer, giving the operation a fresh, new look.
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Patrons visiting the Brookings Liquor store have a wide range of liquors to choose from.
the biggest liquor store in the state of South Dakota, with the biggest selection of wine, beer and spirits.” Coplan sees the store’s mission in simple terms:“We are providing a service.The revenue that we generate from the store helps the community provide its citizens with a better quality of life by lessening the need for taxes, while helping to finance such items as parks, trails, playground equipment and police cars.” Having come from the private sector where liquor sale operations were very competitive, Coplan has developed a different philosophical view of the alcoholic beverage business:“In Brookings it’s a new concept. Now I work for the city as well as the taxpayers. It’s a different dynamic and a challenging position for me.The store is a valuable asset of the community.” This past December, the liquor store hosted the Chamber of Commerce mixer. This was another opportunity to showcase the “new” store. Vendors set up tasting stations throughout the store and many prizes were awarded to Chamber members. Coplan called it a “very exciting and successful event.” The past year represents many dynamic improvements to the store. Coplan said “seeing the progressive direction the store has taken gives me a great sense of accomplishment.”
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Experience, innovation to meet your collision repair needs Tradition and experience meet innovation and new technology at Dave's Collision Center. Dave's collision repair technicians bring more than 120 years of experience to the longtime Brookings shop. Started in 1957 by Herb Quam, Dave's Collision customers have come to know and trust the work of current owner Nate Quam, who started in 2002 and took the reins from his father Dave in 2011. Dave, who had owned the operation since 1983, still works fulltime at the business along with Steve Shadewald (2013), John Maher (1990) and Steve Whitaker (1983). Joining the crew just this past December was Ed Gross. Nate says the group offers a balance of experience and new ideas to expertly meet the needs of the ever-changing world of auto body repair. The employees frequently attend training classes to stay current with changing industry trends. Nate said more vehicles are coming out with new aluminum bodies. "Everyone's changing over to more exotic metals to stay lighter, to get a better fuel economy out of their vehicles." And when new materials come into the picture, Dave's techni-
The crew at Dave’s Collision Center includes, from left, Steve Shadewald, Ed Gross, John Maher, Steve Whitaker, Dave Quam and Nate Quam.
cians are on top of the new techniques and tools needed to fix them. "Fifteen to 20 years ago, airbags came out and everybody was afraid of them. Now every vehicle has them. We adapted. That's the changing environment we're in, and we do what we have to in order to fix your vehicle the right way." New technology, electronics and computerized features in cars also make for more complex repairs. That's where a wide variety of employee experience and backgrounds come in
handy, Nate added. "If we see a different or a better way of doing it, we come together and help each other out. It's a group effort here." At Dave's, customers are "driving home our reputation," and that motto reflects the business' ever-increasing client base. Most customers come from referrals due to the shop's top-notch work. Collision repair on all makes and models is available at Dave's Collision Center, located at 1019 Main Ave. S. Call 605-6924024 to make an appointment today.
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Clites Electric tackles directional boring, new technology Success at Clites Electric is grounded in projects. In the past year, Clites Electric boring. A new borer allows for digging a customer service and on-the-job safety. worked on the RTI facility and the Teen greater span underground in situations Owner Mike Ningen said his 18 employees Challenge remodel. where the surface can’t be disturbed, like are trained to make sure their customers The company serves Brookings and the boring under roads, parking lots or lawns. are satisfied. surrounding communities, ranging as far “You can use this directional borer to cre“They know what we expect of them and away as Aberdeen. ate tunnels for fiber optics, data, telephone, they try to be courteous and give cus“It all depends on where the work is,” Nin- electric and even water lines,” Ningen said. tomers what they want,” said Ningen, who gen said. Like everyone else, electricians have to noted that the company’s customer service One aspect of Clites Electric’s work that embrace new technology or be in danger policies must be working.“We have a lot of has seen a significant increase is directional of getting left behind. Smart switches and repeat customers.” smart systems are Just like the conamong the newest stant emphasis on challenges. customer service, at “You can turn the Clites Electric safety lights on or off, set is always at the forethe thermostat, all front. from your phone,” “Safety is always a Ningen said. concern,” Ningen However, new said. That policy technology will seems to be worknever take the place ing, too.“We haven’t of good service. had any significant “Sure we keep up injuries.” with all the latest Clites Electric trends,” Ningen said, takes on jobs of all “but we’ll always sizes, answering have our first emphaboth small residensis on good customer tial calls as well as The directional borer used by Clites Electric can be used to dig underground in those areas service and workbidding on larger where the surface should not be disturbed, like parking lots, roads and lawns. place safety.”
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Time flies when you’re having fun! The definition of momentum is change, growth or improvement over a period of time.Wink’s Fine Jewelry was established in 1963 and has been in forward motion ever since. Jerry Miller purchased the store in 1978 and since that time has made Wink’s (as he would likely tell you) a “DIAMOND” store. While selling diamonds is their thing, they are a full-service jewelry store with two registered jewelers, two certified sales associates, a diamond setter, and a benchman (jewelry repair professional) on our staff. They have been an active member of American Gem Society since 1979, which ensures that the staff remains at the top of their game professionally and more importantly, each one has pledged to protect you, the consumer. Learn more at www.americangemsociety.org. In 2007, Wink’s completely remodeled and enlarged its showroom space, re-affirming their commitment to Downtown Brookings and the community at large. They have also invested in a state-of-the-art laser welder and binocular bench microscope to better serve our customers jewelry repair needs. They hope to continue to make strides in the growth of their business, and they look forward to being a part of the future growth of the Brookings community and surrounding area.
Jerry Miller is owner of Wink’s Fine Jewelry in downtown Brookings.
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Arlington Beach announces a new venue The popular gathering place known as The Boathouse at Arlington Beach Resort is taking on a new role by transitioning from a restaurant/bar to a retreat/convention center. The Boathouse will also be available to host weddings and large family reunions. Arlington Beach Resort, of course, will still be renting out cabins to individuals looking for a weekend getaway or vacationing at beautiful Lake Poinsett! The Norgaard family purchased Arlington Beach in 2004 and developed the
well-known beach bar “The Boathouse” along with the development and construction of several cabins. Some of these cabins are privately owned, and some are available for rent. Arlington Beach was developed by 16 businessmen from Arlington in 1920 and was originally called the Arlington Outing Club. It was known for the best beach on Lake Poinsett, and that still holds true today. The new convention facility, along with the cabins, will be able to accommodate
large groups and can sleep up to 90 people on any given week. Customers will still be able to enjoy the eclectic décor as there will be minimal changes made in that department. The Norgaards have been known for their service and catering to the customer and plan to continue that tradition with the new venue. For more information, please visit arlingtonbeach.com or email us at info@arlingtonbeach.com.
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BUSINESS/RETAIL EarthBend…Find your local edge in technology EarthBend is your trusted information technology provider in Brookings and the surrounding communities. Businesses rely on EarthBend to help integrate technology solutions into their organizations that will fuel success. EarthBend works with clients that have dedicated IT teams, as well as those with
little to no IT resources. In either case, EarthBend can provide the appropriate services to address their unique challenges. Our full suite of managed services releases a business from the hassle and worry of IT management, allowing our expert team to monitor their technology systems 24/7. This fosters a more proactive and agile IT environment, helping to detect and resolve problems before they can negatively impact an organization’s business performance. With EarthBend’s managed services easing the burden of IT management on your business, you can focus on The EarthBend team in Brookings includes, from left, Joe Portz, Kevin McComb, the initiatives that empower your Mitch Bonnstetter, Doug Kopecky, Chris Harris and Graeme Anderson.
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company to grow and thrive. Every EarthBend account executive and engineer commits to ongoing education, certification and training in order to provide the best consultation, design, implementation and support for your business. EarthBend can meet your hardware and software needs while delivering additional value through our managed and professional services offerings. Our goal is to help you overcome your IT-related challenges and to become a trusted and reliable extension of your team. While we’re exceptionally proud of our vendor partner relationships and the technology solutions we offer, we know that alone can't set us apart. It's our people who make the difference, delivering a “human touch” to drive repeatable, ongoing mutual business success with our customers. We have a vested interest in helping you succeed – when you win, we win – and by working together, we are stronger. EarthBend is privately held and operated from its corporate headquarters in Sioux Falls, S.D., with a regional office in Brookings and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.We are proud to be an integral part of the communities we serve.
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You + Allegra = The Perfect Solution Much of how area companies do business has changed over the past 31 years, but one thing has remained constant for Allegra Design, Print, Mail: creating a single source for their clients’ marketing and communication needs. David and Angela Roden have grown a family business that debuted as InstyPrints in 1985. Together, the couple has maintained the company’s core while evolving to offer broader based, multichannel marketing communications services. The Rodens recently created another way to meet their clients’ needs with the opening of a sign and vinyl graphics division in the store. “We are very excited to offer yet another service to our customers. It is beneficial for them to be able to use a single source for all of their print and communication needs. We now have the capabilities to print everything under the sun! From business cards and letterhead, to business signage – both interior and exterior – to vinyl graphics for your vehicles, Allegra is your locally owned source for all of your marketing needs,” said Angela.“It is a very exciting venture and there is a wide range of
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applications and materials available.” Angela, David, and their staff take pride in working with their friends and community members. Clients range from individuals to Fortune 500 marketing executives. On Allegra’s website, clients can upload their art files 24/7 and review proofs by email, taking advantage of technology that moves the printing process along quickly. Online quotes and re-orders also make the process faster and easier. Sometimes, it’s less about speed and more about strategy.The Rodens and their knowledgeable team provide consultation services for upfront strategic marketing planning as well as providing recommendations for specific campaigns. Allegra’s technical capabilities combined with a talented in-house design and creative team, is the perfect solution to see a project from start to finish. Contact the Allegra team in downtown Brookings for your company's or organization's printing needs. Learn more online at www.allegrabrookings.com, where you can request a consultation or upload your files to print. Call them at 697-5170, or stop by the office at 301 Main Ave. in Brookings, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Jami Smith prepares custom vinyl decals for an Allegra client.
A passion for helping patients "I have a true passion for helping patients with their eye care needs!� says Lynn Gannon of Total Eyewear, who has been helping patients design, select and create their eyewear according to their lifestyles and careers for more then 28 Years. "When each patient enters our Optical, I want them to feel special and truly feel that they have selected the best products and materials for their vision needs.With the newest in technology lenses, to the most comfortable contacts available, you will leave our Optical knowing you have been offered the best products available on the market,� she said. That starts with a complete exam to determine your needs. Dr. Wyatt Nash-Keller knows all the latest techniques to determine your eye health and help you find the right prescription. Lynn Gannon
Dr. Wyatt Nash-Keller was in contact lenses. born, raised and educated in Protect your eyes from the South Dakota. He graduated sun year round. Lynn and her cum laude from South Dakota staff can help you find the perState University with a Bachefect sunwear solution. Choose lor of Science degree and from: Oakley, Ray Ban, Michael earned his Doctorate of OpKors, Wiley - X, and Vera tometry as a cum laude graduBradley, just to name a few! We ate of the prestigious Pacific will find the perfect pair of sunUniversity College wear for your lifestyle and help of Optometry. create the perfect 2016 look. He spent time Lynn has been providing eye practicing care services in the Midwest throughout the her whole life, and has been United States, Dr. Wyatt Nash-Keller residing in the Brookings area while working for over 10 years with her husalongside a handful of oph- band Leo and six daughters. In her spare thalmic surgeons, learning how time, you will see Lynn at various school to best manage patients with oc- activities and enjoying water activities with ular diseases and eye emergen- her family in the summer. cies. He also spent an extensive Feel free to contact Lynn at the office with amount of time in a specialty any optical question, where she will be contact lens clinic learning how more than happy to help you find the corto provide the newest, and best, rect optical solution.
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New technology, same services Change is the name of the game for the automobile industry, and no one knows that better than the folks at Einspahr Auto Plaza. “The change you see every year is incredible,” said Matt Einspahr. Features unthinkable 10 years ago are quickly becoming standard: touch screen interfaces, automatic parking assistance, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping technology, just to name a few. “It’s a little overwhelming when you first get in the car, but it quickly becomes second nature,” Einspahr said. Safety tech has also improved, such as the many sensors that have made airbags much safer or safety canopies for roll-overs or collision avoidance systems. More and more, cars are becoming mobile computers in this digital age. “When we look back 10 years and see where we were and where we are now and how much it’s changed, it’s hard to imagine what will be those next unbelievable things that will come,” Einspahr said. But new car tech isn’t the only thing that has changed at Einspahr Auto. The business continues to implement
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more convenient means of communication better. It also gives us some much needed for its customers, such as using text additional parking for our Service Department,” Einspahr said. “We messages to tell them when their car is done at the servare growing in all areas with along the community ice department or to communicate with them which is exciting.” We throughout the sales There’s also been a are growing in key addition to the staff process. Customers have at Einspahr within the all areas along with last six months: Henry, even begun to make the community which is appointments online. a golden doodle who exciting. acts as the company’s Customers’ preference for these quick and canine ambassador. Matt Einspahr “It has been fun to convenient options has have Henry come to work led Einspahr to embrace these new attitudes on the with me. He is so good with our customers, especially small company’s online platforms, from its website, children. He is a big dog but is so www.einspahr.com, to its Facebook and gentle. Our customers stop to say hello and bring him treats,” he said. Twitter pages. But for all of the changes, Einspahr Auto 2015 was a busy year at the dealership. They’ve added three hoists in the service Plaza’s dedication to good, old-fashioned customer service will continue to be a department, increasing shop capacity. In the past year, work on adding several standard feature. According to Einspahr, “Taking care of acres of pavement to the lot has allowed our customers is how this business was Einspahr to greatly expand its inventory. “It gives us an opportunity to expand our built, and we work hard every day to iminventory and to be able to display them prove on that promise.”
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