June 2020 Bridge

THE FARGO MOORHEAD WEST FARGO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

VOL. 23 NO. 10

JUNE 2020

Congrats to this year's

YEA! class!

Find out about their businesses inside!

Community Builders

2 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

Community Builders are a level of Premier Partner businesses committed to improving the area by investing in our programs and events.

Contents

20

June 2020

ON THE COVER

YEA! Meet the students' businesses

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 6 Chamber Events & News

9 Member Spotlight: MN DEED

10

8 Public Policy: Asking the Expert

11 Membership Matters 12 Eggs & Issues

14 Business Training 15 Women Connect

16 Leadership FMWF

18 Professionals of Color

18 Young Professionals Network 20 Young Entrepreneurs Academy 22 New Members 24 Member News

27 Ribbon Cuttings

Member Spotlight: ND Department of Commerce

AD INDEX

16

Leadership FMWF: Unveiling this year’s CCIs

Find The Chamber online @fmwfchamber

13 Blue Cross Blue Shield ND 19 Boulger Funeral Home 24 Bremer Bank 19 Cole Papers, Inc. 27 Cornerstone Bank 19 Dakota Carrier Network 23 First International Bank & Trust 24 Flint Group 19 FM Area Foundation 23 Indigo Signworks 19 Knight Printing 23 Mengedoth Dental 13 Office Sign Company 26 Pro Resources 26 ReadiTech 13 The Village

For past issues of The Bridge: issuu.com/fmwfchamber.com FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 3

The Chamber MISSION The Chamber promotes economic growth and prosperity for business and its members through leadership in advocacy, education and engagement

Board of Directors

Committee Chairs

Tom Dawson Dawson Insurance Chair

Roger Reierson Flint Group Agribusiness

Sandi Piatz Microsoft Chair Elect

Jessica Broers Bremer Bank

Ambassador Public Relations

Shawn Dobberstein Hector International Airport Treasurer Mark Nisbet Xcel Energy Immediate Past Chair

Scott Berg U.S. Bank

Ambassador Member Relations

Cory Holen Preference Employment Solutions

Business Training

Mike Dragosavich Spotlight Member at Large

VISION The Chamber is the leader in ensuring the growth and prosperity of our regional business and members

Anne Blackhurst Minnesota State University Education co-chair Moorhead

Anne Blackhurst Minnesota State University Moorhead

Louise Dardis Retired educator

Education co-chair

Kevin Christianson Paces Lodging Corporation, Property Resources Group Kyle Dorow Essentia Health

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES • Establish the region as a fullservice metropolitan marketplace.

• Be a bold voice for business through strong thought leadership and a rich policy agenda.

Erica Johnsrud Ronald McDonald Leadership FMWF House Charities Brian Shawn Midco

Jodi Duncan Flint Group

Military Affairs

Chad Flanagan Eide Bailly LLP

Trevor Mathew Choice Bank

Steve Halverson Heartland Trust Company

Professionals of Color

Tim Flakoll Tri-College University

Brittany Montecuollo Sanford Health

Public Policy

Joanna Slominski Mortenson

Katie Hutton Eide Bailly LLP

Peter Stenehjem First International Bank & Trust

Women Connect

Steve Swiontek Gate City Bank

• Build a place of belonging to best serve members’ interests.

Danne Doering Choice Bank

Jeff Volk Moore Engineering, Inc.

Young Professionals Network

Chamber Staff

Jim Parsons

Interim CEO, VP of Finance & Operations @FMWFJim

Tracy Meckler

Julie Doggett Information Systems Administrator @FMWFJulieD

Darren Dunlop

Business Development Manager @FMWFDarren

Darin Feir

Marketing Design Coordinator @FMWFDarin

Tracy Powell Mason Rademacher

Membership & Director of Events Advertising Sales Manager and Programs @FMWFTracyM @FMWFTracyP

Public Policy & Workforce Development Coordinator @FMWFMason

Tyler Fischbach Multimedia Marketing Coordinator @FMWFTyler

Amanda Huggett

Manager of Communications & Marketing @FMWFAmanda

Bobbi Rehder Casey Sanders

Events Coordinator @FMWFBobbiJo

Manager of Membership @FMWFCasey

Erica Solberg Public Policy Intern

Alyssa Lakoduk

Professional Development Coordinator @FMWFAlyssa

Katie Mastel

Government Affairs & Advocacy Manager @FMWFKatie

Mickayla Thompson Julie Yourczek

Member Relations Coordinator @FMWFMickayla

Office Administrator @FMWFJulieY

THE BRIDGE (USPS 124-430) is published monthly by the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber. For each issue received, $3.50 of membership dues are applied toward subscription of the newsletter. Periodicals Postage Paid at Fargo, ND 58102 and at additional mailing offices. Publication No. 124430.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Bridge, PO Box 2443, Fargo, ND 58108-2443; 218.233.1100.

Printed by Forum Communications Printing 4 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

A note from

The Chamber Re: Open for Business Through the past few months, our community has displayed its resilience and resourcefulness as we’ve navigated the current crisis. As businesses and the economy are beginning to reopen, we have updated our website and social media pages with new tips and resources to help businesses figure out what they need to do in this ever-changing environment. While we don’t know exactly what the future holds, we are hopeful, and will continue to represent and serve you.

Things won’t look exactly as they once did for a while, but this time showed us how to adapt and innovate.

Shifting to virtual events and learning how to work remotely while still serving our membership was a valuable experience for our team. We learned new lessons that we can carry with us into this somewhat-still-uncertain future. And we’re looking at how to continue to offer a variety of experiences, both in person and online, as we continue down this road.

Inside and online, you’ll find some news we are truly excited to share – that we were one of four chambers in North America to be selected in our category for Chamber of the Year. Put on by our industry association, ACCE, the award recognizes the great work and forward momentum that chambers provide their communities.

Assembling the rigorous application made it apparent that we have much to be proud of. Because of our work together, we have been able to accomplish so much that serves our region’s professionals and celebrates business. Much of this work is in large part due to the leadership from Craig Whitney. We know he would be over the moon about this recognition. From our policy efforts to events, programs, membership and more, we’ve never been prouder to be in this role—or so fired up to keep up this work on your behalf. Stay tuned this fall when we find out the winners.

We can’t say thank you enough each and every one of you that makes this work possible. Our members, volunteers, board, staff and partners, are the backbone of what we do. Thank you for being there with us.

We are also pushing on with the search for the next Chamber president & CEO. The board’s executive search committee has selected a national firm with chamber experience to lead the effort. This firm has held conversations with the board and staff, and has begun work to find the best qualified candidates. While we can’t say for certain how long it will take to have someone selected, we hope to be able to share this by early fall.

Remember that we’re here for you. Please continue to tell us what you and your employees need. By working together, sharing ideas and overcoming challenges, we will become stronger and thrive once again while ensuring we don’t increase risks associated with the virus. If you have questions in regard to reopening or anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.

We can’t wait to see you again. Until then, stay strong and stay safe.

Jim Parsons, The Chamber

Interim CEO

FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 5

CHAMBER EVENTS

ChamberChoice Awards Luncheon

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Wednesday, August 26 Noon to 1:30 p.m. | Delta by Marriott

Thursday, October 22 4 to 6 p.m. | Hilton Garden Inn

Join us at the ChamberChoice awards luncheon, where we’ll honor this year’s outstanding candidates in six categories and name the 2020 award winners. Register at fmwfchamber.com or by calling 218.233.1100.

People’s Choice voting opens soon!

Vote for your favorite ChamberChoice candidate in this year’s People’s Choice Award! Voting will be open from Monday, June 15 to Friday, June 26.

Stay tuned to see who takes home the honors!

#ChamberChoice

PRESENTED BY

6 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

This summer’s networking event is moving to the fall! Out of caution for the health and safety of our members, vendors and host, we hope you can join us on October 22 at the Hilton Garden Inn as we celebrate being able to gather together. Attendees, connect with your peers and visit with local vendors, where you can enter to win door prizes and learn more about the great businesses in our metro. We’ll finally be able to share elbow bumps and exciting experiences (don’t worry though, we’ll have hand sanitizer on hand to play it safe). A great time over apps, networking and fun awaits!

If you already registered for the June event and cannot make the new October date, please contact us.

#FMWFBAH

OCTOBER SPONSORS

CHAMBER NEWS

A special thank you to our Honor Star members, who have made the extra commitment to dedicate themselves to this cause. Visit our website for a list of these businesses.

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Honoring Our Ser vice Mem b ers

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Our Military efforts are as strong as ever! Though we aren’t able to host our annual Military Appreciation event this year, we were excited to celebrate Military Appreciation month in May. Our Chamber staff and Military Affairs committee chair placed a wreath at the Fargo National Cemetery on behalf of the committee and Honor Star members for Memorial Day. Thank you to those joining us on a mission to foster a militaryfriendly community.

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Military Affairs: On a mission

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FMWF Chamber named finalist for Chamber of the Year Award We are thrilled and honored to share news that our chamber has been named a finalist for the 2020 Chamber of the Year award, presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).

The award is the most prestigious and competitive recognition presented annually by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, recognizing the leadership role chambers have in their communities. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and made an impact on key community priorities, such as education, transportation, economic prosperity and quality of life.

Chamber of the Year winners will be announced this fall.

A huge kudos is due to our staff, board, volunteers and members who help us represent business and serve our community. Thank you!

Hospitality for Healthcare The Chamber was proud to collaborate with the Fargo Downtown Community Partnership and FM Convention and Visitors Bureau, with the FM Area Foundation, to create an innovative program, Hospitality for Healthcare. Close to 30 local restaurants came together offering $15 discounts on orders for healthcare workers and first responders. Almost $45,000 was raised to cover the discount costs at participating businesses. Almost 3,000 workers received the benefit.

The program has since ended, but The Chamber wants to thank everyone who participated in and donated to the fund.

FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 7

ASKING THE EXPERTS

COVID-19's impact on dairy farms & perishable products Scott Boll of Cass-Clay Creamery sat down for a video interview with The Chamber to discuss the challenges the dairy and perishable products industry is facing, both for farmers and product producers. The interview was part of our new Member Spotlight Video series; find it on our Facebook or at fmwfchamber.com/member-spotlight!

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, how are you handling all of the perishable goods you process?

We are in challenging times right now, but fortunately Cass-Clay Creamery is owned by Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) which is the largest farmer-owned cooperate, with over 7,000 family farmers who are very concerned about the health and well-being of our employees. In Fargo, between production, distribution and office spaces, we have 140 employees, and I’m on a call every day with the plants from across the country analyzing how we can safely run our business. I think we had a slight advantage going into this as cleanliness has always been one of our main priorities. We now require temperature checks for every employee, have adjusted our production floor and break room, are constantly cleaning touch-points, and require masks to be worn, both at the facility and by delivery drivers, to keep the flow of dairy products going.

We have seen videos of milk being dumped onto the ground. Is this something Cass-Clay and the farmers in our region have experienced?

In terms of processing and production, we are a fairly small region, so fortunately have not experienced farmers who have been forced to dump their milk. If you look at California, New York or Wisconsin, with their output and the dramatic change in the demand, they were forced to dump because there was simply nowhere for the product to go. It’s important to understand that 90% of a cow’s production does not go into the milk jug—only 10% does. 90% goes into the production of products like butter, cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese and whey powder.

Got a question for a legislator, public official or other expert?

?

Let us know what’s keeping you up at night and we just might help get you answers. Email mrademacher@fmwfchamber.com to submit a suggestion.

8 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

Scott Boll, General Manager Cass-Clay Creamery

How have low commodity prices affected the farmers you work with?

The last few years have been very stressful for farmers, and the pressure from low commodity prices continues to decrease the size of their milk checks. When DFA, for example, purchased us three years ago, had about 9,500 farmers—today, that number is down to around 8,000. Farmers right now are having a hard time breaking even, let alone making a profit. Looking at the larger industry, Dean Foods, the largest milk processing company in the U.S., recently filed for bankruptcy, leading DFA to purchase 44 plants from their asset group, bringing our company size up to 99 plants with a little over 10,000 employees. It’s been a struggle across the whole industry, and although the government has stepped in with different programs to try and help farmers, they are still struggling. Looking at the futures market, I don’t see anything to indicate greener pastures anytime soon.

As the economy begins to open back up, what do your forecasts look like?

I wish I had a crystal ball to see into the future, but I don’t.

However, I do have a very strong team that gets together every day to try and analyze everything as our economy starts to ramp back up. We have as little as 21 days to work with on fluid milk and 35 days for cottage cheese and sour cream so it’s a balancing act. Even though North Dakota has begun to open back up, which is fortunate, restaurants have had to be conservative with what they purchase. We sell several million half-pint milk cartons a year to schools, and with their closures, the demand for the product disappeared overnight. Although demand has been slowly increasing again, it is very much a day-to-day decision as we do our best to ensure the products customers need are available.

PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAM SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc. Moore Engineering

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Minnesota DEED’s mission is to empower the growth of the Minnesota economy, for everyone.

What are your major efforts currently due to COVID-19?

• C oordinating with the governor’s office, fellow state agencies, health experts, business and labor leaders, professional associations and others to safely reopen more of Minnesota’s businesses and safely return more Minnesotans to work.

• P roviding unemployment benefits to the hundreds of thousands of

OFFICE SAFETY

Minnesota workers affected by job loss or reduced work over the past few months through our unemployment insurance office.

• A ssisting small Minnesota businesses in finding the financial help

they need to weather this crisis with the help of our economic development, business finance and small business assistance, and other expert staff.

• C onnecting people who need work with the employers who need them during these difficult times through virtual and interactive CareerForce services.

How has your organization pivoted in response to the current crisis?

We’ve relied on our open communications and productive relationships with business and labor leaders and others throughout Minnesota for reasons none of us could have expected a year ago. We are grateful to our business, labor and other community partners who have worked with us to help individuals, assist businesses and get Minnesota on the road to economic recovery as safely and as quickly as possible.

Minnesota workers affected by COVID-19 were among the first in the country to be assisted through emergency benefits aimed at helping them through this difficult and uncertain time. These emergency benefits include a temporary additional federal $600 weekly payment to supplement their regular UI weekly compensation, as well as up to a 13-week extension of benefits for those who are eligible. In addition, eligible self-employed Minnesotans were among the first in the country to receive emergency help through Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). As of May 14, more than 86% of all applicants for unemployment insurance in Minnesota have received at least one payment and we have paid out more than $2.4 billion in total unemployment insurance and PUA benefits.

We stood up small business assistance programs, with bi-partisan legislative support and leadership from the governor’s office, in a matter of weeks.

Like many other organizations, we’ve learned to adapt to virtual meetings and working at dining room tables and in guest bedrooms.

Nearly all of our staff is working 100% remotely to protect themselves and others.

WORK SAFETY

What are your plans moving forward as this situation evolves or other goals you’re working toward when things settle down?

DEED’s values and strategic objectives continue to guide us. We will continue to live out DEED’s mission to empower the growth of the Minnesota economy, for everyone.

Are there any key messages you would like to share with our members or readers?

Thank you for the expertise and insights that you share to help us – especially now. We will get through this together and we’ll be a stronger Minnesota on the other side of this crisis. I will continue to look to you and others for wise counsel as we travel down the road to recovery over the coming weeks and months.

—Steve Grove, Commissioner

FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 9

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

North Dakota Department of Commerce The ND Department of Commerce is one of 17 agencies part of the governor’s cabinet, made up of agency leaders appointed by the governor. The department is relatively new, created in 2001 as the lead agency charged with growing North Dakota and improving the quality of life for the state’s residents. The four divisions that make up Commerce – Community Services, Economic Development and Finance, Tourism and Workforce—each have division-specific objectives that contribute to the agency’s goal of improving the quality of life for North Dakota citizens by leading efforts to attract, retain and expand wealth.

What are your major efforts currently and how has your organization pivoted in response to the current crisis?

In mid-March when it became evident that COVID-19 was about to affect North Dakota and our nation in a very significant way, we acted quickly to position ourselves to lead the effort to mitigate economic impact to the extent possible. By March 19, we had transitioned our entire team of 55 people to work from home; re-missioned nearly every team member’s job to support our citizens through this crisis; launched the Economic Resiliency Team made up of state leaders, to ensure a common voice for businesses; built and launched a brand new website to combine COVID-19 related resources for employers; and assembled a team of researchers to track and interpret federal regulation in order to be prepared to swiftly act upon the passage of the CARES Act. We assigned regional representatives to provide direct assistance to businesses and established the businesshelpCOVID19@nd.gov email and have answered hundreds of questions to date.

On March 17, the Commerce Department held the first of eight Commerce Business Briefings to advise North Dakota businesses of federal and state resources to be made available to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19. In the seven weeks that followed, partnering with the Greater North Dakota Chamber (GNDC), the Department of Commerce hosted seven additional business briefings to assist North Dakota businesses to act quickly to access the federal Economic Impact Injury Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program loan (PPP), as well as other federal resources. Our research suggests that North Dakota was the first state to hold an organized statewide informational session on CARES Act resources.

Our ability to act quickly in an organized fashion, made possible by collaboration with GNDC, local chambers, the Bank of North Dakota and North Dakota lenders, led to North Dakota receiving an “outsize share,” of the PPP, according to the New York Times.

More recently, the Department of Commerce and Department of Health have coordinated the creation of industry workgroups and facilitated discussion to quickly recommend North Dakota Smart Restart protocols to help businesses closed by Executive Order 2020-6.3 to re-open safety and launched the North Dakota Smart Restart web portal containing these protocols along with a trove of additional resources to help businesses mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

10 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

What are your plans moving forward?

As the situation around COVID-19 evolves, the Department of Commerce continues to focus on helping small businesses and primary sector companies remain successful. Commerce is in the process of developing an updated economic development strategy using a structured process to gain input and insight from companies, communities and groups around the state. This input will be used to determine how to most effectively utilize the state’s resources this biennium while ensuring that policy and fiscal requests for the next biennium reflect business and community needs.

Commerce will continue to focus on developing the energy industry by collaborating with stakeholders and aggressive investment targeting. We are identifying new ways to promote value-added industry development in both energy and agriculture. We are also focused on the retail and hospitality sectors to identify strategies and resources to inspire consumer confidence, and believe the time is right to go big on promoting the state’s identity and tremendous opportunities to attract people to visit our beautiful and wide open spaces. For tech and manufacturing, we are building new clusters to promote economic diversification and high-paying jobs in areas such as UAS and bio-tech research, as well as looking for new manufacturing opportunities, especially in the military sector.

Agriculture also is accelerating as Commerce works with farming organizations to promote new value-added activities and find new markets globally in the face of policy, demand and transportation shift.

Are there any key messages you would like to share with chamber members?

We encourage you to check the ND Smart Restart resources and North Dakota Department of Commerce website (commerce.nd.gov) frequently as we continue to assess and update information.

You may also follow Commerce’s social channels to stay informed at facebook. com/CommerceND, linkedin.com/ company/commercend or twitter.com/ CommerceND. —Michelle Kommer Commerce Commissioner

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Shop Local. Eat Local. Spend Local.

Enjoy Local!

Being intentional about your purchases to buy through businesses who are locally owned and operated can lead to more economic impact on our local community.

Purchasing locally helps keep our community strong. In fact, a 2018 AmEx survey stated that approximately 67 cents of every dollar spent at a U.S. small business remains in that local community. Supporting local businesses truly makes a difference.

Searching for easy ways to support your favorite local businesses?

• L ike, share and comment on their social media pages.

• T alk to your networking or volunteer groups, co-workers or neighbors about what these businesses are doing.

• W rite a review on Facebook or Google so others can benefit from your experience.

Eat well

This month, we encourage you to help spread this message by sharing this image on your website: 1. Log in to your Member Information Center

2. Select Company Profile on the

left side (must have primary access to the company profile).

Unsure or have a question about the Member Information Center?

Email csanders@fmwfchamber.com.

3. Select the ‘Membership Badge’ shortcut.

4. Use the HTML Element ID provided to add to your website.

Need more information on local businesses you can support or that need help?

JUNE CHAMBER ANNIVERSARIES Congrats to these members for celebrating the following milestone Chamber anniversaries this month!

25 YEARS Fargo Jet Center

20 YEARS Essentia Health - 32nd Ave Fargo Inn & Suites The UPS Store VFW Post 7564

15 YEARS Fargo Marathon Inc.

5 YEARS Choice Financial Wealth Management Dakota Commercial Fargo Antiques & Repurposed Market Gate City Bank Happy Harry’s Bottle Shop Hornbacher’s Foods - Azool Livewire Rookies Sports Bar & Grill

Check out our COVID-19 page on fmwfchamber.com!

Virtual Chamber 101: Connect. Engage. Maximize.

Tuesday, June 16 | 4 p.m. & Thursday, June 18 | 9 a.m.

If you’re not familiar with The Chamber, are a new member, new contact, new hire, or just want to re-engage with us, this session is for you! Chamber 101 is a laid-back discussion designed to share some of the great benefits of Chamber membership and

SPONSORED BY

what opportunities exist that you need to know.

Instructions and Zoom link and password will be emailed to all registrants.

FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 11

EGGS & ISSUES

Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace POSTPONED—New June Date TBD

7:30 to 9 a.m. | Online

The Oil Industry's Economic Impact

Tuesday, July 7 | 7:30 to 9 a.m. | Online

Colette Campbell

Dieumerci Christel

Kevin Cramer

Kelsey Gordon

Johnathan Judd

Ron Ness

SVP/Director of Talent Acquisition, Diversity and Inclusion Bremer Bank

Operations Program Manager Microsoft

Founder & CEO Enlight

Mayor of Moorhead and Director of Equity and Inclusion M State

As our community’s demographics continue to evolve, it is fundamental to the growth and sustainability of our metro and our businesses, that we work together to create an inclusive environment that engages all individuals. Join us for this important virtual discussion where our speakers will reflect on where our business community may be falling short and ways that we can best support a diverse workplace through our missions, strategies and practices. We will be joined by a diverse set of individuals representing different ages, ethnicities and genders, who will share their personal experiences as well as professional advice.

Join us online for these virtual events!

Link and instructions will be provided after sign up.

U.S. Senator North Dakota

President ND Petroleum Council

Kathy Neset President Neset Consulting

Rich Wardner

ND Senate Majority Leader

Impacts to the oil industry have always been a prominent international story and consistently have global economic effects, but with North Dakota being the second largest oil producing state in the U.S., and one of our largest basic-sector industries, the impacts are also profound on our economy.

Join us for a conversation with political and industry experts to explore how COVID-19, price wars, and other factors have created instability within the industry and how it impacts our national security, workforce, state budget and much more. This important and timely discussion and panel conversation will also dig into what we may expect for the future of this industry, both on an international and regional scale.

REGISTRATION Chamber members: $15 | Non-members: $25

Register at fmwfchamber.com or by calling 218.233.1100.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Bank of the West | Beverage Wholesalers | Bremer Bank | Cornerstone Bank Dabbert Custom Homes | Home Builders Association of Fargo-Moorhead | Houston Engineering KLJ | Livewire | Midwest Radio of Fargo Moorhead | Minnesota State Community and Technical College Moore Engineering | ROERS | Sparklight | Wanzek Construction | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. 12 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

EGGS & ISSUES

On May 12, The Chamber continued its Eggs & Issues series in a new way: virtually with panelists gathered together in person, over the phone and on video. The panel discussion, made up of MN Congressman Collin Peterson; Steve Connelly, RDO; Marc Knisely, Ag Country Farm Credit Services; and moderated by Nancy Johnson, North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, focused on current fiscal, political and environmental challenges to our agriculture industry.

The discussion began with Phase I of the China agreement, which states that over the next two years, China will increase its purchases of U.S. agriculture products by $32 billion.

Congressman Peterson stated, “at the beginning of this thing [the agreement], I was really skeptical that we would have $32 billion, the most they have ever done before, so it’s hard to see how that was going to happen. We want to be optimistic and see how it plays out, but so far it hasn’t.”

Shifting the conversation to the overall state of our agriculture economy, Johnson asked our panelists to share their perspective on our farm economy’s strength, where Knisely stated, “It's [the ag economy] been challenging. Commodity prices have been low for all sectors that we deal with and we have been

#FMWFEggs

Updates and outlook on area ag economy

fortunate that high yields and market facilitation programs have bailed us out and been a huge help for our producers over the last year to 18 months.”

Discussing the impact on our equipment sector, Connelly added, “Looking towards the near future, it’s uncertain but the sooner the pandemic gets under control, there is an answer with it and the wheels start turning in the other segments of our economy – there are a lot of positives to look at [regarding recent trade agreements].”

This timely conversation also covered Congressman Peterson’s thoughts on the current issues in the meatpacking industry, how ag country has processed Paycheck Protection Program loan applications, where RDO believes the future of agriculture equipment technology will be in the next decade, and everyone’s outlook on how our agriculture economy can rebound.

Charlie Lindberg

Jara Enger

The Village Business Institute offers solutions to help your employees and your organization succeed!

Keeping North Dakota well means knowing North Dakota well.

BCBSND.com

• Employee Assistance Program

• Workplace Mediation

• Crisis Management • Training and Services Consultation Who are you going to trust to help you take care of your people?

TheVillageFamily.org/VBI 800-627-8220 FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 13

BUSINESS TRAINING

How to Lead from Any Seat Wednesday, June 10 NEW TIME! 1 to 2 p.m.

Online

When ND/MN Nice Meets the Difficult Conversation Wednesday, July 15 NEW TIME! 1 to 2 p.m.

Online

Leadership is not a position, it’s a mindset—and the mindset of leadership can be adopted by anyone regardless of position, tenure or expertise. At this session, attendees will learn how to assert their own leadership within their current position, and walk away with practical tips on how to lead up, down and across their organization.

Almost every single day, we find ourselves facing tough conversations, whether it be personally or professionally.

Tiffaney Holm Unfortunately, most people don’t Organizational Development always do the best job of handling Specialist these conversations. In fact, the First International Bank & Trust majority of people would prefer TiffTiffHolm to avoid them all together. There’s a reason they are called “crucial” and “difficult;” if they were easy everyone would have them. But is it possible to be assertive and still be nice? Of course! It just takes some self-awareness and listening skills.

In Amanda’s position at WEX, Inc., she gets to spend her days sharing her passion for lifelong learning with more than 5,000 employees worldwide. Her main areas of focus include enabling employees to drive their personal career development and empowering leaders of all levels with the skills and resources they need to succeed.

In this session, we will talk about: • Determining where you are stuck • The typical responses when we have difficult conversations • Getting your head straight and your emotions sorted out • Focus on positive outcomes of these conversations

So often we think that in order to be a leader, we must have a certain title, “this many” years of experience, or a particular level of knowledge. How often does this belief stop you from speaking up, sharing ideas, politely pushing back, or asserting yourself day-to-day?

Amanda Brannan Learning and Talent Management Specialist WEX Inc.

Join us online for these virtual events! #FMWFTraining

Link and instructions will be provided after sign up

REGISTRATION Chamber members: $15 | Non-members: $25

Register at fmwfchamber.com or by calling 218.233.1100.

These events qualify for 1.5 CPE credits through SHRM

About Business Training

Looking for opportunities to advance your career and skill set? That’s exactly what Business Training sessions are all about.

Each month, you can expect a new topic tailored to the issues you need to know from local experts. This educational programming seeks to develop the professional, personal and leadership skills of Chamber member employees, and networking events foster connections with thousands of others in the business community, all over lunch.

PROGRAM SPONSORS

EVENT PRODUCTION SPONSOR

Discovery Benefits | GOLDMARK Property Management Minnesota State Community and Technical College | Wanzek Construction, Inc. 14 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

WOMEN CONNECT

The CEO Mindset:

Be the Leader in Your Life No Matter Your Title Tuesday, June 23

Two sessions in one!

Tuesday, July 28

3:30 to 5 p.m. | Online

Resilience – Unlocking the Power

3:30 to 5 p.m. | Online

to Bounce Back and Thrive The brain is the most powerful muscle we have; let’s put it to work in our favor!

Chris Thompson There is this little thing called the cognitive thought model. It’s based on research and science, and it is a game changer. When you use it, you’ll see a huge difference in your results and personal happiness—at work, at home and everywhere else. Together at this session, we’ll leave with a tool that you can use right away and forever.

In recent months, the topic of resilience has been trending. As the COVID-19 pandemic gained momentum, so did the need to embrace, practice and hone our skills in true resilience. Maybe for the first time ever, everyone is experiencing some level of disruption or adjustment in their lives. Resilience is the superpower that will help us through uncertainty and ultimately THRIVE.

Jill Steinhaus

Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant Sagency / jillsteinhaus

Seemingly the silver bullet in the face of adversity, what is so special about this one little word? Join us for a conversation on what resilience really is, why it’s essential, and how you can cultivate resilience to positively impact yourself, your team and the world around you.

Gratitude Attitude:

Thriving in the Midst of Chaos

Learn how to…

• U nderstand your own brain well enough to reprogram it for the results you want.

• T ake on change and achieve high impact without stress, burnout or anxiety.

• L et go of unwanted habits because you know why they exist in the first place.

• G et yourself unstuck and move forward.

• M ake strong decisions and sustain massive action to reach your goals.

When the world changes around us, suddenly it can become difficult to see the beauty of what lies in the present. We tend to be focused on what is missing from the past and eyeing what we look forward to in the future; by practicing critical present moment awareness one can cultivate hope, let go of numbing behaviors, and ultimately create an environment within which will allow one to thrive.

Trina Michels

Senior Manager Eide Bailly / chicerp

At this session, Trina will use her four-stage gratitude model to help participants identify where they are on their gratitude journey and how they can move along the path to gratitude nirvana. This will allow them to lead happier and ultimately more productive lives in both their work and home environments.

Join us online for these virtual events! #FMWFWC

Link and instructions will be provided after sign up.

REGISTRATION Chamber members: $10 | Non-members: $20

Register at fmwfchamber.com or by calling 218.233.1100.

PROGRAM SPONSORS

EVENT PRODUCTION SPONSOR

Bell Bank | Bremer Bank | Choice Bank | Delta by Marriott | Discovery Benefits | Essentia Health | Eventide Senior Living Communities First International Bank & Trust | Gate City Bank | Microsoft | Minnesota State Community and Technical College | Office Sign Co. Otter Tail Corporation | Rasmussen College | Vogel Law Firm | WDAY | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | Western State Bank FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 15

LEADERSHIP FMWF

Congrats to the Leadership class!

Community Change Initiatives unveiled

Last month, the Leadership Fargo Moorhead West Fargo class wrapped up the program with a final virtual presentation on leading with integrity and trust from Ole Rygg, Corporate Elements. Please help congratulate each of this year’s participants!

The class also unveiled their Community Change Initiatives (CCI) projects.

These CCIs apply and reinforce the skills and insights gained throughout the program while allowing participants a chance to envision, develop and bring to fruition real and lasting community change in collaboration with others.

Adulting 101

Lindsey Cernik, Border States Electric; Naomi Disrud, Houston Engineering; James Hand, Construction Engineers; Robert Hoffman, Doosan Bobcat; Anna Sather, YMCA; Jake Whiting, First International Bank & Trust

The Adulting 101 group had a blast creating a class series in partnership with the YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties. The series is intended for young adults who are seeking basic skills to become more responsible and self-sufficient individuals who handle life’s little needs and emergencies with skill and purpose. Some young people move away from home or out of campus housing only to find that they lack some of the basic skills they need to “make it” on their own, so Adulting 101 decided to focus on the following four categories: financial skills, professional skills, domestics skills and survival/safety skills. Due to COVID-19, our monthly class series, which was supposed to launch in March, was cancelled, but Adulting 101 was still able to launch the class 'virtually' in May with a handful of eager participants.

Autism Activity Group

Matt Bushard, Bell Bank; Brian Kingsley, Microsoft; Chuck Lang, Sanford; Rammie Olson, Bremer Bank; Bruce Powlish, Gate City Bank

In the Autism Activity group, we set out to create events in the FargoMoorhead area where high functioning autistic children could meet with other autistic children of similar functional levels. This would provide a safe and fun environment to play, participate in meaningful activities, and provide much-needed socialization opportunities. Parents could also meet, talk, obtain social support and learn about other resources in the community for their children. With help from the Anne Carlson center, Four Star Ninja and local businesses, we were able to host a successful event before COVID-19 didn’t allow us to continue holding the other two that were planned. The North Dakota Autism center is working to create an environment for this in the future, so be on the lookout!

16 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

Ban the Bag

Evan Balko, Impact Foundation; Abbey Benson, Eagle Ridge Companies; Darin Feir, The Chamber; Jessica Jackson, Alerus Bank; Scottie Knollin, CoreLink Administrative Solutions; Kriss Martz, Cardinal IG

Ban the Bag’s mission is to raise awareness to support reducing and reusing plastic bags here in the FMWF metro. Because each city has different rules around recycling and garbage collection, they set out to educate our community on what really happens with the items set out for collection and what practices look like in other cities. While a reusable bag distribution event was planned around Earth Day, the group is hopeful they can host something this summer. Follow them online at facebook.com/BanTheBagFMWF.

Care Seats

Sarah Fuchs, Anne Carlsen Center; Megan Grote, Dabbert Custom Homes; Chris Helmick, Fargo Police Department; Ashely Mitchell. YWCA; Steve Sjoberg, Cass County Electric

Care Seats focus is on providing car seats to families that may not be able to afford them. Through fiscal sponsorship with the Dakota Medical Foundation and in partnership with Safe Kids Fargo-Moorhead, Care Seats will use donations to purchase a supply of car seats. In turn, Care Seats will provide vouchers to several community partners that can be given to families in need. Those families will be able to redeem their voucher for a free car seat at Safe Kids. The hope is that no family in the community will have to sacrifice child safety for financial reasons.

FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 16

LEADERSHIP FMWF Healthy Cooking Club

Motivate Me

Jess Azure, Beyond Realty Dan Macintosh, Brady Martz Ashley Manly, Limelight Builders McKenzy Olson, EPIC Management AJ Sitzer, Union Bank Mandy Zastre, Rasmussen

Jill Andera, Sterling Management Ty Day, Wells Fargo Kristin Gille, Blue Cross Blue Shield ND Michelle Larson, Discovery Benefits Brandon Oye, Moore Engineering Machel Velaski, Park Company Realtors

Healthy Cooking Club was created ensure that the healthy food distributed by our area food banks was not wasted. The Healthy Cooking Club was able to connect Sanford Family Wellness and Boys and Girls Club of the Red River Valley to provide cooking classes to area youth involved in Boys and Girls club. After the completion of the healthy cooking class, individuals who completed the course will receive kitchen kits with all the utensils they need to recreate the meals they learned to cook in the course at home.

Motivate Me teaches children the importance of goal setting, accountability and overcoming obstacles using the SMART goal methodology. Through classroom activities and discussions, students learn how to create a goal, identify steps needed to accomplish their goal, establish a plan for tracking & celebrating progress, identify an accountability buddy and work toward completion of their goal.

Volunteers focus on positive reinforcement and encouragement to assist students in identifying and overcoming obstacles as well as celebrating success through process, building the student’s self-esteem as students work toward accomplishing their goal. Motivate Me was able to launch this spring in a 2nd grade classroom at Legacy Elementary!

Music Integration

Jenna Bixler, Wanzek Amber Ertelt, Midwest Radio Amanda Reil, NDSU Career Center Anne Schmaltz, Paces Lodging Erin Stegman, Ulteig

Music has been proven to increase overall quality of life through increasing memory, cognition, communication, socialization and movement for long-term care residents, while decreasing depression, anxiety and seclusion. Music Integration partnered with Edgewood’s life enrichment director and generous donors throughout the community to provide music playback devices and access to preferred music playlists for memory care unit residents. Using the resident intake forms and known favorites from the staff, the group downloaded playlists for residents to enjoy throughout daily care routines. Once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted in the Edgewood community, the CCI group will train staff to use the physical music resources, search and download new playlists, and communicate to families about the program.

#FMWFLeadership

PROGRAM SPONSORS

FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 17

PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK

— UPCOMING EVENT —

— UPCOMING EVENTS —

Virtual Networking Before 9 Friday, June 19 | 8 to 9 a.m. | Online

Off the Clock: Virtual YPN Trivia Thursday, June 4 | 5:15 p.m.

Join your Professionals of Color friends and special guest Moorhead Mayor and Director of Diversity and Inclusion at M-State, Johnathan Judd! We are not only excited to provide you with our second networking opportunity, but for you to also hear from one of the strongest leaders in our region! Tune in to hear from Mayor Judd on his personal and professional journey, his experience as a candidate for mayor, his transition into his new role with M-State, and how we can continue to grow into a diverse community. Come prepared to ask questions and to learn from his expertise!

YPN is re-igniting our social calendar! Join us Thursday, June 4 for a virtual trivia! Grab a snack and your favorite after-work beverage and log on for some networking and trivia fun! Trivia will be around some of our favorite workplace sitcoms including The Office and Parks and Recreation.

Johnathan Judd

Mayor of Moorhead and Director of Equity and Inclusion M State

Bring your own breakfast and hot cup of coffee! Attendees will receive the Zoom link and further instructions following registration.

Highlights from last month

On May 22, we hosted our very first virtual Networking Before 9 with Colette Campbell, Bremer Bank’s senior vice president of talent acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion, who brought a wealth of knowledge to share. The hour went by all too quickly as she shared her personal and professional journey, differences between our FMWF community and the Twin Cities, and how we can continue to be strong advocates for ourselves. She challenged each of us to actively engage with members in our community and pushed us to continue to grow personally and professionally!

PRESENTING SPONSORS

PROGRAM SPONSOR

Tuesday, June 23 | 8 to 9 a.m. | Online

Free for YPN members, $10 for non-members Start your day with networking and learning from a prestigious local business leader. This month’s— and our first virtual—Lattes with Leaders welcomes Dr. Rupak Gandhi, superintendent of Fargo Public Schools. Rupak will share his story and life lessons, and take questions from attendees. Bring your own coffee! Registration required.

Rupak Ghandi Fargo Public Schools

ABOUT YPN It is our belief that a community influenced by young professionals is a community that attracts and retains them.

Core to the Young Professionals Network’s strategic agenda is the belief that the more informed, involved and networked young professionals are, the more influence they will have on the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo community.

PROGRAM SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota GOLDMARK Property Management | Midco Minnesota State Community and Technical College 18 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

Virtual Lattes with Leaders

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

Delta by Marriott

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areafoundation.org/disaster FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 19

YEA! YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS ACADEMY

2020 YEA! Investor Panel Highlights —Fifth class completes the program and unveils their business plans—

The 2019-20 YEA! students have now wrapped up their year, taking part in our first virtual Investor Panel last month. Streamed live on Facebook, each student got five minutes to pitch their businesses to a panel of local investors and compete for funding.

Thank you to the event’s emcee, Dan Michaels. We are so proud of this class all the work they put in to the program.

The students are their businesses are: Cayden Anderson and Michael Toy, juniors, Sheyenne High School, love to give back to the community and wanted to find a way to make volunteer opportunities easier to access. They created Chipp-in, a service that provides information about upcoming volunteer opportunities, along with motivation to users via a competition with awards.

Ty Boutwell, 8th grade, Ben Franklin Middle School, loves playing with his dog, but was sick of the slobber on toys. He created his business, Paws Inc., and the Fun Fetcher, a new take on the classic frisbee (with a replaceable handle!), so you can play with your pup without the slobber.

Jadyn Chakua, 8th grade, Ben Franklin Middle School, was looking to tame her hair and help women with textured hair feel confident. To do that, she created Dhada and made a curly hair leave-in conditioner featuring natural ingredients in environmentally friendly jars.

Madison Christensen, junior, West Fargo High School, wanted to create clothing that made her feel confident, and helped others feel confident as well, without worrying about size or fit. De Moda designs high-quality, custom-measured clothing specifically geared toward adolescents.

Ameera Gaal, freshman, Sheyenne High School, loves expressing herself through what she wears. Enhance makes magnetic accessories for hijabs so that women who wear them can feel beautiful with her custom-made product.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

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WIN

PROGRAM SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Aldevron | Bremer Bank | Concordia College | Dawson Insurance | Eide Bailly LaQuinta Inn & Suites | Minnesota State University Moorhead | National Hospitality Services North Dakota State University | Office Sign Company | Radio FM Media | TrueNorth Steel 20 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

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Friends of YEA!

American Crystal Sugar Dabbert Custom Homes Talecris Plasma Resources Inc. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

YEA! YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS ACADEMY Evelyn Gould, 8th grade, Ben Franklin Middle School, knows that giving cards is meaningful, but wanted to make the timely tradition even more special with her business. Evie’s Cards makes hand-painted custom greeting and special occasion cards delivered by mail.

Seth Hansen, senior, Davies High School, knows that great footage comes from your family vacations, and he can help make those memories last. Hansen Video Production is his video editing and creation service to produce personalized video keepsakes for years to come.

Tate Jacobson, 7th grade, Discovery Middle School, has a passion for running, and loves to be fast. Jolt Athletic Apparel offers high-quality, breathable clothing for everyone, that he hopes to sell locally.

Gavin Keller, 7th grade, Cheney Middle School, needed a safe and fast way to haul equipment. He created Keller Sports to manufacture and sell heavy-duty, multi-use utility wagons that attach to bikes.

Allison Koetz, senior, Central Cass High School, is a believer in holistic healing and essential oils, but doesn’t love the price barrier. Her business, Healing Dimes, provides education and affordable essential oils.

Spring Ma, sophomore, Fargo North High School, was fed up with the amount of plastic wasted at her school daily. Her company, Plastic Sprout uses recycled utensils and milk cartons to create beautiful flower planters called “sprout cups.”

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Isabelle Sunderlin, sophomore, Davies High School, wants her peers to have great photos, without needing a reason. She created 505 Photography that offers more affordable photoshoots to capture fun, everyday moments for teens.

Thank you to our panel of investors!

What’s next?

• Anne Blackhurst, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Now, the students get to decide if they will utilize the funding they received to launch their businesses. All of the students in our YEA! class are motivated to achieve business success, and we know they will achieve great things as they move forward.

• Jim Hambrick, Cornerstone Bank • Dan Leeaphon, Microsoft • Chris Mason, Concordia College • Scott Meyer, North Dakota State University • Sherri Smith, Gate City Bank

The national YEA! Saunders Scholars Competition is set for August in Rochester, New York. We will keep you updated on event updates and how you can watch our local representative compete with students across the country.

FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 21

NEW MEMBERS We welcome the following businesses who have invested by joining The Chamber. We encourage all members to conduct business with each other. When you do, let them know you learned of their business through The Chamber!

Beacon Restoration eaconrestores.com b

Prairie Airwaves, Inc. ( 701) 205-2665

estoration R Beacon Restoration is a full-service restoration contractor. They specialize in water, fire, mold and storm damage restoration services. At Beacon, they know you might need more than just extraction and drying. That’s why they offer full reconstructive services, serving the greater Fargo-Moorhead area.

rts & Entertainment A Prairie Airwaves produces live entertainment events (music concerts/live variety shows), film, television and radio projects.

They also perform in a variety of musical combinations, speaker and emcee.

Blaze Pizza lazepizza.com b estaurants R Blaze Pizza is a ‘‘pizza joint’’ serving up artisanal pizzas that are both fast and affordable. Blaze has fans lining up each day for their custom-built pizzas, freshly made salads, blood orange lemonade and s’more pies. Each restaurant features an interactive open-kitchen format allowing guests to customize one of the menu’s signature pizzas or create their own, choosing from a wide selection of fresh ingredients. The restaurant makes their own dough from scratch daily. For pizza fans with specific dietary needs, Blaze offers gluten-free dough, keto crust, cauliflower crust and vegan options.

Kelsey Joy LLC k elseyjoy.com usiness Services B Kelsey Joy’s services include motivational speaking, talent strategy and one-on-one coaching. Executives attribute 72% of their company’s value to their employees, yet 12% of companies align their talent strategy with their business strategy (2020 State of Talent Optimization Report). Even worse, leaders waste countless dollar-generating hours trying to decipher their employees’ behavior. When behaviors are understood and there is a strong “people plan,” roles and personalities complement each other and performance soars, ultimately improving the bottom line. Kelsey Joy will help YOU create a people plan.

On The Minds Of Moms nthemindsofmoms.com o dvertising A On The Minds Of Moms magazine and website is the Valley’s modern resource for today’s parent. Printed bimonthly, On The Minds Of Moms is dedicated to providing a quality resource for readers and advertisers alike.

Prosperity Health Pharmacy, PLLC rosperityhealthpharmacy.com p harmacies P Prosperity Health Pharmacy provides their patients convenient and enhanced pharmacy services. They strive to build lasting, personal relationships with their customers and the community they serve.

Rice Companies, Inc. r icecompanies.com ontractors - General C Rice is a third-generation company that was founded in 1953 and is one of the few firms that offer true single source construction services. They offer in-house architectural, construction management, general contracting, real estate brokerage, maintenance, land development services and skilled field crews.

RiverHaven Events Center r iverhavenevents.com vent - Conference Center E RiverHaven Events Center provides corporate, private and wedding events. Their events can range from 25 to 300+ guests.

Their facility has a beautiful patio overlooking the Red River.

Super Cleaning LLC s upercleaningFM.com J anitorial Services - Home & Office Locally owned and operated, Super Cleaning specializes in commercial, residential and post construction cleaning.

Traditions Restaurant & Bar Inc. t raditionswestfargo.com estaurants R Traditions is a full-service restaurant & bar featuring great home-style cooking, breakfast, lunch or dinner.

WeDak, LLC c amrentals.biz eal Estate - Property Management R WeDak is a mobile home dealer providing housing, rental and/ or for sale in Western ND. Want to find all our members?

Search our online directory at fmwfchamber.com.

22 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

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MEMBER NEWS: COMPANIES Congrats to the following Chamber member companies for their exciting announcements! Make sure to congratulate their achievements and recognition next time you see them around town.

Fargo Jet Center (FJC) has been ranked in the top 10% of all aviation service companies in the world by pilots in the 2020 Aviation International News FBO Survey.

The survey asked readers to evaluate fixed base operators they had visited in the past year in five categories: flight line services, passenger amenities, pilot amenities, facilities, and customer service representatives. FJC’s overall average score is 4.67 out of a 5.0.

North Dakota State University Press has announced that Stringing Rosaries: The History, the Unforgivable, and the Healing of Northern Plains American Indian Boarding School Survivors

by Denise Lajimodiere was named a finalist in the History category of the 22nd annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.

Town & Country Credit Union was ranked the number one credit union in North Dakota amongst their peers for value returned to members in the fourth quarter of 2019. This ranking is based on Return of the Member, a measurement method designed by national credit union research firm Callahan & Associates, which ranks credit unions based on how well they are serving their members.

Want to see your own company news here?

Send your press releases to us at thebridge@fmwfchamber.com. We want to share your good news (for free!) just because you are a valued member.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

We’ll help you do more, and do better

WHEN THE WORLD DEALS YOU CHANGE, PLAY YOUR STRONGEST HAND.

CREATIVE SERVICES

We see you working hard every day to ensure your business, your employees and your community thrive. We see you evolving to meet the demands of a changing marketplace.

At Bremer Bank, we know what it takes to juggle the financial needs of today with your plans for tomorrow, and we’re here to help.

FLINT DIRECT

When you partner with Flint Group, you can stack the odds in your favor by working with the region’s most accomplished marketing and communications experts – people who are ready to go all-in for your business success.

Let’s see what we can do together.

Learn more at bremer.com.

EMPLOYMENT BRANDING Member FDIC

24 THE BRIDGE • JUNE 2020

It’s more important than ever to communicate with speed and purpose. You can build a team of employees to do it, but it can take time and money.

LET’S PUT YOUR TEAM TOGETHER. FLINT-GROUP.COM

MEMBER NEWS: PEOPLE American Red Cross

Gretchen Hjelmstad, Executive Director, Eastern ND/Northwestern MN

Apex Engineering Group

Kim Fletschock, Financial Accountant Kris Knutson, Civil/Environmental Engineer HJELMSTAD

FLETSCHOCK

KNUTSON

Cornerstone Bank

GREFSHEIM

Ray Grefsheim, Senior Vice President of Business Banking

Dakota Carrier Network

Ross Branstner, Outside Plant Technician Wendy Schweitzer, Marketing Manager

O PR

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Eide Bailly LLP

Blake Ellefson, Partner David Rygh, Partner Chantal Stennerson, Partner

Enclave Companies

Cody McLaren, Project Manager Ryan Meyer, Controller, Lux Communities James Schechter, Project Manager

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Fargo Jet Center

ED

STENNERSON

McLAREN

MEYER

SCHECHTER

Bill Berg, Assistant Chief Inspector Keith Lowe, Aviation Maintenance Technician Lead Anthony Manzella, Maintenance Service Advisor Bobby Meyers, Chief Pilot Rick Omang, Director of Operations

Flint Group

Jeremy Gruensteiner, Automated Marketing Strategist Garth Wiedrich, Senior Account Manager

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Games Galore Party Rental Clay Lindsey, Operations Manager

Gundersons Jewelry

Samantha Koskey, Sales Professional

Houston Engineering, Inc.

Kylie Beard, Scientist I/Watershed Planner

Park Co. Realtors

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Jenny Rustad, REALTOR® Michelle Williams, REALTOR®

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OMANG

GRUENSTEINER

WIEDRICH

LINDSEY

KOSKEY

BEARD

RUSTAD

WILLIAMS FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 25

MEMBER NEWS: PEOPLE Red River Valley Fair Association Cody Cashman, General Manager

West Fargo Public Schools

Rachel Bachmeier, Assistant Principal, West Fargo High School Greg Limke, Activities Director, Sheyenne High School Vincent Williams, Principal, Sheyenne High School

CASHMAN

BACHMEIER

LIMKE

WILLIAMS

OTHER NEWS Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business ranked three Fredrikson & Byron practice areas and six individual attorneys in its 2020 edition: in Firm Band 1 for the following practice areas in North Dakota: Corporate/Commercial, Labor & Employment and Litigation: General Commercial. The following Fargo Fredrikson & Byron attorneys were ranked: Kristy Albrecht (Labor & Employment), Benjamin Hasbrouck (Litigation: General Commercial), Michael Raum (Corporate/Commercial), Todd Zimmerman (Litigation: General Commercial) and Aubrey Zuger (Labor & Employment; Litigation: General Commercial).

Want to see yourself here?

Email your company or people news to us at thebridge@fmwfchamber.com or visit fmwfchamber.com/member-news.

Beth Karnik, a language arts teacher at Sheyenne High School, was awarded the distrct’s 2020–2021 Professional/Licensed Staff of the Year Award. And Coralie Farkas, an administrative assistant at Harwood Elementary School, was awarded the 2020–2021 Classified Staff of the Year Award.

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4870 Rocking Horse Circle S., Fargo

CELEBRATIONS: APRIL RIBBON CUTTINGS & GROUNDBREAKINGS Thank you to Nothing Bundt Cakes for donating a sweet treat to each of our ribbon cuttings!

Do Good Better Consulting Grand opening 205 Sheyenne St., #4, West Fargo

dogoodbetterconsulting.com

Virtual Ribbon Cuttings now available!

As many things have shifted in order to remain cautious while still celebrating our members, The Chamber is now hosting ribbon cuttings virtually. We will work with you to plan how you can share about your new business, relocation or milestone!

Email csanders@fmwfchamber.com or call 218.233.1100 to find out more.

FMWFCHAMBER.COM • 27

Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber Post Office Box 2443 Fargo, North Dakota 58108-2443 fmwfchamber.com

Here for you,

Here for business.

No matter your situation, know that The Chamber is here for you. Please reach out if you need any assistance! Our team is ready and willing to help you get the resources you need.

218.233.1100 | info@fmwfchamber.com