March 2020 Bridge by The FMWF Chamber of Commerce

Community Builders

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

The Chamber Board of Directors Committee Chairs

MISSION

The

VISION

The

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

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Chamber Staff

A note from the Chair

An update on Chamber search and plans

As we head into March and look forward to a fresh spring season, The Chamber is continuing on in our search for the next president. Last month we worked with a consultant to identify the attributes desired of our new leader, considering the traits of our past CEO, Craig Whitney.

Now that we have an idea of who we’re looking for, the search begins. We’ve formed a committee to lead the search for this next leader, made up of current and past board members and key individuals in our community. They are: Steve Swiontek, Gate City Bank; Sandi Piatz, Microsoft; Jon Riewer, Eventide Senior Living Communities; Kristi Huber, United Way of Cass Clay; Brian Shawn, Midco; and Anne Blackhurst, Minnesota State University Moorhead.

This committee will partner with a local executive search organization and will consider RFPs from around the region. We plan to look both nationally and locally to find the best individual to lead our Chamber and our region forward. We’re looking for someone who can continue the energy and the reputation that Craig created. Someone politically astute, and a team builder who can promote what is good for the community.

We’re not sure how long this process will take, but hope to have someone on board within six months. In the meantime, we’re pushing ahead in our work and remain focused on advocating for business and serving Chamber members.

Current partner efforts with the EDC are proving fruitful. Fueling Our Future, our joint initiative with the EDC, is seeing progress and success. We are happy to share that last month the shovel-ready sites program kicked off with a series of meetings with regional partners to start initial work, recap efforts to-date and highlight the benefits, goals and objectives of the plan. Now, the next step is to collect data on the sites, as work continues on the goal to have two to three sites shovel-ready by late this year. Momentum has also started on a new initiative called Campus FM, aimed at engaging and launching college students’ careers in the region through collaborations with various community organizations and businesses. Of course, we’re still focused on continuing to see through area career academies and an ag tech business accelerator.

Looking ahead, we hope to see you at any of The Chamber’s upcoming events as the coming months will bring many great opportunities. Dawson Insurance is proud to cosponsor the ChamberChoice Awards Luncheon in May, and while the staff always wants me to do something silly on stage, it is one of the best ways all year to recognize and celebrate business in this community. We also have applications opening in April for the Leadership program—LFMWF aims to serve both current and emerging leaders in your workplace to further their development and skills.

Thank you for your support and membership.

Tom Dawson, Dawson Insurance Chair, Chamber Board of Directors

Karlgaard on Trump, Tech and Trade: Economic Outlook Luncheon Highlights

Last month, national economist and Forbes publisher Rich Karlgaard predicted that Trump would win reelection and our economy would see slow but steady growth in 2020. Karlgaard returned for his second time to the Economic Outlook stage to deliver a keynote address focused on the future.

Regarding the upcoming elections, Karlgaard said, “I think president Trump is a slam-dunk to be re-elected if the economy is growing at 2% or greater,” but it also depends who he is running against, adding that Sanders and Bloomberg are the only valid candidates due to their resources.

Karlgaard talked about a two-speed economy being a challenge, mentioning that tech trends are only speeding up, and businesses must adapt to keep up and not get left behind.

He touched on culture and teamwork in the workplace, providing a few best practices that included seeking cognitive diversity and identifying our Tom Bradys of workforce that might be lower in a draft but can develop into champions.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum also took the stage at the event, speaking about the strength of the state. Burgum mentioned the various national lists that places Fargo in top spots for best place to live and work, as well as our broadband, noting that ND is one of the most connected states in the nation. He also touched on various factors impacting the economy, from technology to energy and the importance of attracting and growing a qualified workforce. He estimates the state has a record 30,000 available jobs currently.

We also want to thank Marshal Albright, Cass County Electric, for making opening remarks as presenting sponsor of the event.

PRESENTED

(YoungEntrepreneursAcademy)

Tuesday, March 24 | 5:30 p.m. | Concordia

The 2019–20 Young Entrepreneurs Academy students invite you to the Investor Panel event this month. Be the first to hear what exciting businesses these aspiring entrepreneurs are working on! Local business leaders will serve as judges and award funding in a "Shark Tank" style format. Then, you can vote on your favorite business to win People's Choice! We promise you'll be impressed by these students and their big ideas.

Each student will have just five minutes to pitch their ideas before fielding questions from the investors, who will then determine how much funding to award to each venture. One student will be selected to advance to the YEA! National Saunders Scholars competition later this spring.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration encouraged. Save your seat today at fmwfchamber.com

PRESENTING SPONSOR

MARCH CHAMBER ANNIVERSARIES

Congrats to these members for celebrating the following milestone Chamber anniversaries this month! 5

Chamber Member Benefit Spotlight: Auto Owners Insurance Discount

The Chamber partners with many organizations that offer Auto Owners Insurance to Chamber members. If you currently hold an Auto Owners policy, be sure to let your agent know you are a member. If you don’t currently work with Auto Owners, learn more about the discounts offered through Chamber membership!

Five reasons our members enjoy this benefit:

1. Cost savings can be up to 22%

2. It connects your business with another Chamber member

3. This is a member-only benefit that is offered by more than 10 chamber member businesses

4. Products include automobile, commercial auto, business owners, homeowners and umbrella

5. This discount often is a huge return on your membership investment

AAA Chamber Member - Special Offer

AAA special offer for Chamber members to receive 20% off of a NEW primary classic membership for their first year! Inquire for details.

Check out these member cost savings, as well as all other discounts, at fmwfchamber.com/discount-programs

Join us for this next Chamber 101 event!

Chamber 101: Connect. Engage. Maximize. Tuesday, April 21 | 4 to 4:45 p.m.

The Chamber office | 202 First Avenue North, Moorhead

If you’re not familiar with The Chamber, are a new member, new contact, new hire, or just want to reengage 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 what opportunities exist that you need to know.

Friday, May 22 | Noon to 1:30 p.m. | Delta by Marriott

Don’t miss the event of the year! Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of local businesses and entrepreneurs at this exciting event where we honor the year’s most visionary and community-driven organizations and individuals that are leading the way. The ChamberChoice awards luncheon gives attendees the chance to learn more about other businesses in town, network and make new connections, and kick back over lunch.

Watch the Bridge next month to find out which businesses become candidates in each of the categories!

What do attendees say about the ChamberChoice event?

• “What a fun and professional awards show.”

• “I had a great experience. This was my first time attending the event and I was extremely impressed. The emcee was hilarious and made the event a lot of fun.”

• “Always fun to see the nominees and get a chance to network.”

Emcee James Cunningham returns!

Always a crowd favorite, comedian and author James Cunningham returns once again to deliver his quick-witted jokes and announce the winners. Cunningham has performed at the Just for Laughs comedy festival, has had two stand-up specials on CTV and the Comedy Network, appeared on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, and serves as writer and actor on Comedy Inc. in Canada. He currently hosts the Food Network and Cooking Channel series, Eat St.

Plus, special guests!

YEA! students will be in the lobby to share more about their businesses. Make sure to visit with these young entrepreneurs and learn about their exciting ventures.

To register, visit fmwfchamber.com or call 218.233.1100.

Asking the Experts: The Prairie Dog Bill

This month, we sat down with North Dakota State Senator Ron Sorvaag (R-45) to dive deeper into the passage of HB 1066, better known as Operation Prairie Dog.

Ron Sorvaag ND District 45

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc.

Could you provide an overview of the Prairie Dog Bill and why you supported it?

“The Prairie Dog Bill establishes new ‘buckets’ of money for the oil extraction tax to flow through and will provide additional dollars to non-oil producing cities, counties and townships across the state. The additional funding will benefit both large and small communities and can be utilized for new infrastructure projects.”

Specifically, Sen. Sorvaag expressed support, stating “It benefits every citizen that is a property owner, specifically within Cass County and the communities that I represent. The projects that will be partially funded through the Prairie Dog Bill are projects that would have gotten done eventually—but this will hopefully accelerate the timeline, which will save on inflation costs, special assessments and property taxes.”

How much additional money will become available and how much will our community receive?

“Up to $250 million will become available through the passage of Operation Prairie Dog. Of the $250 million, $20 million will go to airports – to be distributed by the aeronautics commission, $115 million will go to cities, to be distributed by population, and $115 million will go to counties and townships. Of the $230 million available for cities, counties and townships, roughly $25 million will go to Fargo, roughly $12.5 million to West Fargo and roughly $7 to $7.5 million to Cass County.”

When will we receive the money and can it be ‘saved’?

“The money for the current biennium will become available on July 1, 2021. Once the money is available, it can be saved for future projects and will not be affected by any changes to the state budget.”

Sen. Sorvaag also noted that this is not a permanent ongoing appropriation, but instead, it will be a part of the formula discussion each biennium and will need re-approval each session.

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. PUBLIC POLICY

Moore Engineering

Chamber visits St. Paul

As Minnesota’s legislative session kicked off last month, Chamber staff and community and business leaders attended the Minnesota State Chamber’s Session Priorities event in St. Paul. Our group connected with legislators and represented the business community’s interests. We also heard from Governor Tim Walz, along with legislative leadership, regarding issues that are expected to come up during this session.

Wednesday, July 22

12:30 to 7:30 p.m. | Edgewood Golf Course

Get ready for the green! Get ready for the green!

This summer’s annual golf tournament for Chamber members is back. A sold-out event the last seven years, you won’t want to wait to sign up.

Entry fee includes 18 holes of golf; cart; food and drinks provided by sponsors on the course; 19th Hole Happy Hour Social; on-course contests and giveaways from sponsors. Then stick around for the 19th Hole Happy Hour Social at the clubhouse after the tournament! Awards will be given for men’s and women’s team best score, and individual prizes for closest to the pin.

Registration is now open at fmwfchamber.com.

LEADERBOARD SPONSOR

Sponsorship opportunities are available For information, contact Darren at 218.359.0514 or ddunlop@fmwfchamber.com

INDIVIDUAL RATES

Don’t have a team of four? Register as an individual and we’ll pair you up with other players. It’s a great way to build relationships and your network.

On or before June 1

$120 Per Golfer-Chamber Member

$150 Non-Members

After June 1

$145 Per Golfer-Chamber Member

$175 Non-Members

TEAM RATES

Get your clients, co-workers and friends together and network the afternoon away on the golf course with a four-person team.

On or before June 1

$460 Foursome-Chamber Members

$600 Non-Members

After June 1

$560 Foursome-Chamber Members

$700 Non-Members

Local Impacts Globally: How Midwest of Us!

Tuesday, March 3 | 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Our community has great people and great organizations doing great things—that’s no secret. But did you realize how many of these organizations are reaching beyond our metro, our bistate region and our country’s boundaries, to do good? How Midwest of us as a community to give back in bigger ways than imagined! Join us in March to hear more about the great work that three local organizations are doing on a global scale. These are the kinds of stories that we as a community need to share; they are part of what makes our region so special.

GoodBulb: With every light bulb purchased, they provide light to families who live without electricity. HERO (Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization): Provides access to affordable healthcare equipment to all, through the collection and distribution of donated materials. Unseen: A capacity-building non-profit that accelerates the work of anti-trafficking organizations.

REGISTRATION includes breakfast

Chamber members: $32 in advance | $42 at the door

Non-members: $52 in advance | $62 at the door Register at fmwfchamber.com or by calling 218.233.1100

The Farm Economy –Stable, Rebounding or Declining?

Tuesday, April 7 | 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Agriculture is known to be the backbone of our economy. This session will hone in on the current farm economy with debate if it is stable, rebounding or declining. Our speakers will discuss the fiscal, political, related industry and environmental variables associated with the farm economy. They will dive into how these areas are impacting the economic state of the agriculture industry, as well as how they are being affected by the agriculture economic situation. Join us for a lively discussion surrounding one of our area’s largest industries—agriculture—as well as hot breakfast and networking.

At Eggs & Issues, we strive to provide topical and timely events to keep you in the know. Every month, you can expect to hear from local experts sharing information relevant to our region and business community. And you can always count on a hot breakfast and networking.

Courtyard by Marriott, Moorhead

Tom Enright Founder & President GoodBulb

Maren Gemar Executive Director HERO

Than Baardson CEO & Cofounder Unseen

The Normalization of Deviance: How Workplaces Can Avoid Deceit

Wednesday, March 11

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

DoubleTree by Hilton

If it’s not broken, why fix it? Organizations continue to push the envelope when it comes to adhering to polices and procedures. These deviations have allowed for a new normal to be accepted in workplaces big and small.

Forensic Accounting Senior Manager Eide Bailly

Have our actions over time actually increased the risk of fraud? This session takes a look at workplace fraud from a different perspective. Brett Johnson will lead a theory-based presentation with an overview of the small behaviors we accept, ignore and allow in the workplace that can lead to larger issues, including various forms of fraud. Attendees will be able to reflect on their own workplaces and explore any gray areas that are unintentionally creating an environment that increases the risk of deviant behavior.

Developing a Comprehensive Communication Strategy

Wednesday, April 8 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Holiday Inn Fargo

Today’s communication channels make it easier than ever to tell your business story; however, you need to be smarter than ever in how you tell your story. At this session, learn the best way to craft a comprehensive communication plan that will serve as a roadmap to your business success. Attendees will learn the basic structure needed for a successful strategic approach.

Chamber members: $32 in advance | $42 at the door

Non-members: $52 in advance | $62 at the door REGISTRATION includes lunch

About this series

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.

Mission Statement

Enhance the success of our community’s businesses through a variety of targeted, practical and cost-effective training events.

Brett Johnson

Jodi Duncan President Flint Group @FlintGroup

Why NOT Me? Overcoming Self-Doubt

Wednesday, March 25

3:30 to 5 p.m.

Delta by Marriott

There is an old saying that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Self-doubt is often a primary driver for not taking that shot. This session will explore key motivators of self-doubt, and challenge women to get out of their own way and feel confident that they deserve success, happiness and fulfillment.

Jessica Fyre SVP General Counsel AgCountry Farm Credit Services

/jessicafyre-674773a

This session will explore the key motivators of self-doubt; challenge individuals to have the courage to risk disappointment; discuss how to overcome and move on from disappointment; and explore the importance of sponsorship (people who are actively advocating for your next promotion or raise).

Charity of the month: Unseen Unseen accelerates the fight against human trafficking. Please consider visiting with them at the event.

REGISTRATION

Coaching is a Game Changer

Tuesday, April 28 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Delta by Marriott

Melissa Marshal General Manager, Residential Property Management Roers Companies

Do you find yourself desiring more? Have you ever felt stuck and had no idea how to get from where you are to where you want to be? It is a feeling within you that you have a hard time identifying, but you desire more. More joy, more significant relationships, more meaning in your everyday, and more fulfillment.

Coaching is a common term but is often left undefined. Coaches are present throughout your life. They are experts guiding you to reach deep within yourself to unleash those untapped resources. They can help you gain clarity and acceptance of who you are, where you are today and what it will take to get you to where you want to be. At this session, you’ll learn tools to move you out of overwhelm into action.

Chamber members: $25 in advance | $35 at the door Non-members: $45 in advance | $55 at the door

Join a PUSH group!

P.U.S.H stands for Pursue Dreams, Unite Women, Shatter Barriers and Have Heart, and has a mission to create a supportive network of women who empower each other to ask tough questions, challenge the norm and grow individually and professionally.

In a PUSH group, women can meet in small groups on their own time, outside the sessions. Organizers provide discussion prompts and inspiration via the Facebook group, but each group can set their own rules and structure. It’s a great way to form close connections to other professional women in the community!

What is Women Connect?

Monthly events with local speakers to bring women together through targeted topics. A PUSH program also aims to offer outside-the-session small group meetings and support.

Sarah West Owner Light Consulting & Coaching LLC

Go ahead; be brave!

We’re looking for presenters at Business Training and Women Connect events for The Chamber’s upcoming fiscal year. Tell us your big ideas, proven successes, tips and tricks or inspirational message, and you could be chosen to speak to a crowd of local professionals.

Learn more at fmwfchamber.com/call-for-presenters. Applications received by May 31 will be considered for the 2020–21 calendar of events.

Agribusiness Update

The Chamber’s Agribusiness committee attended the Northern Corn and Soybean Expo in early February. Here, our committee members talked with various ag exhibitors as well as heard from experts regarding managing risk in 2020, biofuels, the pressure of farming today, weed management, corn and soybean disease outlooks and global market trends. Our committee always looks forward to participating in this great annual event!

• Partner with patients to provide custom oral health goals!

• On time appointments

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Moore Engineering, Inc.

For the past 60 years, Moore Engineering, Inc. has been living out its mission of improving lives by building strong communities. Originally founded by brothers Kip and Marshall Moore as a civil engineering and surveying business with strong Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo roots, everything the company does today still supports those core services, even with great growth in subspecialties, offices, employees and impact.

Moore Engineering served as the city engineer for the City of West Fargo for decades, and is proud to have played a key role in residential, commercial and water resource development throughout the entire region. Their story of growth includes completing more than 21,000 civil and environmental engineering projects throughout North Dakota and Minnesota, working with 130 different communities. Moore recently opened a new office in West Fargo’s Sheyenne Plaza, a critical project in the revitalization of the city’s downtown.

“The fact that we have good competition helps drive us every day,” Kurt Lysne, West Fargo Office Manager, said, acknowledging that their competitors in this market are a testament to the overall strength of the FMWF economy. “It’s a good, healthy market.” The difference, he says, lies in how Moore thinks about consulting.

Moore focuses on helping clients make decisions on the front end, looking at solutions differently and considering options they might not think of on their own. They also have a long history of helping clients find and understand funding opportunities.

"Staying abreast of technology is important for any business," Lysne said, and Moore Engineering has found a way to incorporate two major advancements in their work. The use of drones and aerial photography in their day-to-day business has made site inspections safer, designs more efficient, and saved both time and money. Online GIS mapping platforms

are also a hit for their clients, integrating property boundaries and information, infrastructure location and past project information into the application, among many other things. “We work in big municipalities, but we also work in a lot of smaller ones, and to take a big-city service like an online GIS map and scale it to a small community, we take a lot of pride in that, and a lot of communities have embraced that technology for their residents,”

100% employee-owned

Moore Engineering is proud of its history as an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) company. In 1998, the company became 50% employee-owned, and 100% in 2004; in 2010, Moore formed an ESOP communications committee to remind employees about the benefits they enjoy as an owner and how their job relates to company success.

“This went from being a strong engineering business to a growth-focused engineering business for the benefit of the owners, who are the employees,” Lysne said. “The focus is now on everybody’s benefit, and that was the catalyst for growing the company. It’s a point of pride knowing that your role can directly impact the value of your ownership stake.”

This change has resulted in even better culture, too. Moore Engineering has low turnover and high consistency in its staffing. Lysne acknowledges there are many ways a company can set up an ESOP, but they choose to offer it to everybody who meets the criteria. “I think the goal of every business is to have employees that think like owners, that know how their daily interactions with clients impact the bottom line. We’re not just employees showing up to do a job; we’re in charge of our financial security.”

In fact, being an ESOP company means so much that Moore celebrates every year during ESOP month in October with fun challenges, like chili cookoffs. During the rest of the year, they work to integrate ESOP knowledge into other events, such as trivia at their employee golf tournament.

Moore Engineering staff at the North Dakota League of Cities annual conference, and volunteering around the community.

A family-like culture & focus on kindness

Lysne maintains that working at Moore Engineering is like working with family, and the company’s values are more than words on a wall. Respect, integrity, accountability and loyalty have been core values for years, but one relative newcomer value is kindness – “because it’s all about how you treat people.”

Kindness is key because nothing is ever perfect, and they want employees to be able to respectfully disagree.

The team at Moore is continually working to bring these values to life in the workplace and build expectations for how to integrate them in their work and culture. Lysne says creating and protecting positive culture is a priority, along with identifying blind spots. Mentioning an employee survey going out soon, he says, “I appreciate that we have a president and leadership team that are willing to take the temperature on our culture, reaching out and inviting feedback, and then is ready to make adjustments based on what they learn.”

Cultural fit is important in hiring, too, and the expectation for new Moore employees is to be able to think on your feet and learn by doing. “We put people to work right away, and provide mentors to those just starting out,” he said. “Our experience is that when you trust people and set some pretty high expectations, then support them with good mentors, they deliver.”

Community involvement

With “community” right in their mission statement, it was important to define what community means at Moore. Lysne says that a community can span from a team of engineers working together in an office to a city they’re working in. And with the work they do in rural settings, it’s always important to improve lives. When they work outside urban areas, “agronomic” benefits happen when they mitigate flood damages or improve land productivity.

Outside the workplace, Moore Engineering also values giving back. Even their company Christmas party turns into a fundraiser, as they offer opportunities

for charitable donations with a 100% company match. For many years, they enjoyed building a float for the Holiday Lights Parade (and have earned several first-place awards!).

Not only do they provide financial support for many events and programs in the communities they serve, but they also give time. Many employees sit on boards of directors and in community leadership roles. They walk in parades in the small towns where they work, and get involved in school programs. Delivering Meals on Wheels and bell ringing for the Salvation Army are just two examples of Moore’s volunteerism in the FMWF metro area.

Moore Engineering offers engineering scholarships to NDSU students, and sees helping students as benefitting not just them, but their entire industry. STEM outreach to many stakeholder groups is a big priority at Moore; for example, a group of women engineers is very active in reaching out to girls in STEM to grow the next generation of engineers and leaders.

We would be remiss to not mention Moore’s involvement in The Chamber!

A Community Builder, Corporate Cup participant, program sponsor and regular event attendee are just a few ways Moore Engineering shows up for our community and membership. Lysne and several other employees have participated in the Leadership program, and he and Moore’s CEO Jeffry Volk – who is also on The Chamber’s board – have participated in legislative efforts and traveled with us to Bismarck. We thank them for all their support for the community!

Moore Engineering is beaming with pride for their work, their employees, and their history in the community. Celebrations for their 60-year anniversary are planned for this summer.

MISSION

Improving lives by building strong communities.

VISION

Outperform expectations through empowered employees who build trusting relationships and create solutions VALUES Respect · Integrity

Leadership looks at workforce

February is always an exciting month for the Leadership FMWF program. During North Dakota legislative years, our participants head to Bismarck for Chamber Day at the Capital. On nonlegislative years, our planning committee has the opportunity to get creative and find some areas of our business community that the class has not focused on in the previous years. This year, our February session focused on one of the biggest topics in our region right now: workforce

North Dakota Department of Commerce Director of Workforce, to talk about workforce initiatives on the state level.

After the wonderful presentations, the class had the opportunity to tour three locations that are connected to workforce: NDSU’s Research & Tech Park, Cardinal IG and CNH Industrial. Thank you to these businesses for opening their doors to our Leadership participants and for taking the time to provide tours! The day ended at Front Street Taproom for our monthly social hour.

We started the day at Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND with a welcome from the new CEO, Dan Conrad. After this welcome and a short period of time to focus on CCI projects, the class had the opportunity to hear Joe Raso, EDC, talk about the work the EDC does for our community as well as the joint EDC and Chamber initiative, Fueling Our Future.

Following Joe’s presentation, the class welcomed Katie Ralston,

Be one of 40 professionals focused on leadership development, community exploration, community change and networking! Monthly sessions and community-based group projects will empower current and emerging leaders, expose you to issues facing our region and explore professional development and civic engagement. Apply by May 15 at fmwfchamber.com.

Celebrating POC’s first year

One year ago, the Professionals of Color program launched! We cannot say thank you enough to everyone that has helped make POC successful. From those of you at the launch event, to those at any event since, to those serving on the planning committee, and our guest speakers, event hosts and sponsors. We can’t wait to keep pushing this vital program forward into our second year!

" It has been wonderful to see the community connect with the Professionals of Color program and I am so happy that we have begun to fulfill needs of a growing diverse segment of our population. We really hope to provide a sense of belonging for everyone in the region. It will be exciting to expand our programming to include more opportunities for members to grow both personally and professionally over the next year."

Trevor Mathew Choice Bank, and POC committee chair

HIGHLIGHTS from last month

We had a great inaugural 5 O’Clock Connections at Acapulco on January 28! It is always fun getting so many professional & energetic community members into one room. Then, on Valentine’s Day, we hosted a special Networking Before 9 at M State with Dr. John Maduko, their new Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. Dr. Maduko reflected on his leadership journey and his transition from medicine to higher education administration.

—UPCOMING EVENTS— 5 O’Clock Connections at Brewtus’ Brickhouse

Tuesday, March 10 | 5:30 to 7 p.m. Brewtus’ Brickhouse 937 37th Avenue South, Moorhead

Join POC for our second-ever afterhours networking event! Can’t make our Networking Before 9 events? Come join us after your workday ends for a great atmosphere, great conversations, and even better people at Brewtus’ Brickhouse in Moorhead! Come when you can; leave when you have to!

Thank you, YEA! mentors

Our young entrepreneurs have been hard at work finalizing their business plans and presentations for the Investor Panel Shark Tank!

A special thank you to our mentors for helping the students with their business plans and making sure their documents are ready for the investors:

Jill Andera, Sterling Management

Laura Ascheman, First International Bank & Trust

Kevin Bauer, WDAY

Kailey Boraas, BlackRidgeBANK (First Western Bank)

Lindsey Cernik, Border States Electric

Middi Dizihic, Starion Bank

Hillary Ehlen, Spotlight

Val Fechner, United Way of Cass Clay

Scottie Knollin, CoreLink Administrative Solutions

Travis Mack, Microsoft

Meagan McDougall, High Point Networks

Jared Meyer, NAU Country Insurance

Addie Long, Office Sign Company

Save the Date

Tuesday, March 24 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Barry Auditorium Offutt School of Business Concordia College

The YEA! students letting out some energy before heading back to class with their mentors

A look inside BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

The only event reserved exclusively for Chamber members, Business After Hours is the region’s largest networking event. Now offered four times a year, this event is the place to meet after work and relax in a casual environment where you can mingle with your peers, make new connections, visit with vendors, enter to win door prizes, and enjoy hors d’ourves and drinks. Learn more about other organizations in the region and end your day on a great note.

To keep this event as valuable as possible, we’re committed to evolving to meet your needs. Based on feedback from a recent focus group, we adjusted the frequency of Business After Hours events from six to four times per fiscal year, changed the time to 4 to 6 p.m. (and an extra half hour in December), offered a how-to network pre-event session at two of those events free to all registered BAH attendees, and introduced a new skills competition for friendly rivalry at the chance to win some cash.

What do others say about Business After Hours?

“NAI North Central has made a conscious effort to attend as many BAHs as possible. ... Consequently, as a result of attending BAH, our office has enjoyed direct listing & sales opportunities. But, more importantly, the personal relationships that have grown from those same BAH and Chamber contacts.”

– Paul S. Balega, NAI North Central

“I love attending the FMWF Chamber Business After Hour events! They are always so upbeat and have fun activities to do. I find the events a great place to network with local businesses and to learn more about events that are happening in our community. We … have had an opportunity to meet many of our prospective students through the tabling experience.”

– Debra Balzer-Plagemann

“We’ve been a member of The Chamber as long as I can remember, and it’s a great thing to be a part of. I always find Business After Hours to be a huge success. If you’re not a member, I definitely recommend getting involved because there are some great benefits.”

– Bob Stromberg, Advanced Business Methods

About the Game of Skillz

This fiscal year, we offered a new opportunity for attendees at Business After Hours to win real money just by participating in a game of skill at the event. Each person who plays in the month’s game qualifies to participate in a play-off at the end of the event. The last man/woman standing wins the money!

For every registration, we will donate $1 to the monthly prize. The prize money for each month will depend on the number of registrations, and the winner of that month’s Game of Skillz will receive half of the total amount. The other half will go to the final cash pool in June, when we award the total dollar amount accumulated.

Upcoming events

March 19 | 4 to 6 p.m. | Delta by Marriott, Fargo

Networking to Business

Financial Wellness Roundtable

Date TBD; stay tuned!

YPN members $15 | Non-YPN members $25

Have you recently graduated from college and are looking to achieve financial peace? Are you starting to think about buying a home but have questions? YPN is here to help! Join us as we host a variety of experts in the financial field for a roundtable. From loan refinancing to homebuying to insurance, we will cover all areas of finance. This is a roundtable set up, while each segment will be timed, you will not be forced to go to every table host: only the areas that are of interest/benefit to you.

Urban Overture

Wednesday, March 18 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Radisson Hotel Fargo, 201 Fifth Street North

YPN wants to encourage you to attend FM Symphony Orchestra’s Urban Overture! Urban Overture is a free monthly event for young adults who are interested in an informal concert experience and networking opportunity. Urban Overture takes place the Wednesday before every Masterworks symphony concert and features the concert’s guest soloist. This Urban Overture event will feature French pianist Philippe Bianconi. Join fellow YPN members to participate in this event and learn about the FM Symphony and get a taste for what the upcoming concert will feature! Free hors devours and wine, as well as a discounted ticket to the concert are available to all attendees! Register for FREE by emailing alakoduk@fmwfchamber.com.

Morning Buzz

Friday, March 20 | 7:30 to 9 a.m. | Thunder Coffee

Come and network with other young professionals before you start your work day and get your morning caffeine boost. Coffee on your own; networking is free!

A look at last month

Thank you to Rookies for hosting our January New Member Social and Off the Clock. We were in the Radisson downtown for our January Morning Buzz at Beans Coffee and February Off the Clock at Level 2! We were at Red River Coffee in February for Morning Buzz. YPN also had a great event with NDSU Graduate School focused Networking Etiquette at Herd and Horns, where we learned and practiced networking in social settings. We also got to give back with volunteer slots at the 62nd Annual Kiwanis Pancake Karnival

Lattes with Leaders

Tuesday, March 31 | 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Construction Engineers, 35, Fourth Street North, Suite 202, Fargo Registration: YPN Members free; Non-YPN members $10

Start your day with networking and learning from a prestigious local business leader, all while getting your morning caffeine boost. This month’s Lattes with Leaders welcomes Dr. Rupak Gandhi, superintendent of Fargo Public Schools! Rupak will share his story, life lessons, and take questions from attendees. Networking begins at 7:30; speaker starts at 8 a.m. Regular brewed coffee will be provided.

YPN Business Tour

March 30 | 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Four Star Ninja Academy | 4410 18th Avenue South, Fargo YPN members: $20

Are you ready to be the next American Ninja Warrior? Neither are we. But we are excited to see what it is like to train to become one! Join YPN as we learn about one of Fargo’s newest fitness attractions, Four Star Ninja Academy! We will be learning about the business and operations, as well as getting to test out some of the obstacles at the gym. Bring your workout gear and a great attitude for this special YPN Business Tour.

*This tour is only open to YPN members*

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!

A to Z Moving atozmovinginc.com

Moving - Storage

They are a professional piano mover, and offer household and office moving too.

AT&T

att.com

Cellular & Wireless Communications

AT&T is a retail store.

Bar Nine bar9wf.com

Bars/Lounges/Night Clubs

BAR NINE offers a wide variety of options to its patrons. They offer a new full menu with signature burgers and pizzas, 24 taps, full gaming, live music, comedy, 24 big screens, darts, events hosting and more.

Bliss Travel

701.210.1400

Travel Agencies

Cassy’s experience traveling spans over most of her adult life, as she loves to explore. Her specific expertise lies in her ability to cultivate the specific needs of her clients she works with. This enables her to find the perfect fit for each and every client. She is rewarded by her own travel experiences and in helping her clients plan and execute their dreams within budget. She bases her personal travel around local food and exploring cities by foot, and is excited to help her clients experience new destinations and cultures.

CBD of Fargo

thehempdropzstore.com

Health - Nutrition

CBD of Fargo is a health and wellness supplement store.

Christensen Enterprises LLLP

(701) 234-2700

Business Services

Building Owner

Cronin Maggard Consulting, LLC

croninmaggardconsulting.com

Consultants

Cronin Maggard Consulting, LLC provides several types of business consulting services across numerous industries. Their unique business model allows them to quickly integrate with your teams to create the positive change that matters.

Downtown Yoga Fargo

downtownyogafargo.com

Fitness Centers

Located in the heart of Downtown Fargo, they offer daily yoga classes, specialty classes, private yoga parties and individual lessons.

The Edition at South Shore Landing leaselivestay.com

Apartments

They are very excited to unveil The Edition at South Shore Landing to all of you. They designed the building with the resident in mind. They are confident that whether you are looking for a 1, 2 or 3 bedroom, you will thoroughly be proud to call The Edition your home.

EZ Open Garage Door

ezopengarage.com

Garage Doors

Founded in 1975, EZ Open Garage Door is a family-owned business specializing in commercial and residential garage door installation, service and repair. They have one of the largest selections of residential garage doors in the region. Their showroom is located at 311 15th Street Northwest in West Fargo.

Fly Fitness Studio feelsfly.com

Fitness Centers

Fly fitness studio is a state-of-the-art facility that offers a variety of classes designed to make you sweat! They have cycle, barre, hiit and yoga classes along with fusion classes that combine a number of these workouts. They offer a laundry service, free cycle shoe rental with monthly memberships and a boutique with the latest style trends in fitness wear.

Greater Fergus Falls Corp. greaterfergusfalls.com

Business Services

GFF is a non-profit economic development organization that serves the City of Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

hommati.com

Real Estate

Hommati.com offers homebuyers the ability to see homes like never before. They are committed to visually capturing home using the most cutting-edge technology and presenting them ethically and accurately while, at the same time, promoting their most appealing attributes. They will help real estate agents: win more listings, sell more homes faster and for a higher sales price.

InHealth Specialty Pharmacy inhealthcompounding.com

Pharmacies

They customized pharmaceutical care with passion.

Lonna.co

lonna.co

Marketing Services

Lonna.co is a writing, editing and communications consultation company in Fargo. For the past two decades, Lonna worked as a journalist, copywriter, editor, essayist and teacher with a background rich in content creation, optimization and analytics. She enjoys helping people generate language that creates unique and lasting marker moments, and tell stories in the right place, at the right time. From full-scale communications plans to ghostwriting manuscripts to social media and blogs, she’ll make sure the type of content you need aligns with your marketing vision.

Red River Chiropractic and Wellness

redriverwellness.com

Chiropractors

They offer chiropractic and wellness care.

Upton Hill

uptonhill.com

Consultants

Since 2012, Upton Hill has been helping the healthcare field innovate past their strategic, technological, and operational challenges. From governmental policy to responsive experience architecture, they inspire organizations to design solutions that reconfigure the healthcare marketplace.

Your CBD Store

cbdrx4u.com

Wellness

Your CBD store is dedicated to only high-quality CBD products.

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. 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.

Gavin Kaysen, a James Beard Awardwinning chef, has inked a partnership agreement with Bell Bank. Gavin grew up in the Twin Cities and owns three top restaurants in the Minneapolis metro area. Gavin pays it forward in his work by mentoring up-andcoming young chefs through the non-profit mentor BKB Foundation. As a Bell Bank Champion, Gavin will be featured in advertising and social media, host select customer meet-and-greet events, and connect with Bell to pay it forward in the community.

Want to find all our members? Search our online directory at fmwfchamber.com

Moore Engineering, Inc. announced the acquisition of Sambatek’s North Dakota transportation engineering group based in Mandan. The complementary capabilities, cultures and relationships will increase Moore’s ability to serve its existing clients and expand its group of employee owners.

Trust can be earned in the smallest of moments while making the most impact for your financial well-being.

For over a century our customers have relied on First International Bank & Trust for expert advice and sound financial solutions.

Advanced Business Methods

Sheldon Emil, Director of New Business Development

Allegro Group

Ashton Hansen, Managing Director, Talent Acquisition

Angel’s Keen Angles

Georgia Husting, Content Marketer

Appareo Systems

Jon Knapp, Senior Engineer, Systems

Julie Portillo, Marketing Manager

Morganne Stinsman, Marketing Coordinator

Dale Carnegie of ND and MN

Bethany Berkeley, President & Equity Partner

Lacey Tuttle, Performance Consultant and Business Development Strategist

Emerging Prairie

Mike Derheim, New Board Member

Kodee Furst , New Board Member

Andrew Jason, Director of Ecosystem

Lauris Molbert , New Board Member

Blair Peterson, Executive Assistant

Lee Schwartz, Director of Marketing

Maranda Tasa, Business Operations Manager

Enclave Companies

Derek Hoeschen, Vice President of Construction

Flint Group

Krista Driscoll, Project Manager

Mia Duncan, Junior Copywriter

Connor Engel, Project Manager

Ariel Hermanson, Project Manager

Anna Larson, Social Media & Content Strategist

Tyler Lebens, Copywriter

Alex Steen, Finance Controller

Jessica Weber, Senior Marketing Analyst

Homeward Animal Shelter

Tasha Haug, Executive Director

HANSEN HUSTING

EMIL PROMOTED KNAPP

DRISCOLL DUNCAN ENGEL

PETERSON SCHWARTZ TASA

PORTILLO STINSMAN BERKELEY

DERHEIM FURST

MOLBERT

TUTTLE

HOESCHEN

JASON HERMANSON

LARSON LEBENS STEEN WEBER HAUG PROMOTED

OTHER NEWS

Josh Brelje and Traci Sletmoe, both engineers at KLJ, have earned their professional engineering license (PE) in North Dakota.

North Dakota State University Professor of Psychology and Challey Institute Faculty Fellow Clay Routledge has been invited to be a visiting faculty fellow at Harvard University and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute starting in August.

Houston Engineering, Inc.

Kaleb Haley, Technician I

KW Inspire Realty

Betsy Denis, Realtor

Ashley Lundberg, Realtor

David Lundberg, Realtor

McKenzie Pavek , Realtor

Moore Engineering, Inc.

Kurt Lysne, West Fargo Office Manager

North Dakota Department of Human Services

Arnie Strebe, Chief Administrative Officer

Spotlight

Kayleigh Omang, Editorial Photographer

Super Studio

Blaze Harmon, Production Artist

Elizabeth Vought , Production Artist

Vogel Law Firm

Whitney Irish, Shareholder

Seth Thompson, Shareholder

Diane Wehrman, Shareholder

Widmer Roel

Hayley Andresen, Staff Accountant

Seth Serhienko, Audit Manager

Troy Steele, Staff Accountant

DENIS

HALEY

PAVEK

STREBE

What do you like best about doing business in Fargo Moorhead West Fargo?

Our community is caring and compassionate. Investments made by the community to United Way of Cass-Clay have made this program a possibility—making our community a better place for everyone.

Tell us about the TapRide initiative. In 2018, we saw the need for reliable, consistent public transportation to help low-income people be able to get from their homes to job-rich areas of town, specifically the Fargo Industrial Park.

What is one thing you most want others to know about TapRide?

• This collaboration between United Way of Cass-Clay, MATBUS, the City of Fargo and private businesses and investors, led to the start of TapRide.

• This on-demand bus service, whose pilot launched in August 2019, has been a key service to help make a well-paying job a reality for people across the metro.

• This program is already significantly impacting our local economy and workforce.

• Users can download the TapRide App from the Apple App Store or Google Play. They then select where to pick up and where to drop off. The app provides pick-up time and arrival time.

• Since inception of services, ridership to date is over 1,900 and continuously increasing.

• The goal is for TapRide to be adapted as a full-time program and extended to the West Fargo Industrial Park by 2021. For more information, visit MATBUS.com

United Way of Cass-Clay is focused on bringing people together to solve our community’s most complex issues. By working closely with local service organizations, we can focus on what will be most meaningful to our local community, create new and innovative solutions where needed, and help lift, or keep, people out of poverty.

Thomas Hill, Vice President Community Impact and Ahmed Shiil, Community Impact Manager

UNITED WAY’S PROGRAMS & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Emerging Leaders

• Leaders in Giving

• Tocqueville

• 35 Under 35 Women's Leadership Program

• Day of Caring

• A Day in the Life: Perspective on Poverty

• Hornbacher's Gobble It Up for United Way $5 Lunch

UNITED WAY’S BOLD COMMUNITY GOALS

1. Reduce hunger & homelessness

2. Prepare children to succeed

3. Help people be independent

4. Lift people out of poverty

• School Supply Drive

• Women UNITED Luncheon and Golf Scramble

• LIVE UNITED T-Shirt Day

In January, news broke that United Way would be getting a new location. They've been in their current offices since 1998. On March 24, they will unveil their new space at the LIVE UNITED Awards & Annual Meeting event.

Leaders from United Way of Cass-Clay, The City of Fargo, MATBUS, and local employers are pictured at Cardinal IG and on the TapRide bus a new solution to removing barriers to employment and increasing access to employees and employers in the Industrial Park. Photo credit: J. Alan Paul Photography

Charlie Lindberg

Jara Enger