July Bridge

JULY 2018

VOL. 21 NO. 10

10th ANNUAL

Corporate Cup HIGHLIGHTS

Community Builders

The Forum O F

F A R G O - M O O R H E A D

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

Member Profile Cole Papers

6

Contents July 2018

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Public Policy Recap from Eggs & Issues and Candidate Forums

Member Spotlight Fargo AirSho

Corporate Cup Highlights and photos from the event

8

14

16

9 Eggs & Issues

11 Business Training

13 Women Connect

15 YEA!

16 YPN

19 Member News

20 New Members

25 Ribbon Cuttings

AD INDEX 19 Boulger Funeral Home 27 Cole Papers, Inc. 18 Cornerstone Bank 24 Dabbert Custom Homes 24 First International Bank & Trust 27 Holiday Inn Fargo 10 Indigo Signworks 27 J&M Printing 19 Knight Printing 12 Midco Business Solutions 10 Pro Resources

18 Sanford Occupational Medicine 19 Starion Bank

Find The Chamber online @fmwfchamber For past issues of The Bridge: issuu.com/fmwfchamber.com FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 3

THE CHAMBER STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS Steve Swiontek Chair

Gate City Bank

Mark Nisbet Chair Elect

Xcel Energy

Tom Dawson Treasurer

Dawson Insurance

Judd Graham Immediate Past Chair Joanna Slominski Member at Large Beverley Adams Ann Christenson Shawn Dobberstein Kyle Dorow Mike Dragosavich Jodi Duncan Steve Halverson Jenni Huotari Peggy Kennedy Sandi Piatz Jeff Volk Craig Whitney

Bremer Bank

@FMWFPrez

Craig Whitney

@FMWFJim

Jim Parsons

@FMWFJulieD

Julie Doggett

President/CEO

VP of Finance/Operations

Information Systems Administrator

@FMWFDarren

@FMWFTyler

@FMWFAmanda

Tyler Fischbach

Amanda Huggett

@FMWFKatieM

@FMWFTracyM

Mortenson Construction Sanford Health Hector International Airport Essentia Health Spotlight Media Inc. Flint Group Heartland Trust Company Eide Bailly M State Microsoft Moore Engineering, Inc. The Chamber

Darren Dunlop

Business Development Manager

Multimedia Coordinator

Communications & Marketing Manager

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Nancy Johnson Agribusiness

Jeanna Yaggie

Ambassador Member Relations

Bryan McClean

Ambassador Public Relations

Gregory Wald

Business Training

ND Soybean Growers Association CableOne Farmers Insurance Group, McClean Family

South East Education Cooperative

Brian Shawn

Midco

Military Affairs

Tim Flakoll

Public Policy

Jenny Johnson

Young Professionals Network

Kristi Huber

Women Connect

Katie McPherson

Tracy Meckler

Graphics & Publications Coordinator

Membership & Advertising Sales Manager

@FMWFTracyP

@FMWFAlyssa

@FMWFKatieR

Moore Engineering, Inc.

Kristin Krile

Leadership FMWF

Katie Mastel

Public Policy Intern

Tri-College University Spotlight Media United Way of Cass-Clay

Tracy Powell

Alyssa Ralston

Katie Ralston

Director of Events & Programs

Professional Development Coordinator

Membership Services Manager

@FMWFBobbiJo

@FMWFMickayla

@FMWFJulieY

Bobbi Rehder

Mickayla Thompson

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.

4 THE BRIDGE · JULY 2018

Events Coordinator

Member Relations Coordinator

Julie Yourczek

Office Administrator

a note FROM THE

PRESIDENT Recapping the recent election

Prior to West Fargo and Fargo’s primary elections, The Chamber hosted two candidate forums to connect the community’s voters with those in the running for local political office. We were pleased with the turnout and involvement in the forums, although disappointed in the low voter turnout.

However, it was another exciting night with a few surprises.

For Fargo’s commission candidates, themes included a convention center, the diversion, the future of the city and more. We posed a question on sanctuary cities, meant to invoke a hypothetical new discussion that deterred from the usual topics we’ve heard before.

In the end, the two incumbents on the ballot kept their seats on the commission.

Tony Gehrig spearheaded an effort to eliminate Fargo’s special assessments—a move that garnered much debate, including a back-andforth that involved myself. While The Chamber is absolutely in agreement that current specials are too high and deserve reform, we also believe that

abruptly eliminating them entirely without further study is poor public policy. It’s one issue we’ll continue watching for all our member businesses and community members.

Dave Piepkorn has been vocal about a performing arts center, and the debate continues whether or not a performing arts center or a convention center should come first. That will be an ongoing discussion. Clearly, a convention center has a much bigger economic impact than a performing arts center. Our stance is that the entire community needs a dedicated convention center, though it needs further analysis where, when and how.

Over in West Fargo, our commission and mayoral candidates tackled the city’s law enforcement, specials, a convention center, school bonds and a city engineer. There, voters welcomed in a new mayor with challenger Bernie Dardis winning the seat, as well as ushering in two new candidates to the commission rather than re-electing incumbent Duane Hanson.

Mayor Rich Mattern served the city well for his four terms as mayor. Bernie Dardis, who defeated Mattern for the mayoral seat, promised to be responsive, transparent and respectful of taxpayer dollars. His plans include

championing affordable housing, fiscal responsibility, promoting economic development and public safety, and closely monitoring West Fargo’s growth, with special respect to the veterans and senior citizens in the community.

What stands out to me is how different these two city’s elections turned out.

While one stuck with the status quo, the other appeared to be looking for change. In fact, the national mood in the last two election cycles has been to replace incumbents. It is certainly interesting to see Fargo buck that trend, and our chamber will be eagerly watching to see what happens as we move forward.

We still have exciting races across Minnesota and North Dakota upon us this fall. Watch our website for more information on upcoming forums with our statewide candidates.

If you wish to watch the forums in full, you can find them on our website under the Advocacy page.

Craig Whitney President / CEO The Chamber

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 5

MEMBER PROFILE

Cole Papers: 100 Years Old and Still Growing One of the most exciting things about our community is the entrepreneurial spirit and how many businesses, new and old, are present in Fargo Moorhead West Fargo. One company that has stood the test of time and is, in fact, celebrating their 100th anniversary this summer, is Cole Papers. We were going to tell you their story, but they told it to us so well that we wanted readers to hear it straight from the president’s mouth.

“One hundred years ago, my wife, Nancy Cole’s grandfather Robert Cole started Fargo Paper Company in a small office/warehouse in downtown Fargo over J.C. Penney. Three blocks away, my dad’s mother and her parents were busy opening the Gardner Hotel after returning from Saint Louis by train to bring some of the first furniture for the hotel. I am assuming that they probably knew each other. Nancy and I did not discover this early ancestry Fargo connection until after we got engaged and married in Washington DC. We moved to Fargo in 1980 after her dad, Prentiss Cole, asked me to join the company.

Nancy attended college at SMU in Dallas and vowed she would never marry a “Texas boy.” I grew up in Texas on a cotton farm picking cotton on my knees as a kid and I never thought I would be marrying a yankee! In Washington, D.C., Nancy worked as a lobbyist for the National Cotton council in spite of

never having seen any cotton. I was working as a consultant for a Big 8 accounting firm after seven years in the Navy in cryptology. We met at a Presbyterian singles group in D.C. As one can see, our unlikely connection and background brought us together to live in Fargo where our ancestors were 100 years ago. Since we moved here, we have raised four children who have all worked at the company. Two boys still do: one is in sales and the other is in finance.

Shortly after moving here, we decided to open a branch in Sioux Falls and felt that we needed a name change. Thus, we hired a public relations firm and went with their suggestion of Cole Papers. Before opening the Sioux Falls branch, we had four other branches: Grand Forks, Minot, Bismarck and Aberdeen. After Sioux Falls, we added Mankato, St Cloud and Minneapolis.

Our 160 employees serve our customers across ND, SD and MN and the fringe areas of the adjoining states. We use our own trucks to deliver various products to several thousand customers. Our facilities maintenance, food service, cleaning equipment, packaging, printing paper and other consumable commodity products go to schools, nursing homes, prisons, motels, restaurants/bars, manufacturers, printers, etc. We also have a wholesale flooring and cabinet division that provides various flooring products to dealers, commercial flooring contractors and some large multi-family developers.

CURRENT COMPANY LEADERSHIP

6 THE BRIDGE · JULY 2018

We are often told by some of our suppliers/ vendors that we are one of the most unique distributors they have seen anywhere in the country. They talk about our family, friendly and faith-based culture that values people, assists and encourages employees continuing college and graduate education, and often tries to promote from within. These suppliers also comment about our part-time chaplain, our part time leadership development coach and the fact that we have helped pay for some of our mid or senior level managers get their MBAs. To celebrate our 100-year birthday, we are holding events at each branch and in Fargo where customers and friends will be invited for ice cream, bar-b-que and live music.

We will continue participating in several national industry related organizations and buying groups. At the present time, we are focused on upgrading our software used to run the company. In addition, we are looking at some improved facilities in Aberdeen and Grand Forks as we prepare for the next 100 years.”

— Chuck Perkins, President/CEO

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 7

PUBLIC POLICY

The state of local child care: Eggs & Issues recap

As evidenced by our Regional Workforce Study a few years ago, access to quality and affordable child care is one of the major barriers to filling our workforce gap in the metro. And with thousands of job openings to come, it’s an area of utmost importance if we wish to have a robust workforce. At June’s Eggs & Issues, a panel discussed the issue to a packed room.

“We are going to have to think about child care differently if we are going to be the best community we can be, and the strongest,” Kristi Huber said in her welcome remarks.

Tom Hill from United Way provided an overview of the UNITED for Child Care Coalition and its two primary objectives.

Lack of quality care affects business’ bottom line. A recent study showed that almost half of parents missed an average of four days in a six-month period due to child care challenges. And two-thirds of parents’ schedules were affected about seven times in that same period. “Employees can’t be off work because child care isn’t working out. It’s a reality for you as business leaders and us as a nation,” Hill said.

Pam Palmer, Bright & Early North Dakota, elaborated how the quality component affects an entire community. “Quality matters because children enrolled in high-quality early learning programs are less likely to need special education services, are less likely to commit juvenile offenses and more likely to graduate from high school, become employed and less likely to need government assistance. We have the potential to break the poverty cycle,” she said.

important investment we can make than the education of our kids.”

The panel also addressed the issue as a trilemma, acknowledging compensation of workers can make for a double-edged sword, as paying workers more to retain them and offer a higher quality care, means rates must be raised and passed on to parents. It’s not a perfect solution.

However, Hill says that scholarships are one solution we’re working on locally. These help fill the gap between what families receive through child care assistance and getting quality care. Currently, an average of 75 scholarships are provided monthly to low-income working families through the coalition.

“This absolutely is a workforce issue, and even if you’re not affected by it today, you will be,” Hill said. “In 15 years when you’re saying, ‘why can’t I find anyone qualified to work in my business, it’s because we didn’t invest in quality child care 15 years ago today.

We need to make more and deeper investments to strengthen our existing system, and we’re committed to doing that.”

To view the full presentation materials, visit the United Way’s website.

“If you skimp on quality, what’s the result going to be?” Erin Prochnow of the YWCA Cass Clay posed. “I’d say there’s no more

Connecting candidates to the community We were proud to host a forum for community members to educate and prepare them just before North Dakota’s primary election. On the Fargo side, eight of nine candidates vying for two open seats on the Fargo City Commission discussed key issues affecting our community.

Forum in Fargo

We also were pleased to host a forum in West Fargo for the mayoral race and city commission seats for candidates to talk about key issues affecting the quickly growing city of West Fargo.

At both, prepared questions were posed through a moderator, and then audience members submitted their own questions, and were able to speak with the candidates afterward, allowing them to head to the polls prepared. Thanks to all that engaged with the forums, and especially to all that voted!

8 THE BRIDGE · JULY 2018

Forum in West Fargo

EGGS & ISSUES

Tuesday, July 10 | 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Courtyard by Marriott

EKEN

LIEN

MARQUART

As Minnesota’s legislative session recently came to a close, we invite you to join us for a wrap-up event to hear from our local MN legislators on the outcomes of key legislation. In addition, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce will be presenting on impactful legislation for the business community and what came of it this session. Senator Kent Eken from Minnesota’s 4th district, Representative Ben Lien representing District 4A and Representative Paul Marquart representing District 4B, will all share outcomes of the session. Jennifer Byers, vice president of grassroots and chamber relations with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, will weigh in on the top advocated issues for business.

Downtown Developments

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

Courtyard by Marriott

LaPOINT

MARSHALL

RADEMACHER

Get the lowdown on our downtowns at August’s Eggs & Issues. We will be joined by Fargo Downtown Community Partnership President & CEO, Melissa Rademacher, West Fargo Economic Development & Community Service Director, Matthew Marshall, and Downtown Moorhead Inc. President & CEO, Derrick LaPoint. These leaders will share the economic development and growth in our three major downtown communities as well as the challenges that we face. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear about all of the exciting plans for our vibrant communities through the revitalization of our downtowns!

REGISTRATION (includes breakfast) Chamber members: $30 in advance | $35 at the door Non-members: $40 in advance | $45 at the door Register at fmwfchamber.com or by calling 218.233.1100.

Upcoming Eggs & Issues Wednesday, September 5

PROGRAM SPONSORS

Area K-12 Education Update Tuesday, October 2

Beverage Wholesalers, Inc. | Bremer Bank | Cornerstone Bank Home Builders Association of Fargo-Moorhead | KLJ | Livewire Midwest Radio of FM | Minnesota State Community and Technical College Moore Engineering, Inc. | ROERS | TrueIT Wanzek Construction, Inc. | Wells Fargo Bank

State of the Air National Guard & General Aviation

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 9

#FMWFEggs

Minnesota Legislative Wrap-Up

BUSINESS #FMWFBAH AFTER HOURS Congratulations to our June Social Superstar Anna from CCRI!!

Thank you to our June BAH Sponsor

Save the Date 8th Annual Meeting September 19, 2018| Noon to 1:30 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE!

Holiday Inn Fargo Thursday, August 16 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. | Hilton Garden Inn

Sponsored by:

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Since 1991

10 THE BRIDGE · JULY 2018

BUSINESS TRAINING

Hello Process Management

Tuesday, July 10 | 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Radisson Hotel Fargo

The Nuts and Bolts of Succession Planning Wednesday, August 8 | 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Delta by Marriott

Sara Stolt Founder and chief task master The Project Co. ProjectCoSara

Bethany Berkeley Performance Consultant Dale Carnegie of ND and MN DCNDMNBethany

A great culture is one of the key drivers of an organization’s success. But what if a great culture wasn’t about just creating high employee engagement, but also great business process management?

The emerging post-boomer workforce is a topic on everyone’s minds. The great generational shift in leadership is here, but are we ready? Succession planning is vital, yet it typically lands lower on the priority list, if it makes the cut at all.

Join us for this session to learn how to enhance your organization’s culture with business process management as part of your employee engagement efforts. We will look at how to shift from donuts to documentation, recognition to reporting tools and pay increases to process improvement.

Join us for this session to understand how to strategically navigate succession planning to ensure the values, culture and achievements of your organization will be sustained.

You’ll hear how other companies are tackling the generational shift in manageable and innovative ways and walk away with practical tools and resources to ensure your organization’s post-boomer workforce is high performing and prepared to drive results.

#FMWFTraining

Goodbye Employee Engagement

REGISTRATION (includes lunch) Chamber members: $30 in advance | $35 at the door Non-members: $40 in advance | $45 at the door

HIGHLIGHTS

Register at fmwfchamber.com or by calling 218.233.1100.

from last month

In June, Mike Henke came to speak at Business Training all the way from Nebraska. He talked to attendees about teamwork, including how to handle differences in the workplace, stress management and creating a positive workplace environment.

PROGRAM SPONSORS

EVENT PRODUCTION SPONSOR

Consolidated Communications | Discovery Benefits | GOLDMARK Property Management | Moore Engineering | Wanzek Construction, Inc. FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 11

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WOMEN CONNECT Mean Girls & Catfights:

The Power & Perils of Female Friendship

Thursday, July 26

Tuesday, August 28

3:30 to 5 p.m. | Social 5 to 6 p.m.

3:30 to 5 p.m. | Social 5 to 6 p.m.

DoubleTree by Hilton & West Fargo Conference Center

DoubleTree by Hilton & West Fargo Conference Center

Debbie Stang

Dana Bisignani

Chief Operating Officer

Women’s Center Coordinator and adjunct faculty

Midco

Minnesota State University Moorhead Do you ever ask yourself what you should do with your life and how it can be more meaningful? Do you set goals for yourself and lose sight of them because life takes over?

For many women, the goals you set and the meaningful life changes you want are a glimmer of light from a lighthouse way out in the distance. If this is you, the best course may be to abandon the map, aim for the lighthouse and simply row at a pace that is right for you.

Join us to learn more on this topic from Debbie Stang.

Please consider bringing school supplies to donate to the United Way’s school supply drive.

This presentation unpacks representations of female friendship and success in popular culture and the impact of these messages on our personal and professional relationships. At this session, we’ll confront the pressures and double standards that women face in the workplace and the sometimes-toxic relationship patterns we develop to cope. We will set out to develop healthier and more fulfilling relationships and learn simple ways women can raise one another up, plus strategies for effective communication and conflict resolution.

Please consider bringing toothbrushes and toothpaste to donate to Youthworks Street Outreach Program.

REGISTRATION Chamber members: $25 in advance | $30 at the door Non-members: $35 in advance | $40 at the door

HIGHLIGHTS from last month

Amanda McKinnon, a brand expert and founder of MSPIRE, talked to our May audience about courage and confidence, sharing her own story and offering activities for attendees to dive deeper into themselves.

PROGRAM SPONSORS

Bell Bank | Bremer Bank | Choice Financial | Delta by Marriott | Discovery Benefits, Inc. Eventide Senior Living Communities | First International Bank & Trust | Gate City Bank Heritage Homes/Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties Otter Tail Corporation | Vogel Law Firm | Wanzek Construction, Inc. | Western State Bank

EVENT PRODUCTION SPONSOR

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 13

#FMWFWC

Finding Your Lighthouse and Navigation Techniques for the Journey

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

U.S. Navy Blue Angels flying the F-A 18 “Hornet”

The first Fargo Air Show was organized in 1989 and called the “Centennial Air Show” to commemorate North Dakota’s 100th anniversary. The Air Force Thunderbird’s Demonstration Team flew that year. Legendary aviator Chuck Yeager was the honored guest.

The year 2018 marks the 12th AirSho organized by the 70-member AirSho committee. The Fargo AirSho is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization. In the past, the AirSho has donated over $500,000 to various non-profit organizations in the community, including over $200,000 to the Fargo Air Museum.

The AirSho committee is a diverse group comprised of community members such as bankers, accountants, members of the military, law enforcement and others who team up to present wholesome, patriotic family entertainment. In 2009, the Navy Blue Angels recognized the Fargo AirSho as “Show of the Year.”

The Fargo AirSho could not be a success without the cooperation of many 14 THE BRIDGE · JULY 2018

organizations such as law enforcement and fire protection, local businesses, the North Dakota Air National Guard, the city of Fargo, plus various civic groups. Church groups, service clubs, soccer teams and others help staff the various food stands to feed over 25,000 AirSho attendees.

N.D. Air National Guard Centennial F-4 Fighter

Save the date for the 2018 Fargo AirSho! Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29

Hector International Airport Gates at 9 a.m.; show at 11

C-5 Galaxy

For ticket info and event details: fargoairsho.com

Want to see your business here? Tell us who you think deserves to be featured! Fill out the form at bit.ly/BridgeMS, or email ahuggett@fmwfchamber.com.

AirSho co-chairs Dick Walstad, Darrol Schroeder and Mike Haugen

YEA!: YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS ACADEMY

YEA! students seeing success our program. Throughout the last three years, we’ve seen a lot of students work hard to promote their ideas to the FMWF community as they launch the businesses they developed in YEA!.

Last month, 2017 YEA! graduate, Fardosa Hassan and 2018 YEA! graduate, Zoe Bundy, both of West Fargo High School, were asked to present at 1 Million Cups, hosted

by Emerging Prairie. They shared their startup stories and discussed how the community can help them along their journeys.

Fardosa talked about her passion for baking and how she was able to turn that passion into a viable business through her work in YEA! Now, she’s operating Rêves Doux Patisserie (which translates to Sweet Dreams Patisserie) when she’s not in school and will be working to market the business more throughout the summer. Fardosa’s specialties include French macarons, custom cakes and cupcakes.

Our most recent YEA! winner, Zoe, shared how her interest in STEM lead her to creating Brainy Ladies, an online resource for girls who are also interested in STEM. Zoe is continuing to develop her subscription-based website throughout the summer and is promoting Brainy Ladies to girls who are involved in STEM summer camps and programs in the community.

2018-19

FMWFYEA

Many of our Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) graduates hit the ground running once they complete

If you know a middle or high school student who is creative and dedicated, please tell him or her about the opportunities available in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy!

More information can be found at fmwfchamber.com/YEA or by contacting Katie Ralston at kralston@fmwfchamber.com or 218.359.0511.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

PROGRAM SPONSORS

We had several YEA! graduates in the audience supporting their peers, and two even got to help facilitate the Q&A session by serving as mic runners. We are proud of the network of young entrepreneurs that have come out of our program and are happy to see them connect with the FMWF community in various ways.

American Crystal Sugar Company | Bremer Bank Concordia College | Dawson Insurance Delta by Marriott | Eide Bailly | Intercept EFT LaQuinta Inns & Suites | Maxwells Minnesota State University Moorhead North Dakota State University | Office Sign Company Radio FM Media | Starion Bank Talecris Plasma Resources | The Boiler Room TrueNorth Steel

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 15

Corporate Cup Recap It was another fantastic and fun Corporate Cup in 2018. At the end of May, 52 teams and over 780 participants came out to Minnesota State University Moorhead to compete in a friendly round of physical competition and test their teamwork. Another sold out event thanks to the support of our participating businesses and their teams, sponsors, and committee. A special thank you to the 60+ volunteers who helped make this day a success.

Bell Bank

Wanzek Construction

This year’s winning teams are‌ Recreational Division 1. Bell Bank 2. Vogel Law Firm 3. MSUM

Team Spirit Heritage Homes/ Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties

Competitive Division 1. Wanzek Construction 2. Fargo Park District 3. Red River Financial Group

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Best T-Shirts Promersberger Group

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK Networking to Business: Get Golf Ready

Wednesday, July 18 | 5:15 to 7:30 p.m.

Fargo Country Club

Twist

509 26 Avenue South, Fargo

220 Broadway North, Fargo

Members: $20 | Non-members: $30 Golf season is in full swing (no pun intended), and the YPN wants to make sure you are ready for any challenges coming up this summer. Join us as we go over the simple rules of golf and course etiquette before heading to the driving range for a group lesson from one of Fargo Country Club’s golf professionals. Whether you have never swung a club before, or you are a seasoned scrambler, Get Golf Ready will help you get your best performance this season. Cost includes one drink ticket. *As guests of the Fargo Country Club, we must abide by the following dress code: no jeans, t-shirts or high heels. If you have your own clubs or access to clubs, please bring them.

Kelly Halvorson moved to the FMWF area from Willmar, Minnesota, when she came to pursue a degree in marketing and communication from Concordia College. Kelly has had a diverse career background since her graduation and most recently started as a recruiter with Essentia Health.

Her current role has her partner with managers to develop recruitment strategies that will support their staffing needs. She also works with local organizations and schools for special events, career fairs and other initiatives to grow Essentia’s network of candidates.

Outside of work, Kelly is active with the Horace Elementary PTO and getting involved in the community with her family through their church and United Way. She believes involvement in these organizations teach her daughters the importance of giving back. Kelly is very family focused, and anything she can do while spending time with her family is her “happy place.”

PROGRAM SPONSORS

@FMWFYPN

Tuesday, July 10 | 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Off the Clock

It’s patio season and we are taking advantage of it at this month’s Off the Clock. In addition to enjoying Twist’s unique appetizers and hand-crafted cocktail selection, we will be enjoying their back patio (weather permitting). As always, apps are on us, drinks are on you and networking is free!

Kelly has been involved in YPN for a few years and currently serves as the member engagement chair.

She oversees the welcoming of new members to the organization and the annual contacts to our members.

Being involved in YPN is important to her as she believes it is motivating to be surrounded by people who are passionate about their careers and want to make a difference in this community.

Kelly Halvorson Recruiter, Essentia Health Member Engagement Chair, YPN

“This community offers the best of both worlds for living and working because it is a thriving area for young professionals and also maintains a family-friendly atmosphere,” she said.

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 17

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18 THE BRIDGE · JULY 2018

MEMBER NEWS: COMPANIES Edward Jones once again ranks among the Fortune 500, according to the 27 financial advisors in the Dilworth, Moorhead, Fargo and West Fargo communities. This is the firm’s sixth consecutive Four-Color Printing Specialized Coatings Foil & Embossing Die Cutting

Fulfillment Center Variable Data Printing Direct Mailing Service I-printNow Storefront

Fargo, ND 58103 USA ph: 701.235.1121 knightprinting.com

appearance on the annual list, published by Fortune magazine. Fortune magazine ranks the largest U.S. companies by revenue. Edward Jones moved up 27 spots to No. 376 on the list with nearly $7.6 billion in revenue for 2016.

Fargo Jet Center and Premier Jet Center have been ranked as top aviation service companies in the world by pilots in the 2018 Aviation International News FBO Survey. The survey asked readers to evaluate Fixed Base Operators they had visited in the previous year in five categories: flight line services, passenger amenities, pilot amenities, facilities and customer service representatives. Fargo’s overall average score was 4.69 out of a total of 5.0, landing in the top 5% of all FBOs ranked.

TrueIT announced that is has agreed to acquire the

Fargo branch of Netrix IT. Combining IT strategies, business applications and consulting services, provides an end-to-end service offering that allows both companies the opportunity to extend greater IT experience to all their customers.

Weather Modification International and Fargo Jet Center received Validation of Amended

Supplemental Type Certificate (VSTC) from Civil Aviation Administration of China for King Air 200/300 mounted cloud seeding equipment. This VSTC was previously approved in December 2015 through the review and validation process China authorities follow when approving modifications to foreign aircraft. The now-completed amendment to this original VSTC allows for more extensive modifications and additional equipment.

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 19

NEW MEMBERS

We welcome the following businesses who have invested by joining The Chamber.

Aspire Optical Co. of Fargo aspireoptical.com Medical ‑ Opticians Aspire Optical Co. of Fargo offers an unparalleled consumer experiences as their quest to become the area’s preferred supplier of quality eyewear and sun-wear. Customer interaction and satisfaction is their continued focus as they aim to exceed all expectations.

Beans Coffee Bar (New location) beansfargo.com Coffee & Tea Beans Coffee Bar lovingly serves all your favorite coffee or non‑coffee beverages, homemade mini donuts and fresh, local treats in a classy, comfortable getaway spot‑perfect for business or pleasure, conveniently located in the Radisson Hotel downtown Fargo.

Bell Bank (New location on 52nd Avenue) bellbanks.com Financial Institutions Bell Bank is an independent, locally owned company dedicated to delivering a memorable banking experience, helping businesses grow and giving back to their communities.

Learn more at bellbanks.com. Member FDIC. Crooked Pint crookedpint.com/fargo Restaurants Crooked Pint Ale House is a nouveau urban pub with the feel of a local neighborhood restaurant. Crooked Pint offers a full menu and a generous selection of beer, quality craft brews, wines and spirits. Families and friends as well as couples and groups will feel welcome and right at home. The menu features classic pub fare with nearly 60 choices for lunch, dinner, (try one of our Lucys and you’ll be hooked for sure!) and weekend brunch as well as kids’ menu selections.

Fit Elements fitelementsfargo.com Fitness Centers Fit Elements is an all woman’s community that’s comfortable, encouraging and empowering. Taking health and wellness to a whole new level for women. Their fitness program, 20 THE BRIDGE · JULY 2018

spa services and personalized nutrition are designed to make it simple for women to take care of their well‑being at ONE facility.

Formally Yours Resale & Consignment formallyyoursfargo.com Bridal Shops ‑ Formal Wear Formally Yours Resale & Consignment is a formal wear, accessory and decor store that connects the community with inspiration and affordable items. Formally Yours specializes in pre‑loved items for every person, age, and event‑such as weddings, proms, formals, balls, galas, parties and dances.

NAU Country naucountry.com Insurance NAU Country provides outstanding customer service to their agents and farmers and is an industry leader in technology. They currently write in 48 states and employ over 700 field and office staff across the country.

The Fargo office has IT staff (business analysts, quality assurance, developers, support and underwriters.

Pactiv pactiv.com Manufacturers Pactiv, a company of Reynolds Group Holding Ltd. It is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of food service and food packaging products. Pactiv currently produces custom and stock foam, plastic, aluminum, pressed‑paperboard, PE coated board and molded‑fiber packaging.

Silicon Plains LLC siliconplains.net Computer Consultants Silicon Plains delivers an entire IT department for a fraction of the cost of hiring your own. For one monthly investment, they do everything. No labor charges, no surprise fees, no kidding!

T‑Cell Wireless t‑mobile.com/store/ cell‑phone‑moorhead‑mn‑5485.html Cellular & Wireless Communications T‑Mobile, operated by T‑Cell Wireless, offers America’s best unlimited network to the Baxter, Moorhead and Detroit Lakes areas. One price. All unlimited.

They are committed to going above and beyond for our military, veterans and their families. T‑Mobile provides excellent one‑on‑one wireless service for individuals and small business accounts. Stop in today to see for yourself!

The Copper River Group copperrivergroup.com Financial Consultants The Copper River Group is a consulting firm specializing in community financial institutions that pride themselves on being a teaching practice. They facilitate the process of choosing technology vendors in addition to consulting on contracts and sharing their expertise on the financial industry.

The GM Doctor, LLC thegmdoctor.com Automobile Repair ‑ Service ‑ Body Shop The GM Doctor is a locally owned and operated auto repair shop, located in West Fargo, can handle most any auto to medium duty repair needs you might have! They are a small shop and work at keeping overhead low so they can provide great pricing to their customers. They also work on motorhomes!

The Pix Squad thepixsquad.com Photographers/Videographers The Pix Squad is a full-service, luxury event photography provider that creates branded print and social content to reach their clients objectives. Their options include photos, green screen, GIFS, VR and slow‑motion video.

We encourage all members to conduct business with each other. When you do, let them know you learned of their business through The Chamber! Want to find all our members? Search our online directory at fmwfchamber.com.

MEMBER NEWS: PEOPLE Appareo Systems

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Dusty Brossart, Sr. Network & Systems Administrator Ross Eickhoff, Team Lead, Electronics Design Kurtis Fafard, Field Support Specialist Jessica Kemp, Engagement Specialist Megan Klaphake, Office Receptionist Asha Palanisamy, Quality Engineer AJ Pflugrath, Team Lead, Electronics Design Tessa Skare, Manufacturing Test Technician

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Bell Bank

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Josh Astrup, VP/Senior Portfolio Manager Alexandra Floersch, Content Writer Dean Froslie, Vice President of Digital Strategy Ryan Johnson, VP/Wealth Advisor Travas Knutson, Correspondent Credit Officer Pam Lentz, VP/Program Manager for Business Analysis John Lyngstad, VP/Senior Portfolio Manager Emily Odland, Credit Officer

JOHNSON

Mia Almalouli, REALTOR® Sharon Johnson, REALTOR®

Bodyworks Physical Therapy and Bliss Massage Therapy Renae Lisk, Medical Receptionist M

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DFC Consultants

Bobbi Horn, Functional Consultant ODLAND

Essentia Health

Dr. Adam DeFoe, Interventional Radiologist

First International Insurance

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JOHNSON

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Katie Jorgensen, Commercial Lines Marketing Manager Zach Schnitzler, Wealth & Insurance Planning Specialist

Houston Engineering, Inc. Adam Kaye, Engineer I

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Want to see your news here? Email your announcement to thebridge@fmwfchamber.com.

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MEMBER NEWS: PEOPLE

The following individuals have been hired or promoted.

Indigo Signworks

Brian Ochocki, Chief Financial Officer

InterOffice

Jordan Hanson, Project Manager Sarah Huckle, Workplace Expert

KW Inspire Realty

Jean Bryans, Realtor Jenna Crabtree, Realtor David Finstrom, Realtor Tiffanie Finstrom, Realtor Christopher Leigh, Realtor Ruth Olson, Realtor Melissa Parmer, Realtor Cassidy Ulmer, Realtor

OCHOCKI

HANSON

HUCKLE

BRYANS

CRABTREE

FINSTROM

FINSTROM

LEIGH

OLSON

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ULMER

DIEHL

Monica Hart Interior Design, Inc. Morgan Diehl, Interior Designer

Network Center, Inc.

LuAnne Brosz, Sales Operations

Noridian Healthcare Solutions

Nancy Kaspari, Director of Medicare Operations Becky Kuznia, Director of Operations

North Dakota State University

David R. Steward, Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Park Co. Realtors

Jenn Johnson, Realtor Lee Scherger Sologuk, Realtor Damon Simonson, Closing Coordinator

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Protosthetics Emma Ilvedson, Director of Business Development

Rasmussen College

Ann Babolian, Senior Admissions Manager Jon Olson, Senior Admissions Manager Timothy Ortez, Executive Program Manager

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Sanford Health

Karel deLeeuw, M.D., D.D.S., Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

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Please help us welcome each of them in their new roles!

Starion Bank Mike Wickham, Business Banking Officer, Vice President

Stantec D

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Town & Country Credit Union

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SCHNEIBEL

Katie Boe, Assistant Branch Manager, West Fargo Laura Bryson, Assistant Branch Manager, 32nd Avenue Melissa Kellerman, Assistant Branch Manager, 52nd Ave Megan Lawrence, Director of Internal Audit D. Michael Mulwani, Senior VP, Director of Mortgage Lending Jessica Schneibel, Assistant Branch Manager, 25th Street Hannah Straw, Marketing Specialist

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The Village Family Service Center

Nancy Boyle, Employee Assistance Program Trainer Amie Lahren, Office Manager Lead Joni Medenwald, Minnesota Division Director

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Western Products

Bethany Hollingsworth, Scheduling Coordinator Heather Vandrovec, Customer Relations Specialist

OTHER NEWS

Joining the Bethany Retirement Living Board of Trustees for three-year terms are Bruce Davidson, Neal Eriksmoen, Martha LeClerc and Jack Rydell, all of Fargo.

HOLLINGSWORTH

VANDROVEC

Doug Jaeger, Ulteig’s president & CEO, was named a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year® 2018 Award in the Heartland program—and was the only finalist selected from a company with its headquarters located in North Dakota.

How to submit for this section Want to see your company’s news here? We run employee announcements from all our member businesses in the region—free of charge! Just email thebridge@fmwfchamber.com, or to find the criteria, guidelines or to fill out the form go to bit.ly/FMWFNews, and we’ll publish it in the next available edition of The Bridge. All we need is the individual’s name, title, company and a headshot if you have one. We run new hires, promotions, board appointments, national awards and certifications. We reserve the right to edit submissions for space and run announcements at our discretion.Note: All news is run two months from the month of submission.

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 23

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CELEBRATIONS: May Ribbon Cuttings & Groundbreakings

Cricket Wireless Grand opening 3316 Highway 10 East, Moorhead cricketwireless.com

D-S Beverages 50-year anniversary 201 17th Street North, Moorhead d-sbeverages.com

Hair Success at BLU Water Creek Relocation 3233 45th Street South, Fargo hairsuccesssalons.com

Dakota Boys Ranch / Home Builders Association Remodel 1641 31st Avenue South, Fargo dakotaranch.org | hbafm.com

Essentia Health Grand opening 3362 35th Avenue South, Fargo essentiamedicalsupply.org/midwestmedical/home.aspx

Homewood Suites by Hilton Grand opening 805 East Beaton Drive, West Fargo kajhospitality.com

Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership

Moore Engineering, Inc.

Grand opening 861 Belsly Boulevard, Moorhead lakesandprairies.net

Grand opening 444 Sheyenne Street, West Fargo mooreengineeringinc.com

FMWFCHAMBER.COM · 25

CELEBRATIONS: May Ribbon Cuttings & Groundbreakings

Ohnstad Twichell Relocation 444 Sheyenne Street, Suite 102, West Fargo ohnstadlaw.com

Park Christian School Expansion project 300 17th Street North, Moorhead parkchristianschool.org

Preference Employment Solutions Groundbreaking 2605 42nd Street South, Fargo preferenceemploymentsolutions.com

Sheyenne Plaza Grand opening 444 Sheyenne Street, West Fargo sheyenneplazawf.com 26  THE BRIDGE ¡ JULY 2018

Others Relocation 218 Broadway North, Fargo othersshop.com

Pinnacle Communications Grand opening 1626 Tom Williams Drive, Fargo pinnaclecommunications.com

Ronald McDonald House Charities Relocation/Grand opening 4757 Agassiz Crossing South, Fargo rmhcfargo.org

West Fargo Public Schools Grand opening of transportation center 440 29th Court Northwest, West Fargo www.west-fargo.k12.nd.us

West Fargo Public Schools Groundbreaking 6400 54th Avenue South, Fargo west-fargo.k12.nd.us

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STEALING YOUR LIFE:

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A Fraud Seminar with Frank Abagnale July 24, 2018 | 3 to 5 p.m.

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Fraud, identity theft and scams affect are ever-increasing, ever-changing, and can have devastating effects on businesses and individuals. Do you know how to protect yourself?

Join us for a special presentation by none other than Frank Abagnale. He’ll tell us what institutions, individuals and families need to know about identity theft. What makes him an expert? He’s a former con artist, and his story inspired the acclaimed movie Catch Me If You Can. Register online at fmwfchamber.com.

#FrankStealsFargo Protect yourself from threats. Let Frank Abagnale tell you how.

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