Prairie Business August 2022

ARCHITECTURE CONFRONTS THE INTERNET OF THINGS PAGE 16

FOUR ENGINEERS DISCUSS WHAT IT’S LIKE BEING A WOMAN IN THE INDUSTRY PAGE 18

MANUFACTURING AND THE NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS

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BY ANDREW WEEKS

21

Guest column

MANUFACTURING NORTH DAKOTA’S WORKFORCE WITH POLYTECHNIC EDUCATION BY BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE

24

AMY SCHAAF, A PROJECT ENGINEER AT MOORE ENGINEERING, IS SEEN WORKING WITH HER MALE COUNTERPARTS AT THE OFFICE. SCHAAF SHARES WHAT IT’S LIKE WORKING AS A WOMAN IN THE ENGINEERING FIELD. IMAGE: COURTESY OF MOORE ENGINEERING

FEATURES

around the office

EPIC COMPANIES SHOWS OFF ONE OF ITS NEW OFFICES BY ANDREW WEEKS

ON THE COVER:

THIS MONTH’S FEATURE STORY IS ABOUT MANUFACTURING IN THE UPPER MIDWEST. RANDY MOREHOUSE, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTABASED FALCON PLASTICS, AMONG OTHERS, SHARES PERSPECTIVE ON THE INDUSTRY. IMAGE: COURTESY OF FALCON PLASTICS

Heidi Fritz

BELL BANK HIRES VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURY MANAGEMENT OFFICER

FARGO, N.D. • HEIDI FRITZ HAS BEEN HIRED AS VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURY MANAGEMENT OFFICER AT BELL BANK. FRITZ BEGAN HER BANKING CAREER WITH STARION BANK IN 2010, THEN WORKED FOR 10 YEARS IN TREASURY MANAGEMENT AT BREMER BANK PRIOR TO JOINING BELL. AT BELL, FRITZ PROVIDES FINANCIAL GUIDANCE AND SOLUTIONS TO HELP BUSINESSES EFFICIENTLY MANAGE THEIR DEPOSITS, CASH FLOW AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS. SHE IS ORIGINALLY FROM FARGO AND ATTENDED RASMUSSEN COLLEGE.

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CORNERSTONE BANK WELCOMES BOARD MEMBER

GRAND FORKS, N.D. • KARL BOLLINGBERG JOINED THE CORNERSTONE BANK CORPORATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BRINGING EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE FROM 36 YEARS IN BANKING. RECENTLY RETIRED FROM ALERUS FINANCIAL, HE HAS WORKED IN A VARIETY OF ROLES AND SERVES AS CHAIRMAN FOR THE BANK OF NORTH DAKOTA ADVISORY BOARD AND IS THE PAST CHAIRMAN FOR THE GRAND FORKS REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP. A NATIVE OF NORTH DAKOTA, BOLLINGBERG GRADUATED FROM NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY WITH A DEGREE IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND SUBSEQUENTLY COMPLETED THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BANKING.

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RIGHT.

Trending topics

It’s tough to believe August has arrived. An oft-repeated question is: Where does the time go? It is a question I have asked myself more than once this year. In the blink of an eye the holiday season will be upon us. But let’s stay grounded in August for now – Christmas will be here before we know it.

August, for Prairie Business, means manufacturing – one of the topical highlights of this issue. Sam Easter does a fine job of reporting about what’s new and trending in the industry.

There also is a story about trends in the architecture profession, namely the technology that has shaped – and continues to shape – the industry for many businesses and clients. Experts from the firms AckermanEstvold and EAPC Architects Engineers share their perspectives about some of those trends.

Women engineers and their contributions to the engineering field is another story topic in which four women from the industry answer questions about what it is like for them working in a male-dominated profession. They also discuss how that perception – of the industry being male-dominated – is changing.

I love this quote from Jessica LoBello, an engineer with Sandman Structural Engineers in Maple Grove, Minnesota: “Don’t be intimidated by male counterparts around you. Women are just as capable, technically, as men are. There shouldn’t be anything that holds females back from pursuing something they’re curious or passionate about.”

Life experiences watching the important women in my life – my wife, daughter-in-law, mom and mother-in-law – succeed have ingrained within me deep respect for the talents, determination, high work ethic and many more admirable qualities that many women bring to the professional table. The women I work with on staff at Prairie Business, from sales to design, are exemplary business leaders who contribute much to the publication and this industry.

As we work our way through August, pay tribute to the many women who have impacted and continue to influence your life, both personally and professionally.

I hope you enjoy this issue. As always, thanks for reading!

Andrew Weeks

I look forward to hearing from you at aweeks@prairiebusinessmagazine.com or 701-780-1276.

PUBLISHER KORRIE WENZEL

AD DIRECTOR STACI LORD EDITOR

ANDREW WEEKS

CIRCULATION MANAGER BETH BOHLMAN

LAYOUT DESIGN JAMIE HOLTE

ACCOUNT MANAGER

NICHOLE ERTMAN 800.477.6572 ext. 1162 nertman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand Forks Herald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 375 2nd Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND 58203. Subscriptions are available free of charge. Back issue quantities are limited and subject to availability ($2/copy prepaid). The opinions of writers featured in Prairie Business are their own. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork are encouraged but will not be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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ONE BIG CHANGE IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IS A REDESIGNED HIRING PORTAL, ACCORDING TO KATHLEEN BRENK, A SENIOR HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICIAL WITH MARVIN, A DOOR AND WINDOW MANUFACTURER. ‘WE GET BACK TO APPLICANTS IN ABOUT FOUR TO EIGHT HOURS, FROM THE MINUTE THAT THEY CLICK APPLY.’ SHE SAYS. ‘WE DON’T HAVE THE SPACE TO (WAIT FOR DAYS) ANYMORE, WHEN THERE ARE LOTS OF CHOICES.’ IMAGES, LEFT AND TOP: COURTESY OF MARVIN

Manufacturing and the new way of doing business

By Sam Easter

At Marvin, the window and door maker based in Warroad, Minn., times are changing just as quickly as everywhere else. The pandemic is gone, sure – but the scrambled economy it has left in its wake is demanding a new way of doing business.

One big change: a redesigned hiring portal. In a tight labor market, it’s just not acceptable to take a few days to get back to prospective hires anymore, said Kathleen Brenk, a senior human resources official with Marvin. The company has to be in touch in a matter of hours.

“We get back to applicants in about four to eight hours, from the minute that they click ‘apply.’” she said. ”We don’t have the space to (wait for days) anymore, when there are lots of choices.”

Many businesses have been under extraordinary pressures since the end of the pandemic. Coronavirus scrambled demand for years – but now supply lines and worker availability are just as undependable, leading to massive costs for businesses.

U.S. business logistics costs rose 22% in 2021, according to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, putting it at about 8% of national GDP – the highest since 2008. “Workers still have power in this job market,” a Wall Street Journal headline blares, citing increased offerings for remote work, numerous workers

WCCO Belting

migrating to new industries and – perhaps most importantly – more job openings than there are unemployed people.

“The pandemic was tough. It was a lot of unknowns,” said Randy Morehouse, director of operations at Brookings-based Falcon Plastics. “But coming out of the pandemic I would say was almost worse, as stuff started to come back – and you ran into roadblock

marvin

WCCO Belting

after roadblock of constraints. That was probably tougher on manufacturing than the actual pandemic itself.”

Falcon and Marvin aren’t the only ones adapting to a changing world. At WCCO Belting, Vice President of Operations Rod Koch said updates to automation processes that helped the company weather the worst of COVID – like workers out with the virus or because of a close contact. But now it’s the materials side of things that’s seeing bigger problems. Koch said the company has hired multiple additional staff to help with sourcing.

“Shipping methods have really been a challenge. All the ports are congested, the pandemic – the ramifications of that – is still out there. There’s a severe lack of workers, whether it’s in ports, trucking, trains, the ships. Global logistics, as you’re probably well aware, are really challenging to say the least.”

continued on page 14

continued from Page 13

It’s unclear how long this will last. Inflation has been strong all year, with June’s Consumer Price Index figures showing a 9.1% increase over a year prior – the highest in four decades. As of early July, though, gas prices had begun to ease, dangling the possibility that the worst of the tumult might be soon behind.

Federal Reserve officials have been trying to curb the effects of inflation – and an overheated economy – with an end to its easy-money policies and a hike in interest rates. Whether the economy gets a soft landing or crashes into a recession still remains to be seen, especially as central banks around the world execute significant rate hikes (the Bank of Canada increased interest rates by 1% on the same day that American inflation data was released in mid-July).

“Inflation makes everything difficult,” Lara Rhame, an economist with FS Investments, told The Wall Street Journal. “It erodes your savings, your wages, your profits. It’s punishing everybody.”

While inflation will eventually cool, it’s possible that things will never go back to the way they were pre-pandemic – that everything from the labor market to busi-

FaLCON PLASTICS

ness practices are going to be different now. NPR reports that, at the end of May, there were 11.3 million open jobs, with layoffs “at historic lows.”

“I think that the way people evaluate where they work, and how they work, is here to stay,” Brenk said. “I think people value an amount of flexibility. I think people value a schedule that’s predictable.”

This is true for businesses that are trying to balance their supply chains, too.

“Something that I could get in 10 days before, I need to have my purchase orders out three months, in order for it to ensure that we’re going to have supply,” said Dawn Munson, purchasing manager at Falcon Plastics, adding that the company carries more material than they did before COVID, “because you never know what’s going to happen.”

“When you talk about things that we changed, our ordering habits changed,” she said. “Everybody I think is a little bit gunshy at this point. It’s been such a roller coaster of events that you’re not sure what is going to happen next.”

Creating architecture in a digital world

Working as an architect these days isn’t what it used to be. Though it still is not an overnight task to design a new project, the waiting period has been trimmed, thanks to new technology.

Tech also is shaping the way some buildings are being created, as more clients want features that were unheard of just a few years ago. Things such as smart lighting and energy efficient technology.

Jared Kramer, project designer with Ackerman-Estvold, continues to witness the way his profession is changing with technology.

“It’s changed the way we do things on so many different levels,” he said. “From our computer-aided drafting software to the actual building sciences and the things that people demand to see in their houses. Smart lights, smart thermostats, video doorbells, all of those things require a new set of design criteria. And the technology for us to be able to document these things and deliver them has really increased at about the same rate, if not even faster.”

Kramer said today’s technology platforms – such as Building Information Modeling, or BIM technology, that allows the creation of 3D models – helps

By Andrew Weeks

architects to be more precise in their drafting, spotting issues before they happen on the construction site, and helps the project to run more smoothly.

“It helps you stick to a budget a lot easier, and it helps keep everyone on the same page,” he said, noting in today’s market “I think it’s indispensable.”

He said something that has helped change the industry in recent years is virtual reality, which gives people a realistic look at what their project is going to look like when it’s done. Unlike what is graphed on paper, using VR allows clients to enter the rooms and explore the building long before it is finished. There are many benefits to this, especially in the planning phase of a project, where problems can be detected early on and improved upon before the building phase gets underway.

“That’s huge,” Kramer said. “I think about the days when we only had 2D drawings and pictures. How difficult it must have been to imagine what your building’s going to look like if you’re someone who doesn’t look at plans all day long. Now we have 3D rendering programs. We have 3D design drafting programs. And I think that it’s going to continue to increase at an exponential rate, probably.”

Jared Kramer

Dale Eberly

THE TOOLS OF AN ARCHITECT. SOME THINGS REMAIN THE SAME, BUT TECHNOLOGY HAS ENHANCED THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING BUILDINGS.

IMAGE: CANDACE BREKKE/ACKERMAN-ESTVOLD

Likewise, Dale Eberly, senior health care architect with EAPC Architects Engineers, said the biggest advancements he’s seen come out of tech are the digital collaboration tools.

“Be it Teams or Webex for meetings, Bluebeam Studio Sessions for plan collaboration, or something as simple as digital plan submission to the reviewing authorities,” said Eberly, who specializes in health care facilities and is based in St. Paul. “Now, most of that isn’t new per se, but the level of use for it is.”

“Honestly, firms like EAPC where we already collaborated heavily across offices were a bit ahead of the curve on adoption of some of those collaboration technologies.

“We’re also seeing an increase in the use of web-based or web supported tools, such as BIM360 or Specpoint. All of this impacts how we do the work. I can spend my morning on a job site, collaborate with teams in Sioux Falls and then Bismarck all from the comfort of my home office or my regular EAPC office in St Paul.”

A World Online

The Internet of Things or IoT — a term used to describe physical devices connected to the internet — is primed to keep growing and, at least supposedly, make people’s lives easier.

As Prairie Business reported previously, IoT is powering a global revolution. Examples are more automobiles and household items connected to the internet, with the ability to make purchases from the devices. Underway are things like the future refrigerator that detects when a food item is getting low and purchases groceries to refill it.

A Business Insider magazine report in 2019 said there were an estimated eight billion IoT-enabled devices active around the world, but by 2027 the number could reach 41 billion.

“It is pretty wild,” Kramer said. “I mean, you can have Wi-Fi connect to your new stove, microwave, dishwasher and control them from there. You don’t even have to be at your house if you want to start a load of laundry.”

“I think first and foremost we are seeing all this technology affect power requirements, especially in renovation projects,” Eberly said. “Everyone thinks ‘oh the new tech is more efficient and uses less power.’ Sure, that’s generally true, but even if it uses 20% less power, when you have two or three times the number of devices, well … that’s more power, more circuits, etc.

“Also we are seeing more of the Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) going in to support cellphone signal. Everything has a network connection, from the patient phones on WIFI, to HVAC equipment to wireless patient vitals monitoring to the computer in every room. Security plays into this too as more things go from physical keys to electronic access (badge readers). All of this means more cabling, IT rooms with more equipment, more power for that equipment, more cooling for the equipment. It ripples on and on. All of this translates into more space.”

The Perks of Being an Architect

Kramer and Eberly, who work for different companies and have their own experiences in the field, both said they enjoy what they do and where the industry is headed. It remains a challenging field – in a good way – that allows a person to continue to grow with the times and technology. Every day can be different, while maintaining the same rewards: Pride as a project moves through the design phase to ultimate construction and completion.

“For me the honest answer is ‘differently challenging’,” Eberly said. “Tech makes some things easier, like a Teams call to a colleague in Grand Forks, but it means we need to be more deliberate about the coordination. It’s not just walking down the hall and chatting.

“As for tech impacting buildings themselves, to me it’s the same song and dance. We are always trying to figure out how the pieces fit and it just happens to be driving the size up on some of the pieces. It does mean that one needs to be more acquainted with the requirements of the technology, what it needs, and how it is maintained. But it’s called practicing architecture for a reason. It’s never fully perfected and always evolving.”

Kramer said: “I think design has gotten to a point now where they’re really an open process, listening to your client and asking them what they’re looking for. There’s not a lot of room anymore, at least in our neck of the woods, for first architecture, people who want to push their design on others. It’s really a process of asking what your client is looking for, taking that information and implementing it into something that looks like a building and then having that back and forth with them to come up with your final product.

“I guess that’s another reason why it’s so rewarding to me – you never know what you’re going to really be getting into when you start a project.”

THE MAGIC CLIMBER EXHIBIT, LOCATED AT THE MAGIC CITY DISCOVERY CENTER IN MINOT, N.D., WAS DESIGNED IN A JOINT EFFORT WITH REDBOX WORKSHOP. IT IS A 37-FOOT EXHIBIT THAT WILL ALLOW CHILDREN TO CLIMB THROUGH THE PRAIRIE DOG CRAWL, UP THE OIL DERRICK PASSING THROUGH THE CLOUDS UNTIL THEY FINALLY REACH THE B-52 AT THE VERY TOP WHERE THEY WILL HAVE A 360-DEGREE VIEW OF THE MAGIC CITY.

IMAGE: CANDACE BREKKE/ACKERMANESTVOLD

Not just a man’s profession

Four women engineers share perspectives about their field

By Andrew Weeks

Amy Schaaf and Carrie Fraser, both project engineers at Moore Engineering, are working on a project together. They don’t work in the same office. Fraser is in Minot, Schaaf in Bismarck. Both come from different backgrounds and experiences, but each decided upon a career path that landed them at the same company.

Both knew when they chose engineering that they were entering a male-dominated field – though it is not as male-dominated as it once was, they said.

Today’s engineering landscape wouldn’t have some of its success without the help and contributions of ambitious and skilled women such as Schaaf, Fraser, Jessica LoBello with Sandman Structural Engineers, and Erin Steever with Bartlett & West, each who answered questions about their experiences and views of working in the engineering field.

Amy Schaaf - Bismarck, N.D. Moore Engineering

Q: What got you interested in pursuing a career in engineering?

My dad was an engineer. He worked at a refinery in Mandan and I was always really interested in what he did out there. I ended up taking a slightly different path; he was a chemical engineer, not a civil engineer, but the same concept essentially. I was just always really interested in math and science and I was really good at it in school and the older I got, the more I wanted to pursue something in that field.

Q: Where did you receive your training?

I went to NDSU. I got a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Music. … I play in the community bands around here and I play in the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony. There’s like a little chamber orchestra in town called the Missouri Valley Chamber Orchestra that I play in. It’s a fun little side gig.

Q: What are some of the challenges of being a woman in the engineering field?

Most of the firms have a sort of boys club thing going on. And there’s just kind of this mentality that the boys can always do it better. The girls are just there to do paperwork and whatever else, but they’re not there to do the actual engineering. Luckily, like at Moore, there’s not much of that going on. We’re actually really lucky in that we do have women in some management positions, which is really nice to see.

Q: What’s the best thing about being a woman in the field?

I guess the advantages to it is that when you do get to a firm where there are a certain number of women, you form this really close bond with them and it’s really awesome to get to work with them on projects and just be around other strong women who know what they’re doing and get to learn from them and work with them every day.

Q: Are there very many women that you work with?

Yeah, I would say Moore probably is one of the firm’s that has the highest number of women.

Q: Is this a new trend, do you think?

I would say it’s kind of trending that way. Now. It definitely hasn’t always, historically, been the case.

Q: What advice would you give to another female considering going into engineering?

I would tell them to just go for it. Just follow their dreams. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do it just because of your gender, because that argument is stupid. I also would encourage them to go out and find a mentor, whether it be a male or a female that’s in that field who can help guide them down that path.

Carrie Fraser – Minot, N.D. Moore Engineering

Q: What got you interested in pursuing a career in engineering?

I was in high school and my best friend’s dad was an engineer, and her cousin was an engineer, and I spent a lot of time with her. My brother was going to school for engineering at the time. But other than that, we didn’t have any engineers in our family, but we both got into the same college at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, where her cousin had lived and worked. He showed us around and he always talked about his job and how much he liked it. I was interested, and so I signed up for the classes, really liked them, and so I stuck with it.

Q: What are some challenges being a female in the engineering field?

In most places, it’s work-life balance. I have kids. And that is what I found to be a huge challenge. Before kids, it was just the respect. Some places, especially when you work out in the field, contractors don’t look at you and see someone with tons of knowledge. And that can also be because you’re a young woman. Respect was a huge challenge. I got told a lot in my early career that I should just go get married, have kids and stop working. Engineering is not for

Amy Schaaf

Carrie fraser

Jessica LoBello

erin steever

women. There’s a lot of people with those comments. And then I had kids and a lot of people were like, Oh, well, now it’s your time to stop working.

Q: Why do you think some people still harbor the old mentality about women in the field?

Well, a lot of those comments I received from older men, and I don’t know if that’s just because they were still used to that environment. But in the past eight years that I’ve been in this career field, the younger men don’t make those comments; they work with you as equals. I think it’s just generational differences.

Q: For you, what’s the best thing about being a woman in the field today?

I get asked that question a lot in my career. I never defined myself as a woman engineer. I just define myself as an engineer, because I see myself as an equal; but you know, then I had kids that entire dynamic changed.

I see being a woman engineer is a huge success. I’ve fought my battles. I’ve worked my way up and I work with peers that respect me now. I want to be able to mentor other young women that want to make this trek through their life. I want them to have a great experience. I want them to not know the struggles. I just want to be able to be a friendly woman in engineering and make sure that change is there.

Q: What advice do you offer another woman considering engineering?

I think of all the things that have been said to me and what should have been said to me. Instead of saying you don’t need to work, go home and have kids, I want to say that you have the right to be there; you are equal. You can do it. So go do it.

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continued from Page 19

Jessica LoBello – Maple Grove, Minn. Sandman Structural Engineers

Q: What challenges have you noticed in the field?

That’s such a tricky question. I can’t say that there have been any true challenges as far as just the gender difference. I think that if you present yourself as a confident and capable person people are going to respect you no matter what. I guess, the only time that I’ve ever had any real challenges have been on site where contractors or laborers tend to question my judgment, and I can’t say that’s necessarily due to the fact that I’m a female. I think that some of that comes from being young and then not knowing me and not working with me before.

That has obviously changed over the years, because I have gained experience and I know how to handle these situations maybe a little bit better; I come across a little bit more capable and confident in my abilities. But definitely early in my career, it was a little bit challenging to convince people that I know what I’m doing.

Now, as far as being a woman in the industry, I can’t say that I’ve ever had a situation where I felt slighted or maybe challenged by male counterparts or felt that I didn’t have the same opportunity. I do think that there could be instances where that occurs. I have not experienced them.

Q: How about for those who may feel slighted in the industry? Any thoughts or suggestions?

I would say reach out to your leader or a mentor, whether that’s an HR lead or someone else, and just let your voice be heard. And then work on standing up for yourself more than anything. I just happen to have a personality where I don’t take things personally; I’m not easily offended. … I just let it roll off my back. It’s about having a little bit of a thick skin, just not letting things bother you, but making sure that if there are situations where you are bothered or disrespected because of your gender, to make sure that somebody is aware of it and that they can act on it and correct the actions of others.

Q: What’s the best thing about being an engineer these days?

I would have to say, the ability to make an impact on my team and the community by delivering excellent service and providing a quality product for the clients and the owners and something that they’re going to be happy with. I really strive to do the best that I can every day for the people around me and serve others, and help other people be successful. That’s really what gets me going.

Q: What would you say to a young woman looking to go into the engineering field? Any advice or suggestions?

Yeah. I just say, don’t be scared to take a risk. Don’t be scared to stand out of the crowd. Don’t be intimidated by male counterparts around you. Women are just as capable, technically, as men are. There shouldn’t be anything that holds females back from pursuing something they’re curious or passionate about.

Erin Steever - Sioux Falls, S.D. Bartlett & West

Q: What, in your opinion, are the challenges of being a woman in the engineering field?

I’ve always had a different way of thinking about things. Starting out in the profession, I didn’t ask many questions because I wanted to fit in and not stand out. To this day, I wish I would have learned to be bold and ask questions earlier. In my mind, asking questions was

a sign of weakness, but in actuality I was only making it harder on myself. I didn’t have young inquisitive role models, let alone many female role models. When those role models finally came until much later in my career, I envied them so much that I started to ask more questions myself. Today, I make it a point to come up with questions and, here at Bartlett & West, I’ve learned to identify key questions that may not be as apparent but can be of more value.

Q: What’s the best thing about it?

Being a female on a job site does have its perks. I’m not much for crass language, and contractors generally keep side conversations pretty clean in my presence. Mind you, once they get more comfortable with me being on site, most turn back into their more common grumpy hot-headed selves, but they still watched their language when I was around.

Because I am female, I did have a water tower painting crew give me the ‘best’ safety climb trolley for the painter’s buggy ride to the top of the pedestal. I’m not sure I agree with them that the ‘best’ was the one that wouldn’t hang up as frequently on the way up as the others. I was never more excited than when the ladder was installed, and I could climb the 200 feet to the top of the tower! This same crew was from Michigan, and the most awkward moment I’ve had on a project site was on a cool mid-October day. The crew of probably six guys awkwardly took turns wishing me Happy Sweetest Day.

I had never heard of this before and I was pretty confused trying to figure out what kind of prank they were trying to pull, but yet they all seemed to be too sincere for it to be anything but real. I looked it up later and realized it was a real holiday, it’s just not celebrated as frequently outside of the Great Lakes Region.

The next day I thanked them all and confessed that I had no idea what they were talking about the day before. They had no idea their Hallmark holiday wasn’t nationally known.

Q: Do you think things are improving for women engineers? In what ways?

For sure. I think the diversity, inclusion and equity movement is bringing awareness and acceptance to everyone. By bringing the topic to the forefront, people are asking more questions, and finding ways to be more sensitive and more accepting to all our differences. Developing a diverse team may create more challenges, especially to start. However, this makes those that are accepting the challenge stronger by working through tough conversations and developing skills to turn disagreements into constructive conversations. It also allows female engineers to become more confident in all situations, knowing that their opinion, no matter how different or odd it may sound, is also a valuable perspective and one that should be voiced for the good of the project.

Big media has also helped to change the narrative of females in a positive way.

Q: What advice do you offer for someone pursuing the same career path?

Ask questions, search out and surround yourself with those you desire to be more like, and get involved in organizations outside of work. Being involved in a volunteer organization sets you up for leadership development opportunities that you can build on in your career, allows you the opportunity to work with different personalities and people you may not fully agree with, and increases your network of knowledgeable experts in the field. These individuals will be there for you if you have questions or are in search of advice. This brings me to another thought, find a few good mentors that will have honest conversations and are good listeners.

Check out PrairieBusinessMagazine.com to see additional responses from these engineers.

Manufacturing North Dakota’s workforce with polytechnic education

By Bismarck State College

An ongoing employee shortage has left many employers in the manufacturing and automation industry without the qualified, trained workforce they need—a workforce with the skills to operate, maintain and repair the machines that keep industry going. This shortfall will continue to create gaps in productivity and profit. However, a new polytechnic education model in the state’s capital city may be the solution to the challenges the industry is facing.

On Nov. 15, 2021, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum signed Senate Bill 2345 granting Bismarck State College $38 million from the state’s federal Rescue Plan coronavirus aid to advance BSC’s mission as a polytechnic college and to develop a more qualified workforce for the state.

“We are extremely appreciative of the level of confidence and commitment we’ve received from the governor and our legislative leaders to advance the ND State Board of Higher Education’s polytechnic mission at BSC,” said BSC President Doug Jensen. “North Dakota has tremendous natural assets that support economic growth in our state. The decision to invest in our polytechnic mission aligns perfectly with the state’s economic growth projects.”

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BSC works closely with industry leaders to bridge the gaps in industry needs and ensure students are prepared the first day on the job, with the skills they need. BSC Polytechnic Program Outreach Director Alicia Uhde says learning experiences at a polytechnic institution are purposeful, practical and driven by workforce needs. “As companies continue to advance,” she said, “it is important to ensure that the workforce is prepared and ready to install, maintain, repair, operate and troubleshoot these new technologies.”

A polytechnic education gives students more hands-on, applied learning opportunities through real-world experiences with labs, internships and cooperative community projects.

Applied learning at a polytechnic institution is intense and highly technical, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Students prepare to solve complex social, economic and community problems and achieve success in the real world.

Many industries are becoming more integrated with computers and sensors, which require technicians to maintain their efficiency. While machines may replace some tasks previously performed by people, such as sorting mail packages or determining quality of a product, the use of automation actually creates more jobs for people to repair and troubleshoot these machines when needed.

Students studying manufacturing and automation use project-based learning to complete a solid foundation of electronic, electrical, mechanical, control systems and robotic systems. They learn to integrate all these concepts and systems to increase the productivity and efficiencies of industrial facilities.

Skilled technicians are in high demand in an increasingly automated world, Uhde noted.

“The manufacturing industry is evolving quickly with new technologies being launched continuously,” she said. “The hands-on, project-based learning that students engage in prepares them to support companies, so they stay competitive in the global market.”

BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE OFFERS CERTIFICATES, TWO- AND FOUR-YEAR DEGREES IN MANUFACTURING AND AUTOMATION, PROVIDING LEARNERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO UPSKILL IN THEIR FIELDS. IMAGE: COURTESY OF BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE

“EDUCATION HAS TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO WORKFORCE NEEDS AND MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE SIGNALS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR,” BURGUM SAID. “THIS IS FAR MORE THAN JUST A NEW BUILDING. THIS IS A NEW PATHWAY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN NORTH DAKOTA.”

EPIC Companies shows off A New Office

By Andrew Weeks

E

The Fargo-based company hasn’t let a global pandemic stop its momentum. In fact, some of its success has occurred during the past two-plus years.

It’s like a snowball that keeps rolling down hill, picking up momentum as it goes. It may have hit some bumps along the way, but the company keeps growing, keeps expanding.

Mckenzy Braaten, the company’s vice president of communications, said that in 2019 the company expanded space at its West Fargo office from 2,200 square feet to nearly 6,000 square feet, and in 2021 it added its Construction by EPIC team, which required additional office space.

“It’s actually a couple doors down and still on the Boulevard Square complex in West Fargo,” she said. “That one’s at 2,686 square feet. And now in 2022 ... we’re expanding our leasing and condo sales space to 2,370 square feet.” Both are on Boulevard Square. “We went from 2,200 square feet in 2019 to close to 10,000 square feet in 2022, which is kind of crazy.”

Braaten said the company also has an office in Minot it is expanding and it is working on opening a leasing office in Bismarck.

“We’re looking at about 1,500 square feet there,” she said, noting an open date for that office would likely be sometime in early 2023.

“We’re in the development stage right now.”

Eventually, it will open a leasing office in Grand Forks in its development The Beacon, a seven-story mixed-use complex of three buildings including a 40,000 square-foot outdoor plaza.

And there is this: Berning was named a Leaders & Legacies recipient in the July issue of Prairie Business. The award is the magazine’s highest honor, given to executives in the region who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and impressive careers.

Not bad for a seven-year-old company.

Braaten said wait a bit – more good things are on the horizon.

EPIC COMPANIES HAS NEW SPACE FOR ITS LEASING OFFICE IN WEST FARGO AT BOULEVARD SQUARE. IT IS ONLY ONE SEGMENT OF THE COMPANY’S RECENT EXPANSION EFFORTS. IMAGES: MCKENZY BRAATEN/EPIC COMPANIES

Lookingfor a newrevenuestream?

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Q.INSIGHTs & INTUITION

Chris Lamoureux Executive Vice President First Western Bank & Trust Minot, N.D.

First Western Bank & Trust encourages and promotes volunteering, celebrating, and competing in friendly activities to assist in building relationships within our full-service community bank. We organize department retreats, whether that be at the lake, or at a park or restaurant, allowing each member of the team to really get to know their colleagues, and thereby building confidence and trust in each other.

Additional activities include volunteering for community improvement projects, many of which take place outside of business hours. Staff members appreciate various annual events like the First Western Christmas Party, which allows everyone in the First Western family to engage in game show-style games and enjoy entertainment put on by other members of our staff.

Our leadership takes pride in encouraging and being supportive of employee activities that elevate camaraderie, employee well-being and community involvement, understanding these opportunities positively enhance and nurture teamwork.

Like most organizations, we had to take a brief hiatus from in-person team building during the height of Covid, but little by little we continue to reintroduce our favorite events while also creating some fun new ones! Our team tries to strike a balance between volunteering opportunities, wellness initiatives, and social outings. Some of the organizations we have volunteered with include the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, Feeding South Dakota, Mobile Food Pantry, and Kids Against Hunger.

We try to take advantage of the warm summer months by hosting picnics, kickball games, and nights at the ballpark, as well as indulging in Food Truck Fridays downtown and happy hours. We love a good potluck and delight in competitions, whether it’s a ping pong tournament or showdown for who can make the best dessert / chili / fill in the blank.

We even have a rotating trophy that gets added to with each competition, making it that much more enticing for the next person to win! Regardless of the activity, we enjoy getting to know one another better outside of work and find that as a result we work better together!

Tara Twedt Marketing Director Architecture Incorporated Sioux Falls, S.D.

“What types of team-building events does your organization hold outside of work?”

At Enclave, we value people for who they are and take great pride in our relationships, placing emphasis on building genuine connections across our team. We create opportunities for large allteam gatherings, like family-friendly company picnics, and smaller group activities like golf outings, escape rooms and companysponsored leagues to bring people together. Volunteer outings that directly support our paid service hours and commitment to community have been well-received by Enclave’s team members; we’ve got an incredible group of do-gooders!

For us, it’s important that we foster connection around the activities our employees enjoy participating in.

Tricia Schill HR Manager Enclave West Fargo, N.D.

Teresa Wasvick Human Resources Director Alerus Grand Forks, N.D.

As we’ve embraced a combination of in-office, remote, and hybrid employee arrangements, our approach to team-building and employee events has changed. We schedule large gatherings during times that are convenient for employees across our various worksites.

When we held in-person all employee- meetings earlier this year, we hosted socials afterward so employees could reconnect and have some fun while they were already together. We also host family-friendly activities such as summer picnics and encourage employees to bring their families and friends to events whenever possible.

In addition to company wide activities, we also support smaller teambuilding activities. Connecting and building relationships looks different to different teams and people. We encourage teams to participate in wellness challenges, such as completing a 5k or 10k walk/run together, supporting community and charity events as a team, and encourage managers to organize team activities throughout the year, such as attending a sporting event, heading out for a night of bowling, or gathering for lunch over a video call. We provide teams the freedom to determine their own best way of strengthening relationships in a style that works for them.

gettingback to business getting back to business

IMPORT & EXPORT

Prices for U.S. imports increased 0.2% in June following a 0.5% advance the previous month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Higher import fuel prices in June more than offset lower nonfuel prices. U.S. export prices rose 0.7% in June, after increasing 2.9% in May.

LABOR PRODUCTIVITY

Labor productivity rose in 24 of 30 selected service-providing industries from 2020 to 2021. Output grew in 23 of the 24 industries with an increase in productivity (natural gas distribution being the only exception, at −0.3%) and hours worked rose in 13 of the 24 industries. Productivity rose more than 25% in travel arrangement and reservation services (136.8%), amusement parks and arcades (87.4%), air transportation (61.8%), and full-service restaurants (25.3%) in 2021. In all four of those industries, output grew more than 44%.

JOB OPENINGS AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

In May 2022, the job openings rate was 6.9 percent and the unemployment rate was 3.6%. In March and April, the job openings rate had been 7.3% and 7.2%, while May was the third consecutive month that the unemployment rate was 3.6%. A year earlier, in May 2021, the job openings rate was 6.2% and the unemployment rate was 5.8%.

TOTAL NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED

The total number of unemployed people was essentially unchanged at 5.9 million in June 2022. The number of permanent job losers (those who are not on temporary layoff) was 1.3 million, the lowest since October 2019. The number of permanent job losers in June 2022 was down from 3.7 million in October 2020. In June 2022, the number of job losers on temporary layoff was 827,000, making up about 14% of the total unemployed. The recent peak for the number of job losers on temporary layoff was in April 2020, at 18.0 million. The number of unemployed job leavers was 832,000 in June 2022, little different from its pre-pandemic level in February 2020.

CA LLE D TO HE LP YO U

LIV E HE AL TH IE R

Ourmission isreflec ted in the work wedo every day. And it ’s the people of this place who inspireus. Here, we share our li ves, our work , our stor ies. It ’s people like Rachel, who gi ve patients the tools to li ve healthier, that make this place unlikeany other.

We are called to make a healthy diff erence in people ’s lives.

RA CH EL ▶ RN , NURS E MA NA GE R