University of Mary introduces three new programs STAFF REPORT

The University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., recently announced three new programs. Starting in January, the university will start offering a new Master of Public Administration degree.

“Public service is a hallmark of Northern Plains states and the United States as a whole,” says University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea. “With large numbers of public sector employees set to retire in the next five to seven years, it’s imperative we educate and prepare the next generation of leaders to serve and guide us in the public square in the decades to come.”

Offered through the Gary Tharaldson School of Business, the program will include optional concentrations in a variety of fields, including project management, energy management and health care.

The university has also launched a graduate program in virtuous leadership.

Education in virtuous leadership will include two paths. An online or on-site Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Virtuous Leadership will begin in January. The other option will be a Certificate of Completion in Virtuous Leadership. The virtual leadership concentration will also be available for the Master of Project Management, Master of Public Administration and Master of Science in Business programs.

Designed for working professionals, both the virtuous leadership MBA and certificate program will be offered online, along with a four-day immersive learning experience taught by Alexandre Havard, founder of the Havard Virtuous Leadership Institute.

In fall 2016, students will be able to enroll in a bachelor’s program in computer science with a cybersecurity concentration from the Gary Tharaldson School of Business.

Through this new program, students will have the education and training to develop software applications and operating systems that run computers and devices.

“I can’t put too fine a point on it, but this job sector is booming because entities at all levels — government, financial institutions, health care providers, energy, retail and any organization with sensitive data — whether they realize it or not, are under attack by hackers,” Shea says. “Whether in the field of cybersecurity or database administration, employers locally and globally are scrambling to create special departments to protect their sensitive data and infrastructure. This new program at Mary will be a huge windfall for companies in North Dakota and across America.”

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Eide Bailly names Knobloch director of health care

Partner Geoff Knobloch has been named director of health care at Eide Bailly LLP, a regional certified public accounting and business advisory firm.

Knobloch, who works in the firm’s Sioux Falls office, assumed his new role Nov. 1, following the firm’s annual partner meeting. Knobloch brings more than 16 years of public accounting experience to his role as director. He’s worked extensively with health systems, hospitals, long-term care organizations, clinics and other specialty providers, assisting them with audit and advisory services. Knobloch is also a past president of the South Dakota chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association

North Dakota Economic Development Foundation announces new chairman

Jim Traynor with Intelligent InSites in Fargo, is the new chairman of the North Dakota Economic Development Foundation board.

Traynor has been with Intelligent InSites since 2009 in business and market development leadership roles. He currently serves as the director of partner development. He has held numerous positions in the technology field with Great Plains Software, Apple Computer and Microsoft. Traynor also serves on the board of the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce.

Traynor received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and a master’s degree in management from the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D.

Sanford Health Plan hires new president

Sanford Health Plan in Sioux Falls, S.D., has hired Kirk Zimmer as president, starting Dec. 1.

Herman has 25 years of experience in the health care field, 20 of those years being in behavioral health. Herman was previously the CEO and managing director for The Meadows Psychiatric Center and Universal Community Behavioral Health in central Pennsylvania. He also served as the CEO for the Human Development Center in Duluth, Minn., and has experience in a full continuum of behavioral health services including inpatient, day treatment, outpatient, crisis stabilization, mobile crisis, community-based care and substance abuse treatment.

Prairie St. John’s, located in Fargo, provides mental health and substance abuse treatment for all ages in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Zimmer was most recently CEO for Dakotacare, a health insurance provider based in South Dakota. He also held positions of chief financial officer, chief operating officer and senior vice president at Dakotacare before being promoted to CEO in 2005. As president of Sanford Health Plan, Zimmer will oversee all of Sanford Health Plan’s products and services.

Zimmer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and is a certified public accountant. He is a member of the American College of Health Care Executives, the Health Care Financial Management Association and the South Dakota CPA Society.

The Marvin Cos. has announced Paul Marvin as president of Marvin Windows and Doors effective Jan. 1. Marvin is one of the 11 fourth-generation Marvin family members actively employed in the business, and has worked in a variety of jobs during his time with the company. Marvin is currently serving as the vice president of sales, a position he has held for three years. In his new role as president, Marvin will be responsible for the Marvin portfolio, including leadership and oversight of the Marvin, Integrity and Infinity brands. He will report directly to John “Jake” Marvin, Chairman and CEO of The Marvin Cos.

Sara Iverson-Smith has been hired as the executive director of planning and construction for the Bismarck, N.D., region of Sanford Health. In her new role, she will coordinate and manage future expansion and property and lease management efforts in western North Dakota. She will also coordinate space needs and allocations of existing clinics and hospital departments.

Dr. Sara Kenney has joined Archway Mental Health Services in Bismarck, N.D., as a clinical psychologist. Kenney has particular interest in working with pregnant and postpartum moms, individuals with depression and anxiety and treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.

Kenney received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Minnesota State University Moorhead and her Doctor of Psychology from Minnesota School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University in Bloomington.

She is a member of the American Psychological Association, Postpartum Support International and Marce Society.

Timothy Tracy, CEO of Sanford Vermillion Medical Center in Vermillion, S.D., was elected chairperson at the annual business meeting of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO). Tracy assumed his leadership role at SDAHO’s 89th annual convention in Sioux Falls.

He will provide state and federal leadership and direction for health care across South Dakota, as well as for the 14-member SDAHO Board of Trustees. As SDAHO moves into its 90th year, Tracy will lead the association as it strengthens its position with advocacy and member services.

Tracy has worked as a health care administrator in South Dakota and North Dakota since 1983, and has been the CEO of Sanford Vermillion Medical Center since April 2004. Tracy will have an exciting year as SDAHO’s chairperson, leading a $14 million expansion and renovation project for Sanford Vermillion, scheduled for completion in the summer of 2017.