Houston Engineering’s Minot team relocates to new office

MINOT, N.D. • Houston Engineering, which has locations in both the Dakotas and Minnesota, said it is moving its Minot team to a new location.

The new office is located at 3900 13th Ave. SE.

Houston Engineering has offices in the Dakotas and Minnesota, and works in the areas of infrastructure, environment, geospatial technology, transportation and water resources.

Houston said the new space will allow the company to better service clients and its growing team.

Nick Peterson

Bell Bank hires wealth advisor

FARGO, N.D. • Nick Peterson has been hired as vice president/wealth advisor for Bell Investments. In his role, Peterson assists clients with financial planning and investment decisions designed with a goal to help them reach their future financial and retirement goals.

A native of Moorhead, Minn., Peterson earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from North Dakota State University. He began his financial career in 2019 as a teller with Bell Bank and has served as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. He lives in West Fargo.

Kasey Ward

Apex Engineering Group hires engineering technician

FARGO, N.D. • Kasey Ward joins Apex Engineering Group. Ward is a recent graduate of Bismarck State College, where he earned an associates degree in engineering technology.

In 2020, he was an intern for Apex’s Survey Department in Bismarck. Now, he joins the transportation team full-time as an engineering technician.

Jeff Ostrom

KLJ promotes team member to VP of sales BISMARCK, N.D. • KLJ Engineering LLC has promoted Jeff Ostrom to vice president of sales. In this role, Ostrom will focus on the company’s sales model, which centers on collaboration across all markets and services to build on client management across KLJ.

Ostrom is located in the company’s Saint Paul office and has worked since 2014 in a variety of sales and development roles serving KLJ’s transportation and municipal segments. Combined with his extensive background in customer and stake-

Ag storyteller joins Paulsen as content writer

Talisa Buchholz

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. • Paulsen has hired accomplished video production artist Bryan Middleton to serve as audio/visual specialist on its creative team. Middleton previously did video production for Media One. He began his career at South Dakota Public Broadcasting after studying mass communications at the University of South Dakota.

holder engagement, Ostrom brings a strong understanding of the importance of communication and collaboration in the project pursuit and development process, making him a perfect fit for this role. Ostrom earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from St. John’s University. He is a board member for the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota, ACEC Political Fund member, and Minnesota Surveyors and Engineers Society member.

Middleton, who has built a strong reputation and work portfolio during his two decades in the industry, enjoys storytelling. That skill set will come in handy at Paulsen, where storytelling drives marketing efforts for clients in the agricultural and rural lifestyle industries.

Middleton will work on a variety of projects, including filming, directing and managing post-production as well as shooting still photography.

Dusty Zimmerman

Trinity Health Foundation has new director

MINOT, N.D. • Dusty Zimmerman has been named the new director of Trinity Health Foundation.

Zimmerman will oversee various programs administered by the Foundation to improve the lives of area residents. She’ll also lead initiatives to promote innovative healthcare solutions, including construction of Trinity Health’s new health care campus and medical district.

Zimmerman brings more than 20 years of experience to her new role with an extensive background in marketing, communications, business development/strategy, event planning, and organizational leadership.

Most recently she served as executive director of the Minot Junior Golf Association and director of corporate communications at Ackerman-Estvold, a regional architecture and engineering firm. She also has spent time in the advertising and tourism industries, working with regional organizations to grow their brand and market share.

A lifelong Minot resident, Zimmerman graduated from Minot High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Minot State University in 1999. She has been an active member of the community, serving on various volunteer boards and organizations, including the Minot Noon Rotary Club, Minot Symphony Orchestra, Make-A-Wish North Dakota, and Give360.

Trinity Health Foundation Board of Directors welcomes two members

MINOT, N.D. • Trinity Health and Trinity Health Foundation recently appointed two new members to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Brian Boppre

Claude Sem

Brian Boppre and Claude Sem were both appointed to fill three-year terms on the board.

Brian Boppre is a licensed attorney and the founder/owner of the Boppre

Law Firm in Minot. Claude Sem is a retired banking executive from the Minot area, most recently serving as the CEO of Farm Credit Services of North Dakota.

Both new members have a wealth of experience serving on numerous community and regional boards throughout their careers. The knowledge they bring from within the finance and estate planning industries will be a critical asset to the board.

Matt Merritt

Media veteran joins Paulsen as new PR director

SIOUX FALLS, N.D. • Matt Merritt, a 13-year communications veteran in energy and agriculture industries, is Paulsen’s new Director of Public Relations.

Merritt had already done consulting work for a handful of Paulsen’s clients on a contract basis. Prior to doing freelance work, he spent 10 years in public relations roles with global ethanol leader POET.

His resume also includes stops at the Argus

Leader in Sioux Falls, where he largely did frontline editing for state, agriculture and education stories, and the Daily Herald in Austin, Minnesota.

According to Mark Smither, Chief Strategic Officer at Paulsen, the addition of Merritt enhances the agency’s ability to respond to the most pressing PR needs of clients and inform strategic messaging. For Merritt, being able to focus on agriculture and other clients in rural America is particularly appealing. And, he said, he likes working with reporters in the news media, especially those who cover the ag industry.