SFAKLER

Jessica Brewster

Age: 38 Chief Operating Officer Heartview Foundation

Bismarck, N.D.

Jessica Brewster is the chief operating officer of Heartview Foundation and has dedicated her career to serving those struggling with addiction. She is responsible for the clinical programs and overall operations of Heartview’s Bismarck locations, including the residential treatment, Opioid Treatment Program and outpatient treatment facilities. Committed to the 400 patients who rely on Heartview for their recovery, she is an invaluable resource to the Foundation’s 130 employees.

Born and raised in Bismarck, Brewster received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in addiction counseling from the University of Mary and became a Licensed Master Addiction Counselor in January 2010. She was hired at Heartview as the OTP director in July 2019 with experience in the addiction and mental health fields from positions held at the Department of Human Services and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Promoted March 2021 to her current role, she has a passion for leading caring teams, providing evidence-based treatment services to the community and creating an intentional place for patients to reach their full potential in recovery.

Nic Cullen

Age: 36

Project Manager & Certified Floodplain Manager

Houston Engineering, Inc.

Bismarck, N.D.

Nicolas Cullen is a professional civil engineer, certified floodplain manager, and project manager with Houston Engineering’s Bismarck office. He leads teams responsible for the design and construction of private, municipal, and floodplain related projects across the region. He has been with Houston Engineering since 2011 where he is client focused, committed to quality, and strives to be the ideal team player.

Cullen is involved in the community, being a recent graduate/ member of the Bismarck Mandan EDC LBMAA, current Dakota Zoo Board Member, past officer and active member of the North Dakota Society of Professional Engineers, current area management for Special Olympics North Dakota – Bismarck, and many more.

Originally from Bismarck, he graduated from NDSU with a degree in civil engineering and a minor in business administration. While he is busy with work and extracurricular community activities, his biggest goal is spending time with his wife, Brittany, and their three children Emma, Caleb, and Karly pontooning/kayaking on the Missouri River during the summer and skiing/snowboarding in winter.

William S. Cromarty

Age: 30

Director of Business Development

Aerial Robotics

Grand Forks, N.D.

William S. Cromarty is a former CIA officer and national security subject-matter expert in aerospace and satellite systems, space/ counterspace weapons system counterproliferation, and aerospace-sector geopolitics. He serves as director of Business Development for Aerial Robotics, where he is leading the multinational UAV manufacturer’s North Dakota expansion into the Fargo and Grand Forks regions, and was recently selected for North Dakota’s Builders & Backers program, where he is spearheading an effort to establish a nonprofit museum incubator.

Cromartyis a Fellow at The Explorers Club and the Royal Astronomical Society, a National Eagle Scout Association World Explorer, and a past invited lecturer at NASA, USCG NAVCEN, USFS, The UAS Summit, the American Geographical Society, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the Fargo Air Museum, where his private collection of Cold War Space Race artifacts is on display. He is a competitive ultramarathon runner and pistol instructor; currently training as a Muay Thai fighter while pursuing his solo skydiver license, FAA Part 107 drone pilot license, PADI Divemaster certification and PADI Master Scuba Diver certification.

Christy Dauer

Age: 38

Executive Director

North Dakota Women’s Business Center

Bismarck & Fargo

Christy Dauer is a natural innovator, connector, professional strategist, and leader. She has earned her reputation as a reliable voice with an unrivaled work ethic while enthusiastic about serving others. As executive director for the North Dakota Women’s Business Center, she is a results-driven visionary specializing in business strategy and program development.

With over a decade of management experience, she tirelessly advocates and champions building vibrant communities. Christy is dedicated to driving economic impact to the state as a conduit to resources and providing impactful programming to women business owners statewide.

In addition to her career, Dauer is an active volunteer in her local community. On a state level, she serves on the Commission for Status of Women. She was also recently appointed to the National Association of Women’s Business Center board of directors. She has devoted her talents to numerous community endeavors and seeks out the best in others. She and her husband are raising two boys in West Fargo.

Sean Dempsey

Age: 37 VP / Owner Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & Restaurant Watertown, S.D.

Sean Dempsey started at Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & Restaurant back in 1999 when his family started the landmark business in Watertown, South Dakota, working in and on the business, slowly growing and expanding the brand. In 2019 he opened his first expansion, “Danger von Dempsey’s” in Aberdeen, where he put more of a focus on pizzas and great local craft beer.

In 2022, he opened the third location, “Danger von Dempseys ATY” at the Watertown Regional Airport.

He is also a premier member on the United States Pizza Team, competing nationally and internationally across the globe, and has recently won accolades in pizza making, and giving back. In 2022 he was awarded a “friend of the library” for his work on the Read by the slice program where the restaurant gives kids pizza based on hours red.

He had seven cats, two dogs, a ridiculous amount of fish, and spends free (150) time reading, playing anything called “ final fantasy” and spending time with his fiancee.