Prairie Business November 2023

PREMIER BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF THE NORTHERN PLAINS | November 2023

NURSE SHORTAGES

ARE CHALLENGING LONG-TERM CARE

MORE NURSING HOMES COULD CLOSE IF PROPOSED STAFFING RULES ARE PASSED | PAGE 20

TRENDS AND NEWS FROM THE ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING SECTORS RELATIONSHIPS, INTUITION ARE IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESS | PAGE 12

PARTNERSHIPS ENABLE FULFILLING CAREERS COLLABORATION IS EMPOWERING STUDENTS AND CAREER SEEKERS | PAGE 26

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TABLEOFCONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

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EDITOR’S NOTE

BY CARRIE MCDERMOTT

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CONSTRUCTION CORNER MARSHALL COUNTY CENTRAL SCHOOLS PROJECT TO BE READY FOR 2024-25 SEASON

BY CARRIE MCDERMOTT

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GUEST COLUMN MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE AND WHY IT MATTERS

BY ALEXANDRA KOHLHASE

ENGINEERS DOING FIELD WORK. JOAN STEINER

FEATURES 12

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PRAIRIE BUSINESS CELEBRATES WITH AWARD WINNERS AT ANNUAL EVENT

BY PRAIRIE BUSINESS STAFF

PRAIRIE PEOPLE

ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

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INSIGHTS & INTUITION

RELATIONSHIPS, INTUITION ARE IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESS

BY CARRIE MCDERMOTT

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BY THE NUMBERS

HEALTH CARE HIGHER EDUCATION COLLABORATION IS EMPOWERING STUDENTS AND CAREER SEEKERS

BY LOIS JOSEFSON

ON THE COVER: FEMALE NURSE CHECKING IN ON A RESIDENT. NURSE SHORTAGES ARE CHALLENGING LONG-TERM CARE IN NURSING HOMES. ISTOCK

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AWARDS EVENT

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MORE NURSING HOMES COULD CLOSE IF PROPOSED STAFFING RULES ARE PASSED

BY CARRIE MCDERMOTT

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TIFFANY HODGE HODGE JOINS KLJ’S BISMARCK OFFICE BISMARCK, N.D. • KLJ ENGINEERING LLC (KLJ) IS PROUD TO WELCOME TIFFANY HODGE TO THEIR BISMARCK OFFICE. HODGE SERVES AS A PROJECT MANAGER WITHIN KLJ’S MUNICIPAL TEAM. SHE HAS MORE THAN 27 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN CUSTOMER SERVICE, CONSULTING, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND ADMINISTRATION OPERATIONS. HODGE HAS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE IN TRIBAL ANALYTICS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL PLANNING, GRANT WRITING, AND LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES. ADDITIONALLY, SHE SERVED AS CHAIRWOMAN ON THE CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY-WOMEN IN BUSINESS (CTB) BOARD, TAUGHT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE BISMARCK-MANDAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, GRADUATED FROM THE BIS-MAN CHAMBER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IN 2023, AND HAS EXPERTISE WORKING WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. HODGE EARNED A MASTER’S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY AND A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ENGLISH FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA. KLJ IS EXCITED TO WELCOME HODGE TO THEIR TEAM AND LOOK FORWARD TO HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMPANY’S CONTINUED SUCCESS. VISIT WWW.PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM TO SEE THESE AND OTHER NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS AND AWARD WINNERS IN THE REGION. PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM

Making Dollars and Cents of IT Efficiency and Cyber Security By

By Midco Midco Business Business

As As a a small small to to mid-sized mid-sized business business (SMB) owner, you depend (SMB) owner, you depend on on the the internet, internet, making making IT IT efficiency a top priority. efficiency a top priority. For For your programs, services your programs, services and and infrastructure infrastructure to to work work properly, properly, you you need need a a reliable reliable internet internet connection connection that that maximizes maximizes uptime uptime and and reduces reduces downtime. downtime.

cloud cloud (over (over the the internet) internet) services become services become unavailable. unavailable.

Experiencing Experiencing downtime downtime is is an an expense your business cannot expense your business cannot afford afford – – and and IT IT efficiency efficiency that helps prevent that helps prevent downtown downtown should be an important should be an important consideration consideration when when choosing choosing a business internet provider! a business internet provider!

What’s What’s uptime uptime and and downtime? downtime?

Uptime is the percentage Uptime is the percentage of time your your network network is is of time connected.

With connected. With uptime, uptime, things things run run smoothly. smoothly. Business Business is operational. is operational. Websites, Websites, payment payment processors, processors, various various business systems and business systems and programs programs work work as as expected, expected, and and you’re you’re bringing in revenue, assisting bringing in revenue, assisting customers customers and and employees employees are are getting their work getting their work done. done.

IT IT Efficiency Efficiency and and Cyber Cyber Security Security Operating a business requires Operating a business requires you you to to look look ahead ahead for for potential potential risks to your employees, risks to your employees, customers customers and and bottom bottom line. line.

And the biggest And the biggest threat threat to to your your business is cyberattacks. business is cyberattacks.

Downtime, Downtime, on on the the other other hand, hand, is is when you lose your connection: when you lose your connection: Your Your VoIP VoIP phone phone system system is is offline offline so customers can’t place so customers can’t place orders. orders.

Personnel, Personnel, including including remote remote workers, cannot perform workers, cannot perform their their job job yet yet are are still still getting getting paid. paid.

Payments Payments aren’t aren’t processed. processed.

Transactions are Transactions are failing. failing. And And

Only Only 14% 14% of of SMBs SMBs are are prepared prepared to to 1 handle handle a a cyberattack. cyberattack.1 Yet, Yet, a a single single DDoS DDoS attack attack costs costs an an SMB SMB 2 $120,000 $120,000 on on average. average.2 These These statistics statistics highlight highlight the the urgency with which urgency with which businesses businesses need need to to look look at at their their IT IT efficiency efficiency and find a trusted partner and find a trusted partner to to handle their cyber security. handle their cyber security.

One One of of the the most most common common cyberattacks are cyberattacks are DDoS DDoS (distributed (distributed denial denial of of service) service) attacks.

A DDoS attack attacks. A DDoS attack is is when when a cybercriminal sends too a cybercriminal sends too much much traffic traffic to to your your system. system. Think Think of of it it as a traffic jam – lots of traffic is as a traffic jam – lots of traffic is trying trying to to go go in in one one direction, direction, but but the highway isn’t big enough, the highway isn’t big enough, so so it it shuts shuts down. down. This This drops drops services and capabilities services and capabilities on on all your programs, websites, all your programs, websites, applications applications and and products products that that utilize the internet. utilize the internet.

Protecting Protecting Against Against DDoS DDoS Attacks Attacks With Midco, all business With Midco, all business customers customers have have standard standard DDoS DDoS protection automatically protection automatically built built into into their their internet internet connection. connection.

And if a customer And if a customer needs needs more, more, they can upgrade to they can upgrade to Midco’s Midco’s enhanced enhanced DDoS DDoS protection. protection.

DDoS DDoS protection protection leads leads to to less less downtime, which equates downtime, which equates to to a a decrease in revenue loss and decrease in revenue loss and expenses expenses from from cyberattacks. cyberattacks.

This saves you time This saves you time and and money money – – so so you you can can focus focus on on doing what you love most: doing what you love most: operating operating your your business. business.

Visit Visit Midco.com/Business/Internet Midco.com/Business/Internet to to learn learn more more about about your your service service and and DDoS DDoS protection protection options. options.

1 Smallbiztrends:43 Small Business Cybersecurity Trends. 2 Indusface: DDoS Attack Cost Bandwith.com Nearly $12 Million-How to 1 Smallbiztrends:43 Small Business Cybersecurity Trends. 2 Indusface: DDoS Attack Cost Bandwith.com Nearly $12 Million-How to Protect Your Site Against One? Protect Your Site Against One?

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EDITOR’SNOTE November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

NOVEMBER IS A TIME

TO BE THANKFUL

CARRIE MCDERMOTT

EDITOR

T

his month, Prairie Business spoke to leaders in the long-term care industry to check in on trends and challenges they’re facing. We heard about the continuing workforce shortage of nurses and complicated regulations that must be complied with, two things that aren’t new but are continuing to be a challenge for an already stressed industry. One issue that was surprising to learn about was a proposed rule to require more RN staffing in nursing homes – the very places in health care that are being hit the hardest by a lack of workers.

Five nursing homes in North Dakota have closed since the start of the pandemic in 2020, with news that a sixth, in Mohall, is planning to shut down in late November. Reasons for the closures are related to lack of staff and financial challenges. If a facility can’t staff appropriately for its size, it can’t fill all of its beds. If those beds aren’t filled, it is bringing in less revenue, which is bad for business and bad for communities.

Anyone who has a loved one in an assisted living facility, nursing home or memory care unit wants to be assured their family member is given high-quality care by well-trained staff who are supported by their employers. That support includes operating at full workforce capacity, or very near it, so employees aren’t overworked.

Legislation has been introduced to put a pause on that proposed rule, which could be finalized by mid-2024. You can read more about that important issue inside.

On a lighter note, we have a Q&A feature with area architects and engineers to find out what’s new in their fields, what tools they use and where they envision their industry going. Many shared that business relationships are just as important as the tools they use.

Finally, we looked at the importance of trade and technical schools in connecting students with employers in the region. Trades such as plumbing, HVAC and fabrication are all in demand, which means those students or career changers should be able to snap up a job quickly.

And since this is our November issue, the month of Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to say thank you to all of those who have helped make Prairie Business a success this year – from our own staff, to our loyal readers and our valued business partners. The business industry in our region is strong and full of talented, imaginative and skilled employees who take pride in what they do and help make this a great place to work and live.

I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving, and hope you’re able to gather with friends and family for a delicious meal and fellowship. If you know someone is on their own for the holiday this year, invite them over or deliver a meal to them. Take the time to appreciate what you have – I know I do!

To be alerted each month on our latest business news, sign up for the free Prairie Business newsletter at https://grandforksherald.news/business/.

Until next time, Carrie McDermott I look forward to hearing from you at cmcdermott@prairiebusinessmagazine.com or 701-780-1276.

PUBLISHER KORRIE WENZEL

AD DIRECTOR STACI LORD

EDITOR CARRIE MCDERMOTT

CIRCULATION MANAGER BETH BOHLMAN

LAYOUT DESIGN SARA SLABY

ACCOUNT MANAGER NICHOLE ERTMAN

800.477.6572 ext. 1162

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Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand Forks Herald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 3535 31st St. S., Suite 205, Grand Forks, ND 58201. 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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ADDRESS CORRECTIONS Prairie Business magazine Box 6008 Grand Forks, ND 58206-6008 Beth Bohlman: bbohlman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

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You don’t hire engineers who are “good enough.” You hire the very best.

Incidentally, so do we.

There is no B-Team.

ApexEngGroup.com 11

ARCHITECTURE&ENGINEERING November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

TRENDS AND NEWS FROM THE

ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING SECTORS RELATIONSHIPS, INTUITION ARE IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESS

BY CARRIE MCDERMOTT

T

his month, we put questions to a few architects and engineers What’s a recent project that you are most excited about?

For the past few months, my team and I have been working with in the region to learn more about the work they do. They gave their take on what’s happening in their industries. We thank a client who owns a large corporate office building. Although it has great bones and the client made significant investments in premithose who answered our questions. um office furniture solutions, there was minimal thought and consideration put into integrating branding and inspirational elements within the design solutions.

We quickly realized that very few people within the multi-stoTracy Jordre, AIA, LEED AP ry building truly knew and understood the purpose and values of Principal Architect the company, so we accepted that we had a daunting task in front Fargo, ND of us. Our team spent numerous hours researching the history of the company from its inception to today, all the while thinking of Share an industry trend ways that we could creatively incorporate the company’s story in a you’re noticing and how meaningful way for guests and staff alike. it’s impacting your company.

Due to this being a very large effort, we created an architecturI’m a firm believer in not following al branding standards document, a road map for this company to trends, instead really focusing on be implemented at this location, as well as at their other facilities best practices that are time-testto convey their story and legacy. Over the past couple of months, ed and proven to be effective for several spaces have been transformed with new finishes, lighting, our client’s needs. Having said that, I certainly research and review what is trending to see what may graphics, video walls and intentional storytelling, and the result has impact or likely transition into a best practice as we all continue to been absolutely awe inspiring! learn, evolve, and grow in our knowledge and expertise.

A current trend that I do believe is transitioning into a best prac- What’s the best thing about working in the industry today?

Post-pandemic, our office spaces have fundamentally changed tice is the concept of creating softer spaces that transition the gap between home and the office. Knowing that we’ve all learned how to and evolved at a rate never experienced before in our industry, and work effectively from our homes has validated the need for our offic- that is extremely exciting! I specialize in designing for workplace es to provide us with more ways to work within our office buildings. well-being and creating office spaces that bring inspiration, joy, The idea is that we all have three offices now: the work office/ and wellness into our everyday lives and right now, that has never desk, your home office and a “third office.” For some, that may be been more meaningful and more desired. Clients are realizing that a table at Starbucks, it may be in a vehicle or possibly another lo- recruiting people back to the office is extremely challenging, so cation within your office building that provides you a different type creating an office that is a “Destination of Choice, not of Obligaof opportunity to sit and work at. Recently, the most requested is a tion” has really opened design discussions.

Aligning well-being design principles to experiential design outsofter seating area that provides a more residential look and feel for greater comfort. Ultimately, we’ve learned how to work differently comes has resulted in offices breaking boundaries and transformover the past few years, so our offices need to be able to adapt and ing into exceptional spaces where users can truly enjoy being at work, thrive and perform at the highest of levels. grow with our changing needs and expectations.

JLG ARCHITECTS

TRACY JORDRE

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With that said, as an industry we are also starting to better understand how to design around neurodiversity and multi-generational users. The addition of these design discussions has elevated our conversations with our clients to ask better questions and listen much deeper to their responses. I feel very blessed to be an architect right now.

Shawn Senescall, AIA, Project Architect Grand Forks, ND What’s a recent project that you are most excited about?

The Career Impact Academy in Grand Forks, which is the new career and technical education school for the Grand Forks region, has been such a pleasure to work on. The greater Grand Forks community

SHAWN SENESCALL

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ARCHITECTURE&ENGINEERING November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 has supported the project in unprecedented ways, both financially and through thought leadership. The project will not look like any other high school in the state, responding to the unique programs and educational opportunities inside its doors.

Students will be engaged in hands-on learning in Building Trades, Automotive, Precision Technology, Aviation, Medical Careers, Culinary and many other programs. I believe the project will be a differentiator for the Grand Forks region, not just through the architecture but through the way the community has embraced the project as its own reflection of its values and priorities for education of the future.

What is something you want people to know about the architecture industry that they may not know?

Some people think architecture is simply making a building look beautiful, but it is so much more exciting. A great architect wakes up every morning and asks themselves – how can I bring great spaces to my community today? Great spaces don’t mean just pretty buildings; these spaces force architects to ask themselves and their owners things like, how can this building be healthier for its users? How can we reduce our carbon footprint? How can this building be efficient for its users to help improve operations and customer experience?

We also ask, how can this space be so comfortable and welcoming that people go out of their way to come and use the space? All these questions are unique to projects and take a team to solve, including many engineering partners and, of course, the client. When the team can execute the right goals and objectives for a project, the result is so much more than a beautiful building.

What direction do you see the industry moving toward in the next five years?

With the development of AI (artificial intelligence), faster and faster timelines, and growing cost in the building trades, owners will be looking for creative architects to deliver exceptional, unique buildings that can be done as inexpensively as possible. This is where the real creativity is met. With the push of a button, AI can simulate any environment you instruct it to, but it doesn’t understand how spaces make people feel and it can’t be a steward of the client’s dollars.

Architects have an immense opportunity in the next decade to differentiate themselves through their ability to listen to people and create buildings that respond to their individual and specific needs. Architecture isn’t pushing a button and getting a pretty picture, it’s a process and a journey that takes time in order to have exceptional results.

BARTLETT & WEST

James Landenberger, PE Bismarck, N.D. What’s a favorite tool in your engineering toolbox and why?

Honestly, I would have to say Google Earth. In the civil engineering arena, Google Earth has been a game changer. Having unlimited access to multiple years of aerial

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photography that is also connected to elevation or topography data, is an incredible tool. Whether you are designing pipelines, tanks, stormwater features or roadways, Google Earth can provide an engineer with free data to assist in the preliminary design phases. Of course, any data for final design should be verified with field surveys, but Google Earth can be used for a significant portion of the overall design process.

Share an industry trend you’re seeing and how it’s impacting your company.

I would say drones, LiDAR, and digital scanning. These technologies are providing engineers with accurate and reliable data that is quicker and safer to collect, as well as providing huge amounts of data in a single visit. It’s allowing our engineers and designers to operate in the digital world more effectively. This allows us to showcase our design alternatives to our clients in a way that they can visually comprehend what we are planning and designing more easily. Of course, the flipside is we are recognizing the need to have resources in the company that can process and utilize the huge data sets.

What’s a crucial skill an engineer must have and why?

I would say a skillset that is often overlooked when thinking about engineers, is good effective communication. A successful engineer needs to have effective verbal as well as written communication skills. Most engineers obviously have critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and that is certainly important as well, but good communication skills can help advance their engineering career. This is particularly true if an engineer is interested in senior or upper management positions.

Darin Schaeffer, PE Bismarck, N.D. What opportunities do you see in the engineering industry over the next five years?

In North Dakota, some areas are still playing catch-up with infrastructure, such as water and sewer systems to accommodate the population growth. In other places, existing infrastructure is nearing the end of its lifecycle so it is a blend of expansion and replacement of the systems that support many of our common luxuries that we take for granted. Clean, potable water and effective wastewater treatment fall into that category.

One of the things that we all notice when we are out and about is the condition of our roads and the accompanying road construction that occurs during the summer months. The NDDOT and our local governments do a great job putting together improvement programs for our roads and bridges but it’s a continuous mission to stay on top of them before they become problems.

DARIN SCHAEFFER

Name something about engineering that people may be surprised to learn.

How fulfilling a career in civil engineering can be. You are not trapped behind a desk all day and get to take projects from

JAMES LANDENBERGER

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ARCHITECTURE&ENGINEERING November 2023

Coleman Wagner, PE Team leader, electrical power Moorhead, Minn.

VOL 24 ISSUE 11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 conception to design and then construction and completion.

There’s time behind the desk and there’s also time in the field.

When traveling around North Dakota, there is rarely a time when I can’t tell the people I’m with that I was a part of some road, bridge, or water system that we travel by. It’s a privilege to have a career where you get to serve the great people in our state and communities and make a difference that you can see.

SANDMAN STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS Nathan Harwell, PE Moorhead, Minn.

What’s a crucial skill an engineer must have and why?

Communication skills are a critical skill for an engineer. In my experience, coming out of school you are taught the hard skills for your engineering degree, but the basic skills of interacting with both internal and external team members is not a focus. Early on in your career, communication skills may not be seen as a critical item as a new/ younger engineer is just following directions from their manager, but even early in your career development, being able to efficiently communicate with team members makes your job easier. When you transition from a designer to a manager, being able to successfully communicate and develop a relationship that goes beyond the “x’s and o’s” can make a world of difference in distinguishing yourself.

NATHAN HARWELL

What’s a favorite tool in your engineering toolbox and why?

The rate at which technology continues to evolve is staggering and can be overwhelming at times.

It seems every week there is new software or a tool being developed that can help us do our jobs more efficiently. While I try to ensure that our team has the best technological instruments to do our jobs, I’ve found that the most valuable tool we have is our intuition and experience.

The electrical power industry is unique in that there isn’t the rigid design guidance that governs other industries and there is a lot of design freedom left up to the engineer. Having that intuition and being able to draw on lessons learned from past projects when determining the best solution for a current problem can be invigorating, and our clients appreciate being able to give examples of when similar solutions worked well in the past.

As our team continues to grow, I’ve found being able to pass on that knowledge to some of our younger team members to be one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of my job.

COLEMAN WAGNER

Share an industry trend you’re seeing and how it’s impacting your company.

With the continued push toward renewable energy sources and electric vehicles, there is a need for the electrical grid to double in capacity over the next decade. The first power plant in the United States was unveiled in 1882. To put that into perspective, we are being tasked with doubling the size of something in 10 years that took 140 years to build. Such a monumental undertaking has put a strain on steel and electrical equipment fabricators with some equipment lead times exceeding two years.

What opportunities do you see in the When you couple some of the most extreme lead times our engineering industry over the next five years?

I am not fully sure what this looks like, but I see a big opportuni- industry has ever seen with the push to add capacity to the grid ty related to artificial intelligence. We have seen a swing this year now, the demand for efficient and effective engineering solutions related to projects related toward development of infrastructure to is at an all-time high. This has sparked a trend of being asked to support and grow this industry. At this point I do not have an idea engineer solutions to problems that aren’t fully developed yet, and of how this would directly affect the structural engineering or con- oftentimes with less information. This provides a unique opportustruction fields, but staying at the front end of the opportunities nity for our team to continue to innovate and draw on our intuition and experience to foresee potential issues and proactively address that may come up seems very important. them earlier into the design process.

Name something about engineering that people may be surprised to learn.

Your ability to build relationships is every bit as important, if not more important, as the engineering skills that you learned in Jared Kramer school. There is very little in this industry that you are doing com- Project Designer pletely by yourself, and the ability to build meaningful relationships Fargo, N.D. is an important way to grow and succeed in this industry. I participated in Franklin Covey’s “The Speed of Trust,” which was all about What is something you want building your personal credibility and relationship trust to inspire people to know about the trust in others. One of the biggest things I have noticed following architecture industry that this class was that continuously building your “trust bank” with ev- they may not know? eryone you work with builds huge dividends when you must have A lot of what drives us is the the hard conversations down the road. In my experience it helps desire to make the world a better make these situations easier to work through to a mutual goal and place by creating beautiful, funcyour relationships can come out the far side stronger than ever. tional spaces for people to live and

ACKERMAN-ESTVOLD

JARED KRAMER

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thrive; there is nothing better, as a designer, than getting to experience people use the spaces we have designed for them. It’s both fascinating and educational to see the different ways people interact with the various environments and design elements we create. The sense of pride we feel when a project is completed and watching a client’s vision coming to life and being realized is unmatched.

What direction do you see the industry moving toward in the next five years?

The rapid deployment of AI across multiple business sectors leads me to believe that we will see a similar revolution in the design and construction industry in the next few years. AI can be used for a multitude of tasks which could help with some design elements such as space planning and arrangement, estimating and take-offs, and general design coordination and review. Firms will need to adapt and learn how to implement this technology into their process and deal with the challenges associated with this new technology. AI can enhance our process but having a connection to your “in person” architect cannot be replaced. There are nuances, which include feelings and senses connected to design, and those things can’t be replicated by technology.

KIMBERLY KELLER

Kimberly Keller Project Designer Minot, N.D.

Share an industry trend you’re noticing and how it’s impacting your company.

Inflated construction costs, particularly in our area, have caused a lot of concern for us. It really impacts the design aspect of our industry. We are diligent in making decisions in choosing the right materials for the project – choices that are realistic in getting the project completed on budget, on time, and yet still bringing the client’s project vision to life.

What’s a recent project that you are most excited about?

M by Epic. The M Building is such an iconic structure in downtown Minot and has been vacant for so long, it is exciting to see this develop into a renewed, updated version of itself. My mom worked in the M Building (formerly Midwest Federal) when I was a child, so I have vivid memories of how enormous and significant this building was to my five-year-old self, and it is still the largest building in the downtown area. Having the opportunity to work on this project in my professional career has been nostalgic for me, a full circle experience! Many people in Minot, and the region, have some sort of history or memory there and that is one of the drivers of the importance of this project for our community.

What’s the best thing about working in the industry today?

Seeing the change we can bring to people’s daily lives is an honor.

I have always loved “before and after” photos and getting to see a space transform and evolve into something new truly never gets old. Seeing a space or building that needs an update or an improvement, collaborating with a client and then watching the vision unfold is worth all of the effort. It truly is a lot of work, more than you sometimes know starting a project, and there can be difficult times within the process, but the end product is so worth the process.

Some of the reasons KLJ is one of the best places to work.

Flexible work arrangements Creative projects that are community focused Improve the lives of people and communities kljeng.com/careers

100% employee owned 17

CONSTRUCTIONCORNER November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

STUDENT SAFETY PRIORITY IN SCHOOL ADDITIONS MARSHALL COUNTY CENTRAL SCHOOLS PROJECT TO BE READY FOR 2024-25 SEASON

BY CARRIE MCDERMOTT

H

igh school students at Marshall County Central Schools won’t have to cross a highway for meals once construction work is complete next year. Kraus-Anderson is managing the project, designed by Widseth, which began over the summer.

The high school in Newfolden, Minnesota, will have five new classrooms – four for fifth and sixth grades. East side additions to the school include a multipurpose room as well as additional bathrooms, taking up approximately 7,037 square feet. On the north side of the building, there will be a second gymnasium, a cafeteria and a weight room that can accommodate an entire team or gym class. That addition is approximately 27,211 square feet.

Brent Dammann, AIA, architect with Widseth, Grand Forks, said student safety was a priority when designing the additions.

The high school and elementary school are

ARTIST’S RENDERING OF THE COMPLETED MARSHALL COUNTY CENTRAL SCHOOLS HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION IN NEWFOLDEN, MINN. THE PROJECT, DESIGNED BY WIDSETH, IS UNDER THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OF KRAUS-ANDERSON. COURTESY WIDSETH

across the street from one another. Newfolden Elementary School houses the cafeteria, which means high school students must cross the highway to get breakfast and lunch.

Conversely, when elementary students have art, music or library time, they must cross the highway to the high school for those lessons.

“With this project, it eliminates the need for those students to cross the road,” Dammann said.

The fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms will be moved over to the high school building, freeing up space at the elementary school for additional multipurpose uses.

The high school building was constructed in 1969, and in the early 1990s there was

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a fire that burned most of the school, Dammann shared. In 1992, the school was rebuilt on the same footprint.

“One thing we’re doing that’s kind of ironic is we’re adding a fire suppression system throughout the entire building – even after it burned down, they never put in a full sprinkler system,” Dammann said.

“As part of this project, we were required to do that so the entire building will be fully covered.

There’s also some site work around the building for staff parking. They have a lack of parking, and have had people parking along the highway, which can be pretty dark in the evening, so we’re trying to address that by increasing the parking spaces, increasing the bus lane, and doing a fair amount of work. That’s nearly complete at this point,” he said.

A new playground will also be incorporated with upgraded equipment.

The larger project includes adding space at Viking Elementary School, as well, which is about 15 minutes away. In 2022, voters passed an $18.9 million building referendum to pay for the work in the district. With funds added for contingencies, the entire project is budgeted at $20 million. The work is slated to be finished by the start of the 2024-25 school year.

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HEALTHCARE November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

NURSE SHORTAGES, EXTENSIVE REGULATIONS CHALLENGING LONG-TERM CARE MORE NURSING HOMES COULD CLOSE IF PROPOSED STAFFING RULES ARE PASSED

BY CARRIE MCDERMOTT

I

SHELLY PETERSON

n the past three and half years, five nursing homes have closed in North Dakota.

By the end of November, a sixth will close, all citing workforce shortages and financial challenges.

“We have never had six nursing homes close in North Dakota in that period of time,” said Shelley Peterson, president of the North Dakota Long Term Care Association. “It’s a rarity. We’ve been under tremendous stress with the pandemic, having six nursing homes, two basic care homes, close. And we know that there are others in financial stress and it really is related to our staffing.”

The state’s population is aging – just over 16% of residents in North Dakota are over the age of 65. North Dakota’s health care workers are part of that aging demographic. Almost one third of the state’s nursing home staff are 50 or older, and another 15% are over 60. That’s 45% of workers age 50 and above.

For the first time in U.S. history, older adults are projected to outnumber children by 2034, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which means even more people will need long-term care.

Peterson said 91% of the state’s skilled nursing facilities use contract nurses, also known as travel nurses, to fill workforce shortages. Staffing agencies are charging between 22-28% higher rates since the start of the pandemic for contract nurses, which means facilities are paying more to bring in nurses from outside the region and state to care for their local residents. Nursing homes in North Dakota paid $28.8 million for agency staffing between July 2020-June 2021. A year later, they paid $63.8 million.

All of that puts more pressure on a facility to be able to provide quality care for a community’s most vulnerable population.

On top of this, skilled nursing facilities are seeing residents with more disease, more frailty and more acute health needs than they have seen in the past, Peterson said.

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“

We just can’t find staff. We lost over 15% of our staff during the pandemic, according to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), and they’re just not coming back.

Shelly Peterson, president of the North Dakota Long Term Care Association

“

“We just can’t find staff. We lost over 15% of our staff during the pandemic, according to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), and they’re just not coming back,” she said.

North Dakota has some of the highest staffing levels in the nation and still struggles. Burnout and high stress levels are major factors cited as reasons people are leaving the nursing field. Those new to the industry are choosing jobs in clinics, where they can work 8 a.m.-5 p.m., or choosing to work in hospitals, which leaves a gap in skilled nursing facilities.

One solution being employed for worker shortages is recruiting international health care professionals. The challenge is that cold weather states like North Dakota and Minnesota are often competing against warmer states like California and Arizona.

“There are a lot of international nurses in other states. Once they have completed their three-year commitment, they can still stay in the states,” Peterson said. “Maybe that’s the population we should try to recruit from. Promote North Dakota values, the work environment, it’s a good state, come and grow your family here.”

Other help may come from a $100 million investment by the federal government to train more nurses and grow the nursing workforce. In August, the Health Resources and Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced the investments to address the increasing demand for registered

A NURSE TALKS WITH A RESIDENT AT A NURSING HOME. A FEDERAL STAFFING PROPOSAL COULD REQUIRE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES TO HAVE MORE RNS ON STAFF 24-7. LPNS DO THE MAJORITY OF CARETAKING BUT THEIR HOURS WOULDN’T BE COUNTED TOWARD MEETING THE PROPOSED MANDATE. COURTESY GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY

nurses, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and nurse faculty.

Key priorities the funding will address include $8.7 million for the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention-Pathway to Registered Nurse Program, which trains LPNs and licensed vocational nurses to become registered nurses. Another $34.8 million will go to the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce Program, $30 million to the Advanced Nursing Education-Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Program, and $26.5 million to the Nurse Faculty Loan Program.

Garth Rydland, president and CEO of Valley Senior Living in Grand Forks, North Dakota, says a recent national industry conference he attended featured at least 10 sessions based around workforce shortages.

“It’s something we’re all dealing with,” he said. “In North Dakota, we have some of the highest staffing in the country, hands down.

The Legislature has done a really nice job of supporting older adults in their most frail moments and in their time of need. North Dakota does a great job in making sure we’re resourced in an appropriate way. They did a nice job in 2023 for our reimbursements so we can have a fighting chance in attracting a qualified workforce.”

If a facility is able to staff higher than minimum standards, and 10-20% of the workers call out on a certain day, the facility can still get care accomplished. But many aren’t able to staff that high.

Rydland says Valley Senior Living has not had to hire contract nurses for two decades, a statistic he’s very proud of.

“This year we have 20 straight years of not using a nursing agency, travel nurse, travel CNA, ever. I say this to people in and out of the profession and it’s astounding to them,” he said. “From a business standpoint, we want our residents to be cared for by our staff.”

Using that philosophy, the business has to be aggressive in how it prices wages, even paying higher than hospitals, for example.

“We pay a lot more per hour for CNAs (certified nursing assistants) than anywhere else,” Rydland said, noting the wage levels are intended to match or beat entry level jobs in other industries such as manufacturing or hospitality.

Worker retention is also part of the challenge in long-term care.

“The national statistic for training CNAs is that after six months, you’ll have about 40% of them still working for you. It’s an emotionally demanding, physically demanding job. It’s a unique set of skills you need and patience beyond the level of most people’s patience,” Rydland said.

At this time last year, Valley Senior Living had 50 openings for CNAs, he said, but now he has just seven openings.

“We’re filling them. We’re paying the premium to get the people but at the end of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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HEALTHCARE November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

GARTH RYDLAND, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF VALLEY SENIOR LIVING IN GRAND FORKS, N.D., SHOWN AT THE COLUMBIA AVENUE LOCATION. THE PHOTO BEHIND HIM SHOWS A GROUNDBREAKING AT THE COMPANY’S ORIGINAL LOCATION ON ALAMONT AVENUE. THE COMPANY WILL CELEBRATE ITS 100YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN 2024. SUBMITTED

LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENT FRANK STROM AND NIDIA FIGUEROA, CNA, AT VALLEY SENIOR LIVING’S WOODSIDE VILLAGE PROPERTY IN GRAND FORKS, N.D. SUBMITTED

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day it’s a very taxing job. CNA work is very taxing, mentally and physically, but very rewarding to care for other people who aren’t in your family, and it’s a very noble career,” Rydland said.

As if this weren’t enough, a new nurse staffing rule has been proposed by the federal government’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) that would require a licensed registered nurse (RN) at the facility 24 hours a day. Currently, RNs are required eight hours a day (continuous) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) fill in the remaining 16 hours. A public comment period runs for 60 days through Nov. 6. A finalized ruling is expected in the middle of 2024.

A CMS-backed study looking for ideal staffing standards ultimately found there was “no single staffing level that would guarantee quality care.”

If this proposal becomes a mandatory requirement, even more nursing homes across the country could face closure.

Some legislators and industry associations are stepping up to try and prevent this from happening.

At the end of September, U.S. Rep. Michelle Fishbach (R-Minn.) and Rep. Greg Pence (R-Indiana) introduced H.R. 4796, the Protecting Rural Seniors Access to Care Act, which would keep CMS from implementing the rule until it can prove it will not result in the closure of skilled nursing facilities, will not harm patient access, and will not make workforce shortage issues worse in areas that are already struggling.

“I am deeply disappointed CMS continued to move forward with this rule given the public knows their reservations regarding its efficacy. If the one-size-fits-all staffing ratios issued by CMS are put in place, it will devastate facilities across greater Minnesota, forcing them to either decrease the number of patients they serve even further, or close their doors entirely,” said Rep. Fischbach.

The Minnesota Hospital Association has also provided comments on the proposal.

“Ensuring every Minnesotan has access to quality care in their own communities is a top priority for Minnesota’s hospitals and health systems. … This legislation aligns precisely with what patients need most: timely, high-quality care delivered close to home.

This bill will help to mitigate the risk of unintended negative consequences that would

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arise from rigid, one-size-fits-all mandates — especially amid a historic workforce crisis and in rural areas where resources are notably limited,” the organization stated.

Mark Deak, executive director with the South Dakota Health Care Association, said his state has seen 17 nursing homes close since 2016. As far as the CMS staffing proposal, he says it would be incredibly difficult to abide by, due to the lack of available workers and the fact the mandate is not funded.

“In South Dakota particularly, if the rule was finalized today, how many facilities would be out of compliance? It would be 95%. Once out of compliance, then they’re subject to civil money penalties,” Deak said. “It doesn’t make any sense to penalize them for something they can’t change.

You’re actually taking away from their existing resources.”

He said the state would need at least 50 more RNs and approximately 223 direct care staff, or nursing assistants, to be in compliance.

Pre-COVID up through February 2023, long-term care was down 1,000 employees in South Dakota, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hospitals and clinics have all increased their employment from pre-pandemic levels, but long-term care is still behind.

“It’s just not realistic to say ‘hire these people that don’t exist,’” Deak said.

“We are encouraging comments until Nov. 6,” he said. “So far our members are rising to the occasion and they see the need for it – they see how disastrous it would be if it were implemented. Fortunately, we have a little bit of time, from what they’re telling us in D.C. CMS hopefully will think really hard about what they’re doing before the proposed rule is finalized. We’re hoping they take the time and absorb all the comments they’re receiving.”

South Dakota’s two U.S. senators, John Thune (R) and Mike Rounds (R), took the lead on opposing the rule before it came out by signing onto a bipartisan letter in January, Deak shared. The state’s sole at-large representative, Dusty Johnson (R), has also signed on to a more recent bipartisan letter to CMS. Nate Schema, Good Samaritan Society president and CEO, said 70% of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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HEALTHCARE November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 company’s skilled nursing residents live in rural communities, primarily in the upper Midwest. The company was integrated with Sanford Health in 2019.

“We fear the recently proposed minimum staffing rule from CMS could be the beginning of the end for small-town nursing homes. The bottom line is that there are simply not enough caregivers available to meet any requirement to increase staffing levels,” he said.

In the proposed rule, CMS requested feedback on whether there should be an additional requirement for facilities to maintain staffing levels of 3.48 HPRD (hours per resident day). Facilities would be required to have 0.55 HPRD of RN time, 2.45 HPRD in nurse aide time, and could use any type of nursing staff hours to fill the final 0.48 HPRD. “A one-size-fits-all approach for staffing is shortsighted and out-of-touch with reality,” Schema said. “CMS is turning its back on the needs of our residents and caregivers by choosing to propose an arbitrary unfunded, one-size-fits-all minimum staffing ratio in-

MICHELLE FISCHBACH

MARK DEAK

stead of making meaningful investments in the long-term care workforce. Mandating an untenable staffing ratio will do nothing to improve quality – it will only threaten access to care close to home for seniors due to closures and reduced admissions.”

In North Dakota alone, the Good Samaritan Society would need to hire an additional 33 RNs and 16 nurse aides to meet the requirements as proposed in the rule, he said.

“It’s impossible to imagine how a skilled nursing location in a rural town will find more people when it’s taking up to three years to fill open RN and nurse aide positions today,” Schema said.

NATE SCHEMA “The sector has a tremendous opportunity to reimagine how we deliver care. I’m excited about opportunities for our industry to innovate in new ways to meet the evolving needs of our nation’s seniors and ensure they continue to have access to care close to home,” he continued. “This is our moment to shape the future of the senior care industry and transform the aging experience – but we can’t do it alone. It will take all of us working together to find solutions to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place for our nation’s seniors and the communities who place their trust in us.”

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GUESTCOLUMN November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

S

MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE AND WHY IT MATTERS

ince the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a renewed focus on the relationship between our work and well-being.

According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, 81% of workers in 2022 reported mental health as a top consideration for future employment.

It’s imperative that employers recognize the correlation between employee mental health, productivity and employee retention.

We are encouraged to take time off and rest when we are sick. This should be the same for our mental health. If we are struggling mentally, this impacts our ability to be present and empathetic to those around us, including those who are trying to help.

Negative, stressful work environments increase the probability of mental health-related challenges and can lead to isolation and a lack of belonging.

If we are struggling and need more direction, time or accommodation and are met with a lack of understanding and judgment, this can exacerbate any underlying depression or anxiety we may have.

And just as it’s important for employers to recognize if an employee is struggling, we must also validate our own experiences.

You should ask yourself: How do I feel at work? Am I anxious about going in?

If you’re working in a place where you are sick to your stomach every morning, this is your body’s way of saying that it might not be the right place for you. And that’s OK. A healthy work environment includes open communication and clear roles and expectations. It includes a culture of respect and one where managers listen and are in tune with their employees. Employees are encouraged to ask for help.

People often give signals when they’re struggling, and this can include poor attendance and being late or being less socially engaged with the team.

Everyone wants to be seen and acknowledged, so don’t be afraid to check in with

others. If you notice a change in someone’s behavior and motivation, these could be signs of burnout or something more serious.

IF YOU ARE STRESSED AND STRUGGLING AT WORK, CONSIDER TAKING THESE STEPS:

• Take breaks and make time for lunch. It’s important to give yourself time to rest and reorganize. Everything is harder when we are overtired and not eating well, so be sure to prioritize taking time away from your desk.

• Leave work at work. Set boundaries for yourself and try to have a routine to end your workday, such as going for a walk or run before heading home.

• Take your vacation days. Use time off and, if you need it, take a mental health day.

• Utilize your Employee Assistance Program. An EAP can be a great introduction to mental health services and additional support. Reach out to human resources for more information and resources.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Challenge any shame or embarrassment you might feel about asking for help. Voicing that you are stressed or have too much on your plate can go a long way.

DR. ALEXANDRA KOHLHASE

With a renewed emphasis on mental health in the workplace, we have an opportunity to rethink how we work. From a business perspective, mental health is good business.

Alexandra Kohlhase, Psy.D., LP is a clinical psychologist at Essentia Health in Fargo.

Dr. Kohlhase specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression and trauma, as well as providing psychological testing for children and adults and collaborating with local schools in the training of educators.

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HIGHEREDUCATION November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

PARTNERSHIPS ENABLE

FULFILLING CAREERS

COLLABORATION IS EMPOWERING STUDENTS AND CAREER SEEKERS

BY LOIS JOSEFSON

E

mployers offer many opportunities for workers to find fulfillment, but it is often hard to envision what happens inside their walls or on their work sites. Educational institutions help employees learn those answers. Now, technology is helping to change how they are understood, as well.

DigiKey in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, is the self-described world’s largest distributor of electronic components. With over 5,000 employees and a 2.2 million-square-foot product distribution center with internally designed, patented, automated product receiving and retrieval systems going into operation in 2022, the company serves

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close to one million customers with more than 17.2 million products from more than 2,800 suppliers; 99.9% of orders are same-day shipped and customer service is 24-7.

Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC), with an East Grand Forks, Minnesota, campus and two campuses in Thief River Falls, has been supporting DigiKey since its inception in 1972 as a small mail-order company.

Josh Mickolio, U.S. Business Development manager for IoT & Wireless at DigiKey, graduated from NCTC in Thief River Falls with training in computer networking. He was hired by DigiKey in a tech-related field. His work over the years has had variety,

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JOSH MICKOLIO

STUDENTS IN THE MECHATRONICS PROGRAM AT NORTHLAND COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE WORK ON ROBOTICASSISTED PROJECTS. INVESTMENTS IN EQUIPMENT AT THE COLLEGE’S LABS ENSURES STUDENTS GET HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE. COURTESY NORTHLAND COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

professional challenges and opportunity for growth that has taken him to his present national outward-facing role.

“As DigiKey growth continues, today’s Northland graduates are also serving the company across its expanding areas of operations,” Mickolio said. “In IoT and wireless, following the constraints on supply chains during COVID, we are seeing improvement from that perspective accompanied by strong supply and demand growth in the 5G and wireless operations arena as well as a surge in cybersecurity and embedded systems for robotics and other systems.”

Northland works alongside employers to ensure programming aligns with evolving industry needs so students graduate prepared for the workforce.

At our very core, AE2S is all about people.

Beyond engineering, we are committed to empowering our clients, employee-owners, and all those around us to develop a vision for a better tomorrow.

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PRAIRIEBUSINESS November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

DR. SANDY KIDOO

DR. ROD FLANIGAN

ANN POLLERT

MATTHEW CHAUSSEE

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“We continually invest in updated equipment in our labs so students get hands-on experience,” said President Dr. Sandy Kiddoo.

The Thief River Falls Regional Airport is home to the second local NCTC campus and supports the aeronautic maintenance programs. These graduates help to sustain the same-day shipping for which DigiKey is known, and much more.

“At our aerospace site, situated next to the Thief River Falls Airport,” Kiddoo said, “we not only have one of the nation’s best aircraft mechanic programs, but we are home to the National Center for Autonomous Technology which coordinates technician training on a national level.”

Northland provides the expertise for autonomous air, offering the first unmanned aircraft system maintenance program. It also hosts the Imagery Analysis program where students learn to identify measurements and key features on airborne and satellite images; services that can support agriculture, Customs or Border Patrol applications.

General Equipment & Supplies, Inc. (GES), headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, with locations across the State and in Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota, also maintains strong ties with educational institutions for employee training. GES sells and services the equipment that is integral to the construction, mining, oil exploration and municipal services of these states. Though massive, this equipment is tooled for precision and needs specialized care.

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is recognized for leading workforce training programs across the upper Midwest. GES is one of its industry partners.

“By building and maintaining strong industry partnerships across all technical programs, we are able to attract top instructor talent while at the same time anticipate and develop state-of-theart curriculum, and we work closely with companies in its delivery,” explains Rod Flanigan, President of NDSCS. “NDSCS is well positioned to meet the needs of industry to fill the ongoing need for additional talent.”

Industry partners Komatsu, Case IH, John Deer and Caterpillar have branded labs at NDSCS to train service technicians.

“We are a distributor of Komatsu equipment, designed for the critical high-demand industries that GES serves. We work closely with the NDSCS Komatsu industry-supported program for employee training,” said Ann Pollert, GES director of Workforce Development. “The electronics and hydraulics in these complex diesel machines change regularly and are specific to their manufacturer. To address this specialized education need, GES has a FACEBOOK.COM/PRAIRIEBUSINESS

full tuition reimbursement program for their technical service employees.”

In South Dakota, GES works in conjunction with the Build Dakota Scholarship program through the four technical colleges of South Dakota: Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, Southeast Technical College, Mitchell Technical Institute and Western Dakota Technical Institute.

“We do this by complementing the scholarship’s education and work commitment to South Dakota through work opportunities in our South Dakota locations,” said GES Workforce Development Specialist Meghan Fitzgerald.

Student awareness of these specialized technician opportunities is supported through GES representation on diesel advisory boards across its service territory. It works with eight Minnesota technical colleges, including M State in Moorhead. Advisory boards share real-world applications for curriculum alignment assisting in student career understanding.

GES begins sharing career path opportunities through their work with high school career and tech education programs. Nearly four years ago, GES began investing in the creation of 360-degree virtual reality video, which immerses the viewer in the setting they are seeing, to ensure students can envision themselves in a possible future career with the company.

“Having ‘in the shop’ or ‘in the field right next to the technician’ virtual experiences available right in the classroom is a game changer for student understanding!” said Pollert.

This immersive imagery is created by Be More Colorful, the company behind CareerViewXR, a nationally recognized, patent-pending, and award-winning virtual reality career exploration platform.

“We have worked with two-year colleges and K-12 schools, and partners like General Equipment & Supplies, the North Dakota Building Trades Unions, Lake Region State College, NDSCS, ND Job Service, Golden Path Solutions, the Greater Fargo-Moorhead EDC, and ND Career and Technical Education as CareerViewXR has evolved into a valuable tool for classrooms and career centers around the country,” shares Be More Colorful CEO Matthew Chaussee.

Be More Colorful is being recognized for its leadership in this learning arena. It was just named a semifinalist for the prestigious Yass Prize for innovation in education and is a partner in a multi-institution National Science Foundation grant to advance the technology, training and application of immersive learning throughout education and industry.

The state of North Dakota will be integrating Be More Colorful’s CareerViewXR with RUReady ND, the State’s K-12 workforce career and college platform;

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enabling every public and private middle and high school student in the state to have access to CareerViewXR virtual experiences for career exploration.

“We are honored, respectful of and energized by the opportunities that lie before us as a company and by the potential that can be unleashed through CareerViewXR in helping students and job seekers identify what they like and also eliminate what they don’t like through experiential learning,” said Chaussee.

“Whether it’s fixing heavy equipment, working with patients, flying drones, or being 300 feet in the air on top of a wind turbine, our goal is to empower students and career seekers to choose the work that will leave them the most fulfilled.”

Industries, partnerships, technical educational institutions and advancing technologies supporting hands-on work experiences with their variety and opportunities for personal fulfillment are well positioned to be discovered and realized across the Dakotas and Minnesota.

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29

PRAIRIEBUSINESS November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

PRAIRIE BUSINESS CELEBRATES LEADERS & LEGACIES AWARD WINNER JON BOGENREIF, CENTER, WITH SUPPORTERS FROM NORIDIAN HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, LLC, AT THE ANNUAL PRAIRIE BUSINESS AWARDS EVENT HELD IN FARGO, SEPT. 28, 2023. ERIC HYLDEN / PRAIRIE BUSINESS

P

rairie Business staff and invited guests gathered for an evening celebration Sept. 28 to honor recipients of the magazine’s annual award categories.

Honorees from 2023’s Leaders & Legacies awards along with the 2023 winners of Top 25 Women in Business and 2022’s 40 Under 40 and their guests enjoyed an evening of socializing and celebrating. About 75 people attended the awards event, held at the Radisson Blu in Fargo.

In total, 72 award winners were recognized, with seven named as Leaders & Legacies.

Guests mingled and networked during the social hour before the award presentations, which were announced and handed out by Prairie Business Publisher Korrie Wenzel and Prairie Business Editor Carrie McDermott.

Wenzel welcomed guests and shared a brief story about Muth Electric, a company with headquarters in Mitchell, South Dakota.

“In 1970, Dick and Darlene Muth launched a little electric company in Ethan, South Dakota. Today, Ethan has a population of 350 people. Back then, it was only about 300. According to a report by our sister publication, the Mitchell Republic, the Muths had a small desk, a truck and a dream. Today, Muth Electric – with headquarters in Mitchell, South Dakota – has 10 locations throughout the upper Midwest, employing more than 400,” Wenzel said.

Wenzel noted the great legacy upon which that company has been built, and “one that will help it continue to thrive in the years to come.”

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WITH AWARD WINNERS AT ANNUAL EVENT

BY PRAIRIE BUSINESS STAFF

“Dick Muth is among this year’s Prairie Business Leaders and Legacies award winners. And although the Muths couldn’t be here tonight, I chose their story to tell for two reasons,” Wenzel said. “First, as a South Dakota native who lived in Mitchell for more than 20 years, I know Muth Electric. And second, because their business story – while incredible – might not be so unique among the great business leaders of the Dakotas and western Minnesota.

“I suspect many of our award winners – and this year is our fourth for Leaders and Legacies – have similar stories, building an idea from the ground up and turning it into an established and successful regional business,” Wenzel said. “Prairie Business wants to tell those stories.”

The recipients of Leaders & Legacies awards were then announced and invited to speak.

Jon Bogenreif, president and CEO of Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC, Fargo, shared his appreciation for the recognition, gave thanks to those closest to him, and noted the magazine’s work in highlighting the business issues and topics of the region that are relevant to those who work here.

“This award is a testament to the 2,000plus employees I have the privilege of working with each day at Noridian. Noridian is an organization that supports the health care needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in this region and across the country,” he said. “We have a passion for ensuring that people have access to high quality, af-

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fordable healthcare. Noridian’s mission is to enable access to care, to eliminate barriers and to elevate people. The unwavering desire of our employees to live this mission each day inspires me to create a culture that allows people to thrive.”

The Top 25 Women in Business honorees were awarded next. This honor was bestowed on female business leaders who have achieved remarkable success in their business and industry.

Rachel Martin, corporate governance and legal operations manager with Ulteig Engineers, Fargo, appreciated the recognition of the impact that women are making in the workplace.

“I am honored to be named one of the Top 25 Women in Business and to stand among so many other dynamic leaders. Together we are making our communities stronger by paving the road for those to come,” she said.

2022’s 40 Under 40 honorees are exemplary male and female business leaders from around the region who have gained notable achievements in their career and community.

Melissa Leuthhold, adult and online enrollment coordinator, Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota, a 40 Under 40 award recipient, shared that being part of the group was “an incredible honor in my professional career.”

“The recognition was a humbling experience that brought together a remarkable CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

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PRAIRIEBUSINESS November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30 group of accomplished individuals. But, it’s a recognition that spurs me to continue striving for excellence and making a positive impact in my workplace and community,” she said.

Lucas Lorenzen, structural engineer with TSP, Inc., Sioux Falls, South Dakota, attended the event with his wife. He was able to network with professionals his company has relationships with.

“We happened to sit at a table with honorees from Sanford Health and KLJ Engi-

2023’S LEADERS & LEGACIES

Joel Bird, private wealth advisor and CEO, Legacy Financial Partners, Bismarck, N.D. Brenda Blazer, former managing partner and current shareholder, Vogel Law Firm, Bismarck, N.D.

2023’S TOP 25 WOMEN IN BUSINESS Amie Aesoph, FCCU, Jamestown, N.D. Tina Amerman, Bobcat Company, West Fargo, N.D. Nicole Bredahl, Barkus Law Firm, Fargo, N.D. Mallory Brown, Legacy Financial Partners, Bismarck, N.D. DeAnna Carlson Zink, University of North Dakota Alumni Foundation and Association, Grand Forks, N.D. Heather Covrig, Epicosity, Sioux Falls, S.D. Naomi Disrud, Houston Engineering, Fargo, N.D. Shannon Full, Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce, Moorhead, Minn.

2022’S 40 UNDER 40

Derek Anderson, Apex Engineering Group, Fargo Rob Ashe, Director of Business Applications, Avanade, Fargo Mubashir Badar, Sanford Health, Bismarck Landon Bahl, 322 Hospitality Group, Grand Forks, N.D. Mallory Berdal, Alerus, Grand Forks, N.D. McKenzy Braaten, EPIC Companies, West Fargo, N.D. Jessica Brewster, Heartview Foundation, Bismarck, N.D. William S. Cromarty, Kirkwall, Fargo, N.D. Nic Cullen, Houston Engineering, Bismarck, N.D. Christy Dauer, North Dakota Women’s Business Center, Bismarck and Fargo, N.D. Sean Dempsey, Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & Restaurant, Watertown, S.D. Lauren Deshler, Architecture Incorporated, Sioux Falls, S.D. Greg Dvorak, EAPC Architects Engineers, Bismarck, N.D.

neering. TSP has valuable relationships with both of those organizations,” Lorenzen said.

“The individuals were new connections as they are in different areas of the region, which helped grow our relationships as leading organizations in the upper Midwest.”

Christy Dauer, executive director, North Dakota Women’s Business Center, Fargo and Bismarck, said she was inspired to hear about the excellent work being done by the evening’s celebrated professionals.

“This award not only acknowledges my personal achievements but also shines a spotlight on the incredible work being done by our team to empower women entrepreneurs in our state. I am committed to continuing our mission of fostering innovation, growth, and success among women-owned businesses in North Dakota. Together, we are making a positive impact in our communities and beyond,” Dauer said.

The award winners included the following:

Jon Bogenreif, president and CEO, Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC, Fargo, N.D. Wayne Gadberry, president and CEO, Magnum Companies, Fargo, N.D. Phil Gisi, founder and chairman, Edgewood Group of Companies, Grand Forks, N.D.

Dick Muth, founder and chairman/former CEO, Muth Electric, Mitchell, S.D. Jeff Thomas, president and CEO, Cornerstone Bank, Fargo, N.D.

Jessica Fyre, AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Fargo, N.D. Sheila Gerszewski, First International Bank & Trust, Fargo, N.D. Missy Hall, DigiKey Electronics, Thief River Falls, Minn.

Amy Hass, EPIC Companies, West Fargo, N.D. Cassidy Hjelmstad, SRT Communications, Minot, N.D. Stacie Iken, Sanford Health, Bismarck, N.D. Alex Larson, Bolton & Menk, Fargo, N.D. Nan Larson, Frandsen Bank, East Grand Forks, Minn.

Kaeko Leitch, Widseth, Mankato, Minn.

Rachel Martin, Ulteig Engineers, Inc., Fargo, N.D. Kristi Nicholson, Apex Engineering Group, Fargo, N.D. Nancy Petersen, Cornerstone Bank, Bismarck, N.D. Heather Rye, Gate City Bank, Fargo, N.D. Heather Strandell, Altru Health System, Grand Forks, N.D. Wendy Van Duyne, Stantec Consulting, Mandan, N.D. Kresha Wiest, University of Jamestown, Jamestown, N.D. Carrie Wilson, Vaaler Insurance, Grand Forks, N.D.

Cody Einerson, Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union, Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Alicia Fadley, Widseth, Grand Forks, N.D. Thomas Fakler, Ulteig Engineers, Inc., Fargo, N.D. Christin Fine, Energy and Environmental Research Center, Grand Forks, N.D. Jake Fisketjon, Gate City Bank, Bismarck, N.D. Drew Flaagan, First International Bank & Trust, Watford City, N.D. Yvonne Fossen, North Star Community Credit Union, Maddock, N.D. Matt Gehrtz, Gehrtz Construction Management, Fargo, N.D. Jordan Grasser, AE2S, Grand Forks, N.D. James G. Hand, Construction Engineers, N.D. Lori Hoerauf, Cornerstone Bank, Fargo, N.D. Sarah Kenz, Titan Machinery, Inc., West Fargo, N.D. Kathryn Kester, Xcel Energy, Grand Forks, N.D. Keith Leier, Kilbourne Group, Fargo, N.D.

Melissa Leuthold, Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, S.D. Lucas Lorenzen, TSP, Inc., Sioux Falls, S.D. Chelsey Matter, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Fargo, N.D. Tucker Norton, Kraus-Anderson Construction Co., Bismarck, N.D. R.J. Pathroff, Vogel Law Firm, Bismarck, N.D. Jeff Poulos, DigiKey Electronics, Thief River Falls, Minn.

Shawn Romo, Western Cooperative Credit Union, Williston, N.D. Megan Rupe, BeMobile, Grand Forks, N.D. LaDawn Schmitt, Starion Bank, Bismarck, N.D. Tom Stadum, Fjell Capital, Fargo, N.D. Mandy Sutton, Eide Bailly, Sioux Falls, S.D. Wade Thompson, KLJ Engineering, Grafton, N.D. Tony Wolf, Zerr Berg Architects, Fargo, N.D.

The awards event included hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and musical entertainment provided by Billy Lurken, a musician from Mitchell, South Dakota. Sponsors of the event were Cornerstone Bank and BeMobile.

32

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33

PRAIRIEPEOPLE November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

ALLIE MACIEJ

FLINT GROUP HIRES AHRENS

JERI AHRENS

FARGO, N.D. • With over 15 years spent in the marketing industry, Jeri Ahrens has the experience, knowledge and skills to step into her role as a senior account manager. Jeri will play a key role in building relationships with clients and being a resource to the account managers on her team. She is passionate about supporting clients in any capacity she can.

Outside of work, you can find her going on a run, mountain biking or spending time with her two grandchildren.

FLINT GROUP HIRES MACIEJ

FARGO, N.D. • Flint Group has hired Allie Maciej as a public relations and social media specialist.

Maciej will use her skills in social media and public relations to develop educational, informative or persuasive messaging for multiple clients and industries. Maciej’s passions include helping clients deliver their best by connecting to consumers and viewers.

Maciej earned a degree in marketing from Southwest Minnesota State University. Before joining Flint, she served as a production manager at Absolute Studios. In her free time, you can find Allie playing pickleball, going on walks, hiking or watching her favorite rom-com.

FLINT HIRES KENNEDY

TRAVIS OPDAHL DCN HIRES OPDAHL AS NOC MANAGER

BISMARCK, N.D. • Dakota Carrier Network (DCN) has hired Travis Opdahl as Network Operations Center (NOC) manager.

In this position, Opdahl will plan, organize, and manage the staff and overall NOC operations to ensure the stability of DCN’s network infrastructure. That staff includes a team of engineers and technicians in Bismarck and Fargo. He is in the Bismarck office. Opdahl earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from North Dakota State University and worked in broadband engineering and operations for 17 years.

TARA KENNEDY

FARGO, N.D. • Flint Group has hired Tara Kennedy as a production designer l.

Kennedy will use her skills in graphic design to create, edit and finalize print and digital materials to support clients. She is passionate about design and the integration of motion graphics in everyday marketing.

Kennedy earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and a Bachelor of Arts in graphic communications from Minnesota State University. Before joining Flint, she served as a graphic designer at OpGo Marketing. When she isn’t working, you can find Tara making collages and being creative.

​​​​​​​GARNOS JOINS DAKOTA CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION ADVOCACY TEAM

CHESNEY GARNOS

34

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. • Dakota Credit Union Association (DakCU) announces the newest member of their advocacy team, as Chesney Garnos joins the association as director of Political and Grassroots Affairs.

Chesney is a highly skilled communicator with a strong background in government relations, nonprofit advocacy, and executive relationship building. Raised in Presho, South Dakota, she earned her B.A. in political science and social media marketing and her M.A. in communications from the University of South Dakota.

During her time as a student, she had the opportunity to work as a South Dakota legislature intern and political science research assistant, and held positions at KYOT news and KAOR radio.

She also brings an impressive resume of previous work experience to the association, completing five internships in the U.S. Senate. In addition, she was the communications manager for a non-profit based

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in Washington, D.C., and worked as a communications specialist in the office of South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds. Most recently, she worked as a strategic communications manager and senior digital strategist for two Sioux Falls, South Dakota based companies.

Chesney’s primary responsibilities at DakCU will be to assist the advocacy team with all legislative and political objectives, and direct legislative affairs and political action efforts in the South Dakota region.

Along with her notable resume and educational background, Chesney has received recognition from the University of South Dakota’s “30 Under 30” award, and was named an “Up and Comer” by Sioux Falls Business. As the child of a former South Dakota state legislator, she has a unique perspective and insight into the political process, being engaged in everything from campaigning to the legislative sessions at the South Dakota State Capitol and our nation’s capital.

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KASEY CHRISTINE FLINT GROUP HIRES CHRISTINE

FARGO, N.D. • Flint Group has hired Kasey Christine as a digital content producer.

Kasey will use her skills in photography, videography and editing to create and edit assets for our clients. She is passionate about finding and telling good stories that resonate with people and is excited to work with a talented and diverse team.

Christine earned her degree in motion graphics and design from Full Sail University. Before joining Flint, she worked for You Betcha as the manager of two content pages and the lead videographer and editor. She also has experience as a podcast producer and freelances as a wedding and family filmmaker. In her free time, you can find Kasey reading, getting a massage or enjoying a walk outdoors.

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INSIGHTS&INTUITION

November 2023

Q.

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VOL 24 ISSUE 11

INSIGHTS & INTUITION

In what ways does mentorship play a role at your company?

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

Our company culture is built on teamwork and sharing knowledge with others, which fosters a natural inclination toward mentorship in all aspects of the company. We believe everyone has something to contribute and we can all learn things from each other, whether we are industry veterans or newly hired. It is also very important to pass down institutional and professional knowledge to help build our future leaders. We provide ongoing learning and development opportunities including monthly manager connections and monthly opportunities to learn directly from the executive leadership team and other company leaders. Team members typically meet one-on-one with their managers biweekly to further develop connections and encourage individualized mentorship and guidance. We also promote mentorship outside of the office by encouraging our team members to contribute their professional skills to benefit nonprofit organizations and charitable causes, and we provide unlimited paid time off for volunteerism to make it easier for them to balance work, life, and community involvement.

Mentoring fosters a culture of continuous learning, collaboration and innovation. As the CEO of TSP, I recognize that mentorship enriches our team’s skills, knowledge, and expertise, nurturing the next generation of leaders within our company. TSP’s mentoring program offers a structured channel for our seasoned architects and engineers to share their experiences, insights, and industry knowledge with younger colleagues. This knowledge transfer ensures a seamless transition of expertise and gives our emerging talent a sense of confidence and competence in their roles.

As an employee-owned firm, creating a supportive environment where individuals can openly exchange ideas, seek guidance, and receive constructive feedback is a priority. This sense of ownership enhances team member engagement, job satisfaction, and ultimately translates into high-level project outcomes for our clients. When team members can see that the organization invests in their growth and development, they are more likely to stay with our firm, enhancing long-term stability and success.

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Jared Nesje CEO TSP, Inc. Sioux Falls, S.D.

At Ulteig, we recognize mentorship is key to cultivating a supportive workplace where team members can expand their skillset, enhance their career development and learn from leaders. Mentorship is incorporated into an employee’s experience from their very first day, ensuring they feel welcomed and supported. An onboarding mentor ensures new employees have a personal resource to help navigate their new role and feel connected as Ulteig continues to encourage flexible remote working options. As employees look toward the next step in their careers, we offer the Emerging Leaders program, a year-long program with mentorship at its core, for those aspiring to leadership roles within Ulteig. With monthly group mentorship and one-on-one mentoring with an Ulteig leader, participants immerse themselves in discovering and developing leadership skills. More than a third of participants have been promoted into roles managing people and 81% are still with Ulteig since the program’s inception. Our employee resource groups (ERGs) are also a hub for formal and informal mentorship. Women@Ulteig, our ERG focused on women’s representation in engineering, recently inducted a third cohort into their mentoring program. Participants discuss monthly topics geared toward professional and personal development, while navigating and overcoming obstacles women often face in their careers. As we continue to experience significant growth at Ulteig, we will continue to enhance mentorship opportunities, ensuring our team can develop new skills and advance their careers.

Tina Amerman Director of HR People Programs Doosan Bobcat West Fargo, N.D.

Mandi Spindler Talent Director Ulteig St. Paul, Minn.

With a mission to empower people to accomplish more, Doosan Bobcat provides a company culture that not only supports our employees’ career aspirations and encourages team collaboration, but also advances the next generation of trailblazers. We have a commitment and a vision for encouraging employees to learn, connect and grow together. We believe our success is powered by people, so we encourage growth and development throughout our employees’ careers and provide a variety of learning, skill-building and mentoring opportunities to advance future leaders. Our goal is for every individual at Bobcat to reach their full potential, which is why we offer the tools, resources and mentorship programs to support them on their career journey.

One of the ways we support our colleagues is through mentorship, which takes many forms at Bobcat, whether through informal networks, our Legacy Builder program and LEAD (Leadership, Exploration And Development) events. Legacy Builder is designed to forge stronger connections among employees, foster leadership capabilities and increase collaboration and overall connectedness within the organization. The LEAD events are an opportunity for women within our organization to further develop their leadership strengths, be inspired, and connect with others to encourage an inspirational, creative and innovative culture. Hundreds of employees take part each year in these programs.

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BYTHENUMBERS

REASONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT

SPONSORED BY

November 2023 VOL 24 ISSUE 11

CIVILIAN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

The major labor market indicators from the survey of households showed little or no change over the month.

The unemployment rate held at 3.8 percent in September, and the number of unemployed persons was essentially unchanged at 6.4 million. Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (3.8 percent), adult women (3.1 percent), teenagers (11.6 percent), Whites (3.4 percent), Blacks (5.7 percent), Asians (2.8 percent), and Hispanics (4.6 percent) showed little or no change in September.

Total White

Percent

Men, 20 years and over Black or African American

Women, 20 years and over 16 to 19 years old Asian Hispanic or Latino

In September, the number of persons not in the labor force who currently want a job was 5.5 million, little different from the prior month. These individuals were not counted as unemployed because they were not actively looking for work during the 4 weeks preceding the survey or were unavailable to take a job. Among those not in the labor force who wanted a job, the number of persons marginally attached to the labor force changed little at 1.5 million in September. These individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months but had not looked for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. The number of discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached who believed that no jobs were available for them, also changed little over the month at 367,000.

Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs Job losers on temporary layoff Job leavers

Job losers not on temporary layoff Reentrants New entrants

Thousands

25,000

35.0

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 30.0

20,000

25.0

15,000

20.0

10,000

15.0 5,000 10.0 0

5.0 0.0

Sept 2003

Sept 2005

Sept 2007

Sept 2009

Sept 2011

Sept 2013

Sept 2015

Sept 2017

Sept 2019

Sept 2021

Sept 2023

EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 336,000 in September, above the average monthly gain of 267,000 over the prior 12 months. In September, job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality; government; health care; professional, scientific, and technical services; and social assistance. Leisure and hospitality added 96,000 jobs, above the average monthly gain of 61,000 over the prior 12 months. Government employment increased by 73,000, above the average monthly gain of 47,000 over the prior 12 months. Health care added 41,000 jobs in September, compared with the average monthly gain of 53,000 over the prior 12 months. Employment in professional, scientific, and technical services increased by 29,000 in September, and social assistance added 25,000 jobs.

Employment Change

90-percent Confidence Interval

Sept 2003

Sept 2005

Sept 2007

Sept 2009

Sept 2011

Sept 2013

Sept 2015

Sept 2017

Sept 2019

Sept 2021

Sept 2023

EMPLOYMENT AND AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS BY INDUSTRY

In September, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 7 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $33.88. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 4.2 percent. In September, average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 6 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $29.06.

Bubble size represents employement level in thousands Mining and logging Construction Wholesale trade Retail trade Utilities Information Professional and business services Private education and health services Other services Average hourly earnings

Manufacturing Transportation and warehousing Financial activities Leisure and hospitality

$55.00

Total nonfarm Total private

$50.00

Goods-producing Service providing

$45.00

Mining and logging Construction Maunfacturing

$40.00

Wholesale trade Retail trade

$35.00

Transportation and warehouseing Utilities

Total private: $33.88

$30.00

Information Financial activities

$25.00

Professional and business services Private education and health services Leisure and hospitality

$20.00

Other services

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Government

-100

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0

100

200

Thousands

300

400

FACEBOOK.COM/PRAIRIEBUSINESS

500

$15.00

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 0

PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM

20

40

60

Over-the-month employment change in thousands

80

100

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