Connecting the disconnected

Nonprofits OTA, Pollen merge to foster network building between Twin Cities, nor thern Plains communities

BY KRIS BEVILL

The leadership of OTA-Pollen doesn’t just want to connect business people They want people throughout the Dakotas and Minnesota to collide in a petri dish of thought and inspiration, only to come out on the other side with totally new ideas and connections that might otherwise have been improbable, if not totally impossible

Network building group OTA-Pollen employs a shared leadership model

In other words, the newly formed organization focuses on network building, not to be mistaken for networking, which OTA-Pollen CEO Hugh Weber views as “just an excuse to hand out business cards and have an adult beverage ” The group wants to connect the previously disconnected business communities of their respective geographical focuses the Dakotas and western Minnesota, and the Twin Cities metro through a unique online and in-person presence The effort is already under way at OTA-Pollen org and will soon be materialized in person as representatives of the organization visit communities and thought leaders across all three states as part of its “We Must Be Bold” tour Following that, the first group event will be held in April in Sioux Falls and is expected to draw 1,000 people from all sectors of business throughout the region. “We feel our charge is to help create connections across the hubs of leadership, whether they’re geographic or sector based, both in-person and online,” Weber says. “We will have failed if we don’t draw a diverse audience with those diverse backgrounds.”

Sharing Strengths

OTA, which stands for the shared last three letters of “Dakota” and “Minnesota,” was formed about five years ago by Weber to connect the widespread and sparse community and business leaders of South Dakota, North Dakota and greater Minnesota The organization hosts events that typically feature nontraditional speakers and single-track programs so that each attendee has the same experience and is encouraged to interact with people who may not typically reside in the same network channel, but who may produce an unexpected lead or professional relationship. By connecting people in this way, Weber says he has seen new businesses formed, pro bono support converted to direct business results, and long-term relationships launched The effectiveness of OTA’s style of events garnered the group a $1 5 million Bush Foundation grant earlier this year to further develop its platform But while OTA’s physical network was successful and had potential for expansion, the group lacked a digital presence and desired to grow that networking aspect in a meaningful way

Enter Pollen The Twin Cities-based digital networking community was formed several years ago by Lars Leafblad in response to the recession taking a toll on job numbers and a feeling of isolation among job seekers The group began by producing a digital newsletter featuring job postings, but soon expanded as self-proclaimed group members, dubbed Pollenites, started submitting recognition requests for newly employed members, board of director openings and other items About two years ago, Jamie Millard and Meghan Murphy, co-founders of literary arts magazine Paper Darts, joined Pollen to expand its digital presence to include storytelling about its members Pollen now boasts about 7,500 members, primarily in the Twin Cities metro, many of whom work at the CEO/executive level of their profession About 65 percent of the group ’ s members work in the private sector, but there is a strong representation of nonprofits and the creative arts community as well.

Like OTA, Pollen received a $1.5 million Bush Foundation grant earlier this year Opposite of OTA, Pollen exists only in the digital sphere However, the group has long craved a physical presence to connect its members face-to-face, according to Murphy, who now serves as creative executive director of OTAPollen Therefore, to achieve each group ’ s desire to expand into previously unknown territory, they recently decided to merge and share their grant money in order to begin developing a complete connectivity package for thought leaders and business community members throughout the entire three-state region OTA-Pollen will utilize the digital platform expertise of Pollen with the in-person event expertise of OTA to encourage a more effective, cohesive regional business atmosphere The group ' s inaugural tour of the region over the next two months is focused on visiting communities and community members who embody the group ’ s “We Must Be Bold” ethos The group began soliciting nominations for community members who fit the mantra in December and planned to identify communities of interest through that process. “We’re really hoping for a self-identification towards the ethos to shape where those spotlights are coming from,” Millard, executive director of OTA-Pollen, says People who exemplify the ethos could work in any industry or creative field, but should have some type of impact at a national level, she says “Not necessarily boldness for the region, but something that elevates them to a level that is exciting for the country.”

At the core of OTA-Pollen is a shared desire to encourage collaboration between business and civic-minded communities in the Dakotas and greater Minnesota with the Twin Cities metro “Pollen is an organic, very trusted [organization],” Millard says “If you ’ re going to try to break down some of those barriers in the Twin Cities, a partnership with an organization like Pollen is a way to do that organically.”

Weber says the group will make it “ as easy as possible” for Twin Cities Pollenites to attend OTA-Pollen events in Sioux Falls, Fargo and elsewhere around the region. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that they know the value of what’s happening in this direction and that they are a part of the community,” he says. “That’s where the partnership and merger with Pollen is so significant is that it allows us an opportunity to make clear our commitment to the metro, but also the metro’s commitment to the rest of the region ” PB

Kris Bevill Editor, Prairie Business 701-306-8561, kbevill@prairiebizmag.com