PRAIRIEPEOPLE

Erickson to lead new N.D. energy research center

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Tom Erickson, CEO of the Energy and Environmental Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D., is transitioning to a new opportunity: leader of the new State Energy Research Center of North Dakota.

In April, the North Dakota Legislature passed a bill creating and funding SERC, which will operate from the EERC. The new center will get $5 million a year to conduct research that advances future energy opportunities to benefit North Dakota’s economy and environment.

Erickson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UND in chemical engineering. He began working at the EERC – then known as the UND Energy and Mineral Research Center – as a student in 1986 before being hired as a full-time research specialist in 1988.

Scherling joins U.S. Bank regional Community Advisory Board

FARGO, N.D. – Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Terry Scherling has joined the U.S. Bank Community Advisory Board for southeastern North Dakota.

Scherling brings nearly 40 years of military, technology and security expertise to the bank. She is the founding owner, president and CEO of TENICA and Associates, a private consulting and government services company based in Virginia.

Scherling retired from the Air Force in 2009 after serving 33 years.

Scherling received her bachelor’s degree in physical education from North Dakota State University and a master’s degree in national resource strategy from the National Defense University. She has an honorary doctorate from NDSU.

Jones named founding director of Ness School at SDSU

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Eluned Jones has been named the founding director of South Dakota State University’s Ness School of Management and Economics.

The Ness School has more than 700 undergraduates majoring in business economics, entrepreneurial studies and economics. Jones came to SDSU in 2012 after working at Texas A&M University and at Virginia Tech. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Bath, United Kingdom, a master’s degree from North Carolina State University and a doctorate in agricultural economics from Texas A&M.

Jones is a fellow of the Kellogg-funded Leadership Development Program at the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy.

KLJ hires two in St. Paul

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Engineering firm

KLJ has hired Cristian Encalada and Jessica LoBello in the company’s St. Paul office.

Encalada joins KLJ as an OSP designer. He earned a master’s in telecommunication systems from the University of Buenos Aires – Argentina.

LoBello comes to KLJ as a structural engineer. She earned her master’s degree in structural engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering and is a registered professional engineer in Minnesota.

We takea personalinterestinthe workbeing donearoundus.Andattheendoftheday, we’re

Strickler to lead Flint Group Minnesota offices

FARGO, N.D. – Flint Group has promoted Jen Strickler to senior vice president of brand experience. She will lead Flint Group’s Duluth and Twin Cities offices. Strickler has more than 20 years of marketing experience and recently led Flint Group’s creative, user experience and technology teams.

Gate City Bank names new president & CEO

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Kevin Hanson, chief operating officer of Gate City Bank, will become the bank’s new president and CEO on July 1, the bank has announced.

Hanson will replace current president, CEO and board chair Steve Swiontek, who will become the bank’s executive chair. Swiontek will retire next year but will remain the chair of the bank’s board.

Hanson has worked for Gate City Bank for more than 36 years. He began as a management trainee and also served in positions such as loan officer and director of lending.

A Fergus Falls, Minn., native, Hanson graduated from Moorhead State University in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in finance.

Carlstrom named business advisor for ND Small Business Development Center

FARGO, N.D. – Ian Carlstrom has been named the new North Dakota Small Business Development Center business advisor for the state’s southeastern region.

The job is a new position jointly funded by the North Dakota State Research and Technology Park and the North Dakota Small Business Development Center.

Carlstrom worked with the Minnesota Small Business Development Center while employed by the Entrepreneur Fund in Grand Rapids, Minn.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA from North Dakota State University.

Dschaak appointed as student member on ND Board of Higher Education

BISMARCK, N.D. – Kaleb Dschaak, a student at the University of North Dakota, has been appointed to a one-year term as the student representative on the state Board of Higher Education.

Dschaak graduated from Dickinson (N.D.) High School in 2015 and anticipates graduating from UND in 2020 with majors in marketing and political science.

He has served as president of the North Dakota Student Association, vice president of the UND student body and president of the Future Business Leaders of America.

Dschaak was appointed to the state board by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. His term on the board began July 1.

SDSU Foundation hires two

BROOKINGS, S.D. – The South Dakota State University Foundation recently added Jamaal Cummings and Clay Hoffman as loyalty giving officers.

• Cummings is originally from Fairbanks, Alaska. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management from the University of Minnesota-Morris and a master’s degree in sports administration from Arkansas State University.

Cummings worked for the Pierre Trappers, a collegiate summer baseball team.

• Born and raised in Winner, S.D., Hoffman received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Dakota in 2015. Before joining the SDSU Foundation, he worked in political campaigns.

Holmberg promoted at BCBSND

FARGO, N.D. – Erik Holmberg has been promoted to director of IT Solution Delivery at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota.

In his role, Holmberg is responsible for the oversight of software development, project management, QA testing, code deployment and successful delivery of applications within BCBSND.

A native of the Fargo-Moorhead area, Holmberg joined BCBSND in 2014 as an IT portfolio manager. He then assumed responsibility as a manager in IT Solution Delivery before being promoted to his current position as director.