Prairie Business July 2020

PREMIER BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF THE NORTHERN PLAINS | JULY 2020

L L PRAIRIE

BUSINESS

2020

CORPORATE COMMUNITIES Corporate Culture Trends, Page 12 Business Profiles, Page 16

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Leaders and Legacies Award Ad 2020 1 revised.pdf 1 6/15/2020 2:41:06 PM

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L E A D E R S AN D L EG AC Y AWAR D Thank you for your leadership!

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TABLEOFcontents

DEPARTMENTS

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

Editor’S NOTE

10

CELEBRATE POSITIVITY

BY ANDREW WEEKS

A CAREER AT 3M PROVIDES CANDIDATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MANY CAREERS AND ROLES AT ONE COMPANY, ACROSS THE GLOBE, ACCORDING TO TJ KREUZIGER, THE COMPANY’S GLOBAL LEADER FOR TALENT ACQUISITION, LOCATED IN ST. PAUL, MINN. THE COMPANY ALSO HAS OFFICES IN NORTH DAKOTA AND OTHER PLACES ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. PAGE 18.

IMAGE: 3M

FEATURES 12

Corporate Culture CORPORATE CULTURE TRENDS

BY ANDREW WEEKS

22

Leaders & Legacies

16

Corporate Profiles

28

Exit Planning

30

Great Workplace

32

BUSINESS INSIDER

BY ANDREW WEEKS

TOP SEVEN QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF TO SET UP A SUCCESSFUL EXIT PLAN

BY AMBER J. FERRIE

GREAT CULTURE OR GREAT PLACE TO WORK?

BY MATTHEW MOHR

ARVIG: A LEADER IN MODERN COMMUNICATION SERVICES

BY ANDREW WEEK

36

INSIGHTS & INTUITION

38

BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE COVER ILLUSTRATION BY SARA SLABY

L L

prairie person ENGINEER JOINS HEI

FARGO, N.D. • COLSON BARTON JOINS HOUSTON ENGINEERING, INC.’S FARGO TEAM AS AN ENGINEER I. BARTON WILL BE SUPPORTING TRANSPORTATIONRELATED PROJECTS BY PREPARING DETAILED ENGINEERING ANALYSES, TECHNICAL REPORTS, AND DESIGN PLANS AS WELL AS COLLABORATING WITH CAD DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS, AND SUBCONTRACTORS. ORIGINALLY FROM WYNDMERE, ND, COLSON EARNED HIS BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY. HE HAS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE ASSISTING WITH SURVEY AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THROUGH HIS WORK AT THE CASS COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.

PRAIRIE BUSINESS 2020

VISIT WWW.PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM TO SEE THESE AND OTHER NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS AND AWARD WINNERS IN THE REGION.

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‘‘

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’’

− Dusty Backer, Backer Bees

Environment isn’t just a buzz word at Basin Electric.

Backer Bees has bees at Glenharold Mine, a reclaimed coal mine that used to supply coal to our first power plant. The reclaimed pasture has a variety of flowers−alfalfa, clover, sunflowers, wildflowers−making it one of the best areas in the nation to raise bees.

Environmental stewardship has always been a guiding principle for us. That’s why we’re committed to reclaiming and restoring land back to its natural state, like Glenharold Mine.

Your energy starts here. basinelectric.com

Editor’snote JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

Celebrate

Positivity

Andrew Weeks Editor

A

merica has been through a lot the past few months – the coronavirus pandemic, the death of George Floyd by police officers in broad daylight and the protests that followed nationwide, the seemingly constant political upheaval.

A meme has been passed around on social media sites that refers to the surreal events, saying that 2020 feels like it’s being written by horror novelist Stephen King.

It does seem like a lot has changed in a short span of time.

That’s why I was grateful for a message I received from a reader on June 1 that said with all of the depressing things going on in the country today it is nice to celebrate something positive.

Tanya Pierce, director of marketing for ISG in Sioux Falls, S.D., was referring to Prairie Business’s annual Leaders & Legacies, which recognizes business executives in the Dakotas and Minnesota for their career accomplishments and the impact they have had on their industries.

Members of the magazine staff received nominations from many businesses – and nominated a few executives themselves – and were impressed by all of the nominees’ career accomplishments and the way they have made a difference in their professions.

This award is a chance to recognize some of the very best. As Publisher Korrie Wenzel described it, the award recognizes executives “for the great things they have done in business, whether in recent years (Leaders) or over a lifetime (Legacies).”

Ultimately, 10 professionals were chosen for this year’s award.

Prairie Business will have a reception to honor these leaders, along with those who have been recognized in its 40 Under 40 and Top 25 Women in Business, when it is safe to gather as a group. For now, you can read a little about this year’s Leaders & Legacies recipients, men and women who exemplify what it means to be a true leader in the business world.

Congratulations to all of them.

Prairie Business thanks these fine executives for the work they have done and continue to do to honor their professions, for being true leaders and examples, and for making a difference in their industries and professions.

These accomplishments definitely are some of life’s positives that we should celebrate, and Prairie Business is happy to do so now.

PUBLISHER KORRIE WENZEL AD DIRECTOR STACI LORD EDITOR ANDREW WEEKS CIRCULATION MANAGER BETH BOHLMAN LAYOUT DESIGN SARA SLABY ACCOUNT MANAGER NICHOLE ERTMAN

800.477.6572 ext. 1162 nertman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand Forks Herald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 375 2nd Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND 58203. 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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Until next time,

ADDRESS CORRECTIONS

Andrew Weeks I look forward to hearing from you at aweeks@prairiebusinessmagazine.com or 701-780-1276.

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Prairie Business magazine Box 6008 Grand Forks, ND 58206-6008 Beth Bohlman:

bbohlman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

ONLINE www.prairiebusinessmagazine.com

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Congratulations

Cornerstone Bank Chairman

on being recognized as a Leaders and Legacies award winner!

CorporateCulture

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

EMC INSURANCE LOOKS FOR THE SAME TRAITS IN ALL OF ITS POTENTIAL HIRES, WHETHER THEY’RE APPLYING FOR A LEADERSHIP ROLE OR NOT, SAYS D.J. CAMPBELL, THE COMPANY’S HUMAN RESOURCE BUSINESS MANAGER IN BISMARCK, N.D. EVEN SO, THE COMPANY HAS MADE CONTINUING EDUCATION A CULTURAL INITIATIVE. IMAGE: EMC INSURANCE COMPANIES

Corporate Culture Trends

Upper Midwest companies seek the best talent, but many say they also want new hires to fit into their culture

By Andrew Weeks

W

hen Chris Barone joined DA Davidson in 2009, something that impressed him about the company was its culture.

He said “culture” is a word that might be overused on the business landscape these days, but it’s a word that still has a lot of meaning for DA Davidson.

It also is one of the things that continues to attract new employees to the company, and which makes them want to stay long term.

For many companies in the upper Midwest, the pandemic has reinforced the importance of culture in the workplace and made them revisit some old trends while producing new ones.

Culture to attract new hires As regional director, Barone is located out of the company’s Great Falls, Mont., office but DA Davidson has offices in several states, including North Dakota. As such, culture is one of the things that ties all of the employees together. It also is something the company considers when seeking potential new hires.

That’s good news, according to a March 2020 article by Business Insider, which said companies that want to grow their business should not become lax in their criteria for hiring new employees.

“Doing so can be particularly detrimental to company culture, as it shifts the focus away from people and onto the work they can bring,” the article reads.

Barone said DA Davidson takes a proactive approach to seeking new recruits, a philosophy that has worked well for the company.

“We don’t have a lot of turnover,” he said in an interview with Prairie Business on May 27, noting that the company seeks employees not only with qualified skills but innate traits that go a long way in mak-

ing themselves, their clients and the company successful. “We want employees with a good reputation, strong ethics, an extraordinary commitment to clients, and a desire to get better,” he said.

In short order, it wants people who fit in with its culture, a word that according to Matthew Mohr, president of Fargo-based Dakota Paper Co., means more than just a pleasant environment in which to work.

“Having a ping-pong table in the break room doesn’t give you a long-term sustainable culture or make a business successful,” Mohr said. “Business continuity is dependent upon growth, productivity, and profitability.”

The very things that DA Davidson has been focused on for a long time. Still, the definition of culture may sometimes seem perplexing: Does the culture of a company help develop employees, for instance, or do employees help create the culture?

It’s a little of both, according to Barone.

“There's nothing more important in business and growing than hiring good people, and we go about that very purposefully, very deliberately,” he said. “We actively recruit. We're looking for the best professionals who have great reputations, and we reach out to them so we’re not sitting back waiting for the phone to ring. … We're looking for professionals that fit our culture, who have strong values that make a deep commitment to their clients.

“It has to be a win for the recruits, so we know that we're improving their lifestyle and business needs to be a win for their clients and how we conduct business; and it needs to be a win for DA Davidson, of course, as an additive value that they’ll bring to our organization. We've developed a much deserved and growing reputation for being a great place to work, and we want to ensure that it always stays that way.”

continued on page 14

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CorporateCulture

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

We want employees with a good reputation, strong ethics, an extraordinary commitment to clients, and a desire to get better.

CHRIS BARONE, REGIONAL MANAGER FOR DA DAVIDSON, SAID CULTURE IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMPANY AND WANTS NEW HIRES TO NOT ONLY FIT IN WITH ITS CULTURE BUT TO ADD TO IT. HERE, STAFF OF DA DAVIDSON PARTICIPATE IN A CULTURE EVENT. IMAGE: DA DAVIDSON

- Chris Barone, regional manager, DA Davidson continued From page 12

Culture to retain employees Companies want to provide exceptional service to their customers and clients, and many of them know it begins at the top by providing a positive in-house culture to their staff, including a flexible work-life balance.

According to an article in Forbes published on March 29, 2020, even as employees work remotely companies should be understanding that they still need the flexibility to balance between work and family.

This perhaps is even more true during the coronavirus pandemic when many employees are still working remotely.

An employee work-life balance is important to the culture at WCCO Belting Co., according to Jean Voorhees, the company’s vice president of development, and it is something managers try to emphasize.

Voorhees works out of Wahpeton, N.D., but business offices are scattered among a number of states.

“We encourage communication, collaboration, and really celebrating family values, including a work-life balance,” she said. “That's something that has been a big part of our culture and we build flexibility to schedules and shifts so that can happen.”

Similarly, a positive company culture that includes employee flexibility is important to managers at EMC Insurance Companies, said D.J. Campbell, the company’s human resource business partner manager in Bismarck, N.D. He said a good work-life balance “should be part of the organization's total rewards package,” and explained that a “carefully crafted total rewards package is critical when attracting and retaining top talent.”

Part of that package at EMC includes “an alternative work arrangement policy” that fits well during the coronavirus pandemic and outside of it, one “that offers team members many remote working options. Team members can flex their hours, work compressed work weeks, work in a different city at a branch location, work remotely full time, or work remotely part time,” he said. “We offer our team members a generous amount of paid time off and encourage a work-life balance that fits the team members’ needs.”

Gate City Bank, headquartered in Fargo, is yet another company that encourages a friendly work-life balance as part of its culture and serves as a tool to retain employees, said Heather Rye, senior vice president of human resources and development. But it goes beyond retention efforts, she said; it’s just the right thing to do.

“This has especially been a focus during the pandemic as many

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team members began engaging in remote work,” Rye said. “We’ve embraced flexible scheduling and have increased our focus on mental health and wellness. We started a daily two-minute video series with different topics addressing everything from avoiding burnout to encouraging team members to make themselves a priority with selfcare. Another focus has been training leaders how to lead a remote team and assure team members are not blurring the lines between ‘work’ and ‘home.’ This has encouraged team members to designate a workspace and set boundaries.”

Culture that promotes leadership While culture may go a long way in attracting and retaining employees, managers say it should also embrace opportunities for employees to grow and prepare them for leadership roles.

EMC Insurance looks for the same traits in all of its potential hires, Campbell said, whether they’re applying for a leadership role or not.

These traits include an individual's ability to develop talent, make decisions, drive vision and purpose, think strategically, and display business insight. Even so, the company has made continuing education a cultural initiative.

“We have many professional development opportunities allowing all team members the opportunity to grow professionally,” he said, noting it uses both internal and external professional development models and tools.

Back at DA Davidson, Barone said the company helps employees improve and develop by using a multi-pronged approach.

“We do it on a number of different levels,” he said. “We have educational programs and advancement programs throughout the firm.

We also have a leadership coaching program that we ask everyone (in all managerial roles) in the company to go through, a four-month leadership training program. … Many of those programs are credentialed, so they can get various credentials associated with their financial advisor tied in with staff. We are constantly offering them the ability for advancement.”

Voorhees, of WCCO Belting, said her company also conducts training for all of its employees, including those who are interested in advancing to leadership roles. However, she said the company expects all of its employees to think like a leader, leadership title or not.

That means it’s important for employees to have the desire and drive to maximize responsibility and add value to culture in the work-

PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM

EMPLOYEES AT WCCO BELTING INC. ARE SEEN HERE PARTICIPATING IN A VIRTUAL CULTURE EVENT. JEAN VOORHEES, THE COMPANY’S VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT BASED IN WAHPETON, N.D., SAID COMPANY CULTURE IS IMPORTANT IN ATTRACTING AND RETAINING EMPLOYEES. IMAGE: WCCO BELTING CO.

DA DAVIDSON HAS OFFICES IN SEVERAL STATES, INCLUDING NORTH DAKOTA. CHRISTOPHER HOLSTAD, LEFT, FINANCIAL ADVISOR, TINA MINSKE, BRANCH ADMINISTRATOR, AND JEREMY ELBERT, FINANCIAL ADVISOR AND BRANCH MANAGER, ALL WORK OUT OF THE COMPANY’S FARGO OFFICE. IMAGE: DA DAVIDSON

place. Ultimately, the development of a leader begins at the hiring level and, according to Nancy Bjorndahl, business manager at Dakota Carrier Network in Fargo, there are certain attributes employers should consider when meeting potential hires.

“When looking to fill a job that would traditionally be considered a ‘leadership’ position, sometimes it can be hard to put your finger on exactly what you’re looking for in a candidate,” she said. “Sometimes it’s easier to identify characteristics you don’t want. That said, we look for many of the skills common to good leaders: being a good listener,

good communicator, not afraid to ask questions, and able to contribute to the success and productivity of those that report to them.”

She said for someone who wants to be a successful leader, “those skills are critical.”

ANDREW WEEKS PRAIRIE BUSINESS EDITOR AWEEKS@PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM 701-780-1276 | @PB_ANDREWWEEKS

Congratulation ns!

TOM ERICKSON

Director of the State Energy Research Center & Intellectual Property/Technology Commercialization Proud to know you

Proud to serve with you Energy & Environmental Research Center

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CorporateProfiles

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

Corporate Profiles Prairie Business reached out to several regional companies to see what they do to attract and retain employees, as well as find out what role culture and leadership skills and training play in their efforts to attract and grow their workforce.

These companies add value to the labor market, regional and state economies, and Prairie Business was excited to see the values they

By Andrew Weeks

place on their customers, clients and employees.

To be consistent, we asked each of the following four companies the same questions under three categories: what their approach was to attracting and hiring new employees; what some of the leadership skills they deem most important when seeking to fill positions; and some highlights about what makes their company a good place to work.

DCN An approach to hiring new employees

Important skills and attributes

What’s the best way you’ve found to let prospective employees learn about openings?

What are the most important attributes and/or skills you look for in a potential new hire?

We are fortunate at DCN to have a very stable employee base and therefore have very little turnover. When we do need to hire, like a lot of businesses, we use a combination of ways to get the word out including social media and posting our job openings on Indeed.

However, I think our most successful tool is sharing the opening with our team. Even though an employee may not be interested in the position for themself, they may know someone who has the right qualifications and may also be a good cultural fit for us.

What does your company’s hiring process entail?

In the fall of 2019, DCN got very intentional and strategic in our hiring process and implemented a plan that we continue to update and modify as needed. Once all the behind the scenes work has been done – the position has been approved to open, the job description has been developed or updated, etc. – HR determines the best channels to get the word out. Openings are always posted on our intranet and external placement usually includes places like Indeed.com and DCN’s social media pages. We typically keep a position open for two weeks.

After the job closes, HR establishes a matrix with job-specific criteria, enters each applicant on the matrix, and posts on Microsoft Teams.

The department head and CEO choose an interview committee and the committee recommends which applicants to interview based on resumes and the matrix. Then we go through the interview process until we select the final candidate – usually two or three rounds.

Are there new strategies you plan to use when hiring in a post-pandemic world?

We actually had two new hires come on board during the pandemic! For one job opening, we had completed the interview process before businesses started closing, but for the other opening we finished the process with video interviews.

When it comes to hiring, I think the biggest takeaway from the pandemic is that video interviews really can work. In the past, video interviews seemed so impersonal and awkward, but now that the world is used to them, I think it will be a valuable part of our hiring toolbox. Moving forward, when we have an out-of-town, state or regional candidate, we will definitely incorporate video interviews into the process. Not only does it save the company the cost of bringing in candidates, but it saves the candidates valuable time by eliminating the need to travel.

As you can imagine, since DCN is a broadband company, technical skills are a top priority for most of our positions – and those skills are easier to assess. The bigger challenge is making sure a new hire will be a good fit for our culture. A person can have the Business Manager best technical skills in the world, but DCN, Fargo, N.D. if they don’t believe in our core values – reliability, responsiveness, and valuing long-term relationships – they aren’t a match for DCN, so that is something we really focus on during the hiring process. To help us do that, we utilize People Analyzer to more clearly identify someone who can fulfill the technical needs and fit our organization’s culture.

For DCN, since we have a relatively small team of 36 employees, one thing that’s important to us is that our new hires can hit the ground running. Our goal is to hire people who are skilled in their technical area and will be confident in their work. By not having to spend a lot of time on skills training, we can focus on training new hires on how things are done at DCN.

Nancy Bjorndahl

What leadership skills are most important for a new hire to bring on board?

When looking to fill a job that would traditionally be considered a “leadership” position, sometimes it can be hard to put your finger on exactly what you’re looking for in a candidate. Sometimes it’s easier to identify characteristics you don’t want. That said, we look for many of the skills common to good leaders: being a good listener, good communicator, not afraid to ask questions, and able to contribute to success and productivity of those that report to them. In order for someone to be a successful leader, those skills are critical.

How does the company train or encourage internal candidates to prepare for executive roles?

The first step in training or encouraging internal candidates for leadership or executive roles is knowing what they are looking for in their career. That starts with strong communication. Not every employee wants to be “the boss” and it’s important to know what each employee is looking for in their career.

continued on page 18

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Together.

For 97 years, we’ve been honored to serve our communities and the people who make them strong.

43 locations in 22 communities across North Dakota and central Minnesota

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CorporateProfiles

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7 continued From page 16

We encourage our employees to always be learning and to pursue learning opportunities. One thing that DCN offers is reimbursement for approved continuing education programs. Whether it’s a sale’s person who wants to earn their MBA or a tech who has an associate degree and wants to earn a bachelor’s degree, they can work with their supervisor on their plan and get final approval from our CEO. In fact, our CEO took advantage of this program. He joined DCN as a sales account executive and moved into product and business development roles. During that time, he used our continuing education program to earn his MBA and was later named CEO. Highlights of the company

What’s the company’s philosophy on work/life balance?

Research consistently shows that time off and disconnecting from work is good for the employee’s mental health and enhances productivity when they return to work. DCN recognizes the value of work-life balance and gives employees a generous vacation and

sick leave package in addition to six paid holidays and four floating holidays each year.

Because us Midwesterners have such a strong work ethic, sometimes we don’t take full advantage of our time off. At DCN, we periodically remind employees in team meetings and through our company intranet that we want them to use their vacation time and take a break – they deserve it!

What’s the best thing about working for your company?

I think there are two things that make people want to work at DCN and keep them here: the stability of our company and the fact that even as we’ve grown, it still feels like a family. These days, stability is important and can be hard to find, so employees appreciate that.

With 36 employees, it doesn’t take long before everyone knows a new employee and a new employee knows everyone, including the CEO. There’s something to be said for being able to walk into the CEO’s office or call them on the phone and be greeted with “how’s Bobby’s baseball team doing?” or “what did you shoot golfing the other day?”

3M An approach to hiring new employees

What’s the best way you’ve found to let prospective employees learn about openings?

3M has a multi-faceted approach to reaching candidates. Some of the best ways we’ve found to reach candidates is through emailed job alerts for those who have joined our Talent Community at 3M.com, sponsored jobs on Indeed, Glassdoor and LinkedIn, and 3M’s employee advocacy program.

What does your company’s hiring process entail?

Our hiring process is ever evolving, especially now that we’re all dealing with the global COVID-19 crisis. We work to engage with potential candidates through social media and other channels. Once they apply for a position, the interview process likely includes a phone interview and an in-person or virtual interview. Throughout the hiring process, we try to give candidates an opportunity to learn about life at 3M and opportunities that may be available to them as employees.

Are there new strategies you plan to use when hiring in a post-pandemic world?

The pandemic is having an impact on how we recruit and our overall hiring processes. It’s possible we’ll see more work being done remotely in the future. For instance, we see virtual interviews continuing in some capacity going forward.

How does the company train or encourage internal candidates to prepare for executive roles?

3M provides experiential and social learning programs to help employees build the skills, mindsets and behaviors to lead our organization.

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What benefits seem to be the most important when retaining employees?

TJ Kreuziger

Global Leader for A career at 3M provides candidates Talent Acquisition the opportunity to have many careers 3M, St. Paul. Minn. and roles at one company, across the globe. In addition to the global and multiple career opportunities, 3M offers a range of benefits and competitive pay intended to attract, retain and motivate the high-performing employees we depend on for growth and success. To ensure that our pay remains aligned with our desire to remain competitive, 3M regularly benchmarks pay and benefits with other companies that are comparable in size and scope. We also realize different people value different aspects of their work life.

Some employees may want more flexibility in their work schedules while others may want more training or development opportunities.

As a result, we try to provide various opportunities to employees.

For more than 70 years, 3M’s unique 15% Culture has encouraged employees to set aside a portion of their work time to proactively cultivate and pursue innovative ideas that excite them. … While coordinating with their manager to ensure day-to-day responsibilities are still executed, employees get the space to try something new and different, think creatively and challenge the status quo.

What’s the best thing about working for your company?

When looking for a future 3Mer and leader, the candidate’s ability to be innovative, collaborative and inclusive are some of the most

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Highlights of the company

What’s the company’s philosophy on work/life balance?

Important skills and attributes

What are the most important attributes you look for in a potential new hire, and what leadership skills are most important?

important qualities. These are some of the core tenets of 3M’s culture and are important factors for the individual’s and company’s future success.

3Mers are amazing! 3M has 96,000 of the most brilliant and inclusive minds around the globe. Every day they do work that matters, applying science in ways that make a positive impact on people’s lives around the world.

PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM

EMC Insurance An approach to hiring new employees

D.J. Campbell

What’s the best way you’ve found to let prospective employees learn about openings?

Sourcing talent is an important step in the talent acquisition process. An Branch HR Business organization’s ability to reach and Partner Manager attract talent should strategically fall EMC Insurance in line with its business objectives.

Companies, Gone are the days when you could Bismarck, N.D. just post a job and wait for the right person to apply. How you source a candidate depends primarily on the position. If it’s an entry-level role, I would start by working with career services departments in colleges and universities. If it’s a senior-level role, utilizing LinkedIn to match desired skills or posting the position with a specific industry association would be more appropriate. Your sourcing strategy should be intentional and strategic to ensure you develop a competitive talent pool and ultimately the right person for the role.

What does your company’s hiring process entail?

Our process is aligned to ensure we find the right person for the role following all applicable laws and regulations. This includes alignment of the hiring manager and position requisition, defining the process that will be used, strategic sourcing, objectively qualifying applicants, tailoring the interview questions and process to identify key skills needed to fill the role, incorporating behavioral interview techniques, engaging and introducing the applicant to the enterprise, and managing expectations and answering questions throughout the process. Additionally, EMC believes that our ability to thrive in the future is directly connected to having a diverse workforce, so we have worked to embed diversity, equity and inclusion best practices into our process.

Are there new strategies you plan to use when hiring in a post-pandemic world?

In a post-pandemic world, we will see a lot of changes to the way we do business. Initially, I don’t see much changing with our talent acquisition strategies. Many people have been thrusted into working remotely and utilizing new technology to stay connected. This same technology will only heighten the talent acquisition process. As someone who leads this process, I understand that many people have been and will continue to be impacted by the pandemic. Many people have lost their jobs adding additional stress. The way we interact with these affected individuals needs to reflect our company values; empathy for their situation, transparency in the process, and timely communication. Talent pools will be larger, so alignment with the hiring manager will be critical. Identifying the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to fill the role and discussing preferred qualifications will allow the process to move more quickly and efficiently. Another big change I see in the future is our ability to provide opportunity to individuals limited by their geographic location. With remote working capabilities being enhanced during the pandemic, we now have the ability to hire people for positions outside of our typical enterprise locations.

Important skills and attributes

What are the most important attributes and/or skills you look for in a potential new hire?

When sourcing new talent, we look for individuals that embody our values - honesty and integrity, customer focus, collaboration, innovation, and driving results. These are the beliefs we operate by that create our corporate culture. We count on all EMC employees, current and future, to exercise these principles in their daily work: honesty and integrity, customer focus, collaboration, innovation and driving results. We tailor our process to ensure these values are present in the candidate and align with them professionally.

What leadership skills are most important for a new hire to bring on board?

The attributes we look for in a leader follow the same attributes we would look for in an individual contributor at an enhanced level. Our competency model for a leader incorporates the individual’s ability to develop talent, make decisions, drive vision and purpose, think strategically, and display business insight. We expect our leaders to engage, model, and commit to their teams to inspire action to achieve our business objectives.

How does the company train or encourage internal candidates to prepare for executive roles?

EMC has made continuing education a cultural initiative. We have many professional development opportunities allowing all team members the opportunity to grow professionally. Internally, we have a learning management system including subscriptions to LinkedIn Learning and Udemy for Business. Externally, professional development is encouraged and paid for by the company. Earned designations are also given monetary rewards. Team members are encouraged to participate in community related events and associations with memberships paid for by the organization. With our alternative work arrangements policy and accompanying technology, the growth opportunity at EMC is endless.

Highlights of your company

What’s the company’s philosophy on work/life balance?

Work-life balance has become a deciding factor in talent acquisition and retention, and should be part of the organization’s total rewards package. We have adopted an alternative work arrangement policy that offers team members many remote working options. Team members can flex their hours, work compressed work weeks, work in a different city at a branch location, work remotely full time, or work remotely part time. We offer our team members a generous amount of paid time off and encourage a work-life balance that fits the team member’s needs. In 2020, we took it a step further and now offer 12 weeks 100% paid maternity leave for new mothers and four weeks paid caregiver leave for all team members. Additional benefits included to facilitate work-life balance include life skills training, a corporate wellness programs, on-site health screens and flu vaccines, gym membership reimbursement, and an employee assistance program.

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JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7 continued From page 19

What’s the best thing about working for your company?

In my opinion, the best thing about our organization is our commitment to our people. People are the cornerstone of any business, and we take great pride in attracting, developing, and retaining a strong workforce. Our people strategy is centered around culture. As our current workforce has begun to look at retirement, we have been proactive in changing our company culture. This meant capitalizing on our ability to offer growth opportunities within the organization,

developing EMC University at a corporate level, developing college level coursework in partnership with Bismarck State College, volunteering in and giving back within our communities, and aligning our goals to all team members o they can see the impact they are making in our business. We continue to evaluate and evolve our people strategies to align with a 21st century workforce, and we are heavily investing in innovation to tackle today’s problems and create tomorrow’s solutions.

Gate City Bank An approach to hiring new employees

What’s the best way you’ve found to let prospective employees learn about openings?

Gate City Bank is a local community bank, so we believe in hiring within our footprint. We have such talented individuals in our area, and we’ve been able to recruit that talent locally.

We also have a very successful team member referral program. On average, over half of our new hires are from our referral program.

Heather Rye Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Development Gate City Bank, Fargo, N.D..

What does your company’s hiring process entail?

We provide the same level of personal service and attention to our potential hires that we do with our customers. Our hiring process doesn’t necessarily begin when a position opens up; we’re proactive and always on the lookout for talent before positions open. We do this by connecting with the community, attending job fairs and networking at events. We also have “Join Our Team” business cards, so when we see talent or excellent customer service, we give individuals a card right on the spot.

Are there new strategies you plan to use when hiring in a post-pandemic world?

There are so many uncertainties right now, but we know we can’t continue to do things the same way as we did before. As we change to more remote work for our corporate positions, it creates more opportunities. We will continue to heavily invest in technology, allowing team members to work from home and stay connected successfully.

Important skills and attributes

What are the most important attributes and/or skills you look for in a potential new hire?

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What leadership skills are most important for a new hire to bring on board?

We’re looking for leaders who embrace data and innovation, and who have a sense of urgency. We want leaders who lead with curiosity and are willing to experiment with new ideas. Our ideal candidates are servant leaders who put customers, communities and team members first.

How does the company train or encourage internal candidates to prepare for executive roles?

Gate City Bank provides several leadership and development programs for team members, such as our Emerging Leaders Leadership Program, Reality-Based Leadership Program, mentorships, job shadowing, leadership coaching, assessments and sabbaticals, all of which provide opportunities for team members to have on-the-job training as they take on leadership responsibilities. We also have each leader develop a succession plan that entails how we get team members to the next level and help them develop their leadership skills.

Highlights of your company

What’s the company’s philosophy on work-life balance?

We encourage a healthy work-life balance. This has especially been a focus during the pandemic as many team members began engaging in remote work. We’ve embraced flexible scheduling and have increased our focus on mental health and wellness. We started a daily two-minute video series with different topics addressing everything from avoiding burnout to encouraging team members to make themselves a priority with self-care. Another focus has been training leaders how to lead a remote team and assure team members are not blurring the lines between “work” and “home.” This has encouraged team members to designate a workspace and set boundaries.

What’s the best thing about working for your company?

We’re looking for team members who are passionate, innovative and driven – all key traits that align with our Principles of High Standards.

We also want people who are involved in the community. Most importantly, we want to find team members who believe in our mission of providing a welcoming atmosphere and commitment to making the lives of our customers and team members better by investing in them

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and their communities For a Better Way of Life.® We’re also interested in having candidates who are engaged in the interview and hiring process, and who are asking questions and providing ideas.

We live our mission every day to provide a better way of life for our customers, communities and team members. We invest in professional development and seek opportunities for team members to grow. And we celebrate – a lot! Whether we’re recognizing a team member’s accomplishments, a milestone at the bank or just having fun with one another during one of our regular fun days, we believe in celebrating.

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Are Your Ready for What’s Ahead?

COVID-19 has changed the business landscape. How you choose to move forward will take careful considera d set the tone for your organiz on’s future. Map out a strategy for success with the help of Eide Bailly.

Visit our website for guides on reopening and ca legisla and more.

w, updates on the latest

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LEADERS & LEGACIES

The University of North Dakota is proud to salute Prairie Business magazine’s 2020 Leaders & Legacies — a Top 10 list of some of the region’s most innovative and successful business executives. Both enterprising and inspiring, they’ve made an indelible mark in their communities and beyond. Congratulations to all!

Dean Anagnost

Tom Erickson

Kristi Magnuson-Nelson

Ben Carlsrud

Brenda Foster

Randy Newman

Vern Dosch

John Kutch

Gary Petersen

David Doxtad

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Dean F. Anagnost, PE

PRAIRIE BUSINESS 2020

Something that makes Ben Carlsrud stand out as a business leader: “He walks the walk and has been in the trenches,” said Steve Stenerson, vice president of sales at Network Center Inc. He doesn’t expect his employees to do anything that he hasn’t done or is not willing to do, even now.

“He’s always been one who would jump in a car to meet with a customer, and still does to this day.”

Carlsrud grew up in Borup, Minn., and attended what he still likes to call Moorhead State University, now Minnesota State University Moorhead, and graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

President His career with Network Center Inc. started Network Center Inc. right after graduation, when he worked as a Fargo, N.D. service technician. It wasn’t long before he was promoted to service manager and made the transition from being the one “turning the screws,” he said, “to overseeing delivery of all services for the entire company. About a decade later his career accelerated when he became NCI president.

“I watched and helped the company grow from roughly 20 employees to 70,” he said.

“One project, not necessarily current but always ongoing and something I’m most proud of, is working through the conversion of Network Center Inc from a privately held company to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). … We went from a single company owner to now educating our employees that we are all owners and the decisions we make affect each one of us. To give employees that type of empowerment is one of the many reasons why this ongoing ‘project’ is one I look forward to every day.”

He said his personal “why” these days is for the employees and the ESOP. “There are some very successful ESOPs in our community that have had an amazing effect on their employees’ lives,” he said. “I want Network Center to run in that same crowd.”

Carlsrud’s leadership has always been employee- and client-focused, Stenerson said, and his work on the ESOP truly stands out.

Carlsrud serves on the board for Bethany Retirement Living and is involved with his children’s hockey teams and other sports in the community. He also is active in Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Chamber events and is part of a Trust X Alliance Masterminds program, where he regularly meets with similar companies around the country and brings ideas back to the Fargo-Moorhead technology community.

Ben Carlsrud

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Dean Anagnost has been a practicing electrical engineer for 35 years, and has earned the respect of many individuals over the past nearly four decades.

He is quick to acknowledge others in the course of his career, but those who work with him say he is a true leadPresident and CEO er in the profession KLJ Solutions and deserves to be Bismarck, N.D. recognized.

As president and CEO of KLJ Solutions – the parent company of three organizations, including engineering firm KLJ, which has 23 office offices in seven states – Anagnost guides and influences the interests of this portfolio of companies engaged in professional engineering and surveying services, real estate management and real estate development.

He is a registered professional engineer in eight states, serving public utilities and commercial customers. He has spent much of his 35-year career in professional services acting in various technical, supervisory and executive roles. During his time as chief financial officer, he was instrumental in leading KLJ through an ownership transition resulting in an employee-owned ESOP company.

“Dean exemplifies dedication to the consulting engineering industry, as well as represents how dedication to not only the industry, but to clients and to our organization can take you to the highest level in the company,” said Jill Beilke, branding and communications manager. “He is committed to life-long learning, systems’ thinking, and governance systems. With a degree in electrical engineering specializing in control systems avionics coupled with his experiences over the years, Dean brings detailed technical knowledge and capability as well as an extensive business acumen to lead the company.”

Anagnost serves in various business and community leadership capacities, including the KLJ Solutions Board of Directors chairing the Governance and Executive Committees. He is the assistant-chief governance officer and Audit Committee chair of the North Dakota Workforce Safety and Insurance Board of Directors and is a member of the North Dakota State University College of Engineering Advisory Board, University of North Dakota College of Engineering and Mines Advisory Board, and the CHI St. Alexius Foundation Resource Cabinet.

Anagnost is a Fellow of the Senior Executives Institute of ACEC and a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

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Vern Dosch Former president and CEO National Information Solutions Cooperative Mandan, N.D.

Vern Dosch is an unassuming man whose leadership has influenced many others. One of them is Brian Ritter, president of the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber Economic Development Corp.

“I have the pleasure of knowing Vern both personally and professionally and in both realms, he’s one of the finest men I know,” Ritter told Prairie Business.

Dosch is the former president and chief executive officer of National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC), a technology cooperative located in Mandan, N.D., that serves primarily utility and telecommunications service providers. In his more than 40 years in the industry and 17 years leading NISC, Dosch helped the cooperative grow into a national organization that provides billing, accounting and engineering software solutions to more than 840 members in all 50 states and abroad.

Dosch’s commitment to serving members and taking care of employees has set the tone for NISC’s business structure and culture. Under his guidance and servant-style leadership, it has had the long-standing recognition by Computerworld Magazine as one of the nation’s top places to work in information technology.

“Professionally, Vern led NISC from a small, regional technology company to one of the industry’s leaders

David Doxtad has more than 10 years of professional leadership and business development experience with ISG, a multi-disciplinary architecture, engineering, environmental and planning firm with 10 Midwest offices in four states.

According to a colleague, Doxtad is a born leader.

“David has been a leader at ISG from day one,” said Steve Watson, ISG’s development strategist. “He welcomes new challenges and responsibilities, and has served ISG in numerous roles over the years from office manager to board member to now president of our company.”

As a civil engineer, Doxtad has held several leadership positions within the firm, including office manager, associate principal, and now as president, where he continues to build upon ISG’s growth and multi-market, multi-disciplinary structure.

Since 2011, he has led ISG operations as an office leader for three offices, including managing the opening of the Sioux Falls, S.D., location in 2018, where he currently leads a team of 15-plus professionals. His leadership of the Public Works Business Unit led to significant expansion of ISG’s client-based expertise and geography. Doxtad served as an ISG associate board member and became a full ISG board member in 2016, as he was recognized as providing critical market plans and cultivating

all from right here in Mandan,” Ritter said. “Suffice it to say, that transition doesn’t happen without Vern’s leadership. In addition, he did so in a way that won him universal respect amongst his peers, employees and community leaders. That’s rare.”

Dosch is devoted to his community as a life-long resident of the Bismarck-Mandan area. He continues to work closely with the University of Mary Mentorship Program, mentoring students and young professionals. He serves as a board member for the Bismarck State College Foundation, the University of Mary Board of Regents and the North Dakota University Roundtable, Starion Financial, CHI St. Alexius Hospital and the God’s Child Foundation. In 2007, Dosch received the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership Award, one of the chamber’s highest honors. He also is a recipient of the University of Mary Alumni Recognition Award.

Most recently, Dosch has been serving North Dakota as the state’s COVID-19 contact tracing administer and has gained national recognition for his efforts.

Dosch, Ritter said, is a true leader in every sense of the word.

“What’s also rare is to meet a man like Vern who is every bit as good as a man as he is an executive,” he said.

internal and external relationships that prove invaluable to the growth of the firm.

He is an active member of Downtown Sioux Falls Development Committee and serves as a member representative of ISG for Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Development Foundation.

“ISG has made an impressive entry into the Sioux Falls business community,” said Jeff Griffin, president and CEO of the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, “and that was led by David.”

Doxtad has served as an Advisory Board Member of Southeast Technical Institute and sponsor of the South Dakota State University Civil Engineering Classroom and Architecture Scholarship. He received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Iowa State University. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, South Dakota Engineering Society, Chi Epsilon, National Civil Engineering Honor Society, and Tau Beta Pi, National Engineering Honor Society.

“David is a very dedicated, hardworking individual who leads by example,” Watson said. “Always the first in the office, and usually the last to leave, he puts in the time and extra effort to ensure clients and coworkers are getting the support they need.”

David Doxtad, PE President ISG Sioux Falls, S.D.

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Tom Erickson has been described by his colleagues as compassionate, service oriented, and a born leader with acute business acumen – traits that continue to serve him well.

Erickson has been tied to the Energy and Environmental Research Center since 1986, when he started work as a student employee at the University of North Dakota.

During his recent five-year Director tenure as CEO, Erickson sigState Energy nificantly grew revenue, estabResearch Center lished center-wide core valand director of ues, focused on organizational Intellectual Property structure to better serve clients, and Technology created the student-focused Commercialization Energy Hawks Program, and at the Energy and initiated Energize ND – a yearly Environmental event bringing together players Research Center in industry and research across University of North Dakota.

North Dakota Colleagues say they were Grand Forks, N.D. impressed with how he improved the working environment when he became CEO in 2014.

“He initiated the EERC’s employee engagement and social cause efforts to encourage staff to build effective teams at work and volunteer in the community in various ways,” said Nikki Massmann, communications director.

Erickson worked closely with state officials to establish the State Energy Research Center to rekindle exploratory research critical for the future of North Dakota. He served as the initial Energy Grand Champion for UND, helping to create collaboration across UND and focus the research mission.

Because of his innate ability and success as a leader, Gov. Doug Burgum in 2018 named Erickson a member of the Higher Education Governance Task Force. Erickson said he also served as a volunteer for, and eventually on the board of, the Community Violence Intervention Center, noting that he and his wife, Jessie, are long-time supporters of CVIC. In 2005, Erickson was selected as the CVIC Peacemaker of the year.

Erickson was honored with the Ken and Toby Baker UND Proud Award in 2006 and received the UND President’s Medal in 2019.

Erickson is “one of those rare individuals who grew up with the idea of service ingrained in him,” said another colleague, Joyce Riske, who also said his “reputation as a leader, a fair dealer, and a person with acute business acumen placed him in a spot to lead. He had already proven to fellow employees that he was trustworthy.”

Catherine Russell, senior technical editor at EERC, said his “leadership and commitment to the success of the EERC have been integral to its growth and expansion. He is deeply invested in the research as well as the success and satisfaction of those who carry it out.”

Tom Erickson

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Brenda Foster has been recognized throughout her career for the way she conducts business, including being named one of Prairie Business’ Top 25 Women in Business earlier this year. She is deserving of the LeadChairwoman ers & Legacies award President and CEO because, as those who First Western know her well have said, Bank & Trust she exemplifies compasNorth Dakota sionate leadership. and Minnesota “Brenda certainly fits that role (of a Leaders & Legacies recipient),” said John MacMartin, president of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce. “She’s a very, very solid individual.”

A graduate of Minot State University, Foster’s career path started when she interned as a teen at First West Bank & Trust. Over the past 39 years she has worked in all areas of the bank and now serves as board chair, president and CEO. Over the past four decades she has experienced the evolution of the banking industry, noting the most dramatic changes have been with technology. When she started, for instance, computers were nonexistent in banking.

“Fast forward to today,” she said. “Your banking can be done from a smartphone.”

Under Foster’s leadership, First Western continues to grow with current assets at $1.7 billion, 310 employees and 16 locations in two states. She remains passionate about participating in the success of customers, employees and the communities they serve.

Foster was recently elected as a Class A director of the Federal Reserve Board of Minneapolis’ board of directors.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to be involved in a number of national, state and local community organizations throughout my career, to include civic leadership as a former board member of the Minot Public School Board and the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce Board,” she said.

MacMartin said of her: “Brenda has been an all-around great business partner, as has First Western, but Brenda in particular. She’s somebody I feel I could go to talk with if I need something. She’s been very supportive of the events we’ve gotten behind in the community.”

Among her other accomplishments, Foster is past chair of the Large Community Bank Council and current member of the education committee for the Independent Community Banks of America, a member of the Minot State University Board of Regents, volunteer and original organizer for Junior Achievement in Minot, and past president of the Independent Community Banks of North Dakota.

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Brenda Foster

Life is about leaving a legacy Steve Stenehjem, CEO/Chairman

FOUR GENERATIONS OF LIVING FIRST Our history begins with Farmer’s State Bank in Arnegard, North Dakota. The bank was issued a charter and opened for business on May 1, 1910. In 1911, Odin Stenehjem became the first Farmer’s State Bank cashier, his brother, Gerhard Stenehjem became its first President. It was the only bank in McKenzie County to survive the Great Depression and reopen after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ordered the banks closed for a week in March, 1933.

In 1934, the bank moved to Watford City when it was named the County Seat of McKenzie County. At that time, the name was changed to First International Bank.

“Never a Loss of a Depositor’s Dollar,” was not only a slogan, but a point of pride for the family-owned bank, as the country, and North Dakota’s residents moved forward from the Great Depression.

Today, the fourth generation of Stenehjem bankers leads FIBT. With Chairman and CEO, Stephen L. Stenehjem at the helm, the bank now operates 28 offices in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Arizona. Our foundation has been built on the bonds between our employees and our customers. FIBT remains committed to those relationships, while at the same time, we continue to grow our footprint and product offerings to best serve our clients. FIBT is a full-service financial institution, offering insurance*, wealth management*, and banking solutions.

Peter Stenehjem, Kira Noll, Steve Stenehjem, Gretchen Stenehjem, and Erik Stenehjem

FIBT.com

*Not FDIC or any federal agency insured | No bank guarantee | May lose value

Leaders&Legacies

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

John M. Kutch President and CEO Trinity Health Minot, N.D.

John Kutch leads Minot-based Trinity Health, a locally owned and operated healthcare system with facilities in nine communities in North Dakota and a workforce of close to 3,000.

Upon arriving at Trinity in 2009, Kutch led a successful transformation focusing on a ServiceFIRST culture, best practices, leveraging technology, and a rapid cycle model for improving care delivery. Under the motto “Reinventing Health,” Trinity Health positioned itself as the premier care system for northwest North Dakota, with improved patient outcomes and growth. Within six years, it was able to enter the next phase of its strategic plan of “Making More Possible” for patients, families, and communities, something that has been described as a complete rebranding that symbolized Trinity’s commitment to wellness, collaboration and compassion.

The rebranding coincided with the groundbreaking in 2018 for a $300 million-plus healthcare campus and medical district.

Further demonstrating Kutch’s leadership, Trinity established the first drive-thru COVID-19 test site in North Dakota and was the first to mandate masking in all its facilities.

David Hogue, Trinity board member, said Kutch’s leadership during the pandemic has been “outstanding,” having, among other things, “immediately established a leadership team to deal directly with

Kristi Magnuson Nelson grew up in the grocery business, having started bagging groceries and working in customer service when she was just 13 years old at the family marketplace in Grand Forks, N.D. It’s a business that has been good to her; likewise, she has been good to it.

Hugo’s Family Market was founded in 1939 by Nelson’s grandparents, Hugo and Dorothy Magnuson. Hugo Magnuson and Curt Magnuson, Nelson’s father, expanded the business to include stores in both North Dakota and Minnesota.

It would later see even further expansion under Nelson’s leadership.

After attending the University of North Dakota, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, she worked for a time with at-risk youth in Crookston, Minn., but the family business drew her back to her roots.

In 1998 she began working alongside her father and grandfather as the director of marketing and advertising. Seven years later, at the age 102, Hugo Magnuson died, followed two years later, in 2007, by the death of Curt Magnuson.

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operational issues that related to the pandemic, such as shortages of supplies previously taken for granted, and apprehension among the workforce about new safety issues.”

He also said Kutch cares deeply about his employees: “He wants to know about their personal life and what challenges they have in the work environment,” and that he “regularly reviews progress on long-term strategic goals and assigns individual responsibility for achieving those goals.”

Patrick Holien, Trinity board chair, said his leadership style is “most obvious when one is dealing with his team members, a line cook in nutrition services as they present their case on a Gemba Walk or the CFO as they present financials to the board, and you see how they own the show and clearly accept that ownership with pride. In addition and perhaps most notable, our medical staff and management team function as one and move to accomplish the same goals. It takes a special leadership style to accomplish that and Mr. Kutch has it.”

Kutch, however, is quick to attribute Trinity’s success to his employees.

“Without exceptional engagement and enthusiasm from an outstanding workforce and medical staff, we never could have completed the transition to make more possible,” he said.

But the store was not without leadership. Nelson took over the day-to-day operations, and as president and CEO she has led Hugo’s expansion to include a total of 10 grocery stores located in the North Dakota and Minnesota communities of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, Crookston, Thief River Falls, Jamestown, Grafton and Park Rapids as well as five liquor stores in Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, Jamestown and Grafton. Most recently she led the process of developing a new store in downtown Grand Forks, which broke ground last fall.

“Kristi has carried on her family’s tradition and even expanded on that with stores in multiple communities, including with Caribou Coffee and Hugo’s Wine and Spirits,” said Barry Wilfahrt, president & CEO of the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce. He said she’s had a significant impact on both her family’s business and the communities they serve. “She is someone who genuinely cares about her employees and customers. And she gives back to the community in so many ways, many times anonymously through charities. She really, sincerely cares and that is evident by the way Hugo’s operates.”

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Kristi Magnuson Nelson President and CEO Hugo’s Family Marketplace Grand Forks, N.D.

Randy Newman grasped his industry early in his career and hasn’t looked back. It’s a career that has spanned a number of leadership roles and accomplishments that have earned him many prestigious awards.

He now can add Leaders & Legacies to the list.

Barry Wilfahrt, president and CEO of Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce, said there’s no doubt CEO, President about it, Newman has a strong and Chairman track record and pointed out of the Board that Alerus Financial is one of Alerus Financial those successes.

N.A. and Alerus “Alerus is another one of those Financial Corp. companies that gives back to Grand Forks, N.D. the community,” he said, noting the company has strong values of integrity because of its leadership, namely, Newman.

Newman’s journey with Alerus Financial, formerly First National Bank North Dakota, began in 1981 but his ambition, drive and expertise earned him the title of president just six years later, in 1987, and he was named CEO in 1995.

A glimpse of his leadership abilities: Newman oversees the $2.7 billion commercial bank that has a wealth management division of $6 billion assets under management, $28 billion assets under administration, and annually originates $1 billion of residential mortgages in its franchise markets.

Prior to joining Alerus Financial, he taught corporate finance and business strategy courses at the University of North Dakota, and served from 2012 to 2018 as a director of the Ninth Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis and as a director of the Bank Holding Company Association, a seven-state regional association. From 1998-2007, he served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank in Des Moines, serving the last four years as its chairman.

His successful career path also includes serving on committees, including having been designated an audit committee financial expert while serving on the board of FHLBDM. He received his BSBA in 1975 and MBA in 1979 from the University of North Dakota, and has served in leadership and on community boards in many civic organizations.

He has been recognized with many awards, including the U.S. Small Business Administration’s “1998 ND Phoenix Award” for leadership with small businesses during Grand Forks’ Flood and Fire Disaster in 1997. He was awarded Grand Forks’ prestigious Henry Havig award in 2007.

Wilfahrt said Newman has led Alerus to make a positive impact in the community and that for this and other accomplishments he is “very deserving” of the Leaders & Legacies award.

Randy L. Newman

Gary Petersen doesn’t like a lot of attention. Any success he achieves, he told Prairie Business, is in large part due to the influence of others. But those who work closely with Petersen say he’s a standout leader who Chairman of the Board helps others achieve Cornerstone Bank their own success. and Cornerstone “Gary is not only a Holding Co. leader, but he’s also a Bismarck, N.D. thinker,” said Deen K.J. Axtman, Cornerstone’s chief operation officer. “Conversations with him are thought-provoking as he challenges all of us to be our best. He is supportive and empowering.”

As chairman of the Board for Cornerstone Bank and Cornerstone Holding Company, Petersen brings experience to North Dakota and South Dakota banking that include metro areas, rural areas, Indian Reservations and the Bakken oil region.

He started his career as regulator, which brought a diverse perspective as he moved into leading smalltown banking, which colleagues describe as a diverse field in which even leaders fill various roles. Petersen’s experience became even more diverse as he led his small-town bank through a successful merger that resulted in growth to 11 locations.

Axtman said he has always understood the importance of industry and community involvement.

“He is a true leader,” she said. “The culture at Cornerstone is led by him, and he personally lives our nine values every day with integrity. He is not only a great leader at the bank, but also for the state and industry, serving in various roles with the Banker’s Association and the Bank of North Dakota. His roots are deeply embedded in doing the right thing, and in the role that a community bank is responsible for in North Dakota.”

Petersen, who earned his bachelor of business administration and Juris Doctorate degrees from the University of North Dakota, is a member of the State Bar Association of North Dakota. He currently is chairman of the Bank of North Dakota Advisory Board, the only state-owned bank in the country. He is a past director and chairman for the North Dakota Bankers Association Board and was previously a member of the North Dakota Department of Banking and Financial Institutions Board.

He has also served as a member of the 9th District Federal Reserve Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council and on various American Bankers Association Committees. He has served on numerous other community boards and has actively volunteered in community events.

Gary Petersen

27

ExitPlanning

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

Top seven questions to ask yourself to set up

a successful exit plan

By Amber J. Ferrie

E

xit planning is a vital part of the lifecycle of a business. It seems simple at first: how do you plan to exit your business? But the options, and compliance factors, that go into exit planning can leave your mind reeling. That’s why it’s best to plan early.

Not sure where to get started? Here are seven key questions to ask yourself as you begin to exit plan.

How much longer do I plan to work/stay involved in the business?

It usually takes a few years to develop an exit strategy. Ideally, an exit strategy will be part of the original business plan, keeping in mind that strategy may change over time. Ideally, there will be at least three to five years before a sale.

How much control do I want after my exit?

Having a better understanding of what you want will help you when it comes to articulating this to fellow stakeholders. If others don’t know they are part of a plan, they’ll make their own plan. These conversations will also better prepare you to work with exit strategy advisors.

How do I plan to replace myself?

You built your business, but it’s important you are not the glue that holds everything together. The real value of your business is in the team you have built. If the business can’t function without you, you must find a way to transfer or replace what you do.

Are my records ready?

If you want to get the full asking price for your business, your records need to be clean and organized so a third party can go through them with a fine-tooth comb. A key component is quality of earnings due diligence, which analyzes your organization’s financial information.

This process is completed by a third party because it helps you substantiate the cash flow and ultimately the value your business.

Do I know what my business is worth on the market?

You need to know with brutal honesty the market value of your business–not what you think it’s worth.

Market value always trumps what you “need” out of the business. Use independent expertise to value the business before you get locked in during a negotiation.

What am I doing now to maximize my future after tax dollars?

What is your next great adventure after you leave your business?

Now is the time to get creative and imagine a new life for yourself.

Have fun dreaming. The possibilities are endless. But remember, plans evolve. So, revisit your answers to the first six questions and verify they align with this next great adventure.

AMBER J. FERRIE IS A PARTNER AT EIDE BAILLY BASED IN FARGO, N.D.

Where will your Journey Lead You? 28

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Amber J. Ferrie

Don’t look at taxation in isolation.

Revisit your business plan now and consider the tax implications for every investment, your projected growth and even your own compensation package. Expand your strategic planning to include contingency planning, succession planning, transition planning, and then run some financial models to see which options look most attractive for your future.

PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM

ST E A DY L E A DERSH I P FOR EX T R AOR DI NA RY T I M ES.

Though no one can fully prepare for a business environment like the one we’re in today, Randy Newman — our president, CEO, and chairman — has led Alerus through difficult times before, and by working together, we’ll make it through again.

Congratulations, Randy, on being recognized for the Prairie Business Leaders & Legacies award. Your accomplishments and leadership inspire us all.

WE’RE HERE FOR YOU BECAUSE IT’S OUR HOME, TOO. Our commitment to this community is about more than putting energy into transmission lines. We’re into buying local. Investing here. Supporting carbon-free initiatives.

Delivering energy you can count on to be cleaner and safer. We’re here to keep living room lamps lit. And futures as bright as we can make them. Because doing our part for the places we live and work is good energy.

© 2020 Xcel Energy

Visit xcelenergy.com to learn more.

29

GreatWorkplace

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

Great Culture

or Great Place To Work?

By Matthew Mohr

T

he idea of having a particular culture at a place of business as being the key to retaining employees is enticing, but it takes a complete commitment to the success of everyone involved with a business to be a great place to work over time. Having a ping-pong table in the break room doesn’t give you a long-term sustainable culture or make a business successful.

Business continuity is dependent upon growth, productivity, and profitability. Building a great place to work takes commitment to customers, employees, and everyone involved.

Treating customers as important is obviously necessary for any business, but treating customers with respect and striving to help the customer get what they want is very different than striving to get the most from the customer.

Unfortunately, some organizations consider a customer need as a nuisance rather than considering a customer need as an objective to fulfill. If a customer (the one who ultimately pays the bills) is used as a means to an end, unimportant, or someone to take something from, reflects a poor culture, the same attitude will likely be reflected on how employees are treated within the business over time.

Matthew Mohr

2020 LEADERS AND LEGACIES AWARD RECIPIENT

Congratulations!

Simplified Solutions. Focused Approach.

David Doxtad, PE

President

One Firm. Ten Offices. Endless Solutions. Explore Your ISG. bit.ly/Your_ISG ISGInc.com

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Today’s retail environment has been dramatically changed and any retail store must work extremely hard to provide value to their customers in order to survive. Most people have experienced a rude or an uncaring sales clerk and walked out of a store without purchasing anything as a consequence. All businesses make the choice to work for their customers or do anything to “make a buck.” If the message sent is to take advantage of the customer for profit, the culture is fairly well defined and a few incentives, like a ping-pong table for employee use, aren’t going to change the culture for the better.

Many years ago, I visited a business in the northeast that was owned by a family I respected highly. As we walked through the operation, I noticed certain things that seemed “out of place” – like office equipment in the warehouse. Upon inquiry the owner-manager informed me things were not out of place but were there because they felt each of the people had the ability to do the jobs right and were equally smart.

I greatly admired the man and so did most of the employees who worked with him. He treated everyone with respect and dignity, knowing they had the ability to succeed. The business succeeded and the people all prospered. Not only were the employees treated this way, but customers, suppliers and everyone associated with the business received respect.

This is an example of a real business culture built on real values, which make a great culture for work.

Long-term sustainable success requires treating customers, employees, and all others involved with an organization with respect and dignity, combined with the true drive to see everyone succeed.

// Congratulations, Ben Carlsrud

Leaders & Legacies Award Winner As president of Network Center, Inc., Ben always puts employees first. From growing the company from 20 employees to 85 during his 23 years at Network Center, to the development of an employee stock ownership plan, his accomplishments have undoubtedly left a proud legacy at our company.

Thank you, Ben, for your leadership—we’re proud of you! netcenter.net 800.723.5353

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31

BUSINESSINSIDER

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7

Arvig:

A leader in modern communication services

By Andrew Weeks

COMPANY SNAPSHOT:

Arvig provides service in more than half the counties in Minnesota, with its own fiber network that spans more than 10,000 route miles. With roots dating back to 1950, Arvig began as a small phone company in Otter Tail County, Minn., and has since become one of the largest independent service providers in the nation. Arvig provides business and residential solutions for internet, television, phone, security, Hosted PBX, wholesale and fiber transport. The company serves more than 20,000 businesses, including around 700 medical facilities, 350 plus schools and libraries and more than 47,000 internet customers. The growing Arvig-owned network reaches rural counties throughout Minnesota, as well as having fiber density in major metro hubs in Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Cloud and Rochester.

With speeds of up to 100Gb, the Arvig network serves homes, businesses, telecommunications companies and wireless carriers.

ARVIG IS ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES WHO WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SAYS DAVE SCHORNACK, THE COMPANY’S DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. ARVIG CURRENTLY HAS MORE THAN 800 EMPLOYEES IN SEVERAL STATES. IMAGE: ARVIG

A

rvig, which started as a phone company back in the 1950s in west-central Minnesota and has grown to nearly 900 employees in several states, hasn’t sat on its laurels but instead continues to look to the future.

The company – like technology – has come a long way over the past seven decades. Where once it was concerned about getting landlines to customers, now it is focused on staying on top of its game as the world becomes increasingly more connected through bandwidth and broadband services.

The market competition is heavy, with many smaller companies vying for space in the digital communications world. Few stand out as key players, and Arvig is one of them.

Much of the success it has achieved to date – and that which it likely will achieve in the future – stems from a simple philosophy: to treat customers and employees like family.

“We care about each other,” said Lisa Greene, the company’s marketing director. “We treat each other like family and family comes first in terms of where our priorities lie.”

That family treatment comes in many fashions for its employees – having a strong work-life balance, for one, but also creating a positive culture in which everybody is acknowledged for the part they play in the business.

And when it comes to customer relations, it is making sure they are served promptly and efficiently.

Even though the company has evolved, it hasn’t lost track of its main values.

And as Greene said, it hasn’t stopped learning.

One of the more recent things managers learned was how prepared the company was when they sent their employees home to work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Greene said that within 36 hours the company had shifted seamlessly to remote work, with few to no hiccups along the way.

Lisa Greene

Dave Schornack

continued on page 34

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Congratulations, Vern!

Thank you for your servant leadership. You’ve left a lasting impact on NISC, the telecom and utility industries across the nation — and beyond.

33

BusinessInsider

JULY 2020 VOL 21 ISSUE 7 continued From page 32

“I think we were more prepared than any of us thought we were,” she said. “I think we even surprised ourselves.”

The company, however, didn’t escape without laying off some employees and furloughing others – a “very difficult side effect” for the company, Greene said. But at the time she spoke with Prairie Business in early June, she said most of the furloughed employees had returned to work. Its field crew, of course, continued doing their jobs outside, digging trenches and installing lines.

Summer is the busiest time for the company, when lines are easiest to install instead of trying to hack through winter’s frozen ground, even though that ground is not all in the upper Midwest. Arvig also has an office in Utah, with some 850 employees in all scattered across four states.

Greene said while most of the remote employees will likely return to the office when things are safe to do so, the company will be more flexible with those who want to work from home more often.

Flexibility, one of the appendages of a cultured work environment, is something the pandemic has reinforced. Or, as Greene said, another teaching moment for the company “We have employees who are dying to get back into the office and we have employees at home who are happy where they’re at,” she said.

“Right now, the stance that we're taking as a company is to wait until the governor says it’s OK and people feel comfortable getting back out and behaving as normally as the new normal is going to allow. … Even so we're going to have employees who still have preexisting conditions

or family members who are high risk and we're going to have to deal with that, make some decisions around what they want to do. … I think it's going to be different than we ever thought it would be. I don't think that everybody will end up coming back but I know we have a lot of decisions to make. And they haven't been made yet.”

For those who work remotely, however, the culture of the company has been at work.

Greene said one of the things department managers have done is hold virtual meetings that allow employees to discuss with their colleagues whatever it is that might be on their minds. She calls these meetings 20-minute water-cooler events.

“The first couple of times was a little awkward, but like everything else it got better when it became a routine,” she said. “When you're at work, part of the culture is the friendships that you create and you don't talk about work the entire time, you create relationships. These meetings are an effort to keep that going on a holistic basis, and then there are smaller groups that have virtual happy hours or virtual lunches, virtual coffee breaks, that sort of thing.”

Hiring might not be at the forefront of the company’s plan right now, but Dave Schornack, the company’s director of business development, said it is always on the lookout for potential employees who can and want to make a difference.

The company says it does all the traditional things to attract potential hires, including ads in newspapers and the internet, but it also actively recruits and joins job fairs and visits school campuses.

We take a personal interest in the work being done around us. And at the end of the day, we’re

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As for retaining employees, Greene and Schornack both said it comes back to the company’s culture. A positive yet challenging work environment helps employees want to stay. It also helps that each employee is invested in the company in another way, Schornack said.

“Everyone who works here is an owner of the company,” he said, explaining that Arvig adopted an employee stock ownership plan in 2002. “It’s been a huge positive, reinforcing the work they do every day. … We are a family-oriented type of organization.”

Greene said retaining employees “has to do with culture and making it a great place to work,” noting the future of the company depends on its leadership as well as its dependable and savvy staff, both those behind the desk and those out in the trenches.

Looking ahead, she believes the digital communication industry will continue to grow and that Arvig will be right there growing with it. Also, because there is a lot of competition, Greene said, many of the smaller players will likely have to consolidate. Arvig, however, plans on continuing to be a main player and one of the industry's influencers.

“We're not stagnant. We're not going to be left behind,” she said.

“We're always looking at what's new out there and what else we can do for our customers. We've got a customer-first mentality. Our goal is not to make things as easy as possible for us, but easy for our customers.”

ANDREW WEEKS PRAIRIE BUSINESS EDITOR AWEEKS@PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM 701-780-1276 | @PB_ANDREWWEEKS

50

BEST PLACES TO WORK 2020

Do you work for a great company?

STUDIES SHOW

companies that boost employee morale enjoy lower turnover, better financial performance than industry peers, improved track records on safety and higher quality job applicants.

Prairie Business

will salute the 50 Best Places to Work in its September issue.

Deadline is July 8, 2020

NOMINATE

your company at prairiebusinessmagazine.com by clicking on the BEST PLACES TO WORK link.

Nominate your company through an anonymous employee satisfaction survey. Companies will be rated in areas including benefits, culture and personal job satisfaction. Consideration will be given to the number of nominations received per company. The contest is open to companies and other organizations in the magazine’s readership area, which includes North and South Dakota as well as western Minnesota.

35

Insights&Intuition

JULY 2020

SPONSORED BY

VOL 21 ISSUE 7

Q.

INSIGHTs & INTUITION What’s the most important factor you consider when hiring a new employee?

Tena Lawrence Executive Vice President University of Jamestown Jamestown, N.D.

One question I always ask when considering hiring an individual is, “Can this person lead?” Regardless of the position that is being filled or what the responsibilities of that position are, if you find leadership characteristics in your candidate you can check off a whole list of desired attributes.

Leaders are not always the person in charge, they are the people who can unite a group and create dedication to your mission.

Being a big fan of servant leadership, I find looking for leadership traits such as honesty, empathy, commitment, ethics, and resilience will identify a candidate who is worth investing in. Skills can be learned; if you find a candidate that has the personal traits of leadership you will find someone you can trust to work to achieve your organization’s mission.

Asking questions about how the individual uses personal time to support the community, how do they define leadership, and what characteristics they value in coworkers, can help identify leadership traits. I feel looking past the resume, into personal values, will identify a long-term, committed employee.

Usually when we are looking for pilots, we are expecting to see experience and qualifications. The experience can come in the metrics of flight time on manned and unmanned aircraft. We also like to see the number of missions or flight operations a pilot has successfully executed because there is a significant difference there in the drone world versus the manned aviation industry.

The qualifications can come in the form of a bachelor’s or master’s degree in UAS from one of the top schools, safety audits, or ratings for aircraft in the defense sector as many of our pilots are ex-military. We really prefer pilots from the University of North Dakota, Kansas State University, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University if they are not veterans.

These credentials will get a candidate in the door for us and we then really look to see in our interviews if the individual is a team player and would fit the professional culture of our organization while being an asset in the attainment of SkySkopes’ vision and mission.

36

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Matt Dunlevy Owner SkySkopes Grand Forks, N.D.

At Dakota Carrier Network, our focus is to hire new employees that are willing to embrace our three core values: responsiveness, reliability and valuing long-term relationships. We all know that hiring can be a timeconsuming process and training new employees is an investment. So, while it is important to find people with the right skills for a job, being a good fit for the organization is just as important if they are going to stay.

For a business to succeed, everyone must be working toward the same goal with the same set of values.

To help us identify potential employees that understand and will live out these values, DCN has utilized People Analyzer to help us ask the right questions during our interview process. This has lessened the subjectivity of an interview and assisted with more clearly identifying if someone is a fit for the seat we are looking to fill and our organization’s culture. After all, we value long-term relationships with both our customers and our employees.

Tom Shorma CEO/President WCCO Belting Wahpeton, N.D.

Nancy Bjorndahl Business Manager Dakota Carrier Network Fargo, N.D.

We believe that anyone can build a rewarding career in manufacturing, and you don’t need experience in our industry to find success. What a candidate does require, however, is a willingness to learn. WCCO Belting’s products and processes are extremely unique, that’s why we’ve invested in a robust internal training program. Employees start on a level playing field and train side-by-side regardless of past experience, age, gender or first language, which improves their assimilation into our culture.

Since we train job-specific hard skills, WCCO’s recruitment strategy is focused on identifying candidates with soft skills.

To be willing to learn they must also have the ability to listen, communicate – ask questions, collaborate, and carry a positive attitude. Our Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is, “Loving where you work begins with the people you work with,” so we encourage and financially reward employees for referring candidates they know and trust. I’ve always told the team, “I’d rather pay you to recruit family and friends than pay to place an ad.” We’re fortunate that strategy continues to bring in great people with the willingness to learn and soft skills we are looking for.

Charles Cooper

Renee Daffinrud

(701) 499-7551 3001 25th St, Fargo

(701) 751-8511 1601 N 12th St, Bismarck

Private Banking Manager

Private Banking Manager

Our Private Bankers are here to take care of your financial service needs; to build that trust, to accomplish your goals, so you can do what matters most, Live First.

FIBT.com

37

ByTheNumbers

JULY 2020

SPONSORED BY

VOL 21 ISSUE 7

FREIGHT SHIPMENT SERVICES U.S. AIRLINES PASSENGER DATA

From previous month: -51.3% -96.1%

-7.7%

ry

From same month of previous year:

ru a

ry

April 2020 Freight Shipment Index -10.0%

Ma r

ch

Fe b

ua

er

6.7%

Ja n

mb ce

De

No

ve m

er

be

r

r be pt em

Se

Au gu s

Ju ly

Ju ne

to b

Ma y

8.8%

5.7%

Oc

5.2%

t

3.8%

Ap ril

U.S. airlines carried 96% fewer scheduled service passengers in April 2020 than in April 2019, according to preliminary data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics by 24 airlines that carry 99% of the passengers. The decline in the number of passengers is the largest year-to-year decrease on record, larger than the 51% decline from March 2019 to March 2020. The large airlines carried 3 million passengers in April, the lowest monthly total in BTS records dating back to 1974. The previous low was 14.6 million passengers in February 1975.

The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI), which is based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry, fell 7.7% in April from March, falling for the third consecutive month, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. From April 2019 to April 2020, the index fell 10.0% compared to a rise of 2.7% from April 2018 to April 2019 and a rise of 8.0% from April 2017 to April 2018.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics A 20 pril* 20

*April 2020 data is preliminary Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics

CIVILIAN UNEMPLOYMENT

PRODUCTIVITY AND COST

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 2.5 million in May, and the unemployment rate declined to 13.3%, according to recent data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These improvements in the labor market reflected a limited resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed in March and April due to the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to contain it. In May, employment rose sharply in leisure and hospitality, construction, education and health services, and retail trade. By contrast, employment in government continued to decline sharply.

Nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased 0.9%t in the first quarter of 2020, according to the most recent data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as output decreased 6.5% and hours worked decreased 5.6%. From the first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of 2020, productivity increased 0.7%, reflecting no change in output and a 0.7% decrease in hours worked.

Percent

3.0

Percent

17.5

2.0

15.0 12.5

1.0

120

0.0%

0.0

7.5 -1.0

5.0

Labor Productivity

May 2012

May 2014

May 2016

May 2018

May 2020

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

38

Hours worked

United Labor costs

Hourly compensation

Real hourly compensation

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

2.5 May 2010

Output

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BE YOU R BEST.

Guided by our fundamental beliefs, we know that how we work is just as important as what we do. We take care of our employees, challenging and supporting them to be their best.

Because no matter how much we grow, people will always be our most valuable assets.

Explore open positions at Alerus.com or call 800.279.3200.

Care, right where you are.

VIRTUAL VIDEO VISIT Face-to-face interaction with your Essentia Health provider from the convenience of home or work.

We’ve introduced virtual video visits, allowing you to receive care from your provider, right where you are.

Virtual visits are now available for nearly all clinic appointment types in most specialty areas.

Virtual Visits are done through the MyHealth website or the MyChart app using your own computer, tablet or smartphone.

EssentiaHealth.org/VirtualVisit