Prairie Business June 2021

Mike Dunn of Construction Engineers

We designtheplaces wheregreat people thrive.

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ST RA TE GI CB US IN ESS IN SI GH TS FR OM AL ER US

BE NE FI T? HE RE ’S WHA TTOA SK YO UR SE LF

Re ti re ment be ne fi ts ar ea mo ng th eb es tk no wn and mo st de si ra ble em pl oy ee be ne fi ts of fere d. So why don’ tm or eb us inesses of fe rt he m?

Re ti re ment be ne fi ts ar ea mo ng th eb es tk no wn and mo st de si ra ble em pl oy ee be ne fi ts of fere d. So why don’ tm or eb us inesses of fe rt he m?

No ta ll to ol sa re ri gh tf or ev er ys it ua ti on ,b ut th ere al so ca nbealot of mi su nd er st andi ng ab ou tc omplex company- sp on sore db enefi ts .O wner swho areleer yof ge tt inginovert heir head or whoa ren’ tsureift he ef fort wi ll be wor th it mayhesitate to ma ke such abig ch ange. If youl iket he ideaofof fe ri ng re ti re ment be ne fit sb ut aren’t su re wheretos ta rt ,a sk your se lf:

No ta ll to ol sa re ri gh tf or ev er ys it ua ti on ,b ut th ere al so ca nbealot of mi su nd er st andi ng ab ou tc omplex company- sp on sore db enefi ts .O wner swho areleer yof ge tt inginovert heir head or whoa ren’ tsureift he ef fort wi ll be wor th it mayhesitate to ma ke such abig ch ange. If youl iket he ideaofof fe ri ng re ti re ment be ne fit sb ut aren’t su re wheretos ta rt ,a sk your se lf:

Wi ll it prov idea recr uiti ng or retention edge, andwhatist hatwor th?

Wi ll it prov idea recr uiti ng or retention edge, andwhatist hatwor th?

In atig ht labormarket, ma ny busi nesses strugg le to hi re andkeepgood pe ople. Aret irementpla nc an he lp you standout from thecompetitionorkeepanemployeef rom wa lk ing(especiallyw it hopt ions that rewa rdlongev it y). Depend ingonhow ha rd it is foryou to findgoodpeople, th is couldt ip thesca les.

In atig ht labormarket, ma ny busi nesses strugg le to hi re andkeepgood pe ople. Aret irementpla nc an he lp you standout from thecompetitionorkeepanemployeef rom wa lk ing(especiallyw it hopt ions that rewa rdlongev it y). Depend ingonhow ha rd it is foryou to findgoodpeople, th is couldt ip thesca les.

Howw ill aretirementbenefita ffec tmy bot toml ine?

Howw ill aretirementbenefita ffec tmy bot toml ine?

Noth inginl ifeisf ree, but some things areabet tervalue. Th at incl ud es re ti re mentpl an s. Yo ur bu si ne ss co uld be ne fi tf ro mt ax ad va nt ag es th eg ov er nm en to ff ers to en co ur ag em or ee mp lo ye rs to pr ov idere ti re me nt

Noth inginl ifeisf ree, but some things areabet tervalue. Th at incl ud es re ti re mentpl an s. Yo ur bu si ne ss co uld be ne fi tf ro mt ax ad va nt ag es th eg ov er nm en to ff ers to en co ur ag em or ee mp lo ye rs to pr ov idere ti re me nt

be ne fi ts .A nd bu si ne ss co nt ri bu ti on stoe mp lo yee re ti re ment ar et ax-a dv an taged ,w hich ca nh elpy our bu si ness come ta xt ime.

be ne fi ts .A nd bu si ne ss co nt ri bu ti on stoe mp lo yee re ti re ment ar et ax-a dv an taged ,w hich ca nh elpy our bu si ness come ta xt ime.

What kindofpla nmakes themostsense formybusiness?

What kindofpla nmakes themostsense formybusiness?

401( k),SIM PL EI RA ,SEP –it’sareg ular alphabet soup.But be hi nd all those ac rony ms andnumber s, each op tion of fers unique feat ures, benefits, andoppor tu nities more than ca nbe ex plai nedina fewwords. Ta lk to an ex pert whoc an he lp youu nder st an d, unr avel ,a nd ev aluate your op tion s,wh ic ha re probablymoree xten sive th an yourea li ze.

401( k),SIM PL EI RA ,SEP –it’sareg ular alphabet soup.But be hi nd all those ac rony ms andnumber s, each op tion of fers unique feat ures, benefits, andoppor tu nities more than ca nbe ex plai nedina fewwords. Ta lk to an ex pert whoc an he lp youu nder st an d, unr avel ,a nd ev aluate your op tion s,wh ic ha re probablymoree xten sive th an yourea li ze.

What wi ll it ta ke to of fer andmanageapla n?

What wi ll it ta ke to of fer andmanageapla n?

Yo u’ve go ta lo tony ou rp la te ,sof ig ur eo ut ho wa re ti rementpl an fits. Mayb eyou rbusinessh as ap er son wh oc an mana ge th ep la n, or ma yb et he y’ ll ne ed tr ainin g. Do your un ever yt hi ng your se lf? Ab enefi ts pa rt ne rc an ha nd le ad mini st ration ,c om mu nication s, en roll ment ,a nd supp or tfor area sonable cost.

Yo u’ve go ta lo tony ou rp la te ,sof ig ur eo ut ho wa re ti rementpl an fits. Mayb eyou rbusinessh as ap er son wh oc an mana ge th ep la n, or ma yb et he y’ ll ne ed tr ainin g. Do your un ever yt hi ng your se lf? Ab enefi ts pa rt ne rc an ha nd le ad mini st ration ,c om mu nication s, en roll ment ,a nd supp or tfor area sonable cost.

The re arelots of reas on stoo ff er re ti re ment be ne fi ts, even be yond thehelpitprovidestoyou re mploye es to prepa re as ol id fu tu re fort he ms el ve s.Wi thther ig ht gu id ance,you mayfi nd th at of feri ng aret irementplan ma kesmoresen se th an youwould ex pe ct.

The re arelots of reas on stoo ff er re ti re ment be ne fi ts, even be yond thehelpitprovidestoyou re mploye es to prepa re as ol id fu tu re fort he ms el ve s.Wi thther ig ht gu id ance,you mayfi nd th at of feri ng aret irementplan ma kesmoresen se th an youwould ex pe ct.

SHOU LD YO UR BU SI NE SS OF FE RAR ET IRE ME NT PLAN

SHOU LD YO UR BU SI NE SS OF FE RAR ET IRE ME NT PLAN BE NE FI T?

HE RE ’S WHA TTOA SK YO UR SE LF

BigImpact: Howthe Dakota SkipperButtertlyCould Impact Your Next Engineering Project

The conservation of pollinators and their habitats has beena hot topic in the Midwest and across the nation in recent years. The most popular pollinator that most people think of isthe honeybee, but there is an equallycriticalpollinator that is disappearing from the Upper Midwest region at an alarming rate: the Dakota skipper butterfly. The Dakota skipper, federally protected under the Endangered SpeciesAct, is a small butterfly that makes its home in the remnant prairiesof North Dakota,South Dakota, Minnesota, and southern Canada. Their original range is unknown due to habitat loss that preceded large-scale biological surveys in the central U.S., however extensive surveying indicates the species has vanished from more than75% of its original range.

Since the Dakotaskipper and its habitat are protected, engineering projects such as oil and gas sites, roadways, airports, or even pipelines need to use caution when choosing aproject route.Many of these projects also crossthrough private land,which is where about50% of the known Dakota skipper population resides. ConductingDakota skipper habitat surveys can help determinewhether planned project routesinterferewith Dakota skipperhabitat, which would mean the route would need to be amended or the project modified. Dakota skipper presence/absence surveys will determine whether or not the Dakota skipper is occupyingthe habitat, but this work canonly be completed withina three-to-four-weektime period and only by a small handful of permitted professionalsthrough the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) -13 individuals to be exact

One suchpermitted professional is Corie Ereth,Senior Environmental Planner at KU. Corie is an expert in environmental conservation andenvironmental planning.She has worked in coordination with private landowners, local, state, federal, and Tribal agencies. Soon after the Dakota skipperwas listed as a threatened species, she collaborated with the Bureau of Land ManagementCBLM) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to develop abotanical survey method foridentifying potential Dakota skipper habitat.

Working at the intersection of conservation, development,and landownercoordination, Corie is able to identify potential Dakota skipper habitat andprovide consultation to clients on waysto move their projects forward while also conserving Dakota skipper habitat.

At KLJ, we love creating solutionsthat both reimagine what engineeringcan be and help conserve the environment for generations to come. For more on ourenvironmental capabilities, visit www.kljeng.com.

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Building into the future

It’s June, and with that comes the Prairie Business construction issue.

What’s inside?

Architects, construction managers and others in the know say they are noticing some challenges on the horizon as it relates to completing projects in the region: the high demand – and thus the higher cost – for materials.

“My biggest concern right now is we have quite a few projects on the books, but I don’t know if there will be material to build all of it,” said Terri Miller, an architect at Architecture Incorporated in Sioux Falls, S.D.

That definitely creates some challenges for the industry.

What the future will hold for some projects is yet to be seen, but with exceptional industry leaders in the region there is no doubt they will work hard to innovate and plan to surmount the obstacles.

In fact, that is what Minot, N.D.-based Ackerman-Estvold is already doing. At least in some cases, the company works with clients to keep their projects moving forward by researching additional funding options, according to Ryan Anderson, the company’s vice president and senior architect.

Even with these challenges, Mike Dunn, development manager at Construction Engineers, said he is noticing many businesses doing interior remodels and upgrades to keep employees spread out more in a world where social distancing, at least to some degree, may be part of the new normal.

There’s also a story about a student from Mitchell (S.D.) Technical College who will be in the workforce soon enough. It’s fitting for this issue that he is pursuing a career in the world of construction.

June is always a tough one to tackle for this reason: we cannot list all of the projects going on in the region, materials challenges are not. We know we’ve missed some.

For those projects not mentioned within the following pages, send them in an email (see below) so we can profile them on the Prairie Business website.

Good luck on your new build.

Until next time, Andrew Weeks

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

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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Scrambling rent checks and business plans, COVID reorganizes the law

By Sam Easter

Patrick Burns is a Minneapolis lawyer. And like a lot of his colleagues in property law, he’s carefully watching the Minnesota legislature’s pandemic “offramp” – meant to slowly let pressure out of the pent-up demand for evictions that have been halted during COVID-19.

“It’ll be interesting to see how the courts and the law firms respond to all this. I can’t predict how it’s going to be,” Burns said. “I can tell you that the longer that it goes on, it’s my opinion that the greater amount of economic dislocation is going to occur. You need to bring balance back into the housing market.”

But as of early May, Minnesota leaders were still debating how to legislate the end of the eviction moratorium, with one plan allowing evictions in stages – for tenants in serious breach of their lease, then later for tenants with unpaid rent who don’t qualify for state assistance. Another would require landlords make tenants aware of rental assistance programs months ahead of an eviction.

Whatever happens, Burns said, it’s clear that something must be done. The system isn’t set up for the number of evictions that would otherwise hit it all at once.

“I think everybody wants to avoid the massive deluge that that will create, because there’s simply not enough judicial officers,” Burns said.

The knotty problems raised by the eviction moratorium are one of the countless ways COVID has upended not only daily life, but the regular rhythm of the law office. Burns points out that criminal defense attorneys are watching a trend of their own, with COVID lockdown keeping potential clients out of trouble.

“I don’t know a criminal defense attorney right now who’s very busy,” he said. “Most people aren’t out at bars getting into trouble.”

The pandemic has often worked in mysterious ways. Bankruptcies were widely expected to soar at the beginning of the pandemic, with law offices bracing for a wave of commercial filings. That did happen – but a commensurate spike in consumer bankruptcy never materialized, dropping 22% in 2020 on a strong stimulus response from the

government, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Dan Eaton, a Minneapolis attorney with Christensen Law Office, recalls the uncertainty the pandemic injected into markets. In the early months, he said, there was a big jump in people trying to undo real estate transactions.

“Sometimes it was the seller, sometimes it was the buyer,” Eaton said. “Because sellers were afraid to move – they were afraid of the change of moving – and buyers were afraid to take on the responsibility of owning a new home or owning other property. But it seems that has really subsided and people have sort of gotten comfortable, at least on the residential side of things.”

And as the pandemic has worn on, lawyers are beginning to appreciate some of the changes it’s brought on. Suddenly, the magic of telecommunications, plus COVID necessity, means a court system that’s built to take remote clients and counselors.

“if you’ve got an eviction in St. Louis County, (or) Duluth,” Burns said, “you can now hire an attorney out of the cities.”

And that’s something that could transform the legal profession long after COVID and the question of evictions is gone. Howard Swanson, a Grand Forks attorney with Swanson and Warcup, said that the pandemic made it clear from the very beginning that things had to be done remotely.

“It became apparent that, to continue forward with matters of litigation and arbitration, you had to adapt,” he said. “The days of in-person hearings, the days of in-person depositions were on hold. And nobody had a crystal ball to predict how long that hold was going to last.” The result could be something of a watershed moment for the legal profession – with remote arguments and depositions and the like. In a field not exactly known for its rapid changes, it’s a big deal.

“I’ve practiced law for 37 years, and these were perhaps the most substantial and major changes that happened in a very short time in the court systems that I’ve experienced,” Swanson said. “The judicial system isn’t known for making quick decisions, and they are not known to make major jumps in logistics and procedures without some significant study and deliberation and the like.”

And Swanson said it makes a big impact – cutting costs for travel and lodging and efficiently linking attorneys around the country. Mac Schneider, a Grand Forks attorney with Schneider Law Firm, agrees. “I think some of those changes in the long run are going to really benefit our clients,” he said. “You don’t have to have someone drive in from Wishek, North Dakota to drive into Fargo to have a conversation with an attorney.”

Dan Eaton

Howard Sawnson

Doosan Bobcat

expands plant in Litchfield, Minn.

By Andrew Weeks

While some businesses have struggled or even closed shop during the past year of the coronavirus pandemic, Doosan Bobcat has expanded.

In particular, it expanded its production facility in Littlefield, Minn.

The $26 million expansion project nearly tripled the size of the facility that was originally built in the 1990s. It went from 70,000 square feet to 200,000 square feet, said Doosan Bobcat North American President Mike Ballweber.

The added space – a multi-month project that started in September 2019 and was completed in January – means more production capacity and more employees.

The company is now seeking to fill more than 100 jobs at the expanded plant, Ballweber said, noting the hiring of new employees will be done in a phased approach through 2021. The Litchfield plant now has 140 employees, but by the end of the year plans to grow that number to more than 250.

He said production jobs currently being added include assembler, fabricator, material handler and welder positions.

“Our business is growing and we love the fact that we're able to bring more job opportunities and more development for a lot of communities in Minnesota,” Ballweber said.

The Litchfield facility produces more than 250 unique attachments to equip Bobcat machines for specific tasks. According to information from the company, the expansion adds new assembly lines and upgrades, conveyor systems, a new paint line, and climate control systems, all designed to add efficiency and provide additional manufacturing capabilities to meet the growing customer demand for Bobcat products.

Ballweber said he feels for those companies that have struggled over the past year of the pandemic, but is excited about the direction his company is headed.

“Ag is actually starting to come back in the US and in the upper Midwest and that's been a benefit,” he said. “A lot of equipment goes into rental companies and those businesses are starting to go up for a lot of the same reasons: people doing projects. And so, really, a lot of the markets that we hit are growing.”

He said even on large infrastructure construction projects that typically tend to use larger equipment, Bobcat equipment shows up on the job site for smaller jobs.

Ballweber said he knows it might be a challenge to fill so many positions by the end of the year, but it’s a challenge his team is ready to meet. They already have conducted labor studies of the Litchfield and surrounding areas; for instance, how large of a radius from which to draw people.

“After that we look at what the population is in that area. And if you dig a little deeper you start to analyze what skill sets are available, how many trade schools are in the area,” he said. “We did a lot of that and think we have enough of a radius that we can attract people.

“But it's obviously a really tough job market right now, for us and for a lot of other industries, and so we have to make sure we're competitive in the area and doing all those things that attract people. We're confident we can get them, but we know it's going to be a challenge because of the tough job market right now in general, trying to find people.

“We’ve done a lot of traveling around the whole US this past couple of weeks and everywhere we went there were help wanted signs.”

Ballweber said despite the challenges, the future looks bright for Doosan Bobcat and its plant in Litchfield.

Projects in other markets include an investment of $11 million in Statesville, N.C., and a commitment of $6 million in facility and manufacturing enhancements in Johnson Creek, Wis.

“We are experiencing significant opportunities in Litchfield,” Mike Kiefer, Litchfield site operations manager at Doosan Bobcat, said in a statement that was sent to Prairie Business. “We are excited about the growth and the chance to expand our workforce.”

A look at the numbers:

• Projected total workforce of 250-plus employees at full capacity, expected by end of 2021

• 9,000 yards of concrete were used, which equates to 900 trucks and 36,450,000 pounds

• 1,390,440 pounds of building steel, which includes a new 34,000pound roof beam for the 150-foot clear span roof

• 173,450 feet of rebar, or 32.85 miles, used in the expansion space floor

• 24,533 cubic yards, or 61,332,500 pounds/1,792 truckloads of fill brought into the construction site

• 22,500 cubic yards of materials, or 56,250,000 pounds/1,490 truckloads removed from the site

• 250 unique, different attachment products to be produced at facility

Source: Doosan Bobcat

THIS AERIAL VIEW SHOWS DOOSAN BOBCAT’S EXPANDED FACILITY IN LITCHFIELD, MINN. IMAGE: COURTESY OF DOOSAN BOBCAT

A SPACE SHOWN IN THE NEWLY EXPANDED PLANT IN LITCHFIELD, MINN. THE BUILDING WENT FROM 70,000 SQUARE FEET TO 200,000 SQUARE FEET. IMAGE: COURTESY OF DOOSAN BOBCAT

In demand

By Andrew Weeks

High demand for construction material creates some challenges for projects

Ryan Anderson and his team at Ackerman-Estvold keep busy all year long with a number of architecture and engineering projects, but pricing for construction material has risen dramatically in recent months causing challenges to complete some projects.

At least a couple of projects the Minot, N.D.-based company had been working on has been put on hold because of this dilemma.

“Within the past six weeks or so, we've seen a number of things happen,” he told Prairie Business on May 11. “We started to hear a lot of information, a lot of chatter from different contractors about issues with supply chain and the issue with costs on all kinds of materials, whether it's manufacturing materials or even the raw materials themselves.”

Clients who postponed projects last year because of the pandemic are wanting to build now, including on the residential side as homeowners want to take advantage of low interest rates.

“They might have been holding off over this past year, or maybe they stopped the project,” he said, “but now they're gearing back up and so there's a lot of demand for materials … Material prices are really skyrocketing right now.”

It’s a problem not only in North Dakota, but a challenge across the country.

According to an economic report released on May 7 by Wells Fargo,

lumber prices have increased over the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused saw mills to shut down in some states. Lumber futures contracts for May priced at $1,645 per 1,000 board feet, according to the report. That’s up about 60% from the month prior and 374% over the past year.

Demand, however, has proved more resilient.

Terri Miller, an architect with Architecture Incorporated in Sioux Falls, S.D., said she is noticing something similar in her market.

“Right now my biggest concern is we have quite a few projects on the books, but I don’t know if there will be material to build all of it,” she said. “We have to be creative to get structures built. We’re forced to explore new ideas to get to where we need to go.”

Anderson said his team at Ackerman-Estvold do what they can to help the client, such as researching additional funding options and identifying grant opportunities, to keep projects moving forward.

In the worse-case scenario, sometimes a project halts or is postponed.

It is a gamble to guess how long this challenge will last. Anderson said it could last four months to four years, but Miller said she’s heard chatter it could last three to five years.

Or it could be over tomorrow.

But likely not.

continued on page 18

Our rootshererundeep.That’s whyBasinElectric’s members andemployeesdowhateverittakestomakesureyouhave theelectricityyouneedtopoweryouroperation,heat yourhome and stayconnected.

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continued From page 16

Remodeled workspace

That doesn’t mean that projects are still not being put on the books, but going forward could be rough for some of them.

Industry professionals say they are seeing other types of projects happening in the business world too, especially as more people head back into an office setting. For some business, like Ulteig, the office setting is not going to look the same as it did pre-pandemic.

President and CEO Doug Jaeger told Prairie Business that his team is focusing on turning some offices into “collaboration centers,” where employees can gather with other team members for project discussion and ideas, but spend other days working remotely.

Miller said some businesses that have employees in the office have inquired about installing taller cubicle walls for those desks with high-rise desktops to help prevent airborne particles from escaping to the next desk.

She also said infection-control tools that fit into HVAC systems and filter out air-borne particles are something that some companies also have adopted, but these high-priced tools are usually seen more in hospitals or larger corporations.

Mike Dunn, business development manager at Construction Engineers in Grand Forks, said he also is seeing businesses wanting to do remodel projects for a post-pandemic world.

Other projects include remodels to bring buildings up to current standards.

“We’ve got two or three things when it comes to the projects right now that we're seeing,” Dunn said. “The CARES Act funding, and some of this federal funding for schools, health care and other public buildings is coming through to help move things along as far as personal safety and COVID response is concerned and just overall health and wellness. We're seeing a lot of interior remodels and upgrades that way, helping health care to comply with new standards, setting up for infection control and some of those things.”

TERRI MILLER, AN ARCHITECT WITH ARCHITECTURE INCORPORATED IN SIOUX FALLS, S.D., IS SEEN IN A MEETING. THE OTHER IMAGES ARE OF JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, ONE OF THE PROJECTS SHE IS EXCITED ABOUT. IMAGE: COURTESY OF ARCHITECTURE INCORPORATED

Developing communities that serve all

The landscape of our communities is carved by the homes, businesses, roads and green spaces that support our day-to-day activities and wellbeing. Developing it all takes understanding the needs of the people these structures will serve, but it’s also so much more.

“We look at each project differently,” said Michael J. Domitrovich, Creative Land Innovations urban planner, principal and co-founder. “We start with being good stewards of the land, but then combine that with functionality, creativity and visual appeal while serving all involved; from landowners to the end-users.”

Creative Land Innovations is a land planning and full-service civil engineering firm specializing in municipal and private projects, including 55-and-up communities and urban developments. The partners at CLI work with

both private and government entities, understanding the needs of both the client and the city and addressing those needs through each project from start to finish. Perhaps the team’s biggest attribute is the value they place on these relationships.

“At the end of the day ‘people hire people,’” said Austin Peterson, CLI principal, managing partner and co-founder. “We get a lot of our work through previous work we’ve completed and how we’ve treated and valued our clients.”

One of their current projects is with R & H Properties, owner of a large tract of land in Hawley, MN that is being platted and developed into single-family homes. R & H contracted CLI to provide land planning, consulting and engineering services throughout the project. Without CLI, the owner would be responsible for developing their own land and understanding all of the options

available to them. CLI keeps the landowner informed and involved during every phase of the project and represents them during discussions, such as city meetings, while understanding the needs of the city.

“We wish we would have partnered with CLI sooner! The experience and expertise they have brought to the table has been phenomenal,” said Dan Noreen, R & H Properties owner. “Because of them, I believe the last phases of our development will be much more successful and good for the future of our community. And to top it off, they are fun people to work with!”

The team strives to stay in tune with the needs of those involved on the backend of projects, but they’re also focused on creating something that serves the people who will be using the spaces today and beyond.

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“We use innovative designs that help lower specials for homeowners, making buying a home accessible to more people,” Domitrovich said. “Our urban designs blend visual appeal, affordability and functionality. But we also want to create something other than the ‘cookie-cutter’ neighborhoods.”

Stevan Dewald, P.E. CLI civil engineer and partner, leads the team in designing smart and affordable neighborhoods that allow residents to not just live in these areas, but to experience them. Whether it’s open green spaces, neighborhood trail systems, landscaping and water features, gazebos or picnic areas, designing for the community is top of mind.

Bronson Mathiason—director of design and construction for CLI and managing partner of Horizon Homes, a Fargo-Moorhead homebuilder—works to construct homes that are specific to the neighborhoods the CLI team designs. CLI also focuses on enhancing convenience and accessibility with minimal through-streets in neighborhoods, adequate places for snow storage, sidewalks as connection points and ease of access to schools. Fifty-and-up neigh-

borhoods are also designed to give residents access to often-visited locations in the community, including clinics, grocery stores and places where they can connect and stay active.

“By creating smaller pockets of 10 to 15 homes we help promote that feeling of community,” Domitrovich said.

Being good stewards of the land is also one of the company’s guiding principles.

“Because the earth was here first, we design with nature,” he added. From topography and ground cover to landscaping and parks the team balances open spaces and buildings, but also, water to help protect property, reduce demand on stormwater drainage systems, and protect the environment.

Having all the right resources, from planning to engineering, under “one roof” ensures the team is equipped with the knowledge and experience required to carry out successful projects that honor the clients and the land. It also allows the team to work seamlessly to provide all the services and guidance clients need from start to finish.

“Our team really works to do right by the environment and everyone involved,” Peterson said. “We want to ensure the whole experience is streamlined and serves our communities today, tomorrow and beyond.”

For information regarding CLI services or planned developments please contact the team at Info@plan4cli.com or 701-356-3113.

CURRENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHT

Seter Groves is a 55-and-up community of 10 single-family homes that will be located in a quiet cul de sac in Glyndon, MN. CLI designed the cul de sac to feature creative use of the open space that is traditionally concrete from curb to curb. A streetscape of trees and signage will be the centerpiece of the space, greeting homeowners and visitors as they arrive. In addition, a street light system enhances safety in the neighborhood and en-

with all entities make him an asset to every CLI project.

JOHN MEYER, PHD - DEVELOPMENT & FINANCIAL ADVISOR,

PARTNER, PRINCIPAL

Meyer helps CLI and landowners secure the local and state funding necessary to carry out each project. He also provides professional economic development, community development, public finance and government accounting advice to municipalities and companies in rural Minnesota. Over his tenure as an advisor he’s secured and managed $25.7 million in grant funds from state and federal sources for economic development, community development and public improvement projects. His efforts have also helped recruit and retain 28 businesses for client communities, which also created more than 1,700 new jobs and $34.8 million in additional tax base.

sures it’s both auto- and pedestrian-friendly. Construction of the community is scheduled to begin summer of 2021.

The CLI team was challenged with developing the Seter Groves subdivision as part of a larger community. The established area posed some challenging design considerations, including topographical concerns, existing trees and a holding pond. The CLI team also had to maintain proper access to the property from 7th Street and minimize water runoff. By working closely with planning, engineering, the city and the landowner the team came together to design something that will serve the land and the future homeowners.

AUSTIN PETERSON - MANAGING PARTNER, PRINCIPAL, CO-FOUNDER Peterson works alongside CLI clients and partners to ensure that everyone is working towards the same vision for growth. He has extensive experience working with federal, state and local government agencies, both as clients and on behalf of clients. His background in construction and land development continues to foster trust and partnerships for CLI clients.

MICHAEL J. DOMITROVICH - URBAN PLANNER, PRINCIPAL, CO-FOUNDER Domitrovich works with the city government and prepares the urban planning documentation and sketch plans for the city and the client. His more than 35 years of experience in municipal and land planning includes a 20year career as a city planner for the City of Fargo and consulting for both the private and public sectors. His experience with gathering public views on projects and dedication to creating seamless direction of projects

STEVAN DEWALD P.E. - CIVIL ENGINEER, PRINCIPAL, PARTNER

Stevan Dewald, P.E. oversees the civil, structural and surveying services performed by CLI. He has more than 40 years of experience in design, construction, project management and contract administration. He brings the same amount of dedication and focus to every project, from those that are small to some of the largest in the area, including the newest Sanford complex in Fargo. Dewald has also served as an engineer and manager on projects in both the local and interstate markets. His experience encompasses many fields of design with the primary focus of his work being general civil, municipal, transportation and environmental projects. Dewald is one of the few registered civil engineers in the area who can design public swimming pools. He also specializes in aquatic centers and interactive water play spaces.

BRONSON MATHIASON - DIRECTOR OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Mathiason has been part of planning several development projects over the years ranging from minor subdivisions to large pre-designed developments. While he works with land planning and engineering, his true passion is in home design. He has designed everything from sheds to multi-million-dollar homes. His unique perspective and experience assist the team plan for any kind of project.

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AUSTIN PETERSON

MICHAEL J. DOMITROVICH

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WORKING ALONGSIDE THE TEAM AT CLI HAS ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE WITH OUR DREAM OF DEVELOPING OUR LAND INTO AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS

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Construction Projects

Renovation of K-12 school in Hunter, N.D.

Construction planned for STEAM-based children’s museum in Minot., N.D. MINOT, N.D. • Construction started this spring on the Magic City Discovery Center, a 22,123-square-foot, interactive educational museum in Minot.

The one-of-a-kind hybrid children’s museum and science center will provide STEAM-based indoor and outdoor activities for children up to age 14, where kids will have fun while learning skills that prepare them for future careers.

Construction started in May by Kraus-Anderson.

“Contracts are being issued, shop drawings being reviewed, ordering of material and coordinating with the exhibit vendors,” K-A Senior Project Manager Curt Janssen, based in Bismarck, told Prairie Business.

The three-story educational building will feature 12 interactive exhibit galleries, focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). The discovery center is designed for open-ended, layered learning, allowing children to independently and collaboratively engage in lifelong learning through discovery, creativity and play.

The company said other STEAM-based exhibits in the children’s museum will include an aerial flight exhibit, digital worlds, light and sound labs – all designed to encourage creativity, exploration and problem solving.

Magic City Discovery Center expects thousands of families to visit the museum regularly, in addition to the more than 1,300 children in grades K-5 who live on and off the Minot Air Force Base.

Designed by Minot-based Ackerman-Estvold, the $14 million project, including exhibit costs, is funded in part by a $6.3 million grant from the Department of Defense, and through public-private partnerships with the city of Minot and Minot Park District.

The project is expected to be completed in fall of 2022.

“I am excited to be involved in a project that will benefit kids, their families, the State of North Dakota and beyond,” Janssen said. “Having the opportunity to do something unique that will impact lives for decades to come is very special.”

HUNTER, N.D. • The North Dakota office of Kraus-Anderson has begun a $3.2 million renovation of the K-12 school for Northern Cass Public School District in Hunter, N.D. Designed by Zerr Berg Architects, additions feature a new secure entry vestibule, commons area and music wing. Renovations also will be made to the existing serving kitchen, administration area and main entrance lobby.

Construction is expected to be completed in January 2022. The Northern Cass school is one of dozens of major K-12 construction projects KA will work on this year during its “Summer Sprint,” a critical, concentrated time during the summer months when school is not in session and when crews can perform work that ranges from new school construction to upgrades to deferred maintenance projects.

Over the past five years, KA has completed over $1 billion in K-12 projects.

Construction on Jackson County Central Schools in Lakefield, Minn.

LAKEFIELD, Minn. • Kraus-Anderson will begin construction on two projects for Jackson County Central Schools in Lakefield in southern Minnesota. The $26 million project includes the construction of a new middle school and interior remodeling of Pleasantview Elementary School.

Designed by JLG Architects, the new 84,000 square-foot Pleasantview Middle School features new classrooms, Career and Tech education learning spaces and science classrooms. The new school also adds a new gymnasium, band and choir areas, kitchen and commons area.

Interior renovations to Pleasantview Elementary School, located adjacent to the middle school, include air quality upgrades, as well as improvements meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements at all district buildings.

KA worked with the district on the $35.4 million district bond referendum, which voters passed in November 2019. The referendum addresses the district’s needs for facility replacement and improvements that will help to prepare students for careers and post-secondary education opportunities.

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The Gateway Phase II

FARGO, N.D. • Construction on The Gateway Phase II (The Arch), at 310 Main Ave, Fargo, will start this summer with a completion date planned for 2022.

The 15,000 square-foot facility will be seven stories tall and include a fitness room, community room, and patio.

The location, which overlooks the Red River, has great walkability to the downtown area and is close to popular destinations such as the YMCA, Island Park, restaurants, shopping, and more.

“EPIC Companies is excited to remain part of the historic, and continuously growing, Downtown Fargo and Moorhead communities,” the company said. “We are excited to offer space to both new and existing businesses wanting to join the gateway between Fargo and Moorhead. In addition to commercial space, The Arch offers both apartments and condos to this market. This project will be an addition to our goal of building and improving our local communities.”

Completion nears on Jefferson High School in Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. • Architecture Incorporated in Sioux Falls, S.D., is excited about the completion of Jefferson High School, which will take place this June.

The 327,000 square-foot, three-story project started in 2019, and will include core classroom spaces that are organized in five multi-disciplinary learning suites and consist of two learning communities that will serve 180 students each.

This arrangement aids in creating a secure campus and provides for a more comfortable student experience, according to the company. The learning suites are organized around the main circulation spine and centrally located media center.

The facility also features a competition gymnasium with seating for 2,000, locker rooms, wrestling room, gymnastics room, weight room, performing arts center with seating for 900, black box theatre, instrumental and vocal music rooms, technical education spaces, media

center, cafeteria and administrative offices.

The building is located near the existing Career and Technical Education Academy and Southeast Technical Institute in a growing area of the city.

The Eola

FARGO, N.D. • EOLA by EPIC, located at Anderson Park (just off 45th St. South), also in Fargo, will see the first phase begin this summer. The company said the large-scale, mixed-use development that will comprise seven buildings each around seven stories tall, will be ongoing for an expected timeline of five years

“EOLA is all about family, community, and entertainment,” according to information from the company. “It will be a regional destination location with a planned sled/tube hill, hockey rink, water feature, garden sculpture, a stage for events, skating, sidewalk, biking paths, park for activities, and more.”

It also is located in an “underutilized area of town, so we will be able to tie into the Red River Zoo, the hotels nearby and restaurants, adjacent to youth baseball, along with hockey rinks. It will bring a higher tax value to this part of town and another location for families to bring their children.”

EPIC is excited about it being close to the interstate and bringing a new dynamic to the community, providing a regional entertainment district and utilizing many of the nearby businesses.

JE Dunn Construction on Point to Point Park in Medora, N.D.

MEDORA, N.D. • JE Dunn Construction is excited about a project in Medora.

Called the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation Point to Park Park – basically an amusement park –the project will include an outdoor pool area including lazy river, leisure pool, splash deck, jumbo jumper, a mini zipline, pickleball courts, donor square and 3,000 square-foot pool house with mechanical/electrical spaces, restrooms, changing rooms and concessions.

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The project started in April and is expected to be complete by June 2022.

Site improvements, parking, and site furnishings also will be completed.

Medora is a tourist town as well as a local getaway destination. The addition of this amusement park will be another solid attraction for the area for years to come.

Project Manager Ryan Anderson said the project “is a very important addition to the community and not only that but it’s exciting to think about the sheer number of people from all across North America and beyond that over the years will enjoy this facility.”

Envy at The Lights

WEST FARGO, N.D. • ENVY at The Lights, located 360 32nd Ave. E, West Fargo, got underway this past spring and is set to be completed in late 2022.

The approximately 105,000 square-foot building, plus underground parking, will be seven stories and have both commercial space and residential floors that include apartments and condos.

The condo owners will receive exclusive perks such as a private fitness room, community room, pet wash station, underground parking, condo exclusive elevator, views overlooking West Fargo and more, according to information provided by the company. Buyers can choose different finish styles along with either one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. These will be the first condos of its kind to the area starting at $297,000.

The Lights development has been ongoing for a few years now but currently has turned into a destination location with an entertainment plaza along with providing quality living and commercial space for businesses.

Enclave breaks ground for new facility for Bodyworks Physical Therapy

FARGO, N.D. • Enclave in April broke ground on the new home for Bodyworks Physical Therapy in Fargo.

The future building will also be home to Bliss Massage.

The 7,000 square-foot building, located at 3161 43rd St. S., neighbors Fargo Center for Dermatology. The new location will support Bodywork’s growth as the business continues to improve pain and restore function through one-on-one manual therapy and individual exercise programs. The project is slated for completion in late fall.

Liberty Recreation Center planned in Rapid City, S.D. RAPID CITY, S.D. • The South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority said the Liberty Center recreation facility is planned to be completed in 2022, at a total cost of $12.6 million. It was designed by JLG Architects and construction services are being provided by Dean Kurtz Construction. The 60,000-squarefoot building will provide Ellsworth Air Force Base airmen and the Box Elder community with a recreation area suited for a variety of activities, including sports and military ceremonies. It will also serve as a crucial replacement for the Pride Hangar, which is

currently utilized for physical fitness activities on base. The Liberty Center is part of the larger Liberty Plaza being developed by Dream Design International, Inc. in Rapid City. The development is planned to include housing, retail and office space. The development’s goal is to support the growing population of Ellsworth Air Force Base in preparation for the arrival of the B-21 Raider. Building Liberty Plaza will add needed infrastructure, establish a new downtown in the city of Box Elder and revitalize the I-90 corridor and improve the quality of life for community members, military personnel and their families.

Kelly CollinsClaireSmith

into the

international market Ulteig expands

with acquisition of NLS Engineering in Ontario

By Andrew Weeks

When Melvin Ulteig founded his company in 1944 in his home’s basement in Fargo, N.D., it had three employees. He was one of them. The other two were his wife and a land surveyor.

Ulteig is today still headquartered in Fargo, but its footprint has grown substantially over the past 77 years. It has offices in more than 40 states and now one in the international market.

The company in late April finalized the acquisition of NLS Engineering in Hamilton, Ontario.

This is a boon to not only the company that now crosses the border between two countries, but it’s a sign of more good things to come. It means more skilled talent for team members to tap between offices in the U.S. and Canada, said Ulteig President and CEO Doug Jaeger.

The acquisition adds 39 new employees to the company – three principals, including NLS Engineering President and CEO Mark Presti. The other employees are primarily engineers and technical professionals, as well as supporting staff members.

“That is really the number one reason for the acquisition,” Jaeger said. “We’re a people business. We're only as good as our people, and we're gaining some really incredible talent.”

Jaeger said outside of this latest acquisition, the company has continued to expand over the past several years, from about 320 employees in 2015 when he arrived to nearly 750 today; 170 new positions were filled over the past year. What is perhaps more notable, he said,

is that the expansion into Canada happened during the pandemic and at a time when borders were closed.

That made both companies, Ulteig and NLS, think outside the box about how to make the partnership work. Jaeger said since his team couldn’t get into Canada, Presti and his team came to the U.S. They also did a lot of virtual meetings.

He said whenever Ulteig does an acquisition, it considers at least four things.

“One of them is their talent. The second thing is their reputation, and our reputation. Are they a good match?” he said. “We believe NLS has a phenomenal reputation in the system integration industry. Third is culture, and that's the hardest part to figure out when you're meeting virtually. So we spent a lot of time getting to know each other's culture and making sure it was a strong cultural fit for them and for us. And fourth, certainly, are the financial benefits of the acquisition.”

One benefit Jaeger is excited about is that the Ontario office can access the expertise of Ulteig team members, and vice versa.

Jaeger said his goal is twofold: Bring Ulteig’s expertise to clients in Canada, and NLS’s expertise to clients in the U.S. About 75% of NLS’s business already is in the U.S.

“We have a huge client base in the renewables and water space and we want to bring their competency to our clients,” he said. “So that's really the focus, to grow our capability

Mark Presti

Doug Jaeger

into their client base and grow their capability into our client base.”

Employees are being phased back into offices, but some employees may choose to continue working from home. That’s OK – but Jaeger said he wants to maintain the company’s culture, even while many may continue working remotely and especially now with a new Canada office.

As such, office environments may look different. Something it is doing is investing in “collaboration centers,” basically spaces where employees can come together from time to time to discuss projects and ideas with their colleagues.

Jaeger, who is excited about the direction the company is headed, said Ulteig expects to expand its footprint over the next five years.

“We're 77 years this year,” he said. “I think Mel would be pretty amazed to know that that company he created is now an international company. We do this in 44 states and now in Ontario.”

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Legacy building

A discussion with Mike Dunn of Construction Engineers

By Andrew Weeks

Mike Dunn has been working in the world of commercial construction for years, and the passing of time hasn’t lessened his excitement about seeing new projects come to life.

One project he is excited about this year – a first for Construction Engineers Inc., based in Grand Forks, N.D. – will take place at the International Peace Garden when it will help upgrade the garden’s conservatory and do some general infrastructure upgrades and renovations.

Dunn, business development manager for the company, didn’t have a date when the project would begin, but said the collaboration between North Dakota and Manitoba is a unique project for the company.

“This will be the first time for us with an international partner,” he said.

Another project he mentioned is KodaBank in Grand Forks, which will be completed this summer.

That project is 15,000 square feet – a little roomy for the small staff that will work there to begin with, according to a previous interview with KodaBank President Pete Anderson, but it provides room for future growth.

Something unique about the structure: It will be a two-story building with a tunneled drive-thru in the middle. The bank will be on one side of the drive-thru, and the leased offices on the other. The bank’s offices will be located above the tunnel.

Construction Engineers, which has around 200 employees, also is working on projects at the University of North Dakota campus, including the new Memorial Union building, and collaborating with Marvin for a campus-wide window replacement project.

Enough to keep busy for the rest of the season, but that’s not all. There’s also the High Plains Equipment project in Carrington, N.D. That project will be going on Highway 200 in the northeast area of Carrington, he said.

Dunn, who said he is excited about all of these projects, answered several questions for us about related topics pertaining to his work and the industry:

continued on page 34

“I think if you want to work in the field, we have a career path that allows you to advance from laborer to carpenter to foreman up to field superintendent. ... We’re offering some really cool paths to a good career – and good-paying careers – with a lot of satisfaction.”

Mike Dunn

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS HAS BEEN WORKING AT THE UND MEMORIAL BUILDING IN GRAND FORKS, N.D. IMAGE: COURTESY OF CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS

If you set the bar at competence, how do you reachexcellence?

continued From page 32

What made you decide to go into the construction industry?

Well, to be honest, I worked as a construction laborer a couple of summers in college and always thought it was pretty cool to see these big projects come together. Even at that age, without much skill, I thought it was cool to be part of that kind of team. And then as I got into business school at the University of North Dakota, I pursued a few different internships and jobs, I focused on marketing, business development, sales, team building and coaching, presenting and public speaking, those kinds of things. In our industry, there's a need for people to do those things. I work with our pre-construction team.

What are some of the challenges in the industry?

I think right now challenges are about workforce retention. Also, there are a lot of challenges right now with material availability and material price increases. That's unfortunate because it causes projects to cost more for the same square footage. That’s tough when you're talking about a school or a public facility with already limited means, and so we're trying to be efficient with schedules, to help move projects along quickly and counteract some of the additional increases in material cost.

What are some positives in the industry that you're noticing?

I think it's becoming cool to be in the trades and to be in technical careers. I think that's awesome. I love this industry and there's plenty of jobs and plenty of availability to work for a company like ours and develop your talents and develop a good living and have steady work for a long time. A lot of folks think there's not enough work or jobs available, but I think that's the direct opposite. I think there's more jobs available than there are people who want to get into them. Also, buildings that we're building are getting more and more

unique, more sophisticated, more complex. I think that's cool to see multi-story buildings, to see new health care facilities with cutting edge technology, to see sports facilities that have some of the newest training opportunities, to see the new schools with the most unique lighting and design features.

Any projects that you're working on now that have those features?

You’ll see a lot of glass and windows on the High Plains Equipment project. The Memorial Union in Grand Forks. … With the amount of glass in that project compared to the old Memorial building, it's just a huge difference … We're part of a campus-wide window replacement project, where all the windows, on all the buildings are going to be removed and reinstalled with the new window technology, where you're incorporating a new Marvin window system on those and it's really going to enhance those interior environments.

What would you say to those considering going into this field?

In our office we have folks who have gone to college for professional degrees and we have folks that come right out of high school. Either one of those individuals could have a career path with our company, whether you want to be in an office space, become a project manager, an estimator – we have a 10-year career path set up that would take you through and learn the business … and (allows you) to really develop your reputation and resume as a construction professional. I think that's really cool and that's happening here in a small town in North Dakota. I think if you want to work in the field, we have a career path that allows you to advance from laborer to carpenter to foreman up to field superintendent. ... We’re offering some really cool paths to a good career – and good-paying careers – with a lot of satisfaction.

ABOVE: KOTABANK IN GRAND FORKS, N.D. RIGHT TOP: WORKERS ARE SEEN AT THE UND MEMORIAL UNION BUILDING, ALSO IN GRAND FORKS. RIGHT BOTTOM: AN IMAGE OF HIGH PLAINS EQUIPMENT IN CARRINGTON, N.D. IMAGES: COURTESY OF CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS.

Building a future with construction

By Andrew Weeks

Jace Kapla started school with the end goal in mind: “I’d like to find a good job, maybe become a foreman, have a nice life, a nice house.”

The goals – graduation and career – are not unique to this South Dakota student, but they are not as distant as they used to be.

He has one more year of schooling before he graduates from Mitchell Technical College in Mitchell, S.D., where he is pursuing a degree through the school’s Architecture Design and Building Construction program. What’s more, he already has a job lined up for this summer, and plans to keep learning even when he’s off campus.

That’s one of the things he enjoys about his chosen field: the opportunity to learn new things all of the time.

Kapla, originally from Yankton, S.D., started at Mitchell Tech in 2020 and is on track to finish by 2022.

His experience at the school has been only positive; heading to campus feels more like going to a job he loves. While that may say something about the school, it also says a lot about Kapla having chosen the right field for him. When a person pursues something he or she loves, it doesn't feel much like work.

“I get to go be with my buddies and do what I love to do. And, I get to learn something new,” he said. Every day is different.

“They know so much. Those guys have probably forgotten more than I will ever know about construction,” he said of his instructors. “Every day we're doing something, and they'll come over and be like, ‘Hey, why don't you do it this way?’ They'll show me a little trick and I'll be like, ‘Wow, that's a good tool to have in my tool belt.’ I’ve learned so much from them and it's just fun.”

Kapla knows once he’s a fulltime employee, going to work will be a little different; but he is excited about the continued learning opportunities the work provides.

“Whatever job site you go on, everybody has a different way of doing things,” Kapla said. “You can do things a million different ways. … I mean there are different ways of doing things, and that's what I like.”

One teacher he credits for helping get him on his current path was his high school shop teacher. He said he’s worked for contractors in some form and fashion since he was in middle school, but in high school he wasn’t doing as well as he should have been doing. It was his shop teacher who helped him get

JACE KAPLA, WHO WANTS TO PURSUE A CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION, IS SEEN WITH SOME OF THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE AT MITCHELL TECH IN MITCHELL, S.D. IMAGE: COURTESY OF MITCHELL TECH

on track and make important decisions about his future.

“I’ve always liked working with my hands,” Kapla said.

He worked in a manufacturing plant for a period of time, but more thoroughly enjoyed working on building projects with his dad. During his senior year he had a decision to make.

“I determined that (manufacturing) really wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and, since I like working with my hands and seeing progress at the end of the day, this is kind of a good path for me,” he said.

“I was failing geometry and a few other classes and my shop teacher sat me down one day and, with a tape measure, we did some math, geometry and so he associated that with building. You know what I mean, something I could understand.”

He knew then what he wanted to do.

“Now I'm doing really well,” he said.

When Kapla is not in school or working on projects, he often heads outdoors to fish or hunt or find other ways to enjoy nature in the region.

When he hits the workforce, Kapla will be versed not only in construction but in

continued on page 38

“Whatever job site you go on, everybody has a different way of doing things. You can do things a million different ways. … I mean there are different ways of doing things, and that’s what I like.”

Jace Kapla

continued From page 37

some architecture details as well. Mitchell Tech’s program combines the two – architecture and construction – in an effort to help students become more well-rounded and ready for the job market. Kapla said he enjoyed some of the design skills he’s learned, including working with a program called AutoCAD, an architecture and drafting tool; but Kapla’s main interest remains in the construction sector.

But who knows – maybe down the road he’ll get more involved with the architecture side of things, he said. It’s that versatility and opportunity for new things that he enjoys about his field of study.

“Every day you face a challenge,” he said. “Sometimes it's reading a plan and coming to understand that.” Or there may be other challenges, what he calls learning opportunities. “But it's all about how you approach it. I believe in working smarter, not harder. Well, to an extent anwyay. I mean I do some pretty dumb things sometimes, but we're trying to be efficient out there, we're trying to do a project as fast as possible, doing quality work and being efficient, while making sure everybody is safe.”

His advice for other young people seeking a similar career path: don’t decide right away to start your own company.

He said he hears all the time how students want to start their own business.

“They say I'm going to be a carpenter, I'm going to own my own

company someday,” he said. “You guys don't know what goes into that. And I know, I've seen it firsthand. Many guys get out of school … and say I'm going to be my own boss and it doesn't work out.” Instead, he advises, find a job and stay there for a while. “Learn what you're supposed to be doing, and then determine if you really want to have your own business.”

It is advice he is taking to heart. For Kapla, he just wants to settle with a good company and move up the career ladder from there. “I guess I just want to master what I do and get good at that, and then take on the next challenge,” he said. “That might be becoming a foreman or that might be becoming a lead man. I want to get to be proficient at what I do, and then move on.”

JACE KAPLA, A STUDENT AT MITCHELL TECH IN MITCHELL, S.D., IS SEEN HERE WORKING ON A PROJECT IN THE SCHOOL’S ARCHITECTURE DESIGN AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM. KAPLA WILL GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM IN 2022. IMAGE: COURTESY OF MITCHELL TECH

Scott Bertrand

Enclave hires project manager

WEST FARGO, N.D. • Enclave, a development, construction and management company headquartered in West Fargo, has hired Scott Bertrand as project manager in the Twin Cities metro.

A graduate of Minnesota State University Mankato, Bertrand joins Enclave with five years of experience as project manager, project engineer and construction manager. Most recently, he served as project manager at Lyon Construction. Bertrand will oversee Enclave’s construction projects in the Twin Cities from start to finish while supporting the organization’s mission of creating spaces where people are inspired to do their best work and live their best life.

Travis Wilson

KLJ promotes team member to recruitment manager

BISMARCK, N.D. • KLJ Engineering has promoted Travis Wilson to the position of recruitment manager.

He stepped into the interim recruitment manager role in March and now takes on the role officially. As KLJ’s recruitment manager he will lead the company’s recruitment efforts and ensure recruitment practices align with the strategic growth of the organization.

Wilson, who has worked in the company’s Human Resources department since April 2019, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and human resources management from the University of Mary. He is a Society of Human Resources Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and has a wealth of experience in talent recruitment, human resources, and business administration.

Interstate Engineering welcomes new planner

HORACE, N.D. • Interstate Engineering has welcomed Alheen Mahmud to the Horace, N.D., office. As a planner, Mahmud joins the team with a Master’s in Development Practice degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She is certified in GIS and project management. She specializes in economics, economic development, quantitative and qualitative research, public policy, and governance. Her knowledge and drive to succeed will enhance Interstate Engineering’s diverse team.

Alheen hopes to make an impact at Interstate Engineering by bringing her enthusiasm and passion to the team.

Corie Ereth

KLJ member awarded Federal Dakota Skipper survey permit BISMARCK, N.D. • Corie Ereth, senior environmental planner at KLJ, has been awarded a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that allows her to complete Dakota Skipper butterfly surveys.

Dakota Skippers are an endangered species and their habitats and potential habitats are protected. Part of ensuring their safety and population recovery is performing scientific research surveys that analyze migration patterns, populations, and habitat use.

Ereth will be one of only a handful of people completing this important work across the Midwest. Over the past few years, she went the extra mile by shadowing permitted surveyors during the brief annual Dakota Skipper flight period to gain valuable field experience.

She is an expert in environmental conservation and rangeland research, and has worked in coordination with private landowners, local, state, federal, and Tribal agencies. She is proficient in plant and ecological site identification and biological and botanical surveys.

Ereth earned her master’s degree in range science and her bachelor’s degree in animal and range sciences from North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D.

Apex hires engineer technician

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. •

Joey Jurvakainen joins Apex as an engineering technician in Detroit Lakes. He is part of the municipal group and brings experience in both engineering and electrical. He earned an associates degree in Applied Science and Technology in Engineering from Lower Columbia College in Longview, Wash.

Alheen Mahmud

Joey Jurvakainen

Allyse Steffen

Paulsen promotes team member to senior account specialist

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. • Allyse Steffen was recently promoted to senior account specialist at Paulsen.

In this new position, Steffen will continue to manage day-to-day client-agency relationships and provide strategic insight and recommendations that impact our clients for the future.

She is excited to step into her new role.

Steffen grew up in Brookings and graduated from the University of South Dakota with degrees in business administration and contemporary media and journalism.

Red River Regional Council adds to new faces to its team

GRAFTON, N.D. • The Red River Regional Council staff has recently added two new staff to its team, Jacob Schmuck and Jake Wiensch.

Both have been initially tasked with completing more than 100 one-on-one business interviews in the region to learn more about the COVID-19 impacts, challenges, and opportunities as well as ideas for the future as part of a regional recovery/resiliency planning initiative.

Jacob Schmuck is a Grafton native and is excited to grow the regional community he calls home. He received a Bachelor of Business and Public Administration degree in Marketing from the University of North Dakota. He previously served as a search engine manager for Digi-Key’s European accounts.

Schmuck and his wife, Joelle, have two young boys and he loves spending family time in the outdoors. He also enjoys movies, so it would be inadvisable to challenge him to cinematic trivia.

Jake Wiensch earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the University of Wisconsin – Stout.

He has previous economic/community development experience from working at Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation in Chippewa Falls, Wis. Here he analyzed and worked to improve the standard of living and business conditions in his geographic area.

Originally from Cadott, Wis., where he grew up on a small hobby farm, Wiensch loves the outdoors and adventure, including traveling, hiking, and biking.

Jacob Schmuck Jake Wiensch

2nd St re et So ut hF lood wa ll Sy st em Fa rg o, ND

pr ov in gt he qu alit yo f li fein co mm un itie s on ep ro jec tata ti me

hiring for a growing company

Producing the N95

3M’s Aberdeen plant has quadrupled mask production to keep up with demand

By Andrew Weeks

ABERDEEN, S.D. • Andy Rehder and his team at 3M’s Aberdeen plant were already keeping busy producing N95 respirators long before the pandemic.

A big client base for the company were industrial and health care professionals.

A shift started happening early last year when Rehder and his team heard about a new virus that was wreaking havoc in China. Not only did production of the masks see a dramatic increase, but now the primary clients were those in health care and government.

Since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, the production has quadrupled at the facility in an effort to keep government stockpiles and meet the demand of frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19.

To put a number on it, every month some 95 million N95 masks are manufactured at two plants in the Midwest. One of them is the Aberdeen facility, where Rehder is the plant manager. The other is in Nebraska.

Rehder and Dan Uhlir, the plant’s human resource manager, spoke with Prairie Business about the facility and its work during unprecedented times that, in turn, have called for unprecedented manufacturing numbers at the plant.

The plant, an expanded 160,000 square-foot facility, has 1,000 employees and a production schedule that runs 24/7. 3M, a science and technology company, produces other items well-known in business, such as Scotch tape and Post-It notes, but it is the N95 that keeps the Aberdeen plant hopping.

Rehder said the company works with FEMA and other agencies to prioritize supplies and refill government stockpiles, and because of the high demand to produce, the company over the past year has expanded the Aberdeen plant by 120,00 square feet and created more than 400 new jobs.

The N95 – Rehder said it is not a typical mask – is a high-scale respiratory protective device that seals around the nose and mouth and protects against at least 95% of airborne particles.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the respirator

contains coating technologies unrelated to filtration to reduce and/ or kill microorganisms.

There are different styles of N95; some, for instance, are made specifically for the surgical arena. The respirators made in Aberdeen are shipped all over the world, and some of them – those more intended for general uses and the like – can be found at your local homegoods store.

“Medical respirators typically go directly to hospitals,” he said. “There are different grades of the respirators based upon where they are going. But if you need an N95 respirator generally, you can go to your local hardware store or purchase those at Walmart.”

Rehder said there have been some challenges over the past year, of course, but ones his team has met with bravado.

“I think the challenging part has been hiring a large number of people in a very quick order like, over 400 people last year,” he said. “Aberdeen is an area that has a relatively low unemployment rate, and so making sure that we can ramp up quickly – and we've been able to do that. I think the other thing is, we're bringing a lot of people into the plant. There's a lot of training going on, but we’re also making sure that we're taking care of the employees and doing the people relation side with that.

“It’s not just about jamming 400 people in and getting them to work; it's making sure they know the culture that they're joining and the type of team and work that is involved and that what they do matters and is making a difference in protecting people's lives, really, around the world.”

Even while the company makes the high-grade masks, it too has adjusted to the pandemic.

Uhlir said the safety and wellbeing of its employees are paramount, and the plant has initiated medical monitoring, frequent disinfecting of the facility and its workspace.

He also said the team has a personal interest in producing the masks: many of them are used by team members’ own family and friends at their respective jobs sites.

“We couldn't be more proud of our employees. They have all stepped up to help lead the fight against COVID here,” Uhlir said. “As Andy alluded to earlier, we're a 24/7 manufacturing plant here and the dedication and commitment of our employees has been just eye-watering.”

Uhlir said the current focus is to continue refilling government stockpiles of the N95 – “making sure that first responders and doctors and nurses have respirators” – but said the company then also wants to start re-servicing its other core business partners.

“We see this as a good year and we're happy that things are looking up from a pandemic standpoint. We’re looking forward to the future.”

Andy Rehder

Dan Uhlir

THIS IMAGE DEPICTS SOME OF THE DIFFERENT N95 RESPIRATOR FACE COVERING THAT 3M’S ABERDEEN, S.D., PLANT PRODUCES. IMAGE: COURTESY OF 3M

Deadline is July 9, 2021

Q.

INSIGHTs & INTUITION

What is one of the best ways you have found to reach new clients or customers?

Amber Larson Senior Marketing Manager Bartlett & West Bismarck, N.D.

As an engineering, architecture and construction services firm, Bartlett & West typically connects with new or existing clients through trade shows, industry training events and face-to-face meetings. Obviously, last year put a halt to all those activities. We quickly moved to hosting online webinars and virtual socials to fill those gaps.

Within a month of COVID hitting, we built and began hosting free, online webinars. They helped contacts meet ongoing training requirements and generated new project opportunities through valuable content. The webinars have been so popular that we foresee continuing to offer the training option even as other events come back. However, for existing customers, nothing replaces the value of picking up the phone or meeting in person.

We design and manufacture Unmanned Aircraft Systems, focusing on ones with higher payloads. That enables our UAS to serve a variety of functions. If we try to grow our business reaching customers directly, to convince them to use our aircraft for what they need to accomplish, we may only be providing part of their solution. It’s better for us to work with a company providing the actual solution – a LiDAR-based 3D map of an archaeological site, a cover crop planting with an aerial seed spreader, a windmill inspection with a multi-spectral camera, to name a few – so the solution and our UAS can be integrated to provide results the customer will be delighted in.

So, we find a great way to gain customers is by working with the solution providers to make their solution the best it can be. Then, with that fullyintegrated solution, the payload and the aircraft, the end user customer is happier. And, when we’ve done it right, we have gained access to an entire “use case.”

Tom Nickell CEO ESCO Mobile Recon Systems, LLC Grand Forks, N.D.

At Hatch Realty, our greatest “lead sources” come from our past clients and sphere of influence. With over 5,000 past clients and thousands of other nurtured relationships throughout the community, this is always the primary target for us to foster growth within our ecosystem. We host four events annually that target and focus on those that already know/like/trust us. These events are opportunities to give back, to create unique experiences, and to give us a platform to reach out and connect with people. Our events are not about us taking or asking for business – rather, they are all about us coming from contribution with no strings attached.

Our annual “pie day” takes place the week of Thanksgiving, and we give away nearly 2,000 pumpkin pies to our friends, family, and past clients. This pie-day giveaway is the largest real estate giveaway in the country, and it has served as a great way for us to continue to build relationships and capture more mind-share from people that are our raving fans.

Max Kringen

Founder and Chief Storyteller Tellwell Fargo, N.D.

Erik Hatch Realtor, Owner, Broker Hatch Realty Fargo, N.D.

At Tellwell, we believe story is the most powerful way to introduce your brand, educate and engage your customers, and remind them why they love you.” Those four words – introduce, educate, engage, and remind – form the four-step marketing funnel that we share with each of our clients. They also guide our own internal marketing processes.

If a prospective client is completely unfamiliar with Tellwell, we’ll introduce ourselves with a brief brand story and invite them in for a discovery, where we can educate them about the work we do and (hopefully) engage them in a project. Or, if we’ve worked together in the past, we’ll remind them who we are and why we matter by checking in with them regularly and providing nuggets of wisdom to help them proactively solve their problems. The marketing funnel is all about meeting people where they are and providing them with just the information that they need to do whatever it is we want them to do. In the wise words of Brene Brown, “clarity is kind.” As humans, we deal with enough information overload already – we are most receptive to marketing messages that are concise, relevant to us, and come with a few easy action steps.

UNEMPLOYMENT SITUATION

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 266,000 in April, the latest number available according tor the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 6.1%. Job gains in leisure and hospitality, other services, and local government education were partly offset by losses in temporary help services and in couriers and messengers.

COLLEGE ENROLLMENT

In October 2020, 62.7% of the 3.1 million youth ages 16 to 24 who graduated from high school between January and October were enrolled in colleges or universities, down from 66.2% in October 2019. This decrease reflects the effect of the COVID–19 pandemic. Among 2020 high school graduates ages 16 to 24, the college enrollment rate for young women, at 66.2% in October 2020, continued to be higher than the rate for young men (59.3%). The college enrollment rate of Asians (83.2%) also continued to be higher than the rates for recent White (62.9%), Black (56.6%), and Hispanic (56.2%) graduates.

14.0 12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

Bureau 4.0

Source: U.S. 2.0

IMPORT AND EXPORT

U.S. import prices advanced 0.7% in April following a 1.4% increase in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported according to the latest data available. Higher prices for fuel and non-fuel imports contributed to both the April and March advances. Prices for U.S. exports increased 0.8% in April, after rising 2.4% the previous month.

Total, enrolled in college Men Women White Black or African American Asian Hispanic or Latino ethinicity 0%20%40%60% 100% 80%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

PRELIMINARY AIR TRAFFIC DATA

20.0

10.0

0.0

-10.0

-20.0

16.0 Percent Apr 2011Apr 2013Apr 2015Apr 2017Apr 2019Apr 2021 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

30.0 Percent Apr 2011Apr 2013Apr 2015Apr 2017Apr 2019Apr 2021

-30.0

Mar2020

2019 2020 *March 2021 data is preliminary

-51%-96% -70% -61% 10% April May June July AugustSeptemberOctober NovemberDecember January February

March*2021 46 TWITTER.COM/PRAIRIEBIZ FACEBOOK.COM/PRAIRIEBUSINESS PRAIRIEBUSINESSMAGAZINE.COM

IT'STHEYEAROFTHEROADTRIP! Scan t he QR code or go to BeLegendar y.link/NDRoadTrips to get ideas, itineraries, a music playlist and the new 2 021 Road Trip Guide!

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