Prairie Business March 2014

6

BY KRIS BEVILL Leading ladies

8

BY MATTHEW D. MOHR

8

BY JOHN GIRARD

BY JULIE FLATEN

Why

BY RICH NASER

A massive expansion project under way at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck, N.D., will include additional space for historical exhibits, including expanded dinosaur fossil displays.

28

BY PAT COSTELLO

WOMEN IN BUSINESS Leading the Way

Our inaugural top 25 women in business picks

Laura Klock, vice president of Mitchell, S.D.-based Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, where she has set multiple records racing motorcycles. She continues to race annually to meet personal goals and to promote her company.

PHOTO: JOHN JACKSON/NOT STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: BRIAN AUSTIN/STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF NORTH DAKOTA

KRIS BEVILL Editor kbevill@prairiebizmag.com

Leading ladies

One of my favorite and, I think, most poignant recent observations regarding how far women have come in leveling the field in the workplace comes from comedian Sarah Silverman. She tells her audiences that the biggest mistake anyone can make is to tell girls they can be anything they want when they grow up. This is a mistake, not because it’s not true, but because girls would never think otherwise if someone didn’t say so, she says.

Of course, even a few short decades ago, this was not the case. And to some extent today, women continue to battle glass ceilings in terms of pay and in job availability. As a female stand-up comedian, an historically male-dominated profession, Silverman is no doubt herself no stranger to gender-related professional battles. But her success in today’s comedy industry has paved the way for a slew of up-and-coming female comics who seek to be recognized for their quick wit and originality rather than their gender.

Likewise, many of the women featured in our inaugural top 25 women in business list believe strongly that women can now pursue and succeed in any career without paying heed to gender. Several women featured on the list have succeeded in making a name for themselves in industries such as manufacturing, where women continue to comprise a minority of the workforce, but they have risen to the top of their professions regardless.

We are thrilled to introduce you to the women who made our list and believe they set a strong example for the region’s entire business community, male and female. I’d also like to extend our congratulations to all who were nominated. Because this was our first time requesting nominations for the women in business list, we weren’t sure what to expect. I speak for the entire team when I say we were blown away by the number of nominations we received and the high caliber of nominees. More than 100 women were nominated from throughout the region, all of whom were strong contenders. It made our job of selecting just 25 quite difficult, but it was also great to see how many inspirational and successful business women call the northern Plains home. We look forward to making this list an annual event. Turn to page 24 to read about this year’s selected honorees.

This issue also includes several entrepreneurial-focused articles. I had the pleasure of sitting in on part of the first North Dakota Women’s Startup Weekend in late January, which was organized to promote entrepreneurship among women throughout the state. It was great to see so many budding female entrepreneurs working toward their goals. Their enthusiasm was matched only by that of the coaches, all successful female entrepreneurs, and I look forward to one day covering the launch of companies formed over the course of that weekend. Our digital edition includes a review of that event.

We also highlight Dakota Rising, an entrepreneur development program based in South Dakota. The program has supported a number of entrepreneurs in rural communities who have gone on to great success since its launch several years ago and may soon expand to include rural communities in other states. Read “Rising up” to learn more.

MIKE JACOBS,Publisher

RONA JOHNSON, Executive Editor

KRIS BEVILL, Editor

BETH BOHLMAN, Circulation Manager

KRIS WOLFF, Layout Design, Ad Design

Sales Director: JOHN FETSCH

701.212.1026 jfetsch@prairiebizmag.com

Sales:

BRAD BOYD - western ND/western SD 800.641.0683 bboyd@prairiebizmag.com

SHELLY LARSON - eastern ND/western MN 701.866.3628 slarson@prairiebizmag.com

Editor: KRIS BEVILL 701.306.8561 kbevill@prairiebizmag.com

Editorial Advisors:

Dwaine Chapel, Executive Director, Research Park at South Dakota State University; Bruce Gjovig, Director, Center for Innovation; Lisa Gulland-Nelson, Vice President, Marketing and P.R., Greater Fargo Moorhead EDC; Tonya Joe (T.J.) Hansen, Assistant Professor of Economics, Minnesota State University Moorhead; Dusty Johnson, Chief of Staff for South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s office; Brekka Kramer, General Manager of Odney; Matthew Mohr, President/CEO, Dacotah Paper Company; Nancy Straw, President, West Central Initiative

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. Qualifying 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.

Subscriptions Free subscriptions are available online to qualified requestors at www.prairiebizmag.com

Address corrections

Prairie Business magazine

PO Box 6008

Grand Forks, ND 58206-6008

Beth Bohlman: bbohlman@prairiebizmag.com

Online www.prairiebizmag.com

Impressions Make All The Difference

Creating capital value

BY MATTHEW D. MOHR

The basic objective of any sustainable business must be to deliver value to their customers. Sometimes value comes through innovation, other times by competitive force. Capital decisions are made to enhance business, hopefully to create more profits, and profits come only by creating value for the customer.

A Fargo business owner once invested over $1 million in a new production machine. He looked to banks to finance the machine, which were initially skeptical of the investment. He explained the machine would allow him to produce new products which were superior to his current offering, and through sales efforts and new business gained, his profits would be magnified. The old machines did an adequate job, but the new version was faster, better, and produced a higher-quality product. He was absolutely right and was wildly successful for a number of years. The business owner was able to finance the machine, but only because of his reputation and skills.

This new machine allowed the entrepreneur to sig-

nificantly add value to his sales proposition. Unfortunately, over time, the business was attacked by others offering similar products at cheaper prices. The entrepreneur fought off the competitive pressure through innovation and personal service, but after health issues prevented him from taking care of his customers, competitors gained ground. Eventually, the people who replaced the entrepreneur bowed to competitive pressure and cut prices and sacrificed quality. Over time his value proposition was lost and his business failed. His product buyers saw their businesses decline right along with the cheaper items they were using.

A commitment to expending capital to add value is smart business, but it takes directed effort to continually add value and not fall victim to competitive pressures and lose the value you create. PB

Matthew D. Mohr CEO, Dacotah Paper Co. mmohr@dacotahpaper.com

Holacracy: Lunacy, fallacy or we’ll see

BY JOHN GIRARD

For the past few months the blogosphere has been alive with chatter about online retailer Zappos’ decision to become a holacracy. According to www.holacracy.org, “Holacracy is a realworld-tested social technology for agile and purposeful organization.”

Is this idea just more untested hype that will lead to anarchy, perhaps an organizational unicorn, or might this be the next big thing?

Proponents of the new organizational structure (or lack of structure) argue that a holacracy eliminates much of the bureaucracy that tends to slow decision-making, stifle innovation and centralize power. Many leaders shudder with horror as they read about attempts to distribute power and speed decision-making, as they are very content with the status quo. Nevertheless, the holacracy champions cite examples of nimble organizations of empowered team members working in harmony to achieve greatness. The naysayers have been asking to

see proof that the idea really works in practice and over the long term.

As many interested leaders are turning to the deserts of Nevada to watch the Zappos’ live holacracy experiment, a pioneering firm with northern Plains roots is already leading the way. The Nerdery is headquartered in the Twin Cities and very ably led by Mike Derheim, a North Dakota native. This high-tech company is extremely unique because everyone is a co-president. The Nerdery is not an experiment, but rather proof positive that, given the right leadership, innovative structures work very well. To learn more, watch Derheim’s recent TEDx talk at www.tedxminot.com. PB

John Girard Professor of Management, Minot State University Founder, Sagology John@JohnGirard.net Twitter: @JohnGirard

Why financial strategies should be different for women

BY JULIE FLATEN

As business leaders, we know that a financial strategy is a necessity. In both our personal and professional lives, we’re aware of the risks of “flying blind” and the benefits of a solid, yet flexible, financial strategy. Financial strategies provide not only goals and guidelines, but also a measuring stick by which to benchmark your success and adjust your strategy. A good relationship with a financial advisor can make all the difference in professional development, as well as personal security.

What many women have yet to consider, however, is that their financial strategy, and therefore, their relationship to their financial advisor, must be different from their male counterparts. Some of these differences are relatively minor, but others are quite significant, and can affect a financial strategy’s stability and feasibility drastically.

These are the top considerations that women should be aware of when mapping out their overall financial strategy:

• Women live longer than men: It is well known that women typically outlive their male contemporaries. They also tend to marry men older than themselves. Seven out of 10 “baby boom” women — those born between 1946 and 1964 — are expected to outlive their husbands. And, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, many can expect to be widows for 15 to 20 years. Preparing ahead with a spouse is of course encouraged, but it’s important to be aware that for many major financial decisions, a woman may be alone.

• Women need to trust their financial advisor: Up to 70 percent of women fire their financial advisor within a year of their husband’s death. For women, developing an on-going relationship with a financial advisor whom they trust can avoid that sudden, and perhaps awkward, situation. And for many women, they may want to consider a female financial advisor, if

they find it more comfortable to talk about these sometimes emotionally tied issues.

• Women have less in savings: Although women live much longer, and therefore, need significantly higher savings, women on average have far less saved than their male counterparts. Whether this is due to a pay difference, family-related leaves of absence, or other unique factors, women typically have a greater need in retirement but have a smaller pool of resources than men.With these things in mind, what can the professional woman do to ensure her ongoing stability and financial solvency? Where can common pitfalls be avoided, and what advice would a financial advisor offer?

The first piece of advice, of course, is to speak with a financial advisor as soon as possible. It is recommended that all women in professional careers, starting in their twenties, speak with a financial advisor about their future goals and objectives. Yet, a financial advisor is still a recommended source of advice, guidance and help even if a women is nearing or into retirement.

Secondly, women need to put their own financial security first. Too often in our society, women are told to be selfless and to be nurturers, which can lead them to sacrifice their own wellbeing for that of their family or business. Ensuring that their future is cared for before caring for others helps women become financially healthy well into their golden years.

My wish for 2014 is that more women make this their new mantra: Embrace selfishness. Take some time for yourself to develop and control your own financial future. PB

Julie Flaten Financial Advisor, Securian Financial Advisors of North Dakota

USD Research Park will help shape region’s economic future

BY RICH NASER

It is an exciting time to be promoting innovation-driven economic development in the Dakotas as part of the team establishing the new University of South Dakota Research Park in Sioux Falls.

A strong partnership between the South Dakota Board of Regents, USD, Forward Sioux Falls (a partnership between the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation) and the city of Sioux Falls has been vital to moving the park from concept to reality. Along with their critical financial investment, these partners are also devoting invaluable human capital to this effort.

As with most research parks, including those at South Dakota State University and North Dakota State University, the vision for the USD Research Park is to create a unique environment to stimulate economic growth by connecting university resources, research and talent with private industry.

The park, being established on 80 acres adjacent to the University Center Sioux Falls campus, has identified four key activities to achieve this vision:

• Growing university research capacity, resources and talent;

• Connecting these core university activities with private sector resources and companies;

•Fostering entrepreneurship and commercialization through a robust incubation program; and

• Facilitating the creation of the physical infrastructure necessary to support creation and attraction of research and innovation-based businesses.

The USD Research Park has aligned itself with the South Dakota Technology Business Center, a Sioux Falls technology-business incubator, to jumpstart park operations and undertake these key activities. For 10 years the SDTBC has helped companies launch and grow in Sioux Falls through programs like

its business accelerator and by providing specialized space, flexible lease terms and technology services. The relationship between the USD Research Park and the SDTBC will enhance both organizations’ ability to support innovation-driven economic development in the region.

Progress is already being made to address the growing need for physical infrastructure. USD is currently constructing good manufacturing practices (GMP) space at the Graduate Education and Applied Research (GEAR) Center that anchors the park. University researchers and private companies will soon be able to utilize this space to produce pharmaceuticals, biologics and medical devices for clinical trials, a vital step in the commercialization process. In the future, the GMP space and staff will also be leveraged to provide the education and training programs necessary to develop the skilled workforce required to grow these companies in South Dakota.

USD Research Park partners are at the beginning of an exciting endeavor. The immediate next step is to complete and adopt the park’s master plan by the end of summer. The planning process will involve establishing permissible uses, adopting design standards and creating a phased park development plan. It will also help structure the park’s business model and how it interacts with private developers.

While this master plan will define and guide the physical development of the park for the next 25 years, a successful USD Research Park will help shape the economic future of the Sioux Falls region for decades beyond. PB

Rich Naser President University of South Dakota Research Park Executive Director South Dakota Technology Business Center richn@sdtbc.com

A great year in South Dakota

BY PAT COSTELLO

As we go into March, many of us are looking forward to spring and the warm weather that will soon be upon us. However, I would like to take a moment and look back. Last month, my office released its 2013 Annual Report. The 52-page document features our accomplishments and successes for the year, and includes hard numbers on our finance programs, state domestic product, and our progress in business development. I’d like to share some of the highlights with you.

First, let’s look at the big picture. Economic growth is up. The figures for 2012 came in midyear in 2013, and those are the most recent numbers we report. South Dakota’s Gross Domestic Product increased by 1.9 percent from 2011 to 2012. That’s the third consecutive year of growth. The manufacturing sector was up by 10 percent, which is the fifth highest increase in the nation and quite an accomplishment.

During the course of 2013, we focused our recruitment efforts on seven key industries: advanced manufacturing, biosciences, energy, financial services, professional business services, shooting, hunting and outdoors, and valueadded agriculture. And, wouldn’t you know, 80 percent of our 327 leads were in one of those industries. When broken down by industry, the shooting, hunting, and outdoor industry took the biggest piece of the pie, with 23 percent of all leads.

When broken down by state, 33 percent of our leads came from within South Dakota, which

is a trend we see most years. Other top states were Minnesota, with 18 percent; California, with 8 percent; and Illinois, with 5 percent. All other states combined accounted for 32 percent of the leads, and 4 percent were from areas outside the U.S. The large number of leads in Minnesota, California and Illinois most likely reflects our recent ad campaigns.

Marmen Energy, Permian Tank and Eagle Creek are among the companies highlighted in our annual report. Both Marmen and Permian Tank conducted multi-state searches before selecting South Dakota locations. Canada-based Marmen Energy acquired a 150,000 square-foot industrial facility in Brandon that is projected to create up to 250 new jobs. Permian Tank decided to construct a 45,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Belle Fourche’s new industrial rail park. That project is expected to create 65 new jobs in the community of 6,500. Vermillion will have as many as 200 new jobs when Eagle Creek begins providing technology services to its Fortune 1500 clients after its $10 million technology center is complete.

For more information on doing business in South Dakota, or to view the report, please visit www.sdreadytowork.com. Click on “News & Media,” then “Publications & Studies,” and then “GOED Annual Reports.” PB

Pat Costello Commissioner S.D. Governor’s Office of Economic Development Pat.Costello@state.sd.us Twitter: @sdgoed

Brookings uses billboard to advertise jobs to passersby

The Brookings Economic Development Corp. has decided to use a billboard to promote the city’s job openings website as well as retirement information website to people traveling through the community on Interstate 29. Al Heuton, executive director, says the group hopes the 24hour exposure to the public will attract attention and produce results for job seekers and new retirees alike.

“We’re trying to find a unique way to attract people to fill the more than 600 jobs we currently have available and the additional 250 we expect to become available in the next few months,” he says.

Additionally, he notes that retirees are more frequently choosing to retire in university communities like Brookings, which is home to South Dakota State University.

Border States restructures regions

Border States Electric recently announced a regional restructure of the company, from six regions to four, in order to realign its resources and establish a solid foundation for growth and expansion.

Gary Daniel will lead the reconfigured south-central region, including 19 branches in Tennessee and parts of Texas and New Mexico. Matt Eddleman will continue to lead the reconfigured southwest region, which includes 14 branches in Arizona, Colorado, Utah and parts of Texas and New Mexico.

Ken Rowland will continue to lead the northeast region, which includes 18 branch locations in Iowa Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Brad Kvalheim will continue to lead the northwest region, comprised of 10 branch locations in Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. The northwest region corporate office is located in Bismarck, N.D.

USDA awards loans, grants for rural economic development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded millions of dollars in financial assistance to projects in the Dakotas through its Rural Economic Development loan and grant program. Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative Inc. in North Dakota was awarded a $1 million loan to help Farmers Union Oil of Southern Valley construct a building to manufacture trucks and trailers for fertilizer industry clients. Wahpeton, N.D.-based sugar beet producer group MinnDak Farmers Cooperative Inc. received a $1 million loan to buy equipment to process molasses byproducts into products for use pharmaceuticals, food and animal feed.

Webster, S.D.-based Lake Region Electric Association Inc. received a $300,000 grant to help Glacial Lakes Area Development re-capitalize its economic development loan fund.

Staybridge Suites Minot wins award

Staybridge Suites Minot (N.D.) recently received InterContinental Hotels Group’s newcomer property of the year award for providing superior accommodations and high levels of guest service, quality and value. The property is managed by Fargo-based National Hospitality Services.

SDSMT leases apartments to support growing enrollment

The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology has entered into an agreement with Technology Housing LLC to lease two apartment buildings through 2024 to accommodate its growing enrollment. The apartments can accommodate 269 students and will be reserved for the school’s sophomores, who are required to live on campus.

Overall enrollment at SDSMT grew nearly 9 percent this year to 2,640. The school wants to increase its number of students to 3,500 by 2020.

A worker puts finishing touches on a billboard located on the east side of Interstate 29 in Brookings, S.D., advertising the city’s job openings and retirement websites.

PHOTO: BROOKINGS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.

Jamestown e-retailer sets growth record

RealTruck.com, a Jamestown, N.D.-based aftermarket pickup truck accessory e-retailer, experienced recordbreaking growth in 2013. According to the company, revenue grew by more than 60 percent over 2012 to $28.5 million. It set a single-month sales record in December with $4 million in sales and recorded its highest one-day revenue total on Cyber Monday. The company added 17 full-time employees last year at its headquarters in Jamestown and its Fargo satellite office to keep up with the company’s pace of growth and currently employs more than 50 people.

Company CEO Scott Bintz attributes most of the company’s success to an employee-centric company culture that empowers staff to drive continuous improvement throughout the company.

CHS buys Louisiana fertilizer business

CHS Inc. has acquired the fertilizer business and related fertilizer assets of Terral RiverService Inc. in Lake Providence, La. Terral RiverService specializes in transporting and storing dry and liquid materials along the Mississippi River system, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and inland waterways of Louisiana and southern Arkansas.

CHS will integrate nine Terral RiverService locations into its existing crop nutrients business. Cheryl Schmura, CHS vice president, crop nutrients, says the acquisition will allow the cooperative to serve ag supply dealers throughout the lower Mississippi region.

Sanford to establish genomic medicine program

On Jan. 7, Sanford Health announced a $125 million gift from Denny Sanford to establish Sanford Imagenetics, a first-of-its-kind program to integrate genomic medicine into primary care for adults. The initiative will allow patients to undergo genetic testing and genetic counseling to provide internal medicine physicians with patient-specific information, improving their

ability to prescribe them with the most effective medication, dosages and treatments. The initiative is expected to be rolledout later this year.

Arvig Enterprises buys Aevenia data communications division

Perham, Minn.-based Arvig Enterprises has acquired the data communications division of Aevenia, an Otter Tail Corp. company. The division is based in Moorhead, Minn., and provides fiber optic splicing, data cabling, surveillance and door access control, intrusion detection, wireless networks and engineering, design and consulting services. The acquisition is part of Arvig’s strategic growth plan and will allow the company to serve a broader range of customers in Minnesota and North Dakota, according to David Arvig, vice president and chief operating officer.

ND exports decrease in 2013

North Dakota exported $3.7 billion in goods in 2013, a decrease of 14 percent compared to 2012, according to the U.S. Commercial Service. The decrease is attributed primarily to the increased use of truck and rail to transport oil from the Bakken region, decreasing the amount of

oil that is exported briefly to Canada by pipeline. Mineral fuel and oil products topped the state’s list of exports, totaling $1 billion in 2013, down 26 percent from the prior year. Other top export categories included self-propelled dozers ($343 million), tractors ($309 million), agricultural equipment ($185 million) and biodiesel ($156 million).

Canada continues to be North Dakota’s top export destination.

KLJ gives 3D printers to Bismarck-Mandan youth

Engineering, surveying and planning firm KLJ recently donated three second-generation 3D printers to Marketplace for Kids to be used for hands-on training by students in BismarckMandan, N.D. “3D printing is a common practice in several industries, specifically in engineering,” says KLJ CEO Niles Hushka. “Our future as a company is dependent on our youth’s education, and donating a tool that exemplifies such innovation is one way KLJ could encourage youth to explore creativity and directly support our corporate initiatives and future goals as a company.”

Scott Bintz, CEO of RealTruck.com

Shingobee Builders honored for ND casino/resort

Minnesota-based Shingobee Builders Inc. was honored by the Associated Builders and Contractors Minnesota/North Dakota chapter for its work on the Sky Dancer Casino and Resort in Belcourt, N.D., during the group’s annual awards banquet, held Jan. 30 in Minneapolis. Shingobee received an Eagle award as part of the group’s excellence in construction awards program, which recognizes firms for their work based on a project’s complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost. Shingobee provided pre-construction and generation contracting services for the casino/resort’s 120,000 square-foot expansion project and renovation of the existing 38,000 squarefoot casino. The project was carried out from August 2011 through June 2013. The firm overcame challenges including a tight budget, aggressive schedule, winter conditions and a remote location to meet the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians’ project goals.

SD tourism industry sees slight growth in 2013

A report commissioned by the South Dakota tourism department found that the total economic impact of the state’s visitor industry increased by 2.8 percent in 2013, translating to an overall economic impact of nearly $2 billion. Taxable sales increased by 4.5 percent, totaling $295 million in state and local tax revenue. Visitation increased by about 3 percent, however hotel occupancy was down by nearly 2 percent compared to 2012.

Bobcat gives $15K to support Bismarck STEM education

Bobcat Co. recently donated $15,000 to the Bismarck (N.D.) Public Schools to support the system’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program. The donation will help create an engineering principles curriculum for ninth-grade students at the Career Academy and help purchase Lego Mindstorm supplies for fifth-grade students to introduce them to the design process, robotics and automation.

The company’s donation was made possi-

ble through an award given by parent company Doosan to a Bobcat compact excavator engineering team last summer for its work in developing a common platform approach to the design and build of Bobcat compact excavators. The team consisted of more than 100 Bobcat employees, who collectively determined the cash award should be donated to the local community.

Starion Financial receives business of year award

The Mandan (N.D.) Progress Organization presented Starion Financial with its Business of the Year award during an annual awards dinner held Jan. 27. The group was established in 1993 with a mission to enhance the city’s business climate, create and promote public events and generate community pride. Starion Financial played an integral role in forming the group and has continually supported it financially and through volunteerism, according to Del Wetsch, MPO executive director.

U of M Crookston adds entrepreneurship program

The University of Minnesota Crookston

has added a major in entrepreneurship through its business department. The program will help students develop skills needed to recognize ideas and potential ventures, evaluate feasibility, assemble resources and launch new ventures, according to UMC. Susan Brorson, professor and head of the business department, says offering the new major will help meet changing demands of employers, heightened competition and enhance economic and job growth realized from entrepreneurial activity.

The major is available to students on campus and online.

Business tech program launching in western ND

The Bowman County (N.D.) Development Corp. and the Strom Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Dickinson (N.D.) State University are collaborating with the Center for Technology and Business to offer a business technology acceleration program to small business owners in their community. The six-month program focuses on technology topics including social media, mobile apps, virtual IT and cloud usage and electronic payments. The

The Sky Dancer Casino and Resort is located near Belcourt in north central North Dakota.

PHOTO: ROLF HAGBERG PHOTOGRAPHY

program is made possible through a U.S. Department of Agriculture rural business opportunity grant. For more information, visit trainingnd.com.

Marco expands in Fargo

Marco Inc., a technology services provider serving customers throughout the upper Midwest, has expanded to a new location in Fargo. The new regional headquarters offers more space to accommodate the company’s expanded presence in the Fargo area and allows it to better serve its customers, according to the company.

SD wind project enters research phase

The Dakota Power Community Wind board of directors recently approved the purchase of a 60-meter meteorological tower to begin the research collection phase for a massive wind farm project proposed in southeast South Dakota. The tower is expected to be installed before spring, according to the group.

The proposed wind farm could produce up to 1,000 megawatts of power for the Rock Island Clean Line, a transmission project slated to cross the state of Iowa. Local landowners have so far signed up 20,000 acres of farmland, enough to support a 300-megawatt wind farm. At 300 megawatts, the project would still be the largest wind farm in South Dakota and would increase the state’s wind production by nearly 50 percent.

Dakota Gas approves urea plant addition

The Dakota Gasification Co. board of directors recently approved the addition of a urea production facility at its Great Plains Synfules Plant near Beulah, N.D. The project includes the construction of a storage facility to hold about 53,000 tons of granular urea, as well as a load-out facility for trucks and railcars, with the capacity to load up to 110 railcars in a single shipment. The urea plant is expected to be complete in 2017 and will produce 1,100 tons of urea daily using anhydrous ammonia and carbon dioxide produced at the Synfuels Plant.

Dakota Gasification Co. is a subsidiary of Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

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Starion Financial hires valuation officer

Rae Ann Seibel has joined Starion Financial as its valuation officer. In this role, she manages and maintains all aspects of the real estate analysis and appraisal process. She also provides direction in the administration of commercial, residential and/or agricultural real estate activities, conducts appraisal reviews and trains business loans staff. Seibel has more than 25 years of experience and is a licensed real estate agent.

Timmreck joins Odney

Chelle Timmreck recently joined Odney as a marketing consultant. In this role, she is responsible for providing strategic direction and account management for clients across the region. Timmreck has 15 years of marketing and media sales experience and is skilled in social networking and digital marketing. She has conducted more than 2,000 digital training seminars in the past seven years.

Fargo businessman reappointed to national hospitality committee

The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) recently reappointed Norman Leslie, president of Fargo-based National Hospitality Services, to the IHG Staybridge Suites committee. The committee develops and implements strategies that enhance the needs of extended stay guests and travelers seeking a residential-style hotel. The Staybridge brand currently has 191 hotels and expects to double in size over the next several years.

Henderson to lead NDHFA planning, housing development

The North Dakota Housing Finance Agency has named Jennifer Henderson to lead its planning and housing development division. She will oversee the division’s work, providing community leaders and housing developers with the technical and financial assistance needed to define local housing needs, devise development strategies and position communities for growth. Henderson previously served as a housing outreach officer within the division. She replaces Jolene Kline, who recently accepted the position of NDHFA executive director.

Muus promoted to UND chief development officer

Dan Muus has been promoted to chief development officer for the University of North Dakota Alumni Association and Foundation. Muus has worked for the organization since 2008 as a development officer for the College of Engineering and Mines. In addition to other duties as chief development officer, Muus will continue to work with the college on fundraising for the multi-million dollar Collaborative Energy Complex, which will house the petroleum engineering department and Institute for Energy Studies.

Muus replaces DeAnna Carlson Zink, who became CEO and executive vice president for the alumni association on Jan. 1.

Ackerman-Estvold hires Hibbs

Kyle Hibbs has joined Ackerman-Estvold’s Minot, N.D. office as a civil engineer. He has joined the land development team with a focus on design of municipal infrastructure. Hibbs served as a surveying technician for Ackerman Surveying & Associates Inc. for the past two years while completing course work at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and North Dakota State University in Fargo.

Rae Ann Seibel

Jennifer Henderson

Leslie Norman

Dan Muus

Chelle Timmreck

Kyle Hibbs

Burwinkle joins Karvakko as regional VP

Karvakko Engineering has added Kurt Burwinkle as regional vice president of its Minot, N.D., office. In this role, he will oversee daily operations, focus on cultivating existing and potential client relationships throughout the area, and provide engineering and project management. Burwinkle has nearly 40 years of architectural, engineering and construction experience. He specializes in structural engineering and has extensive experience in overseeing multi-million dollar projects.

Walen joins Bell State financial planning team

Becky Walen recently joined Fargo-based Bell State Bank & Trust as vice president/senior wealth management advisor. In this role, she will advise customers on personal financial planning and investment management. Walen worked for nine years in wealth management for U.S. Bank. She has 15 years of financial services experience.

Giese joins Wells Fargo Private Bank

Wells Fargo Private Bank has named Mark Giese associate trust and fiduciary specialist. In this role, he will work on customized financial plans and help manage personal trust, retirement, investment and foundation/endowment relationships in western North Dakota.

Giese has been employed by Wells Fargo since 2009, when he joined the company as a mortgage consultant.

Edgewood Management names Schmidt regional VP

Edgewood Management Group LLC has named Char Schmidt Region III vice president. In this role, she will oversee the company’s senior living communities in Bismarck and Mandan, N.D. Schmidt previously served as executive director of Edgewood Bismarck – Village and as senior executive director of the company’s Bismarck-Mandan communities. She has more than 25 years of longterm care experience.

Hanson elected SD PUC chairman

South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner Gary Hanson was elected to serve as the 2014 chairman of the PUC during a PUC meeting held Jan. 7. The election marks Hanson’s fifth time as chairman since being elected to the post in 2002. He is currently serving his second term as statewide PUC commissioner.

Heartland Trust appoints Bernier to board

Heartland Trust Co. recently appointed Sheryl Bernier to its board of directors. Bernier has been with the company since its launch in 1990. In her role as a vice president, her responsibilities include operations, compliance, internal audits and human resources.

Gary Hanson

Becky Walen

Char Schmidt

Sheryl Bernier

Mark Giese

Kurt Burwinkle

Rising up

South Dakota program fosters entrepreneurial growth through community

BY KRIS BEVILL

Entrepreneurship can be a lonely endeavor, particularly in rural areas where businesses are few and networking opportunities are even fewer. For new business owners, who often benefit greatly from a guiding hand or occasional word of advice, connections with established business owners in supportive communities can be invaluable.

Dakota Rising, a program of South Dakotabased nonprofit rural economic development group Dakota Resources, focuses on creating those types of environments within communities to foster small business growth and develop successful entrepreneurs. The program requires a great deal of community support, because businesses are more likely to succeed when located in a community that will nurture them, according to Beth Davis, president of Dakota Resources. “It’s grounded in ‘place,’ so only those entrepreneurs whose businesses reside within a Dakota Rising community can qualify for fellowship,” she says.

The process to approval begins with a community applying to become a Dakota Rising com-

munity. Applicants must show that the community has financial resources and pipelines to support an entrepreneur development system. Selected communities receive assistance from Dakota Resources to plan a community meeting, identify potential businesses in need of support, form a network of established business owners to serve as mentors and start the ground work to begin hosting networking and other events.

Only after a community has been selected can an entrepreneur apply to become a Dakota Rising fellow, and a community selection does not guarantee that an entrepreneur in that community will be accepted as a fellow. To qualify, entrepreneurs must be the primary decision maker in a second-stage company and must be committed to growing their business. Most importantly, the entrepreneur must also be coachable, says Davis. “It is as much about personal growth as it is about professional growth,” she says. “If they think they already know everything about everything, they’re not going to fit in the fellowship. It’s all about the right person as well as the right business.”

(continued on page 26)

The Dakota Rising program focuses on community involvement to boost entrepreneurial activity.

(continued from page 24)

The program selects between eight and 12 fellows each year, who commit to a three-year development program. The program has graduated two three-year classes to date, and has seen “spectacular outcomes” from many of its fellows so far, Davis says. Alumni include Kory Anderson, president of implement manufacturer Anderson Industries LLC, and Jim Meyer, co-founder of power meter manufacturer Quarq Technology Inc. (now part of global company SRAM LLC), among several others.

Davis says most of the fellowship alumni continue to be involved with the program, either through providing financial support or through engagement with current fellows. “We had hoped when we initially started the program to create a culture of ‘once a fellow, always a fellow’ and we seem to have succeeded in doing that,” she says.

In addition to mentorship and networking opportunities, selected Dakota Rising fellows receive $10,000, supported in part by grant money from the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development, to be used toward professional and business development. Davis notes that the program requires entrepreneurs to commit $2,000 of their grants toward personal development, knowing that not all fellows will succeed in their current business. At any rate, the cash prize is

really just icing on the cake and is not the real value of the program, according to Davis. “In the long run, the value of the fellowship is the peer support system and the connections that are made,” she says. “We talk about helping them grow their luck, because entrepreneurship is really a lonely endeavor. By virtue of connecting these entrepreneurs to their community, to each other through the fellowship and the network of Dakota Rising, it helps them make connections that truly do increase their luck.”

The Dakota Rising program was founded by Jael Kampfe, formerly with the Found Times Foundation, and is geared toward rural communities. In South Dakota, only Sioux Falls and Rapid City do not meet the “rural” criteria to qualify for the program. Currently, the program is unique to South Dakota, but Davis says the group is considering replicating the program in other states. It is unknown where the program would be expanded to first, but Davis says regardless of location, the initial expansion will be in the form of a pilot program. PB

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

Thank you Kathy, for all you do for your company, your community, and the industry!

Leading the Way

The area's top 25 women in business

BY KRIS BEVILL

Areport released last March by American Express on the state of women-owned businesses estimated that women owned more than 8.5 million businesses in the U.S. in 2013. The report, which was based on U.S. Census Bureau data, also found that over the past 16 years, women-owned businesses have grown by nearly 60 percent, exceeding the national average. Overall, women-owned firms comprise only about 30 percent of the nation’s business population, and the percentage

of women in executive roles at large firms in the U.S. compared to men is even less according to most estimates, but those numbers may begin to even out in the coming years thanks to the leadership of today’s female business leaders. This month, we present our inaugural top 25 women in business in recognition of the significant role women already play in the northern Plains’ business climate.

Anne Temte President - Northland Community and Technical College - East Grand Forks, Minn.

Anne has been in the business of higher education for 40 years, serving colleges in Iowa, Oregon, Washington and Minnesota in positions including instructor, chief human resources officer, chief academic officer and her current role of president at Northland Community and Technical College, a position she has held since 2006.

Since joining Northland, she has worked diligently to secure the college’s position as a partner and leader in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) training and has secured nearly $10 million in federal funding to develop UAS maintenance and geospatial intelligence training programs. She was one of the first to voice support for the nearby UAS-focused business park at the Grand Forks Air Force Base and has been a leader in efforts to develop the area’s UAS industry.

Anne is active in multiple state and region-specific committees. She was a charter member of the Valley Prosperity Partnership steering committee and sits on the board of directors for the Grand Forks Economic Development Corp. In 2009, her alma mater, Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, presented her with the Luther Distinguished Service award in recognition of her leadership and impact.

Over the course of her career, Anne has been witness to a significant expansion in the number of roles held by women in college administrations. When she entered the profession, women were typically a small minority of administrative employees. Now, not only have the ratios evened out, but women are more frequently seen in leadership roles. “That used to be the big question: Would men accept women as a supervisor? I don’t see that as an issue anymore at all,” she says.

Salaries have also evened out, particularly at colleges like Northland where pay rates are determined by the position, length of employment and union contracts. This was not always the case, unfortunately. One of Anne’s first employers paid nonfaculty men $2 more per hour than women. When she questioned the disparity, she was told men needed higher wages because they worked harder than women and needed to replace their clothing more frequently.

Fortunately, women entering into their professional careers today do not have to face many of the gender-related hurdles that existed just a few short decades ago. Because of this, Anne advises young women not to focus on their gender and what it might mean to the profession. “Unless you’re in a business that is targeted directly to women, it’s important to just be the most competent professional you can be … competency rises to the top,” she says.

She also encourages women to consider their personal partnerships and how those partners might impact career opportunities. Anne commends her husband for his support and willingness to take on the role of “house parent” over the years whenever she had the chance to pursue professional opportunities. “Not everybody can get that type of a relationship, but I would strongly encourage women to look for a life partner who views it as a partnership, not as a competition,” she says.

Deb Anderson President - Summers Manufacturing Co. Inc. - Devils Lake, N.D.

Deb’s father, Harley Summers, founded Summers Manufacturing in Maddock, N.D., in 1965. Ten years later, Deb joined the family business as a data entry specialist. The agricultural equipment manufacturer operated for more than 30 years with the Summers family at the helm and by 2007, when the family sold the company to its employees, Deb was primed for a leadership role. In 2008, she was elected to serve as president and under her leadership, the company has steadily expanded, doubling its capacity and number of employees. Today, it produces ag equipment for customers around the world from locations in Maddock, Devils Lake, N.D., and Aberdeen, S.D.

Deb takes great pride that Summers Manufacturing is 100-percent employee owned and credits much of her success within the company to its 221 employees. She admits she never would have entered into the manufacturing industry if it wasn’t the family business, but she has never regretted her career choice and she now proudly serves as a mentor and cheerleader for other women in manufacturing. In 2013, she was one of the first recipients of the Women in Manufacturing STEP (science, technology, engineering and production) award, given by the Manufacturing Institute in recognition of significant achievements made by women in industry. The annual awards are part of the group’s larger initiative to honor and promote the role of women in manufacturing.

Women continue to make up a small minority of the overall manufacturing industry, Summers Manufacturing included, but Deb says she has noticed more women entering the industry and working in roles from the production level to the executive level. In fact, she says manufacturing has experienced a widespread culture change since her early days in the industry, when she says she never would have imagined women working on the production floor of a manufacturing plant. “My father ran the business and the only time I got to go out on the floor was when I was doing inventory for the finance department,” she says. “The mindsets have changed among women and men. Women out-perform men in some cases … and the men are fine with it.” She encourages women entering into male-dominated fields to overlook gender entirely and to simply view their role as part of a team. “If you look at it that way, you’re putting your best forward,” she says

Deb notes the manufacturing industry faces workforce shortages in general and is trying to recruit young people to the industry, male and female. As part of the nationwide manufacturing day last fall, Summers Manufacturing opened its doors to schools throughout the area to give students a taste of modern-day manufacturing. About 125 students from middle schools, high schools and colleges toured the facility, which Deb says is the first step to recruiting new workers. “I think it’s all about education,” she says. “We’re just an industry that young kids don’t always think about. They don’t know what goes on and how technical it has gotten.”

The “roads of life” brought Laura to Mitchell, S.D., in 2005 to help her now-husband, Brian, with the marketing aspect of his small motorcycle products company. Laura was an avid motorcycle enthusiast and fit in easily with the staff of five. After the company participated in, and won, the Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off competition in 2006, it was Laura who drove when the team decided to capitalize on its recent celebrity by racing the winning bike at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The race drew attention, not only because it was rare for a woman to participate but also because it was one of the first times a “bagger” (touring bike) like the one Klock Werks built had been used in that type of race. If there were skeptics, it didn’t take long for Laura to quiet them. She set a land speed record in her first two passes.

That first time racing on the Flats represented a fork in the road for Klock Werks and for Laura. Her feedback regarding the bike’s handling at a high rate of speed led Brian to develop a windshield that would create more downforce, preventing front-end lifting. The company patented the product and it has since become its top-selling item. Klock Werks currently employs about 15 people and sells nearly $4 million of its products annually, with expectations to continue growing as it expands its product line to serve bike brands including Harley Davidson, Honda, Indian and Victory, among others.

Laura’s first record-setting run at the Flats led to public speaking engagements, where she shared her experiences in overcoming struggles to achieve her goals. She was invited to speak at the Abbott House, a residential treatment facility for girls ages 7 to 18, in Mitchell, S.D., and says she immediately connected and desired to help them. She had used motorcycles to teach her own two daughters (who also race motorcycles) about success, failure and hard work and wanted to try the same approach at Abbott House. She says divine inspiration gave her the idea to have the girls help repair a damaged motorcycle and raffle the finished product to benefit the facility. The first project succeeded and led her to develop a curriculum called the Helping With Horsepower Bike Rebuild Program, which has been used by multiple treatment facilities and second-chance high school programs since its launch in 2010.

“The bike rebuild program that’s now nationally recognized wouldn’t have happened without [the Abbott House] giving me an opportunity to try this crazy idea,” she says.

Auctions for the two bikes the Abbott House girls have rebuilt to date have generated about $175,000 for the facility. Nationwide, nine motorcycles have been rebuilt/repaired through the program.

Laura volunteers at the Abbott House for Helping with Horsepower and leads a weekly recovery group. She licenses the Helping with Horsepower curriculum to other facilities, but only takes a small fee if the program succeeds. More important to her is helping young people through their struggles. “As they’re transforming the motorcycle we’re relating it to life, and we’re teaching them self confidence, problem solving, how to work as a team, how to handle success and failure,” she says. “It’s just as much about the message as the motorcycle. It’s awesome. They just thrive when we’re doing it.”

The speed trials at the Flats have become a company and family tradition. Together, the Klock Werks team has held more than 20 land speed records. This year, Laura and her daughters, both now in their 20s, will return to the Flats in August to make a run at becoming the first mother-daughter-daughter trio to reach 200 miles per hour using the same motorcycle.

Laura says the races have been a fantastic marketing tool for the company, but she also does it for the thrill. “It’s awesome to set a goal and achieve it,” she says. “When you’re the first in history to do something, you can use that story to inspire and help motivate people to follow their dreams, too.”

Laura Klock Vice President - Klock Werks Kustom Cycles - Mitchell, S.D.

Jennifer Johnson Engineering Services Supervisor

Minnkota Power Cooperative Inc.

Grand Forks, N.D.

Jennifer joined Minnkota Power in 1981 and has since served in various engineering positions, including substation engineering, transmission engineering and system projects. In June 2013, she was promoted to the role of engineering services supervisor, a position responsible for coordinating multiple Minnkota engineering projects. She recently worked with construction management software firm Aconex to determine a method of managing thousands of documents from various parties to complete Minnkota’s $350 million Center-to-Grand Forks project, a 250-mile-long transmission line installation project which is expected to take five years to complete.

Jennifer currently serves as president of the Larimore (N.D.) Public School District and served for six years on the Red River Valley Education Cooperative board and legislative issues committee. She is also a member of the North Dakota state school board. A graduate of the industrial technology program at the University of North Dakota, she has served on the department’s advisory board for more than 20 years.

Jennifer and her husband also farm and ranch near Larimore, where they raise purebred Simmental cattle.

Tammy Miller

CEO

Border States Electric

Fargo, N.D.

Tammy joined Border States Electric in 1991 as the accounting manager and worked throughout the company before she was named president in 2005 and CEO in 2006. Miller and the Border States’ executive council launched an aggressive and successful strategy to double annual sales within five years. Border States now generates more than $1.3 billion in sales annually and ranks as the ninth largest electrical distributor in the U.S.

In 2007, Miller became the first woman elected to the National Association of Electrical Distributors board and was awarded its Women in Industry Trailblazer award in 2013. She has played a prominent role in supporting and mentoring women and is very active in community initiatives, including TNT Kid’s Fitness, United Way, YWCA, Minnesota State University Moorhead and the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corp.

Deb Shephard

President

Lake Area Technical Institute

Watertown, S.D.

When Deb retires at the end of this school year, she will bring to a successful close a 36year career at Lake Area Technical Institute which began as an instructor in the recreational therapy program and ended after a nearly eight-year presidency during which the institution experienced record growth and national recognition for its training programs. During her tenure, LATI has repeatedly ranked among the top in the nation for tech school retention and graduation rates and has twice received the Aspen Institute award for excellence as one of the nation’s top two-year colleges. Deb recently led the institute’s first $10 million major gift campaign, which was used toward a 233,000-square-foot expansion project.

Internally, Deb is known for a leadership style which focuses on empowering others to succeed in their roles. Her implementation of participatory management has helped to ensure all employees are treated equally. She is active in several local and state economic development committees and has contributed to a White House blog on the impact of two-year colleges.

Kathleen Neset President

Neset Consulting Services Inc.

Tioga, N.D.

Oil drew Kathy, a New Jersey native, to North Dakota, but her migration to the Bakken occurred long before western North Dakota was known as such. A graduate of geology at Brown University, Kathy initially worked in the oil fields of east Texas before following the industry north to Wyoming and North Dakota to work as an independent petroleum geologist. In 1980, she launched Neset Consulting Services in Tioga and has served the oil and gas industry ever since, growing the company to become one of the most well-respected consulting firms in the Williston Basin and Rocky Mountain areas. She is a member of several oil industry groups and serves on the Bismarck State College petroleum technology advisory committee and the University of North Dakota petroleum engineering advisory committee.

A former Tioga High School science teacher, school board member and substitute business manager, Kathy was appointed to the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education in 2012 and will serve in that role through June 2017.

CEO

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System

Watertown, S.D.

Jill joined Prairie Lakes as vice president of patient care services in 2000 and was promoted to president and CEO in 2009. She has overseen the organization’s growth while remaining a financially strong, independent health care system during a period of rapid consolidations, decreased utilization and increased costs throughout the health care industry. In 2013 alone, the organization recruited nine physicians, added outreach sites, established a pulmonology program and added several other services. It received an A+ rating from Standard & Poor and was recognized by the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations for having a 15 percent Medicare margin while continuing to provide low-cost service for its patients.

Jill is a very active member of the local community and serves on multiple committees. She is a board member of the Watertown Development Co. and was named the 2013 Business Woman of the Year by the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member at South Dakota State University, where she taught executive leadership courses, and consults for the American Hospital Association.

Vicki Monsen

Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

McKenzie County Bank

Watford City, N.D.

Vicki has spent 25 years as an employee of McKenzie County Bank, working her way up from a teller to a member of the bank’s top management team. She currently leads the bank’s residential lending program, manages its investment portfolio, prepares its call reports, serves as the compliance officer and security officer and is a member of several internal committees.

She is a graduate of the Rural Leadership North Dakota program, where she oversaw the construction of an eight-unit senior housing project owned by the Watford City Housing Authority. At the time of the project’s construction it was the first new residential project to be built in Watford City in many years. The city now ranks as one of the nation’s fastest growing small cities due to the region’s oil and gas boom and the bank’s residential lending program accounts for 30 percent of its loan portfolio.

Vicki and her husband also farm 2,000 acres in McKenzie County.

Jill Fuller

My ESOP means that I have more than a job. I have a lifetime career that rewards me for my commitment.

–Charlene | Sioux Falls, SD

Border States prides itself on our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). We are one of the largest 100 percent employee-owned companies in America. Hard work pays off. Because when you work at Border States you’re more than an employee, you’re an owner.

OWN YOUR FUTURE

borderstates.com/bse/careers

Dr. Susan Mathison Owner Catalyst Medical Center

Fargo, N.D.

After years of working in a corporate hospital system, Fargo-native Susan took the plunge into entrepreneurship and launched Catalyst Medical Center and Clinical Spa in Fargo in 2000. The business has allowed her to carry out her goal of providing compassionate medical and cosmetic services for patients and has expanded to include locations in Detroit Lakes, Minn., and Jamestown, N.D. She is an active participant and organizer of charity events to improve the well-being of community members and is a tireless supporter of emerging entrepreneurs, particularly women.

She is a director for the Impact Foundation and the Dakota Medical Foundation and is known among fellow board directors for her strong community perspective, strategic problem-solving skills and clarity of thinking. She is also a founding organizer of TEDxFargo and has assisted in hosting several live TEDxFargo events as well as a live stream of TED MED and TEDxFargoWomen. She served as an advisor for Fargo’s first Startup Weekend in 2013 and, after noticing a lack of female participants, coordinated North Dakota Women’s Startup Weekend, which attracted approximately 60 attendees from throughout North Dakota to Fargo for a weekend of business pitching, planning and mentorship. She is also a member of the Plains Art Museum board of directors.

Deb Eslinger Executive Director

Center for Technology & Business

Bismarck, N.D.

Deb became executive director of Center for Technology & Business in 2011. The organization serves as the Women's Business Center for North Dakota, providing business advising services and trainings across the state. Through Deb's leadership, the center has launched an annual statewide Women's Business Summit, the Women's Leadership Program, the Woman of Honor award and Leading Ladies Luncheons, which honor women who have made an impact in North Dakota.

Deb serves as treasurer on the board of directors for the Association of Women's Business Centers, is a member of the Excellence in Business committee for the Bismarck Mandan Chamber of Commerce and helped organize the first North Dakota Women's Startup Weekend, held earlier this year in Fargo. She is also a certified John Maxwell coach, speaker and trainer.

Glennis Zarecky

President

Midwest Construction and Development Inc.

Pierre, S.D.

Glennis and husband, Mark, launched Midwest Construction in 1981 and have since grown the general construction company to become a leader in the Pierre area’s building industry. In 1998, the Zareckys expanded to pursue the development of land in northeast Pierre and in 2000 broke ground on the Highlands Ridge development. The residential development project now includes approximately 125 homes and townhomes. The company is also developing a multimillion dollar project in Fort Pierre’s Teton Island which will include a restaurant, commercial and retail space and a marina.

Glennis has served in leadership roles in numerous organizations and continues to be very active in the community. She is a past president of the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce and currently chairs the board of directors for Capital Area Counseling Service, a mental health, addiction treatment and child welfare agency. She recently received the 2014 Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce Pierre Pride award for her work in the community.

Mary Weinheimer

President

Morris Equipment LLC/Morris Inc.

Pierre, S.D.

Mary’s career began in 1998 at Morris Inc., a Pierre-based heavy construction firm launched by her parents in 1970. In 2002, she started Morris Equipment LLC, an equipment leasing company, and has since overseen the company’s operations, leading it through multiple equipment dealership agreements and location expansions. Today, the company operates four locations and employs 46 people. Mary also continues to serve with her parents and four siblings as an active principal and managing member for all of the Morris family business operations, which combined employed more than 400 people last year.

Despite her many professional duties, Mary believes firmly in balancing work and home life. Last year, while leading her staff through major expansion projects, Mary prioritized her demanding work schedule to be actively present in the office environment while always being available for her family. She was able to maintain a balanced focus in her many responsibilities while caring for her five children and assisting her husband in their sustainable farming operation known as Synergy Farms.

Shelley Earsley Partner

Eide Bailly

Fargo, N.D.

Shelley has worked at Eide Bailly for nearly 20 years and has more than 14 years of experience in providing strategic business and IT consulting. She has developed expertise in a number of areas including business process consulting and systems integration and has earned a reputation for her work ethic and willingness to confront challenges. She is a mentor and business coach for employees and colleagues alike and has shared her knowledge and experiences as a guest speaker and participant in Eide Bailly’s First Focus group, focused on the retention and promotion of female employees into partnership and leadership roles at the firm.

Shelley has played an active role in numerous nonprofit groups, including United Way of Cass Clay and MS Society Upper Midwest Chapter. She currently serves as president of the YWCA Cass Clay board of directors.

Dr. Shelby Terstriep Medical Doctor, Oncologist

Sanford Health

Fargo, N.D.

Shelby joined Sanford Health’s Roger Maris Cancer Center in 2007 and quickly made her mark on the organization through her innovative, creative and business-savvy approach to medical care. She specializes in breast cancer and survivorship care and led the development of Embrace, Sanford’s cancer survivorship program, which, since its launch in 2008 has become the organization’s leading survivorship program. She continues to serve as medical director for the program in addition to her doctoral duties within the cancer center. Shelby is quadruple boarded in internal medicine, hematology, oncology and palliative medicine and is a clinical associate professor at the University of North Dakota.

Shelby’s passion to improve care for cancer patients was recognized in 2011 with the American Cancer Society’s Lane Adams Quality of Life award, an award given to only 11 caregivers nationally each year. In 2013, she was awarded Sanford Health’s Innovator Award in recognition for her work to improve the patient experience. She serves on two national committees to improve quality of life and health care outcomes. She also designed and is leading a clinical trial evaluating nutritional interventions to improve breast cancer outcomes.

Jodi Duncan

President

Flint Communications Fargo, N.D.

Jodi completed an internship at Flint Communications soon after graduating from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. More than 12 years later, she returned to the company in 2004 as a seasoned veteran of the marketing and advertising industry, having spent the time in between as marketing director for an insurance agency, a brand and research manager at Microsoft Business Solutions, and a marketing instructor at the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. Jodi proceeded to work her way up to her current role as a president at Flint, where she analyzes data and market research, writes strategy and proposals, collaborates with clients and co-workers and participates in internal management and planning projects.

Jodi is known for her keen sense of business and strategic thinking abilities and an approachable management style that makes her a trusted leader within the firm. She is also active in the community and has served on several boards of directors, including the Lake Agassiz Girls Choir board and the Stephanie Goetz Foundation board.

Lisa Robson

Owner

Evergreen Eating Emporium

Thief River Falls, Minn.

Lisa developed a passion for the foodservice industry at a young age while working as a server and helping hand at her mother’s restaurant in Thief River Falls, Minn. She pursued another career track, however, and worked for years as an insurance agent while continuing to assist in managing the family restaurant. In 2012, she decided to dedicate her focus on her initial passion and purchased the restaurant from her mother, where she works alongside her longtime staff members daily to provide top-notch food and service to the community both in-house and through off-site catering. She credits her three children for supporting her throughout her career.

Lisa serves as a role model for many in the community and is known for offering work opportunities to those in need of a helping hand. She is active within the Chamber of Commerce and hosts an annual Christmas Eve dinner for individuals and families who are alone for the holiday.

Tracy Bernard

Owner/Creative Director

Tout Advertising (formerly Bernard Marketing)

Rapid City, S.D.

After graduating from the University of South Dakota in 1996, Tracy’s advertising and marketing career included work at several large companies, including McCann-Erickson Worldwide, one of the world’s leading advertising agencies. In 2003, she moved to Rapid City and launched her own full-service advertising and marketing firm. While it has been in business for less than a decade, the firm has already won more than a dozen advertising awards. She recently rebranded the firm and changed its name from Bernard Marketing and Advertising to Tout Advertising, a move which Tracy says signifies the company’s growth, among other factors.

Tracy is also the creator and publisher of the lifestyle magazine “Black Hills Woman” and works frequently with female-oriented businesses.

Julie Johnson Executive Director

Absolutely! Aberdeen, Prairie Vision Aberdeen, S.D.

Julie currently serves as executive director for Absolutely! Aberdeen, the northeast South Dakota growth initiative, as well as its regional development arm, known as Prairie Vision, but the majority of her career has been spent practicing law and influencing and shaping state policy. For more than 30 years, Julie has played an active role in the state’s policy process, serving as cabinet secretary for the South Dakota labor department and revenue department, president and CEO of the Industry and Commerce Association of South Dakota, executive director of the South Dakota Rural Development Council, acting director of the South Dakota Math, Science and Technology Council, and a registered lobbyist at 35 legislative sessions. She also served as an administrative law judge for several years and is a current member of the State Bar of South Dakota.

Julie credits several mentors for supporting her throughout her career and now relishes her role as a mentor for other women in politics and business. She has been involved with several women-focused groups to aid that effort, including Outdoor Women of South Dakota and South Dakota Business and Professional Women, among others.

Angie Bjorgaard

Founder

Sublime Aesthetic Professionals LLC

Grand Forks, N.D.

Angie discovered a true passion for helping women look and feel healthier while working as a registered nurse and as an entrepreneur. Over the past decade, she’s turned her passion into a profession that resulted in the launch of Sublime Aesthetic Professionals, an aesthetic spa specializing in nonsurgical procedures that help women (and men) feel better about themselves. In 2013, Angie expanded Sublime to include a Fargo location. Additionally, she and her team created the Beauty Expo, an annual event which promotes women-focused area businesses. She plans to continue adding locations throughout the region and also plans to open a boutique hotel and coffee shop in Grand Forks.

Kari Warberg-Block

Founder/CEO

earthkind

Bismarck, N.D.

Kari was a serial entrepreneur who had experienced varying degrees of success and tribulations when a run-in with a rodent in a tractor eventually led her to invent and commercialize Fresh Cab, a natural rodent repellent.

From her company’s early days of production at the kitchen table, Kari and her team have grown earthkind into $40 million of retail sales with a 90 percent repeat purchase rate, and customers around the world. Despite its impressive growth, the company remains committed to its goals of supporting the environment, community and people by continuing to produce Earth-friendly products, employing people with developmental disabilities whenever possible and insisting on growing all its ingredients on U.S. family farms.

Kari’s success has earned her recognition as one of Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneurial Winning Women and as one of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s top three business people. Locally, she continues to use her success story to inspire others through mentorship and financial support. She is an original member of Pride of Dakota, a past chair of North Dakota’s Women in Business Council and has helped launch multiple new businesses through Start Up North Dakota.

Andrea Boe

Business Development Director

AE2S (Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services Inc.)

Grand Forks, N.D.

Nearly 20 years ago, Andrea joined startup engineering firm AE2S as a marketing assistant with a plan to build her portfolio and move on to a marketing career in a more interesting industry. She soon became fascinated with the engineering industry and grew along with the firm, which fostered her entrepreneurial spirit and allowed her to significantly expand the marketing team, essentially create a marketing agency within the firm. “AE2S is such an entrepreneurial firm that I never felt pigeonholed,” she says. “I always knew that if I saw an opportunity and wanted to grow in a certain way, if I could prove it was a good idea they’d pretty much let me go.”

Having built a successful marketing arm for the firm, Andrea recently moved on to serve as business development director for its water solutions and construction groups, focusing heavily on design/build water projects for oil producers and industries in North Dakota’s Bakken region. Early this year, she also helped launch a web-based app developed by the firm called OpWorks, aimed at helping water facilities manage their operations.

Tonya Stende

President

Dale Carnegie Business Group of North Dakota Fargo, N.D.

After spending seven years working in her chosen field of accounting, Tonya left her successful career to pursue a path of business leadership. She and her business partner, Tamara Anderson, own the North Dakota franchise for Dale Carnegie Training, a worldwide performance-based training company, and have built the company into a respected and highly successful business, having trained thousands of business leaders and their employees throughout the state.

Tonya also plays a significant role in supporting other women in business in the region through her volunteerism efforts. She helped found the United Way of Cass-Clay’s 35 under 35 leadership program, which focuses on providing skills training and access to resources for young business women. She has served as a volunteer for Junior Achievement, a board member for the Women’s Leadership Council and is the incoming United Way campaign chair, a role which will require her to lead the organization’s efforts to raise more than $5 million to fund its programs.

Shelly Weppler President

St. Joseph’s Community Health Foundation Minot, N.D.

Shelly is dedicated to the betterment of her community’s residents and currently carries out that mission through her role as president of St. Joseph’s Community Health Foundation, which serves more than 150,000 residents in an 11county area by granting funds to organizations for projects that address mental, physical, spiritual and emotional needs. This month, the foundation will grant more than $600,000 to area organizations.

She also serves as a commissioner for Ward County, a member of the North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations public policy committee and is a past-president of the group, in addition to playing an active role in multiple other community groups.

Shelly has more than 15 years of banking experience and 17 years of professional fund development experience. She served in managerial roles at U.S. Bank and Metropolitan Federal Bank and was the annual fund director for Minot State University. She also served as president of the Minot Art Association during its capital campaign and renovation of a downtown Minot building into the Taube Museum of Art.

She is a U.S. Army veteran and served as a military police officer in Germany.

Cheri Johnson

President

Personal Touch Embroidery & Marketing Inc.

Moorhead, Minn.

Cheri was working as an accountant when she launched Personal Touch Embroidery in 1990 after recognizing a need for an embroidered goods service in the local market. With no prior business experience or qualifications for a traditional bank loan, she was able to acquire a loan with assistance from West Central Initiative’s small enterprise loan fund and launched her business in a small rental space with one employee and two embroidery machines. Today, the business occupies a 19,000-square-foot showroom and production facility in Moorhead. The company employs 20 people and offers in-house embroidery, screen printing, engraving, digital print and other services.

Cheri currently sits on the board of the directors for West Central Initiative and is active in multiple nonprofit organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Building up Bismarck

BY KRIS BEVILL

Brian Ritter, president and CEO of the Bismarck-Mandan (N.D.) Development Association, sums up the current state of the community's business climate in one word: Exciting.

“There is just so much happening,” he says. “I’m very bullish on the future of Bismarck-Mandan.”

As with other communities throughout the region, diversity in industry is the ultimate goal for North Dakota’s capitol city, and Ritter thinks Bismarck has it. State government agencies, manufacturers such as Bobcat Co. and health care organizations including Sanford Health and St. Alexius are all major employers.

Two major utilities, MDU Resources Group and Basin Electric Power Cooperative, are headquartered in Bismarck and are growing. And while the city does not house one of the state’s major universities, it is home to higher education institutions including the University of Mary, Bismarck State College and Rasmussen College, which Ritter says further contribute to the metro area’s diversifying economy.

Bismarck’s population has been steadily growing in recent years. The U.S. Census recorded an estimated population of about 65,000 in 2012, up from about 61,000 in 2010. An obvious sign of the community’s

growth is the plan to open three new elementary schools (two in Bismarck, one in Mandan) and a new high school in Bismarck. Ritter says the new schools are a direct result of the community’s recent record-setting growth and a desire among community members to continue investing in education to maintain and improve the quality of life. “Those four projects represent an estimate pushing $100 million and the voters approved it on the very first shot,” he says. “Those things don’t happen in stagnant communities.”

Of course, Bismarck’s proximity to the Bakken region has been responsible for a portion of the city’s recent growth, but Ritter says the impact is not as immediately noticeable as in the oil region’s hub cities because much of Bismarck’s energy-related growth has come in the form of white-collar jobs. “Because of where we’re located [about an hour and half east of Dickinson, N.D., and three and half hours southeast of Williston, N.D.] we have not seen the service companies, the water trucks, those types of companies,” he says. “What you see is the office side — all those things that support the industry that don’t have to be done on site. It doesn’t come in increments of 75 to 100 employees, it comes in one or two employees here and there. But when you add all those up, it is significant.”

Engineering is one industry in particular that has experienced an influx of new and expanded firms in Bismarck recently. KLJ, one of the largest engineering firms in the region, recently moved into its impressively sized new headquarters, a sign of its recent growth throughout the region. The facility sits on more than eight acres and was designed specifically to increase productivity, employee morale and to foster an innovative and collaborative culture. The building, designed by JLG Architects, has piqued the interest of the local business community and the company has hosted several group tours of the facility since opening, according to Jill Furaus, KLJ communications coordinator.

Downtown Bismarck is also experiencing a recent rejuvenation. Several unique projects are expected to breathe new life into the formerly tired section of town, including the Broadway Centre, an estimated $30 million infill project which will include commercial and residential space when complete. The building occupies nearly a full city block and represents a significant expansion into the western side of

downtown, according to Kate Herzog, assistant director for the Downtown Business Association of Bismarck.

Herzog says the Downtowners’ 2014 areas of focus will include the development of market-rate housing projects and public gathering spaces. “With unemployment so low and housing stock so tight, we could really use some market-rate housing in the downtown,” she says, adding that any housing projects will likely be new construction as there is a lack of existing building stock that could be rehabilitated for housing.

Construction is nearing completion on a needed expansion and renovation to the Bismarck Civic Center. The approximately $25 million project, designed by Bismarckbased übl Design Group, includes the addition of a 50,000square-foot exhibit hall and 20,000 square feet of storage, lobby, concourse and support space. Despite the unusually cold winter, construction is on schedule and the facility will be at a “rough finish” point in time for the North Dakota Petroleum Council’s annual meeting in May, according to civic center general manager Charlie Geske. The center should be fully finished by October, however Geske says the center will hedge against potential summer weather delays and does not plan to book major events until early next year. When complete, the civic center will offer approximately 150,000 square feet of exhibit space, surpassing that of other area event centers, including the Fargodome, Geske says. The expanded space should allow the center to continue hosting regional events as well as compete for national events that may not have considered the venue previously.

Located in the shadow of the state Capitol Building, another expansion project is expected to draw visitors from throughout the region. A long-overdue renovation of the state’s Heritage Center will nearly double the museum’s gallery size to 39,000 feet and will include four new galleries to better display the state’s history, dating back to prehistoric times. The project is estimated at nearly $40 million is scheduled to be complete by Nov. 2, in time to celebrate North Dakota’s 125th anniversary of statehood. PB

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

Keep the bad guys at bay Why

BY KRIS BEVILL

Last November’s infamous data security breach at Target Corp., now believed to be one of the largest recorded data security breaches in U.S. history, provided a painful reminder to the retail giant (and the 40 million customers whose information was stolen) of the importance of diligently protecting data.

“Big data” is now a big buzzword and for many business owners nationwide, Target’s cyberheist served as a wake-up call regarding their own security policies and how to protect big data from the bad guys.

What is ‘big data’ and who wants it?

Everyone has big data, and all of it is targeted for the taking, from customer lists and marketing information to manufacturing processes and engineering notes,

according to a cyberintelligence agent who spoke at a recent meeting of the North Dakota chapter of InfraGard, a public-private partnership focused on sharing information and intelligence to protect the U.S. from hostile acts, including cyber attacks. The program is led by the FBI and includes members of various businesses, educational institutions, health care organizations, law enforcement agencies and anyone else who has an interest in the topic and passes an FBI background check.

Data thieves include the expected hackers, as well as insiders (disgruntled employees), social activist groups, competing business interests and foreign intelligence services. Any number of approaches may be taken to breach security and obtain data, including phishing emails, social media outlets, mobile devices and insider theft, but the ultimate driver for data theft is always the

THANK YOU. Twenty-five years ago, Lonnie Laffen and Gary Johnson founded an architecture firm based on hard work, a love for our community, common-sense values and a respect for budgets. Today, with over 85 professionals and 90 design awards, JLG owes its success to its clients, who are constantly pushing the envelope in terms of innovation, energy efficiency and smart design in order to raise bottom lines and provide a strong future for all of the upper midwest. Thank you – we look forward to the next 25 years.

www.jlgarchitects.com

(continued from page 40)

same regardless of the source or method used to obtain it. Simply put, data equals money. For example, the customer information held by banks can easily be more valuable than the hard cash kept in their vaults. Likewise, the process a manufacturer uses to produce a certain product is what makes the company valuable. Therefore the data that describes the details of that process has more economic value than the widget itself.

How to protect it

Data has value and thieves know it. The problem for many businesses, according to technology experts, is that business leaders often don’t know what valuable data they have, and you can’t protect what you don’t know.

“First and foremost, you need to know what your data is and what your sensitive data is,” says Ric Todd, technology consultant at Network Center Inc. He says his company often takes a high-level approach when working with new businesses to learn how they operate and where their risk areas are so that each area can be adequately addressed.

Todd also recommends businesses ensure they have a clear and acceptable usage policy so employees understand their boundaries regarding sensitive information. This is becoming particularly important as more employees push for the ability to use their own mobile devices or other technology for a “unified technology experience,” he says. He often speaks with information technology heads on this topic and says it is a major issue of concern because the more devices that are allowed access to data, the more at-risk the data becomes. “Malware and those kinds of nasty bugs have become so good at tricking people, you really have to almost take the control out of end-users hands and limit the things they have access to,” he says.

Every business needs to be concerned about security, but small businesses are often particularly vulnerable because they are most likely to lack proper security measures and usually don’t have insurance in place to cover any data-related losses, says Kelvin Daniels, technology consultant at Network Center Communications. However, he says even larger companies often do not have enough IT staffers to adequately protect the company’s data. “The bad guys are getting smarter and the good guys are understaffed,” he says.

The most common mistake Daniels sees businesses make regarding data protection is a lack of proper back-up measures.

There are a variety of free options available, including antivirus applications and firewall protection, but they do not provide business-standard protection, he says, adding that good anti-virus applications typically cost about $35 per employee per year.

Even the best anti-virus software on the market can’t protect against all attacks, however. CryptoLocker is one of the most vicious viruses known, infamous enough to warrant its own Wikipedia page, and slips by every anti-virus application out there, according to Daniels. Once in, the virus encrypts files and holds them hostage, demanding a ransom from the user in order to regain access to the data. What makes the virus so dangerous is that it appears as an attachment to a legitimate-looking email. “It’s scary because it doesn’t look like it’s bad,” he says. “It’s like DiGiornio pizza – everyone thinks it’s delivery pizza but it’s not.”

There may not yet be an anti-venom for CryptoLocker per say, but businesses that are attacked by the virus and have proper protection measures in place can rid themselves of the poison much more quickly than others. Daniels says several of his company’s customers were attacked by CryptoLocker, but because they were properly protected they didn’t have to pay the ransom and were able to remove the virus and regain access to their data quickly. “If you’re doing your job as an IT support company, you should be able to take care of these things in short time,” he says.

Business leaders who are unsure about the quality of their current security measures or their current IT providers should evaluate some of the key components of protection. Beware of companies that do not mention back-up protection or that suggest tape back-up, says Daniels. “If you have a tape back-up or they pitch it to you, don’t walk – run away,” he says. Other considerations include firewall offerings and support rates. Daniels encourages businesses to be skeptical of companies that charge by the hour for support calls and suggests they look for a provider that offers a service-level agreement with guaranteed response times to ensure fast fixes when they’re needed. If still unsure, consult with a third party. Both Daniels and Todd recommend audits by third-party companies to validate security policies and ensure the correct protection measures are in place. After all, nobody wants to be the next Target. PB

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

Better Banking For Your

Five tech trends to watch in 2014

BY SCOTT KOST

Technology is changing faster than ever, and for companies and consumers it can be hard to keep up. Some technologies end up changing the world, while other tech products turn out to be a complete bust. Before you adopt a new technology, it’s important to have a good grasp of how it can benefit you and your business.

Here are the top five technology trends to watch for in 2014 and how they can affect you and your business:

1. Cloud battle: “The cloud” is essentially a term used to refer to platforms and applications that are sold as a service through the Internet. The battle for cloud supremacy will continue to heat up as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Google and a host of other companies compete for this space. The convergence of mobile technologies and cloud computing are creating a new platform — one with unlimited computing resources.

The main concern consumers and businesses have with a cloud is security. Organizations new to “the cloud” are uncomfortable putting their data where they cannot physically see it. Using a cloud platform, however, can give your business an edge, especially when it comes to security. Small to mid-size companies typically cannot afford the level of security these companies have in place.

2. Internet of things: The networking of our physical world will continue to boom in 2014. Connected devices are no longer just limited to smartphones and computers. Everything from door locks and home appliances to bikes and watches can now be networked. This same technology is being used to monitor our energy usage and provide recommendations on how to lower our heating bills. The benefit here is that products and services tied to the Internet can give businesses a real-time picture of how their products and services are working. Manufacturing and service companies especially are tying their products to the Internet and creating a competitive leg up when it comes to quality and value.

3. Privacy: Privacy became a buzzword last summer, with the details of the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs coming to light through leaked documents by former contractor Edward Snowden. As a result, what privacy advocates have today is a loud and legitimate voice in the marketplace.

There are companies that are competing with Google by utilizing the privacy angle to attract customers. According to a July 2013 Pew Research survey, 86 percent of Internet users have taken steps to protect their digital footprint by using methods like encrypting their email or clearing cookies.

Looking into the future, companies will attempt to gain an advantage by claiming their product or service has a high level of privacy. Though this could be a good opportunity to draw in customers, you should always be aware of the risks your company takes when storing private data.

4. Smart machines: Smart machines have the potential to be the most disruptive technology in the history of mankind. In 2014, we will continue to see progress in advanced robotics, autonomous vehicles, context aware personal assistants and home automation.

One of the implications of this trend is that fewer people are working, and there is more productivity. The pace of robots and smart machines being implemented into the workforce will increase over the next several years. Businesses and countries will have to respond by educating the workforce to keep up in a world that is becoming more automated.

5. Wearable technology: Wearable technology will start getting traction in the marketplace with gadgets from smart watches to gizmos embedded in your clothing. Specifically, health-tracking devices such as Fitbit Nike Fuel Band, and Samsung’s Galaxy Gear Smart Watch will gain serious consumer

Scott Kost, director of technology consulting at Eide Bailly

interest. Google is also expected to ship its groundbreaking Google Glass product in 2014.

Similar to the roll out of smartphones, we’ll see consumer adoption of wearable technology and, as it changes our behavior, the practical use for business will become clearer. Businesses should consider what types of devices make sense to support internally. If you need to track the location of your employees, like first responders or a mobile sales force, then wearable technology may be something that can help your business become more effective and responsive.

If you have a business looking to take advantage of the newest technology, it should be fully flushed out before adoption. Timing is also critical. Incorporating new technology into your business objectives is important, but it’s not always easy to know the exact right time to invest. Consulting with technology experts can allow businesses to pinpoint the best way to leverage their IT investment and take advantage of the latest advancements happening in the marketplace. PB

Scott Kost Director of Technology Consulting Eide Bailly skost@eidebailly.com

Just getting started

North Dakota Women’s Startup Weekend puts focus on female entrepreneurs

BY KRIS BEVILL

Despite bitterly cold temperatures and blizzard warnings, nearly 60 women from throughout North Dakota turned out at the Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo the night of Jan. 24 to kick off the state’s first Women’s Startup Weekend. The event was just like the Startup Weekend held in Fargo about a year ago with one major exception — this weekend was strictly for female entrepreneurs.

Organizer Dr. Susan Mathison told atten-

dees she was inspired to bring Women’s Startup Weekend to the area after serving as a judge at Fargo’s inaugural Startup Weekend event and noticing a lack of women participants. She credited multiple organizers for helping to put the event together, noting that she was pleasantly surprised to find it easy to obtain sponsorships and other support for the event. “I think the business community is really excited to help women entrepreneurs shine their lights,” she says.

(continued on page 48)

Attendees and organizers of the first North Dakota Women’s Startup Weekend at Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo. PHOTO: ASHLEY HAHN/ASHLEY VICTORIA PHOTOGRAPHY

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Self-described inventor and serial entrepreneur Kari Warberg Block, founder and CEO of Bismarck, N.D.-based earthkind, delivered an inspiring keynote speech to attendees, providing an overview of her initial foray into entrepreneurship and subsequent years of trial and error before ultimately inventing a product that was developed into a multi-million dollar company. She advised would-be entrepreneurs to realize their capabilities (which she said are often greater than one thinks), understand where they and their product fit, and to know when to say “no.”

Following Warberg Block’s speech, attendees were invited to present a 60-second pitch about their idea/product to encourage other participants to team up and develop their business. Nearly half of the attendees delivered pitches. Ideas ranged wildly from the somewhat traditional to the unexpected. Pitches included an Oil Patch food truck, online distribution services for locally produced products, educational apps and curriculums, and a business to market and distribute decades old manure to gardeners. At just 11 years old, the youngest attendee received loud applause for her idea to develop a magazine geared toward young entrepreneurs.

Of the ideas pitched, eight were developed by teams throughout the weekend and were presented to judges Sunday night. At the end of the intense 54-hour program, the weekend’s winning idea came not from a previous business owner but from a college student who wanted to develop an ‘a-ha’ idea — a nursing table for women, similar to a massage table, to ease the experience for women.

Runners up for the weekend were the manure mar-

keting business and the preteen entrepreneur magazine, testaments to the variety of businesses and ideas brought forth over the course of the weekend.

Deb Eslinger, executive director at the Center for Technology and Business in Bismarck, says the event met organizers’ expectations and she hopes to make the weekend an annual event. “I think overall there were a lot of really great ideas pitched,” she said. “There were definitely a lot of viable ideas that can turn to the marketplace and be successful.”

One of the less obvious but perhaps most important components of the Women’s Startup Weekend were the connections made among attendees and with supporters, mentors and potential investors. Organizers promoted camaraderie among the attendees, noting multiple times the benefits of establishing a support group and receiving feedback from established entrepreneurs. As a former business owner, Eslinger said she likes to use that experience to help others and to see their ideas come to the marketplace.

“We’re here to help,” she says. “The great thing about our office is we’re connected to so many great partners across the state. We don’t claim to be the expert in everything but if we know so-and-so could help you better, we would definitely give you a referral and introduce those folks.” PB

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

Power plant phase-out to impact local economy

Fergus Falls, Minn., plant closure will affect city income, railroad

BY KRIS BEVILL

Otter Tail Power Co.’s Hoot Lake plant near Fergus Falls, Minn., generates approximately 140 megawatts of power using subbituminous coal railed in from Wyoming. The company is phasing out the facility in response to tightening emissions standards and will close the plant in 2020. PHOTO:

Changing federal regulations regarding emissions outputs at the nation’s power plants will impact operations at northern Plains’ coal-fired power plants to varying degrees, depending on the age of the facility, the type of coal used and the types of technology installed at the plant to limit emissions. For Otter Tail Power Co., tightening emissions standards mean the company will phase out its 138-megawatt Hoot Lake Plant in Fergus Falls, Minn. The plant has two coal-fired units, the first of which came online in 1959, and uses subbituminous coal delivered via rail from Wyoming. The plant will be phased out of commission and will close permanently in 2020.

OTTER TAIL POWER CO.

Brad Tollerson, director of resource planning and power services, says the U.S. EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards will require the Hoot Lake plant to reduce its mercury emissions by nearly 60 percent and its particulate emissions by 16 percent beginning in 2015. He says the company had three options with regards to MATS compliance: Either shut it down in 2015, carry out minimal upgrades to extend its life until 2020 or perform extensive upgrades to allow the plant to operate until 2040. The Hoot Lake plant is the oldest of Otter Tail’s three coal-fired power plants and is already nearing the end of its life, so it was determined that the second option was the most viable. The company is investing $8.6 million to carry out minimal upgrades to comply with MATS, including upgrading its existing equipment to collect particulate matter and installing new equipment to collect mercury emissions, which will allow it to operate until 2020.

Otter Tail intends to replace the facility, but it is unknown whether a new facility will be built in the same location or elsewhere in the region. There are benefits to building a new power plant at a brownfield site such as the Hoot Lake site. However, the most likely source of fuel for a new plant is natural gas, and the Hoot Lake site does not currently have the gas supply infrastructure needed to support a gas-fired plant. To install a supply line from the nearby Alliance or Viking pipelines would cost an estimated $40 million, so Tollerson says other site benefits such as electric transmission access, water, ownership and general infrastructure would have to outweigh that cost in order to warrant a new plant in that location.

Ownership of a new plant is yet to be determined as well, but anticipated load growth throughout the region will likely require that Hoot Lake’s replacement plant, wherever it is located, will be built to generate approximately 200 megawatts. To complete the project, Otter Tail may team up with another entity or go it alone.

It is not clear when the company will determine the new facility’s location. At a recent economic outlook session held in Fergus Falls, Tollerson noted that the phase out gives the company time to build confidence in natural gas prices and evaluate changing environmental rules. The new facility is expected to become operational in 2020 or 2021.

The shutdown of the Hoot Lake plant will have a noticeable impact on Fergus Falls. The company, which is headquartered in Fergus Falls and employs about 400 people there, paid $1.5 million in property taxes in 2012, making it a major contributor to the city’s economy, says Mark Helland, vice president of customer service. The Hoot Lake plant currently employs 45 people and is responsible for the bulk of property taxes the company pays to Fergus Falls, he says. He noted that even if the facility is replaced in Fergus Falls, the new plant will have a lessened impact on the economy because it will no longer require coal shipments by railroad and will likely pay less in property taxes. The company is not anticipating layoffs as a result of the Hoot Lake plant closure, however, because many of its employees are nearing retirement age and will likely retire on or before its closure, Helland says. Remaining employees will be given opportunities at other locations. PB

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

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Business

Mike did.

“Your online magazine is stellar.”

- Mike Hammerberg, retired Cooperstown, N.D., educator.

Interest Rates

Employment

Gas Captured/Sold

Flared due to challenges or constraints on existing gathering systems

Flared due to lack of pipeline connection

Data provided by David Flynn, chair of the University of North Dakota Department of Economics. Reach him at david.flynn@business.und.edu.