Prairie Business March 2018

THIS YEAR’S WINNERS

Evolved.

Perfectly designed to thrive in its environment. Adaptable enough to evolve with the times. Building smart for a solid future. It’s second nature at KLJ.

BUSINESS INSIDER

OMAHA’S

CORPORATE RETREAT PARTICIPANTS TAKE THE CULINARY CHALLENGE, AKA TEAM BUILDING THROUGH COOKING, AT THE LEADERSHIP CENTER AT SUGAR LAKE LODGE, GRAND RAPIDS, MINN. IMAGE: SUGAR LAKE LODGE

If you set the bar at competence, how do you reach excellence?

Women in Business lead the way

Iget nostalgic now and then, including for eras that I’ve only read about, such as the 1940s. But the feeling doesn’t last, because when I think about what life really was like back then, I’m glad to be alive in 2018.

Case in point: today’s dramatically improved status of both women and men.

This month’s Top 25 Women in Business feature is Exhibit A.

What a spectacular group of highachieving executives. And what an impressive change they represent, as both industry and society have benefited so enormously from these women’s leadership skills.

Here’s another observation: In 1960, any “Top Women in Business” story would have been a story of firsts: first female CEO, first female COO and so on.

There are firsts in this month’s issue, too. But these days, the lens is much wider, because the presence of so many more women in business means that “pioneering” is just one among many markers of women’s success.

All of this testifies to women’s increased freedom to choose their own path. And what a blessing that freedom has become, as the regionwide impact of the Top 25 Women in Business 2018 shows.

As for men: I’m a father, and would I want to go back to the stoic and oldfashioned models of being a dad? No, I would not. The modern era has been liberating for men, too.

Which is why Prairie Business so often is animated by the following: the sense that these are the good old days. This annual Top 25 Women in Business issue is no exception.

PUBLISHER KORRIE WENZEL

AD DIRECTOR STACI LORD EDITOR TOM DENNIS

CIRCULATION MANAGER BETH BOHLMAN

LAYOUT DESIGN, AD DESIGN ANNA HINSVERK

ACCOUNT MANAGER S NICHOLE ERTMAN 800.477.6572 ext. 1162 nertman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

JENNIFER LEROUX OLSZEWSKI 800.477.6572 ext. 1167 jlolszewski@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand Forks Herald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 375 2nd Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND 58203. Subscriptions are available free of charge. Back issue quantities are limited and subject to availability ($2/copy prepaid). The opinions of writers featured in Prairie Business are their own.

Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork are encouraged but will not be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions are free www.prairiebusinessmagazine.com

ADDRESS CORRECTIONS

I welcome your feedback and story ideas. Call me at 701-780-1276 or email me at tdennis@ prairiebusinessmagazine.com.

Prairie Business magazine Box 6008 Grand Forks, ND 58206-6008

Beth Bohlman: bbohlman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

ONLINE www.prairiebusinessmagazine.com

How internships can help solve the workforce challenge

By Tom McDonald

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – With the recent announcement of InternGF, an initiative from the University of North Dakota Center for Innovation and the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corp. to grow the pool of interns in entrepreneurship and startup companies, the topic of student internships has hit center stage in the business community.

The program sets aside $35,000 in seed funding to encourage more local businesses to hire interns. This is exciting news because interns play an important role for many businesses, both small and large.

Construction Engineers has developed a robust internship program that benefits both the student and company. In 2017, we were named a “Best Place to Intern” runner-up by the North Dakota Young Professionals Network.

As a business that takes pride in its 40-year legacy in North Dakota, we want local students to find meaningful, long-term careers with us. Our overarching goal is to keep students in our state and to use their talent to grow our company as well as our industry.

We have proven that internships are an effective way to build a workforce and grow the talent pool in the region.

Here are a few best practices that create a win-win program.

RELATIONSHIPS BUILD A RECRUITING PIPELINE

Building relationships is important. Get to know high school counselors and career services staff at regional universities and technical schools. They work directly with students who are looking for internships and can connect you with possible candidates by arranging interviews or working with faculty to recruit students with certain skill sets.

We partner with these student advisors to increase the visibility of all our positions, including those in the professional trades.

Furthermore, leverage the positive impact that previous interns make with recruiting. Once you have a pipeline of successful interns, they become your best recruiters. About 80 percent of our interns in the past five years have continued to work for us full-time. Use their connection to schools and organizations to continue to build your talent pool.

PROVIDE MEANINGFUL WORK

Once an intern starts, giving them meaningful work is one of the most important success factors. Set expectations for him or her, as well as for the company in the first week.

At Construction Engineers, each student intern gets a detailed job description, is assigned a mentor/supervisor and is immersed in our culture.

All our interns immediately attend an onboarding program which includes learning our company mission and values. Taking time to educate interns on expectations and company culture verbally and in writing will lead to greater success and long-term understanding of the company. Make sure to involve interns in company functions such as picnics, golf outings and other company events.

Internships are all about learning, and it’s a two-way street. Student interns ask questions and may challenge current thinking in a good way. Looking at problems with a new set of eyes may result in an unconventional solution, which can be a win-win for the organization.

PROVIDE FEEDBACK

Don’t wait until the end of the internship to give an intern feedback. Students want to learn, and companies want to maximize the productivity of interns, so be timely with constructive criticism and positive reinforcement.

Mentors/supervisors should schedule a time every week to follow-up on assignments and provide input.

Conducting an evaluation at the end of the internship can provide valuable data regarding your program. Our evaluations of the students give them feedback on areas to improve and tasks at which they excelled. We also ask each intern to evaluate his or her experience, so that we can continually improve our program. After the internship, celebrate a job well done by inviting students to lunch or providing them a gift of appreciation.

TOM MCDONALD IS VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS OF GRAND FORKS, N.D. IMAGE: CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS

Reach out to the student interns periodically throughout the school year. Keeping in contact with past interns can make the recruiting cycle much easier the next spring.

Evaluate and improve your internship program today, for a better workforce tomorrow!

Tom McDonald

Vice president of construction

Construction Engineers Grand Forks 701-792-3200

operations.

reform: What businesses need to know

The recently enacted tax reform legislation, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, represents the most significant overhaul of our tax laws in more than 30 years. The act contains substantial changes to the taxation of businesses, individuals, multinational companies, tax-exempt organizations

Now, businesses large and small are considering the many changes that may affect them. Here are a few of the key business-related provisions that businesses large and small

CORPORATE TAX RATE

The top corporate tax rate was reduced to 21 percent on Jan. 1. The 21 percent rate is a “flat” tax that will apply regardless of a regular corporation’s taxable income. The act also repeals the corporate Alternative Minimum Tax for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017.

NET OPERATING LOSS DEDUCTIONS

The net operating loss deduction for losses arising in tax years beginning after 2017 will be limited to 80 percent of taxable income. The act generally eliminates the carryback of net operating losses arising in years ending after 2017, but permits an indefinite carryforward.

PASS-THROUGH INCOME

For tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017, the act generally allows a new deduction for individuals, trusts and estates of 20 percent of the domestic qualified business income generated by certain sole-proprietorships and pass-through entities (partnerships, S corporations and LLCs).

Depending on taxable income, the deduction may be subject to a limit based on wages paid by the business or wages paid plus a capital amount, and certain

service business activities may not qualify for the deduction.

This deduction is slated to expire after 2025 like most other individual tax provisions in the act. Where the full 20 percent deduction is available, the top federal tax rate for pass-through owners drops from 37 percent (the new top rate for individuals under the act) to 29.6 percent.

FULL EXPENSING OF BUSINESS ASSETS

Qualifying business property, whether new or used, acquired and placed in service after Sept. 27, 2017, and before Jan. 1, 2023, will qualify for 100 percent expensing. The expensing amount will then be phased down over four years. In addition, the act increases the Section 179 expensing limit to $1 million.

LIMITATIONS ON NET INTEREST EXPENSE

Many businesses will be subject to a disallowance of the deduction for interest expense in excess of 30 percent of the business’ “adjusted taxable income.” Disallowed business interest expense is carried forward indefinitely. Adjusted taxable income is a specially defined term, and the definition changes after 2021 in a manner that will potentially make the limitation’s impact more significant.

Businesses with average gross receipts of $25 million or less are exempt from this provision. In addition, certain real estate and farming businesses can elect for the interest expense limitation to not apply.

CASH METHOD OF ACCOUNTING FOR ‘SMALL’ BUSINESSES

The act increases the gross receipts threshold for regular corporations and partnerships with regular corporation partners that can use the cash method of accounting to $25 million. In light of this change, affected taxpayers using the accrual method of accounting may want to consider a change to the cash method.

PATRICK KAUTZMAN , TAX PARTNER, EIDE BAILLY, FARGO, N.D. IMAGE: EIDE BAILLY

EXCESS BUSINESS LOSSES

Business losses in excess of business income of taxpayers other than regular corporations after 2017 (and before 2026) may be limited under the act. Net business losses in excess of $250,000 ($500,000 in a joint return) will not be deductible in the current year. Excess losses will be carried forward and treated as part of a taxpayer’s net operating loss in the subsequent year. This limitation could apply, for example, to losses from soleproprietorships and pass-through entities (including farm losses).

MEALS AND ENTERTAINMENT EXPENSES

The act eliminates, after 2017, deductions for entertainment, amusement or recreation expenses, membership dues for clubs and expenses for facilities related to these items. Taxpayers will still be able to deduct 50 percent of meal expenses associated with operating their businesses.

AN INFORMED APPROACH

Businesses have much to consider in the changing tax landscape. Ultimately, final decisions will depend on your particular facts and circumstances. It is important to discuss your situation with your tax advisors and consider the best options moving forward to take advantage of available opportunities.

Kautzman is the tax department head for Eide Bailly’s Fargo office. He specializes in income tax planning and preparation services for closely held companies, partnerships and individuals.

The Magic is back An infrastructure boom in Minot means the city is poised for growth

By L. John MacMartin

MINOT, N.D. – Minot is Magic in many ways, but let’s briefly explore the Magic in terms of infrastructure and what that might mean for a business or industrial expansion.

As with many other communities, Minot owes its existence to the westward expansion of the railroads in the late 1890s. Today, two Class 1 railroads cross at grade in the city, BNSF and the Canadian Pacific railways.

Minot’s location, halfway between Chicago and the west coast, is strategic for both rail lines. In the recent past, private/public partnerships have resulted in two grade separations, which improved the operations of both rail lines as well.

In December, BNSF announced the certification of a nearly 400 acre site in the Minot agriculture/industrial park in northeast Minot. In essence, that designation tells developers that six to nine months of development time has already occurred at that location, including access to rail, streets and municipal utilities.

“Build-ready” property is waiting for occupants, resulting in a head start and tremendous savings for potential businesses. Additionally, an intermodal facility is available near the agricultural/industrial park.

Like most of western North Dakota, Minot experienced an expansion of the local economy starting in 2008. In 2012, that expansion became a boom throughout the area. In Minot, it was added to by an increase of personnel at Minot Air Force Base of nearly 800 airmen.

And of course, there was the flood of 2011.

Any of the above events alone would have required an expansion of infrastructure. Collectively, the events have led us to both expand and extensively repair the trunk infrastructure in and around Minot. So what exactly does that mean? It means that we have the capacity to accommodate growth both in undeveloped areas throughout Minot as well as on vacant land in and around the city limits.

And as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum rolls out his Main Street Initiative, Minot is positioned for significant infill growth. Miles of new trunk water and sanitary sewer lines in north, east and south Minot complete the build-out of the system to serve new growth for the foreseeable future. New urban streets have been built where before there were rural roads, one of which will serve the new location for Trinity Hospital.

All of downtown infrastructure was completely modernized in a three-year project completed in late 2017. We have a “new” downtown – new in the sense that the area has new water, sewer, storm sewer, street, curb and gutter and sidewalk infrastructure, as well as bright LED lighting on period motif poles.

The new storm sewer was expanded and rerouted to take into account the planned flood protection. In the near future, the downtown will be home to a new community gathering space. Downtown also is starting to see new mixed uses, with some renovated loft spaces with more planned housing to follow.

After the 2011 flood, the community was

invited to compete for unused federal dollars from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, designated as the National Disaster Resilience Competition Program. Minot was successful in getting $74 million in the NDR program. The dollars are to be used to help Minot recover and grow more resilient. That means they’ll fund projects that position the community for growth.

Construction of flood protection to the level of the 2011 flood will start in the spring, with Phases 1 to 4 protecting 62 percent of the homes damaged in that event. Much additional low-income, middle-income and upscale housing units have been built in the past 6 years.

Today, housing either for purchase or rent is a good value proposition for the buyer/renter. And lest we forget, there is a brand new airport terminal with four operating gates with jet bridges. Two additional gates are part of the terminal and need only to have jet bridges installed as demand warrants.

“Build it and they will come” has never been more the fact than it is in Minot today.

L. John MacMartin President Minot Area Chamber of Commerce

macmarti@minotchamber.org

LEADING OUR COMMUNITY

Put things in front of you that make you ask yourself hard questions every day. Are you living up to this position? If not, what do you need to do to get back on track? Then, do it.

Transforming the world by transforming lives.

David Todd, Chief, Fargo Police Department I Criminal Justice, 2006 Minnesota State University Moorhead is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Read more about leadership from MSUM alumni at mnstate.edu/life-transformed

L. JOHN MACMARTIN, PRESIDENT OF THE MINOT AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, STANDS BY THE MARKER THAT WELCOMES VISITORS TO THE CITY. IMAGE: MINOT CHAMBER

‘Incredibly bullish’

And

A. Q.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Eac h month, 100 newspapers and some 75 to 100 radio stations carry the Creighton University Regional Economic Report, which is produced under the supervision of Ernie Goss. The report is a widely read barometer of the economic prospects of the region.

Goss is the Jack MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at the university in Omaha, Neb. He received his doctoral degree in economics from the University of Tennessee and is a former faculty research fellow at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

He was a visiting scholar with the Congressional Budget Office for 2003-04.

TELL US HOW CREIGHTON’S TWO SURVEYS OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS CAME ABOUT.

The Mid-America Survey of Business Conditions is a monthly survey of supply managers who make purchasing decisions for manufacturing and energy firms covering nine states. The survey was conducted quarterly by Robert Kemp at Drake University until 1992, when Creighton University and I assumed administration of it and converted it to a monthly survey.

It is identical in form and methodology to the national Institute for Supply Management survey, which can be traced back to 1923. Results from the national and the Creighton surveys are released on the first business day of each month.

The other survey, the Rural Mainstreet Index of bank CEOs, was initiated by a collaboration between Bill McQuillan, CEO of CnB Bank in Greeley, Neb., and Creighton University. In 2006, I implemented Bill’s vision.

Bill has since retired to the warmer environs of Arizona. I, on the other hand, continue to tinker away in my Omaha and Denver offices in temperatures, at this time, that are sometimes more amenable to polar bears than humans.

In 2017, the value of earned print media alone from the two surveys was more than $18 million, as estimated by Meltwater Media. The articles written based on data from the two surveys provides Creighton University, supply managers and bankers with unrivaled visibility throughout the region and nation.

Furthermore, the coverage brings focus to economic issues, challenges and opportunities for portions of the nation that otherwise get scant attention from policymakers, media and the national business community.

ERNIE GOSS, MACALLISTER CHAIR IN REGIONAL ECONOMICS AT CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY IN OMAHA, NEB., STANDS INSIDE THE HEIDER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AT CREIGHTON. GOSS PRODUCES A MONTHLY BUSINESS CONDITIONS INDEX FOR THE NINE STATE MID-AMERICAN REGION AND THE THREE STATE MOUNTAIN REGION. IMAGE: CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

That’s Ernie Goss, Creighton University professor of regional economics, on the prospects for the Mid-American economy.

when Goss speaks, people listen

Q.

Q. HAVE THE RURAL AND URBAN ECONOMIES IN THE REGION DIVERGED OVER THE COURSE OF THE SURVEYS?

Just as the farmer with one hand in the fireplace and the other in the refrigerator is on average doing well, the agriculturally and energy dependent states have been, on average, doing (performing) well.

But as that example suggests, state averages blend healthy growth in urban areas in each state with economic fatigue in the rural areas of the same states.

Between 2009 and 2013, the Rural Mainstreet survey typically indicated very healthy growth in rural areas dependent on agriculture and energy. During this time period, driven by the Federal Reserve’s easy-money policies that stimulated agriculture and energy exports, our surveys and government data tracked rural areas growing at brisk rates.

In fact, from 2009 to 2013, average yearly export growth in agriculture, food and oil products soared by 12.6 percent.

In 2014, the Fed ended Quantitative Easing (the major stimulus program that had lowered long-term interest rates), and in 2015 began raising short-term interest rates.

The end of the Fed’s easy money policies raised the value of the U.S. dollar and restrained exports, particularly of agriculture and energy commodities.

Thus, urban areas of the region, more dependent on manufacturing and housing, continued to expand while rural areas relying on agriculture and energy moved into negative territory.

During the Fed’s less accommodative money polices, 2014-17, the average yearly export sales of agriculture, food and oil products plummeted by 6.3 percent.

As a result, employment in urban areas of the region over the past three years expanded by 4.1 percent, while employment in rural areas of the same states contracted by 0.3 percent.

AS YOU LOOK BACK OVER YOUR YEARS WITH THE SURVEY, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER BROAD TRENDS THAT STAND OUT?

One of the consistent findings from both monthly surveys is the shortage of labor. Regardless of the state and time period, both supply managers and bank CEOs, whether rural or urban, regularly report that finding and hiring qualified workers is the No. 1 restraint to the growth prospects for their firm, bank or area.

There are three troubling symptoms that point to ongoing hiring difficulties.

First, exploding substance addiction rates have not only increased the region’s health costs, but also pushed workers out of the job market.

Second, more and more workers are leaving the workforce or experiencing unemployment or underemployment due to disability and/or a lack of skills.

Third, skill and education atrophy will ensure that certain workers will not share in the nation and region’s rising economic growth. These workers must educate/ reeducate/train themselves to take advantage of a rapidly and continually changing job market.

Unfortunately, more and more of these workers will likely fall by the wayside.

Q.

WHAT FEDERAL AND STATE POLICIES HAVE HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THE REGIONAL ECONOMIES, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE?

While exports are a relatively small share of gross domestic product for most states in our two surveys, these regional export sales are much more volatile due to the dependence on energy, processed food and agriculture commodities. As a result, state and national policies designed to encourage exports are particularly important in stabilizing and growing our region’s state economies.

For example, the North Dakota District Export Council is a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to raise awareness for the importance of trade for North Dakota businesses.” The organization runs educational seminars and other programs that encourage businesses to initiate or expand exporting activity.

Looking ahead to 2018, the 2017 tax reform plan – which provides for the immediate write-off of plant and equipment purchases – will stimulate both agriculture and manufacturing sectors in Creighton’s survey states. But the bellicose tone of the Trump administration toward trade and the potential abolition of the North American Free Trade Agreement are real threats to the regional economies, particularly the region’s agriculture sector.

In 2016, businesses and farms in Creighton’s Rural Mainstreet states exported almost $60 billion in goods and commodities to Canada and Mexico, supporting roughly 348,000 jobs in the region. Among the 10 Rural Mainstreet states, North Dakota relies most heavily on NAFTA sales, representing 3 percent of state gross domestic product. State and national policymakers must understand that trade is not a zerosum game in which one nation’s gain matches another’s loss. All parties –Canada, Mexico and the U.S. – benefit from NAFTA.

To paraphrase poet Robert Frost, before you build a wall, you better find out what you are walling in and walling out.

A. Q.

WHICH OF THE REGION’S ECONOMIC TRENDS OVER THE YEARS HAVE CAUGHT YOU THE MOST BY SURPRISE?

The most surprising trend has been the continuation of “brain drain” for most states in the two regions. Despite very strong economic growth, low rates of unemployment and a bullish economic outlook, states in the region continue to experience net out-migration, particularly of young, highly educated people.

Not only do states lose the most productive who have the potential to contribute to the state for decades, but also the states lose their public education investment in those workers. A majority of college graduates earn their degrees from public universities, which are heavily funded by state governments.

If states are losing more college graduates than they are holding or bringing in, they’re effectively subsidizing other states’ skilled labor forces.

Midwest and Plains states must develop strategies to reduce the cost and increase the benefits of educating young people in the region. One strategy is to provide more targeted education and training that is focused on industries indigenous to the state. As such, community colleges typically do a better job in this regard than universities.

Likewise, high school educators must acknowledge that a significant share of students have neither the interest nor the capacity for a general education as provided by universities. States must direct resources to recognize student interest and industry needs.

Q.

WHAT ARE THE REGION’S MOST IMPORTANT STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, WHERE THE ECONOMY IS CONCERNED?

A.

The major strength is the very productive agriculture and energy sectors. The No. 1 weakness is the net outmigration of well-educated and productive workers.

Between 2010 and 2017, eight of the 12 states in Creighton’s two survey regions experienced net outmigration. Contrary to the trend, Colorado and North Dakota benefited from individuals moving from other states, with gains of 277,000 and 40,000, respectively.

The remaining 10 states lost about 805,000 people – or 2 percent of their population – from moving to other states.

Migration, or immigration, is a selective process with the highly educated and young most likely to move. According to the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series at the University of Minnesota, all Rural Mainstreet states except for Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and Wyoming experienced net outmigration of college educated workers under 40 years of age. Unfortunately, without significant policy changes, the majority of states in our two survey regions will continue to lose young, educated workers to other parts of the nation.

THIS SCREEN SHOT SHOWS PART OF A RECENT MID-AMERICA BUSINESS CONDITIONS INDEX REPORT FROM CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY. THE UNIVERSITY ISSUES THE REPORT MONTHLY.

HAS YOUR WORK WITH THE SURVEYS LEFT YOU BULLISH ABOUT MID-AMERICA, BEARISH, OR MAYBE BOTH?

The monthly surveys combined with my speaking throughout the region have left me incredibly bullish regarding the economic prospects of the region. Several factors contribute to the region’s growth prospects.

▶ First, the nations that are experiencing the highest economic growth are growing their food demand at an even faster pace. This represents a significant long-term opportunity for the sale of U.S. processed food and agriculture commodities produced by this area of the nation.

▶ Second, the federal government appears to be committed, long term, to the expansion in alternative energy, especially ethanol, wind and solar. The states in our regions have a competitive advantage in the production of all three energy products. This will sustain growth for years to come.

▶ Third, U.S. tax and regulatory policies will underpin the farm economy and the state economies that depend heavily on agriculture. For the first time since 2010, the U.S. has experienced three consecutive quarters of GDP growth above 2.5 percent.

Building on this, I expect the corporate portion of the 2017 tax reform package to boost growth even higher as corporations experience improving after-tax income growth. This growth, along with the tax reform package providing the immediate write-off of plant and equipment purchases, will significantly heighten corporate investment for 2018.

Likewise, the reduced corporate income tax rate on repatriated earnings will ensure that a large share of U.S. corporate earnings parked abroad will be brought home, a portion of which will be invested domestically.

▶ Fourth, U.S. businesses, government and nonprofit organizations are on the verge of the successful integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

For a number of years, corporations have stumbled along with artificial intelligence and machine learning applications showing the many ways to fail or experience limited success. These less-than-successful “trials” will usher in successful implementations by later adopters. Unfortunately, companies such as Tesla that have “blazed the trail” will deserve our thanks, but will not be beneficiaries of their path-breaking work. Students and others entering the workforce must be flexible and geared for re-education and training to match this technology-driven environment.

In terms of concerns or challenges, the top two threats to Creighton survey state economies are trade restrictions and rising inflation.

This spring, there is the potential that NAFTA talks will be permanently halted with likely trade restrictions, tariffs and even embargos to follow. This would be very costly for the states in our two regional surveys, with losses in the billions.

Rising inflation represents the second greatest threat to the U.S. states in Creighton monthly surveys.

Should the nation’s inflation rate rise to its annual average between 1988 and the 2008 recession, the Federal Reserve likely would raise interest rates by as much as 2 percentage points, slowing economic growth substantially. This would also tend to raise the value of the U.S. dollar, making U.S. goods and agriculture/energy commodities less competitive abroad.

While the church building was in relatively good shape, it was necessary to remodel it to make it work for a daycare center. Again, the partners and members of the community stepped up to make this happen, and aside from the plumbing and electrical, the whole remodel was completed by volunteers.

The Dronens were among the most dedicated. “I’d say we put in about 200-300 hours each,” Jon Dronen says. “At least one of us was there most Saturdays, putting in about a 10-hour day and lots of evenings and many Sundays after church. We were totally invested in the project because we wanted to see it succeed.”

On May 30, 2017, less than six months from the purchase of the building, Energy Capital Cooperative Child Care opened for business –just one year from concept to completion.

“This daycare center has been a godsend to our community,” Laura Dronen says. “Since we started talking about opening it, the Hazen/ Beulah area lost at least four more daycare providers, so it couldn’t have happened at a better time. And our kids love going there – even our son who doesn’t do well with change has been happy there since day one.”

Berreth, the pregnant mother who was “freaking out” looking for child care, had her baby and was able to bring her to the center right after her maternity leave was over. “We just love it,” she says of the center. “The staff is great about communicating to us about our daughter’s day –what she does, how her day went, if she had any issues. And it’s large enough so we won’t have to schedule having another baby around when daycare has room to fit one in, which I know does happen.”

Berreth and the Dronens agree that one of the biggest benefits of the center is that it’s always open – they don’t have to worry about daycare calling last minute and having to find other arrangements or take vacation to stay home. “It makes things a lot easier,” Laura says. “It’s hard to supervise a group of people when you’re not at work.”

“I smile every time I get to talk about this project,” Obenauer says. “It feels great to be part of something bigger than ourselves. To see a group of businesses come together to solve a problem facing our community and our businesses. The way it came together is nothing short of incredible.”

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY’S MAINSTREET AND MID-AMERICA ECONOMIC SURVEYS

ORIGINATE HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY’S HEIDER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS.

IMAGE: CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Prairie Business is proud to present the Top 25 Women in Business 2018

We salute these women, all of whom are leaders in their communities and in their careers. Congratulations to them all.

Becky Baker Environmental Planner KLJ Sioux Falls, S.D.

Becky Baker began her career with KLJ nearly two years ago, bringing with her many years of experience providing environmental compliance services in the Dakotas and Wyoming. Throughout her career, she has served as a biology and environmental sciences teacher, water biologist, environmental scientist and environmental project manager.

Baker has been the environmental lead on many infrastructure projects throughout the region. Thanks in part to her leadership, many communities across South Dakota and the region have been able to enhance the infrastructure that makes them better places to live and work.

Baker earned her bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental management and her teaching certificate from South Dakota State University. She was a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists and is a graduate of Dale Carnegie.

Baker also sits on the South Dakota Early Hearing Detection and Intervention–Professional Learning Committee. She and her husband, Keith, have one son, Bennie.

Associate state director

North Dakota Small Business Development Centers Grand Forks, N.D.

Tiffany Ford started her career at the University of North Dakota in 2009. She transitioned to the North Dakota Small Business Development Centers program in 2015 as the associate director, overseeing all fiscal and project management for the program and its statewide network of service centers.

Since joining the ND SBDC, Ford helped the program achieve mandatory national reaccreditation and become the administrative entity for the federal Procurement Technical Assistance Centers program in the state.

Since becoming associate director, Ford has improved policies, procedures, program compliance and accountability, and has launched new efforts for professional development and personal growth.

A proud graduate and employee of UND, Ford is completing her MBA at the university and sits on a number of university committees and task forces, including UND’s 2017-2022 Strategic Planning Committee and Economic Development Resources group.

An avid promoter of the arts in communities, she has served on the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra board and serves on the executive committee for the North Dakota-Manitoba District of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

At home, Tiffany is a proud mom, wife and rescue-dog lover. #NDsmallbiz!

Haylee Cripe Attorney and vice president Mackoff Kellogg Law Firm Dickinson, N.D.

Haylee Cripe, vice president at the Mackoff Kellogg Law Firm, focuses her practice on commercial transactions, estate planning and municipal representation. Her background in accounting lets her help clients address issues not only from a legal perspective, but also with an understanding of the greater implications of legal solutions on their business.

Cripe is licensed in North Dakota and Montana. In addition to her leadership role at Mackoff Kellogg, she is a co-owner and president of CrossFit Amicus, a CrossFit gym in Dickinson, and serves as an adjunct faculty member at Dickinson State University.

Over the past three years, Cripe has taught a variety of classes, including Business Law I & II, Business Ethics and 21st Century Leadership. She has served on a variety of local boards including the Dickinson Chamber of Commerce and Dickinson Dollars for Scholars, as well as on fundraising committees for the CHI St. Alexius Health Dickinson Foundation. She is also a member of Vistage International.

Cripe graduated from UND with a bachelor’s of accountancy in 2009 and her Juris Doctor in 2012. Prior to law school, she served as the director of finance for the U. S. Hockey League.

Amber Ferrie joined Eide Bailly in 2006 and has worked in various areas of the firm. Currently, she specializes in business transaction advisory services, providing sell-side advisory services to lower- and middle-market clients who are looking to sell their business, as well as buy-side advisory services for parties interested in purchasing an existing business. Before entering the transaction space, Ferrie spent time in audit and business valuation at Eide Bailly.

Helping business owners recognize the true value of their years – sometimes a lifetime – of hard work is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. Mergers and acquisitions are some of the most personal business transactions. Ferrie considers herself lucky to be a part of the team helping people achieve their goals.

Tiffany Ford

Amber

Laura Hagstrom

Water resources engineer Widseth Smith Nolting

Alexandria, Minn.

Jen Hanley Technical manager Ulteig Fargo, N.D.

Jen Hanley has 19 years of public- and private-sector engineering and environmental compliance experience. In 2008, she joined Ulteig Engineers as a project engineer/environmental lead. In 2015, she was promoted to technical manager for transportation services and is currently responsible for leading transportation operations in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Additionally, she leads large-scale Department of Transportation projects and is currently managing tribal coordination for the construction of the new Williston Basin International Airport. Hanley has served in various leadership roles, including president, in the FM Engineers Club and currently serves as a board member for Fargo Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest. In 2015, she received the Patriot award, which honors individual supervisors for their support of the National Guard and military reserve employees.

Hanley received her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State University in Fargo and is licensed as a professional engineer in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. She earned an MBA in 2006.

Deidre Hillman Program Director

North Dakota Women’s Business Center Bismarck, N.D.

Laura Hagstrom has distinguished herself as an engineer, community leader, coworker and parent.

After working as a water resources engineer in Denver for eight years, Hagstrom joined Widseth Smith Nolting in 2013. There she is responsible for hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of watersheds and river systems, storm sewer design, water quality control design and bridge hydraulics.

She serves as manager and technical advisor to Alexandria’s Stormwater Management Committee and manages the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System programs for Alexandria and other cities.

Her work has been recognized by her peers, including when she wrote “Too many pollutants are still reaching our waters — MPCA tightens the reins” in 2014 and for her Barnum Park Wetlands design by the Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers’ 2012 Stormwater Quality Tour.

As program director at the North Dakota Women’s Business Center, Deidre Hillman hosts a statewide Women’s Leadership Program, two annual Leading Ladies Luncheon events and the annual North Dakota Women’s Business Summit in Bismarck.

All the events are meant to inspire and encourage women to find the leaders within them. In 2016, the North Dakota Women’s Business Center was awarded the Women’s Business Center of Excellence on a national level.

Hillman enjoys conducting training on business topics including business development, entrepreneurship and leadership. She is a certified John Maxwell trainer, speaker and coach.

Hillman also makes community development a priority. She is a co-founder and committee chair of BisMan Power of 100, an active volunteer with Make-A-Wish foundation and a board member at the Dakota Zoo.

She is credited with the launch of a Nursing Room at the Dakota Zoo, which started a statewide initiative. As a result, all zoos in North Dakota soon will have breastfeeding accommodations for visiting mothers.

Hillman earned an MBA from University of Mary and is a graduate of the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber Leadership program.

Brittney Hogan started her career in the nonprofit sector in 2012 by grant writing for the YWCA women’s shelter in Minot. She then began working at the Minot Public School Foundation as assistant director in 2014 and became executive director in 2015.

Continuing her love for grant writing, she is the current chair of the North West North Dakota Grant Writers Roundtable.

Hogan has a passion for strengthening the nonprofit sector and

Hagstrom is the local Kiwanis Club’s membership director, a graduate of Leadership Alexandria and a dedicated volunteer for her children’s activities. Her leadership roles with clients, experience as a water resources engineer and dedication to her family and community show her to be an asset to WSN and part of the firm’s next generation of leaders.

serves as the current president for the Minot Alliance of Nonprofits. Another passion of hers is advocating for people with disabilities to live independent lives. She is the chair of the North Dakota Statewide Independent Living Council and a peer mentor at Independence Inc., in Minot.

She is a member of the Minot Optimist Club, Minot Community Concert Band and Minot City Band.

Brittney Hogan Executive Director

Our Senior Water Resource Engineer, Tom, loves a challenge. That’s why when designing a solution for stormwater retention/detention, Tom got creative. By creating an eco-friendly solution over a traditional pump station, this portion of flood control provided an innovative approach and saved the Souris River Joint Board millions of dollars in the process.

Turning his passion into progress, that’s what Tom is most proud of. And we are, too.

SAVE CLIENT $10M

To learn more about the Centennial Pond/Perkett Ditch project, visit our website at www.ackerman-estvold.com/projects

Vicki Karpyak

Senior Vice President and Director of Operations

First International Bank & Trust Watford City, N.D.

Vicki Karpyak started her career with First International Bank & Trust in 1974, after graduating from Watford City High School. Throughout her career, she worked as a bookkeeper, teller, loan assistant, consumer lender and internal auditor.

In 2014, she was named director of operations, a position from which she oversees the bank’s entire operating function including deposit operations, loan operations, corporate operations, customer care, Bank Secrecy Act, Automatic Clearing House operations, and bookkeeping.

Karpyak earned her Certified Community Bank Internal Auditor designation from the Independent Community Bankers of America, formerly Independent Bankers Association of America.

She currently serves as a member of the First Lutheran Church Trust committee and was previously active in the McKenzie County Hockey Club.

She lives in Watford City with her husband, Dale.

Kristi Huber President

United Way of Cass-Clay Fargo, N.D.

Kristi Huber has served as president of United Way of Cass-Clay since May 2016. She is passionate about bringing groups and resources together to develop innovative solutions to bridge community challenges. During her tenure, United Way has developed valuable collaborations focused on meeting workforce needs, including connecting individuals with supportive skills training and creating awareness and action around the importance of quality, affordable child care as a dual-generational strategy.

As a connector, Huber serves as a mentor for Concordia College Offutt School of Business students. As a volunteer, she serves as the Women Connect Committee Chair for The Chamber of Fargo Moorhead West Fargo and is a member of the Fargo Inc. editorial board.

She previously served in volunteer roles with the Concordia College Alumni Association Board, as an advisor for Women’s Startup Weekend and as a Big Brother Big Sister mentor. Huber is a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and earned her MBA from University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. She and her husband, Gregg, live in West Fargo and are avid hockey fans.

Dori Leslie

President/vice president

CHI Friendship Fargo, N.D.

Dori Leslie started her career at CHI Friendship in 1997 as a day supports supervisor. She held that position until she was promoted to be program manager for the children’s group home. After other promotions, she now serves as the president/vice president for CHI Friendship.

Leslie is an advocate for the vulnerable population to live and work within their communities. Her personal mission is to ensure people of all different ability levels have the best quality of life possible. She sees her role as making sure services are not interrupted for the people CHI Friendship supports, and to help raise the bar for those supports to be of the highest quality.

In November, she received an Arc of Justice Award from the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition. Leslie graduated from Bemidji State University with a degree in physical and special education, and recently received a master’s degree in leadership from the University of Jamestown.

As a leader, she says, her job is to communicate and negotiate effectively, embrace diversity, follow all the ethical rules, be forgiving, and most of all, be servant to those she serves.

Ann McConn Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer Alerus Fargo, N.D.

Ann McConn has more than 25 years of financial services industry experience and has spent the past 15 years at Alerus. As executive vice president and chief business officer, she is responsible for the overall leadership and success of Alerus’ sales, service and product management areas. She previously served as president of the Fargo-West Fargo market and executive director of Alerus’ wealth management, retirement and benefits divisions.

McConn is a past board member at the United Way of Cass-Clay, Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corp., the Downtown Community Partnership, Hope Lutheran Foundation and the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Colorado Boulder, a law degree from the University of North Dakota, a master’s degree in business from Minnesota State University Moorhead and is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Certified Financial Planner.

McConn and her husband, Butch, have two adult children, Brad and Suzanne.

Liza McLean

Co-owner, Smiling Moose Deli franchises Grand Forks, N.D.

Raised on fourth generation family farm near Reynolds, N.D., Liza McLean grew up knowing she wanted to take a risk and start her own small business. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in business administration from North Dakota State University, her time at Walgreens and at Kilbourne Group set McLean on a path to entrepreneurship.

McLean and her business partner, Nathan Everson, have grown their company to become the largest multi-unit operators in the franchise, with more than 100 employees and seven locations combined.

McLean is a franchisee of Smiling Moose Deli (Grand Forks, Watford City, N.D., Williston, N.D., and Eau Claire, Wis.) and Dunn Brothers Coffee (Bismarck, N.D.).

McLean and her husband, Mike, and daughter, Maria, live in Grand Forks.

In Williston, McLean received the 2016 Woman Owned Business of Year award. She served as a board member of Mon-Dak United Way and is currently serving as a board member of Evolve in Grand Forks.

Sarah Meusburger

Human Resources Director

Banner Associates

Brookings, S.D.

With nearly 15 years of experience in human resources, Sarah Meusburger has valuable experience both in the private and public sectors. In 2015, she began working as a consultant for Alternative HRD and as the HR director for Banner Associates, Inc.

Before that, she had gained experience with local government entities as well as the South Dakota Board of Regents.

She has earned two senior professional certifications (Senior Professional in Human Resources and Society for Human Resource ManagementSenior Certified Professional) and has had several articles published in the past year.

In 2017, she spearheaded South Dakota Week of Giving, a community and state-wide giving initiative that was supported by South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard.

Meusburger received her undergraduate degree from South Dakota State University and is a graduate student in public administration at the University of South Dakota.

Michelle Miller KLJ

Human Resources Divisional Director Bismarck, N.D.

Michelle Miller began her career at KLJ as a human resources assistant nearly eight years ago. She quickly advanced within the team, becoming a recruiter and recruiting manager. She has since been promoted to human resources divisional director.

In this role, Miller works closely with executives to help make strategic decisions within the company, while still leading the recruiting team and being an influential player in several groups across the organization.

Miller earned a master’s and bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mary in Bismarck. She is a founding member of the BisMan Power of 100 organization and is actively involved in Leadership Bismarck/Mandan as well as Burleigh County’s Senior Adults and Home Delivered Meals programs.

She has volunteered in elementary classrooms to further STEM education and on an employee advisory committee at a local university.

Miller and her husband, Jason, have two children, O’Malley and Finley.

Cris Oehler

Vice President, Public Relations, Otter Tail Power Co. Vice President, Corporate Communication, Otter Tail Corp. Fergus Falls, Minn.

Since 1994, Cris Oehler has been leading communication strategy for Otter Tail Power Co., an Otter Tail Corp. subsidiary. In 2014, she began serving a dual role as a vice president at both entities.

Her role includes overseeing Otter Tail’s grant programs, which help to support rural communities. Oehler also spearheads Otter Tail Women Networking and Integrating Talent, or OWN IT, an initiative to provide leadership training for women and increase awareness of unintended bias in the workplace.

Alexis Odden graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in accounting. She worked as an intern for an investment advisor during her senior year of college.

In 2006, she passed her Series 6 and Series 7 tests and became an investment advisor with Investment Centers of America, where she owned her book of business. She sold her business in 2009 and went to work for Eide Bailly, where she started as an intern and worked her way up to be an audit manager in 2015.

She passed her CPA testing in 2014 and has a background in audits of employee benefit plans and affordable housing partnerships, while specializing in cost certifications for tax credit projects.

She currently serves as a board member and treasurer for the Fargo Public Schools Development Foundation Board. She is involved in Eide Bailly’s First Focus facilitators group, whose mission is to improve the advancement and retention of women.

In her community, Oehler serves on the Women’s Leadership Council, a United Way committee that raises money to provide age-appropriate books to children. She also recently moderated a sold-out panel discussion about human trafficking in rural Minnesota as part of Conversations that Matter, a series WLC developed to highlight community concerns.

A native of Devils Lake, N.D., Oehler earned her bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead and a master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. She was an educator in the Fergus Falls, Minn., public school system from 1980 to 1994, earning the Minnesota Middle Level Educator of the Year Award in 1993.

Alexis Odden Audit Manager Eide Bailly Fargo, N.D.

Erin Ostler Vice President of Sales

Adynamic and accomplished sales leader, Erin Ostler is passionate about building high performing teams.

Ostler specializes in fostering strategic customer partnerships in complex industries that often involve buy-sell relationships. Her entrepreneurial roots as well as her broad vision and insights contribute to her ability to help customers succeed.

With more than 20 years in the technology industry, Ostler is skilled in a variety of sales environments including enterprise, wholesale, SMB, B2B and indirect channels. Her knowledge base includes broadband, cable, wireless, converged, M2M/IoT, CLEC, ILEC and MVNO businesses.

Ostler has spent the past two years at Midco and serves as vice president of sales over consumer and business and Customer Experience Centers. Before coming to Midco, she spent 16 years at Sprint, where she was a multi-year Presidents Circle honoree.and held several executive roles, culminating as director of the Emerging and Wholesale Solutions group.

Before Sprint, Ostler founded two successful startup technology firms specializing in expanding hospitality and business profit centers.

Tari Rayala graduated with her art and design undergraduate degree from the University of WisconsinStout and her master’s degree in architecture from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Upon graduation, she moved to Duluth, where she became a licensed architect in Minnesota in 2006. Among other positions, she served as city architect for the city of Duluth.

Rayala currently is the architectural team leader for Karvakko in Bemidji, where she leads the design team on projects for the Bemidji Regional Airport, Bemidji area housing, Headwaters Science Center and the East Polk Heritage Center Historic Museum.

She is a past president of the American Institute of Architects Minnesota Northern Chapter, a LEED Accredited Professional, a Certified Professional Project Manager and a Construction Documents Technologist.

In Duluth, she graduated from Leadership Duluth and served as a member of Eco-Rotary, on the executive board of the St. Louis River Alliance and as president of the Fond du Lac Community Club. She enjoys mentoring emerging professional architects and spends her free time kayaking Lake Superior and canoeing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with her husband and two sons.

Tari Rayala Architectural Team Leader Karvakko Bemidji, Minn.

After thirty-six years, Cindy Schreiber-Beck, Wahpeton, recently became an involved prior owner of Tri-State Aviation, Inc. Founded by her late husband, the company will continue as a fixed base operation with manufacturing capabilities and a concentration on World War II aircraft restoration with an international presence.

Schreiber-Beck is the president of CinderWhit Co., which produces wood turnings for porches and stairways. She credits her business success to remarkable mentors and talented co-workers.

Schreiber-Beck served on many boards including North Dakota State College of Science Foundation, Bremer Bank Alexandria and the Fargo Air Museum. Currently, she chairs the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, is the executive director of the North Dakota Agricultural Aviation Association, participates on a local youth substance abuse coalition, serves on the North Dakota University System Foundation and represents District 25 in the North Dakota Legislature.

As an angel investor, she appreciates the opportunity to mentor young entrepreneurs.

Lorena Starkey began her career in sales and marketing, quickly becoming noticed by a new hotel developer in Minot as an opening-team director of sales for the Hyatt House Minot in 2013. She rose from director of sales to general manager that year and has led her team at Hyatt House Minot ever since. Together, she and her team at Hyatt House Minot have achieved the No. 1 Hotel in Minot for three years in a row and most recently the No. 1 Best Place to Work.

In 2016, Starkey was a founding member of Connect Minot, a local entrepreneurial meet-up group in Minot. She is on the YWCA Women’s Homeless Shelter board and is a board member at Visit Minot, a Chamber Ambassador and a Community Investment Advisor at the Minot Area Community Foundation. She continues to volunteer for public art projects, community leadership initiatives and marketing projects, while focusing her attention on building leaders within her own organization.

Brooke Swier Schloss began her legal career by joining her brother’s law firm, Swier Law Firm, in 2010. She has been instrumental in Swier Law becoming one of the Northern Plains’ fastest growing law firms.

Swier Schloss leads Swier Law’s family law practice group and has authored several books on family law issues. She is a member of the South Dakota Bar Association, the South Dakota Bar Association Family Law Committee, the Mount Marty Alumni Council and Swier Law’s “Future Leaders” Scholarship Committee.

She has been nationally recognized as a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” and a “Top Attorney Under the Age of 40.”

Swier Schloss earned her bachelor’s degree from Mount Marty College in Yankton, S.D., her education specialist degree in school psychology from the University of South Dakota and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law.

Karen Thingelstad is the first female vice president in Minnkota Power Cooperative’s history. In her 25-year career at the Grand Forks-based electric utility, Thingelstad has progressed from an entry-level accountant to one of the organization’s top leaders.

In her current role as vice president and CFO, she oversees a diverse set of departments, including finance and accounting, procurement, human resources, print and mailing services, fleet management, safety and security and buildings and grounds.

Thingelstad is active in the community as an Altru Health Foundation board director, Minnkota employee Political Action Committee board director and member of Sharon Lutheran Church. She also volunteers with many organizations in the Greater Grand Forks area.

Thingelstad earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of North Dakota and is a Certified Public Accountant.

As executive director of the Devils Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Paula Vistad works with local government and statewide agencies to advocate for Devils Lake and North Dakota.

Vistad and the chamber are playing a leading role in Devils Lake’s downtown revitalization effort. The Chamber also has been a force behind the community campaign to keep Devils Lake dollars local and educate the community on the importance of shopping local.

Devils Lake has many events throughout the year, either put on by the Chamber or with the support of the

Chamber/Tourism. Vistad and her team started up a monthly educational series called “Coffee & Collaborate,” inviting business people to enjoy coffee and cookies while listening to a different educational topic each month.

Vistad studied art and later business law at the University of North Dakota and started her business career with State Farm Insurance. Four months after they were married, Vistad and her husband, State Farm Agent Kevin Vistad, opened up their own agency in Devils Lake.

Vistad is the president of the local Rotary chapter and sits on the board of The Lake Region Heritage Center.

Cindy Schreiber-Beck President CinderWhit Co. Wahpeton, N.D.

Lorena Starkey General Manager Hyatt House Minot Minot, N.D.

Brooke Swier Schloss Partner Swier Law Firm Sioux Falls, S.D.

Karen Thingelstad Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Minnkota Power Cooperative Grand Forks, N.D.

Paula Vistad Executive Director Devils Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Devils Lake, N.D.

Billi Jo Zielinski President and CEO

Make-A-Wish North Dakota Fargo,

N.D.

Aself-described “Jill of all trades,” Billi Jo Zielinski has more than 25 years of volunteer and professional experience in business, government and nonprofit sectors.

For the past four years, she has had the privilege of leading the Make-A-Wish North Dakota team who together create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Before this role, Zielinski was the chief operating officer for Minnesota Community Measurement, an organization dedicated to accelerating health improvement by publicly reporting health care information. She served in Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s administration as assistant commissioner

at the Department of Human Services as well as deputy director of federal affairs in Washington. She also worked for U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minn., in Washington, served along with her husband in the Peace Corps as a business volunteer in Turkmenistan and worked in the steel manufacturing industry in Fargo.

Zielinski received her political science degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she currently gives back through the executive mentorship program and in 2015, she received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Among other titles, she is a mom, wife, survivor, Park Board member, Six Sigma green belt and church volunteer.

Cris, your personal and professional values are evident in all that you do. Your innate ability to relate to others sets you apart. Thank you for your commitment to our companies and the communities we serve.

‘To move forward, you must retreat’

So goes the motto of one Minnesota venue that hosts corporate retreats – and so say the companies that sponsor the gatherings

By Tom Dennis

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – But what about retreats’ cost?

That was the question posed to Briana Scearcy, chief people officer for Stoneridge Software of Barnesville, Minn. After all, Stoneridge sponsors four company-wide retreats a year, one of them involving a day and a night at a Minnesota resort. For 200 people.

That can’t be cheap. Right?

Scearcy didn’t hesitate. “Certainly, these events are not inexpensive,” she said.

“But neither is turnover, meaning losing people. And we kind of look at it in that perspective.”

Michelle Mongeon Allen, CEO of JLG Architects in Grand Forks, agreed. “We are over 100 people in about 12 locations,” Allen said.

“That means the investment in bringing people together is a big one.

“But there’s something about getting people physically together that moves the needle. So we do invest, and we do get great value; but we also make sure that we’re very clear about driving outcomes when we make that kind of investment.”

As a New York Times story described in 2016, companies nationwide are learning that corporate retreats can be “an effective way to accomplish seemingly conflicting goals: Getting people to relax and to work harder. …

“And by all accounts, the business is growing.” That’s in line with the overall growth

in business travel, which the Global Business Travel Association in July described this way:

“Pending many global uncertainties, business travel spending is expected to accelerate significantly in 2018, advancing 6.1 percent, followed by roughly 7 percent growth in both 2019 and 2020.”

And it seems to be the trend in the Dakotas and western Minnesota as well, with resorts, hotels, convention centers and other businesses investing to take advantage of the change.

“We have about 300 resorts that are our members,” said Dan McElroy, executive vice president of the Minnesota Resort and Campground Association.

“And while I can’t separate out what might be called corporate retreats or planning events or sales meetings, I can tell you that corporate meetings, broadly, are extremely important.”

The main reason is seasonality, McElroy said. At resorts, family vacationers generally show up in the summer, while corporate meetings and retreats tend to get scheduled in the fall, winter and spring.

“So, a big reason why we see resorts making investments in meeting spaces, ropes courses and so on is that the corporate and association business has a much longer season that the social business.”

WATERSHED MOMENTS

Among the resorts making corporate-retreat

investments is Sugar Lake Lodge near Grand Rapids, Minn., the resort from whose website comes the headline to this story.

“When the current owners took over in 1993, they put a real focus on group clients and built up the resort around that,” said Chad Simons, vice president of sales.

“We’ve been very deliberate about that to get our corporate business here.”

The focus includes blending old and new, offering not only traditional resort cabins but also golf, a full marina and a main lodge with 9,000 square feet of meeting space.

“So it’s still that True North feel, but with highspeed fiber and a gigabyte of bandwidth,” Simons said.

Sugar Lake Lodge also offers signature leadership programs such as L3 – leading self, leading others and leading the business. An L3 program may start in August with a threeday facilitated session on the first of those topics. The second topic gets covered at a three-day session in October, and the third over three days in January.

“We actually have a group here today that is doing some leadership development,” Simons said in January.

“They’ve done snowshoeing and crosscountry skiing, we have a dog-sled team that will come out and give them a dog-sled tour.

“We have another saying: ‘A lot of watershed moments in a company’s history can be traced back to a retreat.’” Those are the moments the lodge hopes to inspire, he said.

SETTING FOR CORPORATE RETREATS IS COTEAU DES

IMAGE: PHOTORX MEDIA

Coteau des Prairies Lodge

A VIEW IN EVERY DIRECTION

There’s no golf and certainly no marina at Coteau des Prairies Lodge; the lodge sits on a hill overlooking a North Dakota farm. But there is that same commitment to watershed moments: The best ideas happen when people are away from their workplace and its emails, deadlines and phone calls, said Olivia Stenvold, lodge manager.

“The ability to basically disconnect from the office and be out of the city, away from distractions, but still have all the amenities you need to have a successful meeting: That’s what we offer,” she said.

The 13-bedroom log lodge, which can sleep up to 25 people, occupies a striking geography: the point near Rutland, N.D., where the plains and the Coteau des Prairies range of hills meet.

As a result, “the lodge boasts one of the premier 360-degree views of

IMAGE:

the northern Great Plains,” the facility’s website notes.

“Where else do you find a tall hill with a full view of flat prairie that isn’t obstructed by more hills or trees?”

Over the five years since the lodge’s opening, corporate bookings have grown, and the lodge even has hosted ag groups from Norway, Russia and Ukraine, Stenvold said. One unique attraction: the farm tours offered by Stenvold’s father, Joe Breker, owner of the surrounding farmland and co-owner of the lodge.

“My dad is an active farmer,” Stenvold said.

“So, he incorporates his farm and farming practices into an educational farm tour. He takes the groups out, and it doesn’t matter whether the combines are running, the sprayers are running or nothing is running, there’s always something for people to see.”

PRAIRIES LODGE NEAR HAVANA, N.D.

CORPORATE RETREAT PARTICIPANTS GATHER INSIDE COTEAU DES PRAIRIES LODGE, WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR HAVANA, N.D.

PHOTORX MEDIA

THE SANCTUARY EVENTS CENTER IN FARGO, N.D., HOSTED THE ANNUAL STATE OF THE FIRM MEETING OF JLG ARCHITECTS OF GRAND FORKS, N.D. THE RETREAT FEATURED MEETINGS, PRESENTATIONS, MEALS, SKITS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. IMAGE: JLG

Square One Kitchens

RETREAT TO THE KITCHEN

Square One Rental Kitchens & Events is another venue that offers a unique – and tasty – retreat.

The commercial kitchen in Fargo, N.D., got its start by renting out space to food startups. “But we had a lot of people approach us looking for team-building opportunities, which ties into that idea of building morale,” said Casey Steele, owner and kitchen manager.

So, Square One started offering Team Building Workshops. In these, groups split into teams, each of which prepares a different portion of a gourmet meal.

“We have chef instructors, but they do not prepare the meal. The teams do,” using the recipes and ingredients Square One provides, Steele said.

“The groups we’ve hosted have been looking for something outside of the workplace, something different. This is different because cooking together forces everyone to communicate and cooperate. Then they all sit down together to eat, and they’re always so impressed with they’ve made.”

Favorite dishes include Beeramisu, a tiramisu-like dessert in which the ladyfingers are soaked in Guinness instead of coffee, then layered with both a cream filling and a chocolate-cream filling and topped with cocoa powder.

“We get lots of happy faces when people are done,” Steele said.

Sugar Lake Lodge

AT SQUARE ONE KITCHENS IN FARGO, N.D., EMPLOYEES OF CORELINK SOLUTIONS OF FARGO TAKE PART IN A TEAMBUILDING COOKING CLASS. THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE MEAL: STOUT CUPCAKES WITH BAILEY'S BUTTERCREAM. IMAGE: SQUARE ONE KITCHENS

CAMPFIRES AT SUGAR LAKE LODGE NEAR GRAND RAPIDS, MINN., HELP THE TALK FLOW FREELY AT CORPORATE RETREATS. IMAGE: SUGAR LAKE LODGE

SMART RETREATS

Such team-building efforts may seem indulgent. But again, they’re not, said Scearcy of Stoneridge Software.

Stoneridge Software “collectively retreats” four times a year – twice in videoconferences and twice in person, with one of those all-employee gatherings in Minneapolis and the other at a Minnesota resort.

At the latter, employees can bring their families at Stoneridge Software’s expense.

Consider that – then consider this: In August, Inc. magazine ranked Stoneridge the 12th fastestgrowing company in Minnesota.

That’s not a coincidence, especially in a time of workforce shortages. Instead, it’s due in part to Stoneridge Software’s generous benefit and retreat policies, a big point of which is to attract and retain workers, Scearcy said.

“Leading up to these events, there’s a buzz going on,” she said.

“People are excited; there’s laughter and there’s motivation. … There’s a sense of always having something to look forward to, as well.

“And afterward, there’s just a general sense of rejuvenation,” Scearcy continued.

“You can tell that team spirit increases.” And just to be sure, Stoneridge Software tracks morale in surveys and acts on what it finds.

Another tip: retreats work best when they’re strategic – when they’re set up to generate ideas in addition to goodwill, said Michelle Mongeon Allen of JLG Architects.

For example, “one element that’s very important to us is design,” she said.

“Design is a core value for us. We like to be inspired by the spaces that we’re in.

“So, the experience of the space is also a major driver of where we go for our retreats,” she said.

All things considered, “retreats have just become an invaluable part of our our planning process,” Allen said.

“And the more experience we have with them, the truer that becomes.”

Tom Dennis

Editor, Prairie Business

tdennis@prairiebusinessmagazine.com 701-789-1276

Stoneridge Software

STONERIDGE SOFTWARE EMPLOYEES POSE DURING THE Q2 2017 ALL-COMPANY MEETING AT FAIR HILLS RESORT IN DETROIT LAKES, MINN. IMAGE: STONERIDGE SOFTWARE

A BIG BELIEVER IN CORPORATE RETREATS, STONERIDGE SOFTWARE OF BARNESVILLE, MINN., GETS ITS ENTIRE WORKERFORCE TOGETHER ONCE A YEAR AT A MINNESOTA RESORT. SHOWN HERE ARE THE STONERIDGE EMPLOYEES AT THE Q2 2017 ALL-COMPANY MEETING AT FAIR HILLS RESORT NEAR DETROIT LAKES, MINN. IMAGE: STONERIDGE SOFTWARE

SHANDI

IMAGE: GLASSER IMAGES

‘Coolest experience ever’

Q.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

I was born and raised in Bismarck. I always enjoyed learning and going to school, and I always enjoyed pushing myself. I had taken college credits in high school, so I knew that I wanted to go to college after I graduated.

And I think my interest in renewable energy came from thinking that America kind of needs to be jumping on the wagon here. A lot of other countries are way ahead of us in renewables, and I think we’re going to start moving in that direction, too.

So I knew that this would be a fulfilling career, because we’re working for a smarter technology – something that’s going to help the world.

Q.

DID YOU JOIN THE ENERGY SERVICES AND RENEWABLE TECHNICIAN PROGRAM AS SOON AS YOU STARTED AT BISMARCK STATE?

No, not right away. This is my second year of college – I’m in a four-year program – and during my first year, I just started doing my general classes.

For Shandi Taix, an Energy Services and Renewable Technician student at Bismarck State College, descending from a wind tower via harness, carabiners and ropes is just another day in college A. A.

For instance, I took a computer networking class, partly because I don’t come from a background that is really technical, so I wanted to challenge myself.

And it was an online class, but luckily, the teacher was on campus, and I talked to her. She asked me if I knew what I wanted to do. In the back of my head, I knew about renewable energy; and I felt like, hey, maybe this is what I want to do.

I told her that, and she said I should go talk to this teacher over in the National Energy Center. So I did, and it was right then – listening to him talk about what he does, and how he feels good about his job and how fulfilling it is – I think that was the home run. I knew when I was talking to him that the field was the right choice for me.

He mentioned that there are not many females in this line of work. But I think that helped push me in this direction, too, because like I said, I always like to meet a challenge.

TAIX OF BISMARCK, N.D., A STUDENT IN THE ENERGY SERVICES & RENEWABLE TECHNICIAN PROGRAM AT BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE, STANDS IN FRONT OF THE COLLEGE'S NACELLE TRAINING TOWER. THE TOWER REPLICATES THE TOP PORTION OF A COMMERCIAL WIND TOWER.

Q. DID YOU HAVE ANY SHOP CLASSES OR OTHER TECHNICAL TRAINING IN HIGH SCHOOL?

I actually did not! I had no experience with this at all. My first day in the program last fall, it honestly was my first exposure to the tools and to pretty much everything.

Q. WAS ANYONE ELSE IN THE SAME BOAT?

I would say that I probably had the least experience in the class. Most everyone in the class that had some sort of mechanical experience. So I was definitely a little behind, and I’ve worked hard to catch up.

Q. DID THEY TEASE YOU ABOUT IT?

Oh, sure, but never in a mean way. We’re a small class; there are only seven of us. And we all get along. And meanwhile, even though there are so many things in this class that are new, I’ve been doing well.

Q. WAS THERE A MOMENT WHEN YOU KNEW YOU’D BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE MATERIAL?

We spent a lot of time working with hydraulic systems, and I think that was definitely the hardest to pick up. We were connecting cylinders and different relays and switches and limit switches, all to a hydraulic pump circuit. And at the end of that course, we had a practical exam, and it was literally 16 pages of stuff that we were supposed to do by ourselves – different set-ups that we were supposed to connect and run: connect it so that it ran the motor forward, ran in reverse, operated a cylinder and when a cylinder reached one of the limit switches, it was going to turn something else on. Plus working with different valves. That was definitely – I was thinking, “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to do this.” But when it came time to actually do the test, I did it, and I did it correctly! That was definitely meaningful.

Q. YOU CLIMBED BISMARCK STATE’S WIND-TURBINE TRAINING TOWER AS PART OF YOUR TRAINING, TOO. HOW DID THAT GO?

Q. YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT SPECIALIZING IN SOLAR POWER. WHAT’S DRAWING YOU TO THAT FIELD?

That honestly is my first choice. The solar industry is just growing so fast – and the thing is, it’s not just those huge bulky solar panels that are such an eyesore. Even Tesla now is making a “solar roof,” with solar panels that are shingles. Then there are the tiny solar circuits that can that charge your phone, say when people go camping. The possibilities, I think, are endless.

Q. YOU’RE GOING INTO A FIELD WHERE WORKERS ARE IN VERY HIGH DEMAND.

A. A. A. A. A. A.

It was such a great thing, I’m so glad that BSC has these ways for us to practice climbing.

The class was mostly for the instructor to teach us how to “safe climb.” We were set up with harnesses and different carabiners and rope systems and pulleys. It’s all set up to allow you to safely climb or to help someone else who’s stuck.

So, we got to go outside and climb on top of the BSC wind turbine simulator, then practice descending off of what would be the nose cone of a wind turbine. And practice helping each other down if someone had been stuck.

Q. HOW DO YOU DESCEND?

You’re basically up on top, and there are different anchor points that we hook our carabiners to, and we descend. So, it’s not like there’s a ladder; instead, you are slowly releasing yourself down to the ground, using something called a “fall arrest device.” And there is, like, nothing around you.

I thought it was just the coolest experience ever, that we got to do this in school.

Q. YOU WEREN’T SCARED?

A. A. A.

I’ve done a little rock climbing, so I thought it was very exciting.

Yes, but I’m not going into it because it’s growing. For me, it’s more like I’m glad I’m going into this because I want to be a part of helping it grow. I just know there is so much potential for renewable energy in everyday life. I think that when people really start to educate themselves and understand that, they’ll know this is a smart choice, and that we should be doing everything we can to make it more affordable.

Minnkota Powered Inside the cooperative’s new HQ

By Tom dennis

After World War II, three diesel generators off a U.S. Navy ship got repurposed about as far from the ocean as you can get: inside Minnkota Power Cooperative’s diesel plant in Grand Forks, N.D.

“They generated power for the whole region,” said Ben Fladhammer, external communications and marketing supervisor for the cooperative.

That was then. This is now:

Minnkota Power wholesales electric power generated in extensive coal, wind and hydroelectric facilities to 11 member-owned co-ops around eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota.

And in November, Minnkota moved its offices for the first time since the 1940s, vacating its buildings on the old diesel-plant site and shifting to a $65 million, 252,000-square-foot facility on the southwest corner of Grand Forks.

“It was about a four-year process of looking at things,” Fladhammer said.

“And ultimately, it was decided that this would be the best use of the money, rather than keep trying to put money into a 70-year-old building.”

Besides offices and better security, the new facility offers storage for large equipment as well as heated shop and delivery spaces, a welcome change for many linemen and others who’d worked in older and less-comfortable spaces for years.

The facility also has been designed to be as energy-efficient as

possible. A geothermal system involving more than 600 285-foot-deep wells heats the building in winter and cools it in summer. LED lighting, motion sensors for that lighting and automated temperature controls add to the efficiencies.

Importantly, the cooperative stayed local in choosing who’d see the building through. So, the Grand Forks companies engaged included EAPC Architects Engineers as project architect, ICS Inc. as general contractor, Lunseth Plumbing and Heating and Bergstrom Electric for plumbing and electrical and Norby’s Work Perks for the furniture.

Further, all 176 windows and doors came from Marvin Windows and Doors in Warroad, MInn., and Grafton, N.D.

“We’re a cooperative, and one of our principles is that we’re committed to the community,” Fladhammer said.

“That’s not something that’s just on a piece of paper. That’s who we are and what we do.”

IMAGES: MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE

EXTERIOR VIEW OF MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE'S NEW HEADQUARTERS.

Tom Dennis Editor, Prairie Business

FITNESS ROOM, MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE

COMMON AREA AND BREAK ROOM, MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE

TRAINING AND PRESENTATION ROOM, MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE

OFFICE SPACE, MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE

KITCHEN AREA, MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE

SHOP AND DELIVERY SPACE, MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE

LOBBY OF MINNKOTA POWER COOPERATIVE'S NEW HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN GRAND FORKS, N.D.

What social media tools has your company’s HR department found to be especially useful? Q.

INSIGHTs & INTUITION

Essentia Health has incorporated social media platforms such as LinkedIn as a way to engage with prospective employees and present opportunities.

But that’s just the start of how we engage with employees and the public online. Our philosophy and culture promote employee recognition and support. We use social media platforms such as Facebook to recognize employees for the great work they do every day.

If our colleagues volunteer in the community, win an award or wear red in support of Heart Month, we want to sing their praises and publicly acknowledge them.

Microsoft engages with candidates through various social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Considering our new partnership with LinkedIn, we primarily engage with our professional networks through that channel; however, we continue to leverage channels such as Twitter and Instagram to share employee stories, fun photos and our exciting working environment (often viewed by #MicrosoftLife). We truly enjoy being able to connect and engage with candidates from many different channels in order to showcase the great culture of our Microsoft Family. We hope Prairie Business readers connect and learn more about what we have to offer.

Vanessa Hughes Digital Marketing Manager Essentia Health Fargo, N.D.

Maasa Walker Recruiter, inside sales Microsoft Fargo, N.D.

Missy Schmidt Recruiter KLJ Bismarck , N.D.

KLJ is always looking for new ways to attract the right candidate. Currently, our greatest reach is through Facebook and LinkedIn. The number of followers among employees as well as the public help us to share our posts, which often can reach thousands. Facebook offers the ability to boost job openings, which allows us to target a certain geography and even people with the type of background and experience that the position requires. In short, social media has given us the ability to expand our reach to candidates who we might not otherwise have had contact with, all while using other recruiting tools.

The exploding growth of social media has significantly changed the way people communicate. Not only do individuals go on an organization’s website before they apply for a job position, but also they check out the company’s social media channels to get a feeling of what the work culture is and how they may, or may not, fit in.

By having a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram, we can really tell our story in many different forums and engage with people to be a part of our team before they apply.

We continue to see new opportunities, especially using Facebook to reach potential candidates from other cities and states.

HR Business Partner CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck, N.D.

Sara Kjos

Proportion of adults at work by ethnicity In Northern Plains states

Regional Employment Rates (%)

Open enrollment trends in Minnesota school districts

Source: “A snapshot of open enrollment trends in rural Minnesota,” Center for Rural Policy and Development, Mankato, Minn., January 2018

Academic Year:

On the whole, rural districts are more likely to see a net gain in students through open enrollment while regional center districts are more likely to see a net outflow. Metro districts tend to stay fairly steady. The trends for both rural and regional center districts are strengthening.

More Productive Than Ever

bakken rig count and oil production per newly drilled well

Source: U.S. Census, with numbers compiled by Dashboard, 2016 Data

Cropland shifts toward larger farms

“Cropland in the United States has shifted to larger farms. Large crop farms (with 2,000 acres or more) accounted for 36 percent of U.S. cropland in 2012, compared to 15 percent in 1987.

“Most of that cropland shifted from midsize crop farms (with 200 to 999 acres). Midsize farms operated 47 percent of U.S. cropland in 1987, but that share fell to 29 percent by 2012.”

Source: Chart published Feb. 1, 2018, on FedGazette.com

SOURCE: Creighton University February 2018 Mainstreet Economy Report

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index declined slightly in January from December’s weak reading, remaining below growth neural, according to the latest monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, December 2017

Leading

SOURCE: Creighton University January 2018 Mid-American Report

The December Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Arkansas to North Dakota, rose for the month, pointing to healthy growth for the next three months.

Overall Index: The Business Conditions Index, which ranges between 0 and 100, climbed to 59.0 from November’s 57.2. This is the 13th straight month that the index has remained above for the region over the next three to six months.

2012 MIDSIZE FARM OPERATED CROPLAND  29%