Prairie Business March 2021

Special Issue PAGE 22

INSIDE

THE DAKOTAS AND MINNESOTA LOOK AHEAD TO THE TRAVEL SEASON

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Saluting 25 of the region’s most exemplary and accomplished women

Every year Prairie Business recognizes 25 women in the region who have made significant contributions to their careers and communities.

This is that issue – the Top 25 Women in Business, which publishes every March – a fitting addition to a month that celebrates women across the country. We couldn’t be happier with this year’s recipients. The women featured in the following pages come from different backgrounds and places, different industries and belief systems, but there is a common denominator among them: Each of them has made strides throughout their careers to excel in the workplace, to lead by example, and to spark change by their devoted work ethic. Not only do these women add significant value to their businesses and industries, but they help make the region a better place for each of us to live and work.

A couple of examples: Jessica Bell, environmental manager with the North American Coal Corporation, has done much to better the energy industry, but she also helped lead a preschool program and establish the Energy Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art fitness center in Beulah, N.D.

There also is Andrea Berg, branch manager at Capital Credit Union in Fargo. Besides her work at the credit union, where she has done much to guide her team through the processes and procedures related to COVID-19, she volunteers at the Rape & Abuse Crisis Center and has served as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

There is not enough space to list more of them here, but as you turn the pages you can read about all of the women and some (not all) of their accomplishments.

We’re grateful for the work they do in their careers and the influence they have on their communities.

Other stories in this issue include those on the topics of travel and tourism, new construction, and profile of a university student who also is helping to shape the region.

From all of us at Prairie Business, thank you to those who nominated individuals for this year’s Top 25. We wish we could recognize each nominee, but to each of them we say, keep up the good work and maybe we’ll see your name here next year.

For those who are listed in this issue, we give a special thanks and a hearty congratulations!

Until next time, Andrew Weeks

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

PUBLISHER

KORRIE WENZEL

AD DIRECTOR STACI LORD

EDITOR

ANDREW WEEKS

CIRCULATION MANAGER BETH BOHLMAN

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ACCOUNT MANAGER

NICHOLE ERTMAN 800.477.6572 ext. 1162 nertman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand Forks Herald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 375 2nd Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND 58203. Subscriptions are available free of charge. Back issue quantities are limited and subject to availability ($2/copy prepaid). The opinions of writers featured in Prairie Business are their own. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork are encouraged but will not be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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Traveling within the border

Travel trends cause Dakotas and Minnesota to pivot campaigns to attract tourism from residents

By Andrew Weeks

Despite the challenges over the past year caused by the coronavirus pandemic, South Dakota still attracted some 12.6 million visitors in 2020, who in total spent $3.4 billion while they were in the state, according to Gov. Kristi Noem.

Noem, who addressed an in-person and virtual crowd during the South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism in January, said 2020’s visitors number was a decline of 13% from the year previous and cumulative visitor spending was down 18%.

“A lot of credit goes to all of you,” Noem said, thanking business leaders across the state, as well as her staff including Secretary of Tourism Jim Hagen, for helping South Dakota’s tourism industry. “You fought to create opportunities for your businesses, for your communities and for our state. And while other cities and states estimated visitor spending losses of as much as 50%, South Dakota was able to finish strong.”

Noting visitors’ economic contributions to the state, she said that in 2020, “that was a big win. You not only outperformed other states, you outperformed industry expectations. … Now, in one of the most challenging years our state has ever seen, you’re able to keep things rolling.

HORSEBACK RIDERS ENJOY THE OUTDOORS IN SOUTH DAKOTA’S BADLANDS.

IMAGE: SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

VISITORS HAVE FUN AT THUNDER ROAD IN SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

IMAGE: SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

And our state is so thankful that you did this, because now it’s clearer than ever that travel matters to South Dakota.”

Hagen, who interviewed with Prairie Business a few days after the conference, said the state’s plan for tourism in 2021 is similar to its 2020 plan.

The theme for the state’s campaign this year is “Go Great Places,” he said, a tweak from last year’s “Great Places are Waiting.” “We’re optimistic about 2021 as we look at surveys that are being conducted. According to the Consumer Sentiment Survey, travelers are starting to feel much more optimistic about traveling, they’re feeling more optimistic about the state of the world, about the state of the pandemic. I do believe that the vaccines are helping with that state of mind.”

He said a lot of indicators point to June, July and August when more visitors are considering taking trips to the Mount Rushmore State. Hagen said the new campaign will hit some of the traditional platforms, including television and cable buys, digital marketing efforts, and print advertising.

“But with all that being said, the most important thing to us is that we’re really closely watching what consumers are sending in, how they’re feeling about travel,” he said. “Our message will occur when we feel it’s right and when consumers are saying it is right. Ultimately what we’re conveying is that when the time is right for you, Great Places are waiting.”

Hagen said the state receives visitors from all over the world — and it’s not just to the state’s iconic Mount Rushmore that they’re visiting. The national memorial had around 2 million visitors last year, but for the first time in its history so did Custer State Park.

In total, the number of people who visited state parks in South Dakota, was more than 8 million for 2020, an increase of 31%, he said. Over the past couple of years the target audience for its marketing

campaign has been closer to home, those potential visitors in regions of the upper Midwest, Hagen said, but noting it still attracted visitors from many other states.

“One thing that we consistently find is that South Dakota really is very appealing to all Americans in all 50 states,” he said. “We have the national parks, the national memorials, the history and the culture that are really appealing. We really are the ultimate road trip, because we’ve got some of the most famous roadside attractions in the world.”

Other notable numbers according to the state’s economic impact report include hotel occupancy, which averaged 46.3% for the year, surpassing the national average of 44.7%. In total, 3.9 million hotel room nights were booked in 2020, and some 883,000 room nights were booked on AirBNB or Homeaway in 2020, a 22.3% increase.

One significant decrease (48%) was airport arrivals, which totaled 408,000 at Sioux Falls and Rapid City Regional Airports.

North Dakota

If there was a way to describe 2020, Sara Otte Coleman, director of Tourism and Marketing for the state of North Dakota, said it was a “different animal for us last year with the pandemic,” noting how hospitality and tourism businesses were disproportionately impacted because of travel and other restrictions.

continued on page 14

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Those challenges continue to be noticed this year. In January, the state noticed some $1.3 billion in lost visitor spending, she said, partly attributable to the lost Canadian passenger vehicle trips because of the border closure.

“That definitely impacted us dramatically,” Coleman said. For at least part of last year, North Dakota focused its marketing campaign in-state in an effort to entice residents to travel and explore within the Peace Garden State. Later in the year it pivoted to attract more out-of-state visitors, and this year’s marketing efforts will be something similar.

“We just postponed it a bit and had really good results from the marketing campaign,” Coleman said. She said the state saw a 52% increase in its website traffic last year, attracting visitors from most of all 50 states.

“I think what’s probably the most remarkable is that 92% of our visitors were first-time visitors,” she said. “These are people who have never been to our website before, so that was good.”

Coleman said in 2020 $3.5 million in room nights were booked in North Dakota hotels, down from about $5 million in 2019.

“We really do feel that number would have been much worse if we weren’t aggressively out there talking about safe opportunities here

VISITORS TO RED RIVER ZOO TAKE A TOUR AT THE SITE IN FARGO, N.D. IMAGE: VISIT FARGO-MOORHEAD

THE RED RIVER OFFERS SOME GREAT RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. IMAGE: GREATER GRAND FORKS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

around the state,” she said. “That’s kind of where we ended the year. We weren’t going to market in Canada last year, and so we took those dollars and kind of repurposed them in the state and (shifted the campaign to) the border strategies. We really bolstered up content and pushed scenic drives and road trips because we knew that was what was trending. And those will continue to trend through 2021.”

Visitor numbers at North Dakota state parks, unlike national parks, were up dramatically in 2020, Coleman said.

“I think we saw pretty solid traffic on our trails, our lakes and rivers, and even our park trails within cities,” she said.

Minnesota

Minnesota’s outdoor attractions did well in 2020, according to state Tourism Director John Edman. He said the state this year is focusing on the availability of outdoor activities within the state instead of on specific destinations.

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“Since the start of the pandemic, according to Oxford economics, we’ve lost about $7 billion in sales of the leisure and hospitality industry,” he said. “There were a lot of people who were interested in our resorts, lakes and campgrounds, and a little more interest in small town activities. Because of that there are certain pockets of the state that did well, and pockets that did not do as well, particularly in the metro area with the loss of conventions, theaters, and sporting events, and things like that.”

Minneapolis and St. Paul were significantly impacted. The state is hopeful for a gradual recovery, Edman said, but different segments will notice that recovery differently than others.

“The leisure market is going to come back a lot faster than, say, the business side of travel or the international side of travel,” he said.

This year the state is encouraging people to plan early for their summer trips, telling them to imagine the fun and relaxation they can experience in Minnesota. A theme this year: “Find Your True North,” all the time focusing on things that people can do safely in Minnesota.

“We’re basically using the phrase ‘Summer Safely in Minnesota,’” he said. “We’re trying to be aware that the timing has to be right for the consumer, the right time for the industry, and so we’re kind

MINNESOTA THIS YEAR PLANS TO MARKET THE MANY ACTIVITIES THERE ARE TO DO IN THE STATE INSTEAD OF SPECIFIC TOURIST DESTINATIONS. IMAGE: COURTESY OF EXPLORE MINNESOTA

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE CAPITOL IN PIERRE S.D. IMAGE: SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

of gradually getting back to some of the marketing that we’ve done a little more aggressively in the past. But it’s going to be a very different message and a different kind of recovery than what we’ve seen in the past.”

He said consumer confidence goes a long way in helping 2021 get on the books.

“I see a continuation of a lot of what we saw last summer. I think consumer confidence in their own health is going to greatly impact travel,” Edman said, noting that as more people get vaccinated that confidence will likely increase.

“You’re going to see more and more people wanting to get out. I’ve talked to a couple of the big resorts here in Minnesota and they’re saying that they’re already booking for this summer. It’s indicative that people still are going to be cautious about traveling too far, that they’re going to want to do things that are safe, things they can do within their own state. Those kinds of activities that really cater to that are the ones that I think are going to do particularly well.”

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

Planes & Automobiles

Business professionals are hoping for more opportunities to travel in 2021

By Andrew Weeks

It’s the tried-and-true story of the pandemic: Over the past year

Chad Flanagan connected with many clients and colleagues in other locations through virtual visits.

Like many in the business world, he is hoping with a new vaccine and the loosening of travel restrictions that he’ll be able to plan more in-person visits this year.

That’s not to say he’s not grateful for how technology has helped business over the past many months. Virtual meetings have filled the gaps and made connections still happen.

“Much like other businesses we started to lean on collaborative tools to connect with our clients and connect with each other,” said Flanagan, a CPA at Eide Bailly, a certified public accounting and business advisory firm in Fargo, N.D. “We have been very pleased with how that’s gone, just in terms of staying efficient and productive and communicating with each other and our clients.”

Flanagan said, like him, many of his team members are eager to get back in front of clients and that the company is looking at ways to do more of that this year.

“We’re not to where we were before the pandemic. We are looking to change the ways we work with clients, and so travel might look different,” he said. “We still need to have that face-to-face interaction with clients, and that means we still have a travel requirement, but it might look different than it did before the pandemic.”

Instead of sending a whole audit team to a client for a week, for instance, it might now send only a few for a few days. Also, those visits may incorporate more than just an audit. “We might focus our time talking to clients about more advisory things, how we help them with their growth or manage risk, those types of things, and just have more value-added conversations as we focus our time together on being very productive,” he said.

A VIEW INSIDE HECTOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN FARGO, N.D.

‘WE’RE BETTER NOW THAN WE WERE AT THE START OF COVID,’ SAYS SHAWN DOBBERSTEIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HECTOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN FARGO, N.D. ‘WE’LL SEE WHAT 2021 BRINGS.’ IMAGE: COURTESY OF HECTOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

Most of the company’s travel is regional, but it does have a footprint that goes down to Texas and as far west as California. Most of the travel is done by vehicle, but those long-distance trips are better served by plane.

Air travel is coming back, according to Shawn Dobberstein, executive director of Hector International Airport in Fargo – though the passenger numbers currently are still unlike they were pre-pandemic.

“We’re better now than we were at the start of COVID,” Dobberstein said. “If you go back to the start of the pandemic, like March, we were down over 96% and then each month since March we’ve gradually gotten better. ...We’ll see what 2021 brings.”

Dobberstein said he believes many people are still apprehensive about traveling on a plane, not only for fear of catching COVID-19 but because of restrictions that might be in place in other places.

“If you’re going to go to Hawaii for a week’s vacation and you have to quarantine for 14 days in a hotel, there’s not much sense in traveling,” he said. “So you have to constantly keep on top of what’s happening in the destination that you’re going to, and then adjust accordingly.”

“If you’re going there for business for a twoor three-day business trip and you’re supposed to quarantine for a week. Well, how do you make that happen? It’s an ever-changing dynamic of mandates and restrictions across the country; there isn’t a lot of commonality from one state to another.”

Despite these fears, some business projects call for boots on the ground – and that, in some instances, means boarding a plane.

SEH Inc., a company that specializes in architecture, engineering, and environmental work for public and private sectors, is headquartered in St. Paul but with offices in Minnesota, the Dakotas and other Midwestern states. As such, some of its employees may have to travel out of state from time to time.

“We may have a team member who has expertise in geotechnical engineering who is in offices from St. Paul, but we need him or her on a project in Sioux Falls, S.D.,” said Benita Crow, vice president and regional leader at SEH. She said the company in 2020 did not suspend travel completely. “Much of the work can be done virtually, but there are times when you need the boots on the ground at the project site.”

Looking past the pandemic, it is unclear what travel will look like in the future, but for those companies that have adopted technology to connect with their clients and colleagues, that will likely continue to some degree post-pandemic.

continued on page 20

Chad flanagan

Benita Crow

continued from page 19

“Most definitely virtual meetings will continue,” Crow said, noting that the company learned how quickly it could adapt to a new way of working. Even when employees are able to go back to the offices, a fair number will continue working remotely. “We’re located in multiple states, and virtual meetings have broken down those office walls or regional boundaries. We can easily have people from our Bismarck office on a call with Indiana folks or Iowa staff, and the use of virtual meetings has helped us be more connected. There has been much more collaboration across office and state lines. I look forward to that continuing.”

Crow said she is excited about the possibilities of traveling more in 2021. “Personally, just re-connecting. That is what is most important to me and what I look forward to in a post-pandemic environment,” Crow said. “My hope is that in 2021, the pandemic subsides, we are on a road to recovery and we are able to safely gather again with our colleagues and clients. …

“Businesswise, I continue to get energized by the solutions we provide to very complex challenges our cities, counties, and private companies face. So many of our clients are facing an uphill battle to provide for their citizens and create opportunities. I look forward to what we can do to help them.”

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

A VIEW OF HECTOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN FARGO, N.D.

IN 2020 HECTOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN FARGO, N.D., WAS DOWN ABOUT 49% OVER THE CALENDAR YEAR 2019. IMAGES: COURTESY OF HECTOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Engineering to help the environment

NDSU student wants to create eco-friendly materials

By Andrew Weeks

Like any aspiring professional, Abigail Henderson wants to make a difference in her career. In doing so, she hopes to help the environment.

Henderson, one of the rising generation’s forward-thinking individuals, wants to create eco-friendly materials for a progressive company. Her path to get to that point: graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in coding materials from North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D.

She is on track to achieve her graduation goal by spring 2023.

Already she has gained experience in the soft skills of engineering, talking to suppliers and learning how companies can move forward while optimizing their products. Sometimes optimization occurs with a new approach.

“I am very much interested in creating new materials,” she said. “Packaging is something that I am very much interested in, but with more environmentally-friendly alternatives to the plastics and other materials that we use in packaging currently.”

Her journey to NDSU started in the summer of 2017, while she was still in high school in her hometown of Hudson, Iowa. She had the opportunity to attend a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) camp, which she said was a positive experience for her and introduced her to the material sciences and research that was happening at NDSU.

It piqued her interest in the field, and after that she kept her focus on the North Dakota campus. She also did a couple of job shadows while in high school that further cemented her interest.

She started in fall 2019, choosing NDSU because it was a smaller school than others she had considered and with personable class sizes. More importantly, it had the current programs and research opportunities she was interested in pursuing.

The material sciences is a broad sweep, which in many instances points to the field

of sustainability – another topic in which she is interested.

“I’m very interested in the field of sustainability – utilizing waste products to create new materials or to change how materials are used that can better serve the community,” she said.

Henderson hasn’t completed much lab work yet, but will do more of that going forward. She also plans to start doing undergraduate research under the tutelage of a faculty member, something she is looking forward to.

She is used to working with others, and said she once designed a solution to a unique problem with one of her father’s lawnmowers. It wasn’t a large project by any means, “but it was kind of fun to do,” she said.

Henderson also likes to look to the future as she tries to recognize some of the challenges of her chosen industry.

“Cost savings is definitely a challenge,” she said. “Traditionally, more environmentally friendly or sustainable materials are more expensive, and so that’s an obstacle for many companies to make the switch. There also is potentially a time-cost element, I would say, on the manufacturing side.”

She has met her own challenges caused by the pandemic, saying it is sometimes tough to stay focused while working and studying remotely. To her, it has been both a burden and a blessing.

“I would say it is probably tougher to stay motivated,” she said. “I personally like the flexibility that a hybrid type work model offers, because I have experience being self-motivated. It’s nice for me that way, but I have definitely seen elements of my classes that are neglected more because of the online model.”

Despite those challenges, she is looking forward to a new year and hopefully a new approach to her work. She said she is enjoying her time in North Dakota and at NDSU.

“I really like the small town, community feel to it, but in a larger setting than I am used to,” Henderson said. “It’s definitely larger than my hometown, and so there are a lot more opportunities with businesses, with different community elements. It’s also great to be able to go on a walk around campus and see friendly faces, even if you don’t know everybody. It has a homey vibe.” She said she appreciates what she has learned – and continues to learn – at the school and the care and forethought of her instructors.

“They really care about students and the success of students,” she said. “Specifically, Dr. (Ali) Amiri in the mechanical engineering department. … He’s been able to connect me with different opportunities to learn and grow in ways outside of the classroom.”

After graduation, the world is her footstool. Where she ends up depends on the job. “I’m not tied to any specific location,” she said.

ABIGAIL HENDERSON, A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENT AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY IN FARGO, N.D., IS CHARTING A CAREER PATH THAT SHE HOPES WILL ALLOW HER TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. IMAGE: COURTESY OF NDSU

Amanda Torok has been shining a light on Gate City Bank’s culture for the past six years. Her dedication to the mission of creating a better way of life in the communities Gate City Bank serves helps her to make a difference as a leader for team members and customers. As the SVP of Culture, her department oversees the bank’s social media, internal communication, training, philanthropic giving and more. Torok’s diverse work and volunteer history has fueled her zeal for creativity and engagement.

Having a passion for dance since a young age, Torok has been teaching classes at Red River Dance, a non-profit dance studio, for more than 14 years. She dedicates her time and talents to teach youth and mentor future generations. She also volunteers her time speaking to local organizations about philanthropic giving, social media, company engagement and culture and more. She is also an avid supporter of organizations within her community such as Giving Hearts Day, Emergency Food Pantry and YWCA Cass Clay.

Prairie Business is pleased to present the Top 25 Women in Business for 2021

These women come from different backgrounds and professions, but each of them have something in common: They all are exemplary business professionals in their careers and communities. Their dedication and hard work make the region a better place to live and work, and Prairie Business is happy to recognize them here.

Branch Manager

Capital Credit Union Fargo, N.D.

Originally from Minot, N.D., Andrea Berg earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Minot State University. Her career in financial services began at Town and Country Credit Union where she worked for 12 years before joining Starion Bank for three. She then worked at Fargo’s Rape & Abuse Crisis Center as its community engagement coordinator. Berg reentered the financial services industry when she joined Capital Credit Union in 2020. As branch manager of the new Veterans Boulevard Branch in Fargo, her first year was a whirlwind of activity, including hiring and training staff, assisting with the branch’s grand opening celebration, and guiding her team through processes and procedures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. She leads an eight-person team, including a financial services representative, member services supervisor and six member services associates.

Berg volunteers at the Rape & Abuse Crisis Center and is a member of the board for the West Fargo Exchange Club. She has also served as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. She and her husband, Kevin, live in Fargo with their two sons.

Senior Vice President of Culture Gate City Bank Fargo, N.D.

Amanda Torok

Andrea Berg

Annette Ambuehl

Commercial Lines Manager Bell Insurance

Fargo, Grand Forks, Detroit Lakes & Minneapolis

Annette Ambuehl has been working in the insurance industry for more than 30 years and has a passion for helping her clients and building relationships with them.

Originally from Borup, Minn., she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from North Dakota State University before beginning her insurance career. After spending the first 15 years in underwriting for various companies, she became a commercial agent. In 2014 she was given the opportunity to act as president of BlackRidge Insurance and work with its bank leaders to start a De Novo agency. After the sale of BlackRidge, Ambuehl joined Bell Insurance where she now works as the commercial lines manager. Along the way, she has earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter, Certified Insurance Counselor and Associate in Risk Management designations.

Ambuehl has a passion for helping kids and has served on non-profit boards helping local children in the community. She also spends time as a volunteer youth basketball coach in the community.

Brenda

Controller

TSP, Inc.

Moore

Sioux Falls, S.D.

In a tumultuous year, controller Brenda Moore led TSP, Inc. through planned and unplanned changes with vision, financial acumen, and foresight. Her leadership helped the 90-year-old architectural and engineering firm emerge from 2020 strongly positioned for growth.

A major responsibility involved implementing an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan). While the pandemic slowed the pace, it was completed by year’s end. She also led TSP through the often-complicated application procedure for the Paycheck Protection Program loan.

Moore graduated from Augustana University with bachelor’s degrees in economics, professional accountancy, and business administration. She joined TSP, Inc. in 2007 as an accountant and was promoted to controller in April 2013.

The mother of two children, Moore seeks out volunteer activities where she can make a difference in the lives of other youngsters. As a mentor with Junior Achievement of South Dakota, she works with kindergarten students and middle-schoolers. She also volunteers with the Sioux Empire United Way, her church, and other community nonprofits such as The Banquet feeding ministry and the BackPack program for low-income school children.

Camille Grade

Chief Market Officer

Bushel

Fargo,

N.D.

Camille Grade serves as the chief market officer at Bushel in Fargo, N.D., an agtech company focused on building the digital infrastructure for the grain industry. She leads Bushel’s outward voice to the marketplace through marketing and customer experience. She has transformed Bushel’s brand from a nondescript local mobile software company to an international industry innovator, garnering close interest, monitoring, and collaboration with the largest agriculture companies in the world.

Bushel has grown nationwide brand recognition in short order due to Grade’s storytelling capacity and ability to know and speak deeply to the unique values of the agriculture market. She built from scratch marketing, customer experience, support and sales teams. She is a master at asking questions, a powerful storyteller, has an unfailing moral compass, is loyal and an articulate communicator and friend.

Grade believes in community involvement and recently concluded six years on the United Way of Cass Clay’s board of trustees. She lives in Horace, N.D., with her husband, Ryan, and continues to stay connected to her family’s farm near Borup, Minn.

Cathrine Grimsrud

Managing Director of Mineral and Land Services, VP for Wealth Management

First International Bank & Trust Bismarck, N.D.

Cathrine Grimsrud joined First International Bank & Trust in late 2019 following a decade in the oil and gas industry. She recognized not only the need for mineral owners to have their assets managed by industry professionals, but also the need for the oil and gas industry to have a local bank that understands their business and what it takes for them to succeed.

Grimsrud holds law degrees from both the University of Oslo-Faculty of Law and the University of North Dakota School of Law. She has held several different positions including land manager and legal counsel for private and public oil companies, and recently served as senior attorney for a large Houston-based exploration and production corporation. Grimsrud has broad experience in the oil and gas transactional space primarily focusing on oil, gas and midstream contracts, title examination, acquisitions and divestitures, due diligence, and regulatory compliance. She is originally from Norway and loves horses, skiing, travelling, and hiking – especially in the Norwegian mountains. She resides in Bismarck with her two children.

Cynthia Thormodson

Senior Vice President/ Chief Financial Officer Noridian Healthcare Solutions Fargo, N.D.

Cynthia Thormodson’s 25-year career spans the areas of public accounting, internal audit, and health care operations. In 2016, her passion for healthcare led her to Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC, a government contractor with headquarters in Fargo. As Noridian’s chief financial officer, Thormodson is honored to play an important role in ensuring Medicare beneficiaries have access to care when they need it most.

Thormodson is a servant leader who champions personal and career development. She loves coaching and mentoring, and her “cup is filled” by helping others reach their full potential.

Thormodson is a Certified Public Accountant and has earned the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (HFMA) Certified Healthcare Financial Professional designation. She and her husband, Kyle, are the parents of two daughters and enjoy following their activities. She is the council president for her church in Dilworth, Minn. Her leadership has supported the well-being of the church through the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Erica Marcussen

Architect Widseth Baxter, Minn.

Erica Marcussen distinguishes herself as a dedicated architect, coworker, community leader, volunteer, and parent. After graduating from NDSU’s architecture program, she returned to her hometown of Brainerd, Minn., where she is making an impact on the area’s residents and visitors through her work on community and educational facilities, including several multimillion-dollar school projects.

Widseth’s repeat clients often request that she work on their projects. Her involvement in her children’s activities led to her mobilizing a cadre of parents to reach out to area businesses with a particular interest in robotics, technology, science, and mathematics to secure sponsorships for the robotics team’s trip to Louisville, Ky., to compete in the 2018 and 2019 Vex Robotics World Championship competition.

Marcussen’s involvement in her church has spanned playing in the bell choir to providing planning and design services (sometimes pro bono). Her experience as an architect, leadership reputation with clients, and her enduring commitment to her family and community characterize Marcussen’s exceptional role as a person dedicated to a meaningful career and in successfully supporting others around her.

Holly Dalen

Laboratory Foreman

Marathon Petroleum Company

Dickinson, N.D.

Holly Dalen grew up in Zap, N.D., and after graduating from college began a career in analytical services in North Dakota’s energy corridor. She started as a laboratory technician at Dakota Gasification Co., working in both the pilot plant and process support laboratories. Later, she took a position with the North Dakota’s State Meat Inspection program as a field inspector for state meat processing facilities.

Dalen returned to the N.D. energy sector during the Bakken oil boom, when she worked as a regional laboratory manager in the Rocky Mountain region for an oil field chemical company. Soon after construction started on the new refinery in Dickinson, she accepted a lab management position with the responsibility to establish a process support and quality control lab. Dalen is facing exciting new challenges in this role, as the refinery switched to producing renewable diesel from soybean and corn oils.

Dalen enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and friends. She actively supports and volunteers for community programs and can even be seen ringing bells at church.

Environmental Manager for ND Operations

North American Coal Corporation

Bismarck, N.D.

Growing up on a ranch in western North Dakota, Jessica Bell learned early in life the importance of environmental stewardship and the benefits of responsible government. These driving forces led her to choose to focus on both Natural Resources Management and Economics for her Bachelor of Science, obtained from North Dakota State University in 2006.

Bell’s career as an environmental manager with the North American Coal Corporation provides a background in and deep understanding of direct application of environmental laws and regulations. Serving as state senator for District 33 since 2012, Bell has held the chairmanship for both the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, as well as the Finance & Taxation Committee, leading both state energy and tax policies.

An active member of her Beulah community, Bell has helped lead the local preschool program, as well as establishing the Energy Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art fitness center in Beulah. All of this, though, is done in her spare time, as her two daughters and husband are her largest sources of happiness … and work!

Julie Capasso has been a dedicated safety professional for more than 10 years. She is a cum laude graduate from Murray State University with a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health. She has held safety positions within a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, academia, engineering, and construction.

Her education and diverse working background were fundamental to her achieving the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification. Capasso joined the McGough team in 2019 and is responsible for managing and implementing their safety management program on construction projects, including projects in North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Minnesota. She values her work protecting McGough’s most valuable asset – its employees.

Prior to relocating to Fargo in 2017, Capasso spent four years mentoring two awesome kids through Big Brothers Big Sisters and C-U One to One. Now she is focused on giving back to the organizations that have supported her family such as Hopeful Heart Project, Anthony Rizzo Foundation, and Cal’s Angels.

Capasso resides in Fargo with her husband, daughter, and blue heeler.

Jessica K. Bell

Safety Manager McGough Construction Fargo, N.D.

Julie Capasso

Julie Whitney

Market President Bremer Bank Fargo, N.D.-Moorhead, Minn.

Kimberly Heidt

Vice President of People & Culture Steffes, LLC Dickinson, N.D.

As market president at Bremer Bank in Fargo/Moorhead, Julie Whitney lives out Bremer’s purpose of cultivating thriving communities. Currently, she serves on the Public Policy Committee of Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce; on the Board of Directors of Enterprise Minnesota, a federal MEP organization that provides training and advocacy for manufacturers; on the Board of Directors of MinnDak Manufacturers Association, a nonprofit organization that supports manufacturers in the Fargo/Moorhead/West Fargo community, and on the fundraising committee for an area joint-Rotary Natural Play Area project.

Whitney has more than 25 years of experience in business development, risk management, financial and industry analysis and accounting. A graduate of St Cloud State University, she earned CPA designation in 2000 and since 2004 has been serving commercial and industrial businesses through all business life cycles and unprecedented economic times.

Her love of people, finance, and the business community drive Whitney to lead with great energy to motivate and support her team of talented commercial banking strategists, who work elbow to elbow with Bremer’s customers to achieve business success.

Kim Heidt is the vice president of People & Culture at Steffes, LLC., a manufacturer headquartered in Dickinson, N.D., with facilities in Grand Forks, N.D. and Midland, Texas.

Heidt brings more than 15 years of HR experience from multifaceted industries including health care, engineering, pharmaceutical research and manufacturing. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business management with a HR management focus from the University of Mary.

Heidt is responsible for strategic HR operations, employee engagement, learning and development, and transformational HR solutions to support the overall success of the organization. She is committed to helping people develop and grow into the best versions of themselves; this passion drove her into the HR profession where she felt she could make a daily impact.

Heidt serves on the SAHRA Board as membership director, Dickinson CHI Charity Ball committee member, and member of the Dream It Do It program, which promotes the diversified career opportunities in manufacturing to the younger generation. During her free time, she enjoys golfing and attending classic car shows with her husband, Chad, and three children.

Kristi Spindler

Vice President Human Resources

KLJ Fargo, N.D.

Laurie Gates

HR and Procurement Manager

ESCO Manufacturing, Inc.

Watertown, S.D.

Laurie Gates has been a senior leader at ESCO Manufacturing for more than two decades, serving as its human resources and procurement manager, and safety director. Her steadfast leadership has provided stability for ESCO, as the company has gone through growth spurts and periods of change, including a transition in ownership.

Through her leadership, the company was recognized through OSHA as a SHARP Certified company – a distinction that only three other South Dakota manufacturers could claim at the time of the recognition.

Gates graduated Magna cum laude with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Mount Marty University in 2007. She is SHRM-CP certified, and was selected the HR Professional of the Year by the NESD SHRM chapter in 2004, 2007, and 2014. She is the SoDak SHRM State Council director. She also owns Hot Shots in Madison, S.D.

Gates is active in the local community, serving on the Workforce Advisory Council, the NESD SHRM Board, and the Lake Area Technical College Business Program Advisory Board. She volunteers with PACH (People Against Child Hunger), and the Watertown Banquet.

Kristi Spindler serves as KLJ’s vice president of Human Resources and Safety. She began her career with KLJ in 2019, serving as the company’s Divisional Human Resource director. In that role she transformed the company’s talent acquisition process, making it more agile, cost-effective, and efficient.

She led the implementation of KLJ’s strategic imperative focused on Exceptional People – building an inclusive environment that fosters diversity and encourages everyone to contribute to their full potential. In January, Spindler was promoted to her current role, where she continues to promote an engaging, empowered, and inclusive environment that rewards performance and an employee-owned mindset.

Originally from northern Minnesota, Spindler moved to Fargo with her husband and two young daughters in 2014. She is passionate about empowering and supporting women, which she believes starts at a young age. She is currently a member of the board for BIO Girls, an organization focused on giving girls the tools and confidence needed to navigate adolescence, dream big, and have the confidence to be themselves.

She also previously served as a board member and past-president of Agassiz Valley Human Resources Association.

Executive Vice President of Operations

Digi-Key Electronics

Thief River Falls, Minn.

Linda Johnson has been with Digi-Key for 33 years and currently serves as executive vice president of operations. She is responsible globally for Digi-Key’s customer service, sales operations, accounting and finance, pricing and logistics.

Johnson has championed numerous corporate initiatives that have helped Digi-Key manage its outstanding growth into a $3.19 billion company employing more than 4,000 people around the world. As the COVID-19 pandemic began, Johnson and her leadership team worked with IT and set her team up to work remotely in just over two weeks –including a remote call center workforce managing nearly 3 million calls and processing 5.3 million orders annually – with very little disruption to Digi-Key’s industry-leading customer service levels.

Johnson is passionate about empowering and mentoring young leaders in Digi-Key, which enables them to grow within the organization. She is also responsible for starting a chapter of Women in Electronics in Thief River Falls (one of the largest in the country) and serves on the advisory council, and also co-leads an accelerated leadership program within Digi-Key.

Linda Johnson

Lisa Chaffee

Tax Partner Eide Bailly LLP Bismarck, N.D.

Lisa Chaffee started her career in business alongside her grandfather Harley Summers, founder of Summers Manufacturing. It was during her time at this family business that she knew she wanted to pursue a career in public accounting. After graduating from Cando High School, she attended NDSU and received her degree in accounting, and soon after obtained her CPA license.

Chaffee has had the opportunity to serve in several roles in her 26 years with Eide Bailly. She greatly enjoys working with commercial clients, individual clients and many clients in the nonprofit industry. She is the tax department head for her local office and serves on the firm’s inclusion and diversity council.

Chaffee thoroughly enjoys volunteering with nonprofit organizations and giving back to her community, including participating in United Way’s Day of Caring and Backpack program. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Sanford Bismarck, The Banquet and Bismarck-Mandan Chamber Foundation. Outside of her career, Chaffee is busy with her family and church. She and her husband Kurt reside in Bismarck with their children.

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Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC

Melanie Stillwell

President and CEO Western Cooperative Credit Union Williston, N.D.

Rachel

Kloos

Water/Wastewater Group Leader ISG

Sioux Falls, S.D.

Rachel Kloos has more than 20 years of experience leading process and environmental engineering pursuits. Specializing in industrial and municipal water and wastewater compliance, and the optimization of both water use and carbon footprint, she is committed to developing spaces that support a sustainable, cost-effective future for communities and businesses. To do so, she assists both public and private clients in optimizing operations, steam, and cooling usage to reduce water usage.

Kloos holds two patents for water recycling in biofuel facilities in addition to specific expertise and experience in biogas recovery and utilization to offset natural gas and reduce carbon footprint.

Passionate about creating more sustainable environments and healthy communities, she is active in the Friends of the Big Sioux River, an organization that works to reduce urban and rural pollution of the Big Sioux River, where she serves as board secretary. She is also a board member for the Tea Area School Sports Booster, dedicated and committed to promoting sports programs for girls. Kloos resides in Sioux Falls with her husband and two daughters.

Melanie Stillwell, president and CEO of Western Cooperative Credit Union in Williston, has had an eventful career that started after she graduated from Minot State University with degrees in accounting and finance, and she has been a CPA in both North Dakota and Colorado.

The first 12 years of her career was spent as a principal examiner at National Credit Union Association in Denver, before becoming senior vice president of Finance at a Colorado credit union. When she returned to Williston, she went to work as the vice president of Lending, and then as executive VP at Western Cooperative Credit Union. She has been president and CEO since 2002.

Stillwell has participated in numerous community organizations, including Rotary, Chamber of Commerce Casual Day Committee, Chamber Ambassador’s Club, Mercy Medical Foundation, Junior Achievement, Mercy Medical Finance, Compliance & Audit Committee, and Williston Area Development Foundation.

She sits on several boards, including the ND Department of Financial Institution’s State Credit Union Board, Dakota Association of Credit Unions Board, Williston State College Foundation Board, and the CUNA Examination and Supervision Subcommittee.

Stilwell lives in Williston with her husband, Bill, and son Ryland. She enjoys travelling, family events, reading, and watching sports.

Randi Adams

Chief of Credit Administration

Alerus

Grand Forks, N.D.

Over a nearly 30-year career so far at Alerus, Randi Adams has been a driving force in growing the company and creating the sound financial foundation that Alerus exhibits today.

In early 2020, her depth of experience helped guide Alerus’ approach to implementing the complex Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). She motivated her team to create new processes and systems and adapt technology tools at an unprecedented pace, enabling clients to act quickly to obtain needed financial relief. Her leadership was a major factor in Alerus’ ability to distribute 1,580 loans and $363 million in Round 1 PPP funding relief for clients, thus protecting thousands of jobs.

As chief of credit administration, Adams oversees loan documentation and lending compliance, file review and monitoring systems, loan administration, lending portfolio analysis and reporting, and lending systems. She also leads the centralized lending specialist and credit administration teams, and oversees consumer and small business lending, as well as mortgage underwriting. Adams leads by example, setting high personal performance expectations and serving as a mentor for many fellow employees.

Robyn Jensen

Managing Partner and Financial Advisor Legacy Financial Partners Brookings, S.D.

Robyn Jensen serves as a managing partner and financial advisor with Legacy Financial Partners. She has founded her practice on holistic financial planning and is driven by her passion to help her clients achieve their financial goals. Legacy Financial Partners is a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. The team has 27 offices in six states and employs more than 100 people. Always striving to reach her highest potential, Jensen holds the esteemed Certified Financial Planner designation as well as her master’s degree in Family Financial Planning from South Dakota State University.

Community involvement has always been important to her and she currently serves on various boards including Junior Achievement, Women in Leadership and Learning and the South Dakota State University Financial Planning Advisory Board.

Jensen was recognized in 2020 by Forbes magazine as one of the top women wealth advisors and top next generation wealth advisors in the United States.

She and her husband, Josh, have three children and live in Brookings, S.D. In her spare time, you can find her riding horse, enjoying the lake, traveling and attending her children’s sports activities.

Sarah Aldinger

Principal Architect Architecture Incorporated Sioux Falls, S.D.

Sarah Aldinger has been a valuable member of the Architecture Incorporated team for nearly three decades. Though she has designed a wide range of projects during that time, her passion lies in health care.

As a principal architect, she has devoted much of her career to helping sculpt the medical landscape for the region. Some projects for Sanford Health have even afforded her opportunities to work as far away as Ghana. An alumna of the University of Kansas, Aldinger is a genuine leader at Architecture Incorporated, always willing to lend a hand to anyone on the team.

She has also been an active participant in her community, mentoring aspiring architects and lending her expertise through current and past leadership roles on the City of Sioux Falls Building Board of Appeals, ADA Accessibility Review Board, and Board of Historic Preservation.

LifeisBestLived withPurpose

AsoneoftheleadingOil &Gasindustry experts inthe country,CathrineGrimsrudguidesclients inNorthDakotaandbeyondthrough the complexitiesofmineral ownership. We aregrateful forherleadershipin herfieldas wellasinourorganization and community.

CongratulationsCathrine

Congratulations Cathrine, named among this year ’s Top 25 Women in Business.

0576_2-21

Stephanie Armstrong

Owner and Funeral Home Director Gilbertson-Gloger Funeral Home Devils Lake, N.D.

Stephanie Armstrong has called North Dakota home her entire life. She was a farmer’s daughter, farmer’s wife, registered nurse for 30 years and for the past 17 years the owner and operator of the Gilbertson-Gloger Funeral Home in Devils Lake N.D.

When purchasing the funeral home in 2004, Armstrong was one of the first women in North Dakota to own a funeral home that was not a family business in a male-dominated field.

She has served on several North Dakota Funeral Directors Association boards and committees, including president from 2008-09, and has been an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Devils Lake, serving as an officer and 15-plus years as the chairman of the Kiwanis Christmas Day Community Dinner.

She is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Altar Society, Ramsey County Area Right to Life and supports the local food pantry and other community-based assistance programs. In her free time she enjoys watching her grandchildren participate in their many activities.

Founder, CEO and Physician Catalyst Medical Center Fargo, N.D.

Susan Mathison, MD is a Stanford-educated, triple board certified physician who founded Catalyst Medical Center and Clinical Spa in 2000. The Center has locations in Fargo, Jamestown, Grand Forks, N.D. and Detroit Lakes, Minn. Services provided include dermatology, facial plastic surgery, allergy, sleep medicine, ENT, functional medicine, medical weight loss and regenerative medicine. The Clinical Spa provides numerous laser treatments, medical peels and facials, body contouring and Botox and filler enhancements. Mathison is also the medical director of Sleep Wellness Center.

Dr. Mathison is dedicated to helping others lead happier, healthier, more beautiful lives through her practice and in service to others. She had been part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Fargo for the past decade, helping launch TEDxFargo, TEDxFargo Women and Women’s StartUp Weekend. She has served on numerous boards, and currently serves Dakota Medical Foundation, Impact Foundation, Plains Art Museum and the ND Women’s Business Center/Center for Technology and Business. She is also a board director for Choice Bank.

Mathison and her son treasure Giving Hearts Day as their favorite holiday and have welcomed five international exchange students from four different countries.

Senior Vice President, Market President Cornerstone Bank Watford

Vicki Monsen is committed to supporting the continued growth and success of the Watford City area. She brings local expertise and a wealth of banking experience to her position of market president.

Originally from Watford City, Monsen joined Cornerstone Bank while still in high school through a vocational program. She returned to the bank as a full-time employee in January 1989. Prior to her current role as market president, she worked as a customer service representative, Real Estate loan officer, and controller.

Monsen holds an associate degree from Interstate Business College and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking in Boulder, Colo. She is also a graduate of Rural Leadership North Dakota and has served on the Rural Leadership North Dakota Council.

Monsen is active in the community through the Watford City Housing Authority, Watford City Economic Development Corporation, ND Economic Development Foundation, ND 4-H Foundation, along with the Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee. Outside of the bank, she can be found in the tractor or combine on her family farm.

Susan Mathison, MD

City, N.D.

Vicki Monsen

SBA and lenders take steps to improve Paycheck Protection Program

The U.S. Small Business Administration and lenders are taking more strides to improve the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) so that small businesses can access much needed PPP funds to persevere through the pandemic, recover, and build back better.

The administration is working with the agency to increase equitable access to underserved small businesses, to assure the integrity of the program, and to promote rapid and efficient distribution of funds.

The SBA in mid-February hit a major milestone of approving $103 billion of PPP funds to more than 1.4 million small businesses, according to information provided by the administration. Highlights from this round include:

Reaching more of the smallest businesses; 82% of all loans going to businesses requesting less than $100K

Reaching rural communities in a meaningful way; 28% of businesses who have received funding this round are in rural communities

Increasing partnerships with Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) who are trusted agents in extending economic relief to minority communities and underserved populations

The SBA is also following taking additional steps towards improving the speed to resolve data mismatches and eligibility concerns so that small businesses have as much time as possible to access much needed PPP funds, while maintaining the integrity of the program. Three important changes will include:

Enable lenders to directly certify eligibility of borrowers for First Draw and Second Draw loan applications with validation errors to ensure businesses who need funds and are eligible receive them as quickly as possible

Allow lenders to upload supporting documentation of borrowers with validation errors during the forgiveness process

Create additional communication channels with lenders to assure we are constantly improving equity, speed, and integrity of the program, including an immediate national lender call to brief them on the Platform’s added capabilities

“We are pleased that the Paycheck Protection Program is targeting the smallest of small businesses and providing economic relief at a crucial time in American history,” said SBA Senior Advisor to the Administrator Michael Roth.

“While we are excited that we are doing a better job of reaching the hardest hit industries and communities, we are committed to taking additional steps to ensure that there is equitable access for underserved businesses and that we are leading with empathy to support small businesses in a difficult spot.”

Helping women succeed in business

By Andrew Weeks

Deidre Hillman has turned her career into one of helping other women succeed in business.

Hillman, state program director of the North Dakota Women’s Business Center in Bismarck, said her work is not always roses but what helps her get up in the mornings is knowing the end result: Helping women with savvy business ideas turn them into successes.

The center helps women throughout the state advance their careers, enhance their leadership skills, and grow their business. It also helps entrepreneurs, those who are seeking to get their business off the ground.

It does this by offering tools and training – whether that is learning how to build a resume or how to network. The benefits for participants: Women walk away with the skills and know-how that increases both their confidence and marketability.

The nonprofit center sits under the umbrella of the CTB, formerly Center for Technology & Business, also located in Bismarck. The NDWBC is funded through grants from the U.S. Small Business

DEIDRE HILLMAN, STATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE NORTH DAKOTA WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER, INSTRUCTS PARTICIPANTS AT THE LEADING LADIES LUNCHEON IN MARCH 2020 AT THE HOLIDAY INN IN FARGO N.D. THE EVENT WILL BE HELD AGAIN THIS YEAR IN BOTH FARGO AND BISMARCK TO CELEBRATE WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH. IMAGE: COURTESY OF DEIDRE HILLMAN

DEIDRE HILLMAN IS THE STATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE NORTH DAKOTA WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER. IMAGE: COURTESY OF DEIDRE HILLMAN

Administration and matching funds from the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

“We were very fortunate to receive some additional funding under the CARES Act, and so we’ve really had some great opportunities for growth,” Hillman said.

A primary responsibility with federal funding is to offer what she calls one-on-one business advising – “very technical, very specific training to an entrepreneur or small business owner that needs help getting to that next step, whether they’ve just got the concept sketched on a napkin or they’ve got a brick and mortar and they want to open their second location or a fifth location.”

Some of the center’s offerings is a six-month long women’s leadership program, offered in Bismarck and Fargo, but staff also do mini-sessions around North Dakota. In March, coinciding with Women’s History Month, it hosts a luncheon celebrating women who impact their communities. It also offers technical training in marketing and how to patent a product or trademark an idea.

“The way I sum it up is, we do the business advising, we offer programming, such as luncheons and that sort of thing, and a conference, and then the training that we have throughout the year,” Hillman said.

Besides direct marketing efforts on social media and other platforms, staff also visit conferences during Small Business Week and partner with regional schools such as Bismarck State College, Concordia University, and Jamestown State College.

It is always nice to get in front of people, but sometimes virtual visits are better. She said the pandemic has affected the center in positive ways.

“We have been able to reach more people than ever,” she said, noting its new online library that has resources and contacts has been popular. “One of the things we did is invest some pretty heavy-duty funds to build what we believe is very specific training speaking to the culture of the women of North Dakota. … We operate differently than women might operate in Colorado or

in Florida, and with that tool anyone across the state can log in and take a look at our training materials and learn more about the Women’s Business Center.”

Chelly Ontis, who owns Elegant Designs in Bismarck, said she wishes she had a resource like the Women’s Business Center when she first became an entrepreneur in 1997. Recently, she worked with Hillman and her team to help the center with its branding and marketing, especially with the new library resource it launched on its website. In that capacity, Ontis said she has been able to see just how much the center helps women with their business plans.

“Being an entrepreneur can be such a lonely journey, everyone has different answers,” she said. “To have a partner to sit down with and say to them, ‘Here’s my idea, tell me how ridiculous it is, or how great it is,’ that can be very helpful.”

The center has tons of resources to help women in business, she said.

Hillman said no new programs will be added this year, but her team will focus on elevating the programs already in place. She wants to reach as many women as possible, not only because it is good business for her but because doing so has dividends felt across the board: When one business succeeds, it’s a boon for that community and the state.

It is always tough to learn about the businesses that struggle and there have been many during the pandemic, she said. But Hillman believes there is hope, especially as business professionals gain the proper know-how and tools to weather the pandemic storm. Sometimes a businesswoman needs to think outside the box, and right now is one of those times.

“I think we’re a lot more fortunate in this area of the country,” she said. “Our goals are set for this year, and what we’ve decided is to really narrow our programming; and what I mean is, we’re not really going to launch anything new, we’re just going to pour a lot of energy into what we have.”

Thankyou

DEIDRE HILLMAN, STATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE NORTH DAKOTA WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER, INSTRUCTS PARTICIPANTS DURING ONE OF THE CENTER’S EVENTS HELD IN EARLY 2020. IMAGE: COURTESY OF DEIDRE HILLMAN

Officers appointed to S.D. Governor’s Tourism Advisory Board

PIERRE, S.D. • Officers have been selected for the South Dakota Governor’s Tourism Advisory Board for 2021, including the re-election of Kristi Wagner of Whitewood as board president. Carmen Schramm of Yankton was reelected vice president.

“The Department of Tourism is grateful for the service provided by our board members, including the second terms of our president and vice president,” Jim Hagen, secretary of the Department of Tourism, said in a statement. “We are fortunate to have leaders like these who care so deeply about continuing to advance tourism in our state.”

The Tourism Advisory Board is appointed by the governor and includes members of the tourism industry and citizen representatives from across the state. Board members serve as liaisons and advocates for businesses in their area and the South Dakota Department of Tourism. The board also offers input about marketing strategies for the department.

Current Tourism Advisory Board members include Caleb Arceneaux, Rapid City; Tom Biegler, Sioux Falls; John Brockelsby, Rapid City; Ted Hustead, Wall; Ann Lesch, De Smet; Julie Ranum, Watertown; Val Rausch, Big Stone City; Carmen Schramm, Yankton; Frank Smith, Gettysburg; Ivan Sorbel, Kyle; and Kristi Wagner, Whitewood.

Led by Secretary Hagen, the South Dakota Department of Tourism is composed of Tourism and the South Dakota Arts Council.

Minnesota offers economic relief grants to theaters, convention centers

ST. PAUL • The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development has awarded $4.6 million in Convention Center Relief Grants and $8.54 million in Movie Theater Relief Grants to facilities across the state.

The grants are part of a $216 million economic relief package signed into law by Gov.Tim Walz in December and announced in February. The package included a $14 million appropriation for grants to movie theaters and convention centers in Minnesota impacted by COVID-19.

“Convention centers and movie theatres are an important part of our economy that has been severely impacted by COVID-19,” DEED Commissioner Steve Grove said in a statement announcing the grants. “The state and our team at DEED have worked hard to award these grants quickly to help these venues weather the pandemic and bounce back during Minnesota’s economic recovery.”

Fifteen convention centers that met the eligibility requirements were awarded grants ranging from $38,000 to $500,000. Of these, eight are located in Greater Minnesota and received a total of $2.3 million in grants; seven are in the Twin Cities and received $2.2 million.

According to DEED, 73 movie theater owners – with a total of 790 screens in 118 locations across the state – met the eligibility requirements and were awarded grants ranging from $10,000 to $1.12 million.

Of these, 78 locations (with 411 screens) are in Greater Minnesota and received a total of $4.7 million; 40 locations (with 379 screens) are in the Twin Cities and received $3.83 million. Awardees must spend the entire award on theaters located in Minnesota, and the formula for award amounts was established in statute.

South Dakota Businesses Recognized for Outstanding Customer Service

PIERRE, S.D.

• The South Dakota Department of Tourism has recognized 47 businesses across 22 communities for their outstanding hospitality and customer service. These businesses have earned the “South Dakota Great Place” designation.

The South Dakota Great Service Star program was updated to the South Dakota Great Place Program in 2020. The program is a designation for businesses that put hospitality at the forefront of all they do as a company by providing guests with exceptional service. These businesses are constantly innovating and finding ways to make their guests comfortable and welcomed and their communities more vibrant.

“The hospitality you find in South Dakota is unmatched,” said Jim Hagen, Secretary of the Department of Tourism. “This program not only offers businesses support in developing great customer service skills among employees, it’s also a way to commend our industry members for all they do to serve their communities.”

The South Dakota Great Place program is designed to strengthen the tourism industry in South Dakota and offer support to tourism industry members. Online nomination forms are now open for this year’s Great Place Program: https://sdvisit.com/training-hospitality/ south-dakota-great-face-program.

The department also offers an Online Hospitality Training program. The training, which is free, available at SDVisit.com.

To see which business have been recognized, go to https://sdvisit.com/training-hospitality/2021-south-dakota-great-place-designees. For more information on the department’s hospitality programs, visit https://sdvisit.com/training-hospitality.

Minot State student says she is ‘up for the challenge’

By Emily Schmidt

MINOT, N.D. • Jem Dolce has been problem-solving since she was old enough to use a cell phone.

The sophomore computer science major moved to Minot from the Bahamas after noticing Minot State University’s admissions office did the problem-solving for her.

“Since I’m an international student, they really worked fast to get everything I needed for my visa,” she said. “That was really cool, so I was like, OK, the school is on top of it.”

But Dolce knew she would study computer science before she started college.

“Ever since I was younger, when my parents’ phones or any of my cheap tablets that I got had an issue, I would always try to fix them,” she said. “Then I’m like, OK, I’m good at this. I would watch YouTube videos, and when that didn’t work, I’d just find the issue myself. I always took apart computers and things like that.

“I don’t see myself with anything else. I just really like computers and how they work, and I want to understand them a bit more. I know that computer science is a growing thing, and everything’s moving more towards a digital age. I just want to be up there when it goes there.”

On top of her schoolwork, Dolce also works as a resident assistant (RA).

“I really love my residents,” she said. “We’ve created bonds. When they need something, if they just want to hang, they come in my room, when there’s an issue, they let me know. I just really like being there for people, and I really like that they come to confide in me. I’ve made a lot of new friends.”

When she isn’t studying for her classes or on duty as an RA, you can find her working on her own technological projects.

“I have another friend who studies computer science back home; I help him with his homework, and then we give each other things to do,” she said. “Like, hey, make this simple website, or hey, code this calculator program, and I’m like, OK, and you’ll do the same to keep each other on our toes.”

Dolce faces many challenges in computer science, one of which is the difficulty level of the coursework.

“It’s pretty hard, but when you figure it out, it’s like, Oh, makes sense now,” she said. “I like to challenge myself because I like to figure things out on my own.”

The field also faces a large gender gap. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in the 2017-2018 academic school year, females made up only 20% of computer and information science bachelor’s degrees.

As always, Dolce is up for the challenge.

“I also like computer science because it’s a really male-dominated field,” she said.

JEM DOLCE, A COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENT AT MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY IN MINOT, N.D., WORKS ON HER LAPTOP AT THE SCHOOL. ‘THERE’S A STIGMA TO WOMEN IN COMPUTER SCIENCE NOT BEING TAKEN AS SERIOUSLY,’ SHE SAYS ‘I FEEL LIKE SOME GIRLS ARE DISCOURAGED BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST SAID I WANTED TO BE A COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJOR, SOME PEOPLE WERE LIKE, “OH, REALLY? A GIRL?” AND I’M LIKE, YES, A GIRL.’ IMAGE: COURTESY OF MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY

“There’s a stigma to women in computer science not being taken as seriously. I feel like some girls are discouraged because when I first said I wanted to be a computer science major, some people were like, ‘Oh, really? A girl?’ and I’m like, yes, a girl.”

Emily Schmidt is a Minot State University Communications Student Assistant.

Sanford Health expands services in Greater Grand Forks region with new clinic

By Andrew Weeks

GRAND FORKS, N.D. • Sanford Health is expanding in the Greater Grand Forks region with a new clinic currently under construction that will help meet the area’s growing demand for the health provider’s services.

The project is a two-story, 22,000-square-foot building located along 17th Street and 47th Avenue South in Grand Forks. The project started last August and is on track to be finished this summer, according to Justin Stromme, senior director at the company’s East Grand Forks, Minn., clinic.

He said the clinic will start with about five to seven providers, and will offer a number of new jobs for support staff in patient access, the nursing lab, imaging and therapy.

“We’re looking at roughly 20 new positions in the Grand Forks plan,” Stromme said. A few current employees will transfer to the new location to help maintain company culture, but 80% of the jobs will be “truly new positions.”

“We have an excellent team of providers and staff in East Grand Forks and we want that to carry forward and carry over into the Grand Forks location,” he said. “We’re not decreasing any of the services that we offer or the number of providers in East Grand Forks; this is truly an expansion of new providers, new services, and new employees, for the most part, in Grand Forks.”

Sanford has been in the Greater Grand Forks area for about 20 years. The East Grand Forks clinic currently has 27 providers, representing 14 primary and specialty care services, but Stromme said the company is always looking to grow its services.

“We’re looking at some new service lines, and we will have a couple to start with, but there will be some similarities, too,” he said. “Our focus at the new Grand Forks location will be primary care, which we also provide in East Grand Forks, so we’re looking at family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, as well as a walk-in urgent care clinic.”

The clinic in south Grand Forks will have 32 exam rooms, two procedure rooms and a CT scanner. The building will provide enough room for future growth, being able to accommodate about 15 providers. Stromme said the company also hopes to expand its behavioral health services.

The company merged with MeritCare in 2009, which tapped the facilities it owned in the region and spurred new construction projects. The East Grand Forks Clinic, located at 621 DeMers Ave., expanded in 2011 to provide occupational medicine, physical therapy, and outreach services such as cardiology, oncology, urology and surgical consultations. In 2012, the location added a walk-in clinic. The latest expansion was in 2019, which included adding 3D mammography.

In 2016, its clinic at 625 DeMers Ave. expanded to include an occupational medicine clinic. Sandford also has a Home Care in East Grand Forks, and two retail locations – Sanford HealthCare Accessories and Sanford Profile – in the area.

“It’s been an exciting process so far. We’ve had clinic expansions in East Grand Forks, but haven’t started a new clinic, really from the ground up, and there’s some key elements with all of our new Sanford Health clinics that are standardizing,” Stromme said. “One of the key features that we’re looking forward to is the RTLS – or Real Time Location System” – basically, designated space in the clinic where patients can check in and room themselves while they wait for medical staff.

The building, which is on track to be completed sometime in June, also is being designed for ease of access for patients.

“That’s really a strong focus for us organizationally – to provide convenient access to patients as close to home as possible,” he said. “That’s why the Grand Forks location comes with the expansion and the growth that we’re seeing in the south part of Grand Forks. That’s a driver for us, to be able to provide services there and be available close to home for our patients.”

SANFORD HAS BEEN IN THE GREATER GRAND FORKS AREA FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST CLINIC IN GRAND FORKS, N.D. THE COMPANY’S OTHER AREA CLINIC IS IN EAST GRAND FORKS, MINN.

SANFORD HEALTH EXPANDS SERVICES IN GREATER GRAND FORKS REGION WITH NEW CLINIC. IMAGES: SANFORD HEALTH

Michelle Kommer

HEI welcomes new president and CEO Houston Engineering, Inc.’s (HEI) President and CEO Jeff LeDoux has recently stepped down from the position. The move coincides with his desire to spend more time with his family and other aspirations, according to the company.

LeDouxwill remain at HEI as a senior advisor to assist with business management, business development, and marketing.

HEI’s Board of Directors chose Gregg

Thielman to be the company’s next president and CEO.

LeDoux said he is pleased that Theilman has been chosen as the company’s next president and chief executive officer, while Thielman said he is looking forward to leading Houston Engineering and working with its talented employees and valuable clients.

Thielman joined the company in 1997 and has held many positions of responsibility, including chairman of the board, vice president, and business sector leader.

First International Bank & Trust welcomes Michelle Kommer

FARGO, N.D. • First International Bank & Trust recently welcomed Michelle Kommer to its Board of Directors.

Kommer comes to FIBT with more than 20 years of experience in the private sector where her career path included positions leading human resource, operational and legal functions in the financial services, health insurance and energy/manufacturing industries.

Kommer is the founder and owner of HighRoad Partners LLC, an organization that provides outsourced human resource solutions to businesses. Prior to the launch of her business, she was invited to join the cabinet of North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as the state’s Commissioner of Labor. In addition, she served as the executive director of Job Service in North Dakota, making her the first person to lead two cabinet agencies at the same time.

In 2019, she served as the state’s Commissioner of Commerce where she led efforts to diversify the economy, recruited visitors and new residents, anticipated and addressed workforce demands and helped equip North Dakota communities for today’s changing environment.

She graduated from Mayville State University with her undergraduate degree, the University of Mary with her master’s degree, and the North Dakota School of Law with her law degree. She is a licensed attorney whose practice includes contract negotiations and management, labor and employment matters, and corporate governance.

Kommer is the recipient of several awards, including a past recipient of Prairie Business’ Top 25 Women in Business.

Two join ICON Ownership Group

GRAND FORKS, N.D. • Architects Heidi Brenna and Matti Roinila with Grand Forks-based ICON Architectural Group have been added to the firm’s team of company partners.

Brenna currently leads ICON’s office in Watford City, N.D., while Roinila leads the Lincoln office in Nebraska.

Brenna has been with ICON for more than 10 years, moving to the Watford City office in 2014. She has worked on many of ICON’s large-scale projects in western North Dakota including Killdeer High School,

Beulah High School, McKenzie County Law Enforcement Center, McKenzie County Public Works facility, Watford City Veterans Memorial Park, among others.

Roinila has been with ICON for more than nine years, starting as an intern in 2011. Roinilai has worked on many of ICON’s large-scale athletic projects including Mason City Multipurpose Arena in Mason City, Iowa, Cullen Hockey Center in Moorhead, Minn., arena CaliFino in Oceanside, Calif., Legacy Sports Family Entertainment Park in Mesa, Ariz., and Tharaldson Park at NDSU in Fargo, among others.

Heidi Brenna Matti Roinila

Gregg Thielman Jeff LeDoux

Matt Bushard

Bell Bank member named to American Bankers Association’s 40 Under 40

FARGO, N.D. • Matt Bushard, a senior wealth advisor at Bell Bank in Fargo, N.D., has been recognized by the American Bankers Association (ABA) as a member of the 40 Under 40 in Wealth Management, Class of 2021. This honor highlights Bushard’s commitment to the highest standards of achievement, at work and in the community, among rising young professionals. Bushard was recognized along with the rest of the “class” during the ABA’s National Wealth Management Conference held virtually in mid-February.

Bushard was recently promoted to VP/ senior wealth advisor at Bell and named to lead financial planning services across the company’s entire wealth management division. He works with team members in Bell’s regional market hubs based in Fargo, Minneapolis and Phoenix.

Originally from Sauk Centre, Minn., Bushard graduated from Concordia College. He joined Bell Bank in 2011 and worked his way up through positions in banking and wealth management. He has earned his Certified Financial Planner designation and lives in Fargo.

Chelsea Reich

Essentia Health welcomes physician assistant

FARGO, N.D. • Chelsea Reich has joined the Essentia Health team and specializes in occupational medicine. She now is seeing patients at Essentia Health-West Fargo Clinic.

Reich, PA, received her master’s degree at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., and is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Reich said navigating work-related injuries can be challenging, but she aims to provide excellent patient care and advocate for those who need assistance in order to be productive in the workplace.

Project engineer joins Burian & Associates

Jordan Prazak

FARGO, N.D. • Jordan Prazak joins the Burian & Associates team as the company’s newest project engineer. Prazak brings six years of experience as a civil engineer with a focus on water resources and drainage projects. Prazak will be working out of the Fargo, N.D. office.

Employment Discrimination Myth

By Matthew Mohr

Over time a myth was built around our market having lower wages than nationally and about businesses discriminating against certain groups. I would not doubt in certain circumstances both of these situations may occur. But I have never witnessed it myself in our region, although I have heard stories of businesses discriminating in the area.

While working in Dallas, I did have one single divorced mother say her boss was holding her job progression back because of her status as a single, unwed mother, but I did not find this to be the case. In a major metropolitan area like Dallas, some discrimination is likely to happen and a business probably can get by with it. As you read about the successful women in our region in this magazine, it should be obvious we have some very talented, successful women who have either through personal determination, education, or pure ability made it to the top of their profession. Only a fool would choose not to work with any of these ultra-successful people because they are a woman.

In my experience, our region’s wages are very competitive nationally. Despite the misleading statistics published by our state employment office, the true wage rate comparisons I have reviewed put us essentially equal to or ahead of other areas in the country.

Logically thinking, no business owner could succeed by paying substandard wages or discriminating. A business must work hard to employ the very best people, and choosing a lesser employee because of race, religion, gender or ethnic background would be foolish. Similarly, by continually offering substandard wages, a business would not attract qualified workers, and as a result would eventually fail.

According to the bureau of statistics, women over the age of 16 represent almost 47% of our workforce. Considering the growth in full time professional women in our workforce, this is not a surprising statistic, although it would have been unexpected to see such a large percentage of our workforce being women a century ago. Business and the workforce certainly has and will change over time. Hopefully, we get smarter and better as time passes.

A good friend of mine in a major metropolitan area was informed by his local labor department that his workforce could be considered discriminative. He was astonished at such a suggestion. He simply responded, “Take a look around, we have every race, every religious background and a completely diverse group, all earning excellent wages.”

The government watchdog replied that the business had a smaller percent of certain ethnic race groups so they felt an investigation might be warranted. His opinion was the government watchdog targeted him not because of his lack of a diverse workgroup but because he was a minority and didn’t meet their desired “ratios.” As a result he felt discriminated against for not discriminating in his hiring to meet “government imposed quotas.”

Discrimination of any kind was the furthest from the truth in this situation. As my grandfather would say, “figures don’t lie, but figurers often do.”

Successful employers seek to hire and retain the best talent. Any form of discrimination is a foolish practice that will inevitably lead to failure.

WEX Agrees to Acquire Bell Bank’s HSA Deposits

FARGO, N.D. • Bell Bank and WEX Inc., a leading financial technology service provider, announced the signing of an agreement for WEX to acquire certain health savings account (HSA) assets of HealthcareBank, the custodian bank for customers of WEX’s Health division. HealthcareBank is a division of Fargo-based Bell Bank and has served as the custodian of HSA assets through partnerships with other banks and third-party HSA providers. This acquisition will allow WEX to better capture the economics of these HSA assets, while HealthcareBank will continue to provide servicing and operational support.

Under the agreement, WEX will pay cash consideration of about $250 million to Bell Bank. The transaction agreement also includes potential additional consideration based on any future increases in the Federal Funds rate.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Headquartered in Fargo, N.D., Bell Bank has invested in consumer-driven health care over the past 15 years, including forming HealthcareBank in 2005 to act as custodian for HSA deposits. In 2019, Bell announced the sale of Discovery Benefits, an HSA provider then owned by Bell, to WEX.

Michael Solberg, Bell Bank’s president and CEO, emphasized that the agreement with WEX does not impact other deposits or assets of Bell, a family-owned company that continues to grow and expand its banking footprint in several regions of the country. “This agreement will provide us even greater liquidity, which gives us flexibility as we continue to consider strategies for growth,” Solberg said.

Acquire HSA Deposits

Congratulations, Andrea!

“Most importantly, our HealthcareBank division will continue to provide service for HSA accounts and operational support for managing those deposits and investments.

“We are thankful for our continued partnership through our previous capital investment in WEX Health, and we know this transaction will benefit both WEX and our company moving forward.”

Yourdedication to your coworkersandmembersis unmatchedand we’reproud to have youonour team! Congratulationsonbeing namedoneofthe region’s Top25WomeninBusiness. Gr owWi

PRAIRIEBUSINESS2021

NOMINATIONS for Prairie Business’ annual Leaders & Legacies awards are now being accepted.

The magazine’s Leaders & Legacies awards recognize executives “for the great things they have done in business, whether in recent years (Leaders) or over a lifetime (Legacies),” said Publisher Korrie Wenzel.

Prairie Business is looking for business executives in North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota whose high-level achievements make them truly stand out. Each nomination must include key details of candidate’s business accomplishments, civic leadership and career history.

The nomination form is available on the magazine’s website, prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Nominations will close on Monday, May 3, 2021

Recipients of this year’s award will be announced in the July 2021 edition of Prairie Business Magazine.

Andrea Berg FargoVeteransBlvd. Branch Manager InsuredbyNCUA.

SPONSORED BY

Q.

INSIGHTs & INTUITION

What are leadership principles you have adopted that have contributed to success in business?

Staci Malikowski

The best leaders take all of the blame and none of the credit. Practice name dropping on successes to pass along credit, but never disclose names for blame. Finally, find joy in the success of your team.

Throughout my career, I have adopted four core principles that have been critical to my success: passion, collaboration, humility, and disruption. We often hear about passion, but I believe it is what sets great leaders apart from good leaders. I have found that my passion of inspiring growth and prosperity in everything I do is demonstrated in both business and my personal life. I truly believe that success comes when you not only find your passion, but discover how to lean into it. Some of the greatest leaders live by the principle of collaboration through action. Partnership and collaboration are hard, but essential. They take work, but the positive results outweigh the efforts. Humility is one of the most powerful principles. Being able to admit a mistake, recognizing the successes and contributions of others, and realizing that with failure comes success, is critical to be humble.

Shannon Full President and CEO Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber Moorhead, Minn.

Life is enjoying what you lo

CFO Arvig Perham, Minn.

Be honest, genuine and model integrity. The people around you will spot anything that doesn’t ring true to these values. When you demonstrate these behaviors, you create TRUST – the foundation on which success can be built. Next, one of the smartest things you can do is hire people who are smarter than you because you are only as good as the people around you. Know that people will deliver at whatever level you expect, so set your expectations accordingly – if you set low expectations, that’s what you’ll get. Communication is a must, and it should be non-stop. When people feel informed, they’re more empowered to do their jobs well. Recognize your people for their successes, and always redirect employees who fail to deliver what you expected. Never stay quiet about failures, employees need to know it’s ok, and that you have their back. Coach employees so they know how to succeed the next time.

Never be average. Not only have these words been instilled within me throughout my personal life, but it has been of equal significance to me as I have traveled down my professional path. Being labeled as “average” may have adverse connotations; but to be fair, I believe no one is average. Everyone has an individuality that separates them from everyone else.

Being average is having the basic qualities expected of an individual or company in a specific environment or set of conditions. While there’s nothing negative about it, there’s also nothing that allows you to stand out. Average people are more comfortable living and doing business within their comfort zone. Perhaps they dismiss opportunities to take on challenges or expand their skills. Over time, this pattern becomes difficult to change.

In contrast, being beyond average means escaping these safe spaces, seizing opportunities to grow and shine, identifying ways to improve as a person and professional. Going beyond the standard is what we look for in our staff. It defines the way we operate our business and achieve our goals. We believe that it is this characteristic that allows us to stand out as an engineering firm.

Tom Shorma CEO/President

Brad Wermers President and CEO Banner Associates, Inc. Brookings, Sioux Falls & Rapid City, S.D.

My goal has always been to be an accessible leader and transparent business owner. I’ve hosted an all-company meeting every month since taking the role of CEO/President for WCCO Belting in 2001 (with the exception of a few months due to the pandemic).

What started as a simple tool to introduce myself to the workforce is now a vertebra in the backbone of our engagement strategy. We hold three one-hour meetings to reach our 200-plus employees across all production shifts. I kick it off by learning who’s new and offer them a personal welcome before moving on to WCCO’s performance, industry news, recognitions, rewards, a variety of educational topics, and more. WCCO Belting’s custom rubber products are unique. No one in the world makes them quite like we do, so we can’t train people overnight. WCCO needs the buy-in of its workforce to protect our product quality and profitability. Our employees need to believe in our goals and understand how they personally have “skin in the game” to find job satisfaction and build a long-term career. Last year, through visibility and transparency, 96% of WCCO Belting’s employees’ report they understand how their work directly contributes to our company’s success.

WCCO Belting Inc. Wahpeton N.D.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

The unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage point to 6.3% in January, while nonfarm payroll employment changed little (+49,000), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in February, the latest numbers available. The labor market continued to reflect the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to contain it. In January, notable job gains in professional and business services and in both public and private education were offset by losses in leisure and hospitality, in retail trade, in health care, and in transportation and warehousing.

JOB OPENINGS

On the last business day of December, the number of job openings were little changed at 6.6 million, a decrease of 358,000 from February 2020, according to the latest information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There were 1,523,000 job openings in professional and business services, an increase of 296,000 from the prior month. Since February 2020, job openings in professional and business services increased by 166,000.

Professional

Nondurable Goods Manufacturing

Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilites

Durable Goods Manufacturing

Other Services

Mining & Logging

Wholesale trade

Federal Government Information

Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing

Educational Services

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

Finance and Insurance Construction

Source:

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

AIR TRAFFIC PASSENGER DATA ADDITIONAL PASSENGER DATA

U.S. airlines carried 27.1 million systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service passengers in September 2020, seasonally-adjusted, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, up 14.1% from August. The numbers, released in December, were the latest released by the BTS. It also reported 25.5 million domestic passengers and 1.6 million international passengers on U.S. airlines’ flights in September.

The large airlines carried 30 million passengers in December 2020 (preliminary), compared to 79 million passengers in December 2019 and up from 3 million in April 2020.

Total: 30.4 million passengers, down 62% from December 2019 (79.0M)

Domestic: 27.2 million passengers, down 61% from December 2019 (69.5M)

International: 3.2 million passengers, down 66% from December 2019 (9.5M)

Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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