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.”

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.

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.