Celebrating the Top 25 women Business

Prairie Business Magazine is pleased to present our Top 25 Women in Business for 2023. More than 60 qualified and experienced business leaders were nominated for the recognition, making the task of whittling down the field to 25, a tough one. Each of the women in these next few pages brings a myriad of experiences to their workplace and their leadership shines through. We’ve been lucky over the years to profile so many of the top women business leaders in our region, and this class is no different. Congratulations to each of these individuals for being selected, and we thank them for their hard work to help make the Dakotas and Minnesota a great place to work!

Amie Aesoph has a passion for people. As the chief human resource officer, she knows that people are the key to a successful organization. Aesoph’s background in HR spans more than 20 years and there’s no doubt her expertise in recruitment, communication, culture and performance strategy has aided in FCCU’s growth. Aesoph has also served as an instructor at the University of Jamestown since 2017, where she is an adjunct for the online business program.

Aesoph holds a bachelor of science degree in mass communication with concentration in public relations from Moorhead State University and master’s in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. Most recently in her career, she has contributed to two Credit Union National Association whitepapers on important topics impacting workplaces today. She earned the designation of Credit Union Human Resources Compliance Professional in 2021.

Throughout the years, Aesoph has served on the many volunteer boards from the Downtown Association and Buffalo City Tourism foundation, to Basketball Boosters and Kiwanis. She started the Jamestown BIO Girls program and currently serves on the Credit Union National Association Human Resources & Organizational Development Council.

Outside of her career, Aesoph enjoys attending her three children’s athletic events with her husband Steven, traveling as a family and spending time at their lake home in Minnesota.

Tina Amerman Director of Talent Acquisition and Employee Experience Bobcat

Tina Amerman’s passion for community and Bobcat can be seen not only in how she fills her workday, but also how she lives her life. For over 20 years, Amerman has advanced through the HR department at Bobcat Company where she now serves as the director of talent experience. In this role, she drives acquisition strategy to meet workforce needs, supports employee experience, cultivates talent and inspires innovation through the management of the early talent programs, and plays an integral role in Bobcat’s community outreach to include Doosan Day of Community Service and various STEM initiatives.

Amerman currently gives her time and talents as a board member on the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce where she partners to support regional growth and prosperity by advocating workforce needs and talent development. Prior to this, Amerman was the president and a board member of the Agassiz Valley HR Association from 2019-2021 where she collaborated with professionals to advance organizational strategy through HR practices.

Outside of work, Amerman and her husband Mike are proud parents of three teenagers.

Amerman earned her bachelor of arts degree in business administration and a master’s in management with a concentration in human resources from the University of Mary.

Nicole Bredahl is a skilled attorney at Barkus Law Firm, P.C. With her license to practice in both North Dakota and Minnesota state and federal courts she has a vast area of expertise, particularly in criminal and family law.

A native of Fargo, Bredahl completed her education at the University of North Dakota and went on to obtain her law degree from the same institution. Before starting her law career, she spent a year working on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. Bredahl believes everyone has a right to a defense and should have representation. She enjoys volunteering her time as a pro bono attorney to aid those who cannot afford to hire an attorney in family law matters and representing indigent defendants in state and federal court. These experiences sharpened Bredahl’s litigation experience.

She has a passion for courtroom representation and has secured successful outcomes for clients in trials ranging from DUIs to murder. Bredahl is listed as a Super Lawyer’s Rising Star Attorney from Thomson Reuters, Best Lawyer’s Ones to Watch and various other awards.

She resides in West Fargo with her husband and two children.

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Mallory Brown Marketing Director

Legacy Financial Partners

Bismarck, N.D.

Mallory Brown is the marketing director for Legacy Financial Partners of Ameriprise Financial. Legacy Financial Partners has grown to be the largest team at Ameriprise Financial since it originated in 2013. Her department has impacted the team’s organic growth by driving the execution of marketing activities that aid in lead generation and brand awareness outcomes for individual advisors and the firm. These efforts have resulted in industry recognitions including Barron’s Top Wealth Management Team and Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Team.

She’s passionate about marketing, business development, creating efficiencies and collaboration. In 2021, she completed the master of arts in leadership degree from the University of Jamestown. She was asked to speak at the 2022 commencement ceremony sharing her perspective about leadership.

Brown gives her time by serving on the marketing committee of BIO Girls. She truly believes in the empowerment of women, starting with building their confidence at a young age. Her passion for giving back is seen in the company’s 28 offices as well. Legacy Financial Partners proudly support more than 250 organizations that bring joy to its employees and make a difference in communities. (Ex: junior achievement, Angle Tree, Hope Blooms, women’s shelters, local schools etc.)

She and her husband Craig reside in West Fargo with their son, Boden, and dog, River.

Executive

DeAnna Carlson Zink has been with the University of North Dakota Alumni Association & Foundation for most of her 37-year career. She became the CEO of the nonprofit fundraising organization in January 2014. Under her leadership, donors have given nearly $500 million to benefit UND students, faculty and staff. Records for giving have been set in three of the past four fiscal years.

She started with the organization upon graduating from UND in 1986. She has served in a variety of roles during her tenure. She was the executive vice president and campaign director for the $324 million North Dakota Spirit Campaign, at the time the most successful campaign ever completed in North Dakota.

With a passionate belief in the value of a college education, Carlson Zink inspires her team to help donors find their philanthropic purpose to become part of the collective “We” that gets the job done for UND and its students.

She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and serves on a number of university and community boards. She is also currently on the advisory council for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s College and University Foundations Board and serves on the Council of Foundation Leaders for the Association of Governing Boards. She also has been a leader in North Dakota with the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Vice President of Client Services Epicosity

Heather Covrig is the vice president of client services for Epicosity, a full-service agency in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that focuses on brand development, media planning/placement, and ever-evolving digital and social strategies. In her role, she not only manages her own set of local, regional and international clients, but also directs and coaches the client services team through communication, organization, big-picture industry insights, marketing strategies and boots-on-the-ground execution.

Covrig and her husband, Eric, have three children; Gavin, Taylor and Harper. Both she and her husband Eric are very involved in supporting, growing and attending all of their kids sporting events. Softball, volleyball, gymnastics and a lot of hockey. Covrig has sat on the Sioux Empire Staters, South Dakota Advertising Federation Boards and is active in Junior Achievement.

Naomi Disrud Communications Manager

Houston Engineering, Inc.

Fargo, N.D.

Naomi Disrud is no stranger to the art of the written word.

As communications manager at Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI), Disrud oversees a team that provides marketing, graphic design, technical writing and editing, business development, and communications services to the company’s 250 employees spanning across 11 offices in five states.

A native of Saint Paul, Disrud moved to Fargo to attend North Dakota State University where she received her bachelor of science degree in English and psychology. She began her career teaching English while a graduate student at NDSU before delving into the software quality assurance and technical writing world of several Fargo-based software development companies.

Disrud, first a civil engineering major, got the best of both worlds when she joined HEI’s team in 2012, calling her position a perfect fit as it married her love of language with her interest in STEM fields.

Outside of work, she enjoys partnering with HEI in supporting Feed My Starving Children, United Way of Cass Clay, and Ronald McDonald House in addition to serving as a board member for the Bleeding Disorders Alliance of North Dakota (BDAND).

An avid animal lover, Disrud and her husband live in Fargo with their daughter and three rescue pets.

Shannon Full became the president and CEO of the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce in December 2020. Full has led chambers and economic development organizations for more than 20 years across four states.

Full previously helped lead the chambers of commerce in Plymouth, Minnesota, as well as in Appleton, Wisconsin, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Melbourne, Florida.

Full has received numerous leadership awards and recognitions, but said nothing has been more important than the positive impacts that have been made with people she has met, collaborated with and worked alongside.

Although she’s only been working in the Fargo region for a short time she has had tremendous success in building a team of passionate people that are dedicated to advancing the entire region.

Full has her bachelor of arts degree from UW-Eau Claire in mass communications and her Institute for Organizational Management Certificate from the US Chamber of Commerce.

She is originally from northern Wisconsin, and currently lives in West Fargo, North Dakota, with her husband and two children.

Jessica Fyre’s career is focused on serving two of her passions: agriculture and rural America. As chief operations officer & general counsel for AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Fyre works across all of AgCountry’s business to deliver outstanding customer experiences to more than 20,000 member-owners. She provides advice and counsel on legal, regulatory, and legislative matters, and leads a diversified team that supports, develops and implements business strategies for optimizing processes and advancing technology to 44 retail offices. She is known for her practical approach to problem solving, tactical and strategic leadership skills, and extensive knowledge of the lending industry and the Farm Credit System.

Holding a bachelor of science degree from North Dakota State in business administration and political science, and a J.D. from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Fyre began her career in private practice, later joining AgCountry as assistant general counsel in 2012. She was appointed to the executive leadership team in 2013 as general counsel, and COO in 2020. Fyre also serves as board vice chair at Farm Credit Financial Partners, Inc.

She and her husband, Robert, are parents of three active boys. Her free time is spent volunteering and supporting the activities of her family, church, school, and community.

Member FDIC Fargo, N.D.

Sheila Gerszewski is an influential and energetic leader with a passion for people. She brings more than 20 years of experience in the banking industry and impacts so many with her unique abilities and overall approach to business. As the director of retail banking, Gerszewski oversees First International Bank & Trust retail offices across North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Arizona. Her strong leadership has made her a sought after advisor amongst various topics including leadership, coaching, product, and service development, cross-functional support, strategic decision making, and many other banking functions.

Gerszewski sits on several committees at First International Bank & Trust and has been selected as a panelist at the bank’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference where she shares her journey and best practices. She developed and presented a business leadership program over nine years titled “The Leader In You” focused on professional accountability and the privilege of supervision.

Gerszewski earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She resides in Fargo with her husband Jeff.

Missy Hall is the vice president of new market development for Digi-Key Electronics, and she has been with the company for 17 years.

Starting in an entry-level inbound sales position, she quickly moved into human resources where she spent five years, then another nine years leading international sales teams and cross-functional corporate initiatives related to international expansion.

Hall is currently leading new market development initiatives including Marketplace, Fulfilled by Digi-Key, PCB Builder and DKRed.

Digi-Key Electronics

Thief River Falls, Minn.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of North Dakota with a major in social studies education and minors in health education and athletic coaching.

Amy Hass’ journey with EPIC spans the professional gamut. A graduate of North Dakota State University with eight years of management experience, she became EPIC’s first full time employee in 2016. In seven years, she has led the company through dynamic expansion, growing the team to more than 85 employees and overseeing a development portfolio of over $700 million. She is thankful for her mentor and relative, Kathi Seifert, for coaching her through how to lay the foundation of a successful company.

Hass enjoys the fact that her role continues to evolve. “In the development industry’s fast-changing landscape, I strive to meld a focus on numbers and people- with humor and heart,” she says. Navigating rapid growth presents challenges and opportunities, but her can-do team embraces it all. “No task is beneath us. We adapt and collaborate.”

To scale the company in a time of inflation and labor shortages, Hass doubled down on what makes EPIC unique; the team-centric culture. Her relationship-driven style shows in her passion for people and community. “Focusing on culture and development enables each team member to feel cred for and empowered to reach their full potential. I love when new hires truly begin to feel and see that EPIC has their back, and they understand how their role fits into the broader company vision of enhancing quality of life.

When not focusing on her career, Hass enjoys traveling, reading personal and professional development books, doing puzzles, watching Golden Girls and spoiling her two nephews, Nathan and Evan.

Cassidy Hjelmstad CEO and General Manager SRT Communications Minot, N.D.

As SRT’s chief executive officer, Cassidy Hjelmstad champions economic development for the region, digital inclusion and education for customers, advocacy for telecommunications at state and national levels, and financial stability for the health of the broadband cooperative and its employees and members.

While she served as chief marketing officer, Hjelmstad successfully advanced SRT’s business goals, built its brand, and positioned SRT for its next phase of broadband growth. Prior to joining SRT in 2010, Hjelmstad was director of community relations for the Phoenix Suns. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications-journalism, and communications studies from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Equally embracing servant leadership and cooperative principles, Hjelmstad’s core values include accountability, integrity, humility, teamwork, relationships, and empowerment.

She is a member of the NTCA Government Affairs Committee (NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association) and NTCA Smart Rural Community Advisory Committee; board chair-elect of the Minot Area Chamber Economic Development Corporation; board vice chair of Prairie Grit Adaptive Sports; an Honorary Commander with the Minot Air Force Base 91st Missile Wing; chair of the Broadband Association of North Dakota (BAND) Marketing Committee, and board member of DCN and NISC. She and her husband have three children.

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