Prairie Business November 2018

WIDE

16

HEALTH CARE

THE ROBOT IS IN FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY, MANY PRAIRIE BUSINESS-AREA SURGEONS ARE TURNING TO MAXIMAL TECHNOLOGY: ROBOTS

20

PERSONAL FAVORITES AREA ARCHITECTS TALK ABOUT THE STRUCTURES THAT MADE THEM WANT TO DESIGN BUILDINGS FOR A LIVING

24 HIGHER EDUCATION

GROWTH FACTOR

KEY ELEMENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION CAN PROMOTE STATEWIDE GROWTH – AND RESEARCH IS ONE

DR. JEREMY GARDNER, ALTRU HEALTH SYSTEM ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON, STANDS NEXT TO THE STRYKER MAKO ROBOT HE USES FOR KNEE REPLACEMENTS AND OTHER SURGERIES.

IMAGE: NICK NELSON/FORUM NEWS SERVICE

TURNS ARE THE KEY FOR DRIVERS WITH ANDERSON TRUCKING SERVICE OF ST. CLOUD, MINN., WHICH SPECIALIZES IN WIND TURBINES AND OTHER OVERSIZED LOADS. PAGE 34. IMAGE: ANDERSON TRUCKING SERVICE

The maps of the American Dream

T’here’s some great content in this month’s issue of Prairie Business. Nevertheless, my suggestion is that you pass it all by for the moment, and start reading the issue from the back.

That’s where you’ll find our monthly feature called “By the Numbers.”

And in my view, the maps on this month’s “By the Numbers” page represent the most important news about our region in a generation.

The maps are from the Opportunity Atlas, the incredible, interactive trove of information about American culture at OpportunityAtlas.org.

The Atlas uses research by Harvard’s Raj Chetty and others to show which parts of America give poor children the best chance of growing up to be middle-class or rich.

In 2017, the Star Tribune summed up the results this way:

“Of the best 100 counties in the United States in which to grow up poor, 77 are in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota,” the newspaper reported.

And “almost all of those are in farm country.”

Chetty himself described the phenomenon, when he spoke at St. Cloud State University in 2014: “This is an incredible, highly upwardly mobile area.”

The researchers’ original paper identified five factors that strongly correlate with upward mobility. They are low levels of racial segregation and of income inequality, plus high levels of two-parent families, social capital and good schools.

And if that sounds like your own Midwestern hometown, that’s the point.

In the Opportunity Atlas that maps the American Dream, the pancake-flat Great Plains is home to some of the country’s loftiest peaks. If ever the maps start to show this cultural mountain range, they could identify it by the name suggested on our By the Numbers page: the High Mobilities.

Good reading, Tom Dennis

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

PUBLISHER KORRIE WENZEL

AD DIRECTOR STACI LORD

EDITOR

TOM DENNIS

CIRCULATION MANAGER BETH BOHLMAN

LAYOUT DESIGN ANDY GOBLE

ACCOUNT MANAGERS

NICHOLE ERTMAN 800.477.6572 ext. 1162 nertman@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

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

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

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ONLINE www.prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Esports: The new frontier in college athletics

By Joshua Knutson

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – When we think of technology’s impact in sports, familiar tools quickly come to mind: instant replay, wireless headsets for coaches, football’s virtual yellow first-down line and so on.

But technology is having an even larger impact on sports than most people realize. With the rise of esports in the past few years, technology is changing the very definition of what sport is and what athletes are.

The dictionary defines sport as “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.” Traditional athletics gave us this definition long before the first

computer. But because of the new technology of the 21st century, the definition of sport also fits into the new world of esports and competitive gaming.

This new brand of athlete competes in activities that certainly require skill and are definitely competitive in nature, the main difference being the use of a keyboard and mouse as opposed to a basketball or bat and glove.

Professional video gaming has been around for roughly 20 years. There are a number of highly successful organizations and individuals who have turned their pastime of playing games into their professional careers.

JOSHUA KNUTSON, HEAD COACH OF ESPORTS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN, WATCHES OVER A RECENT TRAINING SESSION IN THE JIMMIES TEAM’S PRACTICE ROOM. IMAGE: UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN

They compete in million-dollar-prize tournaments, stream their gameplay for others to watch, have sponsorships and brand partners, sign endorsement deals and are considered celebrities to those who share their passion.

From the outside looking in, these professionals are just like their NFL or NBA counterparts, even though they compete in something that traditionally has not been viewed as a sport.

But colleges and universities around the country are starting to buy into the idea of the newest frontier in athletics. The national governing body for college esports, the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), has 98 varsity member institutions who are committed to the growth, development, and advancement of esports.

These schools have recognized that there are student athletes in high schools who may not fit the traditional stereotype of an athlete, but who have the talent and passion to compete at a very high level.

The schools are offering scholarships, paying coaches and building programs akin to their other athletic teams in an effort to normalize how esports is viewed by the public.

Competitive gaming has been misunderstood for a long time by those who have not experienced what actually goes on in that world. Take the athletes who are in my program at the University of Jamestown. A typical week for these esports athletes consists of high-level scrimmages against other schools such as Boise State University, Indiana Tech or Shawnee State which have their own varsity programs like UJ, two- to three-hour film review sessions that go into extreme detail regarding what happened in our games, daily practices where different strategies are tested,

at least one academic study-hall session to make sure grades aren’t slipping, and often individual practicing outside of the structured time with the team.

If you didn’t know that a person following that schedule was training for esports, you’d assume that he or she must be a traditional athlete. It is much more than just a few students sitting in a dark room playing video games.

The most exciting thing about where technology has brought athletics, especially when talking about esports, is that we are engaging so many more students than ever before. Esports is giving students who might not have the physical skills to play high-level traditional sports a chance to compete for their school and share the pride of playing on a team even after high school.

The students develop lasting friendships with their teammates, learn new communication and critical thinking skills, and in some cases are given a chance to earn an education that they may not have had access to without the help of scholarships.

With more and more schools adopting esports programs, and with the rapid continuing advancements in technology even outside of gaming, the possibilities literally are endless. Those in higher ed who are lucky enough to be a part of this movement are seeing the dawn of a new tradition, because one thing’s for sure: gaming and our love of sports are not going anywhere.

7th Annual Safety & Health Conference

November 28-29, 2018

Delta Hotel, Fargo, ND

The purpose of the NRASP Annual Safety Conference is to enhance the development of safety, health, and environmental professionals by providing quality speakers and learning opportunities.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Day 1: Mike Hourigan is known for the real-world wisdom he brings to his audiences. His lively and engaging style delivers a rollercoaster ride loaded with vivid examples and powerful takeaways. “Are You Communicating Safely?” is Mike’s keynote presentation. Day 2: Ricky Rollins speaks on how safety applies to more than just yourself. Speaking from personal experience, Ricky shares with the audience why it should be a priority. During the keynote, Ricky will share how many other people in our lives depend on us being safe at work.

CONFERENCE INFORMATION

• Educational breakout sessions

• Added value for you and your organization

• Networking opportunities with other safety professionals and vendors

• Vendor Showcase

• Breakout sessions specific to General Industry, Construction, Healthcare, Transportation, and more

• CEU’s available

REGISTRATION INFORMATION: WWW.NRASP.ORG/CONFERENCE

Why your business needs to review its sales-tax practices

By David Casper

FARGO, N.D. – The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair has led to a new focus on state and local sales-tax compliance. Think your business doesn’t have to worry? Think again. Sales and use tax just got a whole lot more complicated.

As a business, you must reconsider your sales tax responsibility and re-evaluate how you’re collecting sales tax. This is especially true if you are a remote seller or online retailer, or if you operate across state borders.

THE RULING

In 1992, the Supreme Court issued the Quill decision, which barred states from requiring sales-tax collection from sellers who did not have physical presence in the state. In 2016, South Dakota passed legislation that directly challenged this decision. The new legislation was unenforceable because of the Quill decision, and the case – South Dakota v. Wayfair – was brought before the Supreme Court.

In June, the court ruled in favor of South Dakota. The Wayfair ruling holds that physical presence is no longer required for a state to impose sales and use tax.

This ruling is important because it lets states collect sales tax from out-of-state sellers that don’t have physical presence in-state.

THE SITUATION

Currently, there is no consistent compliance requirement. But the Wayfair ruling has many states considering new laws related to sales tax compliance for out-of-state sellers.

Here’s a look at our tri-state area:

• South Dakota

South Dakota’s standard states that a business must collect South Dakota sales and use tax if the company: Has annual sales of $100,000 or more in South Dakota, or Has 200 or more separate transactions in the state.

• North Dakota

North Dakota’s standards are similar to those in South Dakota.

• Minnesota

Minnesota has unique thresholds for “economic nexus,” which is the tax-law term that describes which companies in a state must collect and pay taxes on their sales in that state.

In Minnesota, remote sellers must collect sales tax when their annual sales total either:

1. 100 or more retail sales shipped into Minnesota, or

2. 10 or more retail sales shipped into Minnesota that total more than $100,000, and

3. Threshold calculations do not include wholesale sales.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

The Wayfair ruling has disrupted the way businesses should evaluate their sales tax collection responsibilities. All businesses operating across state lines need to seriously evaluate those responsibilities.

Most states have specified a date in 2018 as the new rule’s starting period. This means if you met the threshold in 2017 or at some point in 2018, you need to begin following the sales tax collection and compliance rules for the states in which sales are made.

It is important to know the rules for each state, as they vary.

It is the seller’s responsibility to keep detailed records tracking the sales made, the amount of taxable transactions and the amount of non-taxable or exempt transactions. This should include all types of sales, as it unclear in many states which sales count toward the economic nexus threshold.

Here are a few other steps to consider as you work to comply with the new sales- and use-tax rules:

Economic thresholds: Review your sales by ship-to state to understand where you’re doing business. Also, know what your current thresholds are in each state.

Physical presence: Determine where your business has physical presence through employees or inventory. This includes inventory in third party warehouses such as Amazon.

If you have existing physical presence in a state and are not currently collecting tax there, speak with your tax advisor regarding voluntary disclosure programs before taking any action.

Don’t do it alone: Talk to your business advisor about next steps for your business. He or she can help you determine the best way to handle compliance with the new thresholds and rules created.

The impact of the Wayfair ruling will continue to have a ripple effect on businesses and state sales-tax compliance. It’s important to begin the conversation now and consider how this ruling will impact your business, as well as how to avoid the consequences of noncompliance.

DAVID CASPER IS AN ACCOUNTANT AND STATE-AND-LOCAL TAXATION MANAGER FOR EIDE BAILLY IN FARGO, N.D.. IMAGE: EDIE BAILLY

David Casper MANAGER, STATE AND LOCAL TAXATION EIDE BAILLY FARGO, N.D.

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SAVE CLIENT $10M

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Robot-assisted surgery

DR. STEFANIE GEFROH ELLISON, AN OBSTETRICIAN/GYNECOLOGIST, LOOKS UP FROM THE CONSOLE OF A DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM AT ESSENTIA HEALTH IN FARGO, N.D. SURGEONS USE THE CONSOLE TO CONTROL THE DA VINCI’S ROBOTIC ARMS. IMAGE: ESSENTIA HEALTH

Just what the doctor ordered, say surgeons about area hospitals’ newest technology

By Tom Dennis

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Buy tech stocks.

Granted, that’s a strange way to begin a column on a health care topic. And it’s not even good investment advice, given that lots of people have lost lots of money in the tech sector.

But once you’ve seen the latest generation of medical robots, you’ll know that the field – already astounding – has exceptional potential.

As Roombas, self-driving cars and the Internet of Things are showing, automation is the future. And that’s proving to be just as true in health care as everywhere else.

Skeptical? Take a look at the da Vinci Surgical System by Intuitive Surgery, which you’ll find in major hospitals in the Dakotas, Minnesota and elsewhere.

Here’s how a Fortune magazine writer described the experience, during a visit to an operating room last year:

“As it happens, there’s another surgeon in the room besides Dr. Sullivan – one more modestly garbed than either of us. Wrapped in plastic sleeves that cover its central boom and sprawling white arms is Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci Xi robotic surgery system. It’s hard to tell who’s in charge.”

The last is an exaggeration, as surgeons are quick to note. The surgeon is always in charge. He or she fully controls the robot’s movements from a console a few feet away.

But that doesn’t make the technology any less impressive. Because while the surgeon looks into the viewing device on the console and a manipulates hand and foot controls like a pipeorgan player, the robot’s surgical arms illuminate, examine, snip, lift, extract and sew in response to the surgeon’s commands, performing a tiny concerto of medical precision.

A da Vinci system costs some $2 million. That’s a big investment for a hospital.

Nevertheless, there are at least eight da Vincis in North Dakota, and nearly 3,000 elsewhere in the United States, including at the Mayo Clinic and other high-level centers, Wikipedia notes.

To take just one result, nearly 90 percent of prostate removal surgeries in the United States now are done with da Vinci surgical systems.

Dr. Cameron Charchenko, a Bismarck, N.D., urologist with CHI St. Alexius Health, explains why.

The surgeons’ view

“The open prostatectomy was a technically challenging surgery, because it was done through a midline incision, often from the pubic bone up to about the belly button,” Charchenko said.

“And the problem is, the prostate is very deep down in the pelvis below the pubic bone. So when you’re trying to do that surgery open, it’s hard to see underneath the pubic bone, because you’re looking into this dark space.”

Furthermore, the surgery is exceptionally delicate, as it requires (among other challenges) resewing the urethra to the bladder while sparing the nerves that are responsible for sexual function.

“The benefit of the robot is that it takes a high-definition camera, and essentially lets me put it right down underneath the pubic bone,” Charchenko said.

“I get this perfect visualization that’s magnified and in 3D, and I can do a much more precise dissection.”

To get an idea of the precision that the robot makes available, watch the YouTube video of a da Vinci-assisted surgeon suturing the skin of a grape.

Those advantages have convinced surgeons in other specialties, said Dr. David Billings, an obstetrician/gynecologist with Trinity Medical Group in Minot, N.D.

DR. CAMERON CHARCHENKO, A UROLOGIST, STANDS BY THE ARMS OF A DA VINCI SURGICAL ROBOT AT CHI ST. ALEXIUS HEALTH IN BISMARCK. CHARCHENKO SITS AT A CONSOLE DURING AN OPERATION, AND FROM THERE HE CONTROLS THE ARMS TO PERFORM SURGERY. . IMAGE: CHI ST. ALEXIUS HEALTH

Like many ob-gyns, Billings now uses the da Vinci for hysterectomies and several other procedures. “The thing that I like most is that it’s able to magnify our vision and give us that 3D, high-definition presentation,” he said.

“You can get within an inch or even closer to the tissue. You can magnify and see areas that you couldn’t see before. It’s a great and innovative device.”

Asked if working the console’s controls was hard to master, Dr. Robert Guttormson, a general surgeon with Altru Health System in Grand Forks, smiled. “When we first got the da Vinci and were training on the simulator, I had my father who is 68 and my son, who’s 12, sit down and try some of the tasks.”

Both quickly picked up the skills. “My son, of course, did better, so he makes sure to point that out,” Guttormson said with a laugh. “Gaming does have its benefits.”

Then there’s the focus factor, said Dr. Stefanie Gefroh Ellison, an ob-gyn with Essentia Health in Fargo, N.D.

“Once I got going, I realized there are a lot of benefits not only for the patient, but for me as a surgeon,” she said.

“For really complex cases, there’s much less fatigue. You’re sitting at a console, so you can really focus on what you need to do to deliver safe, quality care. You’re not thinking about ‘Gosh, my feet are aching,’ or ‘My back hurts.’”

Despite these accolades (which are echoed by surgeons nationwide), the jury is still out on whether the da Vinci’s outcomes always are worth the machine’s high cost. As Fortune reported in 2017, “conclusions differ from study to study.”

But the trends are clear. And in our view, they point to robotic surgery’s costs declining and benefits increasing over time.

Meet the Mako

One more piece of evidence: the Mako robot, a joint-replacement tool now helping orthopedic surgeons at Altru in Grand Forks.

The Mako adds another innovation to robotic surgery. Using a CT scan of the patient’s joint, the Mako builds a virtual 3D model of the joint that surgeons can interact with beforehand.

They can plan the surgery, identify the implant size and alignment and personalize the procedure, all before the patient has entered the operating room.

Then when the surgery commences, the Mako helps keep things running according to plan, said Dr. Jeremy Gardner, an Altru orthopedist.

“If we deviate from the plan, it lets me know,” he said.

“I can override it if I need to, but most of the time, I don’t. It’s pretty accurate,” enabling placement accuracy down to the submillimeter.

Less pain, quicker recovery and better function are the results, Gardner said.

“There’s always a little uncertainty when patients hear about the robot,” he said.

“They ask, ‘Are you going to do the surgery?’ I assure them that I will, and that it won’t do anything that I don’t want it to do.

“But it’s still an incredible advance.”

Tom Dennis EDITOR, PRAIRIE BUSINESS 701-780-1276

DR. ROBERT GUTTORMSON, A GENERAL SURGEON, SITS AT THE CONSOLE OF A DA VINCI ROBOTIC SURGERY SYSTEM AT ALTRU HOSPITAL IN GRAND FORKS, N.D. IMAGE: NICK NELSON/FORUM NEWS SERVICE

Architects’ favorite architecture

Area architects share their favorite buildings

Josh Muckenhirn ARCHITECT ISG SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

All facilities in the built environment inspire some kind of emotional response, and two of the buildings that have had the greatest impact on me would be Our Lady of the Annunciation Chapel at the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., and St. John’s Abbey at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.

Both of these are much more than buildings providing usable space; they are an experience. When I first walked through each

I’m drawn to the native prairie landscapes of North and South Dakota. There’s something peaceful about the landscapes of this region that sets it apart from other states.

of these buildings, I was surprised at how emotional – even humbling – the experience was.

The built environment won’t always have that powerful of an effect on people, but it is important to realize and appreciate that a building can and should have a positive emotional impact on its occupants.

As a landscape architect, I plan and design outdoor projects that incorporate architectural structures into the natural environment. So, on projects in the Dakotas, I try to incorporate the prairie into my designs – even in more urban settings. Unfortunately, the prairie ecosystem is one of the most endangered in the world, having been reduced to about 1 percent of its original area. So, it’s important to design spaces that embrace the natural landscape.

Nature also has a calming effect on people, which is especially important when we get caught up with work and other everyday concerns. Connections to nature help us feel better, and that’s inspiring from a design perspective.

OUR LADY OF THE ANNUNCIATION CHAPEL, UNIVERSITY OF MARY, BISMARCK, N.D. IMAGE: UNIVERSITY OF MARY

Amanda Prosser

Wayne Dietrich COO/ARCHITECT EAPC ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS FARGO, N.D.

There are many buildings that influenced me to become an architect. If I had to choose one that I marvel at and make visits to, it is St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Port Washington, Wis.

As a child, I spent two weeks every summer with my grandparents in Wisconsin, and we frequently went to Port Washington to go fishing on Lake Michigan. St. Mary’s Catholic Church is the major focal point from Lake Michigan, and looking north from the downtown Main Street in Port Washington, the church is centered in your view.

Because of its strong presence, it’s a building you remember. The church is located on a hill, and to make a visit from downtown, you endure a very lengthy stairway. From my experience, it’s the best way to make a visit. Once at the top of the stairs, and a little out-of-breath, you look up and realize how massive the church is and start to see all the impressive limestone detailing. Built in 1884, the building makes one wonder: How did they build such a large and beautiful church?

While at the Wisconsin Dells this past summer, my daughter, who’s in architecture at North Dakota State University, made the two-hour trip to visit Port Washington. I believe she was also influenced by St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Paul Breiner

As a kid, well before I knew I wanted to be an architect, I found the Manhattan Building in Bismarck fascinating.

The first thing that attracted me to it was the columns. They were not buried in walls or otherwise hidden, but made a feature of the building.

The simple repetition of these columns organizes the entire building and creates such a dynamic feeling in the space. And the way they climb and flare is a great example of how concrete can take nearly any shape.

Infilling windows between the columns creates the exterior wall; so, even though the building is concrete, there is an amazing airiness and lightness about it.

This building taught me that a space can be much more than a floor, walls and roof. To this day, the Manhattan Building is one of my favorites in the region. It still inspires me 30-plus years after discovering it.

ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PORT WASHINGTON, WIS.

PROJECT ARCHITECT ACKERMAN-ESTVOLD MINOT, N.D.

MANHATTAN BUILDING, BISMARCK, N.D. IMAGE: ARCHISEEK.COM

Ryan Anderson

ARCHITECTURE MANAGER/SENIOR ARCHITECT

ACKERMAN-ESTVOLD BISMARCK, N.D.

Historic buildings have always caught my eye. Two buildings that come to mind are the Soo Line Depot and St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic Church, both in Minot, N.D., and built in the early 1900s.

They’ve withstood the test of time, and the detail and craftsmanship are a wonder to look at. I’ve always been amazed

I’ve got three of them.

I grew up in a really little town – Wimbledon, N.D., pop. about 250. And only one building was ever built in that town during the whole time I was there.

It was the new Methodist Church, and it’s really nothing significant architecturally, compared to a lot of work in North Dakota. But the process of watching it go up – I was maybe 15, so it was a formative time, and I watched it every day. It just fascinated me, so that one certainly had influence.

Another is the Cass County Courthouse expansion, which I got to know when I worked in Fargo. The project added onto this old historic courthouse, but the architects didn’t try to outdo the building. It’s clearly a project of the 80s, but they kept the same colors, the same traditions and so on. And the building looks better with the additions than it did before.

The last is the North Dakota Capitol. I have always just loved our Capitol – it’s so stark and simple, and that whole style of Art Deco architecture has influenced me my entire life.

I know the story: the building got streamlined and stripped down not really from a design standpoint, but because North Dakota didn’t have any money.

But even that resonated with me: you don’t have to spend a lot of money to look really good. In fact, the lack of money may actually have been a design asset for that project.

And that building has just influenced me, even to the point where it affected my decision to run for office. It is by far the most influential building that I’ve ever been around.

I just admire how it represents the people who live here. It’s not extravagant, it’s simple, it’s extremely efficient, but it’s so well done. It still commands great respect when you go in there. I just love it.

by the level of detail in these buildings and the presence they command at the street.

How craftsman of that generation could construct such works of art from a sliver of the drawings that we typically find in today’s projects is amazing. It’s a testament to the positive results of what happens when timeless design intersects with skilled craftsmen.

What really got me into the profession was that my grandfather was a pretty accomplished carpenter for a farmer, and my dad was as well, and they were always working on buildings. We did extensive work converting old manger-style barns into a modern dairy barn. And we did all this work ourselves.

That got me interested in building and construction and that sort of thing.

Then when I was young, we would go into the Minot area; and at a pretty young age in 1971-72, I watched them build the Milton R. Young Towers in Minot, right across from the Medical Arts building. That was a significant building for anyone in North Dakota at that time.

If my mom was going for an appointment, I just stayed in the car (as everyone did in those days!), and I watched them build that building. It really intrigued me.

Then, once I got my architectural education, I audited a study tour of European architecture. Instead of going right to work, I went to Europe for the summer.

Alan Dostert PRESIDENT AND CEO EAPC ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS FARGO, N.D.

And when I was over there, I saw one of the most fabulous pieces of architecture I’ve ever seen in my life. It is the Pilgrimage Church in Ronchamp, France, by Le Corbusier.

He was just a master of the play and light and shadow, both on the outside of the building and on the inside. I’ve seen a lot of buildings and studied thousands of them, and that one was just like, “Wow.” Breathtaking. That was really the pinnacle of architecture that I’ve personally visited in my life.

SOO LINE DEPOT, MINOT, N.D.

PILGRIMAGE CHURCH OR CHAPELLE NOTRE DAME DU HAUT, RONCHAMP, FRANCE

Lonnie Laffen PRESIDENT AND CEO, JLG ARCHITECTS STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 43 GRAND

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FORKS, N.D.

NORTH DAKOTA CAPITOL

The multiplier effect

How university research can generate statewide economic growth

By Tom Dennis

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – In 1913, Edward W. Davis – a newly hired professor at the University of Minnesota School of the Mines –took a rock sample into the Mines Experiment Station “and did a little work on it,” he later wrote.

“It was a hard rock, mottled in appearance, with a few narrow bands of darker material passing through it.

“After breaking the sample into small pieces, I found that most of them could be picked up readily with a hand magnet.”

And from that observation in a U of M minerals lab, an industry

and regional lifeline were born. For the rock Davis hammered was taconite. Iron miners had long discarded the low-grade ore.

But using magnets, Davis and other researchers found a way to pull iron out of crushed taconite. Then they baked the iron-rich powder into pellets.

The process turned waste rock into high-grade iron-ore pellets ready for shipment. Not coincidentally, it also saved the Minnesota Iron Range, creating a $1.8 billion-a-year industry that has kept the Range ranging for more than 60 years.

MARK KENNEDY, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA, MAKES A POINT DURING A Q&A WITH DEAN BRESCIANI, PRESIDENT OF NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, AT A PRESENTATION IN GRAND FORKS ABOUT THE PRESIDENTS’ $100 MILLION RESEARCH PROPOSAL. IMAGE: ERIC HYLDEN/GRAND FORKS HERALD

That’s the difference university research can make to a state’s economy, said Jay Kiedrowski, senior fellow in leadership and management at the U of M’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

And that’s the process lawmakers in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota should remember when it comes to supporting research.

“One of the strongest ways to promote economic development is to have discoveries made in your state, and then have business people take those discoveries and turn them into products,” said Kiedrowski, formerly executive vice president for Wells Fargo, budget director for the city of Minneapolis and commissioner of finance for Minnesota.

“It’s research that has the economic multiplier effect,” he said, and so gives such a big bang for the taxpayers’ buck.

The question of whether university activity can have statewide economic impact is especially relevant in North Dakota. That’s where the presidents of the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University are asking the state to invest $100 million in research – to be monitored by the Bank of North Dakota – at the campuses over a four-year period.

The word “research” is the key, Kiedrowski said. And the two presidents are smart to focus on it.

Universities have other statewide impacts, such as training a workforce. So, the presidents could have called for the state to spend money to lower tuition.

But while that would be great for students, “it wouldn’t produce the research that really could move the state forward,” he said.

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When you need extra support.

Another story from Minnesota: In 1952, University of Minnesota physicians conducted the first successful open-heart surgery. In 1957, a heart patient died when a power blackout shut down the patient’s pacemaker, which had been plugged in to the wall.

So, the U of M surgeon asked Earl Bakken, a U of M-trained engineer, to create a wearable, external, battery-operated pacemaker.

The company that resulted – Medtronic – now is one of the largest producers of medical devices in the world.

“That’s another example of how university research can have a dramatic impact,” Kiedrowski said.

North Carolina’s counter-example

Don’t misunderstand. There are no slam dunks in development, and that includes university research.

“Six decades ago, North Carolina banked on its research universities to revive its economy,” begins a 2017 story in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

“The plan worked, but it left much of the state behind.”

As the story recounts, North Carolina focused on creating a research park to serve the state’s three research universities. It worked; and as Research Triangle Park has succeeded, the college towns of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill have thrived.

The trouble is, that prosperity never spread to rural North Carolina, much of which remains depressingly poor.

So, should Williston, N.D., and other western communities worry that Eastern North Dakota’s college towns will prosper at their expense?

No, and here’s why, said Dean Bresciani, NDSU president and a former senior administrator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

First, a big difference is tobacco, traditionally the backbone of North Carolina’s farm economy. As the Research Triangle prospered, the tobacco economy tanked.

And unlike the transition on Minnesota’s Iron Range, no breakthroughs arose to replace that old industry with something new.

Second, UND and NDSU’s proposal would focus on exactly those kinds of breakthroughs, Bresciani said.

That’s why the Bank of North Dakota is involved – to play the role of monitor and referee.

UND President Mark Kennedy agreed. “At UND, for example, our No. 1 area in terms of funded research dollars is energy,” he said.

“When we get one more percentage point of extraction out of shale, it’s a $3 billion impact to the economy that primarily benefits the West.”

That’s the kind of work the universities would pursue, and the kind of results they’d be looking for, he said.

Mr. Taconite at the Legislature

Let’s close with one more tale about “Mr. Taconite,” Edward W. Davis of the University of Minnesota. This one’s from the website of the Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth; and it shows that UND and NDSU’s presidents aren’t the first to lobby lawmakers about the statewide value of research.

TACONITE – HIGH-GRADE IRON ORE PELLETS, SHOWN HERE – WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH RESEARCH SPONSORED IN LARGE PART BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. THE DEVELOPMENT SAVED THE IRON MINING INDUSTRY ON MINNESOTA’S IRON RANGE. IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

The story starts with a quote:

“‘Geologists tell us that nature laid down the taconite here on the Range a billion years ago.

“‘The next day, Ed Davis started trying to sell it to the steel companies.’

“The state legislator who spoke those words in the 1940s was growing weary of University of Minnesota researcher Edward W. Davis,” the NRRI’s website recounts.

“Every two years, he’d show up in St. Paul asking for continued research funding to develop low grade taconite into a viable product for steel production. But without Davis’s dogged persistence, the Iron Range would not, truly could not, have continued to supply U.S. steel producers with iron ore all these decades to come.”

PRESIDENT

WHERE ARE YOU FROM, AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED WITH PRAXIS? Q.

A.

I’m originally from Grand Forks, and that’s how I wound up here. I grew up here, went to high school here, went to college here at UND.

What happened is that I started to work with Delore Zimmerman, Praxis Strategy Group’s co-founder, in the late 1990s as I was finishing my business degree. I was doing an internship in Denver, and he had started another company that was moving to that area from Grand Forks.

Q. A.

Schill has close to 20 years of experience in economic analysis and demographic research, and has worked on development strategies for cities in 13 states.

In this Q&A, he talks about his work as well as the strengths and weaknesses of cities in our region.

DID YOU SET OUT TO BE A CONSULTANT OR PLANNER?

Not at all. It’s interesting, because working in economic development, strategic planning or policy research in general is not something you think about when you’re in high school or college.

Instead, getting involved in a field like this is often just serendipity. You see an opportunity, and you work to develop it as well as acquire the necessary skills.

And I’ve been fortunate to get involved in this field as the internet became available, and information and data just became so much more accessible.

As a result, today you can train yourself on virtually any skill that you need in terms of the work you do.

When it comes to careers, I’ve always thought, “Just get caught in the act of doing something.” Don’t be afraid to experiment – to say yes to something, even if you may not have a clear road map of how to do it. You can’t know until you try.

Cities across the Plains have made remarkable turnarounds, and Mark Schill can help explain why

‘No longer a narrative of decline’

Mark Schill

Vice President for research at Praxis Strategy Group in Grand Forks, N.D.

Q. A.

HOW ABOUT NEWGEOGRAPHY.COM, WHICH YOU HELP EDIT? HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

Basically, it was the same kind of thing. We started that with Joel Kotkin, whom Delore has known ever since the two of them were fellows for the Center for the New West in Denver in the 1990s. ( Editor’s note: Kotkin is a California-based author who writes for a national audience about economic, demographic and social trends.)

At the time, Joel had a monthly column, and I got to know him through that connection; I did a lot of research for him. It slowly evolved until about 10 years ago. At the time, Joel was seeing the wholesale changes in the media industry as he knew it, especially the fragmentation and the downsizing.

And we thought, why not build our own platform?

So, the website was literally built in my basement. It was one of those things where we said, hey, we need to build this, we don’t have a lot of money, so let’s just try to do it ourselves.

And again, a lot of it is serendipity, with all of this happening at what proved to be the right time to get into a field like this.

We can be a firm like ours, we can work publishing a website with a partner in Los Angeles, and it’s really not a problem. At Praxis, our largest clients for many years were in Washington, and here we are in Grand Forks – and it turns out that works just fine.

Q. A.

YOU’VE DONE LOTS OF CONSULTING FOR CITIES AROUND THE REGION. WHAT KINDS OF CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN?

Economic development has really evolved from 30 or 40 years ago, when it was all about huge incentive programs. Today, economic development agencies are finding themselves as one of the few in the community whose mission is just general prosperity and economic wellbeing.

That means that these days, a big part of planning is to help strengthen the networks in a community, which ultimately strengthens trust. Because as communities and economies evolve, the strength of the economy comes more and more to depend on the strength of those networks.

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WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Q.

A.Think about Sioux Falls, S.D. Sioux Falls is one of the most interesting examples of urban success anywhere, because remember: in general, the small cities with a major university or a state Capitol or both have done very well. But Sioux Falls has neither of those.

If you look at it in that way, you see that there really is no concrete competitive advantage.

Instead, Sioux Falls is one of the best examples of a community that has succeeded because of its networks and its broad, sound fundamentals – good schools, good amenities and so on.

It’s just a nice place to live. And over the past 15 years, it has really improved the quality of its arts and culture, the quality of its restaurants. It’ll never compete with a large metro area, but it’s a lot closer than it once was.

That’s no accident.

HOW SO? Q.

Because one of the biggest things we’ve seen is – and it goes back to that intangible sense of community – Sioux Falls does planning really well.

Every five to eight years, they renew their strategic plan and their sense of direction. Almost no other place does that; but in Sioux Falls, it’s part of their civic DNA.

This really hit me when we had a client one time that was investigating land prices in various industrial parks. And we found that when we started calling around Sioux Falls, no matter which community we called, they said, “Look, if you don’t come to our town, come to the next town over. Come to the region.”

They had this sense of regionality and cooperation that was really impressive.

It’s the will for everyone to work together for the benefit of making community investments. That’s the difference. You always can come up with great ideas, but getting to the point where everyone’s willing to support those investments and these projects – that’s the key.

HOW ABOUT OTHER CITIES AND THE EXAMPLES THEY PROVIDE? Q.

Q.WOULD YOU SAY DULUTH IS A PLACE WITH POTENTIAL AND GREAT OPPORTUNITIES?

A.Absolutely, because it has unprecedented amenities. And it has colleges and universities, and to be frank, comparatively cheap housing.

That’s part of what fueled Fargo’s growth for so long, after all. Say what you will about the sprawl that it generated, but in Fargo, having relatively affordable housing along with job growth really mattered. If you can buy a home when you’re 25 years old, that really helps upward mobility as well.

IT MUST BE FUN TO WATCH AND TRACK ALL OF THESE CHANGES. Q. A.

It is, and it’s great to watch how even the fundamental demographics of our region evolve.

North Dakota, for instance, now is in the top five youngest states, and that fundamental restructuring of the age demographics in this region is really important.

The net result is that our cities are in a “sweet spot” in many ways, including size. Besides their good schools and other amenities, they’ve got a critical mass of business people and others who can engage in ways that can get things done.

In short, these are well-run communities that are fundamentally sound, and that has dramatically changed the outlook for the region. It’s no longer just a long-term narrative of decline.

A.Whether it’s making investments in the Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City, S.D., or the Greenway in Grand Forks, successful communities are recognizing the value of amenities and of quality arts and culture.

Another great example is in Rochester, Minn.; the same thing has happened there.

In the early 2000s, downtown Rochester was fairly derelict. There wasn’t a lot there other than a handful of small and longestablished restaurants.

But even in the past five years, that has dramatically changed. Part of that is because of the concrete and massive investment of the Destination Medical Center strategy, but part of it also is fueled by the shift toward people recognizing the value of the local culture and local flavor.

Now, here’s an example from another direction: Duluth. Because when you compare Duluth’s economy with the economies of a Fargo or a Sioux Falls, you find that Duluth lags significantly on a lot of the core measures of economic growth.

But remember, Duluth is an entirely different economy; it’s tied to the Great Lakes economy, not the Great Plains economy. So it’s radically different – much more Rust Belt than Grain Belt.

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Our multidisciplinary team of over 200 provides practical, pioneering solutions to the world’s energy and environmental challenges.

www.undeerc.org

Wanted: Wind drivers

And other truckers who want to haul wide, long, high or heavy loads, St. Cloud-based Anderson Trucking Service’s specialty

By Tom Dennis

“Ever wonder who sits behind the wheel of those BIG RIGS?”

That’s a slogan from my youth; I remember it as a line from a commercial for a truck-driving school. But it has come to mind again and again in recent years, as I’ve been driving down the interstate and have met or passed a truck hauling one of those long, long wind-tower blades.

“Ever wonder who sits behind the wheel of those BIG RIGS?”

You bet I have. And I’m grateful to Anderson Trucking Service of St. Cloud, Minn., for helping me to find out.

For it turns out, there’s a good chance that “wind driver” is an ATS employee. ATS is the largest flatbed/specialized carrier in North America, and wind-energy components are a big part of that, said Gene Lemke, vice president of projects at the company.

“Since we started in wind back in the early 2000s, we’ve done over 200,000 wind-related components,” including blades, tower sections and nacelles, Lemke said. (The nacelle is the structure that sits atop the tower and holds the generator.)

“At any given time during the peak season, we’ll have 400 windrelated loads on the road. Just blades specifically, at our peak we’re pulling close to 100 blades on the road at one time.”

So, how does a driver learn to, say, turn corners with a blade that stretches 180 feet?

“We have a driver class system,” Lemke said.

“As drivers gain experience, they get to test up. They go from a Class 4 to a Class 3 to a Class 2 to a Class 1. In the case of blades, it’s a 1A or a 1T.

“And we take the best of our drivers and put them through a formal training program here in St. Cloud,” Lemke said.

The classroom and hands-on training involves not just the wind drivers and other heavy-haul drivers, but also the drivers of the escort vehicles.

For the real key to understanding wind-turbine transportation is the fact that it’s not just the driver. It’s the team. And the team effort can start months before the blade gets put on the trailer, Lemke said.

“For example, here’s one of our procedures,” he said.

“Before we ever turn the wheel, we send people out and measure bridges, turn radiuses, the vertical rises in the roads, the truck stops to see if we can fit into the fuel islands.

“We basically scout and then outline the risks that the wind driver will encounter.”

The First Run Report that results is the blueprint for the ride – and drivers are taught to stick to it. So, if the report says “stay right” when going under a bridge, the driver must do so, because the left lane might not offer enough clearance.

The team effort continues when the day of transport comes. Typically, the truck hauling the blade is escorted by a pole car in front and a trail car behind. The pole car boasts a height pole to double-check bridge clearances on the route.

And the trail car serves an equally important function: when the time comes for turning, the trail car’s driver steps out and helps steer, using a tethered or wireless remote to steer the back end of the trailer around corners.

That’s a tricky job, said Bill Richards, project technical advisor at ATS. “The big challenge with blades is that we can have 50 foot of load hanging off the back of a trailer. So, the pilot cars really have to watch where they’re going to make sure that doesn’t swing into houses, other cars or anything else” – especially because while the truck might be creeping forward, the blade tip will be swinging at a higher rate of speed.

“It’s really a team effort between those three drivers,” Richards said.

Back to ATS’s classrooms in St. Cloud for a minute: Once prospective wind drivers complete the training, they’re sent out on a test course throughout central Minnesota. “Kind of like a dress rehearsal, if you will,” Lemke said.

The truckers don’t actually have a blade on the blade trailer during their test run. But they do have to negotiate obstacles throughout their several-hundred-mile drive, “and they either pass or fail,” Lemke said.

Drivers who pass can start hauling loads under the supervision of an seasoned driver. Top flatbed/specialized drivers for ATS can make more than $80,000 a year, and top heavy-haul drivers can make more than $100,000, the company’s website states.

So, if a driver with a Commercial Driver’s License, a clean record and a strong interest were to contact ATS tomorrow, would the company be interested?

“Absolutely,” said Brenda Schermerhorn, marketing manager.

“On the marketing side when we’re talking about recruiting, one of the things we always say is this: ATS is not the right fit for every driver. But for the right driver, we can be a forever home.”

Tom Dennis EDITOR, PRAIRIE BUSINESS

STAFF AT ANDERSON TRUCKING SERVICE IN ST. CLOUD, MINN., JOIN HANDS IN FRONT OF A PARKED ATS TRUCK HAULING A WIND BLADE. THE BLADE AND VEHICLE WERE ON DISPLAY DURING A CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN WIND WEEK. IMAGE: ATS

Q.

INSIGHTs & INTUITION

Your organization offers paid maternity and paternity leave. What would you say to an organization that asks, ‘Should we begin offering those benefits?’

According to a 2016 nationwide employee-benefits survey, only 26 percent of employers offer paid maternity leave, 21 percent offer paid paternity leave and 20 percent offer paid adoption leave. The bad news is these numbers are low; the good news is, they’re rising each year.

At Altru, we’re dedicated to offering a total rewards and value program that supports not only our employees, but also their families. Offering a paid parental leave benefit aligns with our commitment to our employees, and we enthusiastically offer this benefit.

For organizations thinking about this, my advice would be, “Just get started.” Your benefit may look different than what’s offered by Altru or others; but even so, just get started thinking about what kind of support you can provide your employees as they choose to become parents.

Having a child is a life-changing moment, and being able to support your employees during this time builds loyalty and strong connections.

We know this was the right choice for us because of the feedback we hear from our employees.

We regularly hear from our new parents how wonderful it was to have this time to care for and bond with a newborn or newly adopted child, without the worry of using vacation time or not getting a paycheck. We’re committed to building strong families and grateful for being able to offer this benefit to our employees.

Family comes first at Eide Bailly. While offering a family-like atmosphere at work is great, it’s also important for employers to realize their people sometimes are needed at home, especially during the transitions that come with a new child.

That’s why we offer fully paid maternity and paternity leave following the birth or adoption of a child. We also offer Milk Stork, a delivery service providing refrigerated, express shipping of breastmilk home when our new moms are traveling for work. Family-friendly benefits are important to the younger generation of workers and are great for both recruiting and retention.

Kendra Wentworth

Jennifer Berg

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS MANAGER ALTRU HEALTH SYSTEM GRAND FORKS, N.D.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS MANAGER EIDE BAILLY FARGO, N.D.

Elli Dai

HEAD OF BENEFITS WELLS FARGO & CO. CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Katy Avery

At Wells Fargo, we consider paid parental leave to be a critical investment in our team members and their families. We’ve found that team members treasure this time to bond with their new children and appreciate the financial support that Wells Fargo provides.

When implementing a parental leave program, it’s important to evaluate staffing impacts and organizational readiness, to ensure that the program is effective both for team members and the company.

Rye

At Gate City Bank, we offer fully paid maternity and paternity leave because we believe it is the right thing to do.

We are proud to invest in our team members and their families by providing peace of mind during a transitional period that can be both joyful and stressful. With paid leave, they can spend more time bonding and less time worrying about finances.

Our team members have let us know that these benefits are important to them, and we believe they create a better way of life for everyone involved.

The culture at Microsoft is one of the most important drivers of our employees’ success. And one of our values is centered around maintaining work-life balance.

Microsoft’s industry-leading maternity, paternity and adoptive-parent leave policies ensure that all new parents have time to get the rest they need and bond with their babies.

Microsoft believes so strongly in the importance of taking time for family that this year, we also announced a requirement that any vendor company with more than 50 employees working for Microsoft must offer its employees a minimum of 12 weeks paid parental leave for either a birth or adoption.

In a recent blog post on this issue, Microsoft shared how “studies show that paid parental leave enriches the lives of families. Women who take paid maternity leave are more likely to remain in the workforce a year later and earn more than mothers who do not receive paid time off. Employers who offer paid time off for new mothers experience improved productivity, higher morale and lower turnover rates.

“And, paid parental leave is not solely a benefit for women. Data from California’s paid family leave program shows that men take paternity leave at twice the rate and for longer periods when the leave is paid. This increased bonding and time spent caring for young children is correlated with positive outcomes such as higher test scores for these children.

“Further, when men and women have the opportunity to take paid leave, it can help counteract gender caregiving stereotypes, neutralize stigmas and promote equity in the home and office.”

Heather

VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES GATE CITY BANK FARGO, N.D.

EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING & COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROJECT MANAGER MICROSOFT FARGO, N.D.

BYTHENUMBERs

The High Mobilities

If the American Dream were a landscape, the Great Plains would be a range of towering, snowcapped peaks

Here is a website that every Prairie Business reader should visit: OpportunityAtlas.org.

That’s because the website puts to rest the notion of the Midwest as “flyover country” once and for all.

Far from being a region that can be safely ignored, the Midwest — in particular, the upper Great Plains — is the national model when it comes to upward mobility, the website shows.

In other words, the Great Plains do the American Dream right. And the upper Great Plains of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota do it best of all.

The ab ove map, a screenshot from the atlas, “shows household income in 2014-2015 for people born between 1978 and 1983 to low-income parents,” as npr.org describes.

“In areas that are more red, people who grew up in low-income households tended to stay low-income. In areas that are more blue, people who grew up in low-income households tended to make more money.”

The map to the right is a cut-out of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota from the map above.

The maps at OpportunityAtlas.org are interactive and can be examined down to the level of a city block. They’re well worth a look.

But for Prairie Business readers, a core and exceptionally meaningful finding is the one that was highlighted in a Star Tribune story on this topic in 2017, after the research first appeared:

“Of the best 100 counties in the United States in which to grow up poor, 77 are in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota,” the study shows. For more on the findings, see the Editor’s Note on Page 10 of this issue of Prairie Business.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Opportunity Insights research. Map from OpportunityAtlas.org