Get the Technology Resources your Business Needs to Succeed

By Justin Stansbury

In today’s competitive employment market your ability to recruit top talent can impact your bottom line. Sourcing and retaining IT talent is a problem we hear from many of our clients. With IT unemployment rates at an all-time low, companies are turning to staffing options. Often times, the complexities involved in technology usually mean one resource does not meet all of your needs. Additionally, projects such as OS or application upgrades typically are short term and do not warrant hiring full time technical support. Finding and keeping the right skill set can be both time consuming and expensive.

Before you spend more time looking for qualified candidates, ask yourself these questions:

•Do you plan on hiring or contracting more IT people in the next year?

•Do you have any short term needs that would make more sense to consider outsourcing?

•Are there any skill sets where it would warrant for you to contract a position rather than hire and maintain?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, Corporate Technologies can save you the time and headache by doing the search for you. We can help you find the diamonds in the rough. Whatever your needs may be, we can provide IT resources to support your business. From desk side support requests to core infrastructure support, or from network engineers to general IT support our CTO Assist Program has you covered.

Why CTO Assist?

By choosing CTO Assist, your business has access to technology resources with the expertise and skill sets you require for as little as three months or as long as you need. Whether you have a short term project or need someone onsite a few days a week to supplement your current IT staff, we can accommodate your needs.

Our own portfolio of skilled technicians and managed services can meet many IT requirements. And when needed, we also leverage the power of our partnerships with world-class providers of hardware, software, and other IT solutions. We ally with strong technology partners like HP, CISCO, and Barracuda.

Together with those partners and the technical skills and certifications held by our engineers, Corporate Technologies is able to provide top-of-the-line solutions for organizations of all sizes, including: managed services, voice and data networking, data storage, and infrastructure design, implementation and support.

In addition, Corporate Technologies has over 33 years of experience and 175+ engineers which means faster turn-around time when seeking a resource. We have a proven history of sourcing and placing IT Professionals for many local businesses. From one part time person to an entire IT staff and everything in between, we have the breadth and depth of skills needed to seamlessly join your technology team.

Contact us for more information about our onsite staffing options and get started with fulfilling your IT needs now.

Justin Stansbury is the General Manager of Corporate Technologies’ Fargo office. Reach him at Justin.stansbury@gocorptech.com or 701.893.4097

Grand Forks AFB conducts UAS integration test

The first ever unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) integration test in the U S was conducted recently at the Grand Forks (N D ) Air Force Base The test was designed to integrate UAS into national airspace and included about 100 federal and military personnel and multiple types of manned and unmanned aircraft The test was executed flawlessly, according to U S Marine Corps Major Erik Siegel, UAS Airspace Integration Joint Test chief.

ND, Port of Vancouver team for rail transport

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Todd Coleman, CEO of the Port of Vancouver USA, recently agreed to a collaborative rail service program to support agriculture and energy industries.

As part of the agreement, the port will designate load centers, manage boxcars, coordinate with BNSF Railway and provide monthly service reports The North Dakota ag department will collect production data and communicate with the ag community, exporters and small to mid-size shippers

Goehring said the collaboration has been in the works for more than a year and could provide some relief for area producers struggling to get their commodities to market. “This agreement will not end that problem, but I believe it can go a long way to relieve it,” he said in a news release

When the collaboration was announced on Aug. 27, Coleman says he anticipates shipments beginning as early as mid-September

CHS commits to ND fertilizer plant

CHS Inc. announced Sept. 5 it will proceed with plans to construct a $3 billion fertilizer plant at the Spiritwood Energy Park near Jamestown, N.D. The project is the single largest investment in CHS history and is also the single largest private investment project ever undertaken in North Dakota, according to the cooperative. At the time of the announcement, a date had yet to be set for groundbreaking, but the plant is expected to be fully operational in 2018 When fully operational, it will produce more than 2,400 tons of ammonia daily, which will be converted to urea, UAN and DEF Products will primarily serve farmer-owned cooperatives and independent farm supply retailers within a 200mile radius of the plant Up to 180 workers are expected to be employed at the facility

Tharaldson opens milestone Staybridge Suites hotel

Fargo-based Tharaldson Hospitality Management LLC recently opened the Staybridge Suites

Denver-Stapleton (Colo ), marking the brand’s 200th hotel opening THM manages the hotel, which is franchised by an affiliate of InterContinental Hotels Group

“We are proud to add yet another Staybridge Suites hotel to our portfolio with the opening of the Staybridge Suites

Denver-Stapleton and look forward to offering those traveling to Denver for extended periods a new, comfortable hotel option,” Gary Tharaldson, THM founder and owner of the hotel, said in a news release

THM was formed in 2011 and currently manages more than 20 hotels in 10 states, according to the company.

CenturyLink offers 1G Internet to Sioux Falls businesses

CenturyLink Inc. announced it is making 1 gigabit per second broadband Internet speeds available to businesses in Sioux Falls, S D , as part of a high-speed fiber network expansion that will include residential and business services in 16 cities within the next year Customers in Sioux Falls can visit centurylink com/gig to determine if the service is available to them.

SDRA seeking retailer of year

The South Dakota Retailers Association is accepting nominations for its annual Retailer of the Year award through Oct 31 Individual business owners and managers are eligible for the award, as well as partners, and families who run a business as a team. The recipient will be honored at the SDRA awards banquet in January Nomination information is available at sdra.org/EducationEvents/RetailerofYear.

CHI, St. Alexius to merge

St Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, N.D., has agreed to become a direct affiliate of the Catholic Health Initiatives system The two organizations will also form a regional coordinated health system with their combined hospitals and clinics, and other care providers in central and western North Dakota over the next few years The regional health system would initially include facilities in Bismarck, Carrington, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Garrison, Lincoln, Mandan, Minot, Turtle Lake, Washburn and Williston

Barnesville startup awards announced

The first annual Spark Your Star tup Business Pitch Contest, sponsored by Stoneridge Software, Dean’s Bulk Service, Crown Appraisals and the Barnesville Economic Development Authority, was held in Barnesville, Minn., Aug. 22. First prize, $1,000, was awarded to Booth, a virtual phone solution that utilizes geofencing to route calls to a cell phone on the user ’ s specified time and location terms.

Other finalists included Infuse Solutions, Userve, Snapdocs and DinnerTies

Northstar Agri Industries adds Manitoba canola plant

Fargo-based integrated canola processing company Northstar Agri Industries recently announced plans to open a 1,500-metric-ton, high-throughput facility in Winkler, Manitoba, this fall. The plant, which will serve the company ’ s crush plant in Hallock, Minn., will offer Canadian canola growers a more convenient delivery point for their product and is expected to increase the amount of canola being delivered from Canada to the Hallock facility

Bee colonies continue to fly high in ND

More than a half-million bee colonies have been registered in North Dakota this year, setting a new record high, according to the state agriculture department More than 221 beekeepers registered 510,000 colonies in 2014, up from 205 beekeepers and 482,500 colonies last year.

North Dakota has been the largest producer of honey in the U S for a decade The state produced more than 33 million pounds of honey last year, nearly a quarter of the nation’s total.

Moore Engineering honored for excellence

West Fargo-based Moore Engineering Inc was recently selected by PSMJ Resources Inc. for its 2014 Circle of Excellence This is the second consecutive year the firm has been named to the list, which highlights firms that are well-managed, based on key performance metrics including cash flow, productivity, overhead management and staff retention

Southwest Healthcare breaks ground on oil patch hospital

Southwest Healthcare Ser vices and USDA Rural Development broke ground on a 60,000-square-foot hospital and clinic in Bowman, N.D., on Aug. 28. The facility will be attached to an existing nursing home and will more than double the capacity of the current medical facilities in order to meet growing demand from the area ’ s influx of new residents.

USDA Rural Development is financing 55 percent of the project w ith a $15 million low-interest loan Additional financing is being contr ibuted from the Nor th Dakota Medical Infrastructure Loan program and Southwest Healthcare The project is expected to be complete in late 2016.

Airgas opens Dickinson branch

Airgas Inc , a supplier of industrial, medical and specialty gases and related products, recently opened a Dickinson, N D , location to better serve its customers in the Bakken. Company President and CEO Michael Molinini says the company ’ s product and service offering is tailored to meet the needs of energy industry customers as well as those involved in metal and structure fabrication, and that the new location brings Airgas closer to its customers “in this important region of the country ”

Midcontinent announces 2014 charitable donations

The Midcontinent Foundation, the charitable arm of Midcontinent Communications, announced it will donate more than $94,000 to 62 charities in the Dakotas and Minnesota this year. The foundation was established in 1987 to provide financial assistance to charitable entities in Midcontinent’s service footprint To date, the foundation has distributed nearly $3.5 million to charitable nonprofits in the area. Charitable organizations are encouraged to apply for the foundation’s 2015 round of grants by Jan 20 More information is available at midcocomm com

UMN Crookston offers free business consulting

The Center for Rural Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Minnesota Crookston is seeking regional entrepreneurs and small business owners in need of consulting services. Consulting is provided at no cost by students under the guidance of qualified faculty Applications for the spring semester course are due Dec 5 and can be found at umccres.org/apply.

Click Rain deemed fastest growing SD company

Sioux Falls, S D -based online marketing firm Click Rain has been ranked the fastest-growing company in South Dakota by Inc. magazine. The company has experienced a three-year growth rate of more than 400 percent and added 15 jobs in that time Last year ’ s revenue was nearly $3 million, compared to revenue in 2010 of about $600,000, according to Inc. It currently employs about 20 people.

The company ranked 1,087 on Inc ’ s top 5000 list

Choice Financial tops ND ag lending list

The American Bankers Association recently ranked Choice Financial as the leader in agribusiness banking in North Dakota and 45th in the U S Rankings are based on loan portfolio totals for all types of loans, including the amount loaned for farmland, the amount of other ag loans and the total ag portfolio, according to Choice Financial The bank also topped the list of North Dakota ag lenders in 2011

Sanford to build 300 clinics in Ghana

Sanford Health and Ghana’s Ministry of Health have signed an agreement for Sanford International Clinics to add more than 300 clinics in the African country by 2020. The expansion of health care is aimed at improving maternity care and reducing infant mortality rates in the country. Sanford opened a clinic in Cape Coast in 2012 and has since opened four more clinics in Ghana. More than 180,000 patients have been treated at the clinics

Anderson Industries expands to Webster, SD

Ag r icultur al equipment manufacturer Anderson Industries is expanding its operations to Webster, S D The company, founded in Andover, S D , in 2006 by Kor y Anderson, has expanded in recent years to include locations in Aberdeen, S.D., and Mapleton and West Fargo, N D The Webster facility is expected to eventually employ about 50 people

Dahl named Fargo ABC Supply manager

Building products distributor ABC Supply Co. Inc. has promoted Benjamin Dahl to manager of its newly opened Fargo location Dahl previously served as inside sales representative and management trainee at the company ’ s Savage, Minn., location. Prior to that, he was the special projects manager for the Marillac Social Center, a community services organization in Chicago

Cleveland joins United Valley Bank

Corey Cleveland has joined United Valley Bank in Grand Forks, N.D., as senior vice president. In this role, he oversees all commercial lending in the bank’s Gr and For ks locations Cleveland has more than 30 years of banking exp er ience, most recently as president of a regional bank in Grand Forks He is the incoming chairman of the board of directors for the North Dakota Bankers Association.

Traxinger joins Wheat Growers

Mike Traxinger has joined the South Dakota’s Wheat Growers staff as corporate attorney A fifthgeneration South Dakota farmer, he maintains a small herd of cattle on the family’s farm operation near Houghton He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a law degree with a focus in agricultural law from Drake University Law School He was also recently appointed to the Regional Watershed Advisory Task Force, an interim state legislative committee that is reviewing soil, water and drainage laws

Rames appointed interim DSU president

Mar ysz Rames, vice president for student affairs at S outh Dakota State Universit y in Brookings, has been appointed interim president of Dakota State University in Madison, S.D., by the South Dakota Board of Regents She replaces David Borofsky, who resigned after ser ving in the president role for more than two years.

Rames has served as student affairs vice president and assistant professor of education at SDSU since 2000. While there, she spearheaded a successful effort to increase enrollment and implement a student success model

Ackerman-Estvold adds landscape designer

Ethan Gefroh has joined Minot, N D -based Ackerman-Estvold as a landscape designer. He holds bachelor’s degrees in landscape architecture and environmental design from North Dakota State University and worked previously as a planning intern with the City of Minot. In his new role, he will develop landscape designs for the firm’s planning, architecture and municipal divisions

Ames Engineering expands staff

Williston, N D -based Ames Engineering and Development Services LLC recently added three new employees to its staff

Serena Christianson serves as marketing and public relations director and oversees the firm’s activities in those areas. She previously served as program coordinator and assistant professor of business at Williston State College

Cassie Klemetson has been hired as office manager and also assists the controller in managing the financial operations of the firm Before joining Ames, she was the accounting/office administrator for Probuild in Williston.

Jacob Porter joined the firm as a CADD technician He recently received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and architecture from Minnesota State University – Moorhead

Spectrum Aeromed promotes Enright

Air ambulance equipment maker Spectrum Aeromed has promoted Tammy Enright to senior vice president – business manager Enright previously served as office manager and director of marketing. In her new role, she will lead efforts to expand the company ’ s brand through all social media outlets She will also begin developing an “employee-centric” culture.

Moran hired as NMF business development specialist

Northwest Minnesota Foundation has hired Sean Moran as its business development specialist In this role, Moran will manage and implement the activities of NMF’s entrepreneur development program. He will also serve as program director for the Nor thwest Small Business Development Center, which is housed in NMF’s downtown Bemidji, Minn., headquarters. The two entities will jointly serve clients in the 12-county area of northwest Minnesota

UBS Financial Services promotes Schilling

UBS Financial Services Inc in Rapid City, S D , has promoted Vicki Schilling to first vice president-wealth management. Schilling has more than 23 years of experience as a financial advisor/portfolio manager and specializes in designing customized financial plans for her clients.

Widseth Smith Nolting adds Lee

Widseth Smith Nolting hired Jordan Lee as a funding specialist. In this role, he maintains relationships with personnel at state and federal funding agencies, researches and secures funding sources for projects and administers and provides guidance through the grant application process. Lee holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and European studies from Winona (Minn ) State University and completing a master’s degree in public administration at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks

Starion Financial hires Kragnes

Kevin Kragnes has joined Starion Financial as a business banking officer, vice president at its Fargo Urban Plains branch In this role, Kragnes helps customers identify, develop and manage loan portfolios and customer relationships by advising on business management, financial matters and other services. Kragnes has more than 20 years of lending and banking experience.