DAKOTA PARTNERS

Developing and maintaining the infrastructure in the Dakotas and neighboring states at Morris Inc. requires planning and partnering with our associates.

Our manufacturing division utilizes a skilled team of craftsmen and women to build state of the art aggregate processing equipment to create clean high grade materials for use in construction where asphalt and concrete are required.

Morris is also a Terex Powerscreen dealer in the Dakotas providing sales and rentals of mobile crushing and screening equipment as well as recycling concrete and asphalt into new road building material.

Kraus-Anderson opens Bismarck office

Kraus-Anderson Construction Co recently announced plans to open an office in Bismarck, N D , to meet the demands of increased regional development and the Bakken energy boom Ross Wilmes has been hired as senior project manager in the new office and will work with Dave Lenss, KA’s operations manager for North Dakota Prior to joining KA, Wilmes served as project manager for North Dakota-based Comstock Construction Inc.

KA opened an office in Minot, N D , in 2011 The company has a 40-year history of construction management in North Dakota.

Black Hills CPA firm launches pro bono program

Rapid City, S D -based full-service public accounting firm Casey Peterson & Associates has created a program to provide accounting services and volunteer time to selected Black Hills nonprofit organizations. “Helping You Help Others” was created by the firm’s nonprofit industry team and provides recipients with eight hours of tax, accounting, audit or consulting services at no charge. The team will also contribute a half day of volunteer service to the organization

Prairie Hills Transit, which provides public transportation to people of all ages, was selected as the program ’ s first recipient. The organization was selected through an application process that detailed its mission, goals, accounting and volunteer needs.

Door manufacturer unveils new name, new facility

West Fargo, N D -based door manufacturer Midland Bi-fold Doors has changed its name to Midland Door Solutions in order to better reflect its core capabilities and products as well as its growth into architectural applications, the company says It has also opened a new 40,000-square-foot production facility and warehouse in West Fargo to accommodate its growing product line and customer base. The new facility is located near its sister company, Midland Garage Door Manufacturing Co

SDSU named Innovation, Economic Prosperity University

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities has designated South Dakota State University as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University The honor recognizes universities for their work with public and private sector partners to support economic development through activities including innovation and entrepreneurship, technology transfer, talent and workforce development, and community development.

SDSU was one of 14 universities to receive the designation this year A total of 30 public universities hold the honor throughout the U.S.

Hess Corp. gives $5 million to UND

Hess Corp has donated $5 million to the University of North Dakota’s College of Engineering and Mines and the UND Alumni Association and Foundation. The North Dakota Higher Education Challenge Fund matched $2 5 million, bringing the total to $7 5 million

Funds will be used to support laboratories that will be included in the construction of UND’s new Collaborative Energy Complex The complex will feature more than 30,000 square feet of research/teaching labs and customized spaces for students and industry, as well as provide space for the Petroleum Engineering and the Institute for Energy Studies programs and the Hess Innovation Lab

The entire project is expected to cost $15 5 million.

DCN’s North Dakota Fiber Optic Network

KLJ has operations in 23 different locations employing over 750 professionals. With KLJ’s signi cant growth, reliable network connectivity is a priority. DCN consistently provides outstanding services to meet KLJ’s growing needs as a corporation. DCN’s services give KLJ the capability to directly collaborate between of ces via their Ethernet connections utilizing DCN’s ber network.

“DCN has proven to be a trusted advisor by providing quality service and expertise for our corporate technology needs for more than 10 years. The ability to work on our systems remotely has allowed efficient network management of KLJ’s 23 office locations, allowing us to grow and maintain a collaborative working environment throughout our corporation and respond quickly to client needs through stable internet connections and high upload speed.”

Benchmark Foam names new president

Doug Block has joined Benchmark Foam in Watertown, S.D., as president and will be responsible for the strategic planning and growth of the company while overseeing all operations, including sales, marketing, manufacturing, accounting and quality. He will replace Tom Devine, who will retire in September 2015

Block has more than 15 years of experience in manufacturing management, including serving as an operations manager and vice president while simultaneously owning and operating a sign installation company

Leingang named BSC dean

Daniel Leingang has been named dean of academic affairs at Bismarck (N D ) State College, replacing longtime dean Janelle Masters, who retired in June

Leingang joined BSC in 2000 as an associate professor of mathematics. He was named chair of the geomatics, engineering and mathematics department in 2005 and has earned national and regional awards as outstanding adviser to BSC’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, as well as several faculty excellence awards He is currently completing his doctorate in educational leadership with a higher education focus from the University of North Dakota.

Puszynski to serve as SDSMT vp, research

Jan Puszynski has been appointed vice president for research at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology He joined SDSMT in 1991 as a chemical engineering professor and has also served as a college dean. He has extensive research experience, serving as principle investigator on projects funded by several federal agencies, and has been a leader in developing research relationships between SDSMT’s chemical and biological engineering department and the U S military

In 1999, he established Innovative Materials and Processes LLC, a company that has grown with direct contracts and projects funded by the U S Navy and U S Army

He has published more than 175 scientific papers, co-authored several patents and is the recipient of numerous national and international awards

Noridian board appoints Huckle CEO

Nordian Mutual Insurance Co ’ s board of directors has appointed Tim Huckle as president and CEO He had been serving as interim CEO since May NMIC does business in North Dakota as Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota.

Huckle has 29 years of experience with NMIC, serving most recently as chief operating officer of BCBSND The board credited his experience, commitment to the company ’ s long-term goals, as well as his success in maintaining business continuity and performance through his time as interim CEO, as reasons to appoint him as the company ’ s new leader.

Williston economic development leader to retire

Tom Rolfstad, Williston, N.D.’s longtime economic development leader, has announced plans to retire Rolfstad served as executive director for Williston Economic Development from 1979 to 1985 and from 1991 until this year.

Shawn Wenko, deputy director of WED, is expected to replace Rolfstad Wenko joined the organization in 2008 with the expectation that he would move into the leadership role upon Rolfstad’s retirement

Palm, Winskowski named to new FCC roles

Detroit Lakes (Minn ) Tribune and Becker County (Minn ) Record Publisher Dennis Winskowski is now also serving as publisher of the Park Rapids Enterprise He succeeds Rory Palm, who has been named publisher of the Daily Republic in Mitchell, S.D. All of the newspapers are owned by Fargo-based Forum Communications Co , which also owns Prairie Business magazine Winskowski previously served as publisher of the Enterprise from 1985 to 1986. He currently oversees a group of newspapers for FCC known as the Lakes Group, which includes Park Rapids, Detroit Lakes, Perham, Wadena, Alexandria and Morris, Minn.

Palm served as publisher of the Enterprise since 2007 He also served as general manager of the River Falls (Wis.) Journal for nine years as well as director for the group of newspapers that included the River Falls Journal

Barbara Bang NDSCS dean appointed NCWE president-elect

Barbara Bang, dean of technologies at North Dakota State College of Science, has been named president-elect of the National Council for Workforce Education Her one-year term as president-elect began July 1

NCWE provides a national forum for college administrators and faculty, as well as business, labor, military and government representatives to affect and direct the future role of two-year and other post-secondary institutions in workforce education and economic development

Bang has previously served in both the vice president for communication and regional director roles for the group.

Buus, Budan join NDSU Research Park board

Jim Buus and Thomas Budan have been named to the North Dakota State University Research and Technology Park board of directors.

Buus is the manag ing broker and coow ner of Goldmark Schlossman Commercial Real Estate Ser v ices Inc in Fargo He also ser ves as president of the Fargo Moorhead Angel Investment Fund and has ser ved on the adv isor y board of the research park’s business incubator

Budan is the general manager of John Deere Electronic Solutions Inc. in Fargo. He serves on the boards of the United Way of Cass Clay and the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corp.