WINDING PATH

Bismarck State College’s many technical degrees often are touted as a path to a great career in two years or less.

Identical twins Steve and Michael Lannoye leveraged their BSC degrees in Power Plant Technology as a foundation for four-year degrees. Both circled back to energy, eventually — better prepared for the field.

As identical twins sometimes do, Steve and Michael had similar interests growing up and took similar classes in school. When it was time for college, they both attended BSC, graduating in 2005.

Steve then went on to Minnesota State University-Moorhead, where a 2+2 program allowed him to couple his technical degree with a business element. He graduated with a BS in Op- erations Management in 2008. After graduation, he got married, moved home to Bismarck and worked at a local bank.

His brother, who also had earned a four-year degree (in accounting), was at Basin Electric Power Cooperative by then and encouraged him to give the energy industry another shot.

After a short stint in an ethanol plant, Steve landed a job as a laborer at Antelope Valley Station in September 2014.

Laborers keep the plant site clean, caring for everything from plant site grounds and mobile equipment to supporting hand work required in the most critical excavations. It was a significant adjustment going from a shirt-and-tie banking role to a laborer.

“Sometimes it was difficult.

I asked myself ‘what am I doing?’ more than once, but I also knew that this wasn’t my endgame,” Steve said.

He became a coalman, and then an opportunity that combined his BSC education and his banking background arose. Basin Electric had recently moved its commodity and energy trading function inhouse and was looking for real-time traders and schedulers.

“I toured the trade floor and was like, yeah, this is interesting and something I think I could do well.”

The trade floor at Basin Electric is a miniature version of a commodity exchange or a brokerage house focused solely on energy commodities — oil, natural gas, coal, etc. Two tiers of stadium seating and desks with phones ringing off the hook are anchored by a back wall of screens tracking trends and commodity prices, showing maps and graphs.

Steve was hired as a real-time trader in May, finding and purchasing affordable electricity from the grid for Basin Electric cooperative members.

“I talk to control room operators a lot. When they tell us what’s going on, I have a good feel for what that means because of my (BSC) technical degree.” He says the economic principles learned at MSUM help as he searches for the best price. His time as a laborer also has proven valuable.

“The biggest thing on a real-time desk is communicating with plant operators. I have a good concept of general power plan ops. My colleagues appreciate that I know that, for instance, a tripped ID fan could take a plant down for a while.”

Steve recently completed his training on the trade floor, which included Basin Electric-sponsored industry training courses at BSC, and he began working independently in August. His twin is finishing his apprenticeship in mechanical maintenance at the Leland Olds Station, which is Basin Electric’s first coal-based facility. While their paths to the career they initially pursued meandered and detoured, Steve says both he and his brother are glad to be in energy and, especially, at Basin Electric.

“Basin’s a great company to work for. If you come in and want to work toward a specific kind of job, they’ll set up a track to get you there,” Steve says.

To learn more about BSC’s energy programs, visit bismarckstate.edu/energy.

To learn more about careers at Basin Electric, visit basinelectric.com.

REAL-TIME

Your energy starts here.

Be the light.

The world we share provides abundant vitality –time with those we love and beautiful landscapes to explore. It’s why we use our natural resources to create electricity in the cleanest, safest manner possible. To us, it’s more than delivering light, it’s being a light for our members and our communities by ensuring our environment remains vibrant for all future generations.

basinelectric.com/bethelight

Wells Fargo hires Bismarck business relationship manager

ShaLee Bitz has been named business relationship manager for Wells Fargo in Bismarck, N.D.

Bitz has almost 10 years of financial services experience. She began her career as a credit manager for the former Wells Fargo Financial in White Bear Lake, Minn., and also worked as a sales specialist, team lead and supervisor. She then worked as a business sales consultant for Wells Fargo Merchant Services in Bloomington, Minn. Outside of Wells Fargo, she worked as a senior financial analyst for OptumInsight.

Bitz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a degree in accounting from St. Catherine University in St. Paul.

CHS names San Miguel risk management services VP

CHS Inc., a farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods business headquartered in Inver Grove Heights, Minn., has appointed Manuel San Miguel to the newly created position of vice president of risk management services.

San Miguel has been with CHS since 2011 as vice president of enterprise strategy and planning. He is a graduate of Inter-American University in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He holds a double bachelor’s degree in accounting and marketing, and is also a certified public accountant.

Alerus Financial Corp. promotes McConn

Alerus Financial Corp., headquartered in Grand Forks, has promoted Ann McConn to executive vice president, overseeing the Retirement and Benefits Division and Wealth Management Division. McConn has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, including previously serving as executive director of the Wealth Management Division since 2014, and before that, as market president for Alerus’ Fargo/ West Fargo, N.D., market.

McConn received a law degree from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, and a master’s degree in business from Minnesota State University Moorhead. She also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner designations.

WCCO Belting names business development VP

WCCO Belting, located in Wahpeton, N.D., has named Jean Voorhees its vice president of business development. Voorhees brings more than 20 years of international business experience in leadership positions with several well-known multinational, billion-dollar companies. Her focus has been on global strategic marketing, distribution management and new product development. Voorhees has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics from North Dakota State University in Fargo.

Midco names technology SVP

Midco, headquartered in Sioux Falls, S.D., has named Tom McAdaragh its new senior vice president of technology.

Most recently, McAdaragh served as senior vice president of operations and vice president of engineering at SONIFI Solutions, which delivers interactive TV, mobility, internet and other services to the hospitality and health care industries worldwide.

McAdaragh holds bachelor’s degrees in electronics engineering technology and computer science from Minnesota State University.

AE2S hires real estate program coordinator

AE2S has hired Joe Herbst as a real estate program coordinator in the firm’s Fargo office.

Before joining AE2S, Herbst worked for the State of Wyoming in the Governor’s Office, Legislature, and State Lands Office, as project manager and independent land agent for land acquisitions for renewable energy projects, and as the sustainability coordinator at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Herbst holds a Bachelor of Arts double major in Political Science and Environment and Natural Resources from the University of Wyoming in Laramie and is working to complete a Master of Science degree in Natural Resource Management from North Dakota State University in Fargo.

Williston State college names student life coordinator

Karissa Kjos has joined Williston (N.D.) State College as the new student life coordinator.

Kjos holds a degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead. She most recently served as executive director for the Williston Downtowners Association. Before that, she was the event coordinator for the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce.

University of Mary names Master of Public Administration director

The University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., has named William G. Goetz director of its new Master of Public Administration program. The 36-credit program in the University of Mary’s Gary Tharaldson School of Business will include optional concentrations in a variety of fields, such as project management, energy management and health care.

Goetz has served as chief of staff for two former North Dakota governors, chancellor of the North Dakota University System and a state senator and representative.

Choice Financial hires Verghis

Dannelle Verghis recently joined Choice Financial in West Fargo, N.D., as a customer service representative/personal banker.

Verghis attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and received a degree in business management.

Eide Bailly adds to technology advisory team

Kirsten Henagin has joined regional certified public accounting and business advisory firm Eide Bailly LLP as a technology advisory associate in Fargo.

Henagin joins the Eide Bailly Technology Consulting team after earning her Bachelor of Arts in Business and Global Studies from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.

Gate City Insurance Agency hires Gruenberg

Shawn Gruenberg has been hired as an insurance adviser for Gate City Insurance Agency at Gate City Bank’s downtown Moorhead, Minn., office.

Gruenberg joins Gate City Insurance Agency with more than 16 years of experience in the insurance services industry.

Gruenberg received a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.

Network Center Inc. announces new hires

Technology solution provider Network Center Inc., of Fargo, has announced the addition of software developer Katie Schuler, support specialists Joshua Roberts and Kody Krier, business development manager Ashley Dyste, and application developer Alex Paulson.

Schuler graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead and brings more than 11 years of experience, most recently with AFBIS Inc.

Roberts is currently pursuing a degree in information technology from Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead. He brings eight years of industry experience.

Krier graduated from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan., and brings four years of experience, most recently with Daily’s Premium Meats.

Dyste graduated from Kaplan University and brings two years of experience, most recently with Leighton Broadcasting in Grand Forks.

Paulson recently graduated from North Dakota State University in Fargo. Paulson joins the Network Center Inc. team after working at Western State Bank as an intern.