Digital Chamber Newsletter, Q1, 2024

02 Letter from our Immediate Past President

03 2024 Burger Battle Winner

04 Why Shop Local?

05 Letter from Our New Chamber President

06 Cressman Sanitation Values Small Town Relationships and Opportunites

08 Letter from Our New HACC Director

09 Letter from Our Economic Development Director

10 2024 Annual Chamber Banquet

11 2023 Chamber Awardees

12 Letter from West Central Superintendent

14 Dave & Co. Sees Nothing But Growth In Store For Hartford

16 2024 Chamber Officers

17 Letter from the HADF President

18 Member Directory

Letter from our Immediate Past President - ASHLIE

Dear Members and Friends of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce,

As my term as President of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce comes to a close, I want to express my gratitude for the collaborative efforts and shared successes we've experienced over the past year.

Our community has witnessed the success of events like Trunk or Treat, the Hartford Block Party, and #DiscoverHartford Week. Your active participation and dedication have made these events a true testament to the strength of our community.

As I step into the role of Past President on the Chamber's board, I'm pleased to share that our initiatives, including the expansion of the #DiscoverHartford app, are gaining momentum. This growth reflects our commitment to promoting local businesses and enhancing our community's connectivity.

I'd like to extend a warm welcome to our incoming President, Scott Schrader. With his experience, I am

confident that Scott will guide the Chamber effectively in 2024. Scott, the Chamber community is ready to support you, and we wish you a successful year ahead.

While my role is changing, my commitment to the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce remains steadfast. I look forward to contributing to our community's continued success and witnessing the organization's ongoing growth.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your President. It has been an honor!

Wishing you all continued success and prosperity!

Wow! It’s hard to believe that the first month of 2024 has come and gone. I am honored to assume the role as President of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce. I would like to express my gratitude for the warm welcome and support I have received thus far.

Thank you to Amy M. Farr. She has served as the Chamber and Economic Development Director for the City of Hartford for the past three years. I'm thankful for everything I have learned from Amy since joining the board last year and I appreciate the time she has spent working with me directly in helping me gain more knowledge on the chamber. Thank you again Amy for helping me with this. I certainly appreciate you.

I want to extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Ashlie Matthews, Black Hills Federal Credit Union, for her leadership and guidance. Since the inception of the chamber in 2013, its vision was to have a director dedicated to its mission. This past year, Ashlie worked tirelessly with the Executive Board/Board, Mayor, City Administrator, and several others to bring that to fruition.

I am happy to welcome Wynne Hindt as the new Chamber Director. She began her role with us last month. I look forward to working with her and seeing our chamber continue to grow through engagement, networking, and promotion as we embark on this exciting journey together.

Also, as many know, when volunteering for any organization, it’s not just the person volunteering, but their family too. Ace Hardware opened in 2021 in Hartford. My family and I moved to Hartford and became involved in the community. One of my first volunteer events was for the chamber’s dunk tank – still one of my favorites to date. My entire family joined me that day and not only cheered me on, but also helped to ensure that the event was a success. I am so blessed as my wife, Mateya, works at West Central and we have three wonderful daughters who attend West Central in grades 2, 6, and 8.

I want to thank the leadership of Ace Hardware for giving me the opportunity to volunteer in my community and help make it a better place to live, work and play. I look forward to working with each of you to build our chamber one business at a time!

Johnn Cressman was born and raised in Hartford, and he understands the value of community connections firsthand.

His business, Cressman Sanitation, serves Sioux Falls, Hartford and Humboldt, and he has been a loyal member of the Hartford Chamber since the beginning.

"I wanted to be involved in the community and get to know other small business owners. It's a nice network where you can discuss different business models, or if someone's struggling, you might be able to give

advice," he said.

Cressman appreciates how personal business can be in a small community.

"The business model here is different than in Sioux Falls - around two-thirds of my customers are in Sioux Falls, but I'm not involved in their Chamber at all. Hartford is more personal because I grew up here, plus I'm actually in the process of moving back now."

The connections Cressman has built in Hartford motivate him to give back to the community.

"I always say my Hartford customers are the best. They care that I'm the local guy, and I'm involved in activities, sponsoring their kid's baseball team or other events. It's nice to be able to give back to a community that's so good at supporting the local guy." He emphasizes the importance of that mutual support.

"Let's face it, you don't see Walmart or Target or Amazon on the back of the kids' sports t-shirts. It's all the mom-and-pop stores in the area. If we can all support one another, the success just feeds on itself."

Meet Wynne: Our New Chamber Director

investment in their lives, as a Mortgage Loan Officer, I am eager to leverage my skills and passion to contribute to the prosperity and wellbeing of our community.

My door is always open, and I enjoy hearing your thoughts, ideas and aspirations for our community.

Letter from our Economic Development Director - Amy

I am excited to welcome Wynne Hindt as the new Chamber Director for the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce. She is already off to a great start with the 2024 Burger Battle, two Legislative Coffees and the Annual Banquet being successful!

t is with great enthusiasm and a profound sense of honor to serve as the Chamber Director for the Hartford area. My husband, Randy, and I returned after being away for 9 years. We are thrilled to be back in the area.

As the Chamber Director, I bring with me deep commitment to fostering economic growth, community engagement, and a spirit of collaboration. With a background in serving individuals and families making the largest

Let us join hands in creating a Hartford that is not only a great place to live and work but also a shining example of unity and progress.

I am honored to serve as your Chamber Director and look forward to getting to know each and every one of you as we embark on this exciting journey together. Here to serve!

As I transition into my new role as the full time Economic Development Director for the Hartford Area Development Foundation, I recognize the importance of continuing to work with Wynne, the Chamber Board of Directors, and their members as they are Hartford’s future. I look forward to continuing the work with the Hartford Area Development Foundation Board of Directors in fostering Hartford’s thriving business environment and strong relationships. With a passion for driving economic growth, we are poised to take advantage of emerging opportunities and attract new businesses to our region and the community of Hartford.

This new role will provide me the opportunity to focus entirely on driving economic progress and prosperity, cultivating entrepreneurship, and attracting business

investment. I will continue to work to understand the unique needs of our community and I am committed to leveraging those strengths to drive sustainable growth.

I want to thank the Chamber Board of Directors, Chamber members, Mayor, City Council, City Administrator and the Development Foundation Board of Directors for their leadership, dedication, and vision as it has played a vital role in working towards a better future for Hartford.

As we embark on this journey with Wynne Hindt as Chamber Director and me as the Economic Development Director, let us embrace change, seize opportunities, and work together towards a brighter future for our community. Together, we can build a thriving economy that benefits everyone involved.

The Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated their 2024 Annual Banquet with a night of bowling and golf on Saturday, February 17. Those in attendance enjoyed an evening of networking and fun at GreatLife Suburban Lanes with dinner served by Creekside Meats and Sunshine Foods. During the Annual Banquet, three awards were announced: 2023

Business of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and the 2024 Burger Battle winner.

Congrats to the Business of the Year for 2023 - Travis Electric. They have been a community member since 2005 and a chamber member since 2016. They continually step up and are large contributors to

almost every event in the community. Businesses like this one are the reason we are able to have so many great and successful events in the town of Hartford. Our Volunteer of the Year, Michelle can be found in various areas of our community volunteering. She has taken on Meals on Wheels, which is a daily commitment to make sure our elderly and shut-ins have meals Monday through Friday. She also finds time to lead Downtown Hartford Inc. Including the Downtown Market, downtown Hartford's Witches and Warlocks Wine Walk in October. Her infectious smile and laughter, her willingness to give, and her love for this community are amazing.

Letter from West central Superintendent - Eric

In my experience, a healthy school system that is thriving with positive student achievement and student opportunities comes from a healthy booming community and economic development. A healthy growing city that has growing business development, new business opportunities, and thriving economic development has a school system in the background that supports and provides value to the economic development that is taking place. In my short time, I have learned that the prideful nature of our communities will power us through any transition that we may face.

growth

During the 2023-2024 school year many school districts saw a decrease in their enrollment numbers. We were able to maintain the

enrollment numbers that were projected. The cities of Hartford and Humboldt continue to have housing developments and new construction that will likely increase the District’s enrollment. The District and the city of Sioux Falls have had meetings to discuss what the development there looks like and its impact on our district. The area surrounding 12th Street and Ellis Road north to 60th Street N. and Le Mesa Dr. is projected to have development in the 6-15 year range. As Hartford, Humboldt, and northwest Sioux Falls continue to grow we continue to plan to meet this growth.

Within our district, we are blessed to have beautiful facilities that allow our students, teachers, and coaches

to provide amazing opportunities for student growth. We are beginning to feel our capacity levels tighten. In response to those feelings, we are working tirelessly to finish the Hartford Elementary construction project. This project will add 6 classrooms, a new gymnasium, and renovate many other classrooms, offices, and spaces. The district recently purchased approximately 25 acres along Michelson Road. The vision for this land is to build a new middle school. This will allow us to renovate the middle school into an expanded high school space. In response to the likelihood of growth in Sioux Falls, the District is exploring land options there. The District previously purchased 5 acres at Maple Street and Le Mesa Dr., we will look to expand those 5 acres into 5-7 more for a possible elementary school in that area to meet growth needs. These items will become more substantiated during our strategic planning period and as enrollment projections become a reality.

Strategic Planning

After the 2023-2024 school year, the West Central School District’s 5-year strategic plan comes to an end. The District, School Board, and Leadership Team

are working on generating a new 5-year plan. This plan is intended to be a living document, the plan is for this one to be evaluated and adjusted bi-yearly. The school board has established five goals that center around: student achievement, school governance, community engagement, safe schools, and district staffing. From these goals, each building and department will build goals to fall under the umbrella of the board’s goals. There will be much more on this topic after the Leadership Team has developed a good working draft based on the board’s goals and vision of the district.

Dave Larson and his team with Hegg Realtors have been a valuable part of the Hartford community - and the Chamber of Commerce - for eight years.

In that time period, Larson has witnessed significant growth in the community, and he says it's only the beginning.

"Hartford's growing like crazy right now," he said.

Being an active member of the Chamber helps Larson and his team stay up-to-date on the latest

happenings in town. Plus, the work they're doingfinding homes for new and existing residents - only helps build up the growing community.

Finding the right home can be challenging, particularly in the current real estate market. Having a trusted expert in your corner is crucial, and Larson is proud to offer that service to people who are eager to join the Hartford community.

He emphasizes his appreciation for the Chamber and the connections it has provided his team.

"It's all about meeting new business owners in town and being part of a fun community. The more people

we have involved with the Chamber, the more fun we have, and the more people in town, the more we succeed," he said.

Larson and his team serve the Hartford and Sioux Falls markets, and they are currently expanding to Mitchell as well.

If you're looking for assistance as a buyer or a seller, reach out to Dave & Co. at (605) 951-3551 or at www. daveandco.hegg.com/contact

The Hartford Area Development Foundation (HADF) is excited for 2024. The HADF completed a housing study that will assist with future housing needs and providing much needed information to developers and real estate brokers looking to attract residents.

Over the past two years, the HADF has purchased approximately 200 acres of land just north of SD HWY 38.On 44 of those acres, the HADF partnered with the City of Hartford to secure funding for development.

It was announced that the city received $1.9 Million in grant funding from EDA and GOED LIIP Grant to construct the remainder of 12th Street and N. Oaks Ave. This will provide the HADF the opportunity to sell industrial land in what is now known as North Oaks Industrial Park | Hartford Area Development Foundation. The HADF continues to work with landowners, businesses, brokers, engineers, and residents to build Hartford one road, brick, business or home at a time.

Rhonda

Ashlie

Wynne Hindt Director

Scott Schrader President

Casie Goebel Secretary Sunshine Foods

Keith Miller Treasurer First PREMIER Bank

Johnn

Nikkie

Bridget Pliska Director

Greg Oleson

Lana

// RIBBON CUTTINGS

HARTFORD WELCOMES NEW opportunities TO THE COMMUNITY

BLACK TIE COMPONENTS, LLC

1820 N. Western Ave.

Black Tie Components is a 61,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility. They offer automated manufacturing of construction wood roof and floor trusses and prefabricated wall panels. They plan to be a cornerstone in the construction industry, in the region leading through a quality product with a client-based delivery methodology. 

HARTFORD SENIOR CITIZENS/GAGE HOUSE (REMODEL/NEW OWNERSHIP)

119 N. Main Ave.

With the help of the Hartford Area Development Foundation’s Envision 2025 capital campaign and the City of Hartford purchasing the building, the Hartford Senior Citizens have been able to make some updates that have given them the opportunity to maintain a welcoming space for all senior citizens and visitors to enjoy. 

NURTURE FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC (NEW MEMBER)

100 SD Hwy 38

Nurture Family Chiropractic is new to Hartford and excited to be providing individualized chiropractic care services to the community of Hartford and the surrounding areas. Nurture Family Chiropractic welcomes new patients and is available for appointments MondayFriday. 

WEST CENTRAL COMMUNITY COURTYARD (NEW COURTYARD)

705 E. 2nd Street

West Central High School Student Council has been working for several years to make a courtyard where students and members of the community can enjoy, recognize, and honor others. 

CITY OF HARTFORD (NEW WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY)

SD Hwy 38

The City of Hartford, SD broke ground on their new 23.5M wastewater treatment facility on September 18, 2023. The City of Hartford continues to grow with recent land purchases, new housing developments and new businesses coming to Hartford. This is a large step in the future growth of Hartford allowing for not only Hartford to grow, but it can assist the surrounding communities as a regional facility. 

HOMESTEAD HILLS, LLC (NEW BUSINESS)

N.Menth St. & S. Main Ave. (Downtown Hartford)

L to R: Ashlie Matthews (chamber president), Mark O’Hara, Eric Veurink (co-owner), Robbie Veurink (president), Paul Groeneweg (co-owner), Mayor Arden Jones, and Amy M. Farr (chamber and economic development director, City of Hartford)

L to R: Debbie Brown, Johnn Cressman, Brittany Glanzer, Dr. Emily Keefer (owner), Karter Keefer, Mayor Arden Jones, and Amy M. Farr (chamber and economic development director, City of Hartford)

Wade Leonard, Teresa Sidel (City Administrator, City of Hartford), Ashlie Matthews (chamber president), Mark Brenneman (Hartford City Councilman), Mayor Arden Jones, Rachel Kloos (ISG), Shaun Boen (Hartford City Councilman), Amy M. Farr (chamber and economic development director, City of Hartford), Steve Watson, Jesse O’Kane, Craig Wagner, Jesse O’Kane (City of Hartford – Public Works), Craig Wagner (City of Hartford – Superintendent, Public Works), Justin Heim (ISG)

L to R: Helen Beckman, Gerald Beninga (president & ceo, Active Generations), Deanna Bies (Treasurer), Amy M. Farr (chamber and economic development director, City of Hartford), Scott Schrader, (chamber president), Lois Kaiser, Mark O’Hara, Mayor Arden Jones, and Michelle Edgecomb-Schilling

L to R: Rhonda Erickson, Brittany Glanzer, Amy Lupkes (counselor, West Central High School, Scott Schrader (chamber vice president), and members of student council.

Stacey Sieverding (partner), Don (Duck) Sieverding (partner), Joel Boy (partner), Michelle Boy (partner), Mayor Arden Jones, Amy M. Farr (chamber and economic development director, City of Hartford), and Dave Larson (Secretary, Hartford Area Development Foundation)

2024 - 1st Quarter

Salem

Sanford

Shamrock

Sieverding

Siouxland

Sioux

South

South