ALUMNI PROFILES DEB EBLEN
PAUL SUKUT
Bachelor of Accountancy 1995
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Political Science, Jamestown College, 1977
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Computer Science 2001 Corporate Controller, Intelligent InSites Fargo, N.D.
Holding degrees in both Accountancy and Computer Science is rare, and it’s paid off for Deb Eblen. “My career path is nothing like I anticipated – it’s much better!” she said. “Every job has provided unique experiences that have prepared me for my next role.” Deb grew up on a farm near Page, N.D. After graduating from UND, she joined Arthur Andersen LLP in Minneapolis, and then Eide Bailly in Fargo. She later returned to UND and obtained a computer science degree. In 2004, she joined Eide Bailly Technology Consulting in Fargo as a Great Plains Software consultant and then worked for Microsoft Business Solutions in Fargo in the IT group supporting the accounting team. After her husband Bob, a former farmer, earned his degree, they moved to Kansas City where she spent three years as the accounting manager for Hallmark Cards, Inc. A former co-worker then contacted her about an opportunity to join a healthcare technology startup, Intelligent InSites, Inc. in Fargo. “I’m excited to help however I can to grow the company,” she said. She currently commutes between Fargo and Kansas City, splitting time between locations. One constant throughout her career has been giving back, whether it’s time, talent, or treasure. She was a featured speaker at the 2006 Hultberg Lectureship and keeps in touch with Accountancy Professor Mary Loyland. “Mary was not only an instructor, but someone I came to trust for guidance and advice,” she said. “To this day, I still enjoy keeping in contact and bouncing ideas off her. I know that I can always count on some great perspectives and honest answers.” Deb enjoys connecting with and mentoring young business professionals. “Simply making yourself available to younger professionals can have a huge impact,” she said. “Listening, letting them know of the lessons you’ve learned and stumbles you’ve had, and helping them blaze their own professional career can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience.” She and Bob have enjoyed volunteering at the Christmas in October event in Kansas City, where they rehabilitate and improve the homes of elderly, low-income, and disabled homeowners. They are also active volunteers at their sons’ school as parent readers, for field day, and class trips. Deb appreciates that she was able to attend a university that was supported by a network of generous alumni. “I was fortunate enough to have received numerous scholarships and was able to graduate without a huge amount of debt,” she said. “Without the contributions that helped fund those scholarships, my path may have been quite different.” She and Bob have two sons and are avid sports fans. They follow UND hockey and watch their boys play baseball. She enjoys music, playing piano, and being outdoors.
Master of Science with a major in Accounting, UND, 1984 CEO, Basin Electric Power Cooperative Bismarck, N.D.
No one could ask for a better career, said Paul Sukut of his 35 years in the energy industry. The Ellendale, N.D., native spent four years at Eide Bailly LLP starting in 1979, and moved to Basin Electric Power Cooperative as an audit manager in 1983. In 1988, he was named Vice President for Finance and Administration at Dakota Gasification Company when it was purchased by Basin Electric. He returned to Basin in 2001, where he rose through the ranks, and was named CEO January 2014. Basin Electric Power Cooperative is a consumer-owned generation and transmission cooperative with 137 member systems in nine states. The co-op employs more than 2,100 people in eight subsidiaries and operates more than 5,000 megawatts of electric generation. The co-op is projected to grow by a third over the next few years, mostly due to oil development in the Bakken Shale Formation in western North Dakota. Paul is a board member for the Bismarck Chamber of Commerce, where he served as chair and on the executive committee; the Fort Mandan Lewis & Clark Foundation; and the Bismarck Mandan Development Association. He also serves on the board of trustees for Jamestown College and the Missouri Valley YMCA, and as treasurer of the Bismarck/Mandan Tournament Committee. He was recently named co-chair of the 2014-2015 Bismarck-Mandan United Way annual campaign. Both in his position as CEO and as a community leader, Paul works to get younger people involved. “I like to see younger people coming in,” he said. “They are dynamic, smart, and it’s exciting to work with them. I like to see them grow and take the throttle – they help make Basin Electric a better place.” Paul believes that it’s important to employ and keep younger workers. “We need to keep our youth here,” he said. “That’s where I want to give back.” Paul has also returned to UND to visit with Accountancy students. “I had a great time doing it,” he said. He keeps in touch with Mary Loyland, and went to graduate school with her. In fact, just after he began his master’s program, he ended up harvesting for her late husband on their farm. “I consider UND such a huge factor in my success,” he said. “I want to pay back what I have been given, and I will always have an affinity for UND.” He and his wife, Colette, have one daughter, Lizzie. He enjoys gardening, running, and hunting. University of North Dakota 9