The VERB - Summer 2023

VERB The Inside this

Edition:

VCDC Annual Celebration Recap

Summer Event Preview

What’s Upcoming in Vermillion this SUMMER!

Interviews with Jake Thurston & Amberly Baus

VIEWPOINT

NOTE FROM The CEO

creating a fun working team here at the VCDC.

Spirit of South Dakota

JIM PETERSON - President/CEO

What a great first half of the year it’s been! The VCDC is spending 2023 focusing on our new mission: to serve the Vermillion area and its businesses to grow and prosper. We are connecting more with our existing and new members, adding more engagement and networking opportunities, and assisting businesses in their growth. We are collaborating with partners and members to find solutions for housing, workforce, and childcare. We are striving to fulfill our values of being accountable and having integrity, communicating well with our members, being customer-focused in all of our work, and

Most importantly, we are focused on improving engagement among our members. We asked you what you wanted to see from the chamber, and we listened. We updated our membership benefits for 2023 to ensure our members are receiving a better value for their investment, and we are taking a renewed focus to support them through engagement, marketing, advertisement, and sponsorship opportunities. I can confidently say that it’s better than ever to be a member of the VCDC. So far in 2023, we have had more members join than than our total membership growth last year. Our membership has grown 15%, and it only continues to rise!

We’ve introduced new events such as our “Wake Up Vermillion” and “Coffee and Conversation” series, which we hope you’ve enjoyed as networking opportunities with other folks in our community. Brittany hosted a “Maximizing your Membership” event, where she talked through important member benefits. We will continue to host these events going forward because we want to ensure that our members understand and take advantage of their benefits. We also launched the Live Ver-

million app in April. With business listings for both members and non-members, contact information for area businesses, and exclusive advertising opportunities for VCDC members, we are confident that this product will elevate the entire community.

We have an incredible staff at the VCDC, and I want to thank them for the tremendous work that they do. Brittany, Paddy, Sam, and Miles—thank you for your dedication to this organization.

Thank you, too, to the Vermillion community for your continued support. If you have any questions about what we have planned, call us or stop in for coffee. We are here to serve you, and to Connect, Grow, and Lead the Vermillion business community.

Jim Peterson

VCDC President & CEO

VIEWPOINT NOTE FROM The Chair

moving into our area, and it is equally as rewarding to watch our long-standing, established businesses investing back into Vermillion. We are right in the middle of a very defining time for the organization and there couldn’t be a better time for you to come on board.

If you are a new chamber member or have not been to one of the VCDC’s events in some time, I encourage you to get out and get involved. Seek out a board member or a VCDC staffer and introduce yourself. Explore the many opportunities that the VCDC presents.

Spirit of South Dakota

We hope to see you at one of our many events in the coming months. As always, it is a pleasure and honor to serve the VCDC as the Chair of the Board. I hope you have a fantastic summer and I invite you to reach out to myself, Jim, or any of the VCDC staff if there is anything we can do to better serve you and your business.

Sincerely,

Jeff Erickson

2022-2023 Board of Directors, Chair

JEFF ERICKSON - EXEC, CHAIR

We’re a month and a half into summer in Vermillion, and while summer is often seen as a quieter time in town, the dedicated team at the VCDC is actively working to bring you programming like Thursdays on the Platz (check out the schedule on page 10!) ribbon cuttings, and educational programming. The summer months provide an excellent opportunity to connect with new folks and nurture the friendships that are already there.

We’ve had a substantial boom in new members joining the VCDC— if you are one of those new members, welcome! We are thrilled to see so many new businesses

For existing and new members, if you want to get involved in making the VCDC’s efforts a continued success, you can join one of our committees. These committees work to advise the VCDC Board on current projects, community input and impact, and future priorities, and they range in topics from governmental affairs to VCDC ambassadorship. Whatever you decide, I challenge you to get involved.

The VCDC presents an opportunity for all of its members to grow their network (and thus, their business). Get out there and forge professional and personal relationships! Feel the energy, make the connections, and be active in what I believe is one of the best resources our community has at its fingertips.

EVENTS

SPRING EVENTS IN REVIEW

Spirit of South Dakota

Legislative coffees

We kicked off the new year with a Legislative Coffee event. This is possible in thanks to our legislators who traveled back to Vermillion from Pierre to speak to constituents.

SD State Senate District 17 is represented by Sydney Davis (R). SD House of Representatives District 17 is represented by Chris Kassin (R) and William ‘Bill’ Shorma (R).

We appreciate our event sponsors: USD Administration, BioMat, CorTrust Bank, First Dakota National Bank, First Bank & Trust, and the League of Women Voters of Southeast South Dakota!

March red talk

With 2023 returned our “RED Talk” series—our business luncheon events. We invited Kristal McKee from the SD Department of Labor (Vermillion Job Service) to come and speak about their various offerings and programs.

Vermillion Job Service is not only here to serve and support individuals with their workforce needs, but businesses as well. Kristal is passionate and energized in sharing information on agency programs to help grow your workforce and continue on the path of success!

Thank you to our series sponsors: CorTrust Bank, First Bank & Trust, First Dakota National Bank and Walmart of Vermillion!

Ribbon Cuttings + Open Houses

We’ve had the pleasure of celebrating MAJOR milestones for businesses across our community.

Sesdac celebrated 50 years serving Vermillion on March 24th! We were thrilled to be there with the fanfare.

Sara Bye with Farm Bureau Insurance celebrated 10 years on April 13th with a ribbon cutting & open house ceremony.

Sanford Vermillion and First Bank & Trust both hosted Business After Hours events.

The National Music Museum also celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a Ribbon Cutting and Open House of the Center for Preservation & Research.

coffee + networking

The VCDC added two new events to the docket for 2023: “Coffee & Conversation” and “Wake Up Vermillion.” We know how important it is for us to gather together, network, and spend time in fellowship.

The first Coffee & Conversation was led by our very-own Jim Peterson, President & CEO of the VCDC, on February 8th.

In April, we met at The Bean Community Coffeehouse for “Wake Up Vermillion,” a laid-back coffee mixer. It was great to see so many familiar faces there!

On May 10th, we were joined at Coffee & Conversation by Crystal Brady and a couple of her staff, who gave updates on the Vermillion Police Department.

goodwill groundbreaking

It’s always an exciting day when we get to break ground in Vermillion, and on May 2nd, we were joined by Goodwill of the Great Plains’ executives and lead team members as they broke ground on their newest Goodwill location, right in our community.

They are projecting to be open for business in Q1 of 2024, and their physical address will be 700 Bower Street.

We appreciate the investment that Goodwill of the Great Plains is making as they expand their presence into our community. They have contracted AMS Building Systems and Varley Construction for the project.

vcdc annual celebration

On April 27th, the VCDC and its members gathered to celebrate local Vermillionaires who are absolute rockstars in running their businesses and generous in lending their energy and support to organizations across the Vermillion Area.

The event was supported by a number of sponsors, including Champion sponsor, the University of South Dakota; Photobooth sponsor, Midco; Award sponsors, CorTrust Bank, Bluepeak, Biomat USA Vermillion, USD Foundation & Alumni Association, and Walmart; and several Dessert sponsors, too! For a full line-up and recap of winners, read on to this issue’s feature story on page 16!

EVENTS

THINGS 4 TO DO THIS SEASON

Thursdays on the platz 1

Vermillion’s favorite summer music series is BACK! Seven weeks, seven artists, local vendors, craft beer, warm weather, kids’ activities—the good times await!

Schedule:

July 13 – Kobe Provost

July 20 – Wild Card

July 27 – Fine Mess

August 3 – Canby Misfits

August 10 – Jetley Park

August 17 – Warning Shots

August 24 – Blue Rune

*August 10 performance at the Clay County Fair!

Spirit of South Dakota

4

Burger Battle

Who has the best burger in the county? The people will decide, and you can help!

For the month of July, participating eateries will create a special burger to show off their culinary prowess. Tasters (you!) will use the Live Vermillion app to rate them. The burger with the highest average points at the conclusion of the battle will be declared the winner!

clay county fair

Get ready for three days of animal shows, live music, cornhole tournaments, barbecue competitions, water wars, street dances, and more! From August 10th–12th, the Clay County Fairgrounds will be abuzz with summer fun. See everything from 4-H competitions to chainsaw carvings to USD Herpetology exhibits! Fancy yourself an adrenaline junkie? See (or compete in!)

Ribs, Rods, & Rock’N Roll

When over 30 teams from across the Midwest come together to compete in a BBQ battle, you’re gonna want to check out what they’re cooking! On September 8th and 9th, head downtown to celebrate this annual Vermillion tradition with food and drink (of course!), vendors, performances from local musicians, a cornhole tournament, a 5k color run, a classic car show, and more. Find the schedule online at sdbbq.us/schedule.

Spirit of South Dakota Featuring...

Café Brulé

Cee Cee’s

Dakota Brick House

Vermillion Eagles Club

Hartford Steak Co.

Leo’s Sports Bar & Grill

Main Street Pub

Old Lumber Company

R-Pizza

The Pit (Wakonda)

Toby’s Lounge (Meckling)

Whimp’s Place (Burbank)

the annual demolition derby. We could try listing all of their events here, but believe us, we wouldn’t even scratch the surface. For a full schedule, visit claycountyfair.net.

Spirit of South Dakota

JUNE IN REVIEW

VCDC Annual Golf Classic Spring on the farm celebration

Maximizing your membership School Board Elections

8

cchs annual ice cream social

south dakota shakespeare festival

21 21 19 17 16 15

vcdc red talk polaris hiring event

v NEXT THIRD THURSDAY

polaris hiring event

nmm live! Paul imholte

bourbon, beer, and barbecue!

juneteenth

cchs music mondays: bluff ridge band

the longest day fitness series

midco ribbon cutting

nmm live! Lynx lynx

Independence Day

Pro-Am golf tournament 4th of july fireworks

music in the park: phil baker

VCT Presents: Disney’s “newsies”

cchs music mondays: deaf cowboy band

thursdays on the platz: kobe provost

thursdays on the platz: wild card

shur-co ribbon cutting dakota hospital foundation golf social cHarlie’s Store Ribbon Cutting

thursdays on the platz: Fine mess

Spirit of South Dakota

C I T Y C O U N C I L

M A Y O R

J o n C o l e

C E N T R A L W A R D

K a t h e r i n e P r i c e

L i n d s e y J e n n e w e i n

N O R T H E A S T W A R D

J u l i a H e l l w e g e

T r a v i s L e t e l l i e r

N O R T H W E S T W A R D

B r i a n H u m p h r e y

M i k e M u r r a

S O U T H E A S T W A R D

R i c h H o l l a n d

C o u n c i l P r e s i d e n t

S t e v e W a r d

C o u n c i l V i c e P r e s i d e n t

C I T Y D E P A R T M E N T S

9 1 1 S e r v i c e

A d m i n i s t r a t i o n

A i r p o r t

B l u f f s G o l f C o u r s e

C o d e E n f o r c e m e n t

E n g i n e e r i n g

F i n a n c e

F i r e - E M S

L a n d f i l l

L i g h t & P o w e r

P a r k s & R e c r e a t i o n

P o l i c e

P u b l i c L i b r a r y

R e c y c l i n g C e n t e r

S t r e e t

W a t e r

W a s t e W a t e r

T h e C i t y C o u n c i l m e e t s o n t h e 1 s t & 3 r d

M o n d a y o f e a c h m o n t h a t 7 p m i n t h e

C o u n c i l C h a m b e r s a t C i t y H a l l

V i s i t t h e C i t y ' s w e b s i t e t o v i e w o r s u b s c r i b e

t o r e c e i v e a g e n d a s , C i t y C o u n c i l p a c k e t s ,

m e e t i n g r e p o r t s , o r o t h e r C i t y i n f o r m a t i o n

FEATURE STORY

Spirit of South Dakota

JULY RETROSPECTIVE a (half) year in review

Can you believe it’s already July?

From VCDC events to business development to Vermillion getting a shoutout in a national magazine, it’s an exciting time to be a Vermillionaire. Chamber membership continues to grow and diversify— so far, we’ve had a flower farm, video production freelancers, a church, manufacturors, restaurants, and quite a few service organizations join the chamber this year! So much has happened that it’s hard to keep track of it all, and we couldn’t possibly name everything, so here are some highlights from the first half of the year:

VCDC Annual Celebration

We rebranded our Annual Banquet to be an Annual Celebration because that’s really what it is: a celebration of the many individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and organizations that make what we do at the VCDC possible. The event was a black-and-white party, with attendees encouraged to dress entirely in black and white, no color allowed! Dinner was enjoyed, silent and live auctions were held, and a good time

was had by all. VCDC staff, board members, and friends gave out the 2023 VCDC Awards, two of which (Family-Owned Business of the Year and Chamber Member of the Year) were new. Congratulations to Family-Owned Business of the Year Pressing Matters, Spirit of Entrepreneurship winners Mike & Jen Phelan from Outside of a Dog Books & Games, Vermillion NEXT Young Professional of the Year Katey Ulrich, United Way Volunteer of the Year Judy Zwolak, Mayor’s Community Service Award winner Sandy Aakre, Community Leader of the Year Scott Pohlson, and Chamber Member of the Year Premier Real Estate & Property Management! Nobody was more deserving of the 2023 VCDC Awards than this crowd!

App Launc h

If you haven’t heard the news already, Vermillion has its own app! The new Live Vermillion app is modern, user friendly, and showcases how incredible Vermillion is just with the touch of a button. It’s now easier than ever to find so many of the amazing things in our community, like our dining and bar scene, amenities, services, retail stores, events, and more. Chamber

members have the

Pictured: Jim Peterson speaks at the 2023 annual celebration

opportunity to edit their business listing, hours, photos, and links to websites and social media, and they can even advertise directly in the app as well. We know that new businesses are popping up all the time, so if you don’t see your business, don’t worry. If the VCDC doesn’t add it first, you can submit a listing directly through the app. The app has over 900 downloads already, and the number grows every day!

New video campaign

The VCDC prides itself on helping businesses to grow and prosper, so we thought we might show off some success stories with our new video campaign, “There’s a Place for You in Vermillion.” Our friends from Outside of a Dog Books & Games, Blue Monarch Boutique, Davis Pharmacy, and Pied Piper Flowers and Gifts (new to town!) talk about their experiences with the VCDC and why they think Vermillion is a great place to live, stay, and play. We could go on, but we’ll let the video speak for itself: check it out on our YouTube channel at @vermillionsodak

Smithsonian Mention

The latest buzz about Vermillion? Our mention in the Smithsonian Magazine’s article “The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2023!” Towns on the list all have a population under 25,000 people and were chosen for their cultural history, geography, unique businesses, and community events. Vermillion made the list as the “Musical Small Town” pick! Check out what the article has to say about Vermillion:

“Thousands flock to this university town in South Dakota’s southeastern corner each year to experience the world-renowned National Music Museum, home to one of the largest collections of musical instruments on the planet […] Vermillion’s downtown is chock-full of restaurants, cafés and art galleries. Swing by Tigert Art Gallery to peruse limited-edition watercolor prints by Black Hills artist Jon Crane, or score a table at Dakota Brick House for plates of wings and poutine accompanied by pre-Prohibition-era craft cocktails. The town’s population nearly doubles during the school year, infusing its restaurants, pubs, theaters and streets with lots of lively energy.”

Those are just a few Vermillion highlighs of the last few months, and with Thursdays On The Platz, RED Talks, and ribbon cuttings galore on the horizon, 2023 is shaping up to be a great year!

Pictured: Resilient church pastor Jake thurston leads the meal invocation at the annual celebration

CHAMBER VITAL WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBERS!

Spirit of South Dakota

665.7700

593.2533

CHAMBER VITAL WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBERS!

Spirit of South Dakota

Mart Marine 1122 W. Main St. Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 624.3814

Anytime Fitness 838 E. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 624.9250

The Nutrition DEN 914 E. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 659.8323

Jensen Kennels 1318 E. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 670.6374

Goodwill 700 Bower St. Vermillion, SD 57069

Dakota Hospital Foundation 20 S. Plum St. Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 677.3617 See The Trainer 1322 E. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 271.5732

Bank Midwest 225 S. Minnesota Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (605) 275.9559

The UPS Store 1104 E. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 658.0202

Wieman Construction (605) 670.1221

Flannel Films (360) 798.5457

Leo’s Sports Bar & Grill 11 Market St. Vermillion, SD 57069 (605) 624.9991

CHAMBER VERBATIM MEMBER NEWS

Spirit of South Dakota

For the third year running, Banner Associates was selected as one of Prairie Business Magazine’s 50 Best Places to Work (2020, 2021, 2022), which was a welcome “cherry on top” of our 75th anniversary. We know all of this is thanks entirely to the amazing communities where we live, work, and play: from all of us at Banner, thank you! Each day brings new opportunities for us to make positive changes, and we are excited for the future. In Vermillion, the future is already taking shape on the strong foundation of our history.

Since 1968, Banner Associates has proudly been a part of Vermillion’s continued growth and change, and we’re growing too! After decades of projects with the City of Vermillion and others in the area, we opened our first Vermillion office in 2010 to expand our available services in the area. Vermillion and neighboring communities continued to thrive: to best serve these communities, we knew we had to do the same. We brought in some amazing team members with immense skills, rich experience, and deep ties to the area, ultimately outgrowing our original office.

Looking to 2023 and beyond, we want to start with gratitude. We are positively ecstatic about our new office location on Austin Street, proud to be recognized with the VCDC Brick Award, and thankful to everyone that has helped make this possible! It is our honor and privilege to see Vermillion continue to flourish, and we are grateful to know we get to be part of it. Here’s to 75 more years of Engineering a Better Community!

banner associates

Spirit of South Dakota

FEATURE MEMBER BENEFIT

One of our Chamber Member benefits that often flies under the radar is our Business After Hours service. A Business After Hours open house helps you show off your business, network with community members, and maybe meet some future clients! We’ll take care of hosting duties, help set up the event, and advertise it through official VCDC channels. If you want to establish your venture and become a staple of the Vermillion business scene, a Business After Hours event can help you get started.

NEW EMPLOYEEAmerican family insurance, Beukelman agency

Meet Grace Silbernick! Grace works part-time in Vermillion and Yankton for American Family Insurance as a Marketing Specialist. She’s a USD student and manages marketing, social media, and newspaper and radio advertising!

Welcome - NEW YOUNG PROFESSIONALS MEMBERS

• Julianna Benge

• Anna Colbert

• Rachel Franks

• Matt Hup

• Abby Kaup

• Autumn Lammers

• Kristina Lee

• Kate Lundahl

• Stacey O’Connor

• Savannah Wise

CHAMBER

VELOCITY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Why do you think Vermillion is a great place to be a young professional?

I have grown so much personally and professionally since moving to Vermillion eight years ago. The community has been so welcoming, creating my home away from home. There seem to be new connections and smiles waiting to happen around every turn.

What do you do professionally, and where can folks find you most of the time?

I am co-owner of ThirdsMedia, a marketing and hospitality group, and, as of August 19th, Cee Cee’s Cocktail Lounge. During the day, you will find me out and about in the community and mid-afternoon into the evening at Cee Cees. Stop and say hi! We have a full bar, mocktails, and food, and are constantly adding new items!

How did you first begin participating in Vermillion NEXT?

We co-hosted many events with Vermillion NEXT during my years as FOH manager at Dakota Brick House. Everyone is always friendly, outgoing, and inviting. Vermillion NEXT, like the community of Vermillion, has created a sense of belonging.

What do you think people should know about Vermillion NEXT?

Vermillion NEXT is an excellent opportunity to connect with like-minded and ambitious people. Becoming a part of the team allows for personal and professional growth through established networking and volunteer work within the community.

What do you hope to accomplish in the community?

As a young entrepreneur, I want to encourage young members of our community to reinvest in Vermillion. The development of Vermillion benefits both those who live in the community and future residents, including my friends, family, business, and, of course, myself.

The comfort of living in Vermillion is motivating. It has allowed me to build myself into the person I am today. Vermillion isn’t just a small community; it’s an endless opportunity.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years? Twenty?

In the next five to twenty years, I see myself continuing to do what I love—living in Vermillion, building upon current and creating new relationships, and expanding ThirdsMedia and Cee Cee’s. I want to raise a family here and develop the most of what I can from my surroundings while making Vermillion my home base. No matter how long you have lived in Vermillion, it is always a place to call home. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere other than Vermillion.

Amberly Baus

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Spirit of South Dakota WHY VERMILLION? Jake Thurston

Where are you from, originally and what inspired you to move to Vermillion?

I’m originally from Richmond, Indiana! About three of four years ago, God had called me to start a new church somewhere. I didn’t know when, and I didn’t know where. All I knew was church “planting” was something God had in store for my family and I.

After a major move back to my home state of Indiana, my wife and I were led to move back to South Dakota to chase that dream of planting a church. As we were dreaming about where that could be, Vermillion quickly rose to the top of the list! Being a high-energy college town with a close-knit community feel, we knew this was where we were meant to be—not just to plant Resilient Church, but to dig our family’s roots deep for decades to come!

What do you do to be engaged in the community and how do you encourage others to be involved? Since our church staff works remotely, we love being able to set up shop in Vermillion and “office” in local businesses. You’ll often see Mason (my co-pastor) and I working at The Bean, Starbucks, Café Brulé, or on campus. Not to mention that our church meets at The Dakota Center on Sunday mornings, which has been an amazing way for us to partner with a local business for worship services!

Other ways our church and I engage in the community include being members of the Chamber of Commerce and Vermillion NEXT, serving on the Vermillion Area Community Foundation board, attending local events, hosting local service initiatives, and financially supporting local nonprofits.

The Chamber of Commerce has been an amazing go-to for us, both in learning about Vermillion and in keeping us connected with everything else going on in town. Vermillion NEXT, our young professionals network, was a game changer for me when we first moved here. Some of the first friends I met were from the network. And if you’re looking to support any community development opportunities, the Community Connection Center with United Way and the Food Pantry is a great place to start!

What are some reasons you really enjoy Vermillion?

Vermillion is an exceptionally welcoming community. My family and I were amazed at how welcomed we felt the moment we got here. We love the high energy USD brings, and the close-knit, family feel of the community. Furthermore, the people of Vermillion exhibit a ton of passion for this place. They’re all-in. Whether it’s with USD, a new business coming to town, local events, or serving initiatives, people love it here.

How have you grown here?

I’ve grown in so many ways. Planting a church is very similar to starting a business, which has been incredibly trying at times. But perhaps the greatest way I’ve grown is the desire for us to make Vermillion our home for the long haul. I haven’t had a sense of long-term “stability” since I graduated high school from my hometown in Indiana. Little did we know that we would fall in love with Vermillion so much—that we really, truly, want to dig our roots deep here. We’re here to stay, Vermillion!

OUR

ARE READY!

Experience 7 all-new, unforgettable galleries featuring state of the art exhibits and interactives, showcasing the roles that musical instruments play in our lives - the new NMM is finally here!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26th 1 - 4 pm

Since 1954, Polaris has proudly defined, re-defined and then raised the bar again for the powersports industry. It is reflected in the innovation we bring to the products we design and experiences we create for all those who play, work and THINK OUTSIDE.

OVER $100,000 donated each year to local Vermillion & Clay County organizations 170 TEAM MEMBERS across two shifts; Part-

100+ COUNTRIES receive Parts & Accessories directly from the Vermillion DC

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Median househ0ld Income in Clay County and South Dakota

Spirit of South Dakota

Source: US Census Bureau

City Taxes (in dollars)

Source: 2021 City of Vermillion Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Chamber Memberships

Source: Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company

A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME VERMILLION

SD