The VERB - Winter 2023

The WINTER 2023

VERB

Inside this Edition:

Jeff Erickson’s Final Note Ribbon Cuttings Galore Interviews with Young Entrepreneurs 26 New Member Welcomes

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CONTENTS

Spirit of South Dakota

Viewpoint 2 3

Note From the ceo — Jim peterson Note from The chair — jeff erickson

venture 6–7 8–9

SUmmer & Fall events in review 4 things to do in vermillion

vantage 12 Feature story: The next Generation 14–15 new chamber members

velocity 17

economic development stats

Poll What’s your favorite part of winter in vermillion?

A. Standstill Parade of Lights B. Shopping local!

C. Enjoying hot drinks from the Bean & Brulé d. Hunkering down & Staying warm!

POLL RESULTS

A. 25% b. 16% c. 39% D. 20% @livevermillion @VermillionSd @VermillionSD @VermillionSD

VIEWPOINT

Notes from the Leadership

NOTE FROM The CEO

they did not work, we endeavored to replace them with something that did.

JIM PETERSON — President/Ceo

CONNECT. GROW. LEAD.

When we started the year, we took a renewed focus to our membership. Our mission is to serve the Vermillion area and its businesses to grow and prosper. Our guiding question for 2023 was “How do we serve you better?” Answering that question required us to take a step back and evaluate the services we provide as a chamber and development company. We met with you. We listened. We thank you for your feedback. We looked at our events, member benefits, initiatives, and programs. If they worked, we found ways to make them better. If

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One of our newer initiatives is providing more educational opportunities to our members. In September, we introduced our Grow with Google classes. This series, which we host in partnership with Danish Girl Marketing, helps members elevate their online presence, thereby growing business. We introduced our Coffee & Conversation series, which takes place the first Wednesday of every month, where we have guests from around the community or I speak on a variety of topics over coffee at McVicker Plaza. So far, we have had guest presentations on the Civic Council Thrift Store, the Police Department, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Vermillion School District, as well housing and economic development in Vermillion.

We expanded our advertising offerings, providing more ways than ever to get your message out through official VCDC channels. You can now buy display ads and push notifications on the Live Vermillion app, which may just be the most efficient way to get your business in front of an audience of over 1,400 people. For information-heavy announcements, members can take advantage of our email blast service, which has been used to announce Sanford’s

breakthrough 3-D mammography technology, introduce the Vermillion area to Dr. Kirsten of Triumph Chiropractic, and distribute Vermillion’s triennial Community Health Needs Assessment survey.

Recently, we are most excited about our member check-in program, with the goal to meet face-to-face with one hundred members in one hundred days. This initiative is designed to strengthen relationships, understand member needs, and collaborate on solutions to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of our local business community. If you have not had your check-in yet, stay tuned!

It is an exciting time in the chamber world. We have grown to over three hundred and twenty-five members this year, and while I cannot disclose too much, we are working on some exciting new economic development projects in the pipeline. The Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company momentum can be seen and felt across Vermillion.

Thank you for your continued support.

Jim Peterson

VCDC President & CEO

VIEWPOINT

Notes from the Leadership

NOTE FROM The Chair

building for the future residents of Vermillion and the future businesses that will want to move here.

Our work has always been about creating an environment that fosters growth, innovation, and opportunity, thereby improving the quality of life in the Vermillion area.

Ultimately, the legacy of the board lies in the improvements we make today and the foundations we lay for tomorrow. There is something incredibly satisfying about watching the growth in Vermillion these past few years and knowing that I had the privilege to serve in an organization that helped make it possible.

JEFF ERICKSON — chair Let me begin by saying that it’s been a privilege to serve as Chair of the Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company. My tenure with the board is almost over, so I think it’s fitting to reflect on the role of the VCDC and its board.

The VCDC staff work every day to better the business community, and do a lot of things that have immediate benefits, like hosting ribbon cuttings and marketing our member organizations. The VCDC board is the other side of this coin.

Our work concerns the bigger picture and the longer term. We do what we do because we are

lighting by none other than Santa himself. Then, on December 12th, toss on an ugly sweater and join us at McVicker plaza from 4–6 for the VCDC Holiday Party to round out the year.

It has been my honor to lead the board and work with the outstanding VCDC staff. I look forward to the continued growth of this great community as we continue to build it together!

Jeff Erickson

2022-2023 Board of Directors, Chair

But the work of the VCDC is never done, and that’s the best part of it all. We’re not here to make a splash and then rest on our laurels; we’re here to make Vermillion a better place! The VCDC’s is a continuing legacy, and therefore an enduring legacy, because the work doesn’t end when any of our members’ terms are up. Instead, we get new faces and new ideas to elevate Vermillion, and I’m very excited to meet the three new board members that will be elected this year.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t shout out our final events of the year. I hope you’ll join us for the Eighth Annual Standstill Parade of Lights, which will feature the official Vermillion Christmas Tree

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VENTURE

Local Events

SUMMER+FALL EVENTS IN REVIEW

Thursdays on the platz

caddyshack golf classic

September red talk

Thursdays on the Platz made its triumphant return in July with oneman-band and longtime series staple Kobe Provost. Over the course of the summer, Vermillionaires were treated to rocking performances

by Wild Card, Canby Misfits, and Warning Shots, plus a special show at the Clay County Fair with Jetley Park, as is tradition.

30 Teams. 18 Holes. Tons of Heck’s BBQ. The 2023 Caddyshack Golf Classic was a smashing success!

Teams were encouraged to dress up in Caddyshack-themed attire, with American Family Insurance taking home the prize for best team costume. In the spirit of Caddyshack, we also debuted a new course game—the “Be the Ball” Blind Shot—which quickly became a fan favorite, though we may never know how many balls were lost that day.

For some people, working 9–5 really clicks. For others, working remotely all the time is the path to productivity. Some prefer hybrid work, some like to work on weekends, and some do their best work with a three-hour break in the middle of the day! At September’s RED talk, CEO of Lemonly + Click Rain Natalie Eisenberg and Lemonly Director of Business Development Jade Delaney presented on the practice of flexible work, its benefits, and how their companies are utilizing it to empower their employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Thursdays On The Platz became Thursdays Near The Platz when we had to move indie rockers Fine Mess into the AV Lounge due to the heat, and the series finished with a bang at USD’s annual GatheRED with the professors of rock themselves, Blue Rune. All told, the series saw an average attendance of over 325 people per event!

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Congratulations to our First Flight winners, Dakota PC Warehouse and Premier Real Estate, and our Second Flight winners, Polaris and Sesdac!

VENTURE

Local Events

ribbon cuttings galore

jail groundbreaking

downtown trick-or-treating

SO. MANY. RIBBON CUTTINGS. Not that that’s a bad thing—we’re actually super stoked! Here’s who got to wield the mighty Chamber scissors since our last edition:

After many years of planning, several community action groups, and a $42.8 million county bond issue, ground was finally broken for the new Clay County Jail & Law Enforcement Center.

This year’s Downtown Trick-Or-Treating extravaganza was a chilly one, but that didn’t dissuade the kids of Vermillion from showing up in force.

We had an estimated attendance of over 500 people—now that’s a lot of candy!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

72 and Sunny Travel Charlie’s Clay County Park Dakota Herb HOLLARR Kalin’s Indoor Comfort Maloney Real Estate Midco National Music Museum Pied Piper Vermillion See the Trainer Shur-Co Snippity Doo Dah Triumph Chiropractic Ulah Voyage Federal Credit Union

The new facility will replace the historic 100-year-old jail and will include shared spaces for both the police department and sheriff’s department, as well as a new Clay County Management Office and 911 Dispatch Center.

Downtown shops, Cherry Street businesses, and USD student organizations alike tabled in the streets and on the Platz. Meanwhile, the library hosted their annual trunkor-treat, replete with a fire engine from the City of Vermillion!

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VENTURE

THINGS TO DO in vermillion

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Standstill Parade of lights The 8th Annual Standstill Parade of Lights will be held in Historic Downtown Vermillion on Thursday, December 7th at 6 p.m. to officially kick off the holiday season.

Come check out the floats designed by Vermillion area businesses, enjoy music and a VADO performance, and drink lots of hot chocolate. Then, see Santa Claus as he officially lights the Vermillion Christmas Tree.

Following the tree lighting, Santa will be available for pictures at the Library—don’t forget to bring your camera!

Local Events

VENTURE

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Local Events

holiday events Round out the year with the VCDC and other chamber members at our holiday party! Ugly sweaters encouraged! That’s Tuesday, December 12th, 4 p.m. at McVicker Plaza.

If you have little ones, be sure to check out the Vermillion Parks & Recreation’s Children’s Holiday Bash for kids ages 5–10 on Friday, December 22nd, 9 a.m. – Noon at the National Guard Armory.

dakota farm show The Dakota Farm Show kicks off the new year, showcasing hundreds of exhibitors representing over 1,000 agricultural products and services!

Special events at the 2024 show include seminars by SDSU Extension, a Northland Ford Truck Giveaway, daily showbucks drawings, and live Broadcasts by WNAX radio.

January 3–5, The DakotaDome

fool’s 48 film festival In this community favorite, local teams have 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit a short film. To add a challenge, each team draws a genre from a hat at the Friday evening kickoff event, and all teams must incorporate the same line of dialogue, prop, and location.

Completed films are premeired the following Monday night. It’s always a blockbuster event!

Kickoff: Friday, April 5 Premiere: Monday, April 8

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VANTAGE

Chamber News

THE NEXT GENERATION VERMILLION’S NEW ENTREPRENEURS In the last few months, we’ve seen several new entrepreneurs hit the stage in Vermillion. These young professionals do everything from pet care to landscaping, so we sat down with each of them to see how they like being their own boss.

Luke Van Peursem — Pristine Enterprises Luke has been mowing lawns since he was seven years old. After two years of college, he decided he preferred manual labor and hard work to the university life, and started Pristine Enterprises. Pristine now has four employees and serves clients like Knutson Family Dentistry, Ace Hardware, numerous small businesses, and residential customers.

“I didn’t know how far my business will go, but this year, it absolutely blew up and I’m making a lot of good connections in town. I couldn’t be where I’m at without the great people who offered me jobs.”

Luke’s goal is to serve more commercial properties, expand his staff, and bring great landscaping to as many clients as possible.

Kasey elder — Jensen Kennels Kasey had always wanted to start a doggie daycare—it was just a

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matter of finding the right building.

She had even planned on building one from scratch when her dad suggested she check out a location on Cherry Street. She was joined by one of her best friends who had spent years working at a doggie daycare in Sioux City, and with the help of a contractor to fix the place up, her dad’s business acumen, and her brother’s financial know-how, Jensen Kennels was born.

Jensen Kennels now has space for up to 40 dogs and shares the building with T&T Canine Connections, which offers services like puppy school and hunting dog training.

“The best part of owning a business is getting to share it with my family… All my cousins, aunts, and uncles having dogs makes it so fun to share the business with them and see their dogs more. You can’t really have a bad day being around 20–30 dogs every day!”

Kassi Meng (Peters) & Sydney Jensen — Ulah After several years of working in Kansas City and Sioux City, respectively, Kassi and Sydney started Ulah to bring their beautification expertise to Vermillion. Ulah offers hydromassage, hydrafacial, waxing, and permanent jewelry services, and has been exciting, overwhelming, and extremely liberating all at once, according to Kassi.

Sydney, Kassi, and Harris cut the ribbon at Ulah’s grand opening

“It’s completely up to us how we run it and what we decide to bring,” Kassi said.

“It’s been very gratifying being able to have different hours for people in the community. We’re open til eight o’clock at night; even though our storefront’s not open, our books are open, so all people have to do is book online and we’re able to come in,” Sydney said.

Ulah has been growing steadily since its opening, and conducts its business entirely online through GlossGenius—they don’t even have a phone!

Every three years, Sanford Health launches the Community Health Needs Assessment to learn more about the health and well-being of everyone we serve. Answer simple, confidential questions to help improve care in your community.

Complete the survey by Dec. 31.

Community Health Needs Assessment ◄ Scan to take the survey

VANTAGE

Chamber News

WELCOME

OUR NEWEST MEMBERS! Lawrence & Schiller 3932 S. Willow Ave. Sioux Falls, SD (605) 338.8000

Holiday Inn Express 1200 N. Dakota St. Vermillion, SD (605) 624.7600

Schmitz Seeds Vermillion, SD (605) 677.7945

AFLAC - Joellen Geveshausen

115 Broadway Ave., Ste 3 Yankton, SD (605) 665.4781

O’Connor Kiln & Dryer 1108 W. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD (605) 624.3200

Pristine Enterprises Vermillion, SD (605) 670.3954

Coffee Cup Travel Plaza 47051 SD Hwy. 50 Vermillion, SD (605) 624.2062

Matter Law Office 12 Church St. Vermillion, SD (605) 624.4262

72 & Sunny Travel Vermillion, SD (605) 659.5714

Mason Movies Sioux Falls, SD (605) 660.2019

ELO CPAs & Advisors 7 Court St. Vermillion, SD (605) 624.0222

Ulah 6 E. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD

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JR Business Ventures Vermillion, SD (605) 310.3480

Community Chiropractic Center

9 E. Main St. Vermillion, SD (605) 624.8805

Bottorff Tax 1014 W. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD (605) 658.2010

AirMedCare Network 6101 Pershing St. Sioux City, IA (515) 318.8584

Hospice of Siouxland 309 Cook St. Vermillion, SD (712) 233.4144

Beckenhauer Construction 1901 Riverside Blvd.

Norfolk, NE (402) 371.5363

Individual Members & Vermillion Next Young professionals: Caribou Coffee 802 E. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD (605) 741.8300

XIX Brewing Company 113 W. Main St. Vermillion, SD (605) 868.3325

Abby Kaup Julianna Benge Mayson Sheldon Kelsey Freidel Nelson Glen Marshall Mark Winegar

Total chamber memberships Source: Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company

Interested in joining the chamber? The VCDC is here to support you in starting, growing, or expanding your business! Email vcdc@vermillionchamber.com to learn more!

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Caring FOR YOU IN VERMILLION

At Sanford Vermillion, we’re committed to caring for you when you need it, where you need it. That’s why we have a team to provide you with the best care close to where you live, work and play.

Anastasia Searcy, DO Family Medicine

Jacob Quail, MD Surgery

Mary Jo Olson, MD Family Medicine

Quinn Cannon, MD Family Medicine

Roy Mortinsen, MD Emergency Medicine

Anthony Burbach, PA Family Medicine

Ashley Johnson, PA Family Medicine

Carlee Uhl, CNP Family Medicine

Kelsey Laska, CNP Family Medicine

Melissa Shefl, PA Family Medicine

Amy McGill, PA Family Medicine

Nikki Schimelpfenig, CNP Emergency Medicine

Robert Leonard, PA Emergency Medicine

Kimberly Hinz, PA Emergency Medicine

Tara Lee, CNP Emergency Medicine

Kristin Thompson, CNP Urgent Care

Mark Daniels, Integrated Health Therapist

Michelle Hinseth, Integrated Health Therapist

Call 605.677.3700 or use MyChart to make an appointment.

VELOCITY Total Employment in clay county, sd Source: Annual QCEW

clay county unemployment rate Source: US Census Bureau

median household income in clay county & South Dakota Source: US Census Bureau

City Taxes (in Dollars) Source: 2022 City of Vermillion Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Economic Development