PB March 2012

www.prairiebizmag.comwww.prairiebizmag.com

March 2012

4 Prairie Business March 2012

Volume 13 No. 3CONTENTS

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6 From the Editor’s Desk

7 Leadership: Leading effectively inuncertain times

8 Professional Spotlight

8 Matthew Mohr

10 Prairie News

14 Prairie People

16 Economic Development - RuralAmerica economic developmentchallenging, but not impossible

18 Money - Community banks are readyfor business!

20 Technology - How broadband,technology can help fill tough jobs inour region

Cover Story: Filling tough jobsA primary draw for Sarah Bartels to the Sanford

Aberdeen (S.D.) Medical Center was the chance to be part

of the Sanford team and to experience an once-in-a-

lifetime opportunity to be the Director of the

Women’s Center.

Cover Story: Developing differentbrand of education buildingTechnology and workforce needs seem to be deciding

factors on what type of structures higher education

facilities in the region will be constructing in the future.

Cover Story: Fixing roadways inthe regionAll aspects of the transportation industry have a huge

impact on economic development in the region.

34 Innovation impacting ag communityInnovation is impacting the agriculture business

community in at least three ways.

36 Western North Dakota: Transportationneeds in western North Dakota

38 South Dakota: Raven acquisition fitsgrowth plan

40 Red River Valley: Innovative technologyideas being developed

41 Viewpoint

42 Sales/Marketing: Sales and marketing forthe season

44 By the Numbers

SDSU research team developing solarenergy efficienciesA research team is developing technology that will

convert solar energy more efficiently at a low cost

Canadian company opens inBismarck, brings new technologyinto BakkenA Canadian company has opened an operation in

Bismarck, N. D., and is bringing its own

technology into the Bakken Oil Play.

Next MonthIn April, read our series of cover stories discussing a variety of themes in architecture andengineering. Learn more about energy efficient design with LEED practices regional firmsare utilizing, as well as discussing Midwest Models – examples of homes and businessesdesigned for maximum efficiency.

On the airJoin Prairie Business magazine Editor Alan Van Ormer and host Merrill Piepkorn On theAir – Thursday, March 15 at 3 p.m. on any Prairie Public radio station to hear moreabout the March cover stories. To listen to Prairie Public, visitwww.prairiepublic.org/radio/hear-it-now.

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Mike Jacobs, PublisherAlan Van Ormer, EditorZach Ahrens, General ManagerTina Fetsch, Production ManagerBeth Bohlman, Circulation ManagerJen Braaten, Marketing ManagerJoe Greenwood, Multi-Media ConsultantKris Wolff, Layout Design, Ad Design

GGEENNEERRAALL MMAANNAAGGEERR::Zach Ahrens [email protected]

SSAALLEESS::Brad Boyd [email protected] western ND/western SD

John Fetsch [email protected] eastern ND/MN/eastern SD

EEDDIITTOORR::Alan Van Ormer [email protected]

EEddiittoorriiaall AAddvviissoorrss::Dwaine Chapel, Executive Director, South Dakota State UniversityInnovation Campus, Brookings.; Bruce Gjovig, Director, Center forInnovation; Lisa Gulland-Nelson, Communications Coordinator, GreaterFargo Moorhead EDC; Tonya Jo (T. J.) Hansen, Assistant Professor ofEconomics, Minnesota State University Moorhead; Dusty Johnson, Chiefof Staff for South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s office; Brekka Kramer,General Manager of Odney; Matthew Mohr, President/CEO, DacotahPaper Company; Nancy Straw, President, West Central Initiative

Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand ForksHerald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 3752nd Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND 58203. Qualifyingsubscriptions are available free of charge. Back issue quantities arelimited and subject to availability ($2/copy prepaid). The opinionsof writers featured in Prairie Business are their own. Unsolicitedmanuscripts, photographs, artwork are encouraged but will not bereturned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Subscription requests:Free subscriptions are available online to qualified requestorsat www.prairiebizmag.com.

Address corrections:Prairie Business magazine PO Box 6008 Grand Forks, ND 58206-6008 Beth Bohlman: [email protected]

Online: www.prairiebizmag.com

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For daily business newsvisit prairiebizmag.com

For example, transportation needs are prevalent across NorthDakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota. I think FrancisZiegler, director of the North Dakota Department of

Transportation, sums it up best when he says “transportation isvitally important to supporting our country’s economiccompetitiveness and our state’s economic growth.”

Then there is also a discussion about facilities in the highereducation system in the three states. The way the university systemsdesign and plan upcoming projects have changed. Technology andworkforce needs seem to be deciding factors on what type of highereducation structures will be constructed in the future.

Our final cover story focuses on workforce needs, and inparticular, 10 tough jobs (or in-demand jobs) that are hard to fillfrom research conducted by Praxis Strategy Group. Praxis used datacompiled by Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI), a modelthat includes a combination of over 90 state and federal sources andincludes estimates of independent contractors and others. Praxislooked at a number of metrics, including the number of openings inthe region due to growth, retirements, and turnover; the number ofopenings compared to the total jobs in an occupation; and theregional concentration of a job here compared to the rest of thenation.

The occupations are separated into five groups: construction,extraction, transportation and material moving; business, financeand office; heath care; science, mathematics, engineering andcomputer; and manufacturing occupations.

There were some interesting statistics that came out of theresearch. For example, it is not surprising that the construction,resource extraction and transportation category was dominated bythe oil boom. Roustabouts lead the way with 917 new jobs and 979total openings in the past year. Other oil-related jobs such as serviceunit operators (781 openings), derrick operators (511), rotary drilloperators (479), extraction helpers (335) and wellhead pumpers(295) all have openings above 40 percent of its 2010 employmentlevel.

The overall leader in total job openings across the region is heavytruck drivers, with 1,973 openings from 2010-2011. There is alsogrowth being seen in science, math, engineering and computeroccupations. Some of the most in-demand jobs include industrialengineers (91 openings), mechanical engineers (87), geologicalengineers (52), petroleum engineers (50) and geoscientists (45).

The region’s manufacturing economy was hit hardest by therecent recession, but is now recovering. In demand productionoccupations include welders (677 openings), assemblers (604),supervisors (194), machinists (156), computer-controlled machinetool operators (107), and engine assemblers (88).

This month’sissue discussesseveral itemsthat I’m sureare on theminds ofcompanies thatdo business inour region.

From the editor’s desk

Tweaking our needsin the region

prairiebizmag.com 7

1-800-908-BANK (2265)Bremer.comMember FDIC. © 2012 Bremer Financial Corporation. All rights reserved.

COUNTUS IN.

If you’re putting it all on the line, count us in. Your local Bremerbusiness banker has your back, and the experience to help youthrough the ups and downs of growing a business. You can counton Bremer Bank for the strength and long-term stability to see youthrough. Talk to a Bremer banker near you.

Healthcare is an exciting industry. We aresetting sail onto the sea of healthcare reform.The challenging fog and waves amid the

waters of the Affordable Care Act will be rough andfull of unknowns.

No matter what challenges are posed by theAffordable Care Act, change must occur. As leaders,we have to guide organizational change to meet theoutlined requirements and provide outstanding low-cost, high-quality healthcare to the patients andcommunities we serve. Therein lies the port – aharbor with characteristics of high efficiency, lowcost and great outcomes. The mission is guiding aship to this port while maintaining relevance andoutstanding service on the journey.

As a leader of the Medcenter One ship, I knowthere will be a sea riddled with waves of lowerreimbursement and more access demands forhealthcare. In western and central North Dakota weface an economy that is accelerating at a pace wehave never experienced. It is hard to know if this isthe beginning of a prolonged economic boom or ifthe inevitable economic crash is closer thananticipated. Whatever the environment, strongleadership is vital to effectively sail a ship throughturbulent waters.

The most critical leadership quality necessary tonavigate the seas successfully is a commitment toservice and mission. Servant leadership must befocused on the communities and patients who trustus with their most important possession – theirhealth and the health of the people they care about.A leadership commitment to service helps defineclarity of mission and a path for success with anidentifiable port on the journey.

The impending regulatory and reimbursementissues may instill fear and anxiety for those sailingwith you. To address those emotions and instillconfidence, leaders again must turn to theidentifiable sea port. Commitment to servantleadership along with a stringent focus on that portwhile using an effective navigation plan will becritical to success. Effectively defining andcommunicating the charted course with yourshipmates and helping them to keep the focus willensure a successful journey.

A captain sailing a boat without a known port isnot leading. Leaders must serve, guide, influence andmotivate while understanding the strategicenvironment of the sea. Leading effectively in theuncertain times of healthcare reform is no easy taskbut one we are committed to in the best interest ofour patients and the communities we serve. PB

A native of Wishek,N. D., Dr. CraigLambrecht ispresident/CEO ofMedcenter One, anintegrated health systembased in Bismarck, N.D., and with locations inDickinson, Jamestown,Mandan, Minot andUnderwood. He alsoworks in the MedcenterOne Emergency andTrauma Center andserves in the NorthDakota National Guard.

effectively in uncertain times

Leadership

Leading


Sanford has netted one of the nation’s premier non-profitleaders to become the inaugural president of the EdithSanford Breast Cancer Foundation.

“I would like to think my career path has prepared me to dowhat I am doing today,” states Kimberly Earle, a development,marketing and operations executive. On Jan. 9, Earle was hired tolead the organization dedicated to raising funds to advance breastcancer research and treatment. Formerly the Chief Operating Officer for Susan G. Komen for

the Cure based in Dallas, Texas, Earle sought to return to herpassion, the fight against breast cancer. She most recently served asthe Chief Executive Officer for Mothers Against Drunk Driving(MADD) based in Irving, Texas.She received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the

University of Alabama, her master’s degree in Journalism from theUniversity of Texas in Austin, and her Juris Doctor from theUniversity of California, Berkeley.Earle feels that what has helped in her career was the fact that

she has been able to try a variety of activities. “Everyone hasobstacles and challenges in their career,” she states. “Challengesbalance our lives and help us climb the ladder career wise.”She doesn’t hesitate to list her mother as an inspiration because

of the challenging circumstances she grew up in. Earle’s motherwent on to a career in government, despite the fact that her ownmother had died of breast cancer while she was in high school. “My mother taught me to be self-sufficient and to really work

hard to get where I’m at,” Earle says. “I feel like I have a lot to liveup to with her.”As for younger women moving through their careers, Earle

offers two pieces of advice. “First, whatever the job is you aredoing, do it excellently. Second, follow your passion.”Earle notes that nonprofit is something she has a passion for. “It

has afforded me to combine that passion with a career,” she states.“For women in particular, seeking out a mentor or someone tolook up to can help guide you through the career process.” PBAlan Van Ormer - [email protected]

Cancer foundation’s first

KIMBERLY EARLEinaugural president, Edith Sanford

Breast Cancer Foundation

Our region is facing a very challengingemployment situation due to the high needfor quality workers and the strong pay rates

being offered to try to attract workers to the oil fields.Both of these contributing factors are probably a shortterm phenomenon which may go away with anyreduction in well drilling. Deciding how to competefor employees in this environment is tricky.A business needs reliable, productive and qualified

employees to function. Employees who are strictlyworking for the money rarely meet these three criteria.Regardless of what subjective surveys may show,employers must offer competitive wages. With the bigwages being offered in the oil fields, trying to match

these levels for some will lead to business failure. Afterall, wages paid must be supported by revenues andtrading margin.One business I have experience with had a “wage

problem” for a number of years. The businessexperienced too much turn-over and I was continuallytold it was because wages were too low! Upon closeexamination, the wages were competitive with similarjobs and the work environment far superior. Once thiswas recognized and explained, the “wage problem”became much smaller.Every organization has its own philosophies and

structures which attracts certain people. Over time theorganization develops what is considered its ownculture. Organization culture is a critical componentfor a business and the employees which are attractedand retained. Honesty, cleanliness, legal responsibility,friendliness, productivity expectations, hours ofoperations, location, wages, and benefits are all part ofan organization’s culture. It is a great idea to assessyour culture and provide prospective employees agood picture of your culture during the interviewprocess. It can make or break a decision both in theinitial hire and long-term continued employment.PB

Professional Spotlight

Business Advice

MATTHEW D. MOHRCEO,

Dacotah Paper [email protected]

Keepingemployees

leader

prairiebizmag.com 9

Ben SteinAward winning and

best-selling Actor, Author,Economist and Lawyer

Presenting: Wednesday,April 11, 2012, 3-4PM

Featured Speaker:

Attend the North Dakota Trade Office

Global Business Connections Conference“Where the global business community comes to you”Wednesday, April 11, 2012, 8AM-6PM • Ramada Plaza Suites, Fargo, ND

Online registration available at www.ndto.com

Global Business Connections Conference is the premierinternational business event in the region. Meet exporters and

international business professionals, network with experts, and buildrelationships all while touring exhibits and attending keynote

speeches and educational sessions designed to help you expand yourinternational vision. Globalization is now – don’t be left behind.


Press releases and photos about business news and events in North Dakota, South Dakota andwestern Minnesota can be e-mailed to [email protected] for considerationPrairie News

Chez Tschetter, EDCO’s Chief Information Officer (left), discusses the company’sSioux Falls expansion with Dean Dzizic from the Sioux Falls DevelopmentFoundation.

EDCO ADDS JOBS IN SIOUX FALLSEDCO Group Inc., a national leader in health information

management and records retrieval, is adding 30 new jobs at itsSioux Falls Technology Center. The Missouri-based company provides solutions and expertise

in electronic document management, medical records scanning,records storage and records retrieval. In Sioux Falls, EDCO convertsmedical records into an electronic format, which allows their clientsto track, retrieve and maintain records. In January, EDCO started hiring 30 new employees over the

course of 2012. The company expects to hire for a variety ofpositions including specialists, managers and supervisors. EDCOGroup Inc. is comprised of two divisions and more than 10 officesnationwide and in Canada.

TCF CALL CENTER OPENS IN SIOUX FALLSTCF Financial opened its largest call center in a newly-

purchased and renovated 40,000 square foot building in SiouxFalls, S. D. on March 1. It is estimated that 200 employees will be employed in the

facility; the majority hired from within the Sioux Falls area.The facility is scheduled to be fully occupied in July and willinclude the call center for basic operations associated withdeposits and consumer loans, as well as an operations supportgroup that will also work with deposits and consumers loans.In 2009, TCF National Bank opened a headquarters

building in Sioux Falls. TCF FinancialCorporation is located in Wayzata,Minn. There are more than 430branches and 7,000 employees locatedin Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois,Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin,Indiana, and Arizona. There is also abilingual call center in Chicago and asmaller call center operating inMichigan.

CHEESE PLANT BEING BUILT IN BROOKINGSChicago-based Bel Brands USA is planning to construct a third

cheese plant in the United States in Brookings, S. D. The $100million cheese plant could eventually employ as many as 400workers.The plant is also expected to boost the dairy industry, requiring

milk from an estimated 13,000 cows each day, the Brookings Registerreported.The company has existing facilities in Wisconsin and Kentucky.

Bel Brands USA is a subsidiary of Paris-based Fromageries Bel,which has plants in 22 countries.

NOVEL DENTAL IMPLANT WINS NDSU’S INNOVATIONCHALLENGE ‘12Bison Micro-Venture, a team of 15 North Dakota State University

students, won first place and $5,000 for their novel dental implant inthe Innovation Challenge ‘12 competition on Jan. 26 in Fargo, N. D.The team is developing a porous ceramic dental implant for

people who cannot use traditional titanium implants. Because theimplant is made from a type of inexpensive ceramic that has bone-like properties, it has the potential to reduce rejection rates, helppatients heal faster, be more cost-effective and change using titaniumas the standard material in dental implants and other biomedicaldevices.The Innovation Challenge ’12 was a new component of the third

annual Innovation Week held by NDSU and the NDSU Research andTechnology Park.

NEW MANUFACTURING TRAINING BEING ADDED ATMITCHELL TECHNICAL INSTITUTEThe South Dakota Board of Education has approved a new

Welding and Manufacturing Technology program for MitchellTechnical Institute (MTI) in Mitchell, S. D.The new welding and manufacturing program is one of the

components of Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s South Dakota WINS(Workforce Initiatives). The new program, brought to the board bystate Director of Career and Technical Education Mark Wilson,proposes to begin training new welders and advanced manufacturingemployees in the fall of 2012. The first class will have a capacity of 24students, who can earn Associate of Applied Science degrees inwelding or manufacturing technology within 18 months.

prairiebizmag.com 11

DSU is right for YOU!ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: Engage in a dynamic

academic community committed to innovation in teaching, learning

and scholarship. With over 60 degree programs in areas like

education, nursing, accounting, business and performing arts,

education at DSU is a platform for success in your future. DSU is

on the cutting edge of historical research and student service –

providing personalized attention for students and families.

ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE: Join the athletic hall of fame

at DSU. Indoor and outdoor state of the art training facilities

provide an opportunity for year-round conditioning. Our coaches

are committed to holistic development of our athletes and the

results are amazing. We offer athletic programs in the areas of:

Football, Cross Country, Golf, Rodeo, Basketball, Baseball, Softball,

Wrestling, Track and Field and Volleyball.

CULTURAL EXCELLENCE: In a global economy,

successful professionals will be prepared for multicultural and social

interactions.At DSU, we are proud to welcome students from over 23

states and 13 countries. Expand your horizons and deepen your

knowledge of international commerce, literature, and culture at a

rural campus on the edge of the beautiful North Dakota Badlands.

SOCIAL EXCELLENCE: DSU students are active in the

community and around the world. Our vibrant campus life consists

of over 59 organizations and clubs that are active in campus and

volunteer projects. Whatever you are passionate about, you will

find a place to serve to make your world a better place.

Our students make a difference in the world

around them and so will you.


UNITED AIRLINES ADDING RAPID CITY-HOUSTON ROUTERapid City Regional Airport in Rapid City, S. D., announced that

United Airlines will offer nonstop flights to Houston beginning June7, bringing to eight the number of nonstop destinations served byRapid City Regional Airport.The daily seasonal flight to Houston, operated as United Express

by ExpressJet, will continue through Aug. 27, said Airport ExecutiveDirector Cameron Humphres. Houston’s George BushIntercontinental Airport, the nation’s seventh busiest airport, offersnonstop service to hundreds of cities, including more Mexicodestinations than any U.S. airport. The Houston airport is United’slargest hub.

RLK ANNOUNCES NEW OFFICE IN MINOTRLK Incorporated (RLK), an engineering firm specializing in

civil, survey, traffic and site planning for the land developmentindustry is opening an office in Minot, N. D. The office allows RLK to service a broader range of clients and

their needs including site planning, traffic/road capacity, pipelineplacement, commercial and retail expansions, residential andhospitality, in addition to current work with the oil and gas industry.

FARGO INTERACTIVE AGENCY LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITEWith simplicity and education in mind, Onsharp has launched

its new website, Onsharp.com. The redesigned site highlights theservices and tools that Onsharp can bring to businesses.With the new website, Onsharp.com provides online strategy

solutions as well as offers educational tools to explain how differentonline marketing plans and tactics can benefit specific needs. Withthe new site visitors will be able to learn the difference betweenSEO, SEM, Social Media and much more.

SANFORD USD MEDICAL CENTER RECOGNIZED FORHEART CARE

Sanford USD Medical Center has received the AmericanCollege of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTIONRegistry–GWTG Silver Performance Achievement Award for 2011 –one of only 94 hospitals nationwide to do so.The award recognizes Sanford USD Center’s commitment and

success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attackpatients, and signifies that Sanford has reached an aggressive goal oftreating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by theAmerican College of Cardiology/American Heart Associationclinical guidelines and recommendations.

ALTRU HEALTH SYSTEM NAMED A BEST REGIONAL HOSPITALAltru Health System is among the nation’s Best Regional

Hospitals 20122-2012, according to U. S. News & World Report,publisher of Best Hospitals. U. S. News annually publishes the BestHospitals rankings. In January 2012, its editors recognized 237hospitals outside major metropolitan areas, including Altru, as BestRegional Hospitals.U. S. News annually evaluates nearly 5,000 hospitals in 16

different medical specialties. Hard numbers stand behind its analysisin most specialties – death rates, patient safety, procedure volume,and other objective data. Physicians’ responses to a national survey,in which specialists are asked to name hospitals they consider bestin their specialty for the toughest cases, are factored in.

SIX PAULSEN MARKETING CLIENTS WIN AWARDS ATREGION III NAMA COMPETITIONPaulsen Marketing received 19 total recognitions at the Region

III Best of NAMA Awards in Minneapolis, Minn. The award-winning work represented six Paulsen Marketing clients.Paulsen team members received seven First Place Awards and 12

Merit Awards. Paulsen clients represented with First Place Awardsinclude Kubota Tractor Corporation, South Dakota Corn UtilizationCouncil, South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Counciland Wheat Growers.Merit awards included work for AgStar Financial Services,

Kubota Tractor Corporation, South Dakota Corn UtilizationCouncil, Wheat Growers and the Soil Science Society of America.There were 235 entries in NAMA’s Region III competition that

includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. TheNational Agri-Marketing Association’s Best of NAMA awards are theagribusiness industry’s leading awards program.

WHITE HOUSE RECOGNIZING ND MANUFACTURINGCOMPANYA North Dakota manufacturing company is being recognized for

its success in rural America.Dickinson-based SolarBee, Inc. was selected with other

manufacturers from around the country to take part in an event atthe White House.SBI manufactures machines to improve water quality through

solar energy.Co-founder and president Joel Bleth participated in the event at

the White House.In a news release, Bleth says SolarBee could not have been

created without a loan guarantee from the U.S. Department ofAgriculture's Rural Development.

Press releases and photos about business news and events in North Dakota, South Dakota andwestern Minnesota can be e-mailed to [email protected] for considerationPrairie News

CHOICE FINANCIAL VOTED BEST PLACE TO WORKChoice Financial in Grand Forks was recently voted the Best

Place to Work by the Greater Grand Forks Young Professionalsand awarded their Grow Grand Award.Choice Financial was selected based on criteria including

how the organization supports Greater Grand Forks YoungProfessionals in their professional development, how thecompany gives back to the community and employee benefits.

Brian Johnson, CEO and Brandi Jackson, vice president - Human Resources


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RABO AGRIFINANCE ADDS TONORTH CENTRAL TEAMRabo AgriFinance has appointed Jon

Becker as relationship manager fornorthwest Minnesota and North Dakota.He is being based in the new Fargo, N.D. office that opened in February.Rabo AgriFinance provides capital

and financial solutions to the nation’sagricultural producers andagribusinesses. Becker will work withagriculture producers and processors inthe region to help them grow andsucceed by providing agriculture realestate loans, operating lines of credit,equipment loans, and crop insurance.


Please e-mail photos and press release announcements of hirings, promotions, awards and distinctions received by business leaders in North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota to [email protected] for consideration.

DR. KARLI GHERING

Prairie People

STANDEN LEADS LBG NORTHDAKOTA OFFICEJoseph Standen has been namedmanager of the new North Dakota officeof Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc.(LBG), a professional groundwater andenvironmental engineering services firm. LBG’s new office in Burlington willoffer full environmental capabilities tothe oil and gas, and pipeline industry,providing state-of-the-art expertise inthe areas of environmental permitting,spill remediation, contaminated siteinvestigations, spill plan preparation, duediligence investigations and otherenvironmental consulting activitiesrelated to oil and gas production.LBG has been engaged in significant

project work related to pipeline releases for existing clients with majoroperations in the North Dakota region. LBG has also spearheaded a10-year clean-up program in Mandan, N. D. that involves remediationof three million gallons of diesel fuel from sites throughout the city’sdowntown business district.An LBG Senior Associate, Standen has been with LBG for more

than 22 years and has been the Pennsylvania office manager for thepast seven years. During that time, he has provided services to a widerange of clients, including residential and commercial developers,regional gasoline retailers, industrial facilities, municipalities, terminaloperators and the pipeline industry. He has extensive experience incontaminated site investigations, soil and groundwater remediation,water supply development, and due diligence investigations. Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc. was the first consulting firm in

the United States to specialize in groundwater geology. Over the last60 years the firm has completed projects in 48 states and 19 foreigncountries. The firm has expertise in almost every aspect of watersupply, contamination and mine dewatering hydrogeology.Headquartered in Shelton, Conn., LBG has 20 regional officesthroughout the U.S.

SDSU INNOVATION CAMPUSHIRES NEW DIRECTORDwaine Chapel has signed a 12-

month contract to become CEO andexecutive director of the South DakotaState University Growth Partnership,Ltd. and the SDSU Innovation Campus,effective March 1. Chapel served as executive director of

the Madison-based Lake AreaImprovement Corporation since 2006,where he worked closely with statelegislators, the Governor’s Office ofEconomic Development and membersof South Dakota’s congressionaldelegation on economic developmentand growth in the area. He is an SDSUgraduate, who also earned a master’s

degree in industrial management from the university, and lives inBrookings.Opened in 2008, the Innovation Campus became South

Dakota’s first research park. It is the product of the SDSU GrowthPartnership and provides an environment that fosters collaborationand partnerships between the university, business, industry andgovernment. The facilities include workspace and support servicesfor students, faculty, scientists, entrepreneurs, capital providers,managers and leaders to conduct research and commercializeeconomic activity.The Innovation Campus includes a multi-tenant 28,000-square-

foot facility that serves as an incubator for new companies andentrepreneurs. The campus also includes a state-of-the-art SeedTechnology Lab, a separate 28,000-square-foot facility that openedin August 2010 to bring under one roof the research efforts of theSouth Dakota Crop Improvement Association, the SDSU SeedTesting Lab, the Seed Certification Service, the Crop Quality Laband molecular biology/genomics and biocontainment laboratories.

JONBECKER

GHERING JOINS MEDCENTERONE MENTAL HEALTHDr. Karli Ghering, clinical

psychologist, recently joined MedcenterOne Mental Health. As a clinicalpsychologist, Dr. Ghering providescounseling and therapy for patients withmental illnesses including addictive,psychiatric and emotional conditions.Dr. Ghering completed a psychology

internship at Prairie View Inc. inNewton, Kan., and she earned herdoctorate in clinical psychology fromIdaho State University, Pocatello. She isa native of Sterling, N.D.

JOSEPHSTANDEN

DWAINE CHAPEL


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Economic Development

Economic development in ruralAmerica is challenging, but notimpossible. Flourishing in rural

settings require increased exposure,use of resources and communitycooperation.The Marshall area is located in the

southwest corner of Minnesota. Oursuccess in economic development is aresult of thinking bigger by spreadingour vision of the future beyondMarshall. We formed a partnership tosend a message about what the areahas to offer. We no longer solely focuson the City of Marshall, but look toadvance the entire area within LyonCounty. We have formalizedpartnerships and receive financialbacking from the City of Marshall,Lyon County, and the Marshall AreaChamber of Commerce. Thesepartnerships allow us to be moreefficient with our resources as wework and think about strategiestogether. Within this partnership,every community in Lyon County hasa seat at the table. We meet eachmonth and share success stories.Furthermore, we work together tofind ways to promote the area. The partnership is called Discover

Southwest Minnesota Partnership. Akey component of the success is anewly launched website atdiscoversouthwestmn.com. Thewebsite highlights each community bylisting properties for sale, business

Rural America economicdevelopment challenging,but not impossible

Strategies are certainly differentin rural Minnesota than in themetropolitan areas with theirvarious attractions that serve asa catalyst for growth.


Cal Brink finished a 28 year career withthe Schwan Food Company where he heldpositions from starting as a route trucksalesman, to president and virtually everyposition in between. Throughout that careerhe had the opportunity to live in manycommunities in the Midwest as well as travelall across the nation. Those travels alwaysleft him wondering how and why somecommunities seem to be so much moredeveloped and growing. That fascination ledhim to working in the industry that providesguidance and work that determines how andif communities will grow. For the last threeyears Brink has worked in southwestMinnesota around the Marshall area and isnow doing work for the Chamber, City andCounty as they prepare for a future thatprovides growth for all the communitieswithin Lyon County. He can be reached [email protected].


www.minotstateu.edu

Enroll in a

GRADUATEprogram to add valueto your portfolio.

It’s never too late to further your education, even if you already have a full-time job. Our graduate

programs offer convenient schedules on campus and online. Contact the Graduate School at

701-858-3250 or 800-777-0750, or go to www.minotstateu.edu/graduate for specific information.,0570-777-000 or 8523-858-107

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directories, statistics and more. Thewebsite gives companies with potential ofmoving into the area the ability to lookat all communities and statistics theyneed to make their decision all in oneconvenient spot. All of our partnersunderstand when any of ourcommunities grow, we all grow. Peopleand companies end up spending moneywithin the entire county so why notwork together and enhance what we haveto offer. The bottom line is success requires

working with neighboring communitiesand moving beyond competing witheach other. Looking out for the good ofeveryone to find ways to bringcompanies to rural areas is in everyone’sbest interest. Recent research indicatesthe working age population is starting tomigrate to rural America. The reasonsfor this include more safety, slower pacedlife style and cheaper cost of living. Thisis great news for all of us rural economicdevelopers! Now the big question is,which rural area will they move to? Ianticipate the rural communities thattake a big picture approach to their areaswill be the most successful. Unfortunately in today’s world just

staying the same as we have always beenwill more than likely mean goingbackwards. Growth is vital to theexistence of rural America and our jobreally becomes finding ways to providethat stimulus for growth. PB

FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2012Athletic BanquetSATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012Open House, Class Mixers, Faculty Coffee, BBQ, DanceSUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012President’s Brunch and Awards

WSC alumni are invited to attend the 50th anniversary celebration. Someevents are open to the public. For information and prices contact the WSCFoundation at 701.572.9275.

Like us on Facebook and watch for updates:www.facebook.com/willistonstatecollegefoundation

WILLISTON STATE COLLEGE& THEWILLISTON STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION

Celebrating 50 years of excellence.

The city ofWilliston andWSC are in a period of unprecedented change. Our campushas expanded, but our mission remains the same. Experience the growth duringour 50th anniversary celebration this summer on theWSC campus.


Money

Community banks areready for business!Since the recession began in 2007, the media hasdone an incredible job of focusing our attention onthe devastation to our national economy throughthe pain and misery inflicted on many sectors of ourcountry that lost jobs, businesses, and homes.

During the past 2-3 years, therehave been

hundreds of mediareports that allege orspecifically charge——“small business may lackadequate access to credit”,

as reasons why businessgrowth is so slow.Prior to the downturn,

economic times were very good, and theentire business community was bursting with

opportunities, and community banks were quite successful andprofitable. As is normal, when times are good, businesses and theirowners sometimes tend to get complacent, banks sometimes have atendency to deviate from or wink at existing lending policies; and asa result, tend to fund more marginal loans and lower qualityborrowers than they should.In conjunction with the downturn, bank regulators brought new

lending guidance, new regulations and extremely thorough exams.Their purpose in doing so was to make sure the banking industryremained a strong foundation for our communities, our businessesand our local economies.Our community bankers did just that——they addressed their

adherence to existing loan policies that might have previously beenignored, where possible they addressed the adequacy of truecollateral and its market value, added credit enhancements in anumber of ways, and in many cases, they addressed their problemloans by increasing their reserves or recognizing losses. In manycases, bank owners have added capital to strengthen the capabilityand loan capacity of our community banks. But, most of all, because of the problems that came to light

nationally due to the economic downturn, I believe our bankingcommunity has slightly modified or simply enforced the policies thatgenerally were in place before. The State of North Dakota has a tremendous asset called the Bank

of North Dakota (BND) whose primary function is to assist thebanking community in serving the business finance needs in the state.They have created and administer a number of programs that

facilitate community banks accessing business funding that is offered

specifically for the credit capital needs of the business community.These programs of the BND enable a community bank to serve theneeds of a larger business that cannot readily be handled by manycommunity banks on their own. When the business community decides that they are ready to

return to the business borrowing arena, they are well-advised to gothe extra mile to make it easier for themselves and their bank lender.Take time in advance of your request for financing to think throughyour project, gather and organize your information and help bothyourself and your lender by developing a business plan /comprehensive finance application. This process will help focus yourthoughts, organize your information, display your historicstatements and lay out your expansion plans, as well as set forth yourprojections and assumptions. This will show what you expect thebusiness expansion to generate for revenues and expenses, yourplanned capital expenditures and the credit capital needed tosupport the project. Approaching your finance needs in such amanner will make you a better businessperson and a better loancandidate because you will be better prepared for what actuallyhappens after the expansion. This thought process and yourbusiness plan are key elements in making you a successful creditcandidate for your bank of choice.In closing, there is huge liquidity in the banking community.

Banks are hungry for quality credit applications and they are readyto fund borrowers with strong credit and good loan applications forquality projects. There hasbeen and continues to beplenty of money to lend tocredit-worthy businesses, smalland large, if and when thoseowners become comfortableenough about their businessprospects to take the plunge.This is the classic “chicken oregg” proposition inherent inany economic recovery. PBWayne Bradley is a CPA at

Bradley Business Advisors, LLC,in Fargo, N. D. He can bereached [email protected].


Learnmore. Earnmore.Your choice.

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Technology

For decades price and complexity kept all but the professionals frombenefitting. Today, nearly every cell phone user has a camera, videocamera, and more computing power on a hand-held device than

what was on a desktop a decade ago.Similarly businesses today can harness more accessible broadband and

technology applications (apps) to employ some of those tough-to-fillpositions in our region, namely the sales, general and operations managers,and engineering positions identified by Prairie BusinessMagazine.The old video conferencing cost of entrance was prohibitive for many

companies to implement for teleworkers. Today a hosted phone systemmakes entrance and connections easy and affordable. Some of the uniquebenefits include:

ONLINE CHAT: Employees can live anywhere on your network – in the same building

or 500 miles away and use live chat to talk to co-workers or communicatewith prospects and customers through your web site.

VIDEO CONFERENCING: Employee, customer and vendor collaboration has never been easier.

Simply host a video conference (each party just needs a web cam) and youcan interact (and read body language) just as you would in a face-to-facemeeting, saving time and money.

PHONE SYSTEM: Features like call forwarding, call routing, and call recording can

happen for any employee anywhere. Plus, that distant employee is no more

How broadband,

technology can

help fill tough jobs

in our region

At first new technology canbe downright untouchable.Think back to cameras andcomputers.

North Dakota’s coal industry creates jobs andkeeps the cost of living low. That’s the power of coal.

To learn more how coal keeps North Dakota strong, please visit powerofcoal.com.

Each year, coal provides $3 billionin total business activity.

The coal industry pays $90 millionin state taxes each year.

Coal provides 27,000jobs in the state.

Affordable power supplykeeps the cost of living low.

Noke


than an extension away.These apps have come a long way from

the days when only the biggest companiescould use the technology. Today, affordablemonthly fees and a simple click on a linkcan put you in the same virtual room as thathard-to-hire employee.The key to making these apps work is the

high-speed connection. North Dakota,South Dakota and Minnesota are among themost wired states in the nation, thanks tothe independent telephone and cablecompanies. We’re also the states with thelowest unemployment rates, making usprime for embracing technology as aworkforce recruitment tool. PB

Mark Shlanta leads SDN Communications asits chief executive officer, a position he hasheld since 2000. He worked as SDN’s networkplanning and operations director for two yearsbefore becoming CEO. Prior to joining SDN,Shlanta held various positions with Contel,GTE, Ameritech Cellular and ConsolidatedCommunications. Shlanta is a South Dakotanative. He holds degrees in mechanicalengineering and engineering managementfrom the University of Missouri - Rolla. He isa past chairman of Forward Sioux Falls,chairman of the EducationTelecommunications Board for South DakotaPublic Broadcasting, and has served aspresident of the Sioux Falls DevelopmentFoundation. He can be reached [email protected].


COVER STORY: WORKFORCE

Ihave always admired Sanford’s genuine caring for theiremployees and their dedication to a flawless patientexperience,” she says. “I feel that I will stay in Aberdeen

due to the continued opportunity for growth and leadershipwithin the Sanford system. Aberdeen is a larger SouthDakota community, but yet still has that small town feel. It isa wonderful place to raise children and the communitycontinues to grow.”Filling the RN position in the region is considered one

of the tougher tasks, according to recent research conductedby Praxis Strategy Group, located in Grand Forks and Fargo, N. D. To determine some of the toughest jobs to fill in the

region in the past year Praxis used data compiled byEconomic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI), a model thatincludes a combination of over 90 state and federal sourcesand includes estimates of independent contractors andothers. Praxis looked at a number of metrics, including thenumber of openings in the region due to growth,retirements, and turnover; the number of openingscompared to the total jobs in an occupation; and theregional concentration of a job here compared to the rest ofthe nation.The occupations are separated into five groups:

construction, extraction, transportation and materialmoving; business, finance and office; heath care; science,mathematics, engineering and computer; and manufacturingoccupations. The overall leader in total job openings across the region

is heavy truck drivers, with 1,973 openings from 2010-2011.Over the past decade the five metropolitan areas - Bismarck,Grand Forks, Fargo, Sioux Falls and Rapid City - added8,000 jobs in professional, technical, and scientific services,nearly 18,000 in health care, and 8,000 in finance, with eachsector paying roughly $50,000 per year.

SANFORD FINDING AND KEEPING RNSBartels is one of those health care professionals that have

been added to the workforce mix. And now she has theopportunity to help find some of those RNs to fill needs atthe Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center. “We have been veryhappy with our applicants we have interviewed for ourpositions,” she says. “There are a wide variety of nursesinterested in our positions ranging from experienced nursesto quality recent nursing grads as well.”She adds that Sanford, as well as other health care

systems, are not without challenges. “Nursing in general,always has a need,” she says.Diane Berkland, chief nursing executive for the Medical

Center in Sioux Falls, sees that firs hand. “It kind of dependson the local needs and demands,” she states. “Across theregion there have been pockets where it is more difficult to

A primary draw for Sarah Bartels to the SanfordAberdeen (SD) Medical center was the chance tobe part of the Sanford team and to experiencean once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be thedirector of the Women’s Center.

Sarah Bartels, director of Women's Center, Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center,

checks Angela Post of Aberdeen. (Photo courtesy of Dawn Sahli Photography)

‘


recruit. A lot of it is the desire of where nurses arelooking to locate.”Berkland is considered Sanford’s voice for nursing

across the organization. There are more than 6,500 RNsacross North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. Inthe Sioux Falls Medical Center there are more than1,200 RNs. The Sioux Falls Medical Center shows a 1percent vacancy rate or less. Across the region, thevacancy rate is 3.6 percent.Berkland notes that is it is not really hard to fill RN

positions in Sioux Falls. “We have over 20 years ofprofessionalizing nursing practice here at the MedicalCenter,” she says, adding Sanford has been designated asa MAGNET nursing organization by the AmericanNurses Credentialing Center. “MAGNET organizationsare attractor organizations. We are bringing in the bestand the brightest talent. We have worked hard to be thattype of organization.”Another successful recruiting technique has been the

annual Sanford Day, where young men and womenfrom the region walk into the facility and find out moreabout Sanford. “We work hard on it,” Berkland says.“Students love to come to Sanford Day.”Sanford focuses on at least four items to keep RNs in

the system. One is providing meaningful recognition.Second, the nursing staff is continuously invited to thetable to provide input. Third, there are adequatenumbers of qualified staff to help the newer staff.Finally, Sanford continues its investment in informationtechnology.“As the new folks come in they are interested in

technology and simplifying their work,” Berkland states.“We have made a huge investment at the point ofservice (bed side.)”Berkland concludes that nursing is really the

backbone of health care. “It is essential to the culture and establishingthe culture of the organization,” she states.

FINDING TRUCK DRIVERS IN THE REGIONRob Rebel, president of Knife River Central and Eastern North

Dakota Division, doesn’t hesitate in saying that finding truck drivers isa difficult task. “Most everything you read about the oil boom inwestern North Dakota involves trucks and truck traffic,” he states.“There are thousands of trucks operating there. We’ve lost drivers tothat area and there is only so much capacity of qualified truck driverswithin the state. There used to be a pool to draw from. Because of thedemand the pool is pretty close to empty.”Rebel adds that truck drivers are an “absolutely necessary part” of

what Knife River does. Rebel is in charge of aggregate, ready mix, concrete construction and

trucking divisions for both eastern and central North Dakota. Hestarted in the industry in 1988 working 11 years for Fisher Sand andGravel Company in Dickinson, N. D. In 2000, he worked for PioneerConstruction and then in 2003 joined Knife River when Pioneer wasacquired.Knife River has operations in North Dakota, South Dakota,

Minnesota, California, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Idaho,Montana, Wyoming, Texas and Iowa.

Rebel’s divisions employ about 75 truck drivers between central andeastern North Dakota. Currently, in central North Dakota, Rebel islooking for 10 redi-mix truck drivers and 10 aggregate truck drivers.“It is not unusual for some turnover,” he states. “But because of the

lure of higher hours and pay, we are seeing a higher turnover.”Knife River has been very active and has engaged the Human

Resources Department on the corporate level in finding truck drivers.This includes job fairs, as well as actively recruiting in the region. “Mostrecently we sent out notifications to all employees to find out if they areinterested in becoming a certified truck driver,” Rebel says. “If they goout and get the appropriate permits, we will give them time with ourdrivers, train them and provide the vehicle for formal CDL training toget the license.”Rebel adds the company is trying to do everything it can to entice

employees to stay. This includes such things as competitive benefits andproviding a personal family environment.“They are working for a good, safe company that cares about them,”

Rebel states.As for what needs to be done to find truck drivers, Rebel notes “if

there is a magic bullet out there, I don’t know if we’ve found it yet.”The one advantage Rebel believes Knife River has is in being a well

established company. “We’re a national company where there are alwaysopportunities to move within the company in the 13 states we work in.”PB Alan Van Ormer - [email protected]

Rob Rebel, president of Knife River Central and Eastern North Dakota Division, oversees a

division that employs 75 truck drivers. (Photo courtesy of Knife River)


Growth coupled with low unemployment means more strain onthe region’s workforce, making it tougher for employers to findthe workers they need.

To determine some of the toughest jobs to fill in the region in the pastyear we used data compiled by Economic Modeling Specialists,Inc. (EMSI), a model that includes a combination of more than 90 stateand federal sources and includes estimates of independent contractorsand others. We looked at a number of metrics, including the number ofopenings in the region due to growth, retirements, and turnover; thenumber of openings compared to the total jobs in an occupation; and theregional concentration of a job here compared to the rest of the nation.The occupations are separated into five groups: construction,

extraction, transportation and material moving; business, finance andoffice; heath care; science, mathematics, engineering and computer; andmanufacturing occupations. The construction, resource extraction and transportation category is

not surprisingly dominated by the ongoing energy boom in westernNorth Dakota. Roustabouts lead the way with 917 new jobs and 979total openings in the past year. The overall leader in total job openings across the region is heavy

truck drivers, with 1,973 openings from 2010-2011. The need is mostacute in oil country, but the entire region has a 70 percent higherconcentration of heavy truck drivers than the national average. The national media has credited the oil boom for the economic

growth. The economic benefits of the energy boom have spread acrossthe region, but there is more to the story. While the entire region trailedthe nation in job growth until 2007, the region’s five largestmetropolitan areas – Bismarck, Grand Forks, Fargo, Sioux Falls andRapid City – were well ahead of the nation through the entire decade.Now containing 39 percent of the regional jobs, these five metropolitanareas beat the nation in job growth over the decade by 10 points, 15.8 to5.8 percent.The Prairie Business region has also become a growth center for

science, math, engineering and computer occupations, adding nearly 18percent to its technical workforce in the past decade, compared to just3.6 percent growth in the rest of the nation. The growth rate in the fivemetropolitan areas was more than 27 percent. Some of the most in-demand jobs include industrial engineers (91 openings), mechanicalengineers (87), geological engineers (52), petroleum engineers (50) andgeoscientists (45). A new program for petroleum engineers at theUniversity of North Dakota School of Engineering and Mines may helpaddress the shortages in these fields.The region’s manufacturing economy was hit hardest by the recent

recession, but was booming in the six years prior and is now recovering.In demand production occupations include welders (677 openings),

assemblers (604), supervisors (194), machinists (156), computer-controlled machine tool operators (107), and engine assemblers (88). Across the region, 52 of the 152 counties hold an above average

number of production jobs. Hot spots in the region include Jerauld,Yankton and Brookings counties in South Dakota; Roseau, Nobles andKandiyohi in Minnesota; and Sargent and Richland in North Dakota.PB Read more on Mark Schill's Viewpoint at www.prairiebizmag.com.

While not immune to the recession, overthe past two years the region covered by Prairie Business magazine has seen both higher job growth and lowerunemployment than the rest of the nation.

COVER STORY: WORKFORCE VIEWPOINT

Addressing shortagesAs vice president for Research

at Praxis Strategy Group, MarkSchill focuses on economicdevelopment strategy, economicanalysis and demographic trends,and technology issues. With 11years at Praxis Strategy Group,Schill has experience in strategicplanning, economic analysis,business planning, demographicresearch, marketing strategy, website development, Internetcommunity management, andevent planning.


Laura Glatt, vice chancellor for administrative affairs for theNorth Dakota University System, notes the higher educationsystem is preparing students to meet workforce needs. “The

tools we use today are more high tech and structured around ateam-oriented work environment,” she states. “The structures ofbuildings facilitate that kind of learning environment.”Dr. Jack Warner, executive director and CEO of the South Dakota

Board of Regents, says one of the prime considerations in upgradingacademic facilities is that modern classrooms need to be smartclassrooms. “When we are renovating a science building orclassroom building, we are generally replacing old projectionequipment, internet sources and upgrading the modern classroomso that it has technology equipment that helps students learn moreefficiently. We like to stay up to date on the technical side. It is anongoing challenge because of rapid rate of change of technology.”The South Dakota Board of Regents provides leadership and sets

policies for the programs and services delivered through its sixuniversities and two special schools. The Board asks each campus todocument their needs and then develop a 10-year facilities plan thatoutlines those needs.Twenty percent of the student tuition is placed in the Higher

Education Facilities Fund to pay for projects that could includephysical infrastructure, renovation, expansion of academic teachingspace or research space. Each is also ranked in priority. Top prioritiesinclude infrastructure upgrades, older space renovations and newinstructional and research space. The funding for the projects comes from several sources

including the HEFF Fund, which has allocated $105 million for thecurrent fiscal year for projects. The total allocation is $218 million,meaning that the remaining funds must be raised by the institutionfor a particular project.“In order for a project to go forward, the institution needs to be

able to bond to begin the project,” Warner says.The bonding market and interest rates are another change in the

way South Dakota must do business for facilities. “We have been ableto accelerate the last two 10-year plans because of the interest ratesbeing charged and the availability of the contractors,” Warner states. In addition to academic or research facilities, campuses are also

building residence halls, student unions, wellness centers, and otherstructures that students want to see on the campuses.The main change for South Dakota is that 10-12 years ago, the

higher education system did not have much sponsored research inthe system. It has grown from an estimated $33 million to morethan $130 million in that period.“With that growth in research, it requires more square footage

for lab space and research facilities,” Warner says. “That is anotherfeature of the building projects. It is very hard for a lab to be usedfor both research and instruction because those are competingpriorities.”In North Dakota, the university system engages in a

comprehensive campus master planning process every two years, aspart of the biennial budget process. It is an institutional-drivenprocess. The campuses identify building needs to support strategicplans goals and objectives and from there emerges building projects.Board policy determines the criteria and evaluation process forreviewing each of those projects. Based on the outcome of the

COVER STORY: HIGER EDUCATION

Technology and workforce needs seem tobe deciding factors on what type ofstructures higher education facilities in theregion will be constructing in the future.

Developingdifferent brandof educationbuilding

Dr. Jack Warner, executive director and CEO of the South Dakota Board of Regents.


evaluation, plus onsite visit to discuss theprojects, the Chancellor recommends asingle list of system wide projects to theBoard. The Board determines the final listof prioritized projects submitted forexecutive and legislative consideration.Projects are funded from multiple

sources, including state, grant and contract,private, and auxiliary enterprise revenues,the latter to upgrade residence halls,foodservice, etc. Due to North Dakota’sstrong economy, the State of North Dakota,through state fund appropriations, hasprovided $133 million for campus facilityprojects during the past four biennia (2005-2007 to 2011-2013).Glatt says our facility needs change based

on the changing student demographics andexpectations. “We must have tools in placein instructional and other campus facilitiesthat allow us to prepare students for today’swork environment.” PBAlan Van Ormer -

[email protected]

Francis Ziegler, director of the North Dakota Department ofTransportation, says transportation is vitally important tosupporting our country’s economic competitiveness and our

state’s economic growth. “It is also crucial to moving freight,connecting manufacturers to retailers, farmers to markets, shippersto railroads, airports, seaports; and motorists to jobs, schools, andstores,” he says.Wayne Hurley, planning director for West Central Initiative in

Fergus Falls, Minn., notes that transportation is critical to anyindustry. “It might force businesses to relocate out of an area if youdon’t have good transportation.”Funding happens to be one of the major issues to the region’s

transportation system.“There is always more need than there is money,” Hurley says.

“We end up in situations where we have to make hard choices when

prioritizing which projects get done.” As the planning director for West Central Initiative, Hurley

works closely with the Minnesota Department of Transportation onplanning for counties and cities in a 9-county area in west centralMinnesota. Hurley is seeing a movement toward complete streets, which

means considering other implications to accommodate all users ofthe facility. For example, Alexandria, Minn., is doing a study of Broadway

Avenue (Highways 27 and 29) that could include a bicycle facility,improved pedestrian facility and accommodate cars. InBreckenridge, Minn., a new hospital was built along Highway 75.The DOT is looking at a pedestrian and bicycle connection to therest of the community.“Safety has always been a high priority for transportation

projects,” Hurley explains, adding that there has been significantsafety features with the design of a roundabout at an intersection.“Some of the studies show 90 percent reduction in fatal and seriousinjury crashes.”The State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) lists all

projects that receive federal dollars. For Fiscal Year 2012, District 4(the 9-county region around Fergus Falls) total project funding ismore than $78 million. This doesn’t include any of the local fundingthose counties or cities spend on their projects.Just recently, the South Dakota Transportation Commission

approved adding $980,000 for FY-2012 and another $610,000 in FY-2013 in enhancement projects to the five-year STIP.The projects being funded include: a shared-use path along

Interstate 90 in Oacoma; a shared-use path in the Henze Additionto the Flynn Nature Trail near Milbank; a railroad depot restorationalong U.S. Highway 83 in Ft. Pierre; a streetscape along Main Streetin Hill City; a living snow fence – statewide; and relocating ahistoric bridge located near Geddes to a bike path near LakeMitchell.“Our needs in South Dakota have not changed in recent years

and we continue to focus on preserving our existing highwaysystem,” says Darin Bergquist, secretary for the South DakotaDepartment of Transportation.Legislative studies are showing that long-term the state will not

be able to fund deteriorating bridge and pavement conditions at thecurrent federal funding levels. Currently, the state directs $200million each year to the state highway fund from gas tax and motorvehicle excise tax. “Our approach to the use of state funds has always focused first

and foremost on ensuring adequate state funds are available to

Fixing roadways in the region

COVER STORY: TRANSPORTATION

All aspects of the transportation industry have a huge impact on economic development in the region.


Darin Bergquist, secretary for South Dakota Department of Transportation


match all federal funds,” Bergquist says. “The remainder is then usedfor operational, maintenance, equipment and building needs.”Bergquist notes the state relies on its nationally-recognized

pavements management system that evaluates existing pavement andprovides recommendations of which roads need immediate treatmentand what type of treatment. “We follow it closely. Therecommendations have been beneficial to determine the most cost-effective strategy for preserving existing pavements.”Bergquist says South Dakota has been focused on preservation-

type projects that improve the condition of pavement without havingto do large reconstruction and adding additional miles to the system.Main projects in 2012 include the completion of a south connector

around Watertown (a two-phase project that is estimated to cost $13.5million), as well as a segment of Highway 100 near Sioux Falls (aportion of an overall project estimated to cost $200 million), andreconstruction of Highway 44 in Rapid City (estimated to cost $9.4million).In North Dakota, the Governor and legislature passed a

comprehensive transportation package of $1.67 billion for the 2011-2013 biennium, which includes maintenance and enhancement ofstate, county, city and township roads.The transportation package is considered the largest two-year

budget for road construction and transportation services in NDDOThistory. It includes $600 million in regular federal aid statewideconstruction program, $228.6 million for the extraordinary statehighway maintenance program, $142 million for the county andtownship road reconstruction program, and $200 million to addressemergency roadway needs at Devils Lake.NDDOT does a needs study and has a pavement management

system – special equipment that drives the system, evaluates road rideand condition. The information is logged into the system and outputsa report that helps the NDDOT prioritize.The department also determines needs through a Statewide

Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). This is a four-yearprogram of projects planned for transportation needs throughout thestate. The STIP includes all federally-funded highway and transitprojects to be constructed in North Dakota. The development of theSTIP involves working with many agencies to determinetransportation needs. This includes coordination with cities andcounties, in addition to gathering statewide input from variousgroups, officials and NDDOT District Engineers.One main issue facing North Dakota’s transportation system

includes uncertainty of future federal funding. Another issuematerialized after record flooding across the state caused extensivedamage to state, county and urban roadways covering 41 counties andthree cities.“Some areas of the state are still assessing damage to their

infrastructure,” Ziegler states. “The Department is working on a largenumber of Emergency Relief projects.”Flooding damaged roads in regions across the state include: Devils

Lake, Red River, Prairie Pothole Region, Minot and Bismarck. Theweather-related conditions also caused landslides on highways inwestern North Dakota. In addition, oil country roads want bypasses ortruck reliever routes, wider roads, passing lanes and load restrictionfree roads. PBAlan Van Ormer - [email protected]

Francis Ziegler, director for North Dakota Department of Transportation

Wayne Hurley, planning director for West Central Initiative

30 Prairie Business Energy March 2012

The South Dakota Board of Regents has provided South Dakota State University inBrookings, S. D., a $200,000 grant for photovoltaic research to develop devices thatcould make this happen, as well as reduce greenhouse gas and other environmental

pollutant emissions.The funding will allow researchers at the College of Engineering to collaborate with an

industry partner to develop an innovative plasma technology. Plasma technology is widelyused in manufacturing solar cells, semiconductor integrated circuits, flat panel displaysand flexible electronics.Qi Hua Fan, principal investigator and associate professor of electrical engineering and

computer science, says the new plasma technology enables cost effective manufacturing ofsolar cells. “If this technology is successful it will significantly promote solar panelefficiency and reduce production costs,” Fan states. “If this happens a generation of newcompanies will be producing solar panels.”Fan is being joined by co-principal investigators David Galipeau, professor of electrical

engineering and computer science, and Zhong Hu, associate professor of mechanicalengineering, to develop high-density, plasma-based, thin-film deposition technology,according to a news release from SDSU’s University Relations office.Hu will be working with the plasma simulation portion of the project, Fan will be

developing the plasma source and materials process and Galipeau will use his expertise insemiconductor devices to help with that end.The project is slated to last at least 18 months and could lead to the establishment of

an advanced materials process and characterization facility that can fabricate solar cells.The news release also states that “The research is part of continual efforts at SDSU and

other research institutions to help the nation become energy independent of fossil fuels.SDSU has engaged in numerous projects that use photovoltaic materials and devices. Inorder for such devices to reduce sustainable energy, they must use materials that areabundantly available and environmentally benign.”Fan says that currently, the cost of using solar energy is four-to-five times the cost of

using conventional electricity. If the technology is successful, it would allow solar energyto be competitive with current electricity and other types of energy, Fan notes.South Dakota is considered one of the premier states focusing on solar technology

because it is one of the top states with the most days of sunlight, Fan states. The grant allows the research team to develop the technology. Once the technology is

developed, SDSU researchers expect other grants to enable further testing of the newtechnology. If the tests are successful, the technology would be transferred to a company,who would in turn, be able to produce solar panels.Fan started working with solar energy more than five years. He came to SDSU a year

ago and started working on the solar research project that will try to develop thirdgeneration photovoltaic devices and develop new technologies that can addressdeficiencies occurring with the current technologies.“Current dominant plasma technology has disadvantages such as the plasma density is

too low, which makes the process very slow,” he says. “We need to do theoreticalsimulation which will give us a very high density plasma source.”Fan adds that this program creates much higher density plasma, which enables the

SDSU research team developingsolar energy efficienciesA research team is developing technology that wouldconvert solar energy more efficiently at a low cost.


Solar panel (Photo courtesy of SDSU)

fabrication of high-efficiency solar cells.Hu believes this can help reduce the dependence on fossil fuel. “Efficiency is one of

the most important things associated with energy. The second thing is cost,” he says.“New technologies involved with plasma can provide cost saving in materialfabrication. We can use a computer simulation to clearly predict process details. Weare trying to promote the process and our research capability.”Solar panels are used to generate electricity. This type of clean energy can’t

compete with fossil fuels because of the cost. The research team is working with anindustry partner to establish the high density plasmas system. The industry partner isproviding matching funds for developing the plasma equipment.Alan Van Ormer - [email protected]

32 Prairie Business Energy March 2012

ACanadian company has opened an operation in Bismarck, N. D., and isbringing its own technology into the Bakken Oil Play.Datalog, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is making Bismarck

its first United States location for its Logging While Tripping (LWT) Division.LWT uses formation evaluation methods using down hole instrumentation todetermine geologic properties and hydrocarbon content.

“We made the decision to come to Bismarck rather than the traditionalwestern North Dakota locations as we felt we would have a better chance ofhiring and retaining good engineers and technologists in a major centre with fullamenities,” explains Rob Duthie, vice president of Operations. “The cost oftraining an engineer is expensive so retention is key to our success. Our businessrequires our units to drive to well sites to perform our services as needed so theextra hour and a half to Bismarck from the Bakken play was acceptable for ourlogistics.”

Over the next two years, Datalog will be placing an estimated $3 millionworth of LWT equipment into western North Dakota. A building is slated to becompleted in early 2012. In addition, Mark Wagner, who lives in Bismarck, hasbeen hired as the general manager of the LWT Division in Bismarck.

Datalog has been in business in the Canadian and International oilfield since

1986 including previously in Colorado and Texas with Mud Logging services.Mud Logging is analysis of drill cuttings and drilling mud to infer geology andgas content. The company divested most of the Mud Logging divisions in 2006and has since been focused on the current divisions which include oil sandsWireline Logging and Logging While Tripping (LWT.)

Datalog plans on expanding to other resource plays in the United States. The LWT system allows oil companies to economically perform detailed

formation evaluation (open hole logs) in horizontal wells where it is currentlycost prohibitive to perform this analysis. Open hole logs measure electrical,nuclear and acoustic properties of the formations to determine geologicparameters as well as hydrocarbon content.

Duthie states that in most horizontal wells only the very simplest open hole logis generally run as part of the directional drilling process, this simple log is thenatural Gamma Ray which gives limited information. Traditionally the wellcompletion program and hydraulic fracturing interval decisions for the well arethen made from this simple log combined with drill cutting analysis.

The LWT system allows the oil company to run a comprehensive suite ofopen hole logs including natural Gamma Ray, Spectral Gamma Ray, NeutronPorosity, Density, and Dual Induction Resistivity. This suite of formationevaluation logs is the same as is generally run on vertical wells using gravitydescent deployment or in industry terms Wireline Open Hole Logging. Asgravity descent is impossible in horizontal wells, generally they are not asrigorously evaluated (logged).

“Our patented deployment system, which includes an electrically invisiblecomposite drill collar and memory based logging instruments which arepumped down the well, makes horizontal logging easy,” Duthie explains. “Ourinstruments or “logging tools” are deployed when the drill reaches its finaldepth, measurements are acquired in memory mode from safe within the collaras the pipe is removed (tripped) from the well. This allows the samecomprehensive logs to be acquired in the horizontal part of the well as normallyonly acquired in vertical wells.

Duthie notes there is a large economic advantage to the system versus othersystems for open hole logging in horizontal wells, as it uses almost no rig time.“Other systems require the entire drill pipe string to be removed (tripped) fromthe well and the instrumentation pushed down on the end of the pipe whichtakes several days of rig time,” he says. “The cost of having a rig on location for asingle day is between 75-100K so saving a couple of days is significant. This largerig time cost, as well as the risk of losing equipment with other methods hastraditionally limited horizontal logging from being performed.”

Duthie adds that the reason for logging the horizontal in addition to thevertical section of the well is to ensure the well trajectory has stayed in thecorrect formation as planned and no geologic surprises are encountered thatwould affect the completion and hydraulic fracturing program.

“The fracking plan can then be based on solid understanding of thesubsurface conditions rather than vague inferences from limited geologicalevaluation methods,” he says. “This allows optimization of fracking horsepowerinstead of wasting energy on the wrong formations. This is more critical thanever with the focus on fracking by the general public and the need to ensure thefrack energy is going where it was planned.”

Alan Van Ormer - [email protected]

Canadian companyopens in Bismarck,brings new technologyinto Bakken

A Canadian company has opened an operation

in Bismarck, N. D., and is bringing its own

technology into the Bakken Oil Play.

Employees of the Logging While Tripping (LWT) Division conduct operations.(Photo courtesy of Datalog)


First, by the end of this crop production year, experts believe thatevery equipment dealership in North Dakota will have aprecision ag technician or have recruited for one. A second

impact involves innovation and firms who are capitalizing on theemergence of different technologies and integrating them into theirown product line. Finally, the impact involves the volume of dollars.According to Dr. Paul Gunderson, president of the Dakota

Precision Agriculture Center, the latest data he could gather pointsout that since 2000, producers and trucking companies in theUnited States together have invested $15 billion in precisiontechnology.“(The impact that precision ag has on the business of

agriculture) is huge out here,” Dr. Gunderson explains.Lanny Faleide, president of Agri ImaGIS Technologies, says that

the 10 percent that use precision ag variable rate techniques aremore profitable and more efficient. “However, it is tough to putnumbers to it,” he states.Roger Reierson, CEO and chairman of Flint Group, a network

of six full-service marketing communication firms includingAdFarm, says that ag innovation has created whole new sectors.“Areas around biotech, seed coatings, and nutraceuticals, didn’teven exist a few years ago and have been driven by ag innovation,”explains Reierson, whose commitment to rural development in theupper Great Plains and Red River Valley region of North Dakotaand Minnesota have spawned numerous committees,organizations and initiatives including the Red River ValleyResearch Corridor. “Other, more indirect, initiatives like foodtraceability and food safety have taken quantum leaps due torecent jumps in innovations. Billions of dollars are directed tosupport innovations in agriculture. These efforts assist in drivinglarge portions of the world economy.”For a producer, when thinking about ag innovation, the

producer is typically thinking about integral steps up from thetechnology they are currently using, Dr. Gunderson explains.“Most producers that work with ag innovation don’t think of

innovation as a huge jump,” he states, using an example of asmoving from a manual task of steering a tractor to automatedsteering. “For the producer, it can make a huge difference. Itreduces the fatigue level in the cab, amount of back pain, andmuscle tension across the shoulder.”The Center was established under North Dakota’s Center of

Excellence initiative to foster high quality research, respond toprivate-sector need for product-related research and development,and contribute to a quality environment for technological jobdevelopment with North Dakota. The Center is located at LakeRegion State College in Devils Lake, N. D., and functions out ofthe president’s office.Faleide started Agri ImaGIS Technologies almost 18 years ago.

The company’s main focus has been remote sensing, in particular,accessing imagery from satellites and aerial sensors to take imagesof a farm field to evaluate the growth potential of crops and whatis going in that field throughout the year.He started innovating when he was toying with satellite

images on his farm in North Dakota. He started Agri ImaGIS in1994 and attended the first precision ag conference inChampagne, Ill., in 1996.“Precision ag was officially defined in 1996, but people were

dabbling with it for 10 years prior,” Faleide explains.At the time GPS was in play, but the problem was the accuracy.

“It was at 30 feet accuracy and we wanted it to be down to theinch,” Faleide says.While Faleide was working with ag innovation since the 1980s,

Dr. Gunderson developed the Dakota Precision Ag Center inDevils Lake, N. D., just a few years ago. The main focus of theCenter is providing educational tools for producers in NorthDakota and teaching growers how to use the technology. Onemain innovation has been new technology that is replacing slurrymanure for swine and dairy operations.“We’ve designed a new tool that places the slurry all across the

seed bed in the ground,” he says. “We are working with an Italian

Innovation impacting ag community

Innovation isimpacting theagriculturebusiness

community inat least threeways.

Ag Innovation

Satshot technology. (Photo courtesy of Agri ImaGIS Technologies)


firm that appears to have the technology to sense the nutrientvalue in the slurry manure as it is being injected.”Dr. Gunderson believes one major innovation has been

genomics, which has helped alter the basic genomic structure ofcrops. “It is tailored to fit the soil characteristics. It is tailored toclimate. It can tailor the crop for a specific outcome,” he states.Faleide adds that precision ag has shown the producers that

the land can be treated better. “It has allowed producers to treatit wiser and to do the right thing,” he states. “Theenvironmental impact is huge. The world will not allow us todo whatever we want.“Reierson notes that we need to feed a growing world and

there is not enough arable land to feed our exponential growth.“Innovation will play a large part in increasing the productionrates of our finite farmland. We have seen hybrid corntechnology take corn yields from under 100 bushels/acre to wellover 200. This cannot occur without innovation,” he says. “Foodsafety and storage initiatives can help reduce wastage and loss asanother mechanism to feed the world. Innovation in seedtechnology continues to increase yields and plays a major rolein developing more nutritional and a safer food supply.Innovation has played a large role in increasing our food supply,but it will take continuous new technology and more efficientfarming practices to keep up with global demand.” PBFor more information about ag innovation, visit

www.precisionag.com.Alan Van Ormer - [email protected]

Slurry tool. (Photo courtesy of

Lake Region State College)

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The oil boom has dramatically impacted transportation needsin western North Dakota. “Truck volumes have increased significantly,” states Francis

Ziegler, director of the North Dakota Department of Transportation(NDDOT). “We also have to deal with weight traffic. Thirty to fortypercent of the traffic volume is trucks, so we’ve had to design ourroads to handle the heavier loads. These heavy trucks can wear outthe roadways quickly.”With the increase in traffic on western North Dakota roads, the

state invested $290 million in 2011 and will invest an additional$305 million this year on state highways as NDDOT aggressivelyaddresses infrastructure improvements to enhance safety and trafficmovement.The state of North Dakota budgeted an unprecedented amount

of state funding for transportation projects including $142 million(biennium total) to address the greatest local roadway needs oncounty and township road reconstruction in the 17 oil impactcounties. The money is for paved and gravel roadways. To date, $25million has been spent. The remainder is expected to be spent thisyear.The budget also includes $228.6 million (biennium total)

designated for state highway projects in western North Dakota. Anestimated $84.5 million in projects are under contract at this time.

It’s all about Western North Dakota

Transportation needs in western North Dakota

Visit prairiebizmag.comto find out...Some of the projects being workedon in western North DakotaWhat the NDDOT is workingon to enhance traffic movementWhat is going on in Williston torelieve traffic congestion


IItt’’ss aallll aabboouutt WWeesstteerrnn NNoorrtthh DDaakkoottaa

The remainder of this amount will be bid onduring the 2012 construction season.It is a portion of a comprehensive

transportation package designed by the Governorand legislature of $1.67 billion for the 2011-2013biennium, which includes maintenance andenhancement of state, county, city and townshiproads.Ziegler notes that the crucial challenge in

western North Dakota is trying to get ahead andtrying to stay ahead of the growth. Whenattending meetings, Ziegler adds that the numberone challenge that people bring up istransportation, while housing and emergencyservices, fall close behind.“We are looking at new ways to address

roadway infrastructure improvements andpeople’s concerns,” he states. “We’re also workingto make the roads as safe as possible.”Ziegler says the state is doing all it can at this

time. “In some ways we’re trying to play catch upbecause roads are already damaged,” he says. “Thenew roads are being designed to address theincreased traffic counts and loads.” WNDPBAlan Van Ormer -

[email protected]


Raven has been collaborating with VistaResearch over the past 18 months toproduce some surveillance products.

Vista’s smart sensing radar systems (SSRS) areemployed in a host of advanced detection andtracking applications, including wide-areasurveillance for the border patrol and military.Raven Industries, Inc. communications

manager Kristin Tilus, says Vista Research willcontinue to do business at the Arlington, Va.location.“They’ll continue to support existing

contracts from their locations, which are inArlington (Virginia), and Monterey andChatsworth (California),” Tilus says. “The

acquisition fits Raven’s growth plan. Ourcompany is in constant search for newmarkets. Vista has been producing highlyengineered products with unique marketposition.”The acquisition will immediately allow

Raven Aerostar to enhance its tetheredaerostat security solutions. Longer-term,Raven is positioned to meet growing globaldemand for low-cost detection and trackingsystems used by government and lawenforcement agencies.Under terms of the acquisition agreement,

Raven will acquire Vista Research for aninitial cash purchase of approximately $12

Ravenacquisitionfits growthplanRaven Industries, Inc., in SiouxFalls, S. D., recently acquiredVista Research, Inc., a leadingprovider of surveillancesystems that enhance theeffectiveness of radars usingsophisticated algorithms.

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million, with up to $38.5 million in additional benchmark and earn-outpayments over the next seven years. The transaction closed in January,subject to customary closing conditions.Vista Research’s CEO and co-founder, Joe Maresca, notes that his

company shared a common vision with Raven Industries for peace andstability through innovation and high-quality products. Vista Researchhas pioneered innovative detection and tracking processing systems formore than 25 years, developing smart radar surveillance processors tohelp identify threats to critical assets.In addition to acquiring a highly-engineered niche product with a

unique market position, Raven’s president and chief executive officer,Daniel A. Rykhus, expects to integrate Vista’s technology with Raven’sMarine navigation products for enhanced port security.“Raven has a proven approach for commercializing acquired

technologies and leveraging our strengths in manufacturing, marketdevelopment, sales and customer service,” Rykhus says.Raven Industries, Inc. has designed and manufactured high-quality,

high-value technical produces since 1956. Raven is publicly traded onNASDAQ (RAVN) and has earned an international reputation forinnovation, product quality, high performance and unmatched service. “With strengths in engineering, manufacturing and technological

innovation, Raven serves the precision agriculture, high performancespecialty films, aerospace and electronic manufacturing servicesmarkets,” Tilus says. In 2013, Raven expects to add 200 employees to fill technical and

engineering positions. City of Sioux Falls economic developmentmanager Erica Beck says Raven’s expansion and growth fills a criticalneed for the city to maintain a diverse employment center.

“Raven Industries is a long-standing member of the Sioux Fallsbusiness community,” Beck says. “They provide high-quality productsand employment opportunities. Sioux Falls is set apart from the rest ofthe region in the level of skill set our workforce gains in employmentthrough their company.”Beck notes that Raven’s growth and expansion plans for the next few

years is exciting both for the Sioux Falls area and the state of SouthDakota.“The best growth is often that happening from within, resulting

from an existing company’s solid performance and ability to expand,”Beck says. “We’re fortunate to have successful businesses such as RavenIndustries in Sioux Falls. Their growth will result in a positive impact toeconomic conditions within Sioux Falls for decades to follow.”Rykhus notes that acquiring Vista Research is a “unique

opportunity” that will allow Raven to further collaborate with VistaResearch to bring new innovations for detecting and tracking smallobjects over land, over water and in the air. Solutions can be used toreplace or enhance traditional, high-cost radar systems now in use. “Their breakthrough technology can be another catalyst driving

future growth at Raven,” Rykhus says. “We expect this acquisition willbe additive to our earnings in the course of the coming year. Moreimportantly, we believe acquiring Vista Research meets our goal ofallocating capital to generate attractive returns on investment withincreasing cash flows.”Additional information about Raven Industries, Inc. is available at

www.ravenind.com. SDPBLoretta Sorensen, Owner, Prairie Hearth Publishing, LLC.

[email protected].

It’s all about South Dakota


RRV Technology

It is just one of themany new apps andother technological

ideas being developedin the Red River Valleycorridor.“We are fortunate tolive in a communitywhere technology hasreally been the focusof our schools andour local government.Organizations like theNDSU Research &Technology Park areinstrumental inencouraging youngentrepreneurs to bebold and take risks

on new business ideas,supporting them through financial means and through mentoring,” saysJoe Sandin, president of Onsharp, Inc. Onsharp is helping develop SaveGiveGo, an online community,

where businesses post promotions that also include pledge amounts andonly pay when the promotion is redeemed by a customer. The customerreceives the promotion, such as a discount on a product or service, aswell as the pledge amount to give to a nonprofit of their choice withinthe SaveGiveGo system.“SaveGiveGo is an exciting new way to not only save money, but also

make a difference in your community,” Sandin explains. “Consumerssave money, businesses promote their offers risk-free, and nonprofitsand fundraising organizations receive more money for worthy causes.”Sandin notes that SaveGiveGo is the answer to the increasingly

popular question how can businesses and advertisers share the risk ofadvertising? “The pledge aspect of the website solves a critical issue forschool groups and nonprofits which is simple, cost-effectivefundraising,” he says. “In fact, SaveGiveGo is very cost-effective becauseit is completely free for causes to be listed and accepts pledges oncethey’ve been approved.” SaveGiveGo is currently available for pre-launch sign up at

www.savegivego.com. Launch is expected in late Quarter 1 2012 with amobile application launching by the end of Quarter 2. In West Fargo, N. D., Fat Cat, LLP has announced the availability of

its first mobile gaming app, Fat Cats, on the IOS and Androidplatforms. Fat Cats is a mobile app incubator, which designsapplications that parody current events for the entertainment gamingmarket.According to a press release, Fat Cats parodies the tension between

Wall Street executives and those occupying Wall Street. The gamefeatures a whimsical battle, in which heroic animated characters launchthemselves at the Wall Street fat cats in an effort to bring down thefinancial empire.In Fargo, N. D., three local innovators are developing a product

called Simple In/Out. It’s a web-based in/out board for managingemployees. According to Brandon Medenwald, Simply Made Apps, in an email,

we have a great website (simpleinout.com) and apps for iPhones andAndroid handsets. “What sets our software apart from any other in/outboard ever made is GeoFencing. With GeoFencing, you can designatereal-world areas with circles on a map,” he states in the email. “Once theseare established, reach for the companion app on your phone and you cancheck in or out when you enter or leave location automatically withoutdoing anything but carrying your phone. This makes keeping track ofemployees virtually painless. After a little setup, everyone in a givenlocation will be monitored whether they are in or out of the office.”Marco, Inc., a leading Managed Services Provider, is designing an

MSP to offer the Intel® AppUpSM Small Business service running onthe Intel Hybrid Cloud throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, SouthDakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The service offering, called the Marco Hybrid Cloud, is an innovative

subscription-based model for providing locally hosted, remotelymanaged server hardware and software. One of the immediate benefits isthat businesses can access hardware and software on a monthly pay-as-you-go basis, thus eliminating costly start-up and licensing fees.“Intel is excited to be launching this service in this marketplace,” says

Bridget Karlin, General Manager, Intel Hybrid Cloud, in a recent pressrelease. “Marco’s business model and client relationships will helpbusinesses throughout the Upper Midwest area adopt this technologyrapidly with a very affordable monthly subscription model.”In addition, Appareo Systems has undertaken a significant software

development project with CHC Helicopter, providing the world’s largesthelicopter services company with an innovative and robust electronicflight bag (EFB) application.The CHC EFB software will run on the Apple iPad, continuing

CHC’s commitment to leveraging advanced technology to achieve acompletely paperless cockpit environment. CHC is deploying more than500 iPads globally to be used for various flight-related activitiesincluding crew training and flight operations.Implemented across its fleet, the EFB will serve as a vehicle for

standardizing CHC’s flying operations at bases around the world,according to a press release. This increased efficiency will pay dividendsin the form of shortened accounts receivable cycles, more completeinformation for crew scheduling and maintenance activities, and theelimination of in-flight paperwork duties. The CHC EFB will alsoprovide flight crews with powerful tools for routing, fuel planning andweight and balance calculations. RRVPB

The new ‘dedicated

mobile website,’

Fargomoorhead.org,

was launched in

December providing

access to community

information with any

smart phone, plus the

location aware guide

allows visitors to use the

‘nearest me’ feature to

list and sort options,

making exploring the

community quicker.

Innovative technologyideas being developed inthe Red River Valley


ViewPoint

Due to our unprecedented economic situation, now is the timeto be focused and strategic about shaping the future of ourstate. An essential piece of the ND 2.0 initiative is to engage a

diverse cross-section of people and give them an opportunity toprovide feedback.The ND 2.0 initiative began last October with a successful event

in Bismarck where individuals from across the state joined togetherto share ideas. The results showed that people are hungry forleadership to take hold of our future. While the state’s economicsuccess has provided us with incredible opportunity, it is importantthat we a have vision to address immediate needs and plan for whatlies ahead. To capture this vision, ND 2.0 is currently underway,

holding interactive meetings in 12 communities across the state. Thefeedback from these discussions will shed light on issues thatcommunities have in common and where priorities may be different.At USDA Rural Development, we have partnered with a diverse

group of stakeholders to host ND 2.0. Our mission at USDA is acommitment to the future of rural communities. We follow throughwith this commitment by providing funding and financing forcommunity infrastructure projects such as housing, water systems,utilities and emergency services. A key component of our ability tolend in rural communities is the long term viability of an area. Itemssuch as local support, demographics and tax structure are critical toa successful public investment. In addition to providing access tocapital, we also provide technical assistance for the development ofbusiness, communities and cooperatives. With this mission in mind,engaging people and communities is pivotal to what we do. The success of any initiative is only as good as the follow-

through. I believe that action is more important than words andthat’s why we are actively involved in a grassroots approach. Topreserve the quality discussions that are occurring at thesecommunity meetings, the data and feedback will be compiled andmade publicly available as a resource.The future of North Dakota is bright. Never before in the history ofour great state have we had such an abundance of wealth andopportunities. The worse thing that could happen is to reflect backon this time of prosperity and wish we had made differentinvestments. Through ND 2.0 and other efforts, together we can helpbuild an even better North Dakota that capitalizes on our strengthsand provides opportunity for all. Now, more than ever, we need toplay catch up in areas of need, but also take a proactive approach indefining our future instead of allowing the future to define us. PB

Let’s bestrategic aboutour future North Dakotans have a long history ofcontrolling their own destiny. It is in thisspirit that the initiative called NorthDakota 2.0 was created.

JASPER SCHNEIDERJasper Schneider has served as North Dakota’s State Director for

USDA Rural Development since 2009. He is aggressively working to

build upon North Dakota’s successes through Rural Development’s many

programs and resources. The effort is helping to create new opportunities,

develop job-creating businesses and build vital infrastructure. He can be

reached at [email protected].

ND 2.0 is an initiative focused on bringingtogether North Dakotans to network, learnabout potential opportunities and contributeto the continued success of the state. Bycollaborating, we can capitalize on the state’sabundance of opportunities while addressingthe immediate needs to ensure that NorthDakota’s better days are still ahead. ND 2.0partners include USDA Rural Development,Advanced Engineering, Basin Electric, AARP,BlueCross BlueShield of North Dakota andNorth Dakota Farmers Union.


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Sales/Marketing

It would be difficult to try and sell grilling on the patio in winter. Ourmarketing and sales in winter is geared more to sports teams, corporatemeetings and conventions, holiday parties, leisure packages for families

needing a break, wedding shows and tradeshows.Hotels will implement special packages for families wanting to take a break

during the cold months to enjoy a weekend of hot tubs, saunas, pools andshopping. Families like to take advantage of school breaks and holidays. During hunting season Girl’s Night Out packages and shopping packages are

utilized a lot. Marketing to couples for romantic packages during the coldmonths is another great sales tool. Maybe just to make up for that huntingseason!Winter is an exciting time for having a wedding show, but you have to

remember to have a lot of big screen TVs for watching football at the same time.We also find that numerous charities find this to be an ideal time to holdfundraisers and special events. These days marketing is less about finding customers than being found by

customers. The Internet and social media have placed a wealth of information atthe fingertips of travelers.The three greatest emerging forces are: search, social media and mobile.

These new media are rapidly becoming popular points for travel shoppers.We are very fortunate to live in a community that offers so many things to do

during all seasons. We can all be a premier destination through marketing andimage building to increase business and promote our area. No matter how wemarket and sell we need to always make sure guests are our number one priority.PB

Sales and marketing for the season

Carol A. Johnson is general manager of theRamada Plaza & Suites and director ofoperations for National Hospitality Services,which manages hotels in several states. NationalHospital Services assists hotels with their salesand marketing. She can be reached [email protected].

Marketing for fall and winter is very different thanmarketing for spring and summer for hotels in our area.

John Fetsch: 701.238.9574 or [email protected]

Brad Boyd: 1.800.641.0683 or [email protected] To Advertise:

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EMPLOYMENT (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE EMPLOYMENT

CANADIAN EXCHANGE RATE

NORTH DAKOTA OIL ACTIVITY

Sweet Crude ProductionPrice/BBL Oil-BBL/day

NOV 2011 $90.36 509,700OCT 2011 $81.89 487,700SEPT 2011 $81.38 463,900 NOV 2010 $75.74 356,505

Drilling Producing Rig Permits Wells Count

DECEMBER AIRLINE BOARDINGS

Source: Bank of Canada Data provided by Kingsbury Applied Economics

1/27/12 12/28/11 1/27/11

U.S. to Canadian Dollar - $1.00 or $0.9987 $1.02 or $0.9771 $0.99 or $1.0059

U.S. to Euro $ 0.76 or $1.3192 $0.77 or $1.2925 $0.73 or $1.3686

U.S. to Chinese Yuan $6.33 or $0.1579 $6.32 or $0.1582 $6.58 or $0.1519

U.S. to Japanese Yen $76.67 or $0.0130 $78.00 or $0.0128 $83.05 or $0.0120

U.S. to Mexican Peso $12.93 or $0.0773 $14.00 or $0.0715 $12.04 or $0.0830

BOARDINGS % CHANGE/2010-2011

DEC % CHANGE DEC % CHANGE 2011 /DEC 2010 2011 /DEC 2010

CANADIAN BORDER CROSSINGS

Source: US Customs and Border Protection

AUTOMOBILES TRUCKS

MINNESOTAIntl Falls-Rainer 23006 4.06% 1496 - 4.65%Grand Portage 22843 10.61 1109 -14.49 Baudette 13097 - 7.64 464 -25.28 Warroad 9510 - 5.65 714 -22.31Roseau 3344 4.60 555 17.83NORTH DAKOTAPembina 23006 - 2.67 16155 3.80 Portal 7140 8.18 7405 19.53 Neche 5246 13.50 515 -48.76 Dunseith 4654 21.55 1980 28.74 Walhalla 4645 21.22 762 -30.60 Noonan 3075 9.90 978 452.54

By the Numbers

Source: NDOMB

Minneapolis-St. Paul 2,378,497 -0.3%Fargo 31,505 4.1Sioux Falls 430,756 21.0 Rapid City 19264 - 3.4Bismarck 19,351 13.3 Duluth 10,818 - 7.5Grand Forks 11,948 14.3Minot 15,661 53.9 Pierre 915 - 28.0Aberdeen 2,253 13.22

Source: US Customs and Border ProtectionPB

NOV 2011 169 6,332 199OCT 2011 201 6,210 197SEPT 2010 176 6,071 197NOV 2010 245 5,331 158

Dec. 2011 Dec. 2010 Dec. 2011 Dec. 2010North Dakota 3.2 % 3.8% 362,005 351,073Fargo MSA 3.7 4.1 114,431 113,300Bismarck MSA 3.2 4.0 59,077 58,502Grand Forks MSA 4.4 4.3 52,464 52,223Minot MiSA 3.2 3.8 31,678 31,706Dickinson MiSA 1.9 2.4 17,773 15,974Williston MiSA 1.0 1.5 24,306 18,624Jamestown MiSA 3.5 4.1 10,270 10,734Wahpeton MiSA 3.7 4.6 13,287 11,481South Dakota 4.4 4.9 427,690 419,030Sioux Falls MSA 4.5 5.2 63,615 62,035Aberdeen MiSA 3.5 3.9 22,840 22,405 Brookings MiSA 3.5 4.0 18,965 18,410 Watertown MiSA 4.0 4.6 18,580 17,845Spearfish MiSA 4.7 4.5 12,750 12,810Mitchell MiSA 3.6 4.0 12,985 12,455Pierre MiSA 3.3 3.4 12,020 11,880 Yankton MiSA 4.0 4.8 11,385 11,015 Huron MiSA 3.2 3.8 9,720 9,345Vermillion MiSA 3.5 3.7 7,225 7,505 Minnesota 5.7 6.8 2,781,634 2,739,687Minneapolis/St Paul 5.5 6.6 1,732,939 1,705,057Brainerd 8.9 10.3 42,644 41,495Winona MiSA 5.0 6.0 28,034 26,719 Fergus Falls MiSA 6.1 7.4 28,965 28,283 Red Wing MiSA 5.6 6.7 25,063 24,155Willmar MiSA 5.2 6.1 23,179 22,542 Bemidji MiSA 7.7 8.0 19,890 21,066 Alexandria MiSA 5.3 6.8 19,022 18,850Hutchinson MiSA 7.3 8.2 18,314 18,348 Marshall MiSA 4.6 5.3 14,145 14,297 Worthington MiSA 4.2 4.9 11,015 11,190 Fairmont MiSA 5.1 6.3 11,239 10,836MSA — Metropolitan Statistical AreaMiSA — Micropolitan Statistical AreaSources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Minnesota Department of Employment and EconomicDevelopment, Job Service North Dakota, South Dakota Department of Labor

NOTES: Employment data is based on formulas. Each February formulas are “benchmarked” to correct any economic orcultural changes that may make current formulas inaccurate. At that time figures for previous months may change.North Dakota oil data is also preliminary data and changes may be made at later dates.


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