Sioux Metro Growth Alliance Growing Places—Vol. 1/ Issue 1 (Jan. 2023)

Photo of Harrisburg by Jon Klemme

ABOUT US

The Sioux Metro Growth Alliance (SMGA) is a nonprofit economic development organization that works to improve the economy and advocates for business development and quality of life in the communities around Sioux Falls. SMGA advocates on behalf of Baltic, Brandon, Canton, Colton, Crooks, Dell Rapids, Garretson, Harrisburg, Hartford, Humboldt, Lennox, Salem, Tea, Valley Springs, and Worthing. All of these communities provide rewarding places to live and to work.

CONTACT US

Sioux Metro Growth Alliance 196 E. 6th St., Suite 200 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 605.679.7149 info@siouxmetro.com www.siouxmetro.com SOCIAL

EXECUTIVE BOARD

David Doxtad, Chair, ISG

Jay Buchholz, Vice Chair, Sioux Valley Energy

Dennis Olson, Secretary-Treasurer, retired

Robert Baker, First National Bank

Joan Franken, Costello Companies

Sharese Ihnen, Lennox Area Development Corp. Mike Jaspers, East River Electric

Heather Kranz, TrioTel Communications Eric Pauli, Xcel Energy

Mike Wendland, Grant Park Capital

STAFF

Jesse Fonkert, President & CEO

Ryan Solberg, Economic Development Specialist

Lisa Zens, Economic Development Specialist

Sheldon Jensen, Economic Development Specialist

MEMBERSHIP ADVISORY BOARD

City of Lennox Sharese Ihnen, Chair

City of Baltic Deborah McIsaac

City of Brandon Patrick Andrews

City of Canton Jeff Tanner

City of Colton Monte Koopman

City of Crooks Mark Harstad

City of Dell Rapids Chad Ronshaugen

City of Garretson Jessica Fueston

City of Harrisburg Larry Klipfel

City of Hartford Amy M. Farr

City of Humboldt Kelly O’Gorman

City of Salem Mitch Rayman

City of Tea Dan Zulkosky

City of Valley Springs (open)

City of Worthing Scott DeWitt

Lincoln County Joel Arends

Minnehaha County Dean Karsky

Alliance Comm. Paul VanDeBerg

Bluepeak Lucas Peterson

East River Electric Eric Fosheim Golden West Greg Oleson

Midco Andrew Curley

MidAmerican Energy Sam Wagner NorthWestern Energy Paul Mantz

Sioux Valley Energy Brandon Lane Southeastern Electric Todd Nelson US Bank Eric Krouse

Xcel Energy Joe Anderson

GROWING THE SIOUX METRO WITH YOU

Partnership. We talk about it quite a bit because, as a regional economic development group, it’s what we are. The Sioux Metro Growth Alliance is a partnership between municipalities, counties, economic development organizations (EDOs), and the private sector. Since combining Lincoln and Minnehaha County Economic Development Associations (LCEDA/MCEDA) in 2021, our mission to empower communities to grow has only been enhanced. This new magazine, Growing Places, is just one more way in which we’re innovating our marketing efforts for our members.

The Sioux Metro Growth Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the growth of 15 communities in Lincoln, Minnehaha, and McCook Counties. We’re fortunate to have earned the trust and membership of the cities of Baltic, Brandon, Canton, Colton, Crooks, Dell Rapids, Garretson, Harrisburg, Hartford, Humboldt, Lennox, Salem, Tea, Valley Springs, and Worthing along with that of Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties. Our partnership includes efforts to help these members with business attraction, talent attraction, community development, marketing, and a wide range of other economic development opportunities.

Our partnership is further extended thanks to investment from the private sector. We’re proud to count every private utility company that serves Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties as members of our organization. Due to the investment from companies serving customers or members with electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications, we’re able to bring a wider range of services to our membership. We’re also proud to count nearly every bank that has a physical presence in our communities as supporters of regional economic development.

Thanks to the vision of the boards of LCEDA/MCEDA, we were able to merge them in 2021 to create the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. Our new name and organizational structure is a product of months of brainstorming and conversations with our partners. Following our reorganization, we’ve been able to add staff that are dedicated to serving the needs of communities looking for enhanced benefits. Currently, Baltic, Lennox, Salem, Dell Rapids, Harrisburg and Worthing participate in this program and are served

by SMGA Economic Development Specialists Ryan Solberg, Sheldon Jensen, and Lisa Zens.

Our mission has also led towards greater innovation in economic development. We launched our first website, www.siouxmetro.com, in 2021 and hosted our first conference, Grow Smarter. In 2023, we plan to revamp our conference and make it even better than before. Thanks to our new Director of Engagement, which we plan to have hired in Q1 of 2023, our events, marketing, and programming will be able to better match the growing needs of South Dakota’s largest metro.

SMGA is dedicated to enhancing the work of our communities. Thanks to strong leadership in the past and in the present, we’re set up to make success possible. With a little bit of trust, patience, and time, economic development goals are attainable and we’re proud to be part of the process across the metro.

We hope you enjoy the first edition of the Growing Places magazine. In these quarterly publications, readers will be able to learn more about the people, places, and businesses that make our region the best place to call home. If you’re interested in content focused on the work in our rural and suburban communities, I invite you to subscribe to our weekly podcast by visiting www.siouxmetro.com/growingplaces-podcast. On our website, you can also register for our weekly e-newsletter, the Sioux Metro Minute. If you have a business or project that should be featured here or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing me at jessef@siouxmetro.com We are your partners!

In the meantime, have a happy New Year and thanks for your help in growing the Sioux Metro!

Jesse Fonkert President & CEO

Jesse Fonkert

‘YOU’RE EITHER GROWING OR DYING. SALEM IS ON THE GROWING PATH.’

The Sioux Metro Growth Alliance has a weekly podcast featuring conversations with community and business leaders in the region. This article is based on a podcast from Sept. 13, 2022. Text has been edited for clarity. To subscribe to the podcast, visit www.siouxmetro.com/growing-places-podcast.

SALEM, SOUTH DAKOTA

Founded 1888

Mayor Glenda Blindert

Population 1,355

SCHOOLS

McCook Central Schools (K-12) St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School (K-8)

AMENITIES

Country club with a 9-hole golf course Bowling alley 3 Parks Swimming Pool Track and football field Baseball and softball diamonds Gymnasium Community library

Downtown Salem was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Photo by Sheldon Jensen.

Salem in 1913.

Salem, S.D., is the newest member of the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. Salem is the McCook County seat and is located about halfway between Mitchell and Sioux Falls, north of I-90.

Salem was hit hard by the 2022 derecho storms on May 12th and July 5th. There was extensive damage to many homes and businesses; and, in fact, the nursing home was damaged beyond repair. However, the city is recovering rapidly. Residents and community leaders focus on the community’s positive qualities and the resident’s can-do attitude.

Featured guests on this podcast were Matt Alley, superintendent of McCook Central School District; and Salem City Council member Mitch Rayman, who also manages Nutrient Ag Solutions south of Salem. Rayman has been the Booster Club president for 10 years. Also speaking on the podcast was Jesse Fonkert, president and CEO of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

FEELS LIKE HOME

McCOOK CENTRAL SUPERINTENDENT MATT ALLEY:

“One thing that’s very noticeable is how welcoming Salem is to newcomers. It’s a community that wants to see growth, wants to see the school succeed and wants the community to succeed. It really feels like we have everybody rowing in the same direction in Salem.

“Residents have a real depth of commitment to the school district and we also have one of the most supportive school boards around. When you have a good school district with a lot of support, with amenities like our pool, our golf course and the small town restaurants, it really does feel like home. It’s a great community to be a part of and there’s just a lot of positive outlook. ”

SALEM COUNCIL MEMBER MITCH RAYMAN:

“Whether young and newly married or retired, you don’t need to leave the community to find a lot of things. We have a local clinic, as well as a drugstore on Main Street and a hardware store. We’ve got insurance companies and a bank; and our grocery store in town just did an amazing remodel. Our restaurants include The Brewery, The Den and The Homestead. Our steakhouse is under new ownership. There’s also new owners of the gas station, which is going to continue to serve good food. So we have a lot of options when it comes to breakfast, lunch or supper. I’d be hard pressed to tell you something we don’t have. There’s a machine shop, two car dealerships and several mechanics. We’ve got a vet clinic and a chiropractor clinic.”

MATT: “At the same time, Salem really is a small town. Everybody knows who you are. The people who do your oil change, they’ll drive right up to where you work and pick up or drop off your car. For people who travel to work in Sioux Falls, Salem might be 10 minutes further away than living in Harrisburg, Brandon or Hartford, but those are a short 10 minutes to sacrifice to enjoy the small town atmosphere we’ve got here.”

PEOPLE WHO CARE = INCREDIBLE BALL DIAMONDS SIOUX METRO GROWTH ALLIANCE CEO

JESSE FONKERT: “You walk downtown in Salem and there’s still Main Street businesses that are thriving and active. You can tell it’s a very tight knit community that wants to see good things happen. The first thing that caught my eye when I visited Salem was your beautiful ball diamonds. Why in the world does a community of 1,400 have a baseball field with turf this nice?”

MITCH: “We are proud of our baseball field and our softball fields. Improvements started years ago with the baseball association. The city council expressed strong support and encouraged organizers to keep pushing. Council members said, ‘We want to bring tournaments in, we want to bring people to Salem so they can see our town.’ In addition, a couple years ago, between the baseball association, city council, and First Dakota National Bank, we invested heavily in our softball fields. At the end of the day, it boils down to Salem having a lot of organizations, businesses and people who care. I think a lot of that credit goes back 10 or 20 years to a vision and a sense of pride that people have for Salem.”

MATT: “We’ve also made some upgrades at the football complex, which is adjacent to the baseball fields. We have facilities you just don’t normally see in a town this size. It’s not just people on boards who move things forward, but it’s also the people who roll up their sleeves and get out there and help these projects happen, both financially and by jumping in to do the hands-on work.”

Superintendent Matt Alley Councilman Mitch Rayman

HOUSING IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE

MITCH: “A long-term goal for the city council is to bring more people into the community. To make that happen, we’ve got to find some land to build new houses. There are a lot of people in Sioux Falls in positions that are great, but we’d love to have them commuting from a home in Salem where they can raise their kids in a small town just like the one they grew up in. Housing is absolutely the number one key issue in Salem.”

MATT: “The housing shortage negatively affects McCook Central Schools, too. After we’ve spent several years investing in a teacher to get him or her to our standards of excellence, the teacher and the district are faced with a dilemma. You don’t want to lose good quality teachers to the ‘big leagues,’ so to speak. But I think teachers leaving has less to do with the money out there versus we just don’t have the housing availability for somebody who is starting a young family.”

MITCH: “If you bring 40 or 50 more houses into town, that’s many more families. It’s going to help our tax base which helps roads and it’s going to allow the school district to keep things up. As the town develops that way, new jobs spin off here so maybe now only one spouse has to leave Salem during the day. Or maybe one spouse buys one of the buildings on Main Street that’s been empty for a couple years and they start a business.”

MATT: “Like any city in South Dakota, you’re either growing or dying. In Salem, it seems we’re on the growing path, but getting over that housing hump is difficult.”

CHALLENGES PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES

MITCH: “The derecho storms hit us hard. There was a lot of damage to the community center and to a nursing home. So many farmers saw grain bins go down.

“When both those storm storms hit, you have never seen a community come together the way they did in terms of helping out their neighbors, between bringing in skid loaders and trucks and trailers and chainsaws. And once you’re done with one yard, you went to another. That’s just how the community as a whole operates.

“The community center building was 60 years old and maybe this will be an opportunity to build a brand new events center. We’ll see. ”

JESSE: “I think that’s really cool that your town, rather than seeing this as a tragedy and just sitting down to say ‘woe is me,’ you’re looking at it as an opportunity to really rebuild better than before.”

MATT: “Life’s going to happen. Like my favorite quote from Coach John Wooden says: ‘Don’t let what you can’t do get in the way of what you can do.’ Going forward in Salem, let’s say ‘What can we do?’ And then let’s do that and take it one bite at a time.” //

Cubs Field is the pride of Salem. Photo by Jeremy Grady.

‘PRIDE IN A HARD DAY’S WORK’

MICHAEL CATON

Michael Caton works at J&R Mechanical of Tea. He is the company’s lead foreman and also takes on some project management roles. His responsibilities include overseeing most of the company’s commercial and residential projects; and doing many installs as well.

J&R Mechanical has been serving customers in the Sioux Metro area since 2008 when owner Josh Chapman founded the company with one employee. J&R Mechanical now has 22 employees and has completed countless commercial and residential HVAC projects in the Sioux Metro. To inquire about the company’s services or if you are looking for career opportunities, call 605-498-2665 or see www.j-rmechanical.com

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN THE INDUSTRY?

I started in the sheet metal/HVAC industry in 2000, shortly after graduating from high school. I went through a fouryear apprenticeship program and that is where I picked up a lot of training, but most of my craft has been learned through working on job sites.

WHAT DOES YOUR AVERAGE DAY LOOK LIKE?

I often check two to three job sites to keep an eye on progress. When I’m at a site, a good chunk of my day is usually spent working and helping on installs.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?

The most enjoyable part of my job is being able to physically view the progress of the job at the end of the day. It is awesome to look up and say, “I did that.”

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF YOUR JOB?

The challenges do stack up sometimes. It can be difficult to manage many projects all at the same time. Also, every install is a little different. We often need to look for new ways to complete a job. Being able to work through problems is rewarding. I also take a lot of pride in putting in a hard day’s work. Sometimes we end the day sore and tired, but I get a kick out of that too. There’s nothing better than challenging yourself every day.

Sioux Metro Growth Alliance and AGE Media want to recognize J&R Mechanical for its leadership in the Tea community. J&R Mechanical recently donated $10,000 to the Tea Area School District to pay off all outstanding balances on unpaid lunch accounts for children in the district. Thank you J&R Mechanical!

J&R MECHANICALLEAD FOREMAN

MINNEHAHA AND LINCOLN COUNTIES PLAY A BIG ROLE IN THE REVIVAL OF SOUTH DAKOTA’S DAIRY INDUSTRY

Over the past 10 years, the number of milk cows in Minnehaha County has grown on a scale that is almost unheard of in any segment of livestock production. USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service says there were 7,300 milk cows in Minnehaha in 2012 –but today there are more than 17,300. Even more stunning are the numbers in Lincoln County. A decade ago, there were a mere 400 milk cows left in the county. Today, Lincoln County is home to more than 13,300 milk cows.

Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties are at the heart of a dairy revival in what’s known as the “I-29 Dairy Corridor” which includes east central North Dakota, western Minnesota, eastern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

BOTTOMING OUT AND RATCHETING UP

If we go back to the early 2000s, South Dakota’s dairy cow numbers hit an all-time low at just under 80,000

milking cows. This trend meant dairy in the state was in real peril. A future thinking group of stakeholders came together with a vision to turn the dairy industry around. They didn’t want to just survive, but wanted to create a path to thrive. The “South Dakota Dairy Drive” group consisted of dairy farmers, state officials, processors, dairy supply companies, financial institutions, the dairy checkoff, industry associations, and South Dakota State University experts and leaders. Their foresight and efforts helped expand processing capacity which in turn created a need for an additional 85,000 cows.

These leaders set lofty goals, but the cows came more quickly than many thought possible. Today, the number of cows in South Dakota is close to 200,000 – an increase of 150% in just 20 years.

SETTING THE STAGE FOR FUTURE GROWTH

South Dakota led the nation in the increase of milk production year over year in 2021, per USDA data. The state continues to grow in milk production at a near double-digit pace even though much of the recently added processing capacity is now filled.

Processing and an available market are generally the limiting factor when it comes to growth in dairy.

By Tom Peterson, South Dakota Dairy Producers

2022

Added processing capacity sparked the growth in the last 20 years. The good news for producers and the state’s economy is that Milbank-based Valley Queen Cheese announced last spring it is planning to expand again. That will create a need for production from approximately 30,000 more cows. While growth may level off somewhat in the near term, the long-term picture remains very positive for dairy in South Dakota. Readily-available forage and feeds and an overall business-friendly environment also contribute to the state being a great place to dairy with a reasonable cost of production.

CHALLENGES FROM WEATHER, LABOR AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN

Since dairy farming and processing are a 24/7, 365-day commitment, challenges are a constant. The most pressing issues in 2022 were weather, labor, inflation and supply chain factors in shipping and transportation.

A GREAT STORY TO TELL

Consumers today have questions and expectations about where their food comes from, whether production practices are environmentally sustainable, and if farm animals are being well cared for. There is a great story to tell about dairy in South Dakota. Local dairies in Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties and throughout the eastern part of the state are incorporating incredibly innovative technology that is

160,000 180,000 140,000 120,000 40,000 20,000 0 2012 2022 10,000 8,000 6,000

100,000 80,000 60,000

16,000 18,000 20,000 14,000 12,000 4,000 2,000 0

2012 2022

good for the environment and good for the animals, plus enhances the production and availability of one of life’s most nutritious foods, be it delivered via cheese, milk, yogurt, or new innovative dairy creations.

The U.S. dairy industry has also embarked on a journey to become carbon neutral, optimize water usage and improve water quality by 2050. The Net Zero Initiative is an industry-wide effort that will help U.S. dairy farms of all sizes and in all regions continue to implement new technologies and adopt economically-viable practices in feed production, cow care, energy efficiency and manure management. The industry will continue to make progress toward reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and significant improvements in water quality and quantity and farmer livelihood, from field to farmgate. //

Tom Peterson is executive director of South Dakota Dairy Producers and works in farmer relations for the Midwest Dairy Association. In this article, Tom shares the story of the industry’s phenomenal growth, as well as outlining the challenges and opportunities producers face.

MILK COW INVENTORY

Lincoln County

Source: USDA National Ag Statistics Service

Minnehaha County

MILK COW INVENTORY State of South Dakota, 2012 vs 2022

MILK COW INVENTORY Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties, 2012 vs 2022

A ‘BOOTS ON THE GROUND’ BUSINESS OWNER AND CITY LEADER

Ronshaugen

Chad Ronshaugen is a second-term ward alderman and the current president of the Dell Rapids City Council. He represents Dell Rapids on the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance membership advisory board. Ronshaugen is on the technology committee at Dell Rapids Lutheran Church, has been a Boy Scout troop leader, and has coached his sons and daughter in youth sports for 12 years.

“My family and I moved to Dell Rapids in 2013. We toured many regional towns during the move process, but ended our search after falling in love with Dells Rapids,” Ronshaugen said. He is the co-owner of Raztech LLC, a managed information technology company that provides IT services to small and medium businesses in the region. “As an IT engineer of nearly 20 years, I not only am an owner of the business, but am a ‘boots on the ground’ tech as well.” To learn more about the company, see www.raztechsd.com

WHY ARE YOU ENGAGED IN PUBLIC SERVICE?

Growing up in small town South Dakota was instrumental to my involvement in community service. I was able to see from an early age how people living in small communities lean on each other. I was fortunate to learn from family members, watching them donate time and energy to local city governments, fire departments and community-led programs or groups. I have always felt strongly that all citizens have a duty to make their communities a better place to live. People can affect their community in many ways. For me, it was first through youth programs, then through city council.

WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS OF DELL RAPIDS?

Dell Rapids is a beautiful community with everything you could want in a South Dakota town. We have a vibrant and historic downtown that offers food, shopping services and entertainment. The Dell Rapids parks and trails are some of the best in the region. In addition, we’re fortunate to have both public and private school systems, a hospital and clinic, a top notch golf course, a fantastic grocery store and a growing industrial park. I’m proud of how our community has successfully grown in recent years. We have upgraded

old infrastructure and added new infrastructure to accommodate existing and new residents.

WHAT CHALLENGES ARE FACING DELL RAPIDS?

We are challenged with maintaining a healthy city budget while continuing to improve our community in the areas of infrastructure, quality of life and economic development. We have an infrastructure road map for upgrading the city’s old water, sewer and streets over the next several years. Keeping these projects funded, on schedule, and on budget will be an important (and sometimes challenging) task.

WHAT’S THE ‘NEXT BIG THING’ ON THE HORIZON?

Dell Rapids has a lot happening right now. The city recently purchased the old Wells Fargo Bank building on Main Street with the goal of renovating it for a new city hall. The plans include a community space that will be a new amenity for our city. We also have new residential developments that offer high end single and multiple family building opportunities. On the business front, the city is committed to expanding our corridor west to the interstate. This is an exciting opportunity for more economic development. //

Chad

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GROUNDBREAKINGS IN THE SIOUX

BLACK TIE COMPONENTS

Hartford – Black Tie Components broke ground south of Central States Manufacturing in October. Plans are to be operational in spring/summer 2023. The nearly $5 million, 60,000-square-foot facility will produce wood floor trusses, wood roof trusses and prefabricated wall panels. Black Tie Components plans to employ up to 33 people in 2023 and ramp up to 70 within three years.

NEW HOPE INDUSTRIAL PARK

Crooks – The City of Crooks, Crooks Development Corporation and business partners broke ground on projects in the New Hope Industrial Park (NHIP) in November. NHIP is roughly 36 acres located in northwest Crooks and zoned light industrial. Nearly 50% of the land is either sold or under contract. Contributing partners include: Alliance Communications, DGR and First National Bank. Congratulations to the City of Crooks and Crooks Development Corporation!

DELL RAPIDS DENTAL

Dell Rapids - Dell Rapids Dental

Dell Rapids in October. The 6,500 Store and Ace Hardware, will population. The building will Ford and the Dell Rapids Dental

Congratulations to the City of Hartford and Hartford Area Development Foundation!

GROUNDBREAKINGS METRO

PROSPER COUNTRY WAREHOUSE & EVENT HALL

Lennox – Prosper Country Warehouse & Event Hall broke ground east of Lennox in October, with plans to open in the first quarter of 2023. The $1.5 million, 9,500-square foot facility will be capable of hosting up to 375 people for events ranging from weddings to graduation parties. The space is customizable and features amenities including a bridal suite, a groom’s den, kitchen, games, inflatables, and large back patio facing open fields. Congratulations to Prosper’s founders, Allie and Dustin McLouth, the City of Lennox, and the Lennox Area Development Corporation!

Dental broke ground on a new state-of-the-art facility in northern 6,500 square foot building, located in front of County Fair Food allow for increased dental services to the area’s growing also have space for an additional tenant. Congratulations to Dr. Dental Staff!

DECKER SALES

Canton – Decker Sales broke ground on a 33,600 square foot facility in the Canton Industrial Park in November. The new business, owned jointly by Leonard Decker of Dakota Steel & Trim and his family, will focus on the repair of heavy machinery. Upon opening, Decker Sales will bring about 10 full time jobs to Canton with the plan to employ nearly 20 upon full build-out. Congratulations to the City of Canton and Canton Economic Development Corporation!

east of Harrisburg. Lake Alvin

popular gathering

for swimmers, boaters and fishermen. Community photos by Jon Klemme.

AMENITIES

Infrastructure has been upgraded at Dakota Access Field baseball facilities in Central Park.

Lake Ole includes a multi-use trail and ADA accessible fishing pier.

Grand Gardens is a 48-plot community garden.

2 Golf Courses are nearby: Bakker Crossing and Spring Creek Country Club.

Dakota Alliance Soccer Club is one-half mile west of the city (privately-owned).

Country Apple Orchard and Heartland Corn Maze are located nearby.

Sanford Health recently opened a new clinic in Harrisburg. A Lewis Drug store is adjacent. Photo courtesy Sanford Health.

The city of Harrisburg has a growing number of youth and community recreational opportunities.

SHOWPLACE CABINETRY A MODEL OF GROWTH IN THE SIOUX METRO

Manufacturing Locations: Harrisburg and Beresford

Retail Locations: Harrisburg and Sioux Falls

Founded: 2000

Owner: Employee Owned Employees: 680 Annual Revenues: $100 million www.showplacecabinetry.com

Kitchens are a defining room for American families and the U.S. housing market is fundamentally sound. Those two factors combine to make the future look bright for Showplace Cabinetry. However, the number one factor in the company’s favor going forward is the ownership –because the employees own the company.

Started by a group of cabinet industry veterans and local investors in Harrisburg in 2000, Showplace Cabinetry transitioned to employee ownership in 2006. “We share the numbers with everyone here. But it’s not just sales-driven or profit-driven. We’re driven because we exist for the people who work here,” said Bill Allen, a Harrisburg native who started at Showplace in 2001 and is now its CEO.

He said good customer service can’t be pounded into people. “They have to feel it in their gut – that taking care of customers is what I do because I care about my business. When that’s the attitude of the people who work in a company, then it’s easy to achieve excellence in customer service, timely delivery, product quality and innovation.”

Making custom cabinets for home kitchens and bathrooms is Showplace’s core business. Product features include custom paint color matching, sizing to the sixteenth inch, finish sheen choices, and free

Showplace Cabinetry CEO Bill Allen is a native of Harrisburg.

glazing. In 2020, it introduced Longview by Showplace, a product line designed for lower budget projects that don’t need customization. Working through a network of 700 dealers, products are shipped from Harrisburg and Beresford to all 50 states.

Showplace Cabinetry is one of the biggest cabinet manufacturers in the county, with 2022 being their biggest year yet. “In our industry, there’s been a lot of consolidation and a lot of turnover. But we’ve been a steady rock. Management stays here. We’re all invested in the business and we’re not for sale,” Allen said. The company’s workforce is drawn from Harrisburg, Sioux Falls, Tea, Lennox, Canton, Worthing and beyond. In addition to the employee stock ownership plan, an impressive list of benefits helps promote workforce retention: On-site workout facilities, cafeteria and medical clinic; health, dental and life insurance; discounts on Showplace products; and retirement contribution matching. //

HHS has an extensive fine arts program including instrumental and vocal music; speech and debate; and theatre and visual arts.

Harrisburg High School competes in 19 different SDHSAA-sanctioned sports and activities.

Learner Interest Day at HSD elementary schools provides career exploration where learners can choose a presentation and hands-on experience with one of the district’s community partners.

SCHOOL AND EMPLOYERS PARTNER IN CAREER & TECH EDUCATION

An educational program seeking to train students for careers in the real world needs several assets to be successful: Qualified and engaged instructors; modern facilities and equipment; support from industry professionals; and eager students ready to learn. Harrisburg High School’s career and technical education (CTE) program aims to check all those boxes.

CTE at HHS includes an immersive internship program in collaboration with 200+ local businesses and community organizations. According to Dr. Michael Amolins, “The philosophy in our Career & Technical Education Department has been to start the conversation with community partners, asking what their needs are, such as: ‘As a business, when you hire an employee, what are you missing? What skills can we teach our kids in the classroom so that they’re better prepared for an internship or their first job?’ That approach has been effective to help ensure that when a young person joins a firm, they can make a contribution to the company.” Amolins is director of instruction and federal programs for the Harrisburg School District.

After the conversation about an industry’s needs, those groups volunteer time, expertise and financial resources to support career development pathways. CTE focus areas include:

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Architecture and Construction Arts, Audiovisual, and Communications Business Management and Administration Education and Training Finance Health Sciences Hospitality and Tourism Human Services Information Technology Manufacturing Marketing STEM

Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics (Automotive)

Harrisburg High School has made substantial investments in CTE programs. An industry-grade kitchen and instructional space for its Culinary Arts & Restaurant Management Program was installed. Construction-related facilities were enhanced by grants from the Home Builders Care Foundation and the state’s Workforce Education Program. Most recently, HHS received a grant to expand its Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources program to include Landscaping and Horticulture. A technology-driven greenhouse will be built to help teach students precision agriculture, aquaponics and traditional growing techniques. //

Career & Technical Education programs at Harrisburg High School have expanded significantly in recent years.

Photos by Jon Klemme.

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HELPS BRING UPGRADES TO BALLFIELD

The Harrisburg Community Foundation (HCF) is helping bring people, ideas and resources together to make a difference in the community. Through philanthropy and volunteerism, HCF has dreams to provide grants to local organizations seeking to improve the quality of life in areas such as the arts, education and the comprehensive outdoor recreational needs of the community.

HCF celebrated a signature achievement last summer when the facilities, walkways, amenities and aesthetics at the city’s championship baseball park were enhanced and upgraded. HCF helped facilitate a six-figure donation for the project from Energy Transfer, the parent company of Dakota Access Pipeline. The project was also supported by the city of Harrisburg, the Harrisburg Baseball Association and other donors. The ballpark was dedicated as Dakota Access Field.

The Harrisburg Community Foundation is a taxexempt, nonprofit which has a long-term goal of building permanent endowment funds to be used for the broad-based public benefit of residents in the greater Harrisburg area. //

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SALES TAX RECEIPTS FOR MUNICIPALITIES AND THE SIOUX METRO REGION

2022 YEAR-TO-DATE (through 3rd quarter) | DATA SOURCE: SD DEPT OF REVENUE % CHANGE

YTD 2021  $226,539.62   $197,024.09   $966,528.43   $2,084,368.02

Baltic 16.50% Crooks 44.79% Hartford 23.69% Tea 16.31%

$3,269,141.83   $1,089,647.13   $214,573.85   $124,720.63

YTD 2022  $263,917.48  $285,277.88  $1,195,528.28   $2,424,283.83

Brandon 16.68% Dell Rapids 18.63% Humboldt 12.00% Valley Springs 20.12%

$1,004,854.75   $396,650.04   $595,499.83   $115,037.26

$3,814,544.94   $1,292,634.66   $240,318.16   $149,809.11

Canton 8.83% Garretson 15.49% Lennox 28.94% Worthing 23.45%

$1,093,621.74   $458,086.12   $767,845.07   $142,011.74

Colton 18.02% Harrisburg 24.96% Salem 10.53% REGION TOTAL

$156,746.74   $2,344,274.30   $497,116.14  $15,126,016.19

$132,817.53   $1,876,026.48   $449,774.36   $12,743,203.85  18.70%

SIDE-BY-SIDE IN THE SIOUX METRO

DATA SOURCE: ESRI, 2022 Median Household Income Median Home Value Population

Baltic $82,692 $309,615 1,303 Crooks $110,482 $305,398 1,423 Hartford $80,730 $267,460 3,494 Tea $83,546 $228,644 6,312

Brandon $100,610 $297,879 11,382 Dell Rapids $77,523 $296,552 4,032 Humboldt $66,526 $277,000 613 Valley Springs $88,511 $338,554 892

Canton $62,210 $206,750 3,218 Garretson $82,849 $334,302 1,299 Lennox $50,651 $166,142 2,665 Worthing $79,119 $194,063 965

Colton $62,557 $194,643 807 Harrisburg $81,810 $218,151 7,126 Salem $54,928 $144,521 1,355 Sioux Falls $66,990 $243,306 202,191

SIOUX METRO GROWTH ALLIANCE

SECOND ANNUAL MEETING

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15

4:30 – 6:00 PM

COUNTRY CLUB OF SIOUX FALLS

Please join SMGA at its second annual meeting at the Country Club of Sioux Falls. Featured in the program will be economic updates on the metro along with annual awards for Regional Economic Development Champion, Business of the Year and Community Innovation.

Registration can be found at www.siouxmetro.com/events

196 E 6th St., Ste 200 Sioux Falls, SD 57104

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