AARON GUERRERO at

701-557-7600

Q: I AM LOOKING FOR A FUN AND MEMORABLE WAY TO ENGAGE WITH EMPLOYEES AND CLIENTS. HOW CAN I 'WOW' THEM THIS SUMMER?

A: We've heard and seen the need. Small businesses and groups are looking for ways to engage employees and clients in ways like never before.

That's why we created two brand new areas in the ballpark to accommodate this growing demand. This season, the Bismarck Larks are introducing two small, private group areas: (1) the Larks Suite and (2) the Dugout Club.

The Larks Suite accommodates 20 people and includes a premium experience with the best views of the field, behind the home plate. This area has waitress service, ballpark snacks, and more. It's the perfect fit for a small group.

The Dugout Club is another new area, positioned next to first base. It comfortably holds 45 people. This private area offers group-style tables, a bar rail, and includes five innings of ballpark food, water, soda, PLUS five FREE drinks for beer & wine.

For more information, you can contact me at 701-595-7523 or at aaron@larksbaseball.com.

Q: HOW CAN SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING HELP MY BUSINESS?

A: In today’s world, it’s near impossible to ignore the power of social media. Many businesses have taken the first steps of creating an online presence, but many more remain on the fence about investing in it for their business.

Our advice? Take the leap!

With a social media presence, businesses can reach a bigger audience than ever. You can utilize these platforms to drive traffic to your website or blog, create relationships with current and potential customers, boost your visibility and credibility, and build loyalty through engaging content that resonates with your target audience.

The key to successful social media marketing is a clear strategy. At HexaHive, we work directly with our clients to define goals, identify the audience, determine which social platforms fit best, and create content frameworks that leave a lasting impression. Social marketing is an essential tool for businesses that are looking to increase visibility and grow their customer base at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising.

Ready to hop off the fence? Email info@ hexahive.co to schedule your free consultation!

Q: IF MY INSURANCE COMPANY DENIES COVERAGE, IS IT WORTH FIGHTING?

A: Businesses are often shocked upon receiving a coverage disclaimer—usually after an unfortunate, stress-inducing event. Folks often wonder if it is worth the time and expense to contest the decision.

The law can help policyholders. For instance, if a policy is ambiguous—meaning one reading provides coverage and the other does not—courts choose the policyholder’s reading. Certain insurance is also subject to statutory minimums insurers must satisfy. For example, a policy may exclude a claim but at the same time violate a state’s laws by being too restrictive. That exclusion can then be avoided. Insurance companies that unreasonably deny claims are also subject to bad faith liability. What about the cost? If an insurance company wrongfully denies coverage that is later established during a lawsuit, the company may have to pay the policyholder’s fees. Neither your insurance agent nor the insurer’s claims representative will advocate for you during a claim. If an insurance company denies coverage you believe is owed, it is worthwhile to talk to experienced counsel. There might be grounds to challenge the denial and obtain the coverage you paid for.

Q: WHAT IS A “TRIPLE NET LEASE”?

A: A triple net lease is just one type of commercial net lease for commercial rental space. This is most commonly used in retail properties or stand-alone properties. Triple net (NNN) means that the tenant agrees to pay all of the expenses of the property to include real estate taxes, specials, building insurance and maintenance. These expenses are in addition to the base rent and utilities. In contrast, in standard lease agreements some or all of these expenses are the responsibility of the Landlord. A single net lease requires tenants to pay the property taxes in addition to the rent, and a double net lease typically tacks on property insurance. Office space can be NNN as well but in our area, we see some fully serviced leases where the Landlord pays for all of the expenses besides the rent. Although they may build these costs into the lease and call it a “load factor” and this is called a “gross lease”. Whatever type of lease you encounter, know that your commercial real estate broker is experienced in the details.

Klj Hires Five In Bismarck

KLJ Engineering is proud to welcome five new employees to its Bismarck, ND office. These new employee-owners will be working in multiple markets across KLJ.

Joe Smallacombe is serving as Finance Controller and comes to KLJ with over 25 years of finance and accounting experience, most recently serving as Finance Director at a marketing software company. In his role at KLJ, he oversees the day-to-day financial operations and provides financial metrics for senior leadership to better manage KLJ’s assets.

Nels Lund has returned to KLJ as a project manager with our aviation team. He earned his bachelor’s in civil engineering from North Dakota State University and is a professional engineer in the state of North Dakota. Lund recently served as an airport planner with the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission.

Jessie Wald has been hired to serve as senior marketing and communications specialist with KLJ’s communications and branding team. She comes to KLJ with 20 years of experience, previously working in state government, the private sector, and broadcast media. Wald has a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in journalism from Dickinson State University.

Soren Sanderson joins the survey team in Bismarck as senior survey crew chief. He has nine years of survey experience and is a licensed Land Surveyor Intern. Sanderson earned his associate of applied science degree in engineering technology from Bismarck State College.

Joining KLJ’s oil and gas team is Jared Lindsay. He is working as a CAD Tech I. Lindsay earned an associate degree in mechanical design from Guilford Technical Community College. He is also a certified SolidWorks Associate.

Missouri Slope Welcomes Beckler

Missouri Slope is pleased to announce the hiring of Gwen Beckler as the Director of their newly developed Missouri Slope at Home program. In this new role Gwen will implement the new At-Home program while engaging community partners to address barriers to care in Rural Burleigh, Morton and Mclean counties.

Gwen has an extensive background in Senior Care, Marketing, Development, Fundraising and Education. She also holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Leadership. She is excited to expand the Missouri Slope brand across the rural areas to help older adults successfully age at home.

Cermak Joins City Of Mandan

Madison Cermak is excited to start her new role as the Business Development and Communications Director for the City of Mandan. Cermak is responsible for leading the city’s economic, business and community development efforts by providing support to existing businesses, fostering entrepreneurism and attracting new businesses. She’ll manage local business assistance and incentive programs; conduct business retention and expansion visits; organize informational and educational activities for existing businesses and start-up prospects, and more. Cermak will also oversee community marketing, public information and outreach activities.

Cermak earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising with a minor in business administration from North Dakota State University. She also obtained a web design and programming certificate from Bismarck State College.

Bianco Realty Sales Awards

Bianco Realty has announced their top REALTORS® for January: Darcy Fettig, Brenda Foster, Duane Bentz & Justin Sackman. These REALTORS® had the highest sales totals at Bianco Realty in January 2023.

NEW LEADERSHIP IN PLACE AT CHI ST. ALEXIUS HEALTH

CHI St. Alexius Health is heading into the New Year with a trio of new members joining its leadership team.

Reed Reyman, Ed.S., began his role as the new president of St. Alexius on Dec. 19. J’Patrick Fahn, DO, has moved from interim to full-time chief medical officer and Mellissa Nordsven, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, has joined the team as the Human Resources director.

Reyman returns to CHI St. Alexius after three years as the executive vice president of regional development at Altru Health System in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He served as president of CHI St. Alexius Dickinson from 2009-2019 and has a passion for Catholic health care, bringing with him a track record of success while leading quality, engagement and financial improvement initiatives.

Fahn has worked at CHI St. Alexius Health for 16 years, including serving as the interim chief medical officer most recently. He earned his medical degree from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa and completed his residency in family medicine at the UND Family Practice Center, Bismarck, North Dakota.

In addition to his duties as chief medical officer, Dr. Fahn is on multiple committees at the hospital. He is the medical advisor on several committees, sits on peer-review committee as an administrative advisor, and also serves in that role on the credentialing committee.

Nordsven is no stranger to Human Resources with 12 years of related experience, including stints at Sanford Health (2010-2017) and Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center (2017-2022) before joining St. Alexius in October 2022. She was the 2022 recipient of the North Dakota Professional Excellence in Human Resource Management Award from North Dakota Society for Human Resource Management (NDSHRM).

CORE REAL ESTATE ADVISORS WELCOMES ROEHRICH!

Rob Roehrich received his bachelor’s degree in 2007, from North Dakota State University. Later he went on to earn his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Mary in 2015.

Rob has been employed with the Federal Government since 2010 and his current career field as an Equal Employment Opportunity Manager started in 2015, and has span over two federal agencies. In addition to his career, he’s served in the North Dakota Army National Guard since 2000.

Rob has been involved in the real estate industry since 2017 and started a real estate holding company to buy and hold rental properties.

Bismarck Aero Center Hires Accounting Assistant

Bismarck Aero Center is proud to announce that Darien Polk has been promoted from Summer Intern to full time Accounting Assistant. As Accounting Assistant, he will begin taking over several accounting, HR, and office transactional duties. Darien has just wrapped up his schooling at North Dakota State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Management.

Bismarck Mandan Cvb Welcomes Johnson

Melanie joined the Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau in January 2023. She was most recently the Director of Programs and Finance for a local nonprofit organization. Her many years of experience in accounting make her a great fit for the CVB.

As the Controller, Melanie is responsible for maintaining the accounting records for the organization.

Cedric Theel Toyota Welcomes Shaffer

Cedric Theel Toyota is proud to welcome Chris Shaffer to the sales team as a Sales & Leasing Consultant. Chris brings 15 years of experience in the auto industry.

Chris grew up in Pennsylvania and later moved to Bismarck. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. Chris enjoys many outdoor-related activities and loves North Dakota.

Cedric Theel Toyota is excited to have Chris as part of the sales team.

BIANCO REALTY REALTOR AWARDS

Bianco Realty Top Producers

Amber Sandness and Shirley Thomas have been named Bianco Realty's 2022 Top Producers! Amber and Shirley had the most closed sales at Bianco Realty in 2022.

Bianco Realty Diamond Award

Judy Maslowski and Darcy Fettig are Bianco Realty's 2022 Diamond Award recipients! These two REALTORS® have been with Bianco Realty since the start of their Real Estate careers, they help make the home buying and selling process easier!

Bianco Realty Titanium Award

Tori Meyer is Bianco Realty's 2022 Titanium Award recipient! Tori's a hard-working, fulltime REALTOR® ready to make your home selling & buying dreams come true!

Bianco Realty Platinum Award

Brenda Foster, Amy Asche, Kathy Feist, Justin Sackman, Jim Jeromchek and James Jeromchek are Bianco Realty's 2022 Platinum Award recipients! These six hardworking REALTORS® have a combined total of 122 years real estate experience.

Bianco Realty Emerald Award

Greg Gerhart and Phyllis Rittenbach were presented with Bianco Realty's 2022 Emerald Award! Gerhart & Rittenbach are top-notch, incredible REALTORS®, ready to help with your real estate journey!

Bianco Realty Rookie Of The Year

Stephanie Stevens has been awarded Bianco Realty's 2022 "Rookie of the Year" Award! Stevens has been in the real estate business for over a year now and she's rockin' it!

VERITY GROUP NAMES NEW CEO, AS COMPANY DIVERSIFIES PORTFOLIO

Verity Homes has named Aaron Tackett as CEO of the newly rebranded Verity Group, which comprises several interrelated real estate business, including Verity Homes, Kreativ Homes, Dakota Pioneer Land Company, SiteWorx Excavation & Development Company, LLC, Luxxe Realty, Comma Insurance and Superior Precast. Tackett takes over CEO duties for Arthur Goldammer, Verity founder and current President, who will continue to lead Verity Group as it seeks to continue expanding its portfolio through additional land, talent and business acquisitions.

When he joined Verity in 2021, Tackett brought more than 25 years of home building experience, having worked for some of the largest and most successful public and private home builders in some of the most competitive and challenging markets in the nation. He has held numerous executive-level positions, including VP of Sales and Marketing, Division President, Regional VP of Sales and National Sales Director, in addition to a distinguished career in The United States Air Force as a decorated veteran of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

To accomplish its lofty goals, Verity Group is focused on creating a one-stop shop for real estate customers, be they buyers, sellers or investors. Its current makeup already includes builders, developers, realtors and insurance professionals that all work under the same umbrella to seamlessly guide customers through each step in their real estate journey.

The plan for company founder, Arthur Goldammer, to step back from day-to-day operations was set into action two years ago, when Tackett was first hired as the company’s first Chief People Officer — a role designed to build a world class team that would be prepared for Verity’s current growth plan. Moving forward, Goldammer will focus heavily on land acquisition, development, future growth and new opportunities for the Verity Group and the other entities he has founded to further position Verity as a vertically integrated, full-service real estate conglomerate.

Chief Development Officer Named For Anne Carlsen

Anne Carlsen is pleased to announce the promotion of Tiffany Hunt to the position of Chief Development Officer for Anne Carlsen.

Tiffany joined Anne Carlsen as the Vice President of Development in July 2021, bringing to the organization many years of professional experience from her previous roles in higher education fundraising and business management. Tiffany has earned her bachelor’s degree in Business and her MBA in Human Resource Management and was most recently appointed to the interim Chief Development Officer position for Anne Carlsen.

In her new CDO role, Tiffany will be part of the executive leadership team for Anne Carlsen and will strategically lead the development team’s operational strategy, management, and processes. She will also provide oversight of the marketing department for the organization.

Away from work, Tiffany enjoys spending time with her husband Phil and her children, PJ, and Hayden. She also enjoys hiking, travel, and fitness activities.

Cedric Theel Toyota Names New Leadership

Cedric Theel Toyota is excited to announce the transition of three current employees into new leadership roles; Dan Lee, General Manager; Bradley Johnson, Service Manager; Oscar Garcia, Internet Manager.

Dan Lee has been at Cedric Theel Toyota for nearly 15 years, holding various positions as a Sales Manager and most recent as the Service Manager. He has been in the auto industry for 17 years and brings extensive experience and knowledge to his new role. As the General Manager, Dan will oversee all aspects of the daily operations.

Bradley Johnson has transitioned out of the Internet Manager role into Service Manager. He has been with Cedric Theel Toyota for a little over six years. In his new role as the Service Manager, Bradley will manage the service department team and handle customer service interactions, reports, and repairs.

Oscar Garcia has been a Sales & Leasing Consultant at Cedric Theel Toyota for a little over eight years. He is transitioning into the role of Internet Manager. Oscar is efficient with technology, he is the photographer at the dealership, and he is also bilingual in Spanish to better assist our Spanish-speaking community. In his new role, he will respond to all online leads and ensure accuracy of the website.

Cedric Theel Toyota is thrilled to announce these changes and excited for what the future of the dealership holds.

Capital Electric Cooperative Employee Recognized For Community Service

The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) recognized Jared Nygaard, an energy services technician at Capital Electric Cooperative, with the Community Service Award at its 80th annual meeting in February.

The award recognizes Nygaard’s efforts to bring alternative-fuel vehicle (AFV) training to North Dakota’s rural firefighters. In recent years, AFVs have become more prevalent in the state, making it important for emergency responders to learn how to safely respond to accidents involving AFVs. A former rural firefighter himself, Nygaard was committed to bringing this important training to North Dakota and sought the support of electric cooperatives. Ultimately, 17 electric cooperatives from North Dakota and Montana agreed to sponsor the course, which came with a $13,500 price tag.

Nearly 120 rural firefighters attended the training, which was offered at the North Dakota Fire School in February 2022. Without Nygaard’s leadership, it is unlikely the training would have been offered. Positive feedback from first responders who attended the training has led to the course being offered for the second time, later this month, at the fire school.

North Dakota’s electric cooperatives congratulate Nygaard on receiving this recognition and thank him for his service to his cooperative and community.

Every year, NDAREC recognizes individuals for their generous contributions to North Dakota’s electric cooperatives and the communities they serve. An eight-member committee of the NDAREC Board of Directors selects award recipients from nominations submitted by NDAREC’s members, which include 16 electric distribution cooperatives and five generation and transmission cooperatives.

Sanford Health Welcomes New Family Medicine Doctor

Andrew Dockter, MD, has joined Sanford Health in Mandan, ND as a new family medicine physician.

Dr. Dockter is a North Dakota native from Washburn. He received an undergraduate degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo and his medical degree from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He completed a general surgery residency at the University of South Dakota/Sanford School of Medicine in Sioux Falls and a family medicine residency at the University of North Dakota Center for Family Medicine in Bismarck.

Dr. Dockter is now seeing patients within Sanford North Mandan Clinic located at 910 18th Street NW, Mandan.

LEGACY FINANCIAL PARTNERS RECOGNIZED AS A BEST-IN-STATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT TEAM BY FORBES

Legacy Financial Partners, a private wealth advisory practice with Ameriprise Financial was named to the list of “Bestin-State Wealth Management Teams” published by Forbes. The list recognizes financial advisors and their teams who have demonstrated high levels of ethical standards, professionalism, and success in the business.

The rankings are based on data provided by thousands of the nation’s most productive advisors and their teams. Legacy Financial Partners was chosen based on assets under management, industry experience, compliance record and best practices in their practice and approach to working with clients.

Legacy Financial Partners provides financial advice that is anchored in a solid understanding of client needs and expectations and provided in one-on-one relationships with their clients.

DR. JEFF FASTNACHT CHOSEN AS NEXT BPS SUPERINTENDENT

The Bismarck School Board has chosen Dr. Jeff Fastnacht as the next superintendent of Bismarck Public Schools. Dr. Fastnacht was one of four candidates to be interviewed for the position. Candidates were subject to a rigorous interview process where they each spent a day meeting with stakeholder focus groups prior to being interviewed by the Bismarck School Board.

Dr. Fastnacht comes to Bismarck Public Schools with extensive experience as an educator. He was employed at Ellendale Public Schools from 1996 through 2018 as a principal, IT director, and superintendent. Dr. Fastnacht currently serves as the assistant superintendent of Mandan Public Schools.

Bismarck Public Schools would like to congratulate Dr. Fastnacht and thank everyone who participated in the interview process. Dr. Fastnacht will take over when Dr. Jason Hornbacher, current superintendent of BPS, retires on June 30, 2023.