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To make each and every edition of the Connection unique, our team sits down at the beginning of the year and develops an editorial calendar to outline what topics we should cover to highlight all of the issues facing our communities. So far this year, we’ve touched on a number of topics including the 2023 Legislative Session and the Chamber EDC’s new 2023 – 2025 Strategic Plan. It’s important that we communicate to you what we’re doing to engage your continued support, and these two editions certainly did that. However, it’s also important that we spotlight the great work of our members, and that’s the focus of this month’s issue of the Connection.

During our initial meeting this year, there was an idea to spotlight a segment of our membership that doesn’t often get a lot of recognition: restaurants. But, how do we spotlight some of our restaurant members in a way that hasn’t necessarily been done before? As you’ll read in the following pages, we’ve decided to focus on some of those local business people who have chosen to open and operate a franchise restaurant.

These people are entrepreneurs who have chosen to take a different path in opening their own restaurants and each have a different story for how they got there. For instance, one of our members is brand new to our community-- having chosen to relocate here with his family to operate a location for one of America’s most popular chains. Another one of those members has partnered with other local owners to open a unique restaurant here in Bismarck that has grown so popular, they’re now opening locations in other communities. And yet another of our members chose to come to Mandan with their chain after experiencing success in another market. These are three unique stories and I think you’re going to enjoy reading them.

This month also marks the unofficial ‘kickoff’ to the Chamber EDC’s summer activities, or at least when we start marketing events like Lunch on the Patio, the Chamber EDC’s Outdoor Golf Scramble and others. It’s certainly been a long winter and we’re looking forward to a slate of summer events where we can gather, network and celebrate all of the great things happening at the Chamber EDC and here in Bismarck-Mandan.

One of those causes for celebration is the Chamber EDC’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year Program. For as long as I’ve been involved with the Chamber EDC, and long before that, our organization has solicited nominations from the community for outstanding teachers at the elementary, high school and college levels. A dedicated group of volunteers then comb through all those nominations to select honorees at all three of those levels in both Bismarck and Mandan. Then, thanks to the tremendous support our sponsors, that Committee gets to go into the classroom and present those teachers with their award in front of their students, colleagues and more. If you haven’t ever seen one of these presentations, I can assure you it is well worth it!

There’s lots to be excited about as we head into the summer and to learn more, make sure to keep reading this month’s Connection

Wendy Van Duyne, Chair Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC