ConnectingourCommunity

It’s rare for a company to receive a 90% response rate when asking employees about their workplace satisfaction, but that’s exactly what happened at CTC.

Known for providing exceptional fiber optic internet services, CTC is now also recognized as one of the best small businesses to work for in Minnesota for the second year in a row.

CTC was ranked 47th among the top small businesses in the state by the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2024. In 2023, CTC was ranked in 68th place. Each year, the Star Tribune highlights the top 200 workplaces in Minnesota, categorizing them into large, midsize and small companies. This prestigious recognition is based on employee feedback that assesses engagement, organizational health and overall satisfaction.

The rankings were determined from the input of 125,000-plus employees across Minnesota’s public, private and nonprofit sectors. At CTC, the feedback showcased a positive and unique workplace culture where employees feel supported and valued. Employees reported high levels of job satisfaction, with many highlighting opportunities for growth and a supportive management team. As one employee noted, “CTC truly cares about its staff. Everyone from managers to the CEO is approachable and our team is motivated and connected.”

Another employee shared, “Working here feels like part of a big family, and that sense of belonging makes me happy. Management listens to us and genuinely cares about our opinions.”

CTC’s workforce is diverse, with each employee bringing unique skills and perspectives that enhance the company’s success. The management team regularly acknowledges the outstanding contributions of staff members, who are united in their mission to deliver excellent service to CTC members. An employee said, “I’m part of a cooperative with the best fiber optic network in the area. CTC allows me to provide top-notch customer service, ensuring satisfaction for all our clients.”

CEO/General Manager Kristi Westbrock commented on the recognition: “Being in the Top 50 of best workplaces in MN, out of the 5,000 companies that applied, is humbling and a true testament to the culture we have all worked to create at CTC. Our team’s dedication to their craft, our membership, and our communities has developed a workplace full of pride and loyalty,” CTC is grateful to every employee for their hard work and commitment to their members. CTC always seeks passionate, skilled, and techsavvy individuals to join their team. If you or someone you know is interested, visit goctc.com/ careers. CTC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Workers process outgoing shipments at an Amazon Fulfillment based in Bemidji. Dechawuth, a native of Thailand, came to the United States to study electrical engineering at the University of Southern California in the late 1990s and graduated with a master’s degree in 2000. However, he soon found his true passion in the restaurant industry and in 2009 he opened Drunken Noodle in Fargo, North Dakota, followed by the Bemidji location (called Tara Thai then Tara Bemidji) and more recently the Drunken Noodle on Main Street in Crosby, before buying the 612 Station, renaming it the Blue Oyster on Front Street in Brainerd and now Chick N Rice on Laurel Street.

After much anticipation, Dunkin’ opened its new walk-up and drive-thru restaurant on Washington Street in northeast Brainerd on Aug. 6 with throngs of people filling the drive-thru lane, sitting beneath the umbrellatopped tables and waiting in line at the walk-up order window. Even with the crush of customers, service was quick on a sunny summer’s day.

Challenges ahead Highway construction will pose a challenge in the not too distant future.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation in partnership with the city of Baxter and Crow Wing County, will design and install an overpass with Highway 371 going over the BNSF Railway tracks and Highway 210. When Highway 371 will come back down to ground and allow access to local businesses will be a key component. Construction on the $58 million project is expected to start in 2028.

“That’s going to change the landscape, it is,” said Nate Grotzke broker at Close Converse Commercial Real

Estate/Business Brokerage. “And it’s not set in stone to our understanding, it’s not set in stone exactly how it’s going to look.”

That will follow on the heels of the reconstruction of Highway 210 — also known as Washington Street — from Baxter Drive on the east through Brainerd to Pine Shores Road. The project includes building two roundabouts in east Brainerd. Construction is expected in 2026-2027.

Grotzke and Chris Close, senior adviser and owner at Close Converse in Brainerd, both sat down to talk about the lake area’s growth, real estate, housing needs and opportunities for a Progress story on population growth.

“I think there’s been a real migration, not just to Brainerd but to others of those that were originally vacation destinations,” Close said. “It’s like, ‘This actually could be a full-time destination.’ And I think that’s what’s happening.”

Ben Winchester, a rural sociologist and educator with the University of Minnesota Extension, St. Cloud office, focuses on rural community economics and development. He’s often spoken about the rural “brain gain” as young people move back to smaller communities as they begin to have their own children and bring their skills and talents with them.

“Since the ‘70s, there’s been a consistent pattern of people moving in, and it really filled up our towns in the ‘90s,” Winchester said during a Zoom interview. The migration slowed in the 2000s. One reason could be a lack of housing. That lack of housing goes against the narrative of small towns dying.

“Our homes are full, which again,