Progress 4: Business and Retail

BUSINESS AND RETAIL

Progress SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2019 THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

WHAT’S

Inside?

JLG Architects.......................................... 2 Ag First Farmers Cooperative................ 3 Pests B Dead............................................ 3 IMKO....................................................... 3 Civil Design Inc....................................... 4 Brookings Economic Development........ 5 Choco Latte............................................. 5 Pheasant Restaurant and Lounge........... 6 Cruise Planners....................................... 6 Mills Development.................................. 7 South Dakota State University............... 8

Page 2 - The Brookings Register, Saturday, May 25, 2019

JLG Architects help map out BROOKINGS – When you hire JLG Architects, you get more than a plan for your building, you get help mapping out your future success.

“We are a full-service architectural firm,” said Ryan Murphy, AIA, a registered architect. “(We) take our clients’ dreams and visions and help them solve a problem. Our architecture is really the solution to problems of space and need, so that’s what we help them accomplish.”

JLG Architects will design every aspect of your project, from early schematics, to 3D foam models to give clients an idea of how it will look in the space, through the actual construction documents, commonly referred to as blueprints, that contractors will use to build the project. Those projects can vary widely.

“I always tell everyone we do everything but single-family homes,” Murphy said.

JLG Architects started in 1989 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The firm takes its name from founders Gary Johnson, Lonnie Laffen and Jim Galloway.

In the very beginning, Johnson and Laffen were the only employees and they were taking on a lot of city and governmental work in Grand Forks for people they knew in town, Murphy said.

“There’s a lot of EDU work that we’ve done, higher education.

That’s probably the second piece that’s helped to get to where we are.

Now we’re doing equal amounts in all of these fields at this point.

We’ve developed expertise in all of them,” Murphy said.

“We’ve found the way we’ve structured ourselves allows individuals to specialize in each of those groups, but the firm can still offer services in everything,” Murphy said.

JLG’s motto is “Design for Life”

and the philosophy has five pillars, Murphy said. They are design, community, relationships, stewardship and integrity.

“Those are our core values,” he said.

“Design makes life better. We really do believe that great design can have an impact on people’s lives. Physically, we’re making buildings, but they’re building a community,” Murphy said.

They believe in working in the communities in which they live so they can build long-standing relationships with the people in those communities, he said.

Stewardship is “just being smart with the earth’s resources” and their clients’ financial resources, he said.

“Integrity and authenticity, we live our values. And I think that’s one of the main reasons people come to us and continue to come back,” Murphy said.

JLG Architects has expanded to 13 offices in three states, with the newest one in St. Cloud, Minnesota, just this spring. They are up to 120 employees and are actively hiring.

“We’re a firm that’s committed to growth,” Murphy said. “We have a lot of student interns, as well, from both SDSU, NDSU, Iowa and the U of M. I think we have 20 people starting on June 1 or some date around that time, in terms of new hires and student interns.”

They need the extra employees to keep up with growth.

“The Sport Group and the Ice Group … are really what’s taking us nationally. We are working in 13 states right now. We being from this area and being a firm from Grand Forks, ice hockey kind of rules the world up there. So it’s in the blood of a bunch of our folks,” Murphy said, adding they’re working on projects in Colorado, Maine and Connecticut now.

your future success

JLG has grown geographically, he added. The company did that by branching out where a need was seen to exist and then fulfilled that need.

“We’ve always grown as our clients need us to – so we can be there in person with them,” Murphy said.

All that work has gotten them recognition. Most recently, Engineering News-Record named JLG Mountain States Design Firm of the Year and JLG was awarded INC Magazine’s Best Places to Work in America.

“That wasn’t just architecture firms; that was just anything, any corporation in the country, so that was pretty amazing for us,” Murphy said.

He said it was “important” that JLG made the list for the 50 Most Admired Firms in the U.S. by MSN Money/Best Life. They have also been named to Building Design+ Construction Top 150 Architecture Giants, Architectural Record Top 300 Architecture Firms in the U.S., and Engineering News-Record Top Design Firms.

“We have a reputation of doing what we’ll say we’ll do. I think that we’re a fun group to work with.

We take what we do very seriously, but we like to have fun and I think that our clients enjoy that about us, too,” Murphy said.

One of the reasons JLG has the reputation it does in the business world is the vision of the founders.

Laffen and Galloway have continued with the company after Johnson’s death.

In 2014, JLG became an employee stock-ownership program, or ESOP, which means the employees actually own the company, because the original partners “wanted the company to live past them and not just have the doors shut when they retired. So they gave the company to the employees and now we

JLG is a full-service architectural firm that helps its clients solve problems and achieve their dreams and visions.

all are owners, all 120 of us,” Murphy said.

He is looking forward to the future.

“We’re committed to growth. We have every intention of growing” both geographically and finding the next opportunities that make sense for the company’s vision, and pushing each employee to excel in their area of expertise.

JLG has architects who specialize in different areas, or studios as they call them, including: • EDU, which is higher education projects; • DWELL, which is multi-family housing; • MED, which is medical work; • CIVIC, which is city and other governmental projects; • INC., which is business and retail;

• Sport & Ice, which is sports facilities; and • K12, which is K-12 education facilities.

“That’s really the studio that’s taken us nationally,” Murphy said of Sport & Ice. “Within that group is one for just ice hockey. Starting in North Dakota, it’s kind of in our blood.”

“We are always seeking new ways to help our clients and our communities build and grow great things. From providing new technology-rich services to incorporating never-before seen areas of community and stake holder engagement, we look forward to continuing to being more than ‘just architects,’” Murphy said.

The Brookings Register, Saturday, May 25, 2019 - Page 3

Quality service comes first at AgFirst The mission at AgFirst Famers Cooperative Volga Service Station is to provide good quality service to the residents and farmers in the Volga area.

The station offers a full line of services for all types of gas and diesel engines. The well-qualified technicians offer a variety of services including oil changes, tire sales, tire rotations, transmission work, transmission swaps, engine diagnostics and engine swaps.

The Volga AgFirst station also offers a variety of products and accessories for vehicles, from air fresheners to oils and grease.

The station has fuel pumps for local residents and bulk delivery of fuels for area farmers. It offers bulk delivery of diesel, gas and propane. They also have the ability to offer forward contracting of these bulk fuels. They have most recently added bulk delivery of oil and soon will be adding bulk DEF. For those bulk items we also can help you with any bulk storage you may need to store these items on your farm or business.

They handle and sell Cenex branded products from fuel, oil and grease.

The crew at the AgFirst Volga location are, from left: Manager Brad Mitchell, Doug Stuefen, Jim Miller, Jason Dearduff and Travis Hougland. Not pictured: Will Davis.

Cenex has a well-known brand of products and offers an engine warranty when buying and using Cenex branded oil. Cenex touts the warranty program as the best in the industry for agricultural producers.

Retailers and consumers alike have put their trust in the Cenex brand for more than 40 years – that’s why it’s one of the fastest growing brands today.

To learn more about this warranty and any of the Cenex products offered

‘One and done’ There’s a new pest control company in Brookings – sort of. Pests B Dead has been in business for just more than a month.

“I have been in business in Brookings for eight years,” Tony LaFramboise explained. “I previously worked for another pest control company in Watertown before purchasing half of his business. It’s grown ever since then.

“My business name changed from ‘Midwest Pest Control’ to ‘Pests B Dead LLC’, because I expanded into an area where there was another company with the Midwest name.”

In addition to the Brookings area, Pests B Dead’s geographic range extends up to Sisseton, Milbank, Webster, Aberdeen and Redfield. “Additionally, I have plans of hiring a full-time person this year and expanding into Sioux Falls,” LaFramboise said of his future.

“We provide a wide range of pest control: from ants and spiders to mice and rats, crickets, bedbugs, cockroaches and other pests,” he explained. “It depends on what the customer is having problems with. Our customers are residential, commercial and agricultural. Our customers are attracted to us because of price, quick response and great results.

“I am proud of the fact that we

Pests B Dead serves large area

provide a great service to our customers, which causes them to come back year after year. When they move they ask if we can do their new place, too. Most of my business is word of mouth, my customers talking to their friends.”

Pests B Dead services about 150 commercial and about 600 residential accounts, with some of the latter in rural areas where farmers may encounter problems with rats or mice.

Within the city, most people needing Pests B Dead are having problems with ants, spiders or crickets. “In DeSmet, they get a lot of box elder bugs in houses,” LaFramboise added.

He also noted that he respects the confidentiality and anonymity of his clients, especially important aspects when dealing with some insect infestations such as bedbugs or cockroaches.

“If people have bedbugs or cockroaches, they don’t want people to know about it,” he explained.

Pests B Dead’s business philosophy is simple: “Do it right the first time. A satisfied customer is your best advertisement. It’s kind of a one-anddone until they need me again. One call and they’re done.”

To schedule your one call, give Tony LaFramboise, Pests B Dead, a call at 605-690-0478.

IMKO brings human resources expertise IMKO Workforce Solutions is making a difference in Brookings’ employment scene, finding workers the jobs they need and helping local businesses fill their staffing needs.

The company has been serving the Brookings area for over 13 years, first as Availability, and then transitioning to IMKO in 2016. IMKO has continually been meeting the challenges of the ever-changing human resources environment since 1972.

Branch Manager Jason Gerlach said, “We advertise, screen, and interview all candidates for the client and only select the best of the best for the company to interview.” IMKO also takes care of payroll and covers the Workers’ Compensation insurance for their clients.

Gerlach has worked with other staffing agencies in the past and he feels that IMKO is different. “IMKO truly cares for their employees and shows this by offering full benefits such as health, vision, dental, and paid time off for all of our employees.”

IMKO is a free service to the job seeker. We assist in the employee application process, which does include the completion of a resume, back-

at the AgFirst Volga station, please contact Will Davis at 605-690-8443.

If you haven’t done business in the past with the AgFirst Volga Station, the staff asks you to give them a try.

The station provides great services with competitive prices.

The Volga AgFirst station is located at 104 Kasan Ave. and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 627-9401.

Pests B Dead is operated by owner Tony LaFramboise.

He can be reached at 605-690-0478.

to Brookings

Service Coordinator Kelley Wininger and Branch Manager Jason Gerlach make up the IMKO team at the Brookings office at 521 Sixth St.

ground checks, drug screenings, and reference checks.

IMKO also has offices in Sioux Falls and Sioux City, plus others across the country. Brookings’ is a small office with a staff of two, so Gerlach and Service Coordinator Kelley Wininger personally know who they are working with.

“We have employees who work four 10-hour shifts each week, and they come in and hang out on their day

off just to visit. It’s nice that they feel comfortable enough to just come in to catch up.

“We work for both the employee and the client, and we want both to be successful.”

The Brookings IMKO office is located at 521 Sixth St. and can be reached at 697-5627.

Learn more about IMKO services and job openings online at www.imko. com.

Page 4 - The Brookings Register, Saturday, May 25, 2019

Leadership, teamwork, results With the coming of the new millennium in 2000 came a new professional engineering firm that would become a leader and one of the most successful in South Dakota: Civil Design Inc. Still at home in Brookings after nearly 20 successful years, CDI is poised to continue shaping ideas and engineering results.

With innovative solutions and visionary designs, CDI co-founder and co-owner Carey Bretsch has led the way to the company’s becoming the industry’s choice for excellence. Now a second generation of leadership is in place; its members were mentored by Bretsch, who put them in a position to continue CDI’s successes.

Making up the new leadership team are Chief Executive Officer Jeff Cooley; Vice President Chris Brozik, heading up the structural engineering team; and Vice President Andrew Kangas, a project engineer and land surveyor.

Cooley brings to the team an extensive background in project planning, budgeting and management plus expertise in design and layout.

Brozik, using the latest research, analysis and technological tools, designs stable, durable, elegant and inventive projects that create a lasting impression with CDI’s clients.

Kangas oversees all field data collection, drafting, construction staking, and survey crews.

All four owners are graduates of South Dakota State University. “That’s what brought us to Brookings, first and foremost,” Brozik said. “Andrew, Jeff and I were all interns here at one time or another. From there we all transitioned into a full-time role.”

Under Bretsch’s leadership and direction they gained invaluable on-thejob experience and honed their own leadership skills.

Civil Design Inc. crew are currently working on the 22nd Avenue reconstruction project in Brookings.

Teamwork gets it done

“We’re relatively small, with 16 full-time employees,” Cooley said, in reference to the teamwork he sees as vital to CDI’s success. “Many of those employees have been with the company for 10 years or approaching that.

“It’s a really great work environment here; everybody gets along. We rally together when somebody has an increased workload.”

All of CDI’s civil engineers have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited civil engineering program; at present primarily SDSU. They are all qualified registered professional engineers or engineers in training. They are assisted by civil engineering technicians with two-year technical degrees.

CDI’s mission is to “provide value to the public and our clients through the implementation of design, engineering and surveying, and construction administration services using open and responsive communication, honest and professional ethics and an unwavering commitment to quality.”

The company’s design and construction administration services are used in general civil engineering projects, ranging through transportation engineering and within transportation structural design of bridges.

Additionally, the company has a niche in the railroad industry, doing a lot of rail design within sectors that include short lines and industrial partners.

In that “niche” industry, Bretsch is presently

working remotely in the Twin Cities as a consultant on the three- to four-year project of the Southwest Light Rail Transit METRO Green Line Extension project, from Eden Prairie to Downtown Minneapolis.

CDI also works in municipal design in areas that include residential development within the City of Brookings. Projects include Moriarty Heights and SDSU, doing parking lot and roadway design and development of new structures.

And the company is also a key player in the city’s Phase I reconstruction of 22nd Avenue now underway.

Add to that mix for its services large agricultural-industrial sites, for example working with Agtegra Cooperative, which came into being

with the merger of North Central Farmers Elevator and South Dakota Wheat Growers.

Well known for excellence

CDI has often been recognized for its excellence via a long list of awards going back to 2003, when the American Society of Civil Engineers cited its work on the Fishback Soccer Park as an “Outstanding Civil Engineering Project.”

In 2012, Profile Magazine showcased CDI and founder Bretsch as “a niche engineering firm in the railroad industry.”

In 2016, Brozik was named an “ASCE Outstanding Young Civil Engineer” for the innovative design of an inverted-T Pre-stressed Girder Bridge in Minnehaha County.

And that same year,

Prairie Business Magazine featured Cooley as a “40 under 40” nominee.

More recently, in 2018, ASCE, Eastern Branch, South Dakota Section cited CDI for “Outstanding Civil Engineer Achievement” for the roundabout on the SDSU campus.

“I feel that we provide a good quality service, “Cooley said. “A lot of our clients are repeat clients; once we’re able to provide a service to them, they continue to come back. We prepare documents quickly, efficiently and correctly.”

“We do our best to exceed all of our clients’ expectations,” Brozik added.

“We work extremely hard to build a relationship and trust with each and every client.”

The Brookings Register, Saturday, May 25, 2019 - Page 5

Brookings Start-up Hub – Building the

entrepreneurial community Starting a business can be very exciting, but also a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, the Brookings community is well positioned with a variety of resources to assist anyone who wants to pursue their business ideas.

The Brookings Start-up Hub, a program of Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), is focused on growing the economy by supporting ideas, innovation and entrepreneurship in the Brookings region. The Start-up Hub connects innovators, designers and entrepreneurs to creative programming, events and resources that will help them take their business ideas to the next level.

“Strong entrepreneurial ecosystems foster strong entrepreneurs who build strong economies,” said Jennifer Quail, Director of Entrepreneur Support for BEDC. “The Brookings community has taken a very proactive and visionary approach to growing and nurturing our local entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Start-up Hub takes that next step to providing a cohesive and connected system that will support and grow local business ventures.”

The Brookings Start-up Hub covers six main areas: • Business Assistance • Advice & Mentorship • Events & Networking • Education & Training

• Funding Opportunities • Market Research While BEDC is leading the charge to promote and develop entrepreneurship, many individuals and organizations make up the Startup Hub. Existing businesses that can share lessons learned, service providers assisting with legal and accounting topics, suppliers, customers, and landlords with available space all have a critical role to play in addition to the entrepreneurs themselves. Innovative programs such as the Brookings Area Makerspace and annual Maker Festival, pop-up markets, entrepreneur coaching, grant and loan opportunities, the technology commercialization center and the planned commercial kitchen are all part of the wide variety of opportunities available to entrepreneurs to build their businesses.

BEDC and community leaders have spent several years building up these programs and resources, resulting in national recognition for Brookings. In 2017, the community made Livability and Entrepreneur Magazine’s national list of best cities for entrepreneurs coming in at No. 25, and Brookings was the smallest community in the top 25.

Last year, the strong entrepreneurial ecosystem was identified by the Walton Family Foundation, which

Home, love and a You can feel a pulse when you walk into Choco Latte.

Simply by walking into the shop, you immediately feel the sensation of life through seeing the warm colors and hearing the espresso machines and lively conversations between students and friends.

“It all comes back to coffee,” said coffee shop owner, barista and candy maker Donna Behrend. The almost 20-year veteran of the coffee industry attributes the quality of products sold at Choco Latte to her passion for what is best.

“All of the decisions I have made have been mostly because I knew this is one of the best quality drinks I could make,” Behrend said when describing how Choco Latte came to fruition back in 2010.

Choco Latte uses and sells products from around the world. Lavazza is a coffee company based out of Italy and is used for the espresso and dark roast drip coffee.

“I almost dropped to my knees the first time I had it, and that’s when I knew this was the coffee I wanted to open with,” Behrend said.

Along with the Italian coffee, the coffee shop uses two professional-grade espresso machines that are designed and made in Switzerland.

They significantly increase the capability and capacity by which lattes and other

Jennifer Quail

named Brookings one of five micropolitan success stories from the Heartland outperforming its peers throughout the country.

“Entrepreneurial ecosystems thrive when people and resources are connected and working together to develop new and creative approaches for supporting entrepreneurs,” said Quail.

“Because of those initial as well as ongoing efforts to sustain and strengthen the system, Brookings is uniquely strong, dynamic and vibrant.”

Local residents and organizations who are part of the Start-up Hub receive periodic updates about events and programs, useful resources and tools and inspiring success stories featuring local entrepreneurs.

For more information about BEDC or the Start-up Hub, please visit www.startupbrookings.com or call 605697-8103.

cup of coffee

The Choco Latte staff gathers for a Christmas photo.

coffee drinks can be made.

However, Behrend believes that being part of the community means not only providing a service to local residents, but also using other local sources for products.

Choco Latte brews European Roastery coffee that is based out of Minnesota as well as Westbound Coffee roasted by South Dakota native Andrew Litz.

Choco Latte’s building design and the design and manufacturing of all its signs were all done locally. Behrend receives her eggs for all of her baked goods from a local farm in Estelline, and for lattes and other coffee drinks she has her milk shipped from Stensland Family Farms in Iowa.

Behrend felt compelled to provide homemade candy to Brookings because there are almost no other sources of handmade candy in eastern South Dakota. She grew up making candy and fudge alongside her mother, and

she experienced first-hand her father developing his business that has now been operating for 45 years.

Her parents’ collaboration was what spurred Behrend’s interest and devotion in creating Choco Latte, which is also about relationships.

“The team, people come here for the team,” Behrend said proudly.

The employees at Choco Latte are not only trained in making some of the best beverages, baked goods and candy in Brookings, but they emphasize that they are there for the customer.

Behrend’s employees maintain a personable approach in interacting with customers. For them, it is all about holding a conversation and being able to build a real relationship around a cup of coffee.

To learn more about Choco Latte, visit www. chocolattecoffeeshop.com or visit them at 2308 Sixth St., Brookings, SD 57006.

Page 6 - The Brookings Register, Saturday, May 25, 2019

The Pheasant marks BROOKINGS – A Brookings landmark and institution, The Pheasant Restaurant & Lounge has been in business for 70 years.

Michael Johnson is the current general manager and head chef, as well as the grandson of owners Ronald and Georgiana Olson, who took over in 1966. The Pheasant never forgets its South Dakota roots, but always looks forward to see how it can continue to give its customers the great service and food they’ve come to expect since 1949.

Johnson does that by operating on a simple philosophy.

“Never tout that you do or are the best of something in town. If you strive for quality, your patrons will be your greatest promoters,” he said.

“Our ‘thing’ is local food, local culture – with a bit of adventure and curiosity – and people. We spend much of our time developing long-lasting relationships with our patrons and creating memorable experiences for those passing through,” Johnson said.

That means not only the people who eat there, but local partners, producers, farmers, artists and artisans, too. The Pheasant draws inspiration from its prairie home and what is unique to this place and this community.

“We are a restaurant featuring the local food culture,” Johnson said.

Their new weekly Saturday/ Sunday brunches feature food inspired by “Scandiota” – a term they coined to define a surrounding Scandinavian-influenced ethno-geographic subculture that spans parts of the DakOTAs and MinnesOTA – like stuffed crepelike Nordic waffles and smoked breakfast tots served under a glass cloche filled with wood smoke.

They also serve a duck wings appetizer, local lamb chislic, and the pheasant salad that won international acclaim from Oprah Winfrey’s “O” Magazine. More menu options can be found on the website pheasantrestaurant.com/

70 years

In 2018 the Pheasant launched a brunch service nodding to the Scandinavian influence in the area, featuring stuffed Nordic Waffles every Saturday (9 a.m.-noon) and Sunday (10 a.m.-2 p.m.).

menus.

Many of those food options include locally grown items.

“We also have a retail wine shop and a wine club. Other retail offerings are fresh premium-quality extra virgin olive oils, authentic balsamic vinegars and flavor infused varieties of both, all from our daughter company, the Coteau des Prairies Olive Oil Co. We also sell other wine-related products, stemware, and foodie finds including our private-label coffee beans and jalapeno jelly,” Johnson said.

But Johnson isn’t just a promoter of food: he has a formal education in fine arts.

“My interest has always been food, art, and people,” he said.

“We allow local visual artists to display their work for sale (taking no fee), and employ local musicians to play every Monday, September through May,” Johnson said.

All that effort draws people into The Pheasant.

“We really feel like home to lots of people from all walks of life. People have gathered here for meals, cocktails, beers, coffee, live music, wine events, pop-up makers’ markets, shopping and general chit-chat for decades. We embrace that old-school ‘SoDak’ all-day-gathering-place vibe, like a refined version of the prairie town bar/cafe where everyone is

Just book it,

welcome,” Johnson said.

It’s gotten them recognition.

In addition to the “O” award, The Pheasant won the Brookings Mayor’s Sustainability Award in the Social/Quality of Life category in 2018. It was their second Mayor’s Award in three years.

They also won the A.B.L.E. Award in 2015.

“We’re proud that we impressed Chef Gordon Ramsay a few years back,” Johnson said.

But it’s their history and local ties that inspire them.

“We’re proud of our 70 years in business. We’re proud to have been under the same ownership for 53 of those years. We’re proud of the multi-generational family that our staff and loyal patrons have become through the decades [#pheasantfam]. We’re proud of the years of strong support from our community. We’re proud of all of the local talent that comes together at ‘The Bird’ through the local art on our walls, the music on our stage every Monday night, the talent coming out of our kitchen seven days a week. We’re proud to be a local institution that the community feels belongs to them,” Johnson said.

Johnson and his crew will be celebrating their 70 years in business all through 2019.

“There will likely be some surprises,” he predicted.

just go

When the time comes for travel, be it at sea, in the air, or on land, there’s a one-stop agency in Brookings where you can make it happen: Cruise Planners, a franchise owned and operated by Julie Erickson.

Cruise Planners can help plan that dream vacation and whatever type of travel it entails: Cruises, from ocean to river to expedition; rail vacations; guided bus and group tours; private chauffeured tours; and fully independent travel (FIT). All offer prices ranging from budget to luxury.

“We are a full-service travel agency,” Erickson said. “We can do anything: whether it’s a train trip through Europe; an African safari where you camp in a tent; or pretty much anywhere in the United States, from pampered luxury to FIT (fully independent travel).

“There are really few limits to what we can do. Cruise Planners is the largest homebased travel agency in the country; so if I don’t have experience with your travel plans, there are people who do.”

Erickson’s business philosophy matches her business mission, which is simple: “Helping people realize their travel dreams.”

“So many people dream of going but never do,” she said. “I really want to encourage people to just go! Sit down with me and look at the possibilities. It may be more attainable than you realize. I want people to know they can travel to their dream destinations and I want to make it as easy as possible.”

In the Brookings travel market, Alaska and Iceland are popular destinations; Europe and Ireland and Alaska are travel destinations

on a lot of “bucket lists.” For those venturing outside the United States, Erickson will assist with the procurement of passports, visas and other needed travel documents.

For people considering a cruise at sea, she noted that newer, bigger and more comfortable ships with many amenities continue to be built.

And in Europe, river cruises continue to grow in popularity. Travelers experience a wealth of beautiful scenery and history as they move at a leisurely pace, all the while enjoying comfortable accommodations.

“I enjoy working with all types of customers and vacations,” Erickson said. “I am here to make sure you are satisfied before, during and after your travel. I am committed to your trip and will be there through the whole process. I’m here to guide you through the process so you don’t have to spend hours searching.

“And as a bonus, I have access to exclusive savings and amenities offered by Cruise Planners.”

For would-be travelers concerned about cost, Erickson explained that for a deposit, travel packages can be booked out as far as two years into the future and monthly payments can be arranged.

“Just book it. Just go,” she said. “People dream about it; they talk about it. They think it’s not affordable. But there’s something out there that you can do. You can book it out far enough that there’s time to pay.”

So let the adventure begin. Give Julie Erickson a call at 605-690-3811 or log on to crazy4cruising.com.

Begin planning for a vacation to exotic places such as these by contacting Cruise Planners, owned and operated by Julie Erickson.

The Brookings Register, Saturday, May 25, 2019 - Page 7

A master planned vision comes When dirt started moving a few years ago at Prairie Hills, it took vision to see what the 210-acre piece of ground would become.

But as homes have been built, roads constructed, ponds dug, and walking paths poured, that vision continues to become reality.

The Prairie Hills Development is located between Main Avenue South and Medary with 20th Street South serving as the northern boundary and 32nd Street South as the southern boundary. As the largest mixed-use planned development in Brookings history, Prairie Hills has several components including residential home lots, a carefree active-adult community, commercial space, and ample parks and nature areas.

Visible from 20th Street South, “The Landing” is an association-maintained active-adult community offering a carefree lifestyle.

Residents enjoy a beautiful community building with fitness center, kitchen and gathering area, and guest suite. Lawn care and snow removal are taken care of by the association, and the walking paths that connect all of Prairie Hills run through The Landing allowing for a quiet evening stroll along the tranquil ponds.

Prairie Hills also includes residential home lots situated on gently curving streets and quiet cul-de-sacs. Homeowners moving into Prairie Hills find beautiful home lots arranged with rear access to a common open space, parks, and nature areas.

Many of these home lots offer expansive views unmatched in Brookings.

The trail system winds past the homes and allows residents to walk to the neighborhood park or past the large ponds. With options available for walkout and lookout home lots, as well as various price points, potential buyers are sure to find what they are looking for in this association-maintained community. Current entry into the residential neighborhood is from South Main on Swallow Ridge or Sweetgrass Parkway, but will eventually also connect north up to 20th Street South.

More than just residential, significant and exciting commercial opportunities are planned for Prairie Hills. Located in the northwest corner of the development, “The Crossings” at Prairie Hills will help meet the growing grocery, shopping and dining needs of the rapidly expanding south/southwest portion of the community. Commercial sites along 20th Street South with nature and water views are also available for immediate development.

A walk or drive through Prairie Hills will highlight the acres of planned nature areas, parks and expansive

ponds. More than maximizing homes per acres, Prairie Hills provides residents space and an opportunity to enjoy nature while living in the city.

It takes thought, planning, and commitment to take a vision through to reality. With decades of experience in developing real estate projects as varied as

a simple retail build out in a strip mall to the multi-decade completion of a master planned mixed-use community, Mills Development is up to the chal-

to life

lenge. In Brookings, places with well-known names like Village Square, Indian Hills, and Meadow Green are synonymous with Mills Development. Now

we can add Prairie Hills to the list as well. If you want to learn more about calling Prairie Hills home, visit www.prairiehillsinfo.com.

Walkout and daylight view home lots available.

Beautiful unobstructed sunrise views over protected conservation easement land.

Community green space and walking paths throughout the development.

Acres of ponds, green space, parks and nature areas.

Page 8 - The Brookings Register, Saturday, May 25, 2019

South Dakota State University to open

Ness School of Management and Economics South Dakota State University’s proposal to create a school of management and economics was approved by the South Dakota Board of Regents at its April meeting. The school will be known as the Ness School of Management and Economics and be located in historic Harding Hall.

The school is named after alums Larry ’69 and Diane ’71 Ness. Larry Ness served as president of First Dakota National Bank in Yankton. The couple were named the SDSU Foundation’s 2015 Philanthropic Family of the Year and received SDSU Presidential Medallions in 2016.

“Academically organizing as the Ness School of Management and Economics provides academic programs at SDSU new opportunities for innovative course instruction and a level of visibility needed to attract students interested in pursuing careers in business, management and finance,” said Dennis Hedge, provost and vice president of academic affairs. “The school will provide a higher-level and efficient structure to support the academic work of both students and faculty, while providing a pathway into the university for industry leaders to work with faculty in the school and engage with students as we prepare them to enter their careers ready to meet the opportunities and challenges of a global economy.”

The school will be in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and led

by Eluned Jones, the current department head for the Department of Economics.

The school will include the following degrees: • Agricultural business (B.S.); • Agricultural and re source economics (B.S.); • Business economics (B.A. and B.S.); • Economics (B.A. and B.S.); • Entrepreneurial studies B.A. and B.S.); and • Economics (M.S.) In addition, minors will be offered in: accounting, agricultural business, agricultural marketing; banking and financial services; economics; entrepreneurial studies; human resource management; land valuation and rural real estate; management; and marketing.

“This move helps students understand the wide range of potential areas of study and professional career directions they can pursue through the Ness School of Management and Economics that they might not have understood in a department of economics,” said Lynn Sargeant, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. “One of the things that is really exciting for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences is that it highlights for students and parents and the community the critical role the college can play training future pro-

fessionals. Many students in our college have multiple majors or a major with one or more minors and the Ness School of Management and Economics gives students a number of opportunities to develop skills that will help them in the workforce.”

The current Department of Economics has 700 undergraduate students and has two classrooms on the ground floor of Harding Hall, including the First Dakota National Bank e-Trading Lab, an experiential learning environment for classes in business finance, investments, agricultural finance, agricultural marketing, business and economics analytics courses as well as supporting the Student Managed Investment Fund and POET Commodity Trading Fund experiential activities.

Located on Campanile Avenue in the south-central part of campus, Harding Hall opened in 1954 as a men’s residence hall.

It later became offices for the then-College of Engineering and was the office locations for electrical engineering professors Al Kurtenbach and Duane Sander, who later co-founded Daktronics. In August 2018, a renovation of the building was completed.

“The purpose-designed facilities in Harding Hall provide the school a worldclass teaching and learning environment enhancing SDSU’s distinctive organization that integrates all the business disciplines, including agribusiness, and that provides greater transparency of our academic programs on campus and across South Dakota,” Jones said. “It is a motivating environment that allows our faculty to collaborate with each other and our students, while providing critical access for industry leaders to share in the teaching and learning, research and outreach that will take place. It is an exciting time to be at

SDSU. “The renaming and redesignation also tells a story of evolution in our department from what it was in the 80s and 90s to reflect what the U.S. economy is now as part of a global economy and what role South Dakota has as part of the global economy. These changes have impacted what we’re teaching, who we’re teaching and what knowledge and skills are being demanded,” she continued. “We’re better preparing the next generation.

If that can help attract new businesses because they see where they can get their workforce, where they are able to get employees who are knowledgeable, who have the skills they need; they’re more likely to move to this area or expand their business than if they think they’re going to be moving into a workforce desert.”

The School of Management and Economics is South Dakota State’s fourth

South Dakota State University Professor Matthew Diersen speaks to the agricultural futures and options class in Harding Hall in the spring 2019 semester. The class was held in the First Dakota National Bank e-Trading Education Lab.

The Ness School of Management and Economics is located in renovated Harding Hall, which was completed in August 2018.

school. The School of De- in 2017 and the School of sign started in 2015, the Communication and JourSchool of Performing Arts nalism in 2018.