December 2023 Chamber News by Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce

Chamber News

Annual Guide to Sioux Falls Area Legislators

Meeting the need Vol. 59, No. 2

A PUBLICATION OF THE GREATER SIOUX FALLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

December 2023

Community Appeals marks Preview 70 years of the 2024 Legislative Session of impact Practice the A-B-Cs to support your community

Unwrap a more reliable tech partner. Is your business ready for the holiday rush? Start the season off right with Midco®. We provide the services you need to keep your business merry, bright and profitable.

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Features

Meeting the need

Chamber News

Community Appeals marks 70 years of impact . . . . . . . . 29-35

Publisher Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce Chamber News Ad Sales For advertising information, call (605) 336-1620 or email chambernews@siouxfalls.com

The Chamber’s annual Holiday Fair & Mixer was held Nov. 21. — see more pictures on page 17.

In this issue REGULAR FEATURES

December 2023

New Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Annual Guide to Sioux Falls Area Legislators

Event Calendars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11

p. 28-34

Message from the Chair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Member Anniversaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Economic Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Community Appeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Preview of the 2024 Legislative Session

Business Advocacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

p. 35

Faces & Places. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-26

Using Your Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Chamber Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-41

Practice the A-B-Cs to support your community

Ribbon Cuttings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42-49

p. 36

Business Sense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39

On the Cover

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Chair Scott Lawrence Lawrence & Schiller, Inc. Chair-Elect Miles Beacom PREMIER Bankcard Vice Chair Tamien Dysart Think 3D Solutions Treasurer Dr. José-Marie Griffiths Dakota State University Immediate Past Chair Paul Hanson Sanford Health Chamber President & CEO Jeff Griffin

Joe Bunkers Gage Brothers Catherine Dekkenga JLG Architects Jason Herrboldt First Bank & Trust Derrick Larson Eide Bailly LLP Jeff Lautt POET Tim Meagher Vanguard Hospitality Matt Paulson MarketBeat Dr. Ronald Place Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center Ryan Punt SDN Communications Jacob Quasney Lloyd Companies

Postmaster please send address changes to: Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce 200 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 200, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Phone: (605) 336-1620 Email: gsfcc@siouxfalls.com

Read online or find archived issues: issuu.com/siouxfallschamber chambernews.com FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR VISIT siouxfallschamber.com /siouxfallschamber

@GreaterSFCC siouxfallschamber

The South Dakota Capitol building in Pierre, SD.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chamber News is published by the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, 200 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 200, Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce

Five Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

2023-24 Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce leadership

Chamber News Layout/Design Jill Blom Chamber News Editor Jennie Doyen For editorial information, call (605) 336-1620

Nancy Savage Child’s Play Toys Vicki Stewart Employment Disability Resources Amy Stockberger Amy Stockberger Real Estate Selene Zamorano-Ochoa SD Hispanic Chamber of Commerce EX-OFFICIO

Jean Bender Minnehaha County Commission Kyle Groos Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Tiffani Landeen Lincoln County Commission Dr. Jane Stavem Sioux Falls Public School System Mayor Paul TenHaken City of Sioux Falls

CHAMBER STAFF

Jeff Griffin President & CEO Joan Bartling Vice President of Finance & Accounting Jill Blom Graphics & Communications Manager Cory Buck Chief Financial Officer Jennie Doyen Vice President of Member Services Becky Griebel Administrative Assistant Brooke Hendrickx Agribusiness Manager Pat Lund Member Relations Manager Mike Lynch Program Director, Forward Sioux Falls

Jaci Pieters YPN Manager Holly Rader Vice President of Member Relations Mitch Rave Vice President of Public Policy Carly Reinders Member Services Specialist Teresa Schreier Events Coordinator Susan Seachris Administrative/Accounting Assistant Eric Siemers Sales Manager Aaron Vlasman Public Policy Manager

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 3

TOGETHER, WE PUT GOOD ENERGY INTO THE COMMUNITY.

For us, serving this community doesn’t stop at supplying energy. It’s so much bigger. That’s why we buy locally. That’s why we invest here. That’s why we put in the work to make your energy safer, more reliable and affordable. Energy you can trust to keep your home warm all winter and bright all summer long. We give back to this community like we live here. Because we do. Visit xcelenergy.com to learn more.

Message from the Chair If you are anything like me, you look forward to receiving each issue of Chamber News. Mail often sits on my desk for a long time before I finally get around to opening it. But when my new edition of Chamber News arrives, I always read it immediately. I enjoy catching up on Chamber programs, seeing the busy schedule of events, reading through Faces and Places and generally staying informed of what is happening in our community. If I had to pick a favorite segment, it would probably be the Ribbon Cuttings. It is fun to see photos of all these business celebrations organized with support of the Chamber. It is remarkable that we have so many (85 last year) happening in our great city, and more are scheduled all the time. The Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce is one of the most prolific in the nation. We have highly engaged members, strong programs and a proven track record of supporting a healthy business community. This publication is a fantastic example of how our Chamber serves its members. Chamber News is a business magazine that is for members, about members, and contains articles by members. This issue is special, because it is the 100th edition in this magazine format. Prior to this, Chamber News was printed on newsprint. And decades ago, you would find updates from the Chamber in newsletter format. Remember the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” Well, Chamber News is definitely not broken, but exciting changes are here. You will see updated graphics and fonts, new story formats and a fresh look overall. The great team at the Chamber has taken something really good and made it better. That is what we all do in Sioux Falls.

Scott Lawrence

Lawrence & Schiller, Inc. 2023-24 Chair of the Board

Enjoy the new look, the same great stories, and be proud of a publication that carries forward our great tradition of Working in Concert for greater Sioux Falls.

P.S. As an ad guy, I always enjoy checking out the ads and say thank you to all the businesses who advertise in the Chamber News.

Thank you Premium Sponsors

Thank you to the above members for supporting the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce by being premium sponsors of the Chamber News magazine. siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 5

Membership

Member Anniversaries Congratulations to these businesses that have achieved milestone anniversaries of their Chamber membership. These milestones represent a continued commitment to building our community through their investment in the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. Founding Member

25 years

Josten Concrete Products Co., Inc.

Breadsmith

Bakery/Sweets breadsmithsd.com

Concrete Member since 1918

JCL Solutions Cleaning Services janclo.com

50 years Thermo King of Sioux Falls, Inc. Trucking & Transit thermokingsf.com

Lift Pro Equipment Co., Inc. Industrial Equipment & Supply liftproequipment.com

45 years Component Manufacturing & Reaves Buildings Exterior & Roofing reavesbuildings.com

15 years CentralSquare Technologies Programming & Development centralsquare.com

Click Rain Inc.

40 years Garry Associates, LLP Insurance & Benefits garryassociates.com

Marketing & Design Services clickrain.com

Memorial Lutheran Church Associate Member memoriallutheran.net

35 years Creative Surfaces, Inc. Cabinetry creativesurfaces.com

10 years Vietnam Veterans of America #959 Associate Member

A complete list of Chamber members can be found in the Member Directory at siouxfallschamber.com 6 Chamber News | December 2023

First year reinvestors Aerostar

Manufacturing & Production aerostar.com

Charlie’s Pizza

Restaurants charliespizzahouse.com

Dakota State University Foundation Associate Member dsu.edu

Payroll Vault

Bookkeeping payrollvault.com/sioux-falls-sd-145

Rudy’s Landscaping LLC

Landscape & Garden facebook.com/rudyslandscapingsd

SoDak Soda

Restaurants sodaksoda.com

Sunbelt Business Advisors Business Consulting sunbeltsd.com

Universal Pediatrics

Medical Services & Supplies universalpediatrics.com

Viaflex

Manufacturing & Production viaflex.com

New Members These businesses and individuals have recently joined the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. We welcome them to Chamber membership and encourage you to do the same.

Sioux Valley Optimist Club Associate Member Kara Peterson P.O. Box 2031, 57101 siouxvalleyoptimist.com

Sport Clips American Legion Auxiliary Unit 15 Associate Member Kellie Heazlett, (605) 336-3470 1700 W. Russell St., 57104 siouxfallslegion.org/auxiliary

CAM Companies

Real Estate–Developer Craig Markhardt, (605) 231-5585 333 N. Phillips Ave., 57104 camcompanies.com

CCL Healthcare

Manufacturing & Production Patrick Wiedman, (605) 357-6352 P.O. Box 1148, 57117 cclind.com

Cota Coaching & Consulting Human Resources Christina Cota, (605) 521-7849 cotaconsulting.net

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Non-Profit–Health & Wellness Maren Engel, (918) 200-4474 cff.org/chapters/minnesota-dakotas-chapter

Dakota Accounting PLLC

Tax Services Susan Fitzgibbons, (605) 900-0140 5010 S. Minnesota Ave., Suite 100, 57108 dakotaaccounting.com

Huff Construction

Construction Management Megan Hardie, (605) 290-5756 2601 S. Minnesota Ave., 57105 huffconstructioninc.com

King Dome Builders

Construction Management Ray Brooks, (605) 368-5447 27081 Sundowner Ave., 57106 brooksconstructionservices.com

Kraken Sales Funnels

Marketing & Design Services Laurel Blow, (208) 271-3585 5013 S Louise Ave., PMB 2098, 57108 krakensalesfunnels.com

Legend Hockey

Sporting Clubs & Associations Ashley Munsterman, (877) 572-8285 4300 N. Bobhalla Dr., 57107 legendsi.com

Paradigm Lumber, LLC

Building Materials Doran Horsley, (605) 604-0102 paradigmlumber.com

Salons & Spas Chelsea Schreurs, (918) 955-2302 8006 W. 41st St., 57106 sportclipscareers.com

Synrgy Sign Company

Signs & Banners Mat Brueggeman, (605) 337-2686 101 S. Phillips Ave., Suite 207, 57104 synrgysignco.com

Top Cleaning Solutions LLC Cleaning Services Paul Sylvester, (605) 376-9564

Unwind Bodywork, LLC Massage Therapy Beth Peterson, (605) 937-8995 408 W. Lotta St., Suite 4, 57105 fallsunwind.com

Vital Flow Infusions PLLC

Spas & Salons Jared Pomranky, (605) 223-1503 114 S. Main Ave., Suite B12, 57104 vitalflowinfusions.com

Riviera Events & Catering

Catering Matt Sapari, (605) 413-8780 26665 481st Ave., Brandon, SD 57005 rivierasiouxfalls.com

If you are interested in joining the Chamber, call us at (605 336-1620. We’d love to add you to our list of members! siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 7

FEATURED EVENTS

Membership Mixer DEC

12 TUE

OR USE YOUR MIXER PASS

4:30–6:30 p.m.

Giving Hope Bingo 1605 W. Burnside St.

Chamber Event Calendar DEC

TUE

FREE

Expand your professional network at the December Membership Mixer. Complimentary hors ’oeuvres and cash bar are available. SPONSORED BY:

DEC

$45

ADVANCE

$50

DOOR

JAN

THU

$35

7–8:30 a.m.

Best Western Plus Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center 3200 W. Maple St. The annual Legislative Preview features local state legislators discussing their goals for the 2024 legislative session. New executives and leaders in the business community will also be introduced. A hot breakfast will be served. Registration required.

8 Chamber News | December 2023

Sponsored by OECS (OSHA+ Environmental Compliance Systems) 7:30-9 a.m. ARC Fabricators, 3500 W. Teem Dr.

Start your day by making a new connection. Drop by for a cup of coffee and conversation with other members of the business community.

THU

Good Morning Sioux Falls Legislative Preview

Morning Mingle

YPN The Kringle 7-10 p.m.

Chef Dominique’s Catering & Banquet Facility, 230 S. Phillips Ave. Celebrate the holiday season with other young professionals at YPN’s annual Kringle! Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres, door prizes and a photobooth sponsored by Pinnacle Productions. Bring a gift card to donate to Veterans Community Project and receive a free drink compliments of Discovery Real Estate Co. – Keller Williams Realty Sioux Falls. This is an event for everyone – we encourage you to bring your spouse, significant other or BFF!

DEC

YPN Power Lunch

MON

Gregg’s Substation, 1000 W. 41st St.

FREE

Noon-1 p.m.

Research says one of the best ways to improve your productivity at work is to take a lunch break. So check out of the office (or your home office) for the noon hour and enjoy lunch with us at Gregg’s Substation with us!

Calendars

For a current listing of all Chamber and YPN events, visit our website or read the weekly Quickly email from the Chamber. To register and pay for events, visit siouxfallschamber.com or siouxfallsypn.com. DEC

14 THU

FREE

JAN

TUE

OR USE YOUR MIXER PASS

JAN

16 TUE

FREE

YPN Morning Buzz 7:30–9 a.m.

Origin Strength, LLC, 3216 E. 10th St.

23 TUE

$10 BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH

TUE-SUN

Membership Mixer

Sponsored by Mutual of America Financial Group 4:30-6:30 p.m. McCrossan Boys Ranch, 47135 260th St.

Expand your professional network at the January Membership Mixer. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar

Morning Mingle

Sponsored by the Washington Pavilion 7:30-9 a.m. Washington Pavilion, 301 S. Main Ave.

Business Sense Workshop: Multiply the intelligence of your team

Sioux Empire Livestock Show W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds Expo Building, 100 N. Lyon Blvd.

Celebrate the impact of agriculture in the Sioux Empire! Livestock shows and sales take place throughout the week and commercial exhibits are open for the duration of the show. For more information, visit siouxempirelivestockshow.com.

Join other YPN members for networking while getting your morning (coffee) buzz. Morningminded young professionals are invited to come enjoy coffee and conversation with other YPN members at the December Morning Buzz hosted by Origin Strength, LLC!

Start your day by making a new connection. Drop by for a cup of coffee and conversation with other members of the business community. JAN

JAN

23-28

JAN

26 FRI

$50/

PERSON

$400

TABLE OF EIGHT

Mayor’s Round Up and Sale of Champions

W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds Expo Building, 100 N. Lyon Blvd. Join area business leaders in supporting agriculture by participating in this auction of the best market livestock from the Sioux Empire Livestock Show. The evening includes a steak dinner and a silent auction to fund scholarships for students. Registration required.

FEB

Sioux Falls Day at the Legislature

WED

Pierre, SD

$60

All day

Join members of the Sioux Falls business community for a daylong trip to our state capitol. Attend committee meetings, observe the general session and enjoy lunch with your legislators. Registration required.

Noon–1 p.m.

Chamber of Commerce, 200 N. Phillips Ave. This workshop will explore how becoming aware of multipliers and diminishing tendencies can allow leaders to maximize the intelligence of their team to reach its highest potential. This workshop will be presented by Jackie Payne, FranklinCovey. Registration required.

GREATER SIOUX FALLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

/siouxfallschamber /siouxfallsypn

@GreaterSFCC

Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce Sioux Falls Young Professionals Network

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 9

Kids Holiday Market & Santa Photos at ACE Academy

Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Sioux City Musketeers

Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. Indiana Mad Ants

Community Calendar

Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. Grand Rapids Gold

SD Soybean Association’s Ag Outlook conference

Visit siouxfallsevents.com and experiencesiouxfalls.com/ events for details on the events listed here and more happening in the area.

Shaun Johnson & The Big Band Experience

8-9

Junkin’ Market Days: Winter Market

8-9

Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks

Planning an event? Let us help you promote it! Submit your event to siouxfallsevents.com. All events welcome – business workshops, retail events, entertainment, education and more.

Sioux Falls SantaCon 2023

Santa at the Great Plains Zoo

9-10

SDSO: ‘Tis the Season

Chanukah Celebration and Menorah Lighting at Empire Mall

December 1

Men’s Basketball: South Dakota State vs. Towson

Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster’s

1-2

SDSO: Handel’s Messiah

1-3

Disney’s Aladdin at Washington Pavilion

Turnpike Troubadours at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

1-3

Disney On Ice: Into the Magic

14-16

Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play

1-10

Prince of Peace at Orpheum Theater

14-17

27th Annual Christmas at the Cathedral

605 Made Holiday Market

American Legion Post 15 All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast

The Clairvoyants Holiday Spectacular at Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort

Candlelight: Holiday Special Featuring “The Nutcracker” and More

10 Chamber News | December 2023

Christmas with Lorie Line 2023

11-12

Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Team USA NDTP

15-17

The Premiere Playhouse presents: A Christmas Carol

12-13

Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. Austin Spurs

12-14

To Kill A Mockingbird at Washington Pavilion

Night Ranger at The Alliance

Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Omaha Lancers

Holiday Jam with Spooncat!

Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Fargo Force

Live & Local Presents: The Good Night Theatre Collective

Men’s Basketball: Oregon vs Syracuse

19-20

20-23

The Premiere Playhouse Presents: A Christmas Carol

Toughest Monster Truck Tour at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

A Night Out to benefit the Teddy Bear Den

Navigating the Future: Digital Trends to Watch in 2024

SDSO: Mozart and More

MANIA - The ABBA Tribute at Orpheum Theater

Live & Local: Andrea Ross, Janice Gilbert

23-28

Sioux Empire Livestock Show

Church Basement Ladies at The Washington Pavilion

24-26

Sioux Falls Farm Show

Ceili Dance at Old Courthouse Museum

Sioux Empire On Tap

Ice Fish Fest at Catfish Bay

Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Tri-City Storm

Disturbed: Take Back Your Life Tour

Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Des Moines Buccaneers

Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. G League Ignite

January 1-31

Downtown Burger Battle

Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. G League Ignite

5-6

Augustana Hockey vs. Minnesota State

Sioux Falls Skyforce vs. Salt Lake City Stars

All events are subject to change. Please check the online events calendars for the most recent updates.

end events

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 11

FROM THE

One of the joys of the holiday season is the opportunity to say thank you and to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Economic Indicators

Economic Indicators Tracking trends in business is just one way that the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce is looking out for our members. Sioux Falls is a great place to do business, in part because of its diverse economy. Check here for economic indicators that help show growth and development.

Regional Unemployment Rates September 2023

City of Sioux Falls Building Permit Data October 2023 - cumulative year to date 2021

Bismarck

1.4%

6,384 permits

Fargo

1.4% Minneapolis/ St. Paul

10,388 permits

2022

2000

4000

2.7%

Rapid City

6,687 permits

2023

1.9%

6000

8000

10000

Sioux Falls

Rochester

2.1%

1.6%

12000

Cedar Rapids

3.4%

Source: City of Sioux Falls

Omaha

City of Sioux Falls Total Construction Value

2.3%

October 2023 - cumulative year to date

Des Moines

2.8%

Lincoln

1.9%

2000

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Note: figures represent Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), not just city; rates are not seasonally-adjusted

Agriculture Trends

1500

September 2023

16 $14.20

$1,774.2 million $1,093.0 million

1000

$14.10 $13.20

$13.90

$13.70 $12.90

Soybeans (in millions)

500

(per bushel) U.S. South Dakota

$964.3 million $500.1 million $917.8 million $343.8 million

8 2021

Source: City of Sioux Falls

2022

2023

Total Construction Value

New Non-Residential Construction Value

$7.09 $7.04

$5.73 $5.67

$4.92

Sioux Falls Region Housing Overview

$5.21

Corn

October 2023

(per bushel)

New Listings

Days on Market Until Sale

Inventory of Homes for Sale

Median Sales Price

604

1,435

$305,000

Source: RASE (Realtor Association of the Sioux Empire)

U.S. South Dakota

September

2022

August

2023

September

2023

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 13

Faces & Places

Megan Kjose

Carol Woltjer

Feeding South Dakota

Family Visitation Center

Tammy Beintema

Cindi Johnson

American Heart Association

Jennifer Hoesing Girl ScoutsDakota Horizons

Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort

Recognition of Chamber Volunteers The Ambassador Committee promotes the Chamber and assists in bringing new members into the organization. The Diplomat Committee works to maintain membership strength in the Chamber and provide outstanding customer service to members. Their volunteer service helps to keep the Chamber strong. This month’s featured volunteers are Ambassador Megan Kjose, Feeding South Dakota, two years as an ambassador; and Carol Woltjer, Family Visitation Center, four years as a diplomat.

The ACE Award is presented monthly to one ambassador recognizing their efforts to recruit and support new Chamber members. Jennifer Hoesing, Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons, received the ACE Award for November. The diplomat of the month for November was Tammy Beintema, American Heart Association. Cindi Johnson, Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, was honored as the Event Champion.

The diplomat team of the month for November was Team Carstensen: Captain Andrea Carstensen, Minnwest Bank; Cindi Johnson, Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort; Bethany Buitenbos, Chick-fil-A Empire Place; Paige Short, LSS of South Dakota; and Alissa Sendelbach, APX Construction Group.

Chamber Mission Our volunteers are a key part of how we carry out our mission. Visit siouxfallschamber.com to find opportunities and ways to get involved in bettering our community. 14 Chamber News | December 2023

As the leading Sioux Falls area business advocate, the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce represents its members by advancing and promoting the economic health and quality of life of the region.

Faces & Places

New Faces & Promotions The Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce has hired two new team members. Aaron Vlasman is the Public Policy Manager, responsible for researching policy issues and supporting the Chamber’s advocacy work. Vlasman holds degrees in political science and criminal justice from the University of South Dakota. Jaci Pieters is the Young Professionals Network Manager and will coordinate the events and activities of the YPN program. Pieters graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in advertising.

Architecture Incorporated has added Kate Ishol as an architectural graduate to their team. Ishol holds her Master of Architecture degree and her bachelor’s degree in English Literature and French from South Dakota State University. She will be primarily responsible for assisting with the architectural design for all assigned projects and being a member of the ad hoc project team. This includes working with engineering consultants to complete construction documents, bidding, negotiating, contract administration, and closing out projects.

Three architects at CO-OP Architecture in Sioux Falls recently earned licensure. The licensure process requires obtaining an architectural degree, working many hours under a licensed architect, and passing an exhaustive series of tests. Kendra Hage is a graduate of Iowa State University and has been with the firm for four years. Guillermo Cebrian is a graduate of South Dakota State University and has been with the firm for one year. Cassie Pospishil graduated from South Dakota State University and has been with the firm since her first internship in 2016.

Alissa Sendelbach joined APX Construction Group as business development and community relations manager. She holds a degree in marketing from the University of South Dakota. Sendelbach has spent the last 10 years building strong relationships and enhancing the customer experience in the banking industry and as a recruiter in the commercial construction industry.

First PREMIER Bank welcomed Darin Schaap as vice president, senior wealth manager. Schaap brings nearly 30 years of experience to the wealth management team and is a Certified Trust Financial Advisor and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary. He is a University of South Dakota graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing and business. Michael Hixson has joined MarketBeat as the digital advertising manager. He has over ten years of experience in digital media and most recently served as AVP marketing analyst at First Interstate Bank.

Raeco Builders LLC has hired Jeremy Eich to lead sales and business development and Zach Bauer as marketing director. Eich will leverage his experience in sales and construction to drive business growth in the Sioux Falls region. Bauer has nearly two decades of experience in marketing, graphic and web design, and brand development.

Kendra Hage

Guillermo Cebrian

Cassie Pospishil

Darin Schaap

Michael Hixson

Kate Ishol

Alissa Sendelbach

Share your news! Our members do more than follow the news. They make the news. Job promotions and hirings. New projects. New partnerships. Awards. Celebrate your employees, business accomplishments and more with Chamber News. Submit news to jdoyen@siouxfalls.com. siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 15

Faces & Places

Honors & Awards

Good Deeds

The Sioux Falls DevelopHealth Center; Humaniment Foundation honored ties and Education: Willette Jim Soukup, President and Capers, Augustana UniverCEO of Soukup Construction, sity; Sylvia Henkin Mentoring Inc., with its ‘Spirit of Sioux Award: Julie Ward, Avera Falls’ Award at their 2023 McKennan Hospital & UniverAnnual Meeting. The award sity Health Center; and Young is presented to an individual Woman of Achievement: who has demonstrated Angelica Mercado-Ford, leadership and commitment Sioux Falls School District. Jim Soukup to the economic growth and Emily Fink of Sioux Falls has earned development of Sioux Falls. It honors the honor of 2022-2023 Toastmaster of the memory of David Birkeland, Angus the Year for District 78, which includes Anson and Roger Hainje, who perished 60 clubs in South Dakota, North Dakota, along with Gov. George Mickelson and Montana and parts of Minnesota. The other state officials and staff in 1993 award is given to a member of a Toastas they returned from an economic master International club who exhibits development mission. Soukup served the vCore Values of integrity, respect, on the Foundation’s Board of Direcservice and excellence in promoting tors from 2010-2015 and has remained the Toastmasters International mission a member of the Foundation’s Real of providing a supportive and positive Estate committee. Additionally, Soukup learning experience in which members worked with the City of Sioux Falls to are empowered to develop communicasecure the necessary land for its new tion and leadership skills, resulting in state of the art Public Safety Campus greater self-confidence and personal and has been a resource to city governgrowth. ment.

The Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded $80,000 in grants to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls to help build four homes in the community. As part of their 2023 Wells Fargo Builds program, the company gives both financial and physical support during the building process. Over the course of six build days, 43 volunteers from Wells Fargo put in 150 hours building with Habitat. The four homes will be sold with an affordable mortgage to families in Habitat’s homeownership program.

In recognition of the power that we each hold to make a difference in the lives of others by showing compassion, The Helpline Center presented its annual Wings of Compassion Award to Cathy Brechtelsbauer. In her 30 years as a resident of Sioux Falls, Brechtelsbauer has worked tenaciously to speak up for those in need of a voice and support. Seventy-one women, men and businesses were recognized at the 50th annual EmBe Tribute to Women and nine people were named winners. Awards were presented to: Banking and Finance: Arin Gonseth, MarketBeat; Business Achievement: Sarah Waltner, Raven Industries; Community Service: Susan Williams, The Transformation Project; EmBeliever Award: Sheri Fischer, Sanford USD Medical Center and Sanford Health; Government and Law: Dr. Erica Schipper, Sanford Health; Healthcare and STEM: Jen Canton, Avera McKennan Hospital & University

16 Chamber News | December 2023

TSP, Inc. has received the designation as an Emerging Professionals Friendly Firm for 2023 and 2024. This recognition means TSP excels at providing fair compensation and benefits to emerging architectural professionals. The firm also meets the criteria for supporting architectural licensure, investing in professional development, creating growth opportunities, and demonstrating commitment and innovation to train and mentor emerging professionals. Plumbing & Heating Wholesale earned the 2023 Supply House of the Year Award from Supply House Times, a publication of the American Supply Association. Plumbing & Heating Wholesale is based in Sioux Center, Iowa with 10 additional locations throughout the Midwest. Its Sioux Falls location, opened in 2001, was the company’s first expansion.

Since its founding in 2013, The Event Company has donated $1,125,200 of services to its clients. In its first decade, the company has designed and planned more than 450 events in 22 states across the country and helped clients fundraise more than $11.5 million. Holmes Murphy & Associates contributed $100,000 to 25 different non-profit organizations through the Holmes Murphy Foundation Community Footprints Program. The program allows employees to select non-profit organizations in their specific geographical locations that align with the giving pillars of safety, health, and wellbeing; youth opportunities; arts & culture; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the Sioux Falls area, support was directed to the Helpline Center’s 437 Project.

Be Seen

The Chamber’s annual Holiday Fair & Mixer was held Nov. 21. It was co-sponsored by The District and Pinnacle Productions, and featured over 40 exhibitor booths from Chamber members. Guests browsed the products and services while networking in a festive environment. siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 17

Faces & Places

Be Seen

The annual Veterans Day Ceremony was held on Saturday, November 11 at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance. Organized by the Chamber’s Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, the program recognizes those who have served our country. Retired Brigadier General Damian Donahoe delivered the keynote address.

18 Chamber News | December 2023

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 19

Faces & Places

Be Seen

Chamber members started the day with coffee and networking at the October Morning Mingle hosted by Reliabank.

20 Chamber News | December 2023

The November Morning Mingle, which was hosted by SEAM, offered a combination of networking and education. Attendees had the option to take a tour of the recycling facility during the event.

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 21

Faces & Places

Be Seen

ChamberHood is a recurring event that features conversation about projects and issues impacting a particular section of town. A recent ChamberHood, which focused on the northeast side of Sioux Falls, was held at the City’s new Public Safety Campus.

YPN members gathered at Jane Rae Events for after-hours networking during the October Off the Clock event.

Bob McNaney, The McNaney Group, guided workshop participants through understanding the difference between commitment and sacrifice during a recent Business Sense Workshop. 22 Chamber News | December 2023

Faces & Places

Be Seen

Young professionals who are new to YPN were invited to a casual coffee gathering to help them get connected to other members and become familiar with programming.

24 Chamber News | December 2023

Faces & Places

Be Seen

YPN members learned about the mission of the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation in a recent Our Sioux Falls.

The Veterans Community Project kicked off their Community Appeal campaign on November 1. The goal is to raise $1.2 million to support transitional housing options and support services for veterans. The chair of the Community Appeals Committee, Carl Johnson, First Interstate Bank, addressed volunteers at the kickoff celebration.

26 Chamber News | December 2023

Community Appeals GREATER SIOUX FALLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Community Appeals Scheduled Fund Drives The purpose of the Community Appeals Committee is to qualify and provide orderly scheduling of capital fund drives to the business community. By vetting capital fund drives, the objective of Community Appeals is to affirm the project is a sound community investment and worthy of donor consideration. It is the intent of the Chamber to encourage every business to carefully consider such requests. However, we also acknowledge that many businesses have limited resources for capital fund drives, both in an ability to properly evaluate them and a sufficient budget to contribute. Our Community Appeals process is intended to provide our members with assurance that a Community Appeals campaign is worthy of investment.

Veterans Community Project

Nov. 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024 To build a village of 25 tiny homes for homeless veterans in the Sioux Falls area. A Village Center will also be constructed to facilitate behavioral/physical wellness, serving to link to other services.

LifeScape Hospital & School

April 1, 2024 - July 31, 2024 To construct a new campus to increase residential service capacity, specialty school capacity and outpatient services.

Butterfly House & Aquarium

Nov. 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025 To merge with the Great Plains Zoo and establish a visionary public aquarium and butterfly habitat.

HAPPY H O L I D AY S Happy Holidays from everyone at Bank Midwest. We hope your holidays will be filled with joy and laughter throughout the New Year.

225 S Minnesota Ave n Sioux Falls n BankMidwest.com n Member FDIC

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 27

Cover Story

Annual Guide to

Sioux Falls area legislators Advocacy is a valuable component of your Chamber membership. Decisions made by elected officials frequently and directly affect the way business is conducted. The Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce seeks to be the voice of business during each South Dakota legislative session. The Chamber’s annual guide to area legislators is one element that helps fulfill our objective to provide Chamber members with essential information pertaining to the legislative session. This guide features legislators representing Sioux Falls area districts, which include Districts 2, 6, 9-16 and 25. To help you stay informed about issues and activity, the Chamber hosts events and provides regular updates during the legislative session. Events include Good Morning Sioux Falls legislative preview and Sioux Falls Day at the Legislature. The weekly Bill Tracker provides a status report on all bills the Chamber is lobbying on and the Chamber Advocate email summarizes activity from the halls of the Capitol building each week. More information on all of these avenues is available at siouxfalls.com.

2023 Sioux Falls Following each legislative session, the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce issues a Legislative Scorecard Champion reporting how local legislators voted on issues of importance to the business community. Legislators who

2023 Sioux Falls cast votes matching the Chamber’s position 100% of the time are recognized as Sioux Falls Champions. Those Supporter voting with the Chamber more than 80% of the time are recognized as Sioux Falls Supporters. You can view the full scorecard from the previous legislative session at siouxfallschamber.com.

28 Chamber News | December 2023

District 2

District 6 Sen. Steve Kolbeck

Sen. Herman Otten

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Republican (605) 359-3078 steve.kolbeck@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

In my opinion, the number one issue is always the responsible spending and balancing of the state budget. After that we need to take a serious look at school security and alternate workforce paths for students 16 and older. Of course, there are many other issues that will come up and everything is important to someone in my district. Hopefully, they all feel well represented and I encourage them to reach out if they have questions or concerns.

Republican (605) 941-1770 herman.otten@sdlegislature.gov Term: 3rd

Legislator did not respond.

Rep. David Kull

Rep. Aaron Aylward

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

#1, continuing to address workforce housing and #2, trying to address the need for additional child care for working families. I would also look for the legislature to avoid any changes that would negatively impact the strong business friendly environment that South Dakota has to offer.

My goals this next session will look similar to my goals of the past sessions. I’ll advocate to cut spending, keep taxes low, and keep regulations low, so that the small business owner and the person trying to start, or build a business, have a lower bar of entry.

Republican (605) 261-9185 david.kull@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Republican (605) 203-1061 aaron.aylward@sdlegislature.gov Term: 3rd

Rep. John Sjaarda

Rep. Ernie Otten

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Republican (605) 321-4073 john.sjaarda@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Right now I am not working on any legislation that would have a big impact on the business community.

Republican (605) 368-5716 ernie.otten@gmail.com Term: 3rd

My full attention will be on the state budget. We have a lot of new legislators who’ve never seen or traversed a tight budget. It will be important to help the house caucus with this new reality.

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 29

District 9

District 10 Sen. Brent Hoffman

Sen. Liz Larson

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

On behalf of my constituents, I’ve written and coordinated bills on school safety, sales taxes, drunk driving, prison reform and eminent domain. Of those, I expect the prison reform bill, which promotes reentry initiatives, training and programming, could have the greatest impact on the business community.

In Sioux Falls, business stakeholders, as well as my constituents in District 10, consistently cite one of the biggest bottlenecks to growth as “workforce.” Among the myriad interrelated issues within “workforce” combating the childcare crisis would have a great impact because it affects children, their parents, and the employers of the parents profoundly. It is one of many fundamental components of a healthy business ecosystem.

Republican (605) 215-7014 brent.hoffman@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Democrat (605) 310-3317 liz.larson@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Rep. Bethany Soye

Rep. Erin Healy

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Republican (605) 610-8467 bethany.soye@sdlegislature.gov Term: 3rd

Legislator did not respond.

Democrat (605) 212-9597 erin.healy@sdlegislature.gov Term: 4th

The lack of affordable child care options in our state has forced families to make hard decisions related to employment. This has negatively impacted South Dakota’s workforce. I hope the 2024 Legislative Session is able to address workforce, affordability, and accessibility concerns that the child care industry is currently facing.

Rep. Kenneth Teunissen

Rep. Kameron Nelson

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Republican (605) 310-6458 kenneth.teunissen@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Legislator did not respond.

30 Chamber News | December 2023

Democrat (605) 496-9655 kameron.nelson@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

This session is sure to bring spirited discussion surrounding revenues and the services we provide as a state. Childcare affordability and availability continue to surface as a significant impact area. Our young working families, a significant portion of our business community, are struggling to provide care for children while maintaining active participation in our workforce.

District 11

District 12 Sen. Jim Stalzer

Sen. Arch Beal

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Republican (605) 366-5874 jim.stalzer@sdlegislature.gov Term: 5th

Legislator did not respond.

Republican (605) 336-3034 arch.beal@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Legislator did not respond.

Rep. Chris Karr

Rep. Amber Arlint

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Republican (605) 695-0391 chris.karr@sdlegislature.gov Term: 5th

Legislator did not respond.

Republican (605) 670-0626 amber.arlint@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Addressing our workforce needs will have the greatest impact. This can include training and expanding the workforce, supporting childcare that can put more people into the workforce and legislation that protects business growth and opportunities for the citizens of this great state.

Rep. Brian Mulder

Rep. Greg Jamison

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Being on the Health and Human Services and Education committees the current legislation proposals I am currently involved with do not necessarily directly relate to the business environment. But rather would promote general public safety, better health, and strengthening schools, which in turn has positive outcomes for our businesses in our area.

I will be proposing new ways to verify automotive proof of insurance. At first time of registration and at yearly renewal of plates. Failed proof of insurance third offense requires person to have insurance that is tracked by the state like DUI drivers. We need to stop the rising insurance cost by those uninsured drivers.

Republican (605) 610-6274 brian.mulder@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Republican (605) 310-1930 greg.jamison@sdlegislature.gov Term: 4th

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 31

District 13

District 14 Sen. Jack Kolbeck

Sen. Larry P. Zikmund

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Since our revenues are going back to normal, as a member of Appropriations, I will be working with these committees and the legislature to manage our revenues to maintain a balanced budget. We will do this by considering the needs of education, state employees, health care workers and veterans. This will be a much different year than the past three years where we have had excess funds from the federal government and state revenues. nursing homes, child care, infrastructure and a tuition freeze will also be on my priority list.

Along with many issues, these will be my main issues for the 2024 Session: Balancing the budget, long term sustainability, veterans, counties, Sioux Falls Airport, education including career and technical education at all levels and apprenticeship training.

Republican (605) 332-6490 jack.kolbeck@sdlegislature.gov Term: 5th

Republican (605) 373-0975 lzikmund@sio.midco.net Term: 3rd

Rep. Sue Peterson

Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Republican (605) 371-1668 sue.peterson@sdlegislature.gov Term: 5th

I anticipate making the sales tax reduction permanent to be a big issue this session. South Dakotans deserve certainty in the tax code and long term tax relief.

Republican (605) 391-4378 taylor.rehfeldt@sdlegislature.gov Term: 3rd

Each session a major priority is workforce development—growing the tax base with economic growth, empowering small businesses to thrive, and supporting a low cost of living. I will concentrate on collaborating with legislators, the City, school district, and county to save families money and address issues surrounding housing, childcare, and healthcare.

Rep. Tony Venhuizen

Rep. Tyler Tordsen

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Republican (605) 695-0777 tony.venhuizen@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

South Dakota needs to continue to confront the workforce shortage. One way to do that is to keep our state universities and tech colleges affordable, so that we attract and retain more young people into our state and workforce. Beyond that, we need to preserve our great business climate. My primary focus is on ensuring that we keep taxes low and balance our state budget, because responsible management is how we maintain a predictable, business-friendly environment. This also means that we need to avoid passing unnecessary new laws to preserve a reasonable level of regulation. 32 Chamber News | December 2023

Republican (605) 610-8884 tyler.tordsen@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Last year I was proud to be a “Sioux Falls Community Champion” by having a 100% voting record that supports our region and our business community. I intend to keep my business-friendly record strong in 2024.

District 15

District 16 Sen. Reynold F. Nesiba

Sen. Jim Bolin

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

The biggest issue that needs to be addressed by the legislature this session is childcare. If we want high quality, affordable childcare, that pays a living wage state government needs to join families and businesses in paying its fair share.

As with every session, the number one job of the legislature is to pass a responsible budget. I serve on the Appropriations Committee and so that will be my focus. I expect less money to spend this year and in the years ahead as we face more difficult economic times.

Democrat (605) 371-6311 reynold.nesiba@sdlegislature.gov Term: 5th

Republican (605) 261-9669 jwbolin@gmail.com Term: 5th

Rep. Linda Duba

Rep. Kevin Jensen

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Democrat (605) 610-6590 linda.duba@sdlegislature.gov Term: 4th

I am working with a group of legislators on defining what are funding sources and gaps are for childcare. From there we will use the data to define pathways and partnerships for childcare accessibility.

Republican (605) 336-6947 kevin.jensen@sdlegislature.gov Term: 4th

Legislator did not respond.

Rep. Kadyn Wittman

Rep. Karla Lems

What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why?

Helping to mitigate the costs of school lunches for SD families will positively impact the business community by stimulating economic activity. It reduces financial burdens on families, freeing up resources for other spending. This, in turn, boosts local businesses as parents have more disposable income, supporting restaurants, stores, and services, ultimately enhancing the local economy.

“Freedom and Property Rights are inseparable. You can’t have one without the other.” If the foundations of freedom are not secure, you cannot build upon them. Therefore, the business community itself will be at risk if we cannot depend on our Constitutional rights.

Democrat (605) 215-1617 kadyn.wittman@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

Republican (605) 212-6998 karla.lems@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 33

District 25 Sen. Tom Pischke

Republican (605) 999-2948 tom.pischke@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why? Legislator did not respond.

Engage in public policy Make your voice heard and dive into the issues and policies being considered at the state level. Take advantage of these opportunities to interact with your local legislators. JAN

THU

Good Morning Sioux Falls Legislative Breakfast 7–8:30 a.m.

Hear from Sioux Falls area legislators about their goals for the 2024 legislative session. FEB

21 WED

Rep. Randy Gross

Republican (509) 280-2593 randy.gross@sdlegislature.gov Term: 2nd What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why? I have and will continue working to minimize regulations and other hurdles to business growth and success. In addition, I will work to keep government from entering into activities that private business has been or is capable of doing

Sioux Falls Day at the Legislature Join other chamber members for a day long bus trip to Pierre to see the state legislature in action.

The details for these events and a link to reserve your tickets can be found at siouxfallschamber.com.

2024 Legislative Session Notable Dates Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 Governor’s Budget Address

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024 State of the State Address (session opens)

Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024

Rep. Jon Hansen

Republican (605) 610-8063 jon.hansen@sdlegislature.gov Term: 4th What issue do you anticipate this session that may have the greatest impact on the business community and why? Legislator did not respond.

34 Chamber News | December 2023

State of the Judiciary Address and State of the Tribes Address

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024 Crossover Day

Monday, March 4, 2024 Last day for a bill or resolution to pass both houses

Monday, March 25, 2024 Veto Day - reserved for consideration of gubernatorial vetoes

Business Advocacy

Previewing the state legislative session The new year is right around the corner, and lawmakers and lobbyists across the state are gearing up for the next South Dakota Legislative Session. The first day of session is January 8 and as usual it will kick off with the Governor’s State of the State address. While only the Governor and her team know what will be contained in 2024 State of the State address, we can guess at some of the major topics that lawmakers will wrestle with during the upcoming legislative session.

Mitch Rave

Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce

One topic that will likely steer most of the fiscal policies will be the “Sales Tax Cut Holiday” that was implemented this fiscal year (FY) after passage during the 2023 Legislative Session. Today, the state’s FY24 revenues are coming in slightly above projected. However, the Sales Tax revenue numbers have come in lower than anticipated thus far in the fiscal year. The lagging Sales Tax numbers may give legislators some pause when it comes to passing any significant ongoing increases for state funded programs in the next fiscal year. There will likely be discussion on both ends of the future of the Sales Tax cut. Some will propose to make the Sales Tax cut permanent, and conversely, others may advocate to shorten the tax holiday to an earlier date in fear of potential budget deficits in the future.

We can guess at some of the During the summer of 2023, legislators participated in two different summer studies that were major topics that lawmakers will authorized during the last session. Summer studies allow a small group of lawmakers to take a deep dive into a specific subject matter and bring information, and sometimes legislation, back to wrestle with during the entire body for consideration during the next session. the upcoming In 2023, one summer study focused on “County Funding and Services” and the other on legislative session.

“Sustainable Models for Long-Term Care.” The major takeaways from the county funding summer study were a handful of proposals to find ways for counties to save money, and to look at some options to provide more ongoing revenue to them as well. A few of the notable proposals from the study were to allocate more of the Alcohol Tax to counties, allowing additional fees to be collected, and funding some services through the state instead. As for the Long-Term Care summer study, a deep dive was taken to look at solutions to address the uptick in nursing home closures across the state. Solutions around licensure and compacts to address staffing needs have been proposed, as well as ways to regionalize services and increase efficiency for these providers. Both committees are planning on bringing a handful of legislative proposals in January. While these important topics are likely to take up a lot of time in Pierre this year, we anticipate plenty of other topics will be brought forward between January and April. Initiatives around education may vary from school lunch prices to school choice and homeschooling options for students. In the post-secondary education space, we anticipate another proposed tuition freeze for students attending a South Dakota regental or technical education school as well. We also will likely again see legislation surrounding eminent domain, landowner rights, and commodities due to the proposed carbon capture pipelines that seek to run through a portion of our state. Growing and aging infrastructure will likely be an issue discussed by the legislature in 2024, as well as potential funding to support projects across the state. While we typically can predict the paramount topics we will see our state legislators debate, the legislature has considered an average of 490 bills in the last three legislative sessions. This makes it impossible to predict every issue that will come up. The Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce will constantly monitor and evaluate legislation that impacts the business community. As proposed policies become clear, we will share with Chamber members the positions we take on each bill via our weekly Bill Tracker. You can find this document on our website at siouxfallschamber.com. We also ask that you as members continue to reach out to us if there is an issue you feel impacts your business at any level of government.

To learn more about the Chamber’s advocacy for business, visit siouxfallschamber.com siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 35

Using Your Membership

Practice the A-B-Cs to support your community The Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce is a community of businesses and people working together to build our community. We recognize that when our community prospers, it benefits our individual businesses. So, we work together for mutual success. One way that you can support your fellow chamber members is to practice the A-B-Cs…Always Buy Chamber. In other words, when you need to buy – whether it is a business expense or a personal purchase – look to Chamber member businesses first. Practicing the A-B-Cs means supporting a family that took the risk to make their dream become reality by opening a small business. It means continuously building your community by choosing to shop with local employers who reinvest in programs and services in our area. It means keeping your sales tax dollars in your home state to support education, health, human and social services, and other programs. It means you’re patronizing a business who is employing your neighbor, friend or family member. The holiday season is the perfect time to remind yourself of the options you have in your own backyard. As you prepare your shopping lists this year, please consider keeping the cheer here… in the community you call home. Here are a few ideas to get you started: •

Give the gift of experiences. Get out and explore Sioux Falls with your family and friends.

36 Chamber News | December 2023

•

Planning to go the gift card route? Purchase directly from the locally owned restaurant, retailer or franchise location. Or consider purchasing your cards through your local bank.

•

When shopping for a hard-to-buy for family member, gift a service! You can find a Chamber member business for everything from landscaping to car washes.

You can A-B-C from the comfort of your couch! Shopping local doesn’t necessarily mean you have to hit the streets. Most Chamber member retailers have an online shopping option. Visit siouxfallschamber.com and click on “Member Directory” to search for Chamber member businesses. You can use the “Search by Category” dropdown menu to shop for hundreds of business categories…from Bakeries & Sweets, to Massage Therapy, to Travel Agencies. The possibilities are abundant! Regardless of how you shop, please remember that these retailers prepare year-round for this important shopping season. They rely on us to keep our dollars in the community, and we can each play a role in strengthening their business and keeping Sioux Falls a thriving and vibrant place to live, work and shop.

Business Sense

How check fraud can cripple your business’s profitability Fraud poses an ever-looming threat to businesses. Despite the common notion that check fraud may be outdated in today’s digital society, the reality could not be more different. Checks remain the most susceptible business payment method to fraud. A recent survey in 2022 offers some alarming statistics on this issue: •

Check fraud continues to dominate other types of payment fraud, evidenced by 63% of businesses reporting incidents. This far exceeds the next most common type, corporate card payment fraud, at 36%.

information such as the account and routing numbers are available on the checks themselves, there are several ways for crooks to misappropriate funds: chemically erasing ink to reuse the check, illegitimate check printing and using account details to carry out unauthorized ACH transactions. In 2022, 30% of businesses reported fraud related to ACH.

Andrea Carstensen Minnwest Bank

•

Only 3% of fraud was attributed to unethical business employees.

•

The U.S. Postal Service reported an 11% increase in mail thefts.

Check fraud is a crime of opportunity that is cheap and easy to execute, offering a tempting prospect for fraudsters. Since integral

38 Chamber News | December 2023

Some business owners mistakenly think reduced check usage automatically safeguards them from check fraud. Even if you issue just a handful of checks annually, staying alert to potential threats is crucial. The harsh reality is that businesses do not have the same account protections against liability that consumers do. Personal and business bank account protections are governed by different rules and restrictions; a business has only a 24-hour window to report fraud, in which the financial institution can return the transaction. Beyond that point, the liability shifts to the business. Let that ramification sink in. As seen with clients, falling victim to fraud can have devastating consequences for any business, big or small, with a newfound sense of worry and stress. Recovering from fraudulent activity can be expensive and incredibly time-consuming, and most businesses recover less than 10% of stolen funds.

An unprotected account is always a target for fraudsters looking to exploit gaps in your system. Your business should take proactive steps to ensure strong account operations. How can you safeguard yourself in the future? Here are a few recommendations from Minnwest Bank: •

•

Positive Pay, a service through online banking, compares and verifies checks your business issues to the checks presented for payment. Any discrepancies are notified to you for immediate decision on whether to allow or return. Positive Pay also enables you to customize your ACH needs with vetted payees, parameters for ongoing payments, and customized notifications for exceptions. Key associates should have access to business online banking. Monitoring activity daily and enabling alerts for transactions is a good daily practice, especially if you choose not to implement a fraud mitigation software. Whenever possible, businesses should try using more secure payment methods, such as credit cards, virtual cards, ACH origination and wire transfer.

•

Consider instituting dual control for payables transmitted via ACH origination and wire, attesting multiple individuals are involved for submission and approval.

•

Be leery of business email compromise and revealing sensitive information, as this can open doors for fraudsters to be even more creative. Educate and encourage employees to trust their gut.

Safeguarding your hard-earned assets is an essential aspect of managing a business. By prioritizing transaction security and adding a layer of defense, you can help protect against the nightmare of fraud potentially impacting your operations. Choose a financial institution that prioritizes you, one that works with you to customize offerings beneficial to your business and is committed to service. Andrea Carstensen is a Cash Management Sales Officer. She leads prospective customer analysis/proposals, account reviews, product exploration and business development alongside a team of lenders for a widespread region of Minnwest Bank, Member FDIC, locations.

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 39

Chamber Partner

Let’s work together to recycle more, recycle right The City of Sioux Falls is working with community partners to increase recycling in the Sioux Falls region. Recycling is a practical effort that makes a big difference. First, recycling extends the life of the landfill, which the City owns and operates. Whenever we divert materials that can be reused out of the waste stream, we save airspace and allow the landfill to last longer. New landfill cells cost millions of dollars. Maximizing the space we have helps keep waste collection costs stable, saving money for all of us. Additionally, the items we recycle are sent to facilities that turn the products into new ones, conserving valuable natural resources now and for future generations. Holly Meier

City of Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls has had a long track record of successful recycling

Sioux Falls has had a long track record of successful recycling, with the first ordinances supporting recycling in 1992, and requirements for recycling starting in the mid-90s. In the past few years, our regional recycling rate has steadily declined. We take that seriously, and last fall the City of Sioux Falls created a recycling task force that investigated the reasons for the declining rate and put together a path to turn the trend around. We found recycling at single-family homes is doing well, with strong participation and clean recycling. On the other hand, recycling at multi-family housing and business properties have the greatest room for improvement. This is due to several reasons, including having multiple users interacting with fewer bins and the increased opportunity for contamination, which is when trash or non-recyclables are placed in the recycling bin. Across the board, we found that a lack of knowledge about what and how to recycle is a significant contributor.

How businesses can help

Sioux Falls’ businesses play a significant role in helping our community achieve its common goal: to recycle more and recycle right. Residents receive positive reinforcement for their personal recycling efforts when they see them reflected communitywide at places where they work, dine, shop, play and gather. When recycling at your business, organization, or property, consider the following: 1.

Don’t bag recycling. Keep recyclables loose. Bagged recycling goes to the landfill and can result in additional fees for business customers. The only exception to this is shredded paper, which can be tied in a clear plastic bag and placed in the bin.

Recycle only the following materials: paper and cardboard, glass jars and bottles, metal cans, and plastic tubs, jugs, and bottles. Too many wrong materials in the bin can contaminate the load and cause additional fees for the recyclers and haulers, and ultimately be passed on to businesses.

Maintain a 1:1 recycle bin to waste bin ratio. If you do not offer recycling at your facility, please start. Recycling is required for all businesses in Sioux Falls. Providing a recycling bin with every waste bin allows staff and visitors to have convenient access to recycling when they have an item to dispose of.

Provide additional recycling tonnages to haulers. If your business recycles cardboard or other materials that are not picked up by your hauler, please provide those tonnages to your hauler. This allows them to get credit for the recycling and helps them stay in compliance with City rules.

40 Chamber News | December 2023

Support is available

The City, your hauler and recycling partners can help your business with recycling. Support and resources from the City of Sioux Falls include: •

An onsite assessment of recycling and recommendations for improvement.

•

Recycling flyers and signage to post at your business or workplace.

•

In-person educational trainings for employees and colleagues.

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Other ideas to support recycling in your workplace

For a printable recycling flyer and more tools you can use in your business, visit siouxfalls.gov/recycle. If you have questions or would like additional support in recycling at your business or property, please reach out to me at (605) 367-8280. Thank you for your continued leadership. Our community is among the best because we work together, and I am confident Sioux Falls can achieve recycling success. Holly Meier is the sustainability coordinator at the City of Sioux Falls. She works with the public, organizations, businesses and City employees to protect natural resources and reduce waste. She has an M.S. in natural resources science and management from the University of Minnesota.

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 41

Ribbon Cuttings

The Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce offers a ribbon cutting ceremony or member spotlight video for members to celebrate joining the Chamber, milestone anniversaries, expansions or remodels. The public and all Chamber members are invited to share in the celebration. Call (605) 336-1620 for more information or to schedule your event.

Active Generations

5500 E. Active Generations Place activegenerations.org

New Location

Active Generations opened their second location, Active Generations East, near Dawley Farm Village. The location adds over 30,000 square feet to enhance and expand current programs and services. L to R: Kelsey Stephens, Miles Beacom, Sandy Case, Mayor Paul TenHaken, Gerald Beninga (CEO), Wendy McDonnel, April Schulte, Scott Lawrence, Jennifer Hoesing, Erik Gaikowski and Bill Gassen.

Anthem Title Escrow Services 6300 S. Old Village Place, Suite 200 anthemtitle.com

Anthem specializes in real estate settlement and escrow services to offer a seamless experience. L to R: Colton Nielson, Jeff Graff, Dave Graff, Lois Graff, Jennifer Hoesing, Kelli Blom, Julie Terrell, Kameron Nelson, Sheila Hoff and Connor Nielson. New Member

The Bancorp Bank

345 N. Reid Place, Suite 700 thebancorp.com

New Location

The Bancorp Bank’s new downtown location aligns with the company’s long-term growth plan in Sioux Falls and reinforces its commitment to investing in the local community. L to R: Matt Dermott, Marla Wainwright, Greg Garry, Brian Sittig, Matt Zobel, Matt Paulson, Damian Kozlowski (president/CEO), Ryan Harr, Jay Soukup, Matt Wallace and Josh Pro.

Brady Martz and Associates 7001 S. Lyncrest Place, Suite 200 bradymartzandassociates.com

New Owner

42 Chamber News | December 2023

Brady Martz and Associates has expanded to Sioux Falls by means of a successful merger with Woltman Group. The public accounting firm, founded in 1927, offers professional services tailored to the individual needs of each client. L to R: Stacy DuToit, Jeff Griffin, Todd Van Dusen (CEO), Eric DeHaan (market segment lead), Jennifer Hoesing, Cindi Johnson and Dan Macintosh.

Courtyards at Golden Gateway 1640 N. Rosemary Ave. courtyardsatgoldengateway.com

The addition of a new clubhouse provides homeowners at Courtyards at Golden Gateway the opportunity to stay active close to home. L to R: Stephanie Vostad, Cindi Johnson, Jason Herrboldt, Megan Kjose, Kyle Kelly (president & CEO), Karmen Voigt and Chris Wrich. Expansion

Drybar Sioux Falls at Empire Place 4123 W. 41st St. drybarshops.com

New Member

Drybar Sioux Falls at Empire Place provides a premier blowout experience and professional products and tools for clients to maintain their look at home. L to R: Melvin Zebroski (co-owner), Alexis Mahlen, Robin Zebroski (co-owner), Keri Casteel, Jennifer Hoesing, Bethany Buitenbos and Jessica Jackson.

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 43

Ribbon Cuttings Electronic Systems, Inc. 600 E. 50th St. N electronicsi.com

Expansion

ESI completed a 18,500 ft2 steel structure building that joins two existing facilities. The addition increases their production floor space by 50% and will be used for manufacturing hi-tech custom electronic circuit board assemblies involving automated equipment, assembly and testing operations. L to R: Amy Hoines, Jay Soukup, Jeff Tornow, Gary Larson, David Mickelberg, Ann Ziemer, Cindi Johnson, Matt Zobel, Mellissa Dellman and Brian Carstensen.

Jacobson Plaza 710 N. Phillips Ave.

Groundbreaking

44 Chamber News | December 2023

The Jacobson Plaza will create a year-round recreation destination in downtown Sioux Falls. Plans include an ice-skating ribbon with a warming house, all-inclusive playground, splash pad, off-leash dog park and more. L to R: Julie Iverson, T. Denny Sanford, Don Kearney, Eric Ellefson, Steve Kolbeck, Dianne Jacobson, Garry Jacobson, Mayor Paul TenHaken, Pat Lloyd, Craig Lloyd and Jeff Griffin.

Jetter Clean

4020 W. Tickman St., Unit 137 jettercleansiouxfalls.com With more than 30 years of experience, Jetter Clean are experts at using water to clean and clear drainpipes. L to R: Andrea Carstensen, James Gaspar, Megan Kjose, Mike Hitchcock, Lee Bohrer (co-owner), Kim Bohrer (co-owner) and Cindi Johnson. New Member

Marmen Energy

1820 N. Plum Ave., Brandon, SD marmenenergy.com

Expansion

Marmen Energy added 15,000 square feet to their existing plant. The expansion creates additional career opportunities in the Sioux Falls region. L to R: Yannick Laroche, Jennifer Hoesing, Brandon Mayor Harry Buck, Joe Bunkers, Danny Lueders, Vincent Trudel (COO), Kameron Nelson, Cindi Johnson, Racheal Neiman and Aimee Miritello.

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 45

Ribbon Cuttings Monick Yards

605 E. 8th St. monickyards.com Monick Yards is a visionary venue for elevated weddings and social events. It is in a completed remodeled former industrial building in the area of 8th & Railroad. L to R: Vicki Stewart, Amy Boes, Bethany Buitenbos, Brian White, James Gaspar, Michael Mohr, Anne Haber, Dustin Haber, Megan Kjose and Angela Merritt. New Member

Origin Strength, LLC 3216 E. 10th St. originstrengthsf.com

New Member

Origin Strength seeks to educate, empower and walk alongside you in your journey of building strength in body, strength in mind, strength in community, and strength in all areas of life. L to R: Rory Witt, Scott Hargens, Kelly Witt, Haley Witt, Matt Paulson, Dr. Joe Moen, Kelsey Moen, George Moen, Kristin Hoefert-Redlinger, Kate Luecke, Alexis Mahlen and Austin Luecke.

Orthopedic Institute

2120 E. Live Stronger Lane, Tea, SD orthopedicinstitutesf.com The Orthopedic Institute broke ground on a two-story, 70,000-square-foot clinic and office in the Bakker Landing development in Tea, south of 85th St. and west of Interstate 29. L to R: Jay Buchholz, Bob Mundt, Lynda Barrie (CEO), Dr. David B. Jones Jr., Mayor Casey Voelker and Scott Lawrence. Groundbreaking

St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store svdpsd.com

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Sioux Falls broke ground on a second thrift store location to serve the west side of Sioux Falls and surrounding areas. The building will also house a training center for the Vincentians that serve those in need. L to R: Scott Ausland, Cathy Crisp (district council president), Steve Kolbeck, Kim Burma and Marshall Selberg. Groundbreaking

Stanford Hearing Aids 301 W. 14th St. stanfordhearingaids.com

New Owner

46 Chamber News | December 2023

For 40 years, Stanford Hearing Aids has strived to be the top hearing healthcare provider. Now under new ownership, they will continue to always put the patient first. L to R: Ann Marum, Dr. Gaurav Jain, Lana Hofer, Cori Fenske, Dr. Jade Husby (owner), Sheila Hoff, Derrick Karsky, Jennifer Hoesing, James Gaspar and Kris Klingenberg.

The Furniture Mission of SD 2100 E. 10th St. furnituremission.org

Groundbreaking

The Furniture Mission broke ground on a new 27,000 square foot warehouse and office building on the Empower Campus. The facility will have space dedicated to quilting, a woodshop, paint room, and more to allow ample space for volunteers and mentorship. L to R: Rich Merkouris, Damon Sehr, Marcia Van Ginkle, Janean Michalov (executive director), Mayor Paul TenHaken, David Long and Scott Lawrence.

Tyler Goff | Hegg Realtors 7601 S. Kenton Ln tylergoffgroup.com

The Tyler Goff Group celebrated its new office location, which will ultimately foster growth and opportunity. L to R: Robin Hansen, James Gaspar, Jay Soukup, Tyler Goff (owner), Nate VanRoekel, Lynda Billars, Tyrel Kool and Jessica Steele.

New Member

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 47

From the Archive Over its 117-year history, the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce has produced a variety of publications to serve its members and the community. Originally a newsprint tabloid, Chamber News was first produced in its current magazine format in September 2014. This issue of Chamber News – December 2023, Vol. 59, No. 2 – is the 100th issue of the magazine publication. This spread showing each of the 100 cover designs of the magazine captures the themes of importance to the greater Sioux Falls business community, including public policy, education, agriculture, leadership, industry and more.

48 Chamber News | December 2023

From the Archive

siouxfallschamber.com | Chamber News 49

Five Questions

5questions with

Brandy Ann Fiala Brandy Ann Fiala is the furrier and owner of Eilers Furs, a nearly 100-year-old business that she purchased last year. There are plans to expand the Sioux Falls storefront to online sales and fur rentals. A North Dakota native, Brandy moved south to attend college and has proudly called Sioux Falls home ever since. She earned an MBA from the University of Sioux Falls and has business development experience in both non-profit and corporate sectors. Brandy and her two sons, Kristofferson (11) and Cason (8), share their home with two dogs and three cats.

led you to become a small 1 What business owner? I have always dreamed of owning my own business. After working in marketing and development for two decades, I wanted the freedom and ability to really challenge myself and watch my efforts directly affect my family and community. Furs and nature are something I am passionate about, which made this industry an easy decision.

is the best piece of advice you 2 What have received? My long-time mentor once told me that to feel successful all you need to do is set a goal, decide to achieve that goal, follow the plan and repeat. I try to remember that and take that theory to every level of life from personal to professional.

Brandy Ann Fiala, Eilers Furs

is your favorite cold-weather 4 What activity? I wear fur to stay warm and feel fabulous! I really do love a blustery snowstorm and being hunkered down either at home with my boys, staying warm and watching movies or at a local tavern with good people, music and laughter.

you could witness any event of the past, 5 Ifpresent or future, what would it be? To see Elvis perform at a small-town county fair, or any of the classics before they knew they were going to become musical legends.

a tool you could not live without. 3 Name Why? My antique sewing machines are the heart of my business!

Get to know more Chamber members online at chambernews.com 50 Chamber News | December 2023