March 2023 Chamber News

Publisher Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce

Chamber News Ad Sales

For advertising information, call Steven Herman at (605) 373-2013 or email chambernews@siouxfalls.com

Chamber News Layout/Design Jill Blom

Chamber News Editor Jennie Doyen

For editorial information, call: (605) 336-1620

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

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

Chamber Mission

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.

Read online or find archived issues: issuu.com/siouxfallschamber

Message from the Chair

“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

Warren Buffett

I’m sure we have all received the advice at some point: invest for the future. Think long-term and be patient. It will pay off in the end.

It is more than just a way to ensure you can retire comfortably someday. The message rings true in so many other aspects of our daily lives too.

Paul Hanson 2022-23 Chair of the Board

In Sioux Falls today, we enjoy the results of investments made in years past. The creation of Forward Sioux Falls more than three decades ago has boosted quality of life and contributed to an impressive growth trajectory for our region. A more specific, and recent, example could be the investment made by the voters of Sioux Falls five years ago to pass a $190 million school bond. Today, Jefferson High School and Ben Reifel Middle School are both open and serving students, and a new elementary is planned to open in 2024.

Look around Sioux Falls and I’m sure you could come up with your own examples of investments paying off. So, now it is our turn to invest in what comes next. I’m proud of the collaborative investment made by our local health care organizations, education institutions and community leaders that led to the creation of the new Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Center at Southeast Tech. Investing in education and training programs is key to ensuring we have the workers we’ll need tomorrow – and that is true across all industries.

Internships are another great way to invest in our next generation of employees. You can learn about a new program to support interns in Sioux Falls on page 37.

We also have the opportunity to imagine what our downtown might look like decades from now through long-term investments in the Riverline District. A committed group of leaders is seeking input on that project and I encourage you to participate. More information can be found on page 32.

For those invested in seeing Sioux Falls grow and prosper, one of the best things we can do is invite others to join us in the effort. The Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce works diligently to foster connections, advocate for business, promote economic health and boost quality of life in our community. If you know someone who is not yet a member, please invite them to join the Chamber! An investment in membership today, means a stronger Sioux Falls tomorrow.

2022-23 GREATER SIOUX FALLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LEADERSHIP

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Chair Paul Hanson, Sanford Health

Chair-Elect Scott Lawrence, Lawrence & Schiller, Inc.

Vice Chair Miles Beacom, PREMIER Bankcard

Treasurer Tamien Dysart, Think 3D Solutions

Immediate Past Chair Alex Ramirez, USA Media TV

Chamber President & CEO Jeff Griffin

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Joe Bunkers, Gage Brothers

Kim Burma, Midco

Kayla Eitreim, Junior Achievement of South Dakota

Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, Dakota State University

Jason Herrboldt, First Bank & Trust

Derrick Larson, Eide Bailly LLP

Jeff Lautt, POET

Tolcha Mesele, Smithfield Foods

Jacob Quasney, Lloyd Companies

Nancy Savage, Child’s Play Toys

Nathan Stallinga, DakotAbilities

Amy Stockberger, Amy Stockberger Real Estate

Vicki Stewart, Business Resource Network

Bob Sutton, Avera Health

EX-OFFICIO

Kyle Groos, Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools

Cindy Heiberger, Minnehaha County Commission

Jim Schmidt, Lincoln County Commission

Kate Serenbetz, Sioux Falls School Board

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

Casey Boerger, Young Professionals Network Manager

Kyle Davis, Member Services Specialist

Jennie Doyen, Vice President of Member Services

Becky Griebel, Administrative Assistant

Elizabeth Heidinger, Member Services Specialist

Brooke Hendrickx, Agribusiness Manager

Steven Herman, Sales Manager

Pat Lund, Member Relations Manager

Mike Lynch, Executive Director of Investor Relations, Forward Sioux Falls

Debra Owen, Vice President of Government Relations

Holly Rader, Vice President of Member Relations

Teresa Schreier, Events Coordinator

Susan Seachris, Administrative/Accounting Assistant

. . .now it is our turn to invest in what comes next .

Events Calendar CHAMBER FEATURED EVENTS

Dates, times and locations are subject to change . For a current listing of all Chamber events, visit siouxfallschamber com, read the weekly edition of Quickly, or call (605) 336-1620

You can register and pay for events online at siouxfallschamber com

MIXER

Tuesday, March 14 4:30–6:30 p m

El Riad Shrine

510 S Phillips Ave

Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar

$5 admission or use your Mixer Pass

DE&I Activator Series:

Language matters: Responding to micro-aggressions

Wednesday, March 8

8:15–9:45 a m

Ramada Hotel & Suites

1301 W Russell St

COST: Free

REGISTER: siouxfallschamber com/events

Business Sense Workshop: Working well with the media

Tuesday, March 14

11 a m –Noon

Zoom

Morning Mingle

Tuesday, March 23

7:30–9 a m

Flynn Wright

223 S Phillips Ave

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

COST: Free

Business Sense Workshop:

Prepare for the GA4 Transition

Tuesday, March 28 11 a m –Noon Zoom

SPONSORED BY:

DETAILS: Google’s Universal Analytics, the program most companies use to track website metrics, will sunset on July 1, 2023 and will fully transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Learn from the digital experts at Click Rain, Inc what metrics are leaving, what new options are coming and some best practices to get started This session will have updates on new features that have been rolled out and best practices for migrating your historical data

COST: $10

REGISTER: siouxfallschamber com/events

Membership Mixer

Tuesday, April 11 4:30–6:30 p m

Dow Rummel Village

1321 Dow Rummel St .

DETAILS: Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar

COST: $5 or use your Mixer Pass

Morning Mingle

Thursday, April 27

7:30–9 a m

Goodwill of the Great Plains

3401 S Duluth Ave

DETAILS: Start your day with coffee and conversation with other members of the business community This Mingle is sponsored by Quality Telecommunications and Goodwill of the Great Plains

DETAILS: Your phone rings and a reporter is on the line asking questions about your business Are you excited about the opportunity or anxious about being in the spotlight? KELO News Director Beth Jensen will share best strategies for working well with the media From pitching a news story to prepping for an interview, you’ll learn ways to become more confident when dealing with the media

COST: $10

REGISTER: siouxfallschamber com/events

COST: Free

GRAND CHAMPION MARKET BEEF

Exhibitor: Cash Voegele, Lennox, SD

Buyers: First PREMIER Bank/PREMIER Bankcard

RESERVE CHAMPION MARKET BEEF

Exhibitor: Keagan Steck, Woodstock, MN

Buyers: Dakota Ag Center, Sioux Falls Regional Livestock, The First National Bank in Sioux Falls

GREATER SIOUX FALLS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

70TH ANNUAL SIOUX EMPIRE LIVESTOCK SHOW

JAN. 24-29, 2023

More than $103,000 in premiums was paid out to exhibitors at the Mayor’s Round-up & Sale of Champions auction held Friday, Jan 27, 2023

GRAND CHAMPION MARKET LAMB

Exhibitor: Cooper Jackson, Hawarden, IA

Buyers: Sioux Falls Regional Livestock, The First National Bank in Sioux Falls

RESERVE CHAMPION MARKET LAMB

Exhibitor: Reagan Rodgers, Savannah, MO

Buyers: Dacotah Bank, Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, South Dakota Corn

GRAND CHAMPION MARKET SWINE

Exhibitor: Kade Smith, Kersey, CO

Buyers: Dacotah Bank, Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, South Dakota Corn

RESERVE CHAMPION MARKET SWINE

Exhibitor: Jami Hoblyn, York, NE

Buyers: Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, Midwest Shows/Farm Shows USA, Smithfield Foods

Featuring

$12,000 Supreme Row Purse:

$3,500 to consigner; $2,500 to buyer of Supreme Champion Bull and Supreme Champion Female

SUPREME CHAMPION BULL (Angus)

Exhibitor: Shane Lindsey Angus, Prairie City, IA

Buyer: Larry Mines, Pukwana, SD

GRAND CHAMPION MARKET GOAT

Exhibitor: Kylie Nelson, New Richland, MN

Buyers: CorTrust Bank, Farm Credit Services of America, Marsh & McLennan Agency, Plains Commerce Bank

RESERVE CHAMPION MARKET GOAT

Exhibitor: Flint Kennedy, Kirkville, IA

Buyers: Sanford Health

SUPREME CHAMPION FEMALE (Angus)

Exhibitor: Blueprint Cattle Company, Otley, IA

Buyer: Chad Nelson, Magnolia, MN

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES WHO ALSO PAID PREMIUMS AT THE MAYOR’S ROUND-UP & SALE OF CHAMPIONS:

Ann & Brian Gilbert

Aulick Industries

Avera Health/Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center

Baete-Forseth HVAC

Beal Distributing, Inc

Bellana Putz

Bill & Laurie Sutton

Billion Automotive

Camerlinck Cattle Company

Carol Ann Volen

Chandler Feed Company

Chuck Sutton Auctioneer & Land Broker

Cindy Christensen

Cooper Specialty Feeds

Cornerstone Bank

Dakota Beverage

Dakota Buyers Club

Darby Ross-Sure Shine

Daren Corcoran

Dean & Jan Steck

Dross Farms

Dwayne Fisher

Eric & Dana Kroupa

Estelline Community Oil Co

Farmer Coop

First Bank & Trust

First Crop Solutions

First Dakota Title

First Interstate Bank

Flex Appeal

Floyd’s Truck Center

Friends of 4-H

Garry Private Wealth Resources, LLC

Gavin Myer

GLH Construction

Hoffman Feedyard

IGT Enterprises

Jo Beal & Scott Wick

Joe Herr

Journey Group

Karen Rojas

Katie & Tyler Urban

Keith & Cindy Heiberger

Klein Custom Haying and Chopping

Klein Ranch

Larry & Kristy Healy

Lawrence & Schiller

Lowell & Karen Somen

Mark Core

Matt Kennedy

Mik & Cindy Pallace

Mike Knudson

New Horizon Farms

Nordstrom’s Automotive Inc

Panhandle Cooperative Association

Perry Middlesworth

Peska Construction

Peterson Livestock

PJ & Michelle Hoehn

Raven Industries

Reaves Buildings

Rex Quam

Risty Benefits

Rule Supplements

Rustic Rose Jewelry

Sandy Johnson Simplot

South Dakota Pork Producers Council

Tiger Corporation

Triple RJ Feedlot

U S Bank

Vaughn Concrete

Westra Land & Auction LLC

Wieman Land & Auction

Windy Ridge Vet Clinic

Woltman Group

Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith P C

Zane Gray

UPCOMING EVENTS

GREATER SIOUX FALLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

To RSVP to any of these events, visit siouxfallsypn com or call (605) 373-2002 Visit siouxfallsypn com for a full list of events

Morning Buzz

Thursday, March 2

7:30–9 a m .

Coffea Roasterie Downtown, 200 S . Phillips Ave .

DETAILS: Join other YPN members for networking while getting your morning buzz (coffee) Morning-minded young professionals are invited to come enjoy coffee and conversation with other YPN members at our Morning Buzz

COST: Free

A Seat at the Table: Jon Thum

Tuesday, March 7 Noon–1 p m

Chamber of Commerce, 200 N . Phillips Ave ., Suite 200

DETAILS: Get to know the Chief of the Sioux Falls Police Department, Jon Thum at this Seat at the Table event

COST: Free, registration required

Power Lunch

Thursday, March 9

Noon–1 p .m .

Honey Baked Ham Specialty Foods & Cafe, 3515 W 57th St

DETAILS: 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! Please RSVP so we can monitor space requirements

COST: Free, food & drink on your own

Our Sioux Falls: Chamber Series Pt. 3

Tuesday, March 14 Noon–1 p m

Zoom

DETAILS: Dive in and get connected with the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce Through this series, you will learn the inner workings of the Chamber and how you can get involved

COST: Free, registration required

Speed Networking

Thursday, March 16 5:30–8 p .m

Discovery Real Estate Co ., 225 E 11th St .

DETAILS: Looking for a quick way to expand your professional network? Join us for YPN Speed Networking! Limited to the first 50 to register This is a FREE event, but you must register in advance to save your spot

COST: Free, registration required .

Reservations for Six

Tuesday, March 28

Noon–1 p m

22TEN Kitchen Cocktails, 2210 W 69th St

DETAILS: Get to know other young professionals in the community in a small setting and support a Chamber member restaurant at the same time! Reservations for Six is a networking lunch with no agenda, just a meal out with your peers

Limited to the first six to register!

COST: Free, food & drink on your own

Find us on social media or visit siouxfallsypn com

Community Connections Tour:

Amazon

Wednesday, March 29

4–5 p m

Amazon Delivery Station, 820 E 60th St N

DETAILS: YPN Community Connections Tours provide the opportunity to get an inside look at a local business On this tour, you’ll explore the new Amazon Warehouse

COST: Free, registration required

Action Team Meetings

You can help shape key areas of YPN programming by joining an Action Team All team meetings are open to any YPN member who would like to get involved Volunteering with an Action Team is a great way to strengthen professional connections and exercise your skills in collaboration, facilitation and project management

For more details on the responsibilities of each team, visit siouxfallsypn com

Social Action Team

Tuesday, March 7

4–5 p .m .

Discovery Real Estate Co

Personal & Professional Development/Civic Engagement Action Team Meeting

Wednesday, March 22

Noon–1 p m

Chamber of Commerce

THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE STARTS AT USD

The University of South Dakota is preparing students for the rapidly changing landscape of health care. As South Dakota’s only comprehensive School of Health Sciences with campuses in Sioux Falls and Vermillion, USD is prepared to meet the demand for practice-ready nursing and health care professionals across the region.

USD SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES IMPACT

5,838 individuals have earned degrees in the last 10 years

63% of graduates are living and/ or working in South Dakota

26 programs including SD’s only public DNAP program

usd.edu/HealthSciences

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Events listed on these pages are curated from entries submitted to siouxfallsevents com and experiencesiouxfalls com/events Visit these websites for details on the events listed here and more events happening in the Sioux Falls area

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

MARCH

1 Shen Yun Performing Arts at Washington Pavilion

2 Cooper Alan at The District

3 Garrison Keillor at 80 with Heather Masse & Richard Dworsky at Orpheum Theater

3-4 VetAid SD at The Alliance

3-7 The Summit League Basketball Championships

Anyone can get the job done, but doing it right is a different matter entirely. That’s why, at Security National Bank, we’ll dot the i’s and cross the t’s and take care of all the little things that impact your bigger picture. The details matter around here because you matter to us.

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

City of Sioux Falls Building Permit Data

January 2023

City of Sioux Falls Total Construction Value

January 2023

Sioux Falls Region Housing Overview

January 2023

New Listings: 393

Days on the Market Until Sale: 77

Median Sales Price: $278,500

Inventory of Homes for Sale: 945

Source: RASE (Realtor Association of the Sioux Empire)

Regional Unemployment Rates

December 2022

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

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

Agriculture Trends

December

Faces & Places

Our members do more than follow the news. They make the news. Job promotions and hirings. New projects. New partnerships. Awards. Every day we hear about exciting accomplishments, historic milestones and other positive aspects of our member businesses that deserve to be shared. Submit news to jdoyen@siouxfalls.com.

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.

Featured volunteers this month are Jay Soukup, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, nine years as an ambassador; Jay Rasmussen, community volunteer, six years as an ambassador; Andrea Carstensen, Minnwest Bank, 3 years as a diplomat; and Chris Pater, CU Mortgage Direct, LLC, first year as a diplomat.

The ACE Award is presented monthly to one Ambassador in recognition of their efforts to bring new members into the Chamber. Jennifer Hoesing, DakotAbilities received the ACE Award for the month of January.

Brent Van Aartsen, Dakota State University, was the January diplomat of the month. Deb Peterson, community volunteer, was the diplomat of the month for February.

Event Champion is a recognition given monthly to one diplomat for consistent attendance and participation at Chamber events and

ribbon cuttings. Brian Sittig, CNA Surety, was the January event champion and Cindi Johnson, Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, received the honor for February.

The diplomat team of the month for January was Team Solum: Captain Karlie Solum, Marsh McLennan Agency; Cindi Johnson, Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort; Nicole Garber, PREMIER Bankcard; Dr. Rylan Pearson, ChiroFamily; and Tyrel Kool, Levo Credit Union. Team Solum also claimed Team of the Month honors for the month of February.

Brian Sittig CNA Surety

Brent Van Aartsen Dakota State University

Chris Pater CU Mortgage Direct, LLC

Cindi Johnson Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort

Jay Rasmussen

Jennifer Hoesing DakotAbilities

Honors & Awards

Dakota State University President JoséMarie Griffiths has been awarded the Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VI. The award is presented annually to an outstanding president, chancellor, headmaster, or system head of a District VI member institution. Under Griffiths’ leadership, DSU has become a special-focus STEM institution that prepares students to fill cyber workforce needs in all fields. Dakota State graduates are individuals who are capable and successful in navigating the complexities of the cyber world of the future. Griffiths was nominated for the award by colleagues.

Kevin Kjergaard, chief photographer for KELO-TV, received the A.H. Pankow Award from the South Dakota Department of Tourism. The Award recognizes a representative of the media for showing superior interest in and coverage of the state’s tourism industry.

Service

The Great Plains Zoo (GPZ) and Butterfly House & Aquarium (BHA) announced the creation of the Sioux Falls Zoo & Aquarium Board of Directors as a unified governing body. Members of the SFZA Board of Directors include some members of the previous GPZ and BHA boards, in addition to mayoral appointees and at-large members. They are: Alissa Bretsch; Margaret Carmody; Tracy Dahl-Webb; Molly Daniel; Tina Davis; Matt Ditmanson; Melissa Fossell; Darin Hage; Ryan Howlett; Jeff Hugunin; Jeannie Iannello; Don Kearney; Jennifer Kirby; De Knudson; Jeanelle Lust; Laura Mitchell; George Mollner; David O’Hara; Mckenzy Raterman; Andrea Smith; and Ryan Tysdal. Both GPZ and BHA will continue to operate in their current locations on their respective campuses, with plans to bring both organizations to the GPZ campus after a multi-year renovation is complete.

Crawford’s Bar & Grill was named the winner of the 10th Annual Downtown Burger Battle, organized by Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc. Their burger, The Truffle Jam, beat out burgers from 31 other restaurant participants. Runner up was Falls Overlook Café and third place went to Remedy Brewing Company

South Dakota Corn honored several local individuals at their recent annual conference. The Excellence in Public Outreach Award was presented to Shannon Nordstrom, Russ Evans, Chris Carter and Doug Mashek for their Under the Hood Show. This award honors an individual or organization who goes the extra mile in spreading agriculture’s story to the general public with fairness, accuracy and due diligence. The Outstanding Legislative Leadership Award was presented to Senator Herman Otten. He has represented South Dakota’s District 6 since 2012 and has served on the Senate Agriculture and Natural

Resources Committee since 2017. Jim Woster received The Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors an individual who has dedicated their career to advancing and advocating for the agriculture industry. As a person passionate about all aspects of agriculture, Woster has given countless hours of time and energy to entertaining and educating farmers at county and state meetings and is renowned for his ability to give humorous speeches.

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of South Dakota recognized three recipients of its annual Cornerstone Award, which honors individuals, businesses, and organizations that have been long-standing supporters of the local charity. The 2023 honorees are Scott Hjellming, Hjellming Construction Co.; Mary Olinger; and Junior League of Sioux Falls.

Two employees of Dakota Credit Union Association have received committee assignments from The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL). These professionals will be serving at the national level, making a difference for credit unions around the country. Amy Kleinschmit, Chief Compliance Officer, has been appointed to AACUL’s Regulatory Advocacy/Compliance Advisory Committee. The purpose of this committee is to provide advice and feedback to CUNA and AACUL regarding federal and state regulatory advocacy and compliance issues affecting credit unions and to develop and promote successful efforts for favorably impacting the regulatory/compliance process. This includes identification of best practices in regulatory advocacy to provide more consistent

and effective messaging to regulators. Jay Kruse, Chief Advocacy Officer, has been re-appointed to the CUNA Volunteer Leadership Committee for a second year. This committee assists in the development of strategy for the increased involvement and support of credit union volunteers, serves as a strategic leadership resource for CUNA, and provides their staff with advice and guidance for enhanced volunteer-centered initiatives. Key responsibilities include volunteer education, volunteer succession, and political involvement. He is also appointed to AACUL State Issues Committee, which provides direction and feedback regarding state legislative and regulatory issues affecting credit unions.

New Faces & Promotions

Three members of the executive management team at 44i, Inc. have become partners in the agency. Darren Kuyper, Jon Peterson and Travis Quam join 44i founder James Lather as partners.

Midco promoted two members of its leadership team. Ben Dold was promoted to Chief Operating Officer. In the role, he will continue to lead the field operations, field engineering and construction, procurement and supply chain, business operations and customer care functions at Midco. Dold joined Midco in 2010. Paige Pearson Meyer was promoted to Vice President of Corporate Communications. She will continue to lead the corporate communications and community relations functions. Pearson Meyer joined Midco in 2016.

Linda Nissen has joined CorTrust Mortgage, Inc. as a mortgage loan specialist. Nissen has more than two decades of mortgage and real estate experience.

Alternative HR, LLC has hired Synova Nicolaisen as an HR consultant. Nicolaisen’s experience in HR includes working for a manufacturing company, an ESOP company, and most recently a public school district. Prior to entering the HR field, Nicolaisen worked in education as a teacher, administrator and

Good Deeds

First Interstate Bank presented Children’s Home Society of South Dakota with a donation of $20,000 at our December Chamber Mixer. Sioux Empire Market President Jay Mitchell shared one of our FIB core values is taking care of the needs of the community where we live and work.

collegiate-level faculty member. She hold a B.S. in Secondary Education, M.S. in Educational Leadership, and Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.). She is also certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the Society for Human Resources Management.

Austin DeJong, TSP, Inc. is now licensed as a Professional Engineer in South Dakota. He passed the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam to become a licensed civil engineer specializing in structural design. The licensure is the engineering profession’s highest standard of competence, a verification of achievement, expertise and assurance. DeJong holds a bachelor’s degree from SDSU and a master’s degree from Iowa State University. Both degrees are in civil engineering with a structural engineering concentration.

Architectural Graduate Fernando Arechiga has joined the Sioux Falls office of TSP, Inc. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture from South Dakota State University. Arechiga has extensive experience in the construction industry. Prior to joining TSP, he was a self-employed contractor.

Caliber Creative has added Brittany Johnson as a marketing coordinator. Johnson has a background in boutique management. At

Caliber, she will be responsible for supporting the marketing team in planning, execution, and measurement of marketing campaigns and initiatives as well as administrative tasks to ensure efficient office operations.

Reliabank has promoted two employees. Zach Bauer was promoted to Marketing Director and Reid Johnson was promoted to Chief Culture Officer.

Stacy Kooistra has been named the Chief Operations Officer and General Counsel for the Dakota State University-Applied Research Corporation (DSU-ARC). DSU-ARC was recently established as a non-profit corporation, separate from the University. Its mission is to develop, operate, and expand the DSU Applied Research Lab (DSU-ARL). Kooistra most recently served as City Attorney for Sioux Falls. His background includes training and education in law and cyber law, a military background as Staff Judge Advocate for Headquarters, South Dakota Air National Guard and Joint Staff, South Dakota National Guard, and leadership in creating the strong public-private partnership that established The South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls.

Be Seen

1-4 Chamber members gathered at the new offices of Click Rain, Inc. for the January Membership Mixer. CEO Natalie Eisenberg welcomed the crowd. Guests had the opportunity to tour the 100+ year old freshly renovated building.

5-7 Local legislators discussed state-level policy issues with Chamber members at the annual Good Morning Sioux Falls legislative preview. Approximately 175 people attended the 2023 breakfast, which was moderated by Ryan Budmayr, Lawrence & Schiller, Inc.

8 The Chamber’s annual Legislative Coffees offer a forum for citizens to ask questions of their state senators and representatives during the legislative session. Three coffees were held in the month of February, featuring volunteer moderators from the League of Women Voters.

9 Melissa Hiatt, Levav Leadership Consulting, taught participants how to give engaged feedback during a recent Business Sense Workshop.

10 Young professionals gathered at Active Generations for coffee and networking to start the day at January’s Morning Buzz event.

11 A traditional Chamber event returned in 2023 after a break of several years. On January 19, more than 200 volunteers made personal visits to Chamber member businesses as part of Operation Thank You. The volunteers started the day with a rally before dispersing to make their deliveries. A wrap-up celebration, featuring plenty of door prizes, concluded the event.

®

55 businesses donated door prizes

216 volunteers made deliveries

Gold sponsor:

Silver sponsors:

Be Seen

12-22 The 70th Annual Sioux Empire Livestock Show was held Jan. 24-29 at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds. Livestock producers and buyers from across the country traveled to Sioux Falls to attend the show. At the Mayor’s Round-up & Sale of Champions, the top market livestock are auctioned off for a premium. This year’s event generated nearly $104,000 in premiums for producers.

23 Members of Leadership Sioux Falls class 37 helped to pack food at Feeding South Dakota as part of a class enhancement session.

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.

MCCROSSAN

BOYS RANCH

NOV. 1, 2022–MARCH 31, 2023

To expand/renovate the McCrossan School and construct an outdoor athletic complex.

ACTIVE GENERATIONS

APRIL 1, 2023–JULY 31, 2023

To add a second Active Generations location on the east side of Sioux Falls.

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.

Get

Training tomorrow’s health care workers

By Jill Callison, For the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce

Employers and educators work together to meet a growing need for skilled employees

Health care providers are by far the major employers in Sioux Falls. The industry must constantly add to its workforce to continue thriving and providing essential patient care. Higher education, tasked with supplying a knowledgeable workforce, must constantly evolve and expand to meet health care needs.

The close working relationship that has developed between health care systems and the state’s universities, the Sioux Falls School District and related groups like the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce focuses on meeting those needs with educational offerings that look to the future.

That requires a certain nimbleness on the part of the state’s educators.

Two years ago, the South Dakota Board of Regents commissioned a study to determine if course offerings matched statewide needs.

“To no one’s surprise, the whole area of health care was a big gap we have in number of graduates we produce in terms of the workforce needed in the state of South Dakota,” said

Dr. Brian Maher, executive director of the South Dakota Board of Regents, which oversees the six public universities.

Sanford Health employs roughly 40,000 people systemwide, with the highest demand for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and patient support such as medical assistants and nurse aides. Other major needs include the areas of medical lab and surgery technicians and other technical fields.

“Look at Southeast Tech, they get far more applications than they have training seats,” said Diana VanderWoude, system vice president of leadership, education and development with Sanford. “Look at (South Dakota State University) with waiting lists for nursing. SDSU can’t take any more nursing students on both the Sioux Falls and Brookings campuses. If we’re going to expand the number of individuals to train, we have to get creative.”

As president and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, David Flicek monitors the need for health care workers. The Avera system employs 20,000 people across its entire footprint with roughly one-third of those employees in the Sioux Falls area.

“I do think the future is being nimble and thinking differently in how to hire the health care workforce, just given how broad it is.”

David Flicek, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center

“We could always use more nurses and those with technical degrees such as medical lab techs and surgical techs,” he said. “Nursing homes also are always looking to recruit great staff. Outside of Sioux Falls, all of those communities are in need of physicians.”

Health systems and higher education have a joint mission, Flicek said.

“I think we have mutual goals in that the workforce is going to be the dominant issue for health care providers and thus higher ed will need a place for them to get great clinical experience,” he said. “I do think the future is being nimble and thinking differently in how to hire the health care workforce, just given how broad it is.”

One factor in determining future workforce needs is the ongoing exit of baby boomers, VanderWoude said. About 14 percent of the collective workforce at Sanford Health is 61 or older. A deeply concerning trend, however, is that about 35 percent of high school graduates in the Sioux Falls school district don’t immediately pursue post-secondary education.

That exacerbates the worker shortage since most jobs in health care require, at a minimum, courses for certification.

“It diminishes the entry into the workforce we need so desperately,” VanderWoude said. “We have to focus on traditional and nontraditional students. It’s a talent pipeline we’re going to need to help sustain us for the future.”

Responding to demand

Within Southeast Technical College’s mission of meeting the region’s employment demand, an already-strong focus on health services has increased in recent years, said Dr. Bob Griggs, president since 2016. The demand comes not only from Avera and Sanford but hospitals in Huron and Rapid City and the nursing homes and long-care assisted-living facilities in Sioux Falls and the area.

“There are over 1,000 job openings in health care just in the Sioux Falls labor market,” Griggs said. “It shows the critical workforce shortage in skilled health care professionals.”

To meet that need, Southeast Tech offers programs for medical assistants, dental assistants, respiratory therapists, pharmacy technicians and, just this fall, community health workers who assist patients leaving a hospital to navigate their future needs. Paramedical science is another new program, while a neurodiagnostic technician program is starting up again. A program for behavioral health technicians, suggested by Avera, will begin this fall.

“A number of the new programs that we have offered are in response to and direct consultation with the local and regional demand,” Griggs said. “We are very fortunate to have both Sanford and Avera working with us on a number of programs.”

Creation of the Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Center (HSCSC) in the former Zeal Center for Entrepreneurship is

a direct response to area health care needs, Griggs said. The building, once used to incubate new businesses, is ideal for an environment to offer true-to-life health care training and simulations. It will open in January 2024 and allow expansion of multiple Southeast Tech programs.

Avera, Sanford and Forward Sioux Falls donated $5.6 million to Southeast Tech to fund the simulation center. A $4.5 million appropriation by the South Dakota Legislature in 2022 was signed into law by Gov. Kristi Noem. It also serves as an example of how cooperation between multiple entities can meet an area’s needs.

Participants in establishing the simulation center include the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Forward Sioux Falls, the City of Sioux Falls, Startup Sioux Falls, Southeast Technical College, the Sioux Falls School District, Avera and Sanford.

To make it happen, the city leased the former Parks & Rec building to Startup Sioux Falls so the organization could move out of the former Zeal building. The Chamber and Sioux Falls Development Foundation are leasing the former Zeal building, which abuts Southeast Tech, to the college. Avera and Sanford are funding the building remodel, ensuring it suits the HSCSC’s needs. Southeast Tech has the option of buying the building in five or 10 years while making lease-to-own payments now.

Diana VanderWoude, Sanford Health

Griggs describes the partnerships that allowed the HSCSC to come into being as “an absolutely great story.”

The HSCSC will extend Southeast Tech’s reach beyond its student enrollment. Since the college offers a program that gives high school students dual credit toward higher education, enrollment in that area will increase, said Kristin Possehl, STC’s dean of curriculum & instruction for health. “They come here for ‘scrub camps,’ and (simulations are) always more interesting to them,” she said. “We’ll have a trauma emergency simulation room, and we should be able to partner with the military on mass casualty situations. We’ll have a much larger surgical tech operating room suite, and we’ll be able to increase enrollment in that program and a couple other programs. Without that space we would not be able to do that.”

It is difficult to give exact numbers for enrollment increases before the HSCHS opens, Possehl said. STC does plan to expand the surgical technology, invasive cardiovascular and nursing programs.

At the public universities, the University of South Dakota is expanding its nursing programs, particularly on its Sioux Falls campus. SDSU’s nursing programs are full, Maher said, both in Brookings and Sioux Falls and also in Aberdeen and Rapid City. “I think one of the areas that probably is a little bit neglected is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing,” he said. “That’s certainly an area where we are emphasizing growth.”

“We have to focus on traditional and nontraditional students. It’s a talent pipeline we’re going to need to help sustain us for the future.”

Both Avera and Sanford have programs to allow high school students to earn dual credits while learning about careers in health care. The Avera Academy is part of a push to think differently about how they will find workers in the future, Flicek said.

Providing two-year health sciences professionals with ways to succeed also means offering four-year-options, and Griggs said two-year colleges and the Board of Regents are working closely on 2+2 agreements. Those will benefit vocational school graduates who have joined the workforce but want to pursue baccalaureate degrees.

Private universities also help fill the need generated by the flourishing health care industry in the state. Augustana University currently has 436 students enrolled in its School of Health Professions. They are majoring in exercise science, health education, fitness management, physical education and nursing. Master’s degrees can be earned in nursing, athletic training and genetic counseling. Enrollment will begin this summer for a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. At the University of Sioux Falls, health science majors include exercise science, health administration, medical laboratory science, medicine, nursing, paramedic technology and radiologic technology.

Breaking the barriers to education

Obviously, higher education costs money. Scholarships can fill some of that gap at various levels. Avera, for example, offers scholarships for medical students attending the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. “It’s

an example of how we’re trying to tap into the next level for workforce, which is the physicians,” Flicek said.

Programs like the Build Dakota Scholarship can ease students’ financial burdens. Maher pointed to the Freedom Scholarship spearheaded two years ago by First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard.

“The scholarships that are offered, No. 1 they help students go to college in the first place,” he said. “Those scholarships are grants as long as you work three years in the state of South Dakota. That’s helpful to every industry but certainly to health sciences.”

In 2022, Southeast Tech received 378 Build Dakota Scholarship applications and awarded 136. While the vast majority—116 recipients—come from South Dakota, it also draws students from Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska and Michigan. In addition, industry partnerships also make a difference, sponsoring 105 students.

Build Dakota Scholars also vary in age. As expected, the majority graduated from high school in 2022, but 28 recipients range in age from 26 to 49. That taps an existing workforce looking for change in careers.

Brookings native Rachel Timmerman, 24, will graduate from Southeast Tech in May with a degree in surgical technology and complete her clinical training in July. Without the Build Dakota Scholarship she was awarded, Timmerman doubts she would have enrolled in the program, dreading the debt she would incur.

“It had every impact for me,” Timmerman said of her scholarship, which covers tuition, books, uniforms, the cost of her certification test this summer and a laptop computer. “Being at the point I was in my life, I don’t think I would necessarily have been able to afford going to school. Once I knew I had received the scholarship, it allowed me to put 100 percent of my focus on the program.”

Timmerman currently works as a patient care technician in the Avera McKennan surgery department. By early August, she expects to be a full-time surgery technician with the Avera Health System.

“I cannot wait for the day I actually start working in my career,” Timmerman said.

Like Timmerman, 25-year-old Madison Jankowski is a second-year surgery tech student at Southeast Tech. She first pursued a four-year degree at Minnesota State University in Mankato. Despite a degree in psychology and addiction studies, when she returned to Harrisburg and looked for a job locally, her limited experience was a drawback.

She decided instead to enroll at STC and pursue a career that always had interested her.

“Our No. 1 responsibility is to advocate for the patient and make sure the patient is taken care of during surgery,” she said. “There will always be a need for surgical technologists because surgery is never going to end.”

During her studies, Jankowski has learned the instrumentation procedures for both Avera and Sanford. This spring, she

will join Timmerman and others from their 28-member class at Avera McKennan for on-site experience.

Initiatives aimed at expanding the workforce include focusing on first-generation, low-income and underrepresented populations in the potential workforce. The Avera Academy offers a good foundation to choose health care by bringing them into Avera McKennan for one day each week, allowing them to experience every department. More than 90 percent of the students who participate in Avera Academy go into health care, Flicek said.

Sanford’s Classroom to Careers program provide similar opportunities.

“There is no reason why a high school student shouldn’t be able to graduate with a licensed practical nursing degree or shortly after,” VanderWoude said. “We even provide a career coach for those students. We really help them see they can do it, that post-secondary education truly is a possibility for them.”

Other programs also support the health care field. Last fall, Avera received more than $2.5 million from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration to support nursing and address health care workforce capacity through innovative solutions including telehealth and virtual nursing. The first grant will prepare the rural public health workforce by providing cross-trained skills in telehealth, health information technology and virtual nursing.

“I cannot wait for the day I actually start working in my career”

Rachel Timmerman, Southeast Tech student

Imagining the Riverline District

Public input sought on the future of downtown development

The next major development in downtown Sioux Falls will likely be on the east side of the Big Sioux River, near the southwest corner of 10th Street and Cliff Avenue. While the location has been identified, what the development will look like is not yet defined. Residents are asked to share their ideas and input on the best future use of the area called the Riverline District.

A committee, known as Friends of the Riverline District, was formed to study the opportunities available at the site. In late January, the committee announced that letters of intent had been secured on two key parcels of land.

“The assembly of this land is a tremendous first step for our community as we look toward the next big, bold vision for our downtown,” said Lynne Keller-Forbes, Friends of the Riverline District Co-Chair. “To successfully secure land rights for this size of a district in our downtown will allow us to begin dreaming big on what we can do for future generations.”

Initial funding to support the project study, consultants and earnest money on land options is being provided by Forward Sioux Falls and Southeastern Council of Governments. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is serving as the holder of the land while the studies and discussions take place.

The Riverline District was identified as having greater potential beyond its current use. The area is currently home to Drake Springs swimming pool, the future Sioux Falls Skatepark and Nelson Park. These developments are expected to set the direction for future developments, with family-friendly uses being most likely. The enhanced district would include the current Department of Social Services campus and the land formerly known as Stadium Court.

“This is a time for our community to think big,” said Natalie Eisenberg, Friends of the Riverline District Co-Chair. “This land, in conjunction with the adjacent railyard land and the future reconstructed viaduct, has tremendous potential to continue the incredible transformation we are seeing in our downtown.”

The visioning process and use studies will take place over the course of the next year. The public survey will be open through March 24, 2023. Residents are encouraged to share their ideas and get involved in the project at riverlinedistrict.com.

The shaded area of the map indicates the location of the future Riverline District.

Friends of the Riverline District Members

Micah Aberson Mammoth Sports Construction

Joe Batcheller Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc.

Miles Beacom PREMIER Bankcard

Mike Begeman

Tyler Blake Wake by Tyler Blake

Tom Bosch Avera Health

Scott Cross Lewis Drug

Cale Feller Avera Health

Erin Fujimoto Tommy John

Mike Gray Sioux Falls Development Foundation

Jeff Griffin Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce

Arin Gronseth MarketBeat

Tom Hurlbert CO-OP Architecture

Alex Jensen Sioux Falls City Council

Vince Jones Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith, P.C.

Lynne Keller-Forbes Dakota BUSINESS Finance

Randy Knecht Journey Group Companies

Reggie Kuipers Bender Commercial Real Estate

Mike Lynch Forward Sioux Falls

Cynthia Mickelson Sioux Falls School Board

Erica Mullaly Cresten Capital

Bob Mundt Sioux Falls Development Foundation

Tony Nour First PREMIER Bank

Mayor Paul TenHaken City of Sioux Falls

Matt Paulson MarketBeat

Brendan Reilly Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP

Max Sandlin Mercury Public Affairs

Teri Schmidt Experience Sioux Falls

Keith Severson

Jesse Smith Sanford Health

Curt Soehl Sioux Falls City Council

Dan Statema First Dakota Bank

Dr. Jane Stavem Sioux Falls School Board

Bob Sutton Avera Health

Chris Thorkelson Lloyd Companies

Kevin Tupy Cresten Capital

Julie Ward Avera Health

Dick Sweetman to lead St. Patrick’s Day Parade as Grand Marshal

By Larry Fuller

Dick Sweetman grew up with roots stretching deep for generations in Ireland. On Saturday, March 18, Sweetman will lead the 43rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade as Grand Marshal. He is the first of the 42 grand marshals of the parade to be an actual citizen of Ireland.

Sweetman, 86, is part of a family long active in business and the community. He was head of Sweetman Construction Co. from 1959 to 1996, Terin Construction Co. from 1996 to 2009, founder of the Ellis and Eastern Railroad, and was part of the leadership of Ramkota Companies and Kelly Inns. He’s still presi dent of Spencer Quarries near Spencer, SD. And later this year, the state’s first planetarium, a state-of-the-art gift from Dick and Kathy Sweetman, will open in the Washington Pavilion.

The Sweetman heritage is in County Wexford along the southeast coast of Ireland. The ancestral home is Clohamon and the Sweetman family traces its lineage back 10 generations to the early 1700s. In the mid-1800s, an ambitious group of Irish Catholics lead by a member of the Sweetman family tried unsuccessfully to establish an Irish-Catholic colony in Minnesota about 85 miles east of Sioux Falls.

St. Patrick’s Day has always been a fun-filled celebration for Sweetman family and friends. “It seems that everyone can claim at least a little Irish blood in their veins, which is ample excuse to hoist a pint or two”, Sweetman says. “It is also a joyful break in the middle of the dreary winter, and we thank the good saint for it.”

Sweetman grew up around E. 27th Street and Main Avenue and then 7th Street and Duluth Avenue. His parents, Richard S. and Evelyn, had five children. In 1952, R.S. purchased the construction company where he had worked for 22 years and renamed it Sweetman Construction.

Sweetman and his wife, Kathy, were married in 1973 and have three children, Kelly Marie, Erin Elizabeth and Thomas Richard. Today, there are six grandchildren, too.

A 1958 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Sweetman has maintained close ties with the university through its Ireland council. Sweetman became an Irish citizen in 2001 under a program that granted dual citizenship to people whose grandparents were born in Ireland. His family has maintained close ties with relatives in Ireland. As he grew older, Sweetman says he began to realize that his “sugar coated” vision was not reality.

“On our first trip to the fabled isle, my first impression upon leaving the airport terminal was a sense of returning home,” Sweetman says. “Hey! They are just like us! “

The St. Patrick’s Day Extravaganza Committee plans the parade with support from the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. The parade was informally organized in 1980 by the late Sylvia Henkin. She stepped down in 2013 after serving as parade grand marshal for the second time. Her successor is Shawn Cleary, president of Tiger Corporation, an Irishman who proudly wears his green stripes.

The parade remains an event that brings the regional community together to celebrate – just as Sylvia envisioned. The parade usually has about 100 entries and is called the people’s parade because anyone can participate as long as they are registered or part of a registered group and wearing an official St. Patrick’s parade button costing $3.

Placement in the parade is on a first come, first served basis and is at the discretion of parade officials. Each entry must have some kind of Irish theme. More information on the parade, including registration and rules for participation, can be found on the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Facebook page.

Buttons are available in advance at the Chamber of Commerce office, 200 N. Phillips Ave., and numerous businesses throughout the community. They can also be purchased the day of the parade at the start of the parade.

Parade sponsors are Avera Health, Holiday Inn City Centre, Sanford Health, Xcel Energy and a variety of downtown businesses.

Dick and Kathy Sweetman, with their children and grandchildren.

43rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Extravaganza

Saturday, March 18

Painting of the shamrock on Phillips Avenue in front of Mrs. Murphy’s Irish Gifts at 11 a.m. Parade down Phillips Ave. (13th Street to 5th Street) begins at 2 p.m.

The Vanguard Squadron will perform at the start of the parade, weather permitting.

The falls of the Big Sioux River will be lit green on St. Patrick’s Day and the following day.

The Arc of Dreams sculpture over the Big Sioux River will be lit green.

We all need insurance to protect our homes and businesses. You also need the support of professionals who stand by your side— sweating the small stuff so you don’t have to.

Fischer, Rounds & Associates combines the coverage you want with the commitment you need. That’s at Your Service. At Your Side.

United Way achieves campaign goal

Sioux Empire United Way surpassed its fundraising goal for the 28th year in a row. The 2023 campaign raised a total of $9,610,118, which will continue to fund more than 80 community programs throughout the Sioux Empire. The fundraising goal for the 2023 Campaign was at $9,601,778.

“Funding these programs is our top priority,” said Campaign Chair Monie Siemonsma. “I am continually humbled by the dedication to Sioux Empire United Way that this community shows year after year – as well as the hard work of our volunteers who make our campaign possible.”

Contributions from nearly 18,000 individuals and 700 businesses combine to fund programs in the four-county area. An estimated 1 in 3 people in the greater Sioux Falls community is impacted by United Way-funded programs.

At a celebration marking the conclusion of the successful 2023 campaign, Sioux Empire United Way recognized several individuals and businesses for outstanding contributions.

Sioux Empire United Way 2023 Award Winners

Businesses of the Year Aerostar

Dakota Vascular Prof, LLC

Journey Group Companies

Larry Oppold Memorial Award

Robin Prunty, Avera Health Foundation

Helen E. (Oppold) Blair Memorial Award

Amy Carter, Children’s Home Shelter for Family Safety

Brent Weiler Bulldog Award

Ashley Janish, Five Star Call Centers

Rich Garry Rookie of the Year Award

Jeremy Roemen, Minnwest Bank

Heart Club Philanthropist Award

Tom Heller, Missouri River Energy Services

Volunteer of the Year Award

Brenda Kibbe, Sanford Health

David Birkeland Memorial Award

Chuck Hendrickson, Capital Services

New program supports intern recruitment

By Leah Blom, Sioux Falls Development Foundation

In the war for talent, no tactics are off the table. That’s why the Sioux Falls Development Foundation (SFDF) has launched INTERN Sioux Falls: an innovative program aimed at recruiting interns for Sioux Falls businesses.

The SFDF has hired a Talent Recruitment Coordinator who will promote Sioux Falls on behalf of businesses as a great place to live and work after college through digital, social and traditional marketing and by visiting college campuses.

The goal of the program is to partner with Sioux Falls companies to host a total of 300 interns in Sioux Falls for the summer of 2023.

“INTERN Sioux Falls is our way of creating a direct link between the next generation of talent and Sioux Falls businesses,” said Denise Guzzetta, Vice President of Talent and Workforce Development.

“We have great relationships with businesses looking for interns, and we also have strong relationships with regional education partners who are producing the graduates that Sioux Falls companies need.

INTERN Sioux Falls brings both of those pieces together: creating a

talent pipeline for Sioux Falls businesses, and providing job pathways for students.”

The SFDF will offer support for companies involved with the program through a digital playbook, as well as insight on programing and housing opportunities for interns. Companies interested in being a part of INTERN Sioux Falls can contact Talent Recruitment Coordinator Claire Herbst at claireh@siouxfalls.com.

High turnover = high stakes

Three cost-free ways to increase employee retention

The headlines of today’s workforce and economy support an overall theme of change. While change can certainly be a catalyst for positive growth or a renewed focus on products, services, innovation and market share, other kinds of change, such as turnover, can result in major challenges for organizations. The workforce has changed over the past few years and employees, even long-term employees, are more likely to leave an organization today than ever before.

What can organizations do to increase their retention? The bad news is that retention is directly associated with individual motivation, and motivation is a difficult emotion to impact. It’s different for each person. What motivates one employee and engages them in their work may be completely different from what motivates and engages another employee. The good news is that this is a universal challenge in today’s economy, so there’s plenty of research and data to support effective ways that organizations can strengthen their retention. Incorporate these types of initiatives into a strategic plan:

Foster humanistic business practices

Drive sales, streamline processes, innovate and improve your products and services, but do not do these things at the cost of treating employees like numbers. Align business metrics with the engagement and involvement of your employees. There’s a distinctive sense of urgency in today’s business climate that seems to give very little space to the intangible aspects that motivate employees to stay with an organization. Humanistic business practices maintain a “people-first” approach to their operations, policies and rules. It is imperative that managers take the time and energy to connect with their employees and learn about their strengths, their professional goals, their personal goals and what aspects of their work are most important to them. Schedule weekly one-on-one discussions with your team. Ask how things are going, be supportive and responsive to issues and concerns and utilize that time to establish strong connections with each person.

Prioritize engaged and effective listening

Communication is more than just talking and hearing others. In fact, hearing differs a great deal from true listening. Listening requires concentrated effort. When employees work with managers

Sarah Meusburger Alternative HR, LLC

that are engaged and effective listeners, it impacts retention. Minimize distractions during conversations and focus all of your energy on the person speaking. Challenge yourself to be fully engaged in interactions with others. Use techniques such as paraphrasing, asking thoughtful questions, summarizing and responding in positive and curious ways. Be intentional about seeking input from your team, inviting ideas and suggestions, and allowing space for creative solutions or business practices.

Demonstrate authenticity and humility

The relationships we develop at work can sometimes feel transactional or superficial. As an organization, it is important to communicate in ways that are real, transparent and even vulnerable. No one person has all the answers, so be comfortable asking for help and seeking input from others when challenges arise. After all, the benefit of having a team is the collective impact, value and energy that comes from working together toward a common goal. Recognize the value that every employee brings to the organization and communicate that value and appreciation on a regular basis. But be authentic. Be genuine. Give credit to others. Teams bring ideas, solutions, collaboration, and healthy conflict – all these things strengthen the

organization. Right now, you have a team of outstanding employees. Do they know how much value they bring and how much they are appreciated?

Retention isn’t merely about employing people to do a defined set of responsibilities. Retention relates to a person’s intrinsic attachment to an organization and their team. Compensation, benefits and work schedules matter as well. But those are extrinsic motivators for employees to stay with an organization. Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is what differentiates between an employee that is happily engaged in the work they do and an employee that is merely waiting for the next opportunity.

Sarah Meusburger, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is an HR Consultant with Alternative HR, LLC. She has 20 years of experience in human resources and has supported several businesses throughout the region.

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.

Groundbreaking ceremonies are coordinated by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. Call (605) 339-0103 for more information or to schedule your event.

Click Rain, Inc.

217 N. Nesmith Ave. clickrain.com

Click Rain, Inc. celebrated their new office space located on the eastern edge of downtown Sioux Falls. The renovated 100+ year old building is known as the Sawtooth Building. L to R: Chris Prendergast, Jason Herrboldt, Amy Moore, Karlie Solum, Eric Ellefson, Natalie Eisenberg (CEO), Megan Jansick, Carissa Shoffelman, Jennifer Hoesing and Kate Kotzea.

DGR Engineering

1300 S. Highline Ave. dgr.com

DGR Engineering celebrated their 50th anniversary in Sioux Falls. They recently moved to a new office building at Dawley Farms. L to R: James Gaspar, Karlie Solum, Marlin Overman, Scott Lawrence, Trent Bruce (vice president), Megan Kjose and Lance Mayer. First International Bank & Trust 601 S. Minnesota Ave. fibt.com

First International Bank & Trust celebrated the opening of their new downtown location. L to R: Jennifer Hoesing, Tyler Schwinghamer, Kira Stenehjem, Mike Toy, Erik Stenehjem, David Pankow, Peter Stenehjem, Alexis Mahlen, Jason Appel, Cindi Johnson, Gretchen Stenehjem, Brent VanderGriend, Steve Stenehjem, Joe Bunkers, David Johnson and Jeremy Vis.

Houndstooth House

101 W. 37th St. houndstoothhouse.com

Houndstooth House provides a range of design services for residential and commercial clients. They recently expanded their furniture store into an iconic Sioux Falls building. L to R: Bridget Peterson, Isabella Marino, Michelle Marino, Dino DePerno, Joelle Nyenhuis, Lynda Billars, Kenley Cotter, Kim Burma, Denise Cotter, Anna Jankord, Joan Hurley and Jillian Hurley.

MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY

NEW MEMBER

Rehfeld’s Art and Framing

431 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 101 rehfeldsonline.com

Rehfeld’s Art and Framing relocated in 2020 and expanded in the summer of 2022. They have added a new event space called The Underground by Rehfeld’s. L to R: Erin Castle, Mallory Klocek, Kayla Eitrem, Jerry Cook (owner), Melissa Cook, Lucas Fiegen, Andrea Carstensen and Ellie Van Nieuwenhuyzen.

Sioux Empire Livestock Show

100 N. Lyon Blvd.

siouxempirelivestockshow.com

The Sioux Empire Livestock Show kicked off the week-long event with a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating their 70th anniversary. L to R: Brooke Hendrickx, Jennifer Hoesing, Jeff Griffin, Logan Doyle (event chair), Kristin Hoefert-Redlinger, Carrie Dragt and Austin Luecke.

We are pleased to announce that Cornerstone Financial Solutions has been recognized on the 2023 Forbes ranking of America’s Top Wealth Management Teams. At Cornerstone, we believe in possibilities. We help clients dream bigger and make the impact they are truly capable of making in their lives, in the lives of those they love, and in the legacy they leave behind.

Cornerstone Financial Solutions was recognized on the 2023 Forbes ranking of America’s Top Wealth Management Teams Best-In-State, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. This ranking is based upon the period from 4/1/2021 to 3/31/2022 and was released on 01/12/2023. Advisor teams that are considered must have one advisor with a minimum of seven years of experience, have been in existence as a team for at least one year, have at least 5 team members, and have been nominated by their firm. The algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 8,000 team nominations, 2,860 advisor teams received the award based on thresholds. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor’s future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients’ experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please see https://www. forbes.com/lists/wealth-management-teams-best-in-state/ for more info.

MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY

Member Anniversaries

Congratulations to the following members who are celebrating their milestone membership anniversaries this month. They are part of a continued commitment to our community through their investment in the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. To learn more about Chamber membership, contact (605) 336-1620 or gsfcc@siouxfalls.com. Find a complete Membership Directory online at siouxfallschamber.com.

Founding members

Billion Automotive Auto Sales billionauto.com

Member since 1935

South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Employment Agency dlr.sd.gov

Member since 1936

35 Years

Fireplace Professionals, Inc. Commercial & Home Finishing/Design fireplaceprofessionals.com

Teachwell Solutions

Associate Member teachwell.org

30 Years

Graco Inc. Manufacturing & Production graco.com

25 Years

Children’s Home Shelter for Family Safety Associate Member chssd.org/shelter

Wheel City Auto Sales Auto Sales wheelcityapproves.com

20 Years

Direct Digital Control Data Processing & Hosting ddccontrol.com

Signature Companies, LLC Building & Remodeling signaturecompaniesllc.com

10 Years Fit My Feet Specialty Retail fitmyfeet.com

5 Years

Celebrate Community Church

Associate Member celebrate.church

D-Bat Sioux Falls Parks & Sports Facilities dbatsiouxfalls.com

ISG Architecture isginc.com

Reside Property Management Property Management residepropertymanagement.com

FIRST YEAR REINVESTORS

T-Mobile Technology Retailer t-mobile.com

Crawford’s Bar & Grill Restaurants crawfordssf.com

Jim Schmidt Associate Member

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation-The Heartland Branch Mortgage Lending troylageteam.com

South Dakota CEO East Women’s Business Center Associate Member bhsu.edu/SDCEO/East

Village Cooperative of Sioux Falls Apartments villagecooperative.com

New Members

American Advertising Federation of South Dakota

Associate Member

Maggie Saugstad

P.O. Box 82, 57101 aaf-sd.org

American Cancer Society

Associate Member

Rachel Gross, (800) 227-2345 P.O. Box 1146, 57101 cancer.org

Articulate LLC

Interior Design

Erica Locke, (920) 889-8050 letsarticulate.com

Blue Haven

Event Venues

Amanda Nelson, (605) 661-4394 46594 268th St., 57106 bluehavenbarn.com

New members are printed in each issue of Chamber News. Following is a list of businesses or individuals who have invested in the greater community by joining the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. An online Membership Directory can be found at siouxfallschamber.com. Want to become a member? Call (605) 336-1620.

COAXIS Energy Co.

Energy

Trent Arlint, (605) 838-6168 234 N. Sycamore Ave., 57110 coaxisenergy.com

Coffee Cup Business Consulting, LLC Business Consulting

Trygve Fredrickson, (605) 360-1730

Combined Insurance Insurance & Benefits

Lesli Martish, (605) 484-0126 5708 Remington Place, Suite 400, 57108

Computer Pros Inc. Computer Sales & Service

LeRoy Clemetson, (605) 362-6205 1200 E. 57th St., Suite 4, 57108 sfcomputerpros.com

Consulate General of Canada

Associate Member

Alison Kimlinger, (612) 492-2912 701 4th Ave. S., Suite 900, Minneapolis, MN 55415

Converdia Health Staffing Employment Agency

Brian Rahman, (701) 478-3460 1911 W. 57th St., 57108 converdiahealth.com

Cookie Co. Bakery/Sweets

Sarah Storm 6004 S. Cliff Ave., 57106 cookieco.com

Dynamic Martial Arts of Sioux Falls Fitness Health & Recreation

Joseph Herrman, (605) 370-0085 1516 S. Sycamore Ave., 57110 dmaofsiouxfalls.com

Graybar Electric Company, Inc.

Electricians & Electrical Contractors

Karla Feuerstein, (605) 731-7900 2810 N. 1st Ave., 57104 graybar.com

Miller-International

Associate Member

Nathan Vodehnal, (214) 883-1466 8500 Zuni St., Denver, CO 80260 cinchjeans.com

Optimal Prime Cleaning Services

Cleaning Services

Jason King, (605) 951-0478 optimalprimeservices.com

OsteoStrong/DakotaStrong

Fitness Health & Recreation

Laura Archambeau, (605) 988-8596 5031 S. Louise Ave., 57108 siouxfallsosteostrong.com

Paylocity

Technology Services

Tiffany Webb, (605) 461-2271 P.O. Box 374, Irene, SD 57037 paylocity.com

Ponderosa Lodge

Nursing Home, Assisted & Independent Living

Sheila Mezori, (605) 789-5180 7400 S. Louise Ave., 57108 sinceriseniorliving.com

Power Plate Meals

Grocery Stores

Stacy Mortensen, (605) 271-1324 3509 W. 57th St., 57108 powerplatemeals.com

Roger’s Plumbing & Heating Heating & Cooling

Megan Corbin, (605) 332-0541 7405 E. Arrowhead Pkwy, 57110 rogersplumbingandheating.com

Sagency

Business Consulting

Mike Meagher, (888) 877-4651 3330 Fiechtner Dr., Suite 102, Fargo, ND 58103 sagencytalent.com

Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits Co. Beverages-Wholesale

John Anderson, (605) 937-4247 2410 W. 54th St. N., 57104 southernglazers.com

Mosquito & Pest Authority

Pest Control

Patrick De Groot, (605) 759-2628 mosquito-authority.com/locations/hartford-sd

Thrivent

Financial Services

Ryan Anderson, (605) 275-3000 6200 S. Old Village Place, Suite 101, 57108 thrivent.com

Wieman Land & Auction Co., Inc.

Associate Member

Ryan Wieman, (605) 648-3111 P.O. Box 148, Marion, SD 57043 wiemanauction.com

Five Questions

Five questions is a monthly feature on a Chamber volunteer, Chamber member or staff member. Want to be featured here? Call (605) 336-1620.

Five questions with Denny Sisson

Denny Sisson is a familiar face to many in the local business community. A Sioux Falls native, he graduated from Washington High School. In 1985, Denny and his wife, Judy, launched Sisson Printing, Inc. Nearly 40 years later, they are still happily providing printing services, now with several family members working alongside them. Denny and Judy have two daughters and five grandchildren –Amy and Travis, Tanner, Megan and Cody Brown, and Angi and Jeremy, Beckam and Berkley De Curtins.

How did you get started in the printing business?

My start in printing was at Washington High School. There was a course called Vocational Printing and the teacher was an awesome man named Dave Fitz. He inspired many students to go to work in the graphic arts and printing fields. One of my favorite lessons learned from Mr. Fitz was this: If you get to teach or coach young people, be sure to give a positive and lasting lesson they can take with them. Mr. Fitz did this with all his students.

Share a lesson you’ve learned as a small business owner.

There are many! First, surround yourself with good coworkers that have the same goals as you and your company. Treat your clients the way you’d want to be treated when you are the client. Everything you deliver to the client needs to be the best that you can do. If you happen to fall short, fix it right away. This is an opportunity to demonstrate to your client how much you care about and value them.

What is your favorite way to spend a day off from work?

Just hanging out together with family is the best way to spend time off work. We love to travel! Whether it is on a beach, fishing at the lake, finding great restaurants or just relaxing at home…we always find the fun.

If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be?

I’m still waiting for the Vikings to win the Super Bowl!

What is a skill that you’d like to learn and why?

I would like to learn singing. I love music, but the police ask me to keep my windows up when I sing along to the radio!

Denny Sisson Sisson Printing, Inc.

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