September 2019 Chamber News

Chamber News September 2019

Vol. 54, No. 10

A PUBLICATION OF THE SIOUX FALLS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Automatic Impact Creating opportunity and efficiency through automation

IN THIS ISSUE COVER STORY

Automatic Impact

Creating opportunity and efficiency through automation................................ 26-31 FEATURES

Chamber Annual Meeting to be held Oct. 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35 Young professionals honored with 4 under 40 Award. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 IN THIS ISSUE: Message from the Chair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Events Calendars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9 Economic Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Faces & Places. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-24 Community Appeals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Business Advocacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Headlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-38 Member Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Business Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Ribbon Cuttings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43-47 New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Member Anniversaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Five Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Chamber News PUBLISHER

Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce CHAMBER NEWS AD SALES

For advertising information, call Steven Herman at (605) 351-1960 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 Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, 200 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 200, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Postmaster please send address changes to: Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1425, 200 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 200, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-1425 Phone: (605) 336-1620 • Email: sfacc@siouxfalls.com

CHAMBER MISSION

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

Communicate WITH THE

CHAMBER .com/siouxfallschamber @SFAreaChamber @SFAreaAdvocate Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

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

Thank you to the following members for supporting the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce by being premium sponsors of the Chamber News magazine.

chambernews.com | Chamber News 3

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Message from the Chair This column is my last as the Chair of your Chamber’s Board of Directors. Starting Oct. 1, Bobbi Thury, Legacy Law Firm P.C., will become Chair and will lead the Chamber forward into 2020. I hope you and your close associates will join me at the Chamber’s annual meeting on Oct. 22 as we celebrate a successful past year and hear Bobbi’s vision for the coming year at the Chamber.

TIM STURDEVANT 2018-19 Chair of the Board

Maintaining a high quality of life and a strong economy so that everybody can prosper is what we strive to do every day.

As I look back on this incredible year, I am blown away by the extremely high quality of volunteers and staff working with the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. The committees are strong and collaborative. We work closely with the CVB, Development Foundation, Forward Sioux Falls, the City of Sioux Falls, the counties and schools and many other organizations in pursuit of our shared desired to make Sioux Falls and the state of South Dakota the best place to live and prosper.

Our Chamber partnered with the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce last fall in an advocacy trip to Washington D.C., including a visit to the Pentagon. I would like to think our visit helped demonstrate our state’s strong commitment to supporting our military. Ultimately, the Air Force elected to put the primary training base for the new B-21 bombers at Ellsworth Air Force Base east of Rapid City. This was a great victory for the whole state of South Dakota. A contingent of Chamber staff and volunteers will return to D.C. this month to continue the important work of making our voices heard at the federal level.

One of the most satisfying interactions for me personally this year was the opportunity to tour businesses owned by immigrants to our community. A fellow board member, Christy Nicolaisen of the Multi-Cultural Center, organized a dozen tours of different business owned by immigrants and minorities. Most of these folks have been pushed around to different countries before getting the opportunity to emigrate to America. Upon arrival, they started working and eventually saved enough money to start their own business. I was impressed by their positive attitude about living in America, despite the many challenges they encounter, such as learning the language and business regulations. These visits reminded me of how lucky we all are to live and prosper here in America. Maintaining a high quality of life and a strong economy so that everybody can prosper is what your Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce strives to do every day.

I wish all the best to Jason Ball as he takes over leadership of the chamber of commerce in Round Rock, Texas. He has been a dynamic leader for us, and we are grateful for the time he invested in our community. With Dr. Dave Kapaska in place as Interim President, I fully expect our Chamber to move forward without missing a beat. A search is already underway for the next President & CEO, and we look forward to identifying our next great leader!

Thank you for the privilege of serving as Chair of your Chamber. The future is bright!

2018-19 SIOUX FALLS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LEADERSHIP AND STAFF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR TIM STURDEVANT Sturdevant’s Auto Parts CHAIR-ELECT BOBBI THURY Legacy Law Firm, P.C. VICE CHAIR DAN DOYLE Cutler Law Firm TREASURER ALEX RAMIREZ USA Media TV IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR STEVE VAN BUSKIRK Van Buskirk Companies INTERIM PRESIDENT DAVE KAPASKA, D.O.

EX-OFFICIO JEAN BENDER Minnehaha County Commission KYLE GROOS Sioux Falls Catholic Schools DR. BRIAN MAHER Superintendent, Sioux Falls Public School System CYNTHIA MICKELSON Sioux Falls School Board JIM SCHMIDT Lincoln County Commission MAYOR PAUL TENHAKEN City of Sioux Falls

BOARD OF DIRECTORS TOM BIEGLER Regency Hotel Management MARTIN DESLAURIERS UBS Financial Services, Inc. DAVID FLICEK Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center PAUL HANSON Sanford Health SHARON HASELHOFF Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort PAM HOMAN Augustana University CHRIS HOUWMAN Malloy RANDY KNECHT Journey Group LAURIE KNUTSON LK Company, LLC SCOTT LAWRENCE Lawrence & Schiller, Inc. CHRISTY NICOLAISEN Multi-Cultural Center of Sioux Falls KARLA SANTI Blend Interactive CLAIRE SANTOS Zoup! and Wingstop CURT ZASKE

CHAMBER & CVB STAFF DAVE KAPASKA, D.O. Interim President DIANE BALK Accounting Manager THANE BARNIER Web Development & IT Manager MATT BARTHEL CVB Communications Manager JOAN BARTLING Finance & Accounting Director JUSTIN BENTAAS Public Affairs & Research Manager JILL BLOM Graphics & Communications Manager RACHEL CRANE CVB Host City Manager PATRICK DASCHEL CVB Sales Manager ERIN DEWITT CVB Sales Manager JENNIE DOYEN Marketing & Communications Director ANNA ELIASON CVB Sales Manager AMY M. FARR Membership Development Manager

JEFF FEJFAR Web Designer RENAE HANSEN Front Office Assistant MARY HUBLOU CVB First Impressions Manager/Project Assistant KAYLA HUIZING Young Professionals Network Manager JAY KALTENBACH CVB Services/Resale Manager ALEXANDRA LeBLANC CVB Sales Director PAT LUND Member Services Manager MIKE LYNCH Forward Sioux Falls Director of Investor Relations JILL NIEDRINGHAUS CVB Sales Manager KRISTA ORSACK CVB Director of Marketing DEBRA OWEN Public Policy Director KATHIE PUTHOFF CVB Administrative Assistant HOLLY RADER Agri-Business Division Manager EMILY SCHAFFER CVB Creative Development Manager TERI SCHMIDT CVB Executive Director TERESA SCHREIER Public Affairs & Communications Assistant SUSAN SEACHRIS Administrative/Accounting Assistant MARY TIMMER Front Office Assistant JACKIE WENTWORTH CVB Sales Manager VALERIE WILLSON Membership Events Manager

chambernews.com | Chamber News 5

CALENDARS

CHAMBER

Events Calendar

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.

SEPTEMBER MEMBERSHIP

MIXER 4:30–6:30 p.m.

LSS Campus on East Bank 300 E. 6th St.

7:30–9 a.m.

Security National Bank, 6601 S. Louise Ave. DETAILS: Before your day gets too hectic, join the Chamber for a fun and energetic morning networking opportunity. Drop in as your schedule permits for a cup of coffee and great conversation with other members of the business community.

COST: Free

INSIDE WASHINGTON WITH SENATOR MIKE ROUNDS TUESDAY, OCT. 8

FEATURED EVENT TUESDAY, SEPT. 10

SEPTEMBER MORNING MINGLE THURSDAY, SEPT. 26

SPONSORED BY:

COMPLIMENTARY HORS D’OEUVRES & CASH BAR $5 ADMISSION OR USE YOUR MIXER PASS

RSVP to vwillson@siouxfalls.com or at siouxfallschamber.com

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

DETAILS: Hear from U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds as he shares an update on

what’s taking place in Washington D.C. Following his remarks, Rounds will take questions from the audience.

COST: $30 per person, includes lunch RSVP: tschreier@siouxfalls.com or (605) 373-2050

OCTOBER MEMBERSHIP MIXER TUESDAY, OCT. 8

4:30–6:30 p.m.

Dow Rummel Village, 1321 W. Dow Rummel St. DETAILS: Join us for the monthly Mixer, featuring networking, food and refreshments! Sponsored by Dow Rummel Village and Journey Group Companies.

COST: $5 or use your Mixer Pass

BUSINESS SENSE

NATIONAL FARMER’S DAY AT THE BARN FRIDAY, OCT. 11

Noon-1 p.m. • $10, bring your own lunch Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

National Farmer’s Day at the Barn. This family-friendly event includes harvest-themed kids activities and tours of the Barn.

COST: Free

WORKSHOPS

Tuesday, Sept. 10 • Networking 101

Presented by Val Pugsley-Tischler, PUSH Personal Development

Wednesday, Sept. 18 • Understanding Your Employment Contract Presented by Kelsey Knoer, Boyce Law Firm, LLP RSVP to vwillson@siouxfalls.com or at siouxfallschamber.com

COMMUNITY IDENTITY WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11

5:30 p.m.

Downtown Library, 200 N. Dakota Ave. DETAILS: This interactive discussion will allow citizens to share their

thoughts on the identity of Sioux Falls and provide input on the creation of a new logo for the city.

COST: Free MORE INFORMATION: siouxfallsbrand.com

6 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

4–7 p.m.

Stockyards Ag Experience, 309 E. Falls Park Dr. DETAILS: Celebrate the role of farmers in our economy at the annual

113TH SIOUX FALLS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL MEETING TUESDAY, OCT. 22

4 p.m. Social 6:30 p.m. Dinner Sioux Falls Convention Center, 1201 N. West Ave. DETAILS: Celebrate the Chamber and our community at the annual meeting. See pages 34-35 in this issue for more information.

COST: $85 per person, tables of ten available RSVP: tschreier@siouxfalls.com or (605) 373-2050

OCTOBER MORNING MINGLE TUESDAY, OCT. 29

7:30–9 a.m.

Plains Commerce Bank, 3905 W. 49th St. DETAILS: Before your day gets too hectic, join the Chamber for a fun

and energetic morning networking opportunity. Drop in as your schedule permits for a cup of coffee and great conversation with other members of the business community.

COST: Free

UPCOMING EVENTS To RSVP to any of these events, email khuizing@siouxfalls.com or call (605) 373-2002. Visit siouxfallsypn.com for a full list of events.

A SIT DOWN WITH U.S. SENATOR JOHN THUNE WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4 11:15–11:45 a.m.

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown 201 E. 8th St.

DETAILS: This is a unique opportunity for YPN

members to have a question and answer session with U.S. Senator John Thune. It is limited to the first 20 YPN members to RSVP. This event is free to attend, but you must also register and attend Inside Washington with Senator Thune, held after this event.

COST: Free with Inside Washington admission

MORNING BUZZ THURSDAY, SEPT. 5 7:30–9 a.m.

Fairfield Inn & Suites 4035 Bobhalla Dr.

OFF THE CLOCK THURSDAY, SEPT. 12

POWER LUNCH THURSDAY, SEPT. 26

DETAILS: Join us at PAve for our September

DETAILS: Research says one of the best

4–7 p.m.

PAve 130 S. Phillips Ave.

Off the Clock. In true YPN fashion, you will have a chance to make new friends and business connections by networking in a relaxed setting.

No registration required—just show up and encourage other young professionals or colleagues to join you.

COST: Free, food/drinks on your own

TOPICS ON TAP WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 18 4:30–6:30 p.m.

Location TBA

DETAILS: Some discussions are just

Morning-minded young professionals are invited to come enjoy coffee and conversation with other YPN members at our September Morning Buzz at the Fairfield Inn & Suites near the Sanford Sports Complex.

better with a beer. Join us for a discussion with Dr. Brian Maher about the future of the Sioux Falls School District. Megan Raposa, Argus Leader, will lead the discussion. The social will begin at 4:30 p.m.with the discussion starting at 5 p.m. Submit questions in advance to khuizing@siouxfalls.com.

COST: Free

COST: Free, food/drinks on your own

YPN WATER STATION AT SIOUX FALLS MARATHON SUNDAY, SEPT. 8

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TOUR: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE PENITENTIARY – SOLD OUT! THURSDAY, SEPT. 19

DETAILS: Set those alarm clocks early!

7–9:30 a.m.

Mile Marker 10

DETAILS: Cheer on marathon runners and

hand out water at the 2019 Sioux Falls Marathon! The YPN Water Station will be at Mile 10 on East Marson Drive and Southeastern Avenue near the apartment entrance. This year’s water station theme is SUPERHERO! Dress as your favorite superhero character and have fun with it!

COST: Free

Find us on social media or visit siouxfallsypn.com

Noon–1 p.m.

Stensland’s at Falls Overlook Cafe, 825 N. Weber Ave. ways to improve your productivity at work is to take a lunch break. So check out of the office for the noon hour and enjoy lunch with us at Stensland’s at Falls Overlook Cafe!

COST: Free, food/drinks on your own

ACTION TEAM MEETINGS You can help shape key areas of YPN programming by joining an Action Team. All team meetings are held at the Chamber office and 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, Sept. 3 4–5 p.m.

MEMBERSHIP ACTION TEAM Wednesday, Sept. 11 4–5 p.m.

Noon–2 p.m.

South Dakota State Penitentiary 1600 North Dr.

DETAILS: Take a tour of the South Dakota

State Penitentiary. You’ll be able to see the inmate housing areas, the school, the intake unit and Pheasantland Industries. Attendees will learn about the opportunities inmates have to improve their life and prepare to return to society, how security measures keep the public safe and the staff and inmates safe. You will also learn how several agencies and departments work together to reach common goals.

COST: Free

chambernews.com | Chamber News 7

SEPTEMBER This calendar is a sampling of local events, concerts, fundraisers, seminars and more compiled from siouxfallsevents.com and visitsiouxfallsevents.com.

Visit these websites for a complete listing of events happening in the Sioux Falls area, or for more details on the events listed here.

5-7

50th Anniversary, USS South Dakota Memorial & 27th Reunion of Crew of USS South Dakota

5-7

Thomas Rhett at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

6

Downtown Block Party on the Eastbank

6

First Friday in Downtown Sioux Falls

6

Ninth Annual Twilight Cross Country Meet at Yankton Trail Park

6-8

PVA Annual Trapshoot

7 Germanfest 7

Sidewalk Arts Festival

Siouxfallsevents.com is the community’s free, comprehensive community events calendar. Anyone can post an event happening in the Sioux Falls area. It’s free and it’s a great way to promote your event.

8

Sioux Falls Marathon

12

Classic Car & Motorcycle Show at Active Generations

12

Light The Night at Falls Park

12

Aaron Watson at The District

13

J&L Harley Davidson Bike Night Finale

The Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau developed the visitor-related calendar to provide visitors a list of events they may be interested in attending.

13-15

Sanford Pentagon Cornhole Classic

13

Darci Lynn & Friends at the Washington Pavilion

13-14

Sioux Falls PREMIER Rodeo

14

Walk to End Alzheimers

19

Better Business Writing Skills workshop

20-22

Sanford International

20

POW MIA Recognition Ceremony

8 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

20

Touch-A-Truck at Harmodon Park

10

Innovation Expo

21

5th Annual PVA Poker Run

11

The Descendents at The District

21

Sioux Falls Walk to Defeat ALS

12

Harvest Festival at Strawbale Winery

24

Godsmack at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

12

Augustana University Viking Days Parade

25

The Accountability Summit: Getting Business Done in 2020

12

Miranda Lambert at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

26-29

Mamma Mia at Orpheum Theater

12

Cody Johnson at Sanford Pentagon

27-29

SiouxperCon 2019

13

A Night with Janis Joplin at Orpheum Theater

27-29

Celtic Angels at Washington Pavilion

18

Greater Sioux Falls Outdoor Show

29

Chicago at Washington Pavilion

18-19

The Play that Goes Wrong at the Washington Pavilion

19

Everybody’s Elvis at Active Generations

22

Ben Gulley with the Mark Lowery Trio at Washington Pavilion

25

Ryan Bingham at The District

25-29

AKC All Breed Dog Show

25-27

ZooBoo at the Great Plains Zoo

25-27

2019 Autumn Festival, An Arts and Crafts Affair

26

SFJB presents Vanessa Collier at the Orpheum Theater

27

Carrie Underwood at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

29

CultureCon 2019

29

The Price is Right Live! at Washington Pavilion

30

1984 - Aquila Theatre at Washington Pavilion

OCTOBER 1

SD Chamber Economic Outlook Seminar

1

VikeSing Men’s Choral Festival

2

Branford Marsalis Quartet at Washington Pavilion

3-6

Mamma Mia at Orpheum Theater

3

Ghost at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

4

First Friday and Art & Wine Walk in Downtown Sioux Falls

5

Harvest Festival at Wilde Prairie Winery

8

The Mavericks at the Orpheum Theater

11

Chris Tomlin at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

11-Nov 2

The Jaycees Feargrounds

chambernews.com | Chamber News 9

ECONOMIC INDICATORS Tracking trends in business is just one way that the Sioux Falls Area 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

Regional Unemployment Rates

JULY 2019

JUNE 2019

CUMULATIVE YEAR TO DATE

4,151 PERMITS

2017

3,719 PERMITS

2018

BISMARCK

2.7%

4,332 PERMITS

2019 0

1000

2000

3000

4000

FARGO

2.5%

5000

MINNEAPOLIS/ ST. PAUL

Source: City of Sioux Falls

3.3%

RAPID CITY

City of Sioux Falls Total Construction Value

3.0%

JULY 2019

SIOUX FALLS

CUMULATIVE YEAR TO DATE

2.4%

ROCHESTER

3.0%

CEDAR RAPIDS

500 OMAHA

3.3%

DES MOINES

2.8%

2.6%

LINCOLN

3.3%

400

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

Agriculture Trends

300

JUNE 2019 10 200

$449.3 million $184.4 million $9.21

$415.8 million $144.8 million

0

$393.8 million $116.4 million

(IN MILLIONS)

100

$9.55

$8.31 $8.02

8 $7.92 $7.40

2018

2017

Source: City of Sioux Falls

Total Construction Value

2019

6

JULY 2019

(PER BUSHEL) U.S. SOUTH DAKOTA

CORN

New Non-Residential Construction Value

Sioux Falls Region Housing Overview

SOYBEANS

(PER BUSHEL) U.S. SOUTH DAKOTA $3.98

4

$3.58

$3.61 $3.80

New Listings: 703 Days on the Market Until Sale: 71 Median Sales Price: $224,950 Inventory of Homes for Sale: 1,660 Source: RASE (Realtor Association of the Sioux Empire)

10 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

$3.38

2

June 2018

$3.48

May June

2019

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

2019

THANK YOU TO OUR 36TH ANNUAL

AG APPRECIATION DAY SPONSORS

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019 • Held in conjunction with the Sioux Empire Fair Sponsored by the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, Touchstone Energy Cooperatives and Area Businesses: AARP South Dakota A-Bar-K Trailer Sales AgLab Express AgriCare Nutrition, LLC Alliance Communications American Bank & Trust Animal Health International Avera Health Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota Avera Medical Group McGreevy 7th Avenue BASF Bayer Crop Science Beal Distributing, Inc. Benco Products, Inc. BEST WESTERN PLUS Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center Black Hills Federal Credit Union C & R Supply, Inc. Cadwell Sanford Deibert & Garry LLP Campbell’s Central Farmers Coop/FREMAR Central States Manufacturing, Inc. Christopherson, Anderson, Paulson & Fideler, LLP CHS Chuck Sutton Auctioneer and Land Broker, LLC Citi Component Manufacturing & Reaves Buildings CorTrust Bank Dacotah Bank Dakota Beverage Company, Inc. Dakota BUSINESS Finance Dakota Diesel Service

Dakota Ethanol Dakota Fluid Power, Inc. Dell Rapids Co-op Grain Dunlap Appraisal & Agri-Management, Inc. Eggers Southview Farms/ I-29 Bull Run Eide Bailly LLP Farm Credit Services of America Farmers Business Network Farmers National Company Brandon First Bank & Trust First Dakota National Bank First Dakota Title The First National Bank in Sioux Falls First PREMIER Bank G & H Distributing, Inc. Getty Abstract & Title Company Glanbia Nutritionals Golden West Telecommunications Graham Tire Company Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort Great Western Bank Ground Works/South Dakota Ag in the Classroom Haug Steel Construction, Inc. Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Hobart Sales & Service Holiday Inn City Centre Howalt+McDowell Insurance, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC company Hydraulic World, Inc. J.D.’s House of Trophies Johnson Feed Inc.

KDLT-TV (NBC) KELOLAND Media Group KSFY Television Ludens Inc. Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, PC Mahlander’s, Inc. Midco Midwest Land Surveying, Inc. Minnehaha County Farm Bureau Minnehaha County Pork Producers Minnwest Bank Monarch Sales Company, Inc. Morton Buildings, Inc. New Generation Supplements Nordica Warehouses, Inc. Nordstrom’s Automotive Inc. dba Nordstrom’s Install & Diagnostic Ctr. Northern Links Golf Course NorthWestern Energy PAULSEN Pfeifer Implement Company Pipestone Holdings Plains Commerce Bank Poet Rabo AgriFinance Raven Industries, Inc. Reliabank Dakota Renner Corner Results Radio - Townsquare Media KSOO 1000/KMXC 97.3/ KYBB 102.7/KXRB 1140/ KKLS 104.7/KIKN 100.5 Revier Pressure Washers, Inc.

SAB Biotherapeutics, Inc. Sanford Health Scheels All Sports, Inc. Scott’s Lumber Shaykett Appraisal Co., Inc. Shipley’s Garment Spa Sioux Empire Fair Association Sioux Equipment Company Sioux Falls Regional Livestock Sioux Falls Truck and Trailer Sioux International, Inc. Sioux Valley Energy SMG/Denny Sanford PREMIER Center South Dakota Corn South Dakota Pork Producers Council South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council Sturdevant’s Auto Parts Sunshine Foods Tiger Corporation Tri-State Neighbor Two Way Solutions, Inc. U.S. Bank Wells Fargo Bank Westra Atkins Land & Auction, LLC Winfield WNAX AM/FM Radio Worthington Tractor Parts, Inc. Jim Woster Xcel Energy Zoetis

The Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes the role agriculture plays in the growth of our community. Though our city’s economy continues to expand and diversify, we know the region’s roots lie in agriculture.

For 36 years, we’ve been proud to acknowledge the work of our area farmers and ranchers by offering a free meal in conjunction with the Sioux Empire Fair. With the help of the businesses listed here and under the guidance of the Chamber’s Agri-Business Division Advisory Council, we are able to continue this salute to agriculture.

Thank you for all you do.

FACES & PLACES

Faces & Places

NATHAN STALLINGA DakotAbilities

MARILYN MOSER LifeVantage

JUSTIN ZANDSTRA The First National Bank In Sioux Falls

LYNDA BILLARS

The Lynda B. Advantage CorpLynda Billars KW

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.

MARSHALL SELBERG

DAMON PUNT

Van Buskirk Companies

MetaBank & Meta Financial Group

ELIZABETH SOUKUP

PAM OLINGER

Augustana University

ELO Prof LLC

BRIAN SPADER

BRIAN SITTIG

DINO DePERNO

MARK LEE

New York Life

Crew Construction and Restoration

CNA Surety

Reliabank

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 keep the Chamber strong.

Featured Ambassadors and Diplomats this month are: Nathan Stallinga, DakotAbilities, seven years as an ambassador; Justin Zandstra, The First National Bank in Sioux Falls, first year as an ambassador; Marshall Selberg, Van Buskirk Companies, 11 years as a diplomat; Damon Punt, MetaBank & Meta Financial Group, one year as a diplomat; Brian Spader, New York Life, three years as a diplomat; and Brian Sittig, CNA Surety, one year as a diplomat.

The Ace Award is given monthly to one Ambassador in recognition of their sales efforts.

Marilyn Moser, LifeVantage, won the June Ace Award and the July award went to Lynda Billars, The Lynda B. Advantage Corp-Lynda Billars KW. Diplomats who complete all their member contact calls each month are part of the 100 Club. One member of the 100 Club is recognized as the Service Star. The June Service Star was awarded to Elizabeth Soukup, Augustana University, and the July Service Star went to Pam Olinger, ELO Prof LLC. Event Champion honors went to Dino DePerno, Crew Construction and Restoration, for June and Mark Lee, Reliabank, for July.

Diplomat Team of the Month for both June and July went to Captain Cindi Johnson, Spectrum Marketing Services; Pam Olinger, ELO Prof LLC; Angie Wahl, J. Wahl Home Inspection; Edith Renner, Alzheimer’s Association, South Dakota Chapter; and Lenn Patterson George, West Plains Engineering, Inc.

Professional portraits of Chamber volunteers are courtesy Chad Phillips Photography. chadphillipsphotography.com.

12 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

New Faces & Promotions High Point Networks, LLC has hired Kaitlynn Bussell as a help desk dispatcher.

Bussell has previous dispatcher experience, working with over 100 engineers in the Midwest.

The Center for Disabilities USD has hired Marni Johnson-Martin, Au.D. as the Director of Interdisciplinary Training and Clinical Services. Johnson-Martin will provide guidance and support to pre-service traineeship programs. She will also oversee interdisciplinary clinical services and the Birth to Three Service Coordination Program. Johnson-Martin is a Licensed Audiologist and holds the certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

Major Marlys Anderson and Captain Crystal Sherack are the new commanding officers of The Salvation Army of Sioux Falls.

Anderson has been serving others through The Salvation Army for 28 years. Sherack has been with the organization for five years. Both are graduates of The Salvation Army’s College for Officer Training.

Kenzie Monett joined AmesburyTruth as a Customer Service Representative. She is responsible for all aspects of customer account management including order entry, responding to customer inquiries, report generation, reviewing inventory and analyzing customer data.

RAS has added three new employees. Mitch Brunick joined as a claims representative.

Tyler Fuerst brings over 20 years of supervising and banking experience to his new position as support services supervisor. Jayde Bergmann joined as a claims assistant, with experience in the claims department for Great West Casualty Company.

Matt Cain has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Independent Living Choices. Cain has been with ILC for 15 years, serving as its Executive Director since 2006.

Under Cain’s leadership, ILC has expanded throughout South Dakota and experienced significant growth in the number of clients it serves.

Alternative HRD added Tammy Loos as a member of their HR consulting team.

Loos has more than 20 years experience in

human resource management, primarily in the financial services industry and non-profit sector. She holds a masters degree from USD and is certified as a Society of Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and Professional in Human Resources (PHR) by the Human Resource Certification Institute.

EAPC Architects Engineers has added Steven Stalboerger as a senior architect and medical planner and Noah Fischer as human resources and organizational development manager. Stalboerger has over 30 years of medical design experience. He earned his bachelor of architecture degree from NDSU. Fischer has six years of HR experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree from NDSU and an MBA in Human Resource Management from University of Mary in Bismarck.

Claims Associates, Inc. has hired Craig Matson as casualty general adjuster in the Sioux Falls office. Matson has 35 years of insurance claims experience, handling large casualty losses, litigation management and overseeing mediations.

Expansion

Milestone

Good Deeds

Hegg Companies, Inc. announced the reestablishment of construction services with the launch of Hegg Construction, LLC. Wade Behm has been hired as the Vice President and will oversee and manage all construction initiatives for the company. Behm has almost 25 years of construction and real estate development experience, including multi-family, mixed-use, hospitality, office, restaurant and retail projects. Hegg Construction will operate as a construction management and general contracting firm. Operations will be based in Sioux Falls, but the company expects to execute projects through much of the upper Midwest.

Sayre Associates, Inc. is celebrating 50 years of business in Sioux Falls. Richard F. Sayre founded the civil engineering firm on January 1, 1969, with a stack of books and a telephone.

The firm grew in size and capabilities along with the growth of Sioux Falls, from one employee to 22 employees today.

Smithfield Foods donated $125,000 to the Midwest Honor Flight organization to sponsor 83 World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans for an all-expenses-paid flight to visit the nation’s capital. The sponsored flight in September will allow veterans and guardians to fly to Washington, D.C. to visit memorials dedicated to honoring their service and sacrifice.

chambernews.com | Chamber News 13

FACES & PLACES

Leadership

Honors & Awards The following Cutler Law Firm, LLP, attorneys were named to the Great Plains Super Lawyers list in 2019: Kent R. Cutler – Business Litigation; Steven J. Sarbacker – Mergers & Acquisitions; and Michael D. Bornitz – Personal Injury Attorney. Attorneys selected were ranked in the top 5 percent of practicing attorneys in South Dakota in their specified areas. Six Cutler Law Firm attorneys were selected to Great Plains Rising Stars: Daniel J. Doyle – Business & Corporate; Alex S. Halbach – Business & Corporate; Eric E. Erickson – Business & Corporate; Joseph Hogue – Business & Corporate; Eric R. Matt – Estate Planning & Probate; and Jonathan A. Heber – Business Litigation.

The Sioux Falls Business Resource Network recognized Boys and Girls Club of the Sioux Empire and Touchmark at All Saints with Disability Friendly Recognition program awards.

EAPC Architects Engineers was named a 2019 Top 40 design firm for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work by Building Design+Construction. The ranking is determined by annual revenue. EAPC, established in 1967, is an award-winning multidisciplinary design consulting firm with offices in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Arizona and Colorado.

The following Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP lawyers were named to the 2019 edition of Great Plains Super Lawyers: Jonathan P. Brown – Real Estate; P. Daniel Donohue – Estate & Probate; Thomas M. Frankman – Business Litigation; Keith A. Gauer – Banking; Charles D. Gullickson – Banking; Douglas J. Hajek – Banking; Robert E. Hayes – Banking; Sarah Richardson Larson – Estate & Probate; Vince M. Roche – Business Litigation; Eric C. Schulte – Insurance Coverage; and Catherine A. Tanck – Tax. Attorneys selected were ranked in the top 5 percent of practicing attorneys in South Dakota in their specified areas. Four Davenport Evans lawyers were selected to Great Plains Rising Stars: Reece M. Almond – Business Litigation; Justin T. Clarke – Insurance Coverage; Elizabeth S. Hertz – Business Litigation; and Anthony M. Hohn – Business Litigation.

14 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP has been named a Top Ranked Leading Firm

by Chambers & Partners, which ranks the nation’s leading law firms and lawyers. In South Dakota, rankings are given in five categories: Corporate/Commercial Law, Corporate/ Commercial: Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial and Real Estate. The following is a roster of ranked Davenport Evans lawyers in each area of practice. Corporate/Commercial: Jonathan P. Brown, P. Daniel Donohue, Keith A. Gauer, Charles D. Gullickson, Douglas J. Hajek, Robert E. Hayes, Dixie K. Hieb, and Terry N. Prendergast. Corporate/ Commercial: Bankruptcy/Restructuring Keith A. Gauer and Robert E. Hayes. Labor & Employment – Jean H. Bender. Litigation: General Commercial – Eric C. Schulte and Mitchell A. Peterson. Real Estate – Jonathan P. Brown, P. Daniel Donohue and Robert E. Hayes.

Midco received a 2019 Internet Service Provider Award by BroadbandNow. The award recognizes national, regional and local providers delivering outstanding products and services.

Midco was recognized in the mid-sized provider category for Top Business Internet Speeds Nationwide, Top 10 Fastest Business Fiber Service Nationwide and #1 Fastest Business Internet in South Dakota.

CorTrust Bank has been named the top bank in South Dakota by Forbes Magazine.

Forbes partnered with the market research firm Statista and surveyed more than 25,000 people in the U.S. about their banking relationships for the second annual look at Best-In-State Banks. Banks were rated based on customer recommendations and satisfaction, as well as five key areas including trust, terms and conditions, branch services, digital services and financial advice.

The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation Board elected two new members: Addie Graham-Kramer, The Event Company, and Anthony Pizer, Thrivent Financial. They will each serve a three-year term.

The South Dakota Advertising Federation Board of Directors elected officers and new members. Officers are President Cale Feller, Avera Health; Vice President Mike Knudson, HenkinSchultz Creative Services; Secretary Terra Zahn, Sanford Profile; and Past President Sawyer Vanden Heuvel, South Dakota Synod ELCA. Newly elected members are Tim Hoss, Lawrence & Schiller; Brooke Fitts, Sanford Health; Jenna Jares, Click Rain; and Luke Tatge, Epicosity. Returning board members include Molly Kreutzfeldt, HenkinSchultz Creative Services; Bryon Middleton, Media One; Erin Murtha, Fresh Produce; and Chance Roth, Midco.

Insight Marketing Design added two new partners to the agency’s management team.

Jill Smith, VP of Digital Services, and Roger Nolan, VP of Account Services, have assumed partial ownership of the Sioux Falls advertising agency. Smith joined Insight Marketing Design in 2008 as a web developer and designer. She leads the agency’s front-end and back-end digital projects. Nolan joined the agency in 2016; he works directly with clients, as well as managing the account service and media teams.

Doug Moss and Candy Van Dam founded Insight Marketing Design in 2003. Earlier this year, Van Dam sold her shares of the marketing firm to Moss, Smith and Nolan. She will continue working at the agency as VP of Strategy.

Moss will continue in his role as President and Executive Creative Director.

Be Seen

1

1-4 TSP, Inc. hosted the July Membership

2

3

Mixer at their offices on North West Avenue.

Tim Jensen welcomed attendees, who enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and networking with other Chamber members.

4 chambernews.com | Chamber News 15

FACES & PLACES

Be Seen

5

6

7

5-8 The August Membership Mixer was hosted by

the Sioux Empire Fair Association at the NordstromJohnson Building on the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds. The mixer took place on the eve of opening day of the fair – which celebrated its 80th anniversary this year.

8 16 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

9

9-10 Chamber members learned about fraud prevention tactics for small businesses at a

recent Business Sense Workshop, led by Sadie Bell and Elizabeth Duffy, First Bank & Trust.

10

WIN DINNER ON US! Enjoy a meal on us! Take our Chamber News reader survey and be entered to win one of two $50 gift cards to the Chamber member restaurant of your choice.

We want to know what you want to see in Chamber News! Complete the survey to tell us what you like, don’t like or want to see more of in Chamber News. It will take only a few minutes of your time to complete and you’ll be entered for a chance to win.

This survey conducted by the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.

All information will be confidential.

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK HERE: surveymonkey.com/r/ChamberNews19 chambernews.com | Chamber News 17

FACES & PLACES

Be Seen

11 12 13 14 15 18 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

16

17

Tr 3.5

Co

Achieving great things for our community

18 11-18 The Chamber’s Young Professionals Network hosted

the fifth biennial Crossroads Summit on Aug. 15 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Approximately 400 people took advantage of the opportunity to network and learn. Attendees heard keynote presentations from author Alton Carter and entrepreneur Jesse Itzler and attended breakout sessions led by local industry experts. The event also featured a presentation of the inaugural 4 Under 40 Awards.

When one person comes along with the courage and vision to turn dreams into reality, the future looks bigger and brighter for everyone.

Jen Dykstra 605-575-8778 jennifer.a.dykstra@wellsfargo.com NMLSR ID 400259 Information is accurate as of date of printing and is subject to change without notice.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2019 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801. AS4918681 Expires 05/2020 chambernews.com | Chamber News 19

FACES & PLACES

Be Seen

19

20

21 19-23 The 36th Annual Ag Appreciation Day took place

Aug. 7 in conjunction with the Sioux Empire Fair. Hundreds of volunteers worked together to serve a complimentary meal to local farmers. The Agri-Business Division of the Chamber organizes the event.Awards.

22 20 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

23

Do you have enough to retire on?

Enough information, that is?

16

SIOUX FALLS OFFICE

224 N Phillips Ave, Ste 200 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 HURON OFFICE

280 Dakota Ave South Huron, SD 57350 TOLL-FREE

877.352.9490 • cornerstonefinancialsolutions.com

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Cornerstone Financial Solutions Inc. is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

chambernews.com | Chamber News 21

FACES & PLACES

Be Seen

25

24

24-25 A ChamberHood event focused on activity and development downtown was held at R Wine Bar in July.

DETAILS MATTER

In banking, as in life, we think the small stuff matters. That’s why we dress the part, strive to do the right thing, dot the i’s and cross the t’s, and address little concerns that affect the big picture. It all matters.

SNBSD.com

22 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

Member FDIC

26

27 26-27 U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson

shared his perspective on activities happening in our nation’s capital during the Inside Washington event on July 30. Angela Lammers, Cetera Services, moderated the discussion.

Prior to the luncheon, Rep. Johnson met with a small group of YPN members for a Sit Down with the Representative discussion. 28 YPN members gathered for coffee and networking at Morning Buzz, held at the City Center building.

28 chambernews.com | Chamber News 23

FACES & PLACES

Be Seen

29 29 Chris Hintz shared lessons learned in his career as

founder and president of Pinnacle Productions, Inc. during a recent A Seat at the Table event. 30-31 Chamber members gathered for coffee and conversation at the downtown offices of Architecture Incorporated during July’s Morning Mingle.

30

31 24 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

COMMUNITY APPEALS SIOUX FALLS AREA 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.

For more information on the Community Appeals Committee, call Mike Lynch at (605) 373-2008.

THE GLORY HOUSE OF SIOUX FALLS NOV. 1, 2019-MARCH 31, 2020 $1.35 MILLION

To provide affordable, long-term housing for up to 72 offenders with immediate access to substance abuse, mental health, employment and case management services.

ACTIVE GENERATIONS APRIL 1-JULY 31, 2020 $1.45 MILLION

To purchase land and build a second facility on the east side of Sioux Falls to accommodate its expanding programs and membership.

BUSINESS MOVES FAST. SO DO WE. ORGANIZATION. CAPITALIZATION. MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS. FINANCING TRANSACTIONS.

Whether for-profit or non-profit, we have 250 combined years of experience to give you the right advice to make informed decisions quickly and efficiently. Let’s talk. n n n n n n n n

BRAD C. GROSSENBURG DANIEL J. HARMELINK J. VINCENT JONES CRAIG J. KROGSTAD DAVID C. KROON CHRISTOPHER J. LENT ELIZABETH A. LEWIS JUSTIN G. SMITH

n n n n n n n n

CAREY A. MILLER RYAN W. SNELL GREGORY S. STARNES JAMES D. ARNETT JAMES M. WIEDERRICH AMANDA J. BAHENA HEATHER R. SPRINGER MATTHEW P. BOCK

 

Simplify the Complicated SM



300 S. Phillips Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (605) 336-3890 WoodsFuller.com

chambernews.com | Chamber News 25

Automatic Impact Creating opportunity and efficiency through automation

26 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

COVER STORY

Electronic Systems Inc. employees at work in the facility in north Sioux Falls.

BY ROB SWENSON

For the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

Using advanced machinery helps keep Electronic Systems Inc. (ESI) vital in a globally competitive industry.

“If we didn’t have automation, we’d be out of business. We couldn’t compete,” said ESI President Gary Larson. “We’re continuing to automate wherever we can.”

Sioux Falls-based ESI makes electronic products, such as custom electronic circuit boards used in the industrial, medical, agriculture and energy markets. The company’s name might not seem familiar because its products are made primarily for other businesses.

In addition to keeping the company competitive, automation has helped ESI GARY LARSON Electronic Systems Inc. position itself for additional growth. But automation has limits, so the company also has been adding to its workforce, Larson said. And for the last four years, sales have been increasing.

The 39-year-old manufacturer has 265 employees, and they run and maintain an array of machines that have helped the company to increase output.

For ESI and many other companies – and not just businesses in the manufacturing industry – automation and related technologies are creating opportunities as well as efficiencies.

Automation and computer technology have been driving changes in business for decades, but the pace is accelerating locally as well as globally, according to business experts and observers.

The next five years are likely to bring a lot more mechanized changes to the business world, said Travis Thiex, an automation engineer in Sioux Falls with South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions (SDMTS), an organization that helps manufacturers prosper and grow.

“The shortage in the labor market and advances in technology are coming together and really promoting automation.

It’s a lot easier than ever before,” Thiex said. “You can get a robot up in hours now. It used to take weeks.”

In manufacturing, robotic equipment can be used to do a single, repetitive task or more advanced machines can be programmed to perform a complex series of tasks. Most of the companies that Thiex helps use machines for jobs that would be boring, repetitious or dangerous for humans.

A lot of businesses use automated processes to help sort and calculate office-related information, or even to respond to customer inquiries. But some remain reluctant to cross into the automation threshold, Thiex said. “I don’t quite understand.

There’s a mental blank there. People fear what they don’t know.”

chambernews.com | Chamber News 27

COVER STORY

Financial concern appears to be a significant factor blocking increased adoption. Acquiring and implementing automated equipment can be expensive. Equipment can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is among the organizations looking for ways to assist businesses on that front.

“One of challenges that some businesses have in adopting that trend and moving toward automation, particularly in manufacturing, can be the upfront costs,” said Mike Gray, director of business retention and expansion with the Development Foundation. “That can be a tough transition for companies to make in the short term— to take on the debt to bring on the new equipment. So we’re working to see how we can help companies adopt this strategy, realizing technology can lead to higher-paying jobs.”

“A lot of them say, ‘yep, the new technology is starting to emerge in an area that we’re beginning to look into.’ But they need some guidance,” Gray said. He points to SDMTS as the expert of choice for helping local businesses implement automation.

The tight labor market in the Sioux Falls area is a factor prompting more companies to consider automation. But many of the same companies also are looking to bring on more skilled, higher-paid workers to run and maintain machines.

It is not just those businesses producing a product that can benefit from automation. Those producing a service, or looking to increase efficiency in internal operations, can leverage technology to their advantage.

MIKE GRAY

Sioux Falls Development Foundation

Representatives of the Chamber, the Development Foundation and Forward Sioux Falls talk to executives about challenges confronting their companies on various fronts. The technology frontier regularly comes up in those conversations.

In addition to manufacturing, warehousing and logistic businesses are among the companies in Sioux Falls that are making productive use of automation and technology.

Technology can help track truck routes and plan the efficient shipment of products, for example.

AUTOMATION IN ACTION Weisser Distributing is based in Tea and also has busy warehouses in Sioux Falls and Las Vegas. The company uses automation and related technology to help distribute hundreds

Travis Thiex helps local manufacturers implement automation through his role with South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions.

28 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

An employee checks stock at Weisser Distributing. The Weisser Distributing warehouse in Tea, SD.

of brand-name products for other companies. It also uses advanced equipment to market thousands of products that it has manufactured in factories in Asia.

“What we really consider ourselves is a retailer. We’re an online retailer,” said CEO and owner Eric Weisser.

Weisser Distributing has about 150 employees but only five trucks, which are used for local distribution. The merchandise it sells is shipped around the world, mostly by the U.S. Postal Service.

The company sells everything from auto supplies to games for children. It is the No. 1 seller of potato sacks on Amazon, for example. (If a family or an organization needs potato sacks for a race at a picnic or some other event, they need to get the sacks somewhere, Weisser points out.)

Weisser Distributing uses automation primarily to assist with data, including customer outreach, he said.

The company gets approximately 600 customer inquiries a day via email, and a lot of the questions tend to be the same, day in and day out. So the company uses an automated response system, which can prepopulate a suggested response in an email for an employee to send. The employee reviews the suggested response before sending it.

The response system helps guarantee that customers get a quick and accurate response to routine questions. It also has reduced the average response time from about five or six minutes to 20 or 30 seconds, Weisser said. Before, if an employee chambernews.com | Chamber News 29

Employees manage responses to customer inquiries at Weisser Distributing.

providing the answer was rushed, the consumer might get an incomplete or inaccurate answer.

“With software automation you know you’re going to be cutting down on mistakes,” Weisser said.

Another way Weisser Distributing uses automated processes is to help price thousands of products that it sells online.

Sales parameters are set in advance. As a result, the price of a product might vary during the course of a day, depending on how high or low competing products are marked.

“We just always want to make sure we’re price competitive because on the internet, price is king,” Weisser said.

Automation also has made significant inroads in the healthcare industry in Sioux Falls, and not just in the large, regional systems operated by Avera Health and Sanford Health. Both of those systems are based in Sioux Falls, and each employs thousands of people locally.

Small clinics with a variety of focused specialties also are using automation and advanced technology in procedural and office operations. Family Dentistry of Sioux Falls, for example, uses advanced machines to make digital images of the inside of patients’ mouths and to make crowns at its clinic along South Minnesota Avenue.

“We’ve recently gotten into laser dentistry, as well, which is pretty amazing,” said Justin Bolen, the business manager at Family Dentistry of Sioux Falls. Varying wavelengths of light can be directed to a tooth to numb the area for dental work or to clean out decay or plaque.

30 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

Technology also has helped automate, consolidate and improve office processes at the clinic. Patients may reach the front office personnel with a question by calling, texting, emailing or sending a computer message from Facebook. Staff members also are connected electronically so that they can communicate with each other or with the entire staff during the workday.

The dental office tries to position itself on the front edge of technology, Bolen said.

“We put ourselves in that position so that we can always keep up with what’s going on out there and with what’s going on in people’s lives,” he said. “We try to create the best product we possibly can for people, and usually that involves investing in the newer technology.”

JUSTIN BOLEN Family Dentistry of Sioux Falls

OTHER AUTOMATION INROADS The accounting field is among other local industry sectors that have entered the world of automation and is expanding its use.

“The area that excites us is what we would call robotic process automation. In short, it’s RPA. We’re seeing a lot of opportunities in this RPA space to really help automate business processes,” said Ross Manson, chief practice officer of strategy and industries for Eide Bailly LLP. The company is based in Fargo and has a significant presence in Sioux Falls and other cities.

COVER STORY

RPA is an emerging form of technology that uses artificial intelligence, a phrase often used to describe machines capable of mimicking human behavior.

Eide Bailly has an innovation team that is exploring RPA possibilities. The company is looking at RPA software coding to assist the company internally and potentially externally with finance and accounting work, such as in expense reimbursement.

“The opportunity really exists anywhere there is a manual process of keying in information and providing a benefit to taking that structured data and continuing to move it through your business process,” Manson said.

“It’s a great tool to help automate certain processes that are very manual and take up a lot of time for your staff,” he said. “It frees them up to do higher level, more productive aspects of the business.”

In June, the World Economic Forum issued a report that identified the top 10 emerging technologies of 2019, as identified by a panel of global experts. Several of the technologies are machine-oriented and could substantially alter the way business is conducted everywhere.

Collaborative telepresence, for example, might soon allow participants in virtual gatherings to feel the touch of other meeting participants, as well as see and hear them. Meanwhile, robots increasingly are expected to go beyond their precise and practical uses in fields such as manufacturing and medicine and venture into a more social roles, such as engaging with people and trying to elicit social responses.

Dreaming up possible uses for technology will always run ahead of practical applications, however. In most businesses, applications typically have to be tested and proven before they are adopted.

ROSS MANSON Eide Bailly LLP

One significant challenge in this growing area is to write a clear, rules-based script so that a bot can make a yes or no decision because there is not much room for inference of meaning, Manson said.

And despite the potential that machines have to help companies prosper, people will remain important because machines can’t really think.

Larson said that despite advances in machines, focusing on customer service has been the real key to Electronic Systems’ success, and it will continue to be important as the company grows in the future. Providing good service requires good employees, he said.

Like businesses in the Sioux Falls area, companies across the United States and around the world increasingly are experienc“Machines don’t develop relationships,” he said. ing the effects of automation. The ripple effect of changes can “People do.” be felt quicker than in the past because, in some cases, geographic boundaries don’t divide and limit commerce as much as they once did.

Kari Bolen, DDS examines images at Family Dentistry of Sioux Falls.

chambernews.com | Chamber News 31

BUSINESS ADVOCACY

Research and learning outside of session have an impact Greetings from the public policy corner of your Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce!

Over the next few months, the Chamber, through the work of our Issues Management Council, will be gearing up for the 2020 Legislative Session. In the meantime, our public policy team remains engaged in the advocacy arena by attending the legislative interim study meetings and inviting our legislators and local elected officials to attend familiarization tours, called Development Connections, with our members.

DEBRA OWEN

Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

South Dakota is still a place where we can talk with each other rather than speaking at each other.

Partnering with the Development Foundation, the Chamber is involved in coordinating tours for elected officials of facilities such as Bell Incorporated and Glanbia. Both companies are located within the greater Sioux Falls area. Bell Inc. is the largest independent folding carton company in North America. If you’ve ever purchased a McDonalds Happy Meal, odds are that Bell manufactured the carton that meal came in. Likewise, Glanbia is one of the world’s top performing nutrition companies. If you’ve ever bought a protein drink or any performance nutritional product, odds are that those key proteins within the product were milled at Glanbia.

As they toured each facility, our legislative and local elected officials heard the policy concerns and needs of these highly successful employers. Two key concerns voiced by Bell and Glanbia were the need to provide legal immigrants driver’s license exams in Spanish and the need to legalize the growing and manufacturing of industrial hemp, respectively. These conversations were fundamental for legislators to hear. These issues, and others found in our Legislative Platform, arise directly from the business community and form the foundation of the Chamber’s advocacy efforts in Pierre.

Similarly, our legislators are working diligently in Pierre to better understand specific policy-related topics in their interim studies. Interim studies provide an opportunity for legislators to delve into topics and hear from experts both from academia and within a related industry. One such topic is legalizing industrial hemp. At least 30 states in the country permit licensed growers to produce industrial hemp, including North Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado and Wyoming. The interim study committee is hearing from state regulators in states that have legalized the plant, along with the agri-business community and manufacturers. We expect at least one bill on this topic to emerge from this committee during the upcoming session.

Other areas of legislative study this summer include: the delivery of health care in nursing homes, telehealth and telemedicine, community support caregiver groups, electric services in an annexed area, special education, mental illness and controlled substances. If we include all the standing summer committees, such as the Executive Board and the Government Operations and Audit Committee, there are 19 legislative committees meeting over the interim this year. These committees require a great deal of time and travel for those legislators who serve. We thank them for their diligence and effort to ensure proposed legislation is thoughtfully prepared and well-researched.

In closing, thank you for the privilege of advocating on your behalf in the policy arena of government, whether federal, state or local. Through the leadership of our Issues Management Council and our Board of Directors, our city is thriving. We are a community working together to solve problems and grow our economy. This makes our state fundamentally different from others as South Dakota is still a place where we can talk with each other rather than speaking at each other.

32 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

HEADLINES

Chamber members enjoy networking during the opening reception of the Annual Meeting in 2018.

Chamber Annual Meeting to be held Oct. 22 The Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its 113th Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. The event is the largest gathering of the year of local business leaders and is an opportunity to network and form new connections, while celebrating the good work that has been accomplished in our businesses and community.

The Chamber’s Annual Meeting launches the one-year term of the incoming chair, Bobbi Thury, founder and attorney of Legacy Law Firm, P.C. Thury will take over the Chamber’s top volunteer position Oct. 1, following 2018-19 Chair of the Board Tim Sturdevant, Sturdevant’s Auto Parts. Also at the meeting, the Chamber will share priorities for the coming year and acknowledge the contributions of retiring directors.

The event will culminate with a keynote address from Sekou Andrews, the Poetic Voice. A schoolteacher turned actor, recording artist, two-time national poetry slam champion and entrepreneur, Sekou Andrews helps the world’s largest organizations deliver relevant information through his innovative and inspiring style of presentation. Attendees can expect a dynamic presentation full of actionable insights to help them embrace disruption as a means to innovation and growth.

The 113th Annual Meeting is sponsored by ISG, Sanford Health and Wells Fargo Bank. Corey Weide, The Venrick Goeman Group at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, is serving as chair of the Annual Meeting and Jay Rasmussen, Journey Group Companies, is leading the ticket sales team.

34 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

WORK TOGETHER Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce 113th Annual Meeting Tuesday, October 22, 2019 Sioux Falls Convention Center "This is our night to come together as a Sioux Falls business community,” said Weide. “We’ll celebrate the successes of our community, highlight the work of our chamber and share the positive vision for the year ahead."

The celebration kicks off with a networking reception at 4:30 p.m.

The dinner and program starts at 6:30 p.m. The evening concludes with a post-reception at 9 p.m.

Invitations will be mailed to Chamber members after Labor Day and tickets will be distributed beginning in September. The cost is $85 per person or a table of ten for $850. Tickets and table reservations will be available beginning Sept. 4. Members who order a full table will also have the option to purchase bottles of wine in advance, which will be ready on the table at the event.

Sekou Andrews to keynote Annual Meeting The Chamber is proud to bring Sekou Andrews, the Poetic Voice, as a featured speaker of the 113th Annual Meeting.

For over 15 years Sekou Andrews has been helping the world’s largest organizations deliver relevant information with riveting inspiration through an innovative, unconventional category of speaking called “Poetic Voice.”

Forbes Magazine has called Sekou “the de facto poet laureate of corporate America.” His “wow-factor” is in high demand with the world’s most successful organizations, including Google, Viacom, Toyota, Nike, Cisco, LinkedIn, Global Green, Paypal, ASAE, The Gap, General Mills, TEDx, YPO, Capital One, L’Oreal, Autodesk, ACLU, Intuit and the NBA to name but a few. Sekou has also emerged as an inspiring voice for health and wellness, routinely evoking tears, cheers and standing ovations at events for clients such as Johnson & Johnson, United Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Blue Shield, TEDMED, Roche, Genentech, and the American Nurses Association.

Sekou’s talks on disruption are in such demand because they literally embody disruption on stage, charging audiences to disrupt themselves to access their individual innovation. His keynotes on dynamic communication and storytelling show leaders how to deliver dense data through beautifully human presentations. Sekou’s speeches are rich with actionable insight that help attendees connect more deeply with their communities, become more influential leaders and unlock greater possibilities.

A schoolteacher turned actor, recording artist, two-time national poetry slam champion, entrepreneur and award-winning poetic voice, Sekou is a multi-talented entertainer with over two decades of experience rocking diverse audiences. His work has been featured on ABC World News, MSNBC, HBO, Good Morning America, Showtime, MTV and BET. He has given private performances for

Photo courtesy Sekou Andrews

such prominent individuals as Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Quincy Jones, Larry King, Hillary Clinton, Coretta Scott King and family and President Obama. He has also shared the stage with such heavyweights as Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Carlos Santana, Kendrick Lamar, Maroon 5, Jill Scott and the Pasadena Pops Orchestra. As a recording artist, his last album, “Poetic License,” made him the mostawarded artist in the nation’s largest independent music organization.

With all the innovation and inspiration that is poetic voice, Sekou Andrews is accomplishing the seemingly impossible – bringing spoken word to the world’s largest stages, while redefining the notion of what a speaker is… and what a poet can be.

chambernews.com | Chamber News 35

HEADLINES

Research underway for new Sioux Falls visual identity An initiative to develop a new visual brand identity that can represent the entire city of Sioux Falls is underway. The City of Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, Sioux Falls Development Foundation and Forward Sioux Falls are partnering in the project. The goal is to create a unified visual experience for businesses, visitors and residents and further assist in communicating with external markets.

Sioux Falls has partnered with North Star Place Branding & Marketing to execute the project. North Star specializes in community branding; they have worked with more than 250 communities in 44 states.

“Uniting our community with a new brand identity will expand our efforts to promote Sioux Falls as the best city for residents, visitors and businesses,” said Mayor Paul TenHaken. “This collaborative approach will help identify what truly sets us apart from other communities to better tell our story with a new visual identity.”Community input is an important first step in the development process. A website has been created at siouxfallsbrand.com to provide information on the process and for residents to learn more and become involved with the initiative.

There are two key opportunities for citizens to become involved.

A community survey will be released this fall, asking residents to provide information about the area and help contribute in the shaping of the identity.

COMMUNITY IDENTITY WORKSHOP Wednesday, Sept. 11 5:30 p.m.

Downtown Library siouxfallsbrand.com In addition, residents are encouraged to attend an interactive Community Identity Workshop being held on Wednesday, Sept.

11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Downtown Library with representatives from North Star. This interactive discussion will allow citizens to provide thoughts to help shape the definition of Sioux Falls’ identity through a variety of exploration stations.

Using the research and community inputs gathered, North Star will develop a strategic statement that conveys what makes the community unique and differentiates it from other areas. After the creation of the visual identities for the four key partners, the project will develop a brand identity guide and other creative tools for implementation. Eventually, the visual will be available for adaptation by other agencies who have an interest in establishing Sioux Falls as a great place to live, work and visit.

For more information, visit siouxfallsbrand.com.

Get your 2019-20 Mixer Pass!

Chamber members have long recognized the value of attending Membership Mixers.

An average of 250 people attend the Mixer each month and enjoy the opportunity to create new connections and strengthen existing relationships with other Chamber members.

Admission to a Mixer is $5 per person.

You can reduce the cost of attending the Membership Mixers by purchasing a Mixer Pass. Now through Dec. 31, you can purchase Mixer Admission Pass at a discounted price of $40 – that’s a $20 savings if you attend all 12 Membership Mixers in the next Chamber year.

36 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

Here are some of the advantages of purchasing a Mixer Pass: • You’ll always be prepared for attendance at the mixer – even if you don’t have cash in your wallet.

• If you can’t attend one of the monthly mixers, you can let a co-worker or friend use your pass for that month.

• Order your pass now and the Chamber will invoice your business so you don’t have to bother with expensing your admission cost each month.

• Order several for your business and share them with your employees who will benefit from the networking environment of a mixer. You can also use them to treat customers to complimentary admission to a mixer(s).

The Mixer Pass can be used for admittance to each monthly Mixer from October 2019-September 2020. The Pass must be presented at registration at each event.

To purchase your Mixer Pass, contact Valerie Willson at (605) 373-2010 or vwillson@siouxfalls.com. Passes can also be purchased at the door of an upcoming Mixer.

Share your message with the business community Advertise in Chamber News Chamber News is a direct business-tobusiness publication that reaches the decision-makers in Sioux Falls area businesses. It is mailed directly to more than 5,000 Chamber members and distributed free at select locations around Sioux Falls.

Promote your business in Chamber News.

Contact Steven Herman at (605) 351-1960 or chambernews@siouxfalls.com.

HEADLINES

Young professionals honored with 4 under 40 Award Four young professionals have been named as the recipients of the 4 under 40 Award from the Young Professionals Network (YPN).

The award is given in recognition of individuals under the age of 40 who are changemakers in their business, industry and community.

Fifty-seven individuals were nominated for the inaugural award, representing a wide range of industries, including healthcare, finance, construction, retail, insurance and more.

The 4 under 40 winners are: Katie Ashmore, Business Development Manager for MSH Architects; Andy Cahoy, Vice President of Commercial Operations for Farmers Business Network; Andrew Eitreim, Vice President and Principal Architect at Architecture Incorporated; and Matt Paulson, Founder & CEO of MarketBeat.

Each winner displayed a commitment to their industry, successful collaboration, leadership by example and/or a willingness to mentor and motivate others.

The winners were recognized on August 15 at the Crossroads Summit.

The winners of the 4 under 40 Award (left to right) are Katie Ashmore, MSH Architects, Andrew Eitreim, Architecture Incorporated, Matt Paulson, MarketBeat and Andy Cahoy, Farmers Business Network.

United Way kicks off annual campaign Sioux Empire United Way will kick off its 2020 Campaign on September 12 at 8 a.m. at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. This year’s fundraising campaign will support 41 local agencies, impacting the lives of one in three people across the Sioux Empire.

“With nearly 24,000 individual givers that supported last year’s campaign, the United Way’s effort is truly a communitywide effort and the kickoff event celebrates the start of that effort,” said Miles Beacom, 2020 Volunteer Campaign Chair and CEO of PREMIER Bankcard. “The next several weeks will be busy for volunteers completing corporate calls, running employee campaigns, and providing colleagues and community members the opportunity to support the United Way funded programs.”

Sioux Empire United Way funded programs help children, vulnerable adults and people in crisis: • Almost 2 million books have been delivered to children in the Sioux Empire

38 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

• 976 women and children were provided with a safe shelter when escaping a domestic violence situation.

through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

• 444 children have access to free dental care.

• 180 individuals who are cared for by a loved one have a safe place to be during the day.

• 245 individuals with disabilities are provided with social, recreational, and quality of life activities to improve their relationships with peers and our community.

• 226 students have access to professional mental health counseling sessions each month in their school.

“In 1995, at a similar kickoff event, our community committed to raising $3.4 million, ending the campaign with a successful $4 million effort,” said Beacom. “This year we’re aiming for 25 years in a row of achieving our Sioux Empire United Way’s Campaign Goal and we’re confident this event will be the start of another very successful campaign.”

Sioux Empire United Way’s Kickoff Event will highlight the local agencies that receive funds from the United Way campaign and announce this year’s campaign goal.

The event is open to the public and free to attend. Learn more by visiting seuw.org or call Sioux Empire United Way at (605) 336-2095.

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WORK TOGETHER Sioux Falls Area NETWORK Chamber of Commerce NETWORK HOMEWORK th 113 Annual Meeting

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Tuesday, October 22, 2019 Sioux Falls Convention Center

FEATURING KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Sekou Andrews

Please join us on October 22 at the 113th Annual Meeting as we network, celebrate good work and discuss groundwork for the year ahead.

4:30 p.m. – Network

6:30 p.m. – Dinner & Program 9:00 p.m. – Post-Reception

Reservations: $85 single ticket $850 table of 10 Bottles of wine can be ordered for placement on reserved tables.

Tickets available at siouxfallschamber.com

The 113th Annual Meeting is sponsored by:

HEADLINES

SEHP annual breakfast to be held Sept. 19 The Sioux Empire Housing Partnership (SEHP) will hold its annual breakfast on Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Holiday Inn City Centre.

The annual breakfast features a summary of activity and successes from the preceding year and includes recognition of individuals who have had a significant impact on affordable housing. Awards will be presented for the the Lender, Volunteer and Realtor of the Year, as well as the Friend of Affordable Housing and Business Supporting Affordable Housing Awards.

The City of Sioux Falls recently restructured its housing program to meet the needs

of our growing and diverse city. Sioux Falls Housing Manager Chellee Unruh will take part in a moderated conversation exploring the need for the changes and details of the new program.

Forward Sioux Falls contributors. In addition, SEHP pioneered E-MAP, an employerassisted down payment program that was eventually adopted by the South Dakota Housing Development Authority.

Launched in 1997 as an initiative of Forward Sioux Falls, SEHP works to preserve, improve and increase affordable housing options for low- to moderateincome families. They provide HUDcertified housing education, which includes home purchasing, renter education, credit restoration, budgeting and post-purchase programs. This menu of programs is offered free to all Chamber member businesses and

The SEHP annual breakfast begins at 7:15 a.m. and the program will conclude by 9 a.m. Tickets are $40 per person or tables of six for $225 and can be purchased by calling Kelli Zimmer at (605) 339-0942.

Additionally Jones Kramer & Haber has joined ELO CPAs & Advisors To ensure our clients always have the added advantage of expert financial advice, extensive business consultation experience and superior service, ELO and JKH have merged. Visit elocpa.com to see how the benefits of working with us really add up.

To schedule an appointment contact us at elocpa.com or call (605) 271-1302.

40 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

MEMBER VOICE

The foundation of a vibrant community Habitat for Humanity stands on the ideal that everyone deserves and longs for a secure, safe place to call home. A place that feels affordable and manageable. We were encouraged when Mayor Paul TenHaken introduced the One Sioux Falls Initiative and it included accessible housing as one of the four cornerstones. It brings us back to the day, 30 years ago, when local leaders launched a social justice study of the condition of housing in this community.

Fast forward to 2019 and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls is celebrating 30 years of working tirelessly to help individuals and families achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.

NIKI SCHILLERSTROM Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls

The value of a home cannot be overstated.

Sioux Falls Habitat has empowered 160 families to achieve their dream of home ownership and resourced 178 families to be able to stay in their homes through our Neighborhood Revitalization program. More than 500 children are healthier, getting better grades in school and believing in their future.

Imagine the economic impact of that. There are 254 homeowners, previously considered low-income, who are paying property taxes, retaining gainful employment, pursuing higher education (as is common amongst Habitat families) and managing a budget with fewer worries. They are shopping more often, because they have the expendable income. They are better equipped to pursue preventative medical care versus require emergency care. They are more involved in our community, as advocates for issues that speak to them.

The value of a home cannot be overstated. When a person feels their home is stable, they have more time and energy to devote to work, education, health, family and different ways they can contribute to our community.

Recently Habitat staff laid out a map of the first 55 houses we built or rehabilitated, starting with the very first home we completed in 1991. From one corner of town to the other, it is interesting to see how the neighborhoods flow together and how this area has grown.

Regardless of socioeconomic status, every neighborhood seems to include kids’ bicycles and swing sets, basketball hoops and dog kennels. It reminded us of how home always comes down to family.

Whether you’re a single person who likes to have their friends over, a new family welcoming their first child, or you have three kids and are making ends meet, home should be your happy place. And 1,279 people have had the opportunity to find their happy place with Habitat for Humanity! Yet, there is always more work to be done. During our 2019 home ownership program application drive, we received 10 applications for every one that was approved for the program.

One Sioux Falls has put the spotlight on accessible housing, workforce, safety and health, and engaging people. We all benefit when we embrace these cornerstones that support a growing community. Habitat for Humanity believes that by prioritizing accessible housing, we develop a thriving workforce, help care for our neighbors’ health and safety, and engage in conversation with those we agree with and learn from those we don’t necessarily agree with.

Each cornerstone is like a pillar for the foundation of Sioux Falls and our combined efforts make for a stronger, more vibrant community. We encourage you to explore new ideas and collaborations, as the opportunities are endless.

Niki Schillerstrom serves as the community relations director at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls. She’s celebrating her 10th year with the affiliate – three years as a volunteer followed by seven years on staff. She enjoys bringing different groups together in creative ways to learn about the far-reaching impact of accessible housing.

chambernews.com | Chamber News 41

BUSINESS SENSE

Leverage online reviews to boost your business In today’s digital world, consumers have access to vast amounts of information when making a purchasing decision. Websites, social media and email marketing allow consumers to conduct in-depth research before purchasing, and they are doing more of it than ever before.

One of the most influential factors prospective customers look at online is a business’s reviews on local directories like MATT ENTRINGER 44i Google, Bing, Trip Advisor, Yelp and many others. Positive word of mouth has always been important to local businesses, but online reviews now have a far-reaching impact on the customer journey, including whether consumers will even find a business when searching these websites and apps.

Recent research has shown that online reviews affect 93 percent of purchasing decisions because consumers place a high value on the experiences other customers have. These reviews do more than inform and persuade though. They also impact the search rankings on local directories as more reviews often result in higher placement.

Since they affect both consumer purchasing and search rankings, online reviews have a significant impact on a business’s bottom line.

According to a recent study by Womply Research: • Businesses that claim their listings on multiple local directories earn 58 percent more annual revenue.

• Businesses with more than the average number of reviews on those sites bring in 82 percent more annual revenue.

While businesses can’t directly control the feedback a customer will give, they can take a few simple steps to ensure they are set up to succeed in this area and earn more revenue as a result.

1) Claim and populate profiles on key local directories Local directories like Google, Bing, Yahoo and Yelp help customers find providers for the products and services they want to buy. When searching these websites and apps, consumers can find contact information, reviews and additional information about businesses. As a result, businesses that claim their directory listings and add complete information earn more revenue.

2) Have a strategy to continuously generate reviews Womply also found the total number of reviews a business has is more important than its overall rating. The more reviews a business has, the more information it can give prospective customers and the higher it tends to rank in searches.

42 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

It’s also important to constantly generate new reviews, as businesses that consistently have at least nine fresh reviews (within 90 days) earn 52 percent more revenue than average.

AUTOMATING THE PROCESS

Knowing online reviews have a real-world impact on revenue, it’s important businesses prioritize claiming their local directories and consistently generate reviews. While it can be difficult to claim, maintain and increase reviews on these directories, businesses have options to help automate this process.

Instead of claiming listings on up to 75 separate local directories, some marketing agencies have access to technology that can claim, update and maintain all these directories at once. This not only saves time, but also ensures the business’s information is consistent across all directories since it’s pulling from one central database.

Once local directories are claimed, there are also ways to streamline the review generation process. Asking individual customers for reviews can be time consuming and often one of the top reasons why local businesses don’t consistently generate reviews.

However, it’s important to know that 70 percent of customers say that they would leave a review for a business if they were asked.

And there are now effective and flexible review generation platforms available that solicit reviews via email, text message and even the business’s website on a regular basis. By automating the sending and follow-up of review requests, businesses are able to generate more reviews in less than time than ever before.

For example, our firm has a client who has been in business for 116 years that increased its online reviews by 1,800 percent in less than three months by consistently sending review generation emails to all new customers every few weeks. The company now has significantly more reviews than its competitors, helping improve its search rankings and acquire new customers.

TAKE ACTION

Online reviews are becoming more and more necessary in today’s digital age. Local businesses that realize their impact and how it affects the consumer’s journey will realize more increased revenues than those that don’t.

If your business is looking for ways to streamline the process of claiming and optimizing local directories and generating consistent online reviews, consider contacting a qualified marketing firm with expertise in these areas to help automate the process.

Matt Entringer is the Director of Brand Strategy at 44i. He works with clients of all industries to improve their traditional and digital marketing and generate more customers.

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Ribbon Cuttings

The Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce holds ribbon cutting ceremonies for members to celebrate joining the Chamber, milestone anniversaries, expansions or remodelings. Ribbon cutting ceremonies are organized free of charge for members and are held Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

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.

Ag Resource Management

3020 W. 57TH ST. armlend.com Ag Resource Management’s mission is to bring value to the retail agriculture market through structuring of short-term financial risk. L to R: Alexis Konstant, Bobbi Thury, Lisa Zens, Gerald Kruger (market leader), April Meyerink, Anna Heeney, Jay Soukup and Paul Fritz.

NEW MEMBER

DakotAbilities – Christensen House 512 E. 18TH ST. dakotabilities.org DakotAbilities is a community services provider offering assistance to adults with developmental disabilities. L to R: Luke Garry, Julie Nelson, Lauren Christensen, LaDonna Christensen, Nathan Stallinga, Robert Bohm (executive director), Lynda Billars, Jason Ball, Daschle Larsen and Heidi Loof.

NEW LOCATION

Farmers Insurance Agency Janelle Van Meveren

3220 W. 57TH ST., #102 insurancebyjanelle.com Farmers Insurance Agency specializes in personal and commercial insurance with a personalized approach. L to R: Mark Lee, Jake McKenzie, Janelle Van Meveren (owner), Lynda Billars, Dino DePerno and Amy Hanson.

NEW MEMBER

Kinesio Care Center

3717 S. GRANGE AVE. kinesiocarecenter.com Kinesio Care Center is dedicated to providing expert care to help people move, feel and live better. L to R: Steve Payne, Craig Lindes, Kyle Keiser, Scott Lawrence, Collin DeWitt (owner), April Meyerink, Nathan Stallinga and Hannah DeWitt.

NEW MEMBER chambernews.com | Chamber News 43

RIBBON CUTTINGS Sioux Falls School District 49-5

GROUNDBREAKING

sf.k12.sd.us Sioux Falls School District broke ground on their second major project for 2019 – Ben Reifel Middle School. The 11th middle school in the district, it is scheduled to open by fall of 2021. L to R: Tim Sturdevant, Carly Reiter, Nan Baker, Lynn Phelps, Valerie Cox, Lisa Moss, Lorna Her Many Horses, Lucy Reifel, Cynthia Mickelson, Kate Parker, Betty Oldenkamp, Dr. Brian Maher, Todd Thoelke and Erica Beck.

Stone Group Architects

NEW LOCATION

44 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

600 E. 7TH ST. stonegrouparchitects.com Stone Group Architects expanded to a new location on the East Bank in Downtown Sioux Falls. They renovated a historic building from 1916: the East Side Fire station. L to R: Iman Ebadi, Jerry Johnson, Chris Filsinger, Jay Soukup, Dale McKinney, Mayor Paul TenHaken, Todd Stone (president/CEO), Dan Doyle, Tammy Beintema and Dorisa Nelson.

Teriyaki Madness

NEW MEMBER

4812 S. LOUISE AVE. teriyakimadness.com Teriyaki Madness, a fast-casual Asian restaurant concept featuring a Seattle Teriyaki menu, is committed to unconditionally satisfying guests by offering delicious, made-to-order teriyaki dishes prepared with all natural, fresh ingredients. L to R: Jinal Patel, Scott Lawrence, Amy O’Connor Hoback, Kristin Hoefert-Redlinger, Chetan Patel (owner), Darshak Patel (owner), James Payer II, Bharat Patel and Archita Patel.

Twetten’s Interiors

2401 W. TREVI PL., SUITE 106 twettens.com Twetten’s Interiors is noted for its excellent taste and quality, assisting clients with personalized products for their home and office. L to R: Amy O’Connor Hoback, Brenda Thuringer, Ann Hanson, Scott Lawrence, Lynda Billars, Teresa Truog (owner), Sarah Larson (owner) and Gita Hendricks.

NEW LOCATION

The Coverage You Want.

The Commitment You Need.

Business | Home | Health | Life 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.

Call Us in Sioux Falls Phone: 605-336-4444 Toll Free: 877-789-3773

2300 W. 49th St. Sioux Falls, SD 57105 FischerRounds.com

Offices also in Mitchell, Pierre, Watertown and Rapid City chambernews.com | Chamber News 45

RIBBON CUTTINGS Tzadik Management

600 S. CLIFF AVE., SUITE 100 Tzadik Management is a multi-family property management company. L to R: Brenda Ferguson, Mike Hauck, David Johnson, Tessa Frank (regional vice-president), Tyler Thrift, Dan Doyle, Jay Soukup and Andy Cravey.

NEW MEMBER

USD Community College for Sioux Falls 4801 N. CAREER AVE. usd.edu/siouxfalls

NAME CHANGE

46 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

USD Community College for Sioux Falls celebrated their continuing partnerships in providing student-centered and communityfocused access to the state’s public university system. L to R: President Jose-Marie Griffiths, Dan Doyle, President Sheila Gestring, Dr. Carmen Simone (vice president & dean), Dr. Paul Beran, April Meyerink, Marshall Selberg and President Barry Dunn.

Visions Eye Care & Therapy Center

6201 S. MINNESOTA AVE. sdvisions.com Visions Eye Care & Therapy Center expanded and relocated their two clinics into one, new location. L to R: Dr. Jennifer Hupke, Nathan Stallinga, Gita Hendricks, Dr. Angela Gulbranson (owner & founder), Lonnie Heibult, Laurie Knutson, Rhiannon Israel and Dr. Ashley Gentrup.

NEW LOCATION

chambernews.com | Chamber News 47

MEMBERSHIP

New Members

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 Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.

An online Membership Directory can be found at siouxfallschamber.com. Want to become a member?

Call (605) 336-1620.

Abbey Group, Ltd.

Hegg Realtors-Heather Elrod

Providence Financial

Atoley Salon

Legacy Eldercare Planning, LLC

Reinvented Promo

Big Ern’s Sports Cabin

Loffler

Dairy Queen

Northwestern Mutual-Aimee Burmester

Dairy Queen

Oien Family Chiropractic

Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs

Pickleball Works

Consulting-Management & Business Development Sandra McNeely, (605) 718-7912 201 Main St., Suite 300, Rapid City, 57701 abbeygroupltd.com

Salon Liz Erickson, (605) 360-5335 317 S. Phillips Ave., 57104 atoley.com

Restaurants Ernie Smith, (605) 594-6469 653 N. Main St., Garretson, 57030 bigernssportscabin.com

Restaurants Zach Cook, (605) 271-9271 5001 Crossing Pl., 57108 fourteenfoods.com

Restaurants Zach Cook, (605) 361-5192 5420 W. 26th St., 57106 fourteenfoods.com

Restaurants Tim Fjellestad, (605) 373-9999 917 S. Cliff Ave., 57104 goodcentssubs.com

Hegg Realtors-Greta Bruggeman Real Estate Greta Bruggeman, (605) 838-8396 6225 S. Minnesota Ave., 57108 greta.hegg.com

48 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

Real Estate Heather Elrod, (605) 759-5030 6225 S. Minnesota Ave., 57108 heatherelrod.hegg.com

Long Term Care Bobbi Thury, (605) 275-5665 7404 S. Bitterroot Pl., 57108 legacyeldercareplanning.com

Copying, Duplicating Machines, Printers Mike Grove, (605) 215-7619 621 W. Russell St., 57104 loffler.com

Affiliate-Insurance Aimee Burmester, (605) 769-0185 2307 W. 57th St., Suite 200, 57108 aimeeburmester.nm.com

Chiropractors, DC Sladjana McCord, (605) 274-6436 600 W. 37th St., 57105 oienfamilychiropractic.com

Insurance Joey Larsen, (605) 467-8733 3208 E. 26th St., 57103 605insured.com

Promotional Products John Haverhals, (605) 299-2633 reinventedpromo.com

Severance Brewing Co

Brewers Mark Stavenger, (605) 321-1519 701 N. Phillips Ave., #110, 57104 severancebeer.com

The Spice & Tea Exchange of Sioux Falls Retail Tami Brown, (605) 310-8182 328 S. Phillips Ave., 57104 spiceandtea.com/spicestorepage/store/front/id/83

The Summit League

Associate Member Bryan Miller, (605) 271-8481 101 W. 69th St., Suite 201, 57108 thesummitleague.org

Valorem, LLC

Sporting Goods-Retail Rob Noonan, (605) 351-3713

Business Consultant Bobbi Thury, (605) 275-5665 7404 S. Bitterroot Pl., 57108

Prairie Rehabilitation Services

Wilcoxon Insurance Agency

Physical Therapists Lee Glasoe, (605) 334-5630 1720 S. Cliff Ave., 57105 prairierehab.com

Insurance Blake Wilcoxon, (605) 271-6600 4804 S. Minnesota Ave., Suite 103, 57108 wilcoxoninsuranceagency.com

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 Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. To learn more about Chamber membership, contact (605) 336-1620 or sfacc@siouxfalls.com. Find a complete Membership Directory online at siouxfallschamber.com.

40 YEARS

5 YEARS

Cabinet Manufacturing, Sales starmarkcabinetry.com

Laser Center artisanskinandlaser.com

StarMark Cabinetry

35 YEARS

SD Auto Dealers Association Associate Member sdautodealer.com

South Dakota Health Care Association Associate Member sdhca.org

30 YEARS

AGC of South Dakota Building Chapter Associate Member agcsdbuild.org

Honeywell, Inc.

Temperature Control Equipment honeywell.com

Horner-Barrow Orthodontics, PC Orthodontists hornerorthodontics.com

KOA of Sioux Falls

Campgrounds & Recreational Vehicle Parks koa.com/campgrounds/siouxfalls

ARTisan Skin & Laser Center Dakota Pointe Apartments, LLC Apartments heartland-pm.com

The Experience Real Estate Real Estate theexperiencerealestate.com

Heritage Bank

Banks heritagebankna.com

National Kidney Foundation Associate Member kidney.org

Property Solutions of America, LLC Real Estate-Development propertysolutionsofamerica.com

Sioux Falls Noon Sertoma Club Associate Member noonsertoma.com

W. 12th Pourhouse and Kitchen Restaurants-Bar

Qualified Presort Service, LLC

FIRST YEAR REINVESTORS

15 YEARS

Financial Planning ameripriseadvisors.com/team/ dagel-jakober-associates

Associate Member

Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids

Mailing Service qualifiedpresort.com

Janice Nicolay

10 YEARS

Realtors for Kids

Associate Member realtorsforkidssiouxempire.com

Xigent Solutions IT Consulting xigentsolutions.com

Ameriprise Financial ServicesDagel, Jakober & Associates

Hearing Aids siouxfallshearing.com

Beyond-Eric Stoll Credit Card Processing getbeyond.com

Cufflinks, Inc.

Discovery Realty Group Real Estate - Residential discoveryrealtygroup.com

Graystone Heights Apartments Apartments graystoneheights.com

Guaranteed Rate, Inc Mortgages rate.com

I-29 Brick, Tile & Stone Co. Brick & Tile Sales i29brick.com

Luca

Retail lucas.boutique

Reliabank-Humboldt Branch Associate Member reliabank.com

Reliabank-Tea Branch Associate Member reliabank.com

Short Staffed, Inc. Employment Agencies shortstaffed.com

Sprenger Midwest, Inc. Lumber-Wholesale sprengermidwest.com

The Blarney Stone Sioux Falls Restaurants blarneyirishpub.com

Turks & Caicos Cabana Grille, a Division of Vanguard Hospitality, Inc. Restaurants cabanagrille.net

Village Cooperative of Sioux Falls Senior Living villagecooperative.com

Wholesale Jewelry cufflinks.com

chambernews.com | Chamber News 49

FIVE QUESTIONS

Five questions is a monthly feature on a Chamber volunteer, Chamber member or staff member.

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Five questions with Corey Weide Corey Weide CRPC is Senior Portfolio Manager, Associate Vice President and Financial Advisor with The Venrick Goeman Group at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. A Sioux Falls native, he graduated from Lincoln High School and Mount Marty College. Corey has been a Chamber Ambassador for nine years, including a turn as chair of that committee. Currently, he is also serving as Event Chair for the Chamber’s 113th Annual Meeting. Corey and his wife Erica have two soccer-loving children, Ella and Liam.

Why do you choose to volunteer your time for the Chamber?

The Chamber is a member-led organization for the benefit of everyone. Our Chamber brings the business community together with city and state government, school board and non-profits to make this a better place for all of us to work and live. Plus, the Chamber Annual Meeting is a phenomenal event to attend. The “Who’s Who” of Sioux Falls is there to celebrate our past year’s accomplishments and to look forward to how we are going to tackle the challenges ahead.

Describe your perfect day in Sioux Falls.

COREY WEIDE

The Venrick Goeman Group at Morgan Stanley Weath Management

Sit on the front porch with a fresh cup of coffee and just enjoy the sunrise.

Play a round of golf for the rest of the morning. Watch our kids play soccer in the afternoon. Get dressed up and go out downtown for dinner. Sit on one of the many great patios, pair a nice bottle of Napa Cab with a filet and take our time enjoying the wine, the dinner and conversation.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

I originally trained as a Registered Nurse and worked in pediatrics and cardiology.

Working in these areas was giving me the experience needed to go to graduate school for anesthesia. Investments were always an interest of mine and I found myself helping the nurses and doctors that I worked with on their investments.

I realized people really liked the advice that I was giving them, so I made the career change.

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

I am a music lover and there are so many bands that I wish I would have been able to see live. Beatles, Queen, Grateful Dead, The Doors, Nirvana (to name a few) – they had so many epic concerts that really brought people together.

Describe a challenge facing our community today. Any ideas on how to tackle it?

Without a doubt, every business owner that we work with talks about the worker shortage. I frequently hear if there were more people to do the work, we could do more business. This challenge is ultimately a good thing if we can attract people to Sioux Falls while retaining our recent graduates from high schools, trade schools and universities. The growth and opportunities in Sioux Falls have never been more attractive than they are today. I’m sure many have heard the financial website SmartAsset ranked Sioux Falls as the #1 city for young professionals to live. I believe the Chamber’s many years of collaborative efforts have played a great part in making this happen. Leadership Sioux Falls and The Young Professionals Network are two examples of the Chamber’s commitment to cultivating and encouraging young adults’ involvement in the city.

50 Chamber News | SEPTEMBER 2019

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