Innovation Expo:
The Spirit of entrepreneurship
Receiving awards at the Innovation Expo in Sioux Falls, SD recently were Kevin Moran, left, and Tim Swenson, right. Pictured with the two award winners is Tim Weelborg, Executive Director of the Enterprise Institute. (Photo courtesy of Enterprise Institute)
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South Dakota Innovation and entrepreneurship was evident at the 2011 Innovation Expo in the Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center in Sioux Falls, SD in November. im Weelborg, Executive Director of the Enterprise Institute, believes the Innovation Expo went well. “We were happy to have over 350 attendees from the state and region attend. They included entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, investors, business leaders, and policy makers. We like the format of the one-day conference to make it easier for folks to travel and to minimize the time attendees need to take away from their businesses,” he explains. “Innovation Expo has a large impact on the business community by highlighting and celebrating entrepreneurship and those involved with the process.” The annual event showcases entrepreneurship and those involved with the process. These include entrepreneurs, researchers, inventors, investors, students, faculty, business leaders, and policy makers. It was also a day for networking, listening to different speakers, and learning more about the entrepreneurial environment through breakout sessions. Jerry Lohr, Founder and Proprietor of J. Lohr Vineyards, was the keynote speaker. Lohr, who started a career in business 57 years ago, notes that it is important to have a business experience. “All young folks need to get the best experience they can,” he states. “Don’t think you have to be the one who patents an idea. There is someone that needs to put the business together.”
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Davis receives Distinguished Service award from USD
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He also reports that there are tremendous opportunities if we just get past the issue of not taking a risk. Lohr also points out that people and businesses need to think about giving back because there will be major changes coming up in the future. He also notes that it is important to care for fellow workers. “When the economy picks up the workforce is going to continue to evolve,” he points out. Another part of the day-long events involved the recognitions of entrepreneurs and others who make a difference in entrepreneurship in the region. The Spirit of Enterprise Award went to South Dakota State University (Brookings, SD) President David Chicoine. The award is given annually by the Enterprise Institute to an individual in recognition of personal commitment, dedication, and achievement in entrepreneurship. The People’s Choice award went to Tom Juranek Construction. This award is a Best Booth contest where all attendees can cast one vote for their favorite exhibitor. Also, the Whatchamacallit contest awards were presented. This award is an invention or product/service contest that is open to registered exhibitors. Tim Swenson of Action Trackchair received first place honors and $1,000, Bill Conkling of Bow Blind Buddy was second and received $300, and Konstantin Kulikov of Get Trike was third and received $200. There were also 10 Student Idea Competition winners presented by the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce. Students from the University of South Dakota (Vermillion, SD) receiving checks were Andrew Bork and Andrew Nelson, from South Dakota State University, Graham Schuetzle, Josh Fleming, Ted Bunker, and Brad Stearns, and from the University of Sioux Falls, Kelli Bones, Kyle Tibke, Tim Krueger, and Megan Aanenson. SDPB Alan Van Ormer - alanvanormer@prairiebizmag.com
Beth Davis, president of South Dakota Rural Enterprise, is the recipient of one of the University of South Dakota’s Distinguished Service Awards, given annually by the Beacom School of Business. Davis was presented the 2011 Special Merit Award, reserved for individuals who serve the South Dakota business community by promoting the value of business to society. The award also recognizes those who help businesses succeed by providing resources and advice to companies interested in starting or growing in South Dakota. According to Michael Keller, dean of the Beacom School of Business, Davis has committed ten years of her life to promoting business growth in rural South Dakota. Through persistent, creative and determined effort, Davis has marshaled financial and human resources to assist rural enterprises succeed from start up to expansion. “Beth Davis exemplifies this award,” Keller said. “The greatest asset Davis has provided is her evangelistic belief in the merits of doing business in the small communities of South Dakota. No one works harder for the cause of rural enterprises than Beth Davis.” South Dakota Rural Enterprise has a mission to stimulate financial and human investment in South Dakota communities that are invested in themselves. By collaborating with a wide range of economic and community development organizations across the state, SD Rural Enterprise works to create positive growth of South Dakota's economy and a sustainable quality of life for South Dakota's rural communities. The 64th annual Beacom School of Business Award Luncheon was held this year on October 22 at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. In addition to Davis, awards were presented to Gary DeVries, managing director of Lamont Enterprises LP of Aberdeen, who received the Distinguished Service Alumnus Award, and Brian Gramm, founder and CEO of Peppermint Clean Energy, Sioux Falls, who was named South Dakota Business Person of the Year. SDPB
Upgraded rail line provides better price for products South Dakota’s upgrade of state-owned rail lines is bringing improved and new economic opportunities to farmers and communities between Mitchell and Chamberlain. t’s a good piece of infrastructure that will pay dividends for generations,” Dustin (Dusty) Johnson, Chief of Staff for South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard says. “Not only is the upgrade putting new equipment and new buildings in some of the communities, producers along the rail line will get a better price for their products now, which potentially puts millions of dollars into the South Dakota economy. That’s a big deal. Governor Daugaard wants to see more of that kind of enterprise.” Chair of the South Dakota Railroad State Railroad Board Todd Yeaton says crews are in the process of removing the existing 65pound rail line and installing 115-pound to 136-pound rail in its place. “The 65-pound rail is just too light for the 286,000-pound rail cars used today,” Yeaton says. “Since 1999 we haven’t had steady service on the line because it was in poor condition, basically worn out. Kimball is one of the communities that had either no rail service or unreliable rail service. Due to this upgrade, about $50 million in construction is underway to build two train loading facilities within six miles of each other.” Transporting goods by rail rather than by semi-trailer means the equivalent of four semi-loads can be hauled in a railroad car. As a result, the life of public highways is extended and farmers transport goods at a lower cost. “We’re projecting that farmers will protect between 15- and 20cents per bushel by using rail rather than semi-trailers,” Bruce Lindholm, Program Manager for the State of South Dakota Office of Railroads, says. “It wouldn’t be surprising to see between 60 and 70 million bushel of grain coming off that line in the next few years. That means a lot of additional funds that remain in those communities.” Lindholm pointed out that the entire state benefits from the project because dollars from fees such as excise and use taxes will bring new revenue to the state’s General Fund. “We’re already seeing new elevators in some of those communities,” Lindholm adds. “That potentially spurs more economic development, which in turn generates more revenue for the General Fund. Even though the construction projects related to the upgrade are temporary, several communities have enjoyed an economic boost through the summer because of the construction crews filling hotel rooms, buying food and gas throughout the summer.”
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Workmen are replacing railroad ties and rail along the rail line for the Railroad Rehabilitation Project between Mitchell, SD, and Chamberlain, SD. (Photo courtesy of Kristi Sandal, SDDOT Public Information Officer)
The upgrade, consisting of 61.6 miles, is costing approximately $600,000 per mile. The line, known as the MRC, is currently operated by Dakota Southern Railroad under a state lease. An inspection confirmed that approximately 3,500 ties-per-mile are under the rails. About 1,600 ties-per-mile will be replaced, totaling 106,000 ties. The $28 million in funds for the project come from a Federal Tiger II grant for $16 million and $12 million from Dakota Southern Railway Company, the Mitchell to Rapid City Regional Railroad Authority, and the South Dakota Railroad Board. BNSF will provide shuttle service to the new grain elevators being built along the route. Dakota Southern will provide shorter grain trains. Application for a Tiger III Grant to complete similar work on the rail line stretching from Chamberlain to Rapid City was submitted the end of October 2011. Governor Daugaard has pledged a $4 million match to help fund the additional restoration. The requested gran amount is between $18 million and $24 million. “Throughout South Dakota’s history, infrastructure has been a prime driver of economic development,” Johnson says. “This rail line upgrade will have enormous economic impact on the state.” SDPB Loretta Sorensen, Owner, Prairie Hearth Publishing, LLC. sorensenlms@gmail.com.
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South Dakota
Pharmacy automation technology to enhance quality of care, improve efficiency
The pharmacy at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD is now using bar-code scanning technology to automatically package and dispense medications for patients. his technology is uniquely designed to help reduce the potential for medication errors and ensure more efficient care delivery, starting in the pharmacy and reaching to the patient’s bedside. Sanford joins an elite group of healthcare organizations that are using bar-code scanning solutions to improve patient safety and health outcomes. “We’re adding an essential level of safety and efficiency to our medication dispensing process,” says Mike Duncan, pharmacy director, Sanford USD Medical Center. “Every medication is scanned for accuracy before it leaves the pharmacy to help ensure that the right medication is dispensed for the right patient.” The pharmacy installed a packaging system from McKesson to automate the packaging of oral solid medications into bar-coded, unit-dose forms. The medications are then loaded into robotics-driven dispensing and inventory management systems, also from McKesson, where they are automatically picked and scanned for accuracy before leaving the pharmacy. McKesson is a healthcare services and information technology company and is a leader in central pharmacy automation for hospitals. The pharmacy is using the robotic medication dispensing system to automatically dispense, restock and store approximately 80 percent of its medications. Unit-doses are automatically selected, scanned, placed into patient-specific envelopes and delivered to the appropriate nursing units. Two automated carousel storage and retrieval systems are used to dispense additional patient medications and manage inventory stocked in its automated dispensing cabinets in the patient care areas. With the bar-code scanning capabilities that these solutions provide, pharmacy technicians can quickly
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dispense the medications needed while reducing the potential for errors. The result is increased accuracy and more efficient workflow. “Bar-code-based automation technology is vital to minimizing the potential for error and improving patient safety at the point of care,” says Kay Santema, vice president, Sanford USD Medical Center. “Because our processes are automated, our pharmacists will have more time for clinical work, which has a positive impact on our quality of care. Our new technologies are helping us lay the foundation we need to support our bar-code medication administration and computerized provider order management initiatives.” Sanford Health is an integrated health system headquartered in Fargo, ND and Sioux Falls, SD and consists of two long-standing organizations that merged in 2009. Sanford is now the largest, rural, not-for-profit health care system in the nation with locations in 112 communities in seven states. In addition, Sanford Health is in the process of developing international clinics in Ireland, Ghana, Israel and Mexico. Sanford Health includes 34 hospitals, 116 clinic locations and more than 900 physicians in 70 specialty areas of medicine. With more than 20,000 employees, Sanford Health is the largest employer in North and South Dakota. The system is experiencing dynamic growth and development in conjunction with Denny Sanford’s $400 million gift in 2007, the largest gift ever to a health care organization in America. This gift is making possible the implementation of the several initiatives including global children’s clinics, multiple research centers and finding a cure for type-1 diabetes. For more information, visit sanfordhealth.org. McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 15th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to making the business of healthcare run better. We partner with payers, hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. McKesson helps its customers improve their financial, operational, and clinical performance with solutions that include pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management, healthcare information technology, and business and clinical services. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com. SDPB