By Steve Kolbeck, Principal Manager, Xcel Energy South Dakota
What a great honor it is to be taking the helm of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation at a time of tremendous change and challenges. As the premier economic development organization in the region, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation has positioned itself to successfully meet those challenges.
Under past leadership, the Foundation has literally paved the way for business and industrial growth in the region by creating the Foundation Park mega site, recruiting thousands of new jobs and dozens of new companies, and creating a workforce recruitment model that is second to none. Past leadership has leveraged the cooperative spirit of Sioux Falls to finance these opportunities, create an aggressive marketing plan and create an environment of success in the region.
I want to thank Kurt Loudenback, Pat Costello, Todd Ernst and Tim McCarthy for their leadership over the past six years and welcome our three new Board members – Scott Wickersham, Raquel Blount and Chris Ekstrum – to the Board. I look forward to working with all of you to continue leading this community.
So what’s ahead in 2023?
- Completion of grading and infrastructure development within Foundation Park North and Park 8 West including streets, sewers, water, power, and lot development.
- Construction of the CJ Foods facility and more projects in Foundation Park.
- Expected sales of 100 more acres in Foundation Park.
- Full scale operation of Amazon & FedEx in Foundation Park South.
- Construction of Presidio Manufacturing and the National Guard Readiness facility in Park 8 East.
- Expansion of several existing companies that are currently in the planning process.
- Implementation of the Falls Area Development Corporation and redevelopment of targeted areas for workforce housing opportunities.
- Continuation and expansion of Workforce Initiatives with our State and local partners.
- Strong marketing to site selectors, brokers, and workforce partners.
- Opening of the Startup Sioux Falls Center in downtown Sioux Falls.
- Opening of the Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Center at Southeast Technical College.
- Continuous efforts to develop a strong quality of life in the region.
The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is proud to be leading these efforts and programs and we sincerely appreciate each one of you for your talents, your business, and your involvement in our community. I look forward to serving you as your Chair. Please continue to be a part of this great organization.
Have a great 2023.