Looking for somewhere with big city amenities and a small town feel? From sprawling bike trails to shopping, dining, arts, and culture, Sioux Falls is one of the best places to live, work, raise a family, and so much more. But don’t just take our word for it! Sioux Falls has been named by Fortune as one of the top 50 cities for families.
To see where Sioux Falls landed on the list, click the ‘read more’ button below.
After living for two years in Manhattan and one year about 45 minutes north, Torrel Moseley was ready to trade the New York City area for something entirely different.
“I was looking at doing the digital nomad life for the next year or so and heard good things about getting residency in South Dakota, so I checked it out,” said Moseley, a Colorado native who has spent the past several years working as a software engineer.
A “digital nomad” is a remote worker who chooses to travel from place to place and work from different locations along the way. One day, you might find the person in a coffee shop; the next, a different state in a co-working space.
“I had been looking at places where digital nomads were operating,” Moseley explained. “I learned that in South Dakota, even if you stay one night, if you establish a mailing address here and have the intent of staying, you can get residency just after staying one night. It’s unique, and it’s not complicated.”
Intrigued by the idea, he started looking further into South Dakota, and YouTube videos led him to take a closer look at Sioux Falls.
“It seemed like a nice place to be, so I thought I’ll spend a few days here for a week and get residency and maybe come back at some point as I do the digital nomad thing,” Moseley said.
That was in early June. And, instead of moving on to the next town and plugging in somewhere new, Moseley decided he liked Sioux Falls more than he expected.
“I thought, ‘It’s nice enough here, why don’t I give this a go?’” he said.
“It’s great. Being from Colorado, often people are very impressed by mountains, and I love Colorado, but (Sioux Falls) brings up a certain feel that is present in some of the towns and cities on the front range of Colorado. That as a backdrop I love — the Big Sioux River running through and nice trails. Those are the things I look at.”
He’s now living blocks from downtown in a temporary lease at least until the end of the summer.
“I really appreciate the trail system and the parks and being in a place where you’ve got the amenities of the city and you don’t have the traffic or stress of a big metro area,” Moseley said.
“I feel like the downtown offers most of what you could want or need. It’s very walkable, and it’s also very friendly and accessible, with a trail running straight through to Falls Park. Those two things colliding — good infrastructure and nature — that’s what I like about the city.”
He mostly has been job-hunting with some freelance work and is interviewing with multiple companies that would allow him to continue working remotely.
He discovered Startup Sioux Falls downtown while searching for coffee shops “so I walked around and struck up a conversation with someone on the back patio and took advantage of a day pass to go work there when I had a presentation to work on for a company and just hit it off chatting with people there.”
As Moseley further connects with Sioux Falls, he’ll continue to have those kinds of experiences, predicts Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“We see this all the time — people discover something about Sioux Falls that draws them here, and then they quickly begin building community,” she said.
“While we are an outstanding place for remote workers thanks to our favorable tax structure and cost of living, someone like Torrel with a software engineering background is going to find so many ways to use those skills in Sioux Falls if he chooses. We have such a variety of exciting, growing companies that will want to connect with him, and we’re here to help facilitate those connections.”
For now, Moseley is thrilled to discover that “within a 10-minute drive of my apartment, there are eight or 10 coffee shops,” he said. “I can hang out and work, and they’ve got good-quality coffee, and it’s a friendly place to be with a laptop for a few hours, not to mention the downtown library is a fine place to go too.”
Sioux Falls’ friendliness in general has stood out, he added.
“The thing I really appreciate about Sioux Falls is that you go out and the people you run into on a day-to-day basis are just nice, polite, they smile, they say hi on the sidewalk, and for me, that counts a lot,” he said.
“The politeness and friendliness of folks in the area is beyond compare. If you want to come here and have this as your home base and live the digital nomad life, it’s very amenable here. I came at the right time because it seemed like a great place in general, so why worry about being a nomad anywhere else?”
To learn more about building your career in Sioux Falls, reach out to deniseg@siouxfalls.com.
In 2023, several Sioux Falls community leaders identified an opportunity to maximize the use of riverfront land on the southeastern edge of Downtown Sioux Falls. With its proximity to the river, the bike trail, the Whittier neighborhood, and a growing and prospering downtown, this property was identified as having much greater potential for vibrancy and long term impact for the Sioux Falls region.
This next chapter — the Riverline District — is an opportunity for Sioux Falls to dream big. Our community has done just that, and Forward Sioux Falls has been a part of the ideation and visionary process, and has also provided financial support for conducting a Highest and Best Use Analysis and Economic Impact Study for the Riverline District.
This report was released in early 2024 in tandem with the February announcement of a visionary plan for the community from the Friends of the Riverline District and the City of Sioux Falls. This 2050 vision includes the development of a modern and appropriately sized convention center and repurposing the existing Sioux Falls Convention Center into a flexible public indoor recreation and event space, which will help fill the community’s stated demand for this type of indoor facility.
On July 9, 2024, the City of Sioux Falls released the “Convention Center Review and Market Analysis” for the Riverline District during the City Council Informational. Several representatives from Johnson Consulting, based out of Chicago, IL, compiled the study and presented it to the City Council. This is part of a comprehensive and phased approach to analyzing the feasibility of developing a new convention center at the Riverline District at Tenth Street and Cliff Avenue.
The “Convention Center Review and Market Analysis” by Johnson Consulting shows that Sioux Falls would support a newer and larger convention center at the Riverline District and that it’s a feasible development at that location from a market standpoint.
“Downtown Sioux Falls is growing toward Tenth Street and Cliff Avenue, so it’s important we are strategic in the steps we take now to maximize the potential of the Riverline District,” said Mayor Paul TenHaken. “This market analysis is part of our due diligence with the Riverline District to ensure this visionary plan emphasizes the well-being of our community and economic vitality for Sioux Falls.”
“We continue to see the potential positive impacts the investment of the Riverline District will not only have on the area directly at Tenth Street and Cliff Avenue but also for businesses downtown and throughout the community,” said Lynne Keller Forbes, co-chair of Friends of the Riverline District. “We are taking a multi-faceted approach to this project to continue the momentum of this bold vision for our community.”
To read more about the Market Analysis, click here.
An agribusiness with global reach has grown steadily since moving its corporate headquarters to Sioux Falls more than a decade ago – and is far from done expanding in the community.
Worthington Tractor Parts Inc. most recently added a 24,000-square-foot building to its growing campus in the Sioux Falls Development Foundation’s Park VII in northwest Sioux Falls.
The expansion at 5400 N. Annika Ave. supports its U.S. distributorship for Capello of Italy, which is a leading provider of globally innovative header solutions for ag equipment, primarily chopping corn heads since 1965.
“Capello dominates its category in Europe, and we were introduced to it throughout parts deals in Ukraine and around the world,” said Mike Winter, president of Worthington Tractor Parts. “It’s a good fit for many customers because it’s not brand-specific, and we’ve been steadily making farmers aware of the quality of the product as their U.S. distributor.”
The Capello USA training and distribution facility offers extensive warehousing, a full product showroom and final assembly shop. The new location also will host dealer training to provide hands-on education for service technicians. Open to the public, the showroom is available to customers to view Diamant, Quasar and Spartan lines and visit with the Capello USA team.
“We’ll bring in dealers from all over the Midwest at this location,” Winter said. “And we have a training facility to train service techs on the Capello product as they provide support to customers.”
Worthington Tractor Parts dates back to 2012 in Sioux Falls, when it opened the first building and moved its corporate headquarters from Maple Grove, Minnesota.
“It’s an excellent community to live in and operate a business. I don’t regret the decision one bit,” Winter said. “When we moved, it was in conjunction with building the headquarters for our Capello distributorship as well as Parts Express, which is a wholesale distributor of aftermarket new parts for ag equipment.”
Essentially, Worthington Ag Parts, Parts Express and the Capello distributorship combine to offer customers everything from used parts to new corn heads and new or rebuilt aftermarket parts.
The legacy Worthington Ag Parts business will mark its 60th anniversary this year and is an independent distributor of non-OEM, aftermarket new, and used replacement agriculture parts. It has six locations nationwide in addition to three in Australia. The business sells directly to farmers and has seen a strong increase through e-commerce, Winter said.
“We don’t operate a location in Sioux Falls because we can’t have salvage equipment on the lot, so Worthington, Minnesota, is the closest location, and then Sioux Falls is our corporate headquarters and warehouse facility for Parts Express and Capello parts, where about 50 people support our multiple business entities here,” he said.
“We’re always looking for good people, and it’s not necessary to have an ag background. We have sales positions open for Capello and Parts Express as well as warehouse roles and administrative purchasing positions.”
Parts Express is based out of Sioux Falls and serves about 4,000 dealers nationwide, in addition to four warehouses in Australia and a warehouse in Germany that serves multiple countries, including Ukraine, where “it has seen a drop because of the war, but they’re still farming,” Winter said.
In the past 12 years, Parts Express and Worthington Ag Parts have brought guests to Sioux Falls from Argentina, Ukraine, Australia, Italy, Russia, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Israel, India, Germany, Denmark and Kazakhstan.
“Their first impression is that everyone loves the city of Sioux Falls,” Winter said.
Dean Dziedzic, vice president of economic development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, has worked with Worthington Tractor Parts since its original expansion more than a decade ago.
“They were a catalyst for development in Park VII, starting out with one 6-acre site and then buying additional land for expansion,” he said. “They offer an excellent variety of positions and treat employees well with very competitive wages and benefits. They’ve just been a great tenant for this development park, and we’re excited to see them positioned for continued growth in Sioux Falls.”
Going forward in the short term, “it’s going to be a good harvest for us,” Winter said. “Crops are in the ground, there’s been good rain, and we expect the second half of the year will be stronger than the first in our sector. I’m optimistic in how we go forward.”
Ultimately, expect to see Worthington Tractor Parts and its associated businesses expand even further into on-site assembly, he said.
“I predict we’ll build again to the north in about five years,” Winter said.
Forward Sioux Falls is a joint venture between the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation and is widely respected as the premier economic driver for the Sioux Falls region. To learn more and connect, click here.
Despite serving as a 911 dispatcher, Megan Matthews’ own family was living in what she considered one of the most dangerous communities in Arizona.
Then she moved to Sioux Falls three years ago.
“We were looking for something more family-friendly, and South Dakota is beautiful, good laws, good communities, and we picked South Dakota,” she said.
Then she decided to pursue a career on the other end of the emergency calls.
“It’s the biggest police department in the state, so you would expect it to feel like a big department, but it doesn’t,” she said. “Everybody is super-friendly, everybody is super-helpful, everybody knows each other.”
From her first training, Matthews has felt the community’s support too. She’s one of the first members of the new Career Cadets program, a partnership of Southeast Technical College, the city of Sioux Falls and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation/Forward Sioux Falls.
“It’s really a collaboration, a partnership and a true testament to what a community needs to do in order to look at a problem and come up with solutions,” said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
The immersive Sioux Falls Police Department Career Cadets program blends a part-time job in the department with relevant education at Southeast Tech and mentorship.
“You just learn so much,” Matthews said.
Now, she’s ready to graduate. To learn more about the program and her path forward, click below.
Record building activity like Sioux Falls has enjoyed in recent years is supported by homegrown materials businesses such as Sprenger Midwest Wholesale Lumber.
Led by a team with decades of experience, the business has been supporting the wholesale distribution of lumber, plywood and other forest products to regional retail lumber dealers and industrial accounts for 45 years.
“Sprenger Midwest Wholesale Lumber is a Sioux Falls success story that has grown along with the development of our community and beyond,” said Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“Access to quality building materials is key for supporting our area construction industry, and Sprenger Midwest does a wonderful job servicing not just the needs of Sioux Falls and South Dakota but many of our neighboring states. We’re grateful our community serves as their home base.”
Business name: Sprenger Midwest Inc., Wholesale Lumber Sales.
Year founded/operations began in Sioux Falls: 1979.
Total employees in the Sioux Falls area: Approximately 40.
Here’s a closer look at the business, courtesy of president Steve Sprenger.
How would you describe your organization to someone not familiar with it?
We source lumber, plywood and other building materials from quality mills in the U.S. and Canada. We sell to retail lumber dealers and industrial accounts in the seven-state region: South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.
Sprenger’s location in Lincoln, Nebraska
We have warehouse facilities in Sioux Falls; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Moorhead, Minnesota. Our organizational chart starts with a management team consisting of our sales manager, purchasing manager, controller, credit manager and branch managers from each of our locations.
What are the top three reasons you continue to locate in the Sioux Falls area?
What are you most proud of within your business in the past year?
From our Lincoln, Nebraska, yard we were given the 2023 Supplier of the Year Award from the Nebraska Lumber Dealers Association. I accepted the award at their annual convention held in Omaha.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing your business?
The changing climate of new lumber dealer and industrial account customers. For instance, in the past two years, there are five or six new truss plants and wall panel fabrication plants in the Sioux Falls area. Several longtime lumber retailers have changed ownership with national chains.
How would you describe the culture of your business in three words?
Honest, dependable, hardworking.
Why does your business choose to invest in Forward Sioux Falls?
The goals and values of Forward Sioux Falls are to promote economic growth. These values help our business to grow and provide jobs for our employees and those we do business with.
What specific advantages or values have you found to partnering with Forward Sioux Falls and its programs?
Our partnership has been mainly financial support. We are aware of programs for increasing housing, which directly affects our business, and workforce recruitment and training.
What are your expectations for your business in the year ahead?
We are experiencing a more difficult business climate with higher interest rates and economic uncertainty. Lumber demand nationally is down, resulting in lower prices. From the high demand during the pandemic, we are now at pre-pandemic prices. This means we need to sell two or three times as much board footage for the same amount of sales. Our expectation is that the second half of the year will be better than the first half. Overall sales will be up marginally in 2024 — maybe 10 or 15 percent over 2023.
To learn more about Sprenger Midwest Wholesale Lumber, click here.
Forward Sioux Falls is a joint venture between the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation and is widely respected as the premier economic driver for the Sioux Falls region. To learn more and connect, click here.
Independence Day, 2021, took on added significance for the Clark family as they arrived in Sioux Falls from Oregon and made the city their new home.
“Much like every other person during COVID, we were just ready for a big shakeup in our life,” Aleah Clark said.
Fifth grade was cut short in the classroom for Tyler and Aleah Clark’s daughter, Peyton, as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
By sixth grade, the only option for the Oregon family was attending their local school online. As seventh grade approached, the option was going to be a hybrid model with in-person class part of the week.
Photo by Jason Davis
For an only child, finding a place where Peyton could return to a normal school life “was important to us,” Aleah said. “It was pretty isolating. So we were happy to get her to Sioux Falls, and we got her all signed up for school.”
Whittier Middle School “provided a great experience” for her daughter as has Washington High School, she said.
“My daughter is super-active and has really thrived since we moved here. She really got into trying new things and started doing show choir, which she loves.”
Peyton also has continued her love for cheerleading and now has a summer job at a coffee shop.
“It’s absolutely a night-and-day difference for her,” Tyler said. “She just took off immediately and is the kind of girl who makes friends super-fast, so she’s involved in all kinds of activities and got her driver’s license at 14 and now gets to brag about that back in Oregon.”
Back in Oregon, where they both grew up, their family and friends understand the move, Tyler said.
“They understand how difficult it is to conduct business or do business in Oregon,” he said. “Everything is limiting out there — regulations, politics, the way all the agencies are set up is crazy.”
For instance, he’s a licensed contractor who still manages some properties the couple owns in their native state. When he goes through testing in Oregon, “it’s all about consumer protection, and there’s nothing about building code,” he said.
“I got licensed by the city of Sioux Falls, and that was the first time I’d ever been tested on or required to understand building codes.”
They’re both licensed real estate agents who have worked in residential, commercial and multifamily markets. But when it came to decide where to move themselves, “we were kind of dart-on-a-map people,” Aleah said. “I wanted to have an area where we could have all four seasons, and I wanted to feel like part of a community but still be in a more rural area.”
The state of South Dakota’s wage calculator website figured into their design.
“I used it pretty heavily to compare Oregon and South Dakota, and South Dakota with other states, and it really helped with all the tax benefits being a family here,” she said. “The biggest thing is not having state income tax. In Oregon, we don’t have sales tax, but we have state income tax, and it’s pretty significant. And the housing there is really tight, with way more bidding wars and rising prices.”
In the Sioux Falls area, they were able to find an acreage in Renner that still made them part of the Sioux Falls School District. Earlier this year, when it was time to renew her real estate license, Aleah opted to move it to South Dakota, “and it was really easy to do that here,” she said.
Now, as part of the Amy Stockberger Real Estate team, she’s helping others buy and sell homes throughout the Sioux Falls area.
“It’s been a lot of fun, and I even now have a client trying to relocate from Oregon,” she said. “I wish I would have found Amy’s office when we were looking for a house. They have so many services for people and team collaboration, and I have been fully welcomed into it. If you’re new here and need a roofer or plumber, we make those connections. We even help you find a date-night spot. It’s all about getting connected to your community.”
The Clark family’s experience is a perfect example of what others will find in Sioux Falls, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“I love how they were seeking a better experience for their daughter, and that extended to the whole family,” she said.
“Teens like Peyton find so many ways to get involved in our community, from early work experience to extracurriculars of all kinds. And the business-first approach that Tyler and Aleah have experienced is exactly what we pride ourselves on in Sioux Falls. I have no doubt they both will find success in their industries here.”
Since becoming South Dakotans, Aleah has embraced an annual pheasant hunt — “it’s my favorite thing to do every year,” she said. And they both “really enjoy being out here,” Tyler said. “I’m really looking into trying to get involved in some agriculture-related out here, which would be a totally different change of pace.”
They’ve also adopted another dog since the move and now have three.
“I love all the things for dog moms — the Splash Bark and all the things,” she said.
“And we really love all the local breweries and love downtown so much. Early after our move, I got a job at Severance Brewing, and that was a lot of fun, so I still pick up shifts here and there because it’s a great place to meet people. We love the 605 Made Night Market, the farmers markets, and I could go on and on.”
Within six months, she knew “I couldn’t imagine moving away,” she said. “That’s why I want to help other people, whether they’re deciding to move for a life change like we did or their career. I want to help people know all about Sioux Falls as quickly as possible.”
To learn more about building your career in Sioux Falls, reach out to deniseg@siouxfalls.com.
From its relatively low-profile location in Sioux Falls, Design Tanks aims to be the nationwide leader in fiberglass tank manufacturing.
“Our mission through modern design, engineering and manufacturing processes is to create the highest-quality fiberglass tanks in the industry while bringing outstanding value to our customers,” president and CEO Bret Vanden Bosch said.
Located at 612 W. Blackhawk St., Design Tanks manufactures custom-engineered FRP — fiberglass-reinforced plastic — tanks that store corrosive liquids. The company’s products support a range of industries, including ag, food and beverage, energy, industrial chemical, water, wastewater and air pollution control.
“This is advanced manufacturing at its best,” said Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“Design Tanks has a nearly 70-year history, and in that time, they have evolved and enhanced their business to become an industry leader. These are excellent careers, and we’re eager to do what we can to support this company’s growth.”
Here’s a closer look at the business, courtesy of Vanden Bosch.
Business name: Design Tanks.
Year founded: 1956.
Year operations began in Sioux Falls: 1956.
Total employees in the Sioux Falls area: 80.
CEO/lead executive in Sioux Falls: Bret Vanden Bosch.
What are the top three reasons you continue to locate in the Sioux Falls area?
We take great pride in being a Sioux Falls-based company, and I think our reasons come down to our dedicated employees really representing the best of the “Midwest work ethic”: working until the job gets done, staying humble through success and remaining community-focused. We’re all from here; it’s a great state and city to do business in, and we want to make sure we give back to our communities through our success as a company.
What are you most proud of within your business in the past year?
Design Tanks had a record-breaking year in 2023, making more tanks of all sizes than we ever have before. And we’re on track to do it again in 2024. Our team continues to perform at such a high level that we’re able to produce quality products with both exceptional efficiency and employee safety standards.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing your business?
With Design Tanks’ rapid growth and plant expansions, we’re always looking to add new employees to the team. New members are critical for us to continue advancing and keeping up with new demand, so it can be tough if there’s an employee shortage. We’re actually hiring right now for a few entry-level roles.
How would you describe the culture of your business in three words?
We are family. Design Tanks prioritizes a family culture when bringing in new hires and looking out for veteran employees to make sure everyone succeeds both on and off the job. We look after our own.
Why does your business choose to invest in Forward Sioux Falls?
Forward Sioux Falls is diligently working to help bring in new employees to help counteract any shortage we have, and bringing in new employees means bringing in new community members, which inherently enriches the Sioux Falls community and economy. We want Sioux Falls to not only continue being a great community for our employees to live in, but to expand it for future generations to come.
What specific advantages or values have you found to partnering with Forward Sioux Falls and its programs?
Partnering with Forward Sioux Falls can align us with a strategic vision for economic development and community growth, providing access to resources, networks and opportunities that can drive success and sustainability. By providing high-quality jobs that require talented, upstanding people, Forward Sioux Falls will help us fill those roles, and inherently the community, with people who fit the bill.
What are your expectations for your business in the year ahead?
Continue to focus on what we do best: customer service, best-in-business delivery times and high-quality products. If we keep this course, there’s no telling what we can achieve.
To learn more about Design Tanks, click below.
Forward Sioux Falls is a joint venture between the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation and is widely respected as the premier economic driver for the Sioux Falls region. To learn more and connect, click here.
Raising a family can be one of the most rewarding life experiences, but where you decide to locate your family can play a big part. From cost of living to quality of life, there are many factors to consider.
WalletHub is helping take the guesswork out of this decision, and has just released their 2024 rankings of best places to raise a family. Sioux Falls, SD, ranks in the top 20!
“With families in mind, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities based on 45 key metrics that consider essential family dynamics, such as the cost of housing, the quality of local school and health-care systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation,” the article releasing the findings says. “While not perfect — given personal preferences and the limitations of publicly available data — our findings will hopefully give movers a better sense of their options.”
Discover why Sioux Falls made the top 20 by clicking the button below.
The amount of “tax burden” upon citizens can vary from state to state. If you’re looking for a state with a low tax burden, we have some great news for you: South Dakota is among the states with the lowest tax burden in the United States, according to data compiled by WalletHub and visualized by VisualCapitalist.
“It’s important to understand that under this methodology, the tax burden measures the percent of an average person’s income that is paid towards state and local taxes,” the article releasing the findings says. “It considers property taxes, income taxes, and sales & excise tax.”
To see how other states compared and to learn more about the methodology, click the button below.
As an essential service, healthcare is an important facet of our society. Medical professionals work tirelessly to provide care and expertise. Given the importance of their work and cost of their education, when deciding where to practice, doctors consider factors such as annual wage, cost of insurance, and more.
WalletHub has done the research, and South Dakota has recently been ranked the second best state for doctors!
“Living in one of the best states for doctors can make a big difference for your medical career,” says Cassandra Happe, Wallethub Analyst. “In addition to making more money, you will also be able to work in higher-quality hospital environments, be less likely to burn out, and pay less for malpractice insurance. For everyone else, living in one of the best states for doctors can lead to quality healthcare.”
To see how South Dakota compared with other states, click the button below.
Several local divisions of Muth Electric now are under one roof in Sioux Falls, thanks to a brand-new office and warehouse building at Foundation Park.
The business has started operating out of a 24,500-square-foot building that sits on 7 acres, directly east of the Amazon fulfillment center.
“We’ve made a tremendous effort to create a world-class environment for our employees,” president and chief operating officer David Muth said. “We set out to find a way to improve the employee experience and provide outstanding training and better serve our customers. I think we’ve hit a home run with all three in this building.”
The building houses multiple divisions for Muth Electric. The electrical contractor takes on a broad range of large commercial and industrial work, including hospitals, water and wastewater treatment facilities, wind energy, correctional facilities, airport runway lighting, roadway lighting, hotels, industrial plants, military facilities, schools, medical clinics, office buildings and major retail stores. The company has a fleet of service vans to cover electrical needs for customers.
Additionally, Muth Technology specializes in structured network and fiber optic cabling for industrial, commercial, wind farm, small-business and residential customers, along with designing and installing distributed antenna systems, SCADA infrastructure platforms, wireless networks, and security and audiovisual systems.
Muth Power Solutions, the company’s automated control division, as well as employees supporting a medium voltage group that works throughout the Upper Midwest, also work out of the new building.
Family-owned Muth Electric is based in Mitchell and was founded in 1970. The team has grown to 530 employees in 12 locations across South Dakota and Nebraska.
Employees companywide will begin coming to Sioux Falls for training starting this summer, using the first-class classroom and training lab that was built at the office.
“We have a full-time trainer who will be leading our classes and trainings, not just for our Sioux Falls electricians and technicians, but throughout the company we’ll bring people to Sioux Falls for training sessions and orientations throughout the year,” CEO Paul Muth said.
“It’s similar to what works very well in tech schools, with both classroom space and a lab for hands-on work.”
Muth Electric partners closely with tech schools to support its workforce needs. It has three full-time recruiters regularly working with 16 tech schools throughout the region. The company offers 15 to 20 full-ride Build Dakota Scholarships every year, plus additional support for college students.
The Sioux Falls office is the company’s largest, with about 160 employees.
“Muth Electric has been a respected name in Sioux Falls for many years, and we were happy to welcome them to Foundation Park,” said Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“Their imprint on our growth and development is apparent in so many of the construction projects you see taking shape in Sioux Falls and the region. We are honored to have them as partners.”
The Foundation Park location has been an ideal fit, Muth Electric’s leaders said.
“We wanted an exciting location, and I think Foundation Park is the real deal,” Paul Muth said. “That location is perfect. We have a lot of customers out there, plus it’s easily accessible throughout the area and even the region.”
Along with large construction projects statewide, the company has seen significant growth in its servicing work, which also is convenient from the new location.
“The professionalism of our employees has led to a tremendous amount of service work,” Paul Muth said. “We’ll go into Amazon or a number of other businesses in Sioux Falls and do their day-to-day maintenance and service work.”
The location reflects a strong ongoing relationship between Muth Electric and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“They’ve supported us, and we’ve done our very best to support them,” David Muth said. “We think it’s a mutually beneficial relationship.”
The new office also will serve as a sort of blueprint for other Muth Electric locations across the region.
“Sioux Falls is the prototype, and Rapid City, where we are building a new office, will have the same look and feel. We’re delighted with the finished product in Sioux Falls, and we want to replicate it in other new builds,” David Muth said.
Plus, the Sioux Falls property allows Muth Electric plenty of room to expand.
“The lot is big enough to accommodate us currently, plus a lot of growth,” Paul Muth said. “It will take us years down the road, so we have really nice potential for expansion.”
Forward Sioux Falls is a joint venture between the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation and is widely respected as the premier economic driver for the Sioux Falls region. To learn more and connect, click here.
By: Mike Lynch
After nearly 11 years working in the Commerce Center building, I will be resigning from my role as program director for Forward Sioux Falls later in July. My wife Brenda and I will be moving to the Twin Cities as our daughter is planning to relocate from Atlanta and Brenda will be working in St. Paul. On a personal and professional level, it has been an honor to have worked with so many Forward Sioux Falls investors to help make this community economically stronger.
When I’ve had conversations with people from around the country asking about the intricacies of what makes Forward Sioux Falls successful, it’s not a difficult question for me to respond. I’m humbled by how leaders tirelessly come together, place their competitive differences aside and pursue objectives that benefit the entire Sioux Falls area. Collectively, we are stronger and were it not for this dynamic, the success of the program—and the community—would look much different.
325 investors support the current five-year program and there’s little doubt that the number will continue to rise. When we embarked upon the current campaign during the onset of the pandemic, there was reasonable skepticism as to what the future would hold. We wanted to be respectful of the business community before making any campaign timeline decisions. With so many uncertainties, we held conversations with dozens of investors, asking them if this was the right time to conduct a capital campaign. Unequivocally, they responded yes. There was a trust factor and profound respect for what Forward Sioux Falls continues to do to navigate the rising tide.
Though I’m very excited about the next chapter of life, leaving my position and Sioux Falls is bittersweet, for sure. I was born here and have spent much of my life here. Like so many, I’ve seen it grow from a very nice, yet relatively ordinary community well over 35 years ago, to one that is growing exponentially and catching the eye of so many throughout the country. People have realized this is a phenomenal place for those of all ages, with varying aspirations and intentions.
On many levels, I will miss living and working here and yet, I plan to return often and expect to be impressed, but not surprised of the continued evolution and expansion of this city. I appreciate so much, all who have crossed my path over the last decade; it’s been a rewarding ride!
The Sioux Falls Development Foundation will host its second annual “Your Future STEM Summer Day Camps” at Augustana University on June 26 and 27.
The Your Future STEM Summer Day Camps will welcome over 200 middle school students on campus for an immersive, project-based learning experience. Under the guidance of experienced educators and industry professionals, the students will delve into various fields, including biology, computer science, construction, engineering, healthcare, and manufacturing.
These camps, a part of the popular Your Future STEM project-based programming series specifically designed for middle school students, enhance their awareness of high-paying, high-skilled STEM-related careers that are crucial to the overall health of the Sioux Falls economy and region.
Since 2019, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, a key player in the region, has forged partnerships with 16 regional school districts to bolster STEM awareness. This initiative supports the burgeoning employment needs in healthcare, computer and management occupations, financial services, and construction sectors, all of which are experiencing double-digit growth.
Denise Guzzetta, the Vice President of Talent and Workforce for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, emphasizes the importance of STEM jobs in our economy. She states, “STEM jobs are here to stay. They play a vital role in our economy today and will continue to be important into the future due to high growth and the need to replace retiring workers.”
The INTERN Sioux Falls program is back for its second summer, offering a unique opportunity for interns in Sioux Falls. From June 4 to July 31, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation will host six events designed to immerse interns in the vibrant Sioux Falls community and showcase the exciting opportunities awaiting them.
These meticulously planned events facilitate networking among interns and their peers from various employers across the Sioux Falls community.
The program kicked off on June 4 with a “Lunch & Learn with YPN” event, which aimed to foster peer connections and provide information about diverse opportunities available to young professionals.
On June 13, in partnership with the Sioux Empire United Way, the INTERN Sioux Falls team demonstrated the community’s philanthropic spirit. Interns assembled 200 hygiene bags for the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, making a tangible difference in the lives of Sioux Falls residents.
The INTERN Sioux Falls team will host a private networking event for interns at the Birdcage on June 18, during which they can cheer on the Sioux Falls Canaries.
On July 9, interns will have the opportunity to explore downtown Sioux Falls through a scavenger hunt, leading them to various landmarks, businesses, and locations.
July 17 will feature a networking lunch at Startup Sioux Falls, where interns can learn about business resources available to entrepreneurs from the Startup Sioux Falls team. They will also have the opportunity to learn how to best utilize LinkedIn and receive a free professional headshot.
The summer program will culminate on July 23 with a grand event at the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. This event will bring together all interns and business professionals to celebrate the successful completion of the summer internships.
The INTERN Sioux Falls program is more than just a summer internship; it’s a journey of exploration, growth, and community immersion. Through a diverse range of events and experiences, interns gain valuable professional insights and forge lasting connections and memories that will stay with them long after the summer sun sets over the plains of South Dakota.
To learn more about the INTERN Sioux Falls program, click here.
