Category: 2024

Moving Sioux Falls Forward: JDS Industries grows world-leading business from mom-and-pop shop

Posted on by leahb

From a single trophy shop to the world’s largest wholesale supplier in the awards and personalization industry, JDS Industries proves what’s possible for what once was a Sioux Falls startup.

From its headquarters in northeast Sioux Falls, JDS now counts 13 warehouses nationwide and ships worldwide.

JDS Industries Building

“JDS is a model business and employer,” said Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. “This is a company that established a niche, grew within it and cultivated an outstanding culture along the way.”

Here’s a closer look at the business, courtesy of president and CEO Scott Sletten.

Darwin, Scott, and Nathan Sletten

Darwin, Scott and Nathan Sletten

Year founded: Sletten’s parents, Darwin and Jane, began in business in 1972 as JD’s House of Trophies. JDS Industries was formed in 1990 as a separate corporation.

Total employees in the Sioux Falls area: There are 190 employees in Sioux Falls and 350 nationwide.

CEO/lead executive in Sioux Falls: Scott Sletten, president and CEO.

How would you describe your organization to someone not familiar with it?

We are a wholesale supplier of awards, recognition, personalization and signage products. We mostly supply the blank products that people then personalize through some form of printing or engraving process.

What are the top three reasons you continue to locate in the Sioux Falls area?

Quality of our employees is a key reason we continue to do so much here in Sioux Falls. Our focus on the customer is always top of mind, and we are able to find a good amount of people here who fit in with that focus and mindset. Quality of life in Sioux Falls is also a big factor, both in our ability to operate our business and for our employees to have a stable life so that they can devote a good amount of effort and focus to work. Sioux Falls also had a lower cost of doing business than many of the other places that we have operations, which is an advantage to us as well.

What are you most proud of within your business in the past year?

I am most proud of our resilience after several tougher years with COVID and the supply chain problems. We have been able to navigate the situation well, as well as find some new opportunities that have made us much stronger and more successful today than before the pandemic.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing your business?

Continuing to find opportunities for growth that fit within the range of things that we do well and our customers have a need for. We have a lot of interaction with our customers, as well as suppliers around the world, and are always looking for what is new and what is next. We add around 1,000 new products to our line per year, which is much more than any other competitor in our core markets.

How would you describe the culture of your business in three words?

Always customer-focused.

In everything we do, we always want to keep our customer in mind — how are changes going to impact them and hopefully make things better or easier for them. We want to be the easiest supplier to do business with so we become the default supplier to our customers for much of what they need.

Why does your business choose to invest in Forward Sioux Falls and what specific advantages or value have you found in partnering with FSF?

We choose to invest in Forward Sioux Falls because the quality of life in Sioux Falls and quality of the workforce play a role in how successful we can be. Probably the most important role we look to them for is workforce development — both in bringing people to Sioux Falls and then developing them once they are here.

What are your expectations for your business in the year ahead?

Given the weaker economy expected in 2024, we are expecting slower but steady growth. With many things like supply chain more normalized now, it is allowing us to focus more on strategy and execution instead of feeling like we are playing defense and “whack a mole” like the last several years.

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.

South Dakota a top state for inbound migration

Posted on by leahb

For those looking to make a change, moving to a different place can be the perfect solution. However, the state where you choose to relocate can really make a difference.

In South Dakota, we’re proud to consistently be one of the best states in the nation for business, careers, having a family, and more.

Another accolade has proven this to be true: in its 2023 National Movers Study, United Van Lines concluded that South Dakota was the 7th most popular state for inbound migration.

“We are continuing to see the trend that Americans are moving to more affordable, lower-density areas across the country, with many heading to Southern states,” United Van Lines Vice President of Corporate Communications Eily Cummings said. “Movers are also becoming more strategic with their planning, as relocation continues to be driven by factors such as the price of housing, regional climates, urban planning and job growth.”

To learn more about the study and to see how other states compared, click the link below.

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Sioux Falls, SD: No. 4 city for inbound migration in 2023

Posted on by leahb

Rich culture, great careers, and affordable living are three of the most common criteria for those who are looking for a new place to call home.

With 2023 in the rear view mirror, we’re not surprised to learn that Sioux Falls was one of the top destinations for movers, coming in at number four on the 2023 National Movers Study, compiled by United Van Lines.

“Ultimately, Sioux Falls has a recipe for success: Take a picturesque natural setting, blend in cultural amenities galore, and fold in career opportunities and an affordable standard of living and you have a city that’s leading the charge for small-town living with big-city benefits,” the article releasing the findings says.

To learn more about Sioux Falls’ ranking and see which other cities made the list, click the link below.

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Business leaders join Development Foundation board of directors

Posted on by leahb

The Sioux Falls Development Foundation added two business executives to the organization’s board of directors. Elected through a vote of the membership, Kurt Brost and A.J. Saigh began their terms on January 1st.

Kurt Brost, Senior Director of Community Relations, Sanford Health

Kurt Brost currently serves as the Senior Director of Community Relations for Sanford Health. He has served in various capacities within the Sanford Health system since 2008 including Director of Real Estate Services, Chief of Staff, Director of Profile Store Development, and Head of Executive Affairs. Prior to his career at Sanford, he spent a decade with Gateway Computers in sales, training, corporate communications, and program management; as assistant campaign manager with the Thune for Senate race; and five years as a Broker Associate at NAI Sioux Falls.

Born and raised in Presho and Pierre, the South Dakota native graduated from Augustana University with a BA in English and obtained an MBA through the University of Sioux Falls. Brost is married with two children. His wife Krista is a teacher in the Sioux Falls School District, his daughter is attending Augustana, and his son is a student at Lincoln High School.

A.J. Saigh, Chief Financial Officer, Burwell Enterprises

A.J. Saigh is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Burwell Enterprises and the other affiliated companies under the Burwell umbrella. These companies include C&B Material Handling, LLC – 20 material handling dealerships located in Montana, South Dakota, Iowa, Louisiana, Alabama, Virginia, and West Virginia; ProForm Fabrication, LLC – a stainless steel fabrication and custom manufacturing company located in Minnesota and South Dakota; and Silvertree Hospitality, LLC – a hotel management company which manages two family-owned hotels in Wisconsin.

In addition to the above, A.J. helps manage the Burwell family external investments which include e-commerce, health care, and real estate.

Assuming pivotal roles within the Burwell executive team, A.J. encompasses key functions such as mergers and acquisitions, treasury services, debt management, tax planning, estate planning, and the oversight of relationships with external family advisors.

Tenure with the Burwell family began in 2015, following a five-year tenure at Carlson Companies. During this period, A.J. dedicated three years to the management of financial operations for the Asia Pacific region in Singapore. Subsequently, A.J. spent two years at the Carlson Companies corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, where responsibilities included financial planning and analysis, mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, and family reporting.

A.J. started his career at Deloitte & Touche in Minneapolis with a focus on audit practices. Clients were focused primarily on financial services and family offices.

Relocating to Sioux Falls from Minneapolis in July of 2022, AJ and his wife, Melissa, have three children: Linna, Jimmy and Tony. His hobbies include driving kids back and forth between dance and hockey.