Category: Community

Tom Hammann and his wife, Sunny, needed a change of scenery.

They had spent more than 20 years in the Twin Cities — “we thought it was going to be a short gig,” he said — as he grew a decades-long career at General Mills specializing in supply chain management, and she worked as a registered nurse and then volunteered for multiple community organizations before becoming a certified Pilates instructor.

They’re both military veterans, and he followed his father into a career of service.

“I was an Army kid who moved all over, including overseas, and by the time we got to Minneapolis, I was 32 and had moved 18 times,” Hammann said.

Still, they thought one more move might make sense. One of their adult children lives in the Twin Cities, while the other is in Omaha.

“We wanted to be a half day’s drive of both,” he said.

Years ago, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation began building name recognition for the city by purchasing radio advertising in the Twin Cities. The Hammanns remembered it.

“You used to hear a lot about coming to Sioux Falls, and a couple folks told us to check it out, so we came in October and really liked it,” he said. “We walked around downtown to the different restaurants and just got a good feel. So we said, ‘Let’s try something different.’”

They made the move late last year, downsizing from their home of 23 years into a downtown loft at Cherapa Place.

“We really like it,” Hammann said. “It’s a great building. We walked through and were amazed: concrete floors, tall ceilings, right downtown and very walkable even in winter. Lots of restaurants and shops, you name it.”

Not only that, his wife’s sister made the move too — and lives in the same building.

“We’re trying out a lot of restaurants, which is great,” Hammann said. “We’re looking forward to getting outside and walking and biking and doing a little travel in the area. Everybody liked it downtown, so we said, well let’s see if they have two places.”

They’ve tried curling at the Scheels IcePlex, gone to a Sioux Falls Stampede hockey game and recently made a trip to the Black Hills.

Sioux Falls also will serve as the home base for Hammann’s small business. He started WTH Solutions in 2021, offering consulting services specializing in process improvement and geared toward the food industry.

“I love getting into manufacturing environments, and it’s a challenge every day helping teams get better and solve problems,” he said. “I’ve seen more change in the last five years than the previous 20 in the food industry, which is great to see.”

He has connected with Startup Sioux Falls — just a short walk from his new home — “and I expect I’ll join and use it as office space,” he said. “I joined the chamber and reached out to Feeding South Dakota for volunteer opportunities, so I’m slowly getting into the community, which is great.”

The Hammann family’s experience is indicative of what newcomers can expect in Sioux Falls, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

“I love that they remembered hearing about Sioux Falls years ago and were intrigued enough to pay us a visit,” she said. “Once people arrive here, they quickly realize this is a special place. I can see how Tom, Sunny and their family are going to be able to continue to connect here and find this is a wonderful move no matter what your career stage.”

Hammann appreciates the convenience and flight accessibility at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport, easily connecting him with clients.

“I was pleasantly surprised there are a lot of options coming out of Sioux Falls to big cities,” he said. “I don’t think the fares are bad at all. I research traveling, and I’ve seen it’s cheaper to fly out of here than to drive to the Twin Cities or Omaha.”

To connect with his consulting business, visit here.

To learn more about making your own move to Sioux Falls, contact deniseg@siouxfalls.com.

It might have been easy for the couple from northern Virginia to fade into the background at a Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce mixer in Sioux Falls.

They didn’t know anyone. They had been in the city itself a matter of hours.

But Glenn and Robbin Christianson immediately realized that’s not how it tends to go in Sioux Falls.

“It was just the coolest thing,” Robbin said. “That first night, we were talking to Miles Beacom, and he had all the time in the world with 300 people at this mixer.”

Beacom, CEO of First Premier Bankcard and the current board chair of the Chamber, did better than that.

“He gets on stage and asks us to raise our hands so they could all convince us to move to Sioux Falls,” Robbin said. “And it’s so heartwarming. There are a lot of great Chambers out there, but they don’t do that. It felt like we were in a movie.”

The crowd followed Beacom’s call.

“They came over and introduced themselves, exchanged business cards,” Glenn said. “People want me to give them a call.”

Suddenly, the Christiansons — who knew no one in Sioux Falls and had never even been to South Dakota — started seriously considering a move.

“We had five days in Sioux Falls and did seven business events, looked at 11 houses, did a couple hikes, ate at a couple places, and across the board, everyone was enthusiastic about Sioux Falls,” Robbin said.

It all had started with a feeling like they needed a change. The Wisconsin natives had spent decades outside of Washington, D.C., as Glenn grew his practice offering bookkeeping and accounting for small businesses while selling his art on the side. Robbin worked with small businesses in a variety of capacities — writing, publishing and consulting, as well as working with trade associations and cooperatives, specializing in project management and operations.

“We said it’s time for a new adventure,” she said. “And somebody just triggered South Dakota, a friend of mine online, so I started looking at Sioux Falls-area websites and realized this is a place that’s really strategic about how they generate opportunity and help quality of life.”

She recently earned a master’s degree in human resources based around organizational development, “so I could see what was going on in Sioux Falls and how aligned it is strategically to move forward,” she said. “It was really impressive. I’m looking to restart consulting here, and there are so many diverse businesses, plus the networking has been remarkable.”

She started by filling out a simple email request form with the Chamber, and an ambassador from the business community quickly got in touch.

“People started texting me, and pretty soon you’re chatting with more people, and seamlessly it feels like people just want to help you get started,” she said. “That made it so easy. We were just charmed by the city, and everyone was amazing.”

That was in March. They returned to Virginia, put their home on the market and had a Sioux Falls address by June.

“It was just a glimmer in February, but then it started to come together,” Robbin said.

“This has parks and pools and downtown investment and outdoor activities and a huge vibrant business community but also is focused on quality of life and is doable in terms of affordability. All those metrics came together.”

Even their cat, Luna, felt a VIP experience after Robbin discovered the owner of a feline-focused pet hotel.

“We hired a service that drove our cat across the country, and the owner of the hotel came in before she even was open for the day to get her situated because we couldn’t be there for five days,” Robbin said. “She had a ball there, and that was such an essential piece.”

None of it is surprising, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

“This is what Sioux Falls does — we reach out, we welcome others, and we help them find the best ways to plug into our community,” she said. “Like the Christiansons, I also lived in northern Virginia. Many others in our business community have moved from other states, and we’ve all found common opportunities to grow here personally and professionally.”

While Glenn is continuing to work with former clients from his new home, he’s excited to connect with Startup Sioux Falls and begin assisting small businesses here.

“Everywhere I go, I don’t care if it’s the grocery store or the laundromat where I stopped because the washer wasn’t working, everyone I talked to is so enthusiastic about Sioux Falls,” he said. “By the time the conversation is over, they’re saying, ‘Welcome to Sioux Falls.’ This is a great place. People here generally really like where they live.”

Robbin is looking forward to transitioning into more consulting.

“I have a history of fundraising and doing projects and scaling things, and now I want to capitalize on that and give back,” she said. “I’m just excited to see what businesses need.”

While they’re loving the break from Washington, D.C.-area traffic, they also prefer to take a bus and looked at the city’s public transportation when considering the move.

“We are just starting to use SAM, so we don’t have much experience yet, but the way it allows you to ride-share with a small bus network is an innovative tactic,” Robbin said. “Why not leapfrog over the old ways and also call on digital systems?”

The new house also is filling up — they just adopted kittens — they’re planning some remodeling projects and getting to know their neighbors.

As they were transitioning to town and renting briefly, the person next door was moving out and offered them his grill for free.

“Suddenly, we’re doing burgers on the grill on July 4,” Glenn said. “It’s crazy. You guys are amazing. How are there not billions of people here?”

To learn more about making your own move to Sioux Falls, contact deniseg@siouxfalls.com.

With graduation from USD approaching, Jack Schuver wasn’t entirely sure what the future held – until a chance conversation led him to a first job in the golf industry.

Schuver, a Sioux Falls native and O’Gorman High School graduate, was about to earn his degree in business administration, but “like a lot of kids, I didn’t know what to do with that,” he said.

As president of his fraternity, he gained leadership skills, and during the summers, he’d discovered the landscaping industry.

“I really enjoyed it,” he said. “I liked building something from scratch and working outside and getting that instant gratification of creating something. I’ve also always had a creative mind, like my mom, so I thought I’d probably end up doing landscape design and architecture.”

He also “always had an idea I wanted to live in Sioux Falls,” he continued. “I always liked it here, but I didn’t really have an opportunity to live anywhere else until after college.”

The path took a twist when a conversation with a family friend introduced him to Landscapes Unlimited, an industry leader in golf course development, construction and renovation.

Schuver started with the company upon graduation in 2017, beginning as an assistant superintendent and working his way up — and around the country.

After beginning in Omaha, he followed the work to more winter-friendly construction destinations throughout the South – the mountains of North Carolina, Georgia — along with stints in Indianapolis and Valentine, Nebraska, and a large range of golf course projects along the way.

“Within two years, I was running my own projects,” he said. “And I found the golf course-building world was a really cool one. It also allowed me to use my creativity in seeing the vision of the architect and helping bring it to life.”

But by early 2020, challenges started to mount. The COVID-19 pandemic “shut everything down” as he was wrapping up a project in Georgia that had presented other issues, “and I was stressed and not in a super-great spot just being away from family,” Schuver said.

He returned to Sioux Falls in May 2020, with plans to head east to Iowa for his next golf course project. Then, a night out downtown became a turning point as he met Emily — the woman who would go on to become his wife.

“I told her, ‘You’ve got three days to go on a date with me, otherwise I’m leaving again,’” he said.

The friendly ultimatum worked. They went out for sushi, and he returned two weeks later to see her again.

“And the next weekend and the next, and it kind of reminded me why I loved Sioux Falls,” Schuver said. “Everything else was shut down and it seemed like mayhem, and it was still normal here as much as it could be. And I got to see my family a lot, and that was important.”

He began looking for jobs in Sioux Falls while juggling golf assignments that took him from Iowa to Omaha, where he worked on the Lost Rail Golf Club – the predecessor to the Mapleton Golf Club now being built by Landscapes on the northeast edge of Sioux Falls.

“I interviewed a few places and ended up meeting Jim Soukup and his team,” Schuver said.

He joined Soukup Construction, a regional excavation contractor, as a project manager in late 2020 and soon after moved into a superintendent role.

“I was behind a computer the first couple months not really knowing what I got myself into because I was used to being in the field, but it’s worked out great,” he said.

“When I moved into a superintendent role, I had a mentor with more than 40 years of experience, and then I was able to work on my own. I quickly realized it wasn’t too much different than the golf world – just bigger toys and more dirt.”

In the past several years, Schuver’s work has introduced him to a number of major projects helping shape the Sioux Falls skyline.

He has helped manage work for Soukup on a major expansion at Furniture Mart USA, the city’s Public Safety Training Campus, the Midco Arena at Augustana University, multiple large projects at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport such as the new parking ramp, the downtown Sixth Street bridge and improvements to the Interstate 229 and Cliff Avenue interchange.

“I knew I wanted to be home, but I didn’t realize how much Sioux Falls was changing until I got to see how much work we get done in any given day,” Schuver said.

“Being a part of Soukup Construction has allowed me to be involved in some really cool projects that are important to our community. I’ve also gotten to develop relationships with people I never thought I would, and that’s been really fun.”

He also had an especially full-circle career moment earlier this year, helping with development of Mapleton Golf Club.

“I got to work with some of my best friends I’d made traveling on the road,” he said.

“It’s been a blast from the past. It was really fun working with our team to understand the golf course construction world and give them a little insight into what my life was like before I came back home. In civil construction, we’re used to taking earth that isn’t flat and making it flat. So it was a little bit of a challenge to reverse that with everyone for a project.”

Schuver’s work also has exposed him to the incredible growth occurring in Sioux Falls.

“I wasn’t gone from Sioux Falls very long, but it’s insane driving around town,” he said. “It’s crazy to see how much it’s changed and all the development that’s happening. But it’s still the same Sioux Falls in that everyone is nice and easy to work with, especially after dealing with clients in places like Atlanta and Indianapolis. It reminds you of why you like it here.”

Outside of work, it’s also been a milestone year. He and Emily were married in September and found a house they love on the west side.

“2024 has capped off the whole circle – four years away, four years back,” he said. “I had no idea what was in store for me when I left USD, and it all worked out the direction it was supposed to.”

Looking ahead professionally, Schuver said he sees nothing but opportunity.

“There’s no shortage of work around here,” he said. “If you have an ounce of work ethic and still can’t find a job, you’re probably not in Sioux Falls.”

That’s true, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

“There are so many opportunities to build both your personal and professional life here, and we love to see stories like Jack’s where someone who has grown up here comes home and realizes all that’s possible,” she said.

“Our construction industry is booming, and Jack has chosen a wonderful place to develop his career.”

And, when he needs to indulge his love of skiing, Denver and the mountains are a direct flight away, Schuver added.

“It’s my favorite thing to do, and my brother lives out there, so I try and go when I can,” he said. “But I’ve had a lot of my friends stick around here too. Just like me, they decided to plant roots and start their family here.”

After a lifetime on the West Coast, Gina Rau estimates that there were at least 20 areas she and her husband, Justin, considered in making their next move.

“We had all the requirements listed out – from weather to friendliness, access to nature, access to bodies of water, politics, crime, at least 20 columns and probably 20 cities on our list,” she said.

“We took two years, and Sioux Falls kept rising to the top.”

In many ways, it was an unlikely destination for the family. Rau spent most of her life in Southern California, then moved with her family to Portland, Oregon, and spent two decades raising her son and daughter there. Daughter Marcelena was looking to go to college in California, and Rau’s parents needed some help, so they moved back there.

But her son, Patrick, decided to enroll in the cybersecurity program at Dakota State University in Madison, giving the family its first exposure to South Dakota.

“DSU was always top of his list,” Rau said.

“He got into many other schools, and I wasn’t sure because this was a kid who only knew life in Portland, and I thought it would be super-different.”

But the family visited, “and he said: ‘This is my place. This is where I want to be.’ He was impressed with the cyber program and liked the small school,” Rau said.

“He was comfortable in that environment, and he said, ‘These are my people.’ It’s been really good for him. He had a great internship this summer at Daktronics, and he felt like he’s been prepared well.”

Something clicked in her son in South Dakota, she added. He participated in soccer and basketball intramural teams, as well as the esports team.

“And it was like, wow, you’re living your best life in Madison, South Dakota — a kid from Portland, Oregon.”

For Rau, the entrepreneur community in Sioux Falls captured her interest.

“I was very involved with the Portland startup community and helped grow that 15 years ago, and I love working with entrepreneurs, so I found Startup Sioux Falls when I was downtown having coffee before we’d even decided to move here, and I said I need to learn more about that.”

And, in an added twist, Marcelena decided she actually didn’t want to go to college in California – and enrolled at South Dakota State University in Brookings.

“She decided to go to SDSU before we decided to move here,” Rau said. “She realized a lot of California schools are commuter schools, and she wanted the college experience. When we went to SDSU, she loved downtown Brookings, and it was the right size and had all the programs she wanted.”

She’s now studying graphic design with an interest in film studies and animation.

“And then, we realized they both would be here, and a lot of cities on our list were in the Southeast. One visit in the summer made us realize this is not our weather,” Rau said of that area of the country. “Of course, we have not been here in winter yet, but Portland does get some winter, and the people here were really nice. We like the slower pace, and it’s been fun to check out cities nearby like Omaha.”

Without kids, the couple decided they wanted to live downtown and recently moved into a new loft.

“I love that we can park our car on Friday and walk all weekend long,” Rau said.

Justin has been a stay-at-home dad who more recently is focused on investments, while she has built a career in public relations and marketing, currently remotely working for a California-based global tech company.

Rau has connected through Startup Sioux Falls as a place to work and meet new people.

“And I’ve met so many people here just by showing up,” she said. “I didn’t need office space but came here for the sense of community.”

The Rau family’s experience is a full-circle example of what newcomers find in Sioux Falls and the broader state, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

“I love hearing how their children first realized what incredible universities we have here, and that Mom and Dad now are finding the quality of life in Sioux Falls is outstanding as well,” she said.

“We can’t wait for Gina to become more involved in the startup community and to see what kinds of education and career experiences her kids are able to continue enjoying at our state universities.”

Rau also sees herself ready to put her skills and experience to work helping support other small businesses in her new home.

“I am ready,” she said. “I want to dig in and put my time and energy here.”

To learn more about growing your career in Sioux Falls – at any stage – email deniseg@siouxfalls.com.

Garrett McCarthy tried working in financial services after college in the Omaha area but quickly realized like others in his family that he might be destined for a different path.

So with a business degree in hand, the northeast Nebraska native decided to seek additional training – in law enforcement.

“I’d always thought about law enforcement growing up – my dad is in the profession, and I looked up to him growing up, and my brother is a deputy sergeant in Nebraska,” he said.

For his own career, though, McCarthy wanted to experience somewhere different, which led him to Sioux Falls.

“I liked the city,” he said. “I thought it was a good size and wanted to move somewhere. I had never even lived outside of Nebraska at that point.”

He began training with the Sioux Falls Police Department last August.

“I had actually never been here before the academy,” he said. “I had some family who had been through and said it was a nice town that was growing. It seemed like the department itself offered a lot of opportunities and trajectories for a career in law enforcement, and that really interested me. That in itself is a big advantage over a big-city or a small-town police department.”

McCarthy joins a growing number of out-of-state law enforcement professionals drawn to work in the Sioux Falls area. In 2023, the Sioux Falls Police Department hired 28 recruit officers among three hiring classes. Of those, 11 had non-South Dakota addresses when receiving their final job offer.

“We were fortunate enough to attract candidates and hire candidates from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Jersey, Connecticut and Illinois,” said Ethan Beck, a talent acquisition coordinator for the city of Sioux Falls.

“To start 2024, our 10-recruit February class will have two new hires from California and one from Washington state. Not only that, but we also just secured our first recruit for the June 2024 class who currently resides in New Hampshire.”

Sioux Falls Police stands out for its unique combination of strengths, Beck said.

“Not only do we offer streamlined pathways towards growth opportunities both specialty based and promotional based, but an incredible benefits package via the city at large and within SFPD specifically,” he said. “Plus, Sioux Falls sells itself. We are a top-ranking city for young adults, professionals, retirees and many demographics, leading to a competitive and diversified applicant pool without a lot of hand-holding.”

The community supports law enforcement in a multitude of ways, including with major investments.

Some of McCarthy’s early emergency driving training was among the first to occur at the city’s new Public Safety Campus, a state-of-the-art complex unlike any in the region.

“That was a lot of fun, definitely a new experience and very instructional,” he said. “The culture of the department, I would describe as very personable. I already feel like I know so many people and have great relationships, and there’s a good sense of camaraderie. That’s a big deal to me. You want to be able to trust the people you’re working with and get along, and it’s been great so far.”

The department “offers an incredibly low vacancy rate for as large of an agency as we are, as well as community support that is not commonly found around the country for metros either our size or larger,” Beck added. “We are incredibly appreciative and proud of those community relationships.”

As part of the department’s commitment to finding the right people to serve and protect, a dedicated talent acquisition coordinator was added to the team in late 2022, with a focus on high-level sourcing, recruitment tactics and workforce planning. Additionally, Sioux Falls Police is working with other city departments to bring forward innovative and strategic approaches to hiring and retention.

“Whether it is our advertising tactics, our modern recruitment website and interface or consistent engagement in career fairs and events, the SFPD takes proactive steps to engaging with candidates and attracting talent to the agency,” Beck said. “Our applicant numbers improved by almost 43 percent from 2022 to 2023, and we’re hoping to see even more quality growth in 2024 and beyond.”

For new hires like McCarthy, becoming part of the team has felt seamless.

“I’ve had great training officers. They’re very knowledgeable,” he said. “They’re very good at helping you learn how to answer your own questions and improve yourself, making sure you’re doing well and progressing because they want you to succeed. It feels tight-knit here. Even the officers I’m on call with know a number of people in the area – they’re talking to people they know at the gas station, for instance, so it has a bit of a small-town feel with a lot of opportunity.”

The success of Sioux Falls Police in managing workforce development is a benefit to the entire community, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

“A well-staffed, well-trained public safety department with an outstanding culture is something that sets us apart in such meaningful ways,” she said. “Like anyone in the workplace, law enforcement wants to feel supported and valued. And in return, this leads to a safer community, which allows us to continue to be the sort of place where people want to live and work in all occupations.”

When McCarthy isn’t on the job, you’ll find him enjoying living in downtown Sioux Falls, surrounded by parks, the citywide bike trail and dozens of restaurants, breweries and cocktail bars.

“When I was in Omaha, I had a 45-minute commute to work across town, and my downtown apartment is now very close to the police department,” he said. “I’m just finding it’s a great town and a great department.”

To explore how to grow your law enforcement career in Sioux Falls, click here.

And to connect on opportunities in additional industries, email deniseg@siouxfalls.com.