Category: Directions Newsletter

By Dean Dziedzic, Vice President of Economic Development

Earlier this spring I had the opportunity to attend Area Development’s Consultants Forum Workshop in Greenville, S.C. This exclusive event was limited to 125 attendees with the sole purpose of hearing from and engaging face-to-face with 18 leading site consultants and corporate real estate advisors. The format was split between multiple boardroom presentations and roundtable discussions. Better yet, I was able to pre-select preferred sessions with site consultants prior to the event.

The Development Foundation’s strategic plan over many years has emphasized the importance of marketing to a broad array of site consultants. These are professionals who assist businesses in the process of selecting and acquiring suitable locations for their operations. They provide expertise in site selection, real estate analysis, and market research to help their business clients make informed decisions about where to establish new facilities.

The role of site consultants involves understanding the specific requirements and objectives of a business, such as its industry, target market, operational needs, and growth plans. They conduct a comprehensive analysis of potential sites and present recommendations based on factors such as infrastructure availability, workforce demographics, transportation access, proximity to suppliers and customers, cost of real estate, and regulatory considerations.

The value in attending this workshop was direct access to a variety of consultants that matched our target market in Sioux Falls. There was ample opportunity in the roundtables and social settings to promote our community and all the positive characteristics. In addition, the workshop offered great opportunities to network with other economic developers and peer communities, while comparing and contrasting what works in Sioux Falls versus other communities.

This Consultants Workshop Forum is just one example of the investment in time and money to promote Sioux Falls. It takes a consistent approach over a long period of time to develop relationships with a wide array of site consultants. Overall, site consultants and business attraction efforts aim to attract new businesses, stimulate economic growth, create quality job opportunities, and enhance the overall prosperity of a region or community.

And just like that, it’s summer! With the turn of the season comes yet another season… groundbreaking season!

The Sioux Falls Development Foundation hosted three groundbreakings during spring 2023, and we’re excited to help usher in new chapters of growth and success for each of the businesses and organizations who’ve held groundbreakings this year. Take a look below to find a recap of each one!

By: Steve Kolbeck, Board Chair

As we look at the growth of the Sioux Falls region over the past 10 years, we can’t help but ask the question, “How did this happen?” Most of the population is content to believe that this progress “just happens” as a natural course of growth. The truth is, this progress is the result of the coordinated efforts of many organizations and the private sector working together to build a firm foundation for the region, painting a vision of what Sioux Falls can be now and in the future.

Several not-for-profit development organizations exist in the region that work with private sector businesses, utilities, educational partners, and governments to maximize healthy growth in business development, tourism development, downtown development, business startups and social services coordination.

Economic development organizations like the Sioux Falls Development Foundation and the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce use the Forward Sioux Falls initiatives to lead and leverage public/private sector resources to address priority projects and initiatives in the community.

Promotional organizations like Experience Sioux Falls, Downtown Sioux Falls and a host of other activity-specific entities work together to bring visitors to the region and utilize our vibrant community for sporting events, conventions, business meetings, weekend events, locally organized events, and activities for our citizens.

Government and educational institutions, including our area schools, universities and tech schools coordinate with business and industry as well as not-for-profit development organizations to maximize resources and eliminate duplication of efforts. Providing the public resources needed, the City and County invest in the infrastructure and social assistance necessary to enhance the livability and superior quality of life amenities available. Our educational institutions provide the quality education our citizens need, and the workforce needed to continually grow our economy. All coordinated with the business, community, and social needs of a growing city.

None of this “just happens.” It is through the coordinated efforts of community leadership in these organizations that produce the greatest results. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is proud to be a key player in this coordinated effort to grow our region. We appreciate the support of all our partners and the vision and foresight of these organizations’ leaders. Our success is being noticed nationwide and it’s because we have a plan, a vision, and the leadership to make it happen. Thanks for all you do.

By Bob Mundt, President & CEO

When I arrived at the Development Foundation in mid-2018, I was charged with the challenging task of recruiting people — as well as companies — to Sioux Falls. The previous Forward Sioux Falls program had identified workforce development as THE top issue facing our community and tabbed the Development Foundation with meeting that need. Their logic was that if the Development Foundation was in charge of creating new jobs through the expansion, retention and attraction of industry, we should also be in charge of helping our companies fill those positions.

After hiring Denise Guzzetta to lead this effort in 2019, we decided that the best strategy to address the labor challenge was to develop ways to add prospective employees to the workforce pipeline and connect them with our employers searching for talent. I am proud to report that over the past four years, we have met that challenge head on.

Our three-pronged approach centered on:

• Local Talent Development through programs aimed at middle school, high school, local university/tech school students; and upskilling of current employees to higher paying, in-demand jobs. Programs include:
  • Career Connections
  • Your Future STEM Camps and in-school opportunities
  • Second Chance Job Fairs
  • Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Center
  • UPSKILL Sioux Falls
• Talent Attraction with programming and marketing to universities/tech schools and regional talent hubs to recruit existing workers and specialized talent.
  • Talent Tours
  • Talent Now
  • Talent Draft Days
  • Talent Rebounds
  • Talent Thursdays
  • INTERN Sioux Falls
  • WORK Sioux Falls
• Business Partnerships sharing resources and best practices for recruiting and retaining talent in a competitive environment.
  • Sioux Falls Area Recruitment Council
  • WIN in Workforce Summit

Using social media, traditional media and leveraging our partnerships with education, government, the business community, and best practices from around the country, we continue to lead the region in recruiting talent. Our website, SiouxFalls.com, continues to generate connections to our Forward Sioux Falls investors, our members and our companies looking to hire talent. Literally, thousands of people from outside the region have connected with our companies and we continue to expose our local talent to the many opportunities for work after high school graduation, or advancement opportunities within their companies.

While our unemployment numbers remain low, I am confident that we are generating a buzz about working and living in Sioux Falls. As we move forward, we will continue to look for new ways to bring workers into the Sioux Falls pipeline. We appreciate your support and participation in these programs.

by Bob Mundt, President and CEO

For the past six years, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation has been challenged to provide the region with a workforce development strategy that will help our current companies recruit and retain workers and fill the workforce needs of companies we are recruiting to our region. I believe we have implemented a series of programs (13) that, in one way or another, have met that challenge.

Focusing on our middle schools, high schools, universities/tech schools and retraining opportunities, we have added to the pipeline. Internships and apprenticeships have brought new workers to our doorsteps, and our WORK Sioux Falls initiative has spread the word that jobs are available in Sioux Falls with amazing benefits and a superior quality of life. Even so, we continue to experience low unemployment and a constant need for more workers, triggering the question: Where have all the workers gone?

The article below from the Bank of America Institute may help explain what has happened nationwide since COVID-19 and the changing demographics of workforce development in Sioux Falls.

By: Steve Kolbeck

With every new year, there seems to be new challenges which in turn bring new opportunities. I am honored to be chairing the Sioux Falls Development Foundation this year as we rise to meet these challenges. Previous leadership has placed us in a good position to capitalize on past decisions and be ready when we need to be.

Foundation Park has met or exceeded expectations providing new development, tax base and new jobs for the community. With companies like Amazon, FedEx, Lineage Logistics, Nordica, Tessier’s, Dakota Carriers, and our newest tenants – Scherer, Inc. and Muth Electric in Foundation Park South, we established a Tax Increment Finance District north of the tracks with the help of the City to fund the build out of Foundation Park North to accommodate CJ Foods North America beginning in 2024.

In 2022, we graded the entire 500+ acres of ground north of the tracks and have just accepted bids for the installation of roads, water, sanitary and storm sewers. These actions taken by the Foundation will allow the development of “build-ready” lots north of the tracks soon and a premier showpiece for prospects considering Sioux Falls for expansion or relocation. With the changes in interest rates, inflation and supply chain issues, these buildable sites make our location stand above the competition.

In addition, our workforce development efforts stand as a model for the region as we administer 13 specific programs to help our existing companies find workers, ranging from Career Connections in our high schools to our university and tech school recruitment through INTERN Sioux Falls, UPSKILL Sioux Falls, WORK Sioux Falls, and a host of talent recruitment efforts reaching potential workers in the 300-mile radius.

2023 will be a year with new challenges, but the Sioux Falls Development Foundation is meeting those challenges. We encourage all of you to join us through membership in the Foundation and through connecting with us if you have expansions in your future. We appreciate your involvement in Sioux Falls and the Foundation and thank you for being a part of our growing community.

Win in Workforce Summit 2022 brought record onsite attendance as talent and workforce initiatives remain an important issue globally.

“We are very appreciative and grateful for the tremendous response from attendees and organizations supporting WIN in Workforce Summit 2022,” said Denise Guzzetta, Vice President of Talent and Workforce for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. “We continue to build on a great initiative started in 2018 by the Talent and Workforce Committee with a simple desire to engage and share the best talent and workforce practices within our region. In 2022, we had nearly 800 people in attendance, and we are excited to start planning for WIN 2023.”

“Business and community leaders engaging each other in sessions about workforce-related topics covering culture, collegiate engagement, sustainability, and others illustrates why Sioux Falls is a great community,” says Bob Mundt, President and CEO of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

Special thanks to all organizations investing financially in WIN 2022, including Avera, City of Sioux Falls, First Bank & Trust, Forward Sioux Falls, Journey Group, MidAmerican Energy, Sanford Health, Sayre Associates, University of Sioux Falls, and Xcel Energy.

The Sioux Falls Development Foundation’s Career Connections program hosted Talent Tours for City and Industry with 16 employer partners on December 7, 2022, to share high-demand jobs with soon-to-be graduates.

With nearly 200 high school seniors from Brandon Valley High and Washington High School involved, students chose between different career tracks involving health care, manufacturing, construction, and local government, to gain valuable connections and resources for jobs related to their chosen career path.

The program connects students with business and community leaders during four separate 60-minute group tours to help students figure out their next steps after graduation in May 2023. From students participating in time drills to dress in protective fire gear, watching a suppression hearing about lawful searches, to building an HVAC system to support 500 occupants in a commercial building, students asked questions from experts about what their daily work involves.

“I participated in the government track and had no idea about the background and qualifications of fire personnel. This visit helped me understand how my interests in chemistry could be applied to a career,” said Hannah, a Brandon Valley senior graduating in May 2023.

“Hannah’s experience is normal,” says Denise Guzzetta, Vice President of Talent and Workforce for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. “ We created Career Connections to combine career and educational exposure and exploration, leading to viable career opportunities available to students in the Sioux Falls region. “We know from long-term studies conducted by the U.S. government that high schoolers ages 16-19 years participating in career exposure and exploration programs have higher wages at 23 and gain higher quality jobs by 30 than their peers who were not exposed, by helping to shape their career journeys.”

Studies have also reported that students participating in career exposure and exploration programs gain critical thinking skills and self-esteem through research, business engagement, and focusing on areas of strength.

For more information about talent development programs, please get in touch with Denise Guzzetta at 605-595-4355.

By Mike Lynch

Work has begun on Vision Sioux Falls, a long-range, community-wide strategic plan that will provide a blueprint for moving our community forward for the next ten years.

Forward Sioux Falls is collaborating with the City of Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, Sioux Empire United Way, and the Sioux Falls School District. The objective for Vision Sioux Falls is to be inspirational in designing a meaningful roadmap that will capitalize on the unprecedented momentum we have experienced as a community.

Omaha-based consulting firm RDG Planning & Design has been hired to coordinate the plan, which will focus on quality-of-life attributes within focus areas including the following:

• Arts/Entertainment/Recreation/Leisure
• Education/Training/Workforce
• Health & Human Services
• Housing
• City Image/Marketing
• Public Safety

To date, a public engagement plan has included surveys, listening sessions, community roundtables and one-on-one interviews. Several other opportunities for the public to participate will be offered over the next few months. A dynamic website, found here, is designed to track the plan’s progress, promote upcoming events and allow individuals to provide input using an interactive map. Feedback collected will be progressively evaluated to determine what gaps or trends rise to the top. Ultimately, action items will be identified, stakeholders named, and metrics determined.

A Community Allies committee, comprised of individuals within underserved areas of our community, serves as a bridge to conversations within marginalized populations. In addition, a Strategic Council includes representatives from a wide base of perspective from within the community. These individuals are meeting several times throughout the planning process to provide insight on priorities that focus on three key elements: Where are we now? Where do we want to go? How do we get there?

The strategic plan is scheduled to be completed by late spring 2023.