From Florida to West Virginia to Sioux Falls: Corporate move proves fit for manager and her dog

Run into Devin McGrew in downtown Sioux Falls, on the recreation trail or in a nearby state park and chances are her German shepherd, Cash, will be alongside her.

“Sioux Falls, for the size it is, is one of the most dog-friendly areas I’ve been in,” said McGrew, who moved to town at the end of 2023.

“We are out and about almost every weekend — we hit up one of the parks, or we’re downtown. He was previously a little country dog and wasn’t used to being around people, so we’re doing socialization, and he’s in day care a couple days a week. I like to bring him downtown, and they have water bowls and dog treats at businesses everywhere. They’re so dog-friendly.”

The community’s friendliness quickly has allowed both Cash and his dog mom to feel at home.

McGrew moved to Sioux Falls following a year in West Virginia and before that spent a decade in Florida. A new regional human resources role for C&B Operations drove her moves, and she’s now ready to move with her leadership colleagues into the company’s new downtown office at The Steel District.

“They encouraged everyone who is a director and above to move to Sioux Falls,” she said. “Prior to taking the role, I’d never given South Dakota a second thought.”

But her first week at work in 2023 brought a trip to Sioux Falls with it, followed by multiple additional work travel opportunities to the city.

“Working with this team is just phenomenal. They’re amazing,” she said. “And you have this nice city, but then it’s also like little small-town America, which is so fun for me. I would tell people to come visit. Once you visit Sioux Falls, it opens your eyes to so many things available here.”

After browsing homes to rent, she found one she liked on the far west side closer to Tea.

“I’ll probably end up buying within the next year,” she said. “I wanted to get to know the area. I love downtown, but Cash really enjoys a big yard, so I’ll probably stick with a house so he has that.”

She appreciates that despite living on the edge of the city, it’s about a 15-minute commute to her job downtown.

“Everything is so walkable downtown,” she added. “You have the river, and it’s just so cool because the cost of living compared to where I came from is very comparable, but you get so many more amenities here.”

Her new office, which will open this fall, will be directly adjacent to Falls Park and the recreation trail.

“I’m so excited for it,” she said. “We did a tour recently, and it’s absolutely gorgeous inside. It’s going to be unreal. We’ll have outdoor lunch space, which is so nice when you’re in an office all day, plus we’ll be able to easily go outside and walk.”

The new C&B office joins many other business expansions in various industries offering outstanding opportunities for newcomers to Sioux Falls, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

“Corporate relocations are a big reason why people move to Sioux Falls, and Devin’s experience is an amazing example of what you’ll find here,” she said. “You’re going to find forward-looking employers who understand the environment employees are looking for, combined with a community where you’ll be able to afford and enjoy a fantastic lifestyle.”

Plus, “there’s the added bonus of no state income taxes, so you get a little bump in your paycheck if you relocate to South Dakota,” McGrew added. “So that’s always a plus for people.”

As she settles into the community, in addition to spending time with her dog outdoors, McGrew has been enjoying Siouxland Libraries.

“I love to read, and I’ve done some of their activities, which is nice because I love to support libraries,” she said. “The ease of use is great with an app, and the interactions I’ve had with everyone have been wonderful. I did an art activity that was totally free, all the supplies were there, and we painted little floral planters, and it was a good way to make connections in the community.”

Most importantly, she has felt welcome here, McGrew added.

“It’s stood out to me how nice and friendly everyone is,” she said. “I’m a single person, and I was trying to lift chairs into my car at Walmart, and someone right away came up to help. I know a lot of people talk about Southern charm, but this is bar none.”

Are you ready to make your next work-life move to Sioux Falls? Email deniseg@siouxfalls.com to get connected.