Bob Mundt, President/CEO
At our September and October Board retreats, we had the opportunity to share ideas with several of our community partners including our real estate brokers, city leaders, county leaders, Sioux Metro Growth Alliance, educational partners and human resource professionals from many of our key industries. These days were spent analyzing current strategies and projects including land sales, acquisition and development, identifying target markets for industry as well as strategies for retaining our current industries and talent/workforce development.
With input from our partners and analysis from staff and Board members, we have begun to assemble our action plans for the Development Foundation for the next three years. Potential opportunities include:
Land
- Meeting demand for smaller lots.
- Regional options for land acquisitions and sales in neighboring communities.
- Consideration of resource limitations when targeting and attracting companies.
Target Markets
- Retain and expand high tech existing industry.
- Target one corporate headquarters relocation.
- Consider workforce limitations and critical infrastructure as it affects community growth.
Workforce
- Grow INTERN Sioux Falls programming.
- Take Talent Draft Days to targeted campuses recruiting key high need job candidates.
- Utilize alumni associations from high schools and regional universities to recruit talent.
- Expand Career Connections to more regional high schools.
- Redirect WORK Sioux Falls programming to universities and tech schools.
- Initiate a “Come Home to Sioux Falls” campaign.
- Focus on a skilled trades campaign.
- Continue and expand the UPSKILL Sioux Falls programs to include CNA and skilled trades.
- Act as a clearinghouse for contacts connecting educational institutions with businesses.
We will continue to refine these ideas into an organized workplan with implementation strategies over the next few years and work to continue our success and progress in these areas. We believe these programs will help us remain competitive and benefit our investors, our members, and our community.
Thanks for your support over this past year. We look forward to your support in 2024. Happy New Year.