| CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP |
| Joint Venture Management Committee Cathy Clark Kelby Krabbenhoft Fred Slunecka Linda Barker Curtis Hage Ronald Mielke Evan Nolte Charisse Oland Dan Scott Darwin Sletten Dave Stadheim Paul Van Bockern Jim Wilcox |
| General Campaign Chair Tom Everist |
| Evaluation Committee Steve Kirby |
| Campaign Development Council Cathy Clark Fred Slunecka Kelby Krabbenhoft |
| Advance Division Steve Crim Merle Lewis Barry Martin |
| Leadership Division Dennis Anderson Terry Baloun Ron Dake Dana Dykhouse Wayne Rasmussen Ken Stork Larry Toll Jim Wilcox |
| Pacesetter Division Bill Baker Randy Bury Dave Fleck Arnold Garson Kevin Kirby Bill Marlette Tom McDowell Becky Nelson Rob Oliver Steve Pate Jay Powelll Mark Shlanta |
| Special Division Linda Billars Dave Stadheim |
| Organizational Staff Evan Nolte Dan Scott |
Years: 2002 - 2006Campaign Chair: Tom Everist
Campaign Goal: $5.5 million
Amount Raised: $6.4 million
About the Program
Mission: As the catalyst for renewed economic opportunities, Forward Sioux Falls IV will provide advanced strategies to further success in the areas of workforce development, technology, economic development and our community and business climates.
Forward Sioux Falls proved itself to be a vehicle for growth and successful at meeting community challenges with each successful program. Forward Sioux Falls IV — Taking Success to the Next Level, would focus on sustaining and expanding the business base and action steps to make a difference in the future of the community.
Goals/Program Highlights
We wanted to:
- Workforce Development: Promote the Sioux Falls area as a region of “opportunity” for job seekers; actively participate in the education and training of the workforce, and enhance business resources to address workforce challenges and opportunities.
- Economic Development: Assist the efforts of established and new business to create positive growth through focused regional partnerships in workforce development, economic advancement and maintenance of critical land assets.
- Community & Business Climate: Enhance the excellent quality of life in the Sioux Falls area through emphasis on affordable housing initiatives and the fostering of regional partnerships.
- Technology: Foster regional economic growth and diversification through the expansion and development of technology-based businesses in the Sioux Falls area.
- The Sioux Empire Housing Partnership built-up a 16-housing development at the Lacey Park addition. The homes at Lacey Park are sold to buyers whose income is at or below the median income range.
- Groundbreaking ceremonies were held May 12, 2003 for the 38,000 square foot South Dakota Technology Business Center that will assist new and early-stage technology businesses develop and grow in Sioux Falls.
- In January 2004, the South Dakota Technology Business Center (SDTBC) opened for business. The SDTBC is a 501(c)(4) not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to diversify and expand the regional economy by providing “best practices” incubator services and networking opportunities to qualified new and early-stage technology-based companies. The Technology Business Center building is a 38,000 sq. ft. facility offering office, lab and light manufacturing space for lease. Tenants are encouraged to “graduate” from the facility in three years.
- The Interns in Industry program was formed to create links between area businesses and students currently studying in Sioux Falls area colleges and technical institutes. The goals of the program are to increase the number of internships offered in Sioux Falls; increase the visibility of the Sioux Falls area business community on campuses throughout the region; encourage more students to make their futures in Sioux Falls; and grow the area’s skilled workforce.
- South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds recognized Sioux Falls as the 2006 Large Community of the Year. Rounds acknowledged Sioux Falls’ successful year in economic development.
- The City of Sioux Falls issued 6,902 building permits in 2004, with a value of $409 million.
- By the end of the first quarter of 2001, the unemployment rate in Sioux Falls was 1.7 percent, compared to 2.2 percent statewide and 4.3 percent nationwide.
- According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Lincoln County was the fastest growing county in the country for percentage change in housing units from 2000-2003.
- A 2001 study by the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit research group, found that Minnehaha County was the fastest-changing metro area in the nation, based on the population’s 125 percent increase of foreign-born people from 1990-1998.
- By the end of the first quarter of 2001, the unemployment rate in Sioux Falls was 1.7 percent, compared to 2.2 percent statewide and 4.3 percent nationwide.
- Forbes magazine named Sioux Falls the fifth best small metro area in the country to start a business or a career. Forbes weighted salary growth, job growth and technology gross domestic product (GDP) growth (May 2002).
- Sioux Falls was among the five-star metro areas in a feature story entitled “Great Places to Enhance Your Quality of Life” in the May 2002 issue of Expansion Management Magazine.
- Sioux Falls received an A+ on Zero Population Growth’s 2001 Kid-Friendly Cities Report Card. The city excelled in health, public safety, education, economics, environment, and community life, ranking third out of 140 cities.
- Sioux Falls ranked third in a national list of top cities to start a company, according to a report by Cognetics, Inc. (Kiplinger Report, April 2001)
- In Forbes’ Annual Survey of the Best Places for Business and Careers, Sioux Falls was named No. 1 overall in the Best Small City category. According to Forbes, no community in the United States was a more economical place to do business than Sioux Falls, making Sioux Falls the best place in America to make a profit (July 2005).
- Out of the top 330 metro areas in the country, Sioux Falls ranked 13th on Golf Digest’s list of golfing communities, beating out legendary golf meccas such as Myrtle Beach. The ranking was based on access, weather, value and quality (August 2005).
- The 2004 Tax Foundation report said South Dakota gives businesses a “level playing field” regarding taxes and offers a more attractive long-term investment to companies seeking to relocate to maximize profits. The index rewards tax codes that are neutral for business, focusing on corporate and personal state income taxes, sales or gross receipts taxes, unemployment insurance tax and the state’s fiscal balance (Tax Foundation survey, October 2004).
- In the 2002 Ladies’ Home Journal comparison of the 200 best cities for women, Sioux Falls was named the third “least stressed” city. The magazine also scored Sioux Falls high for economy (No. 2), highest employment rates (No. 2), spiritual centers (No. 9), available jobs (No. 10), and lifestyle (No. 12) (April 2002). In 2001, the magazine listed Sioux Falls as the seventh best city for women.
- Sales & Marketing Management magazine, calling Sioux Falls a “diamond in the rough,” designated the city as a great smaller market for businesses to make a move. The magazine cited the city’s growth rates as a huge opportunity and recognized the state’s friendly tax laws (April 2002).
- In the Oct. 14, 2002 issue of Business Week, Sioux Falls was named one of the “Dazzling Dozen” Pockets of Prosperity where the economy is still humming. The article went on to say that “growth remains healthy” in Sioux Falls. Others on the list included: Rapid City, Des Moines, Bismarck, Fargo, Madison, Iowa City, Bangor, Portland (Maine), Charlottesville (Virginia), Fayetteville (Arkansas) and Bryan/College Station (Texas).
- Citing a skilled workforce, emerging information and biological sciences industries and quality of life that is attracting high-demand professionals to Sioux Falls, Inc. named the community one of the 25 Best Metro Areas in America and fifth on the Small Metro Areas (job bases up to 150,000) list. The article said the business revival in Sioux Falls is so strong that population and employment rates are growing faster than the national average (March 2004).
- The July 2004 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine placed Sioux Falls 8th best in their annual tax survey. Results were based on a family of four with an annual income of $90,000. The survey calculated the family’s total tax bill in each state and Washington D.C. Sioux Falls placed 8th overall with a tax bill of $3,585 (July 2004).
- CNN/Money Magazine reported unemployment figures for the top and bottom 20 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in the U.S. based on The Bureau of Labor Statistics March 2003 unemployment rates. Sioux Falls made the Top 20 list, coming in at No. 9 with a 2.9 percent unemployment rate (May 2004).
- Lincoln, Roosevelt and Washington high schools were all included in Newsweek’s list of the top 1,000 U.S. high schools (May 16, 2005).
