New broadband initiatives were launched in the Chisholm-Balkan area through the Iron Range Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) program. A collaboration of community partners included: Balkan Township, city of Chisholm, Chisholm Economic Development Authority (CEDA), Chisholm Chamber of Commerce and Chisholm Independent School District #695. Each organization led one or more of the following projects:

COMMUNITY PROJECTS

• A new website for Balkan Township (pictured above) that includes a community calendar, recycling and municipal services, township government news and automated reservations for the community center. View the new website.

• A new landing page for Chisholm (pictured) that includes a shared community calendar, social media feeds from community partners, and direct links to each partner’s individual website. View the new landing page.
• Marketing videos to promote life in Chisholm. View the Family Schools video. View the Downtown Community video. View the Attractions & Tourism video.
• A new website for the city of Chisholm is in progress. It will be user-friendly and ADA compliant. It will be a responsive site that adapts viewing to all devices such as desktops, tablets and smartphones.
• Public Wi-Fi improvements at the Chisholm public library.
• 10 mobile internet hotspots available to check out at the Chisholm public library for people who lack internet access at home.
• A scavenger hunt app for Chisholm’s community events. The app was used last month for “Bringing Light to Chisholm” outdoor community celebration. Community members created missions such as taking photos and completing activities at certain locations throughout the city.

SMALL BUSINESS PROJECTS

• Free digital marketing assistance to 10 Chisholm small businesses to increase their online presence. Businesses were provided one-on-one professional technology services related to website development, search engine optimization, Google analytics, digital content and social media.

EDUCATION PROJECTS

• Public Wi-Fi access on Chisholm ISD school buses.
• 100 mobile internet hotspots were made available to the 100 Chisholm ISD students (out of 535) school-age children who lack internet access at home.

TOURISM PROJECTS

• Public WiFi was improved at Minnesota Discovery Center located in Chisholm.
• A distance learning project by Minnesota Discovery Center that conducts online educational field trips.

BBC advances broadband in rural Minnesota communities which is critical to economic development, health care, education, workforce and quality of life. The participating communities have access to technical expertise, planning assistance and an opportunity to obtain financial resources to implement their broadband initiatives. BBC is a collaboration between Blandin Foundation, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and St. Louis County.

“Small but meaningful projects such as those in Balkan and Chisholm increase the number and sophistication of broadband users across the region,” said Whitney Ridlon, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation community development representative. “The more digital use we have in the region, the more broadband investments are likely to be made by service providers, which ultimately moves northeastern Minnesota closer to the 2026 State of Minnesota Speed Goal of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.”

For broadband grant information email Whitney Ridlon or call her at 218-735-3004.

Two dentists recently relocated to northeastern Minnesota to practice dentistry and help alleviate a dental shortage in northeastern Minnesota. Both were recipients of the Martha Mordini Rukavina Loan Forgiveness Program, which was supported with a grant from Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation.

Dr. Jennifer Enich was born and raised in Chisholm. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from University of Minnesota Duluth in 2016 and graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry in 2020. Dr. Enich is practicing general dentistry in Chisholm with Dr. Harold Swennes at Chisholm Dental Service.  

Dr. Gretchen Kreklow earned a Bachelor’s Art degree in biology from The College of St. Scholastica in 2015 and graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry in 2020. Dr. Kreklow grew up in Brainerd and resides in Ely with her husband. She is practicing dentistry there with Dr. Scott Anderson.

“The average educational debt last year of a graduating dental student was $292,169,” said Dr. Michael Zakula of the Minnesota Dental Foundation (MDF) Board. “A sample loan payment over ten years on that debt would be about $3,910 per month as new dentists begin their professional career.”

The Rukavina program is administered by MDF and provides funds to help repay qualified dental education loans if the recipient dentist commits to practicing dentistry full-time in the Taconite Assistance Area for at least five years. Recipients are compensated for outstanding educational debt up to $120,000 over a period of four years. Since the program was established in 2009, eight new dental graduates have utilized it to establish their practices in the region. Dental practices can generate annually up to $5 million in economic impact in a rural community. The recipients are also expected to participate in at least one MDF program that cares for underserved populations such as Give Kids a Smile, Mission of Mercy or Donated Dental Services.

“Our agency’s grant to support the dental loan forgiveness program is an effective economic development investment,” said Commissioner Mark Phillips, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation. “It grows quality health care, supports small businesses and attracts young professionals to our region,”

According to The National Center for Rural Health Works, dental clinics have a tremendous economic impact in the community in which they are located. They employ people who impact local spending. The dental practice itself generates tax revenues and purchases from other local businesses.

The loan forgiveness program was initiated by the late Tom Rukavina, a former Minnesota state representative and St. Louis County commissioner. It is named in honor of Rukavina’s late mother and began in 2009 to attract new dentists to practice and provide quality dental care in northeastern Minnesota.

Pictured: Dr. Michael Zakula presents Dr. Jennifer Enich (above right) and Dr. Gretchen Kreklow (above left) with the first installment of their loan forgiveness grants. 

Northeast Higher Education District (NHED) used a Workforce Development grant from Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation to provide skilled trades training to help regional employers upskill their incumbent workers. The training is also developing job-ready workers to fill job openings for assemblers, fabricators, welders, heavy equipment operators, maintenance mechanics, auto diesel mechanics and electricians.

The training sessions began in November and will continue through February. To date 150 workers have been trained in:

• Basic and advanced manufacturing.
• Basic and advanced welding.
• Simulation of heavy equipment operations.
• Basic hydraulics and troubleshooting.
• CNC.
• Rigging.
• ISO certification.

The training supports industries across northeastern Minnesota including mining, construction, transportation and manufacturing. Approximately 20 businesses have utilized the training to improve their workforce, and the workers can potentially increase their earning capability.

Depending on the training type, it may be conducted virtually or face-to-face in small groups onsite at businesses or in a classroom setting at one of the five area college campuses: Hibbing, Itasca (Grand Rapids), Mesabi Range (Virginia and Eveleth), Rainy River (International Falls) and Vermilion (Ely) Community Colleges.

Small business owner Wade Karnes used the training program to achieve ISO certification at Zakobe, his Bovey-based business. Zakobe specializes in metal stamping, manufacturing and machining metal fabricated parts for a wide array of industries including fishing, cycling, farm equipment, battery, medical, military, electronics, radiator and computer hardware. Their products are distributed to companies throughout the United States.

Karnes explained that his company achieved ISO certification in September. ISO (International Standardization Organization) certification ensures that Zakobe’s manufacturing processes have all of the quality assurance, safety and efficiency requirements that are standard within an industry.

Karnes explained that the ISO certification gives Zakobe an added advantage in the marketplace. The process steps for metal stamping, machining, tool and die, wire EDM, EDM hole drilling, heat treating, spin casting, rubber molds and painting were all examined. A close examination of each step was conducted and minor adjustments were made that produced the best possible quality products in the safest manner.

“It is typically understood in many industries that when a company is ISO certified, their products are of the best possible quality,” said Anderson. “ISO certification is a great advantage to businesses, particularly manufacturers such as Zakobe.”

Regional businesses interested in training incumbent workers or seeking new workers can email Gail Anderson of Advanced Minnesota or call her at 218-262-7267. For Workforce Development grant information email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022.

Learn more about Advanced Minnesota training solutions.

Advanced Minnesota provides executive, professional and personal coaching to CEOs, mid-level and frontline leaders at companies and organizations located in northeastern Minnesota. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the coaching program with a Workforce Development grant.

Advanced Minnesota is the customized training arm of the colleges of Northeast Higher Education District, Northwest Technical College and Bemidji State University. The one-on-one training with a certified Co-Active coach is designed to help leaders advance themselves in their careers through personal and professional growth.

“As a Co-Active Coach, I am not an advice-giver,” said Gail Anderson of Advanced Minnesota. “Instead I work with managers to help them unlock the potential that already exists within them. Workers are often provided with specific training for their specific responsibilities and duties, but many times leaders and managers may also benefit from training that helps them hone in on their leadership skills. Our Co-Active training can help do that.”

Three- and six-month coaching packages are available at a 50% discount and start at $600. Each package includes an initial one-hour discovery session followed by six to 12 coaching sessions.

Regional business leaders interested in executive coaching can email Gail Anderson of Advanced Minnesota or call her at 218-262-7267. For Workforce Development grant information email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022.

Learn more about Advanced Minnesota executive coaching training.

The Small NOAH (Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing) program provides financial resources and technical assistance to potential developers and entrepreneurs interested in acquiring and renovating rental properties of four to 40 units in the state of Minnesota.

The program aims to increase the number of local preservation-minded developers in the greater Minnesota housing market. The rental housing properties must be considered affordable but unsubsidized.

“Small NOAH creates a way for new developers to enter the rental property industry in rural places such as northeastern Minnesota and the Iron Range,” said Deborah Flannery of Greater Minnesota Housing Fund. “We can provide financing to housing entrepreneurs that helps them acquire properties, make improvements and prepare them for the rental market.”

In addition to first mortgages, Small NOAH offers a mezzanine loan to developers which is a form of financing that blends debt and equity. It reduces the amount of owner/investor equity required and makes it easier for new entrepreneurs to acquire and renovate properties.

“New developers may not have the equity required for conventional financing,” said Flannery. “Small NOAH helps new, less experienced developers, with an added interest in developers of color, enter the rental property business and create affordable, desirable rental housing in rural communities across Minnesota.”

To learn more about Small NOAH email Miranda Walker, GMHF Senior Loan Officer. Greater Minnesota Housing Fund is Minnesota’s leading nonprofit affordable housing lender that works in 87 counties across the state to provide low-cost financing to create and preserve single-family and multi-family homes. Over the past 25 years, GMHF has financed over 17,643 homes and provided affordable housing for more than 26,000 Minnesotans.

Minnesota Brownfields is offering a free course that will introduce newcomers to the brownfields industry to the fundamentals of the field, with sessions taught by real estate professionals, environmental consultants, legal experts, development professionals and others.

In three, 90-minute sessions, participants will have an opportunity to hear presentations from these experts and discuss the material in small groups.

The virtual sessions will take place on the following dates:

• Tuesday, Jan. 12.
• Tuesday, Jan. 26.
• Tuesday, Feb. 9.

All sessions will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Learn more and register.