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 DCI Marketing Summit
Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Sara Otte Coleman presented the Find the Good Life in North Dakota talent recruitment strategy during the Development Counselors International (DCI) Marketing Summit in Denver in August. DCI’s Marketing Summit is an interactive experience revolving around peer-determined sessions that tackle the industry’s most pressing issues, challenges, and questions.
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Please join us in congratulating Josh Teigen who was recently appointed to serve as the state's next Commerce commissioner.
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"I am incredibly excited about the appointment as Commerce commissioner. My past three years at Commerce have shown me that it is home to some of the most amazing people on earth and I am humbled and honored to be their leader. I am grateful for Governor Burgum and his entire administration for this opportunity. It is an incredibly exciting time to be in North Dakota and Commerce has so much opportunity in front of it to help craft the future of North Dakota’s economy and launch an era of prosperity that will last for generations to come. I can’t imagine a more exciting role than to lead this group of incredibly talented people through perhaps the most exciting time in North Dakota’s history." - Commerce Commissioner Josh Teigen. |
North Dakota teams up with SCOA to develop clean energy projects
Gov. Doug Burgum recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) for a partnership with the state of North Dakota to evaluate and develop business within the energy transition market, with the intent to move towards carbon neutrality in the state and beyond.
Sumitomo Corporation of America’s carbon neutrality goal aligns with North Dakota’s goal to reach carbon-neutrality by 2030 through innovation, the state’s unique geology, and investments from private partners.
This memorandum will facilitate joint collaboration and the development of projects within North Dakota. Both parties will study a wide variety of areas related to carbon neutrality including but not limited to sustainable aviation fuel, supply chain development; carbon capture and storage/carbon capture, utilization and storage; project development, hydrogen/ammonia supply chain development, confidence interval (CI) measurement and reduction in agriculture, and digital transformation.
The memorandum proposes an initial period of 10-12 months for both parties to set key goals and milestones, identify opportunities, evaluate the market and develop initial strategies based on studies.
A formal announcement will take place at the upcoming Japanese Drumming Cultural event in Fargo on Sept. 24. Gov. Doug Burgum, Consul General Tajima of Japan, and business and community representatives from across the state will join the event to celebrate the ever-growing partnership between North Dakota and Japan.
Commerce announced that the 2022 Main Street ND Summit agenda is now available.
This year’s summit, which will be held Oct. 25-26 at the Bismarck Event Center, will be free for all attendees. A pre-summit event will also be held on Oct. 24 from 4-6 p.m. at the Morton Mandan Public Library.
During the summit, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a variety of world-renowned keynote speakers and partake in engaging breakout sessions that will provide the tools and resources to support community volunteers, local champions, business owners, and elected leaders at both the local and state level as they work together to create unique communities to attract a talented workforce.
Confirmed speakers for the 2022 summit include:
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Anthony Melchiorri, the host of Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible, Five Star Secrets, and Extreme Hotels.
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Amanda Brinkman, the chief brand officer at Deluxe and creator, producer, and host of Small Business Revolution.
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Think 3D, a business management consultant company that helps clients build intentional cultures. Their belief is that a healthy culture has three dimensions – personal, professional, and potential.
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Main Street Initiative team to visit Belcourt next week
Please join Gov. Doug Burgum, Commerce, and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa for a Main Street Initiative visit in Belcourt on Sept.16 from 1-3 p.m. at the Derrick Dixon Event Center.
Burgum will personally host a roundtable discussion with tribal leaders and community members.
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The Innovation Technology Loan Fund (LIFT) Committee awarded $600,000 to Prototype Garage LLC for August.
“The LIFT Committee continues to receive quality applications and reviews them monthly,” Commerce Head of Investments and Innovation Shayden Akason said. “The innovation loan fund currently has over $4.2 million remaining to be awarded this biennium. Eligible companies may apply at belegendary.link/LIFT."
Prototype Garage LLC is a company that is developing technology for recycling waste in order to reduce landfill-bound material and produce fiber and compostable organics for a variety of use cases.
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 $100,000 awarded to six recipients of the 2022 Main Street Tourism Outdoor Recreation Grant
The Main Street Tourism Outdoor Recreation Grant is designed to support new or expanding businesses that provide new outdoor recreation opportunities, improve visitor experiences, and have an emphasis on attracting visitors and visitor dollars to North Dakota communities.
“We are happy to support these expansion projects that will provide new recreation and entertainment options for visitors and residents,” Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Sara Otte Coleman said. “The projects will provide new winter experiences and enhancements to outdoor activities making it easier for visitors to plan their North Dakota adventures.”
The 2022 Main Street Tourism Outdoor Recreation Grant recipients: Sheyenne River Water Trail in Valley City was awarded $20,000; Woodland Resort in Devils Lake was awarded $20,000; Citizens Alley Pocket Park Ice Rink in Minot was awarded $20,000; Peaceful Valley Golf Course Clubhouse in Harvey was awarded $20,000; The Polar Trap in Mandan was awarded $12,114.87; and Devils Lake Sportsman’s Lodge was awarded $7,885.13.
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 North Dakota Tourism reaches 10 million photo views
North Dakota Tourism, thanks to the focused work of Commerce Tourism and Marketing Digital Asset Specialist Cassie Theurer, is now considered to be one of the top photographers on Google Maps accomplishing what very few others have done. Cassie’s work on Google Maps over the past years curating photos from across the state has resulted in 10 million photo views.
The red icons on the screenshot above, represent where the photos have been posted, showing how well the entire state is being represented.
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 Rethinking Tourism as World Tourism Day approaches
Sept. 27 is World Tourism Day, and this year the theme is Rethinking Tourism.
Destination Management Organizations across the world are shifting their focus and looking locally to engage community members and showcase how tourism supports and sustains communities.
Now is the time to develop new initiatives to stimulate and celebrate all you do to enhance your local community.
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 Volunteer Board Members wanted
Theodore Roosevelt Nature and History Association is looking for nominations for their board of directors.
Candidates who are passionate about Theodore Roosevelt National Park partners and mission will be voted on in October by the membership.
The board consist of seven directors who serve staggered, three-year terms. There are currently three positions available.
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 Round 2 of the Technical Skills Training Grant closes soon
The application window for round two of the Technical Skills Training Grant closes Sept. 29.
The Technical Skills Training Grant program aims to offset the cost for program providers and employers in their effort to support the development of highly trained skilled workers to meet the demands of our labor market.
For this year’s cycles, the grant program is now offering Track A and B options to expand the grant’s impact.
The Track B option is in addition to the original parameters from previous cycles. This option is designed for companies wishing to provide internal upskilling opportunities for their existing staff to promote movement and advancement throughout the organization, create more comprehensive onboarding and new worker training programs, and/or provide safety training for employees.
The Track A option reflects the initial intent of the grant program and is designed for new and expanding accelerated, non-degree training programs that prepare trainees for new jobs.
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