Top 10 | May 2024 | Grand Forks EDC

1. EDC President & CEO Keith Lund Named a Top 50 Economic Developer in North America

The EDC is proud to announce President & CEO, Keith Lund, has been recognized as one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers of 2024 by Consultant Connect. This prestigious honor highlights Lund’s exemplary practices, innovative approaches, and significant contributions to the economic development of the Grand Forks region.

Consultant Connect, a renowned consulting agency that bridges the gap between economic developers and site consultants, has selected the top economic development professionals based on nominations from their peers in both the economic development and site location consulting industries. The selected honorees have demonstrated exceptional success in building and enhancing the communities they serve.

Lund has served the Grand Forks region for over thirty years with the first part of his career at the City of Grand Forks from 1994 to 2006, and the latter half at the EDC beginning his time in 2006. The Grand Forks Region EDC congratulates Keith Lund on this well-deserved recognition and is excited to continue building on the strong foundation of collaboration and innovation that has been established under his leadership.

Congratulations, Keith!

2. EERC Awarded $5.1 Million

Senator John Hoeven announced a $5.1 million award for the EERC to continue carbon capture monitoring of the Dakota Gasification Company’s Great Plains Synfuels plant in Grand Forks on Friday, May 3rd.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from an anthropogenic source, preventing its release into the atmosphere, and injects the captured CO2 via one or more injection wells into a deep geologic reservoir for permanent storage.

The technologies the EERC is researching will help mitigate land demands and disruption for this and future carbon capture in North Dakota, and help the technology become commercially available.

The Grand Forks region, home to the UND EERC, is a world leader in energy research and innovation.

3. Bifrost Approved for FlexPACE Request

Congratulations to SunDog Mining dba Bifrost Manufacturing who received unanimous approval for their FlexPACE Loan request to assist in acquiring their new clean space and administration facility! The approval came at the Jobs Development Authority meeting held on Monday Monday, May 6th.

4. Xcel Energy Breaks Ground on GF Service Center

On Wednesday, May 8th, Xcel Energy held a ‘post groundbreaking, groundbreaking’ to celebrate the start of construction for the new Grand Forks Service Center. EDC President & CEO Keith Lund spoke at the ceremony alongside Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski and President for Xcel Energy MN/ND/SD Ryan Long. It was a great occasion to celebrate Xcel Energy’s 115 years of support of growing Grand Forks through the transmission and distribution infrastructure that powers our community. Investment is validation and demonstrates confidence in the region.

5. Northwood Deaconess Health Center Breaks Ground

Northwood Deaconess Health Center held a Groundbreaking Ceremony for their $40 million hospital renovation and expansion on Tuesday, May 14th! The project includes updating the current 17,000-square-foot space to incorporate a new ambulance garage, procedure suite, CT scanning room, and pharmacy. The 23,000-square-foot expansion will add a 25-bed inpatient care unit, 9 swing beds, 16 long-term care rooms, rehab therapy spaces, and a 2,400-square-foot ambulance drop-off. The plan is to be fully operational with the new services by spring 2026.

6. Grand Sky, Grand Forks County Secure Project Ultra

Exciting news for Grand Sky and Grand Forks County as they announce Project UAS Logistics, Traffic, Research, and Autonomy, shortened to ULTRA, which is a collaborative project with the Department of Defense.

ULTRA will demonstrate how UAS can be utilized to support everyday activities at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) like delivering supplies, inspecting base infrastructure, and developing practical ways of securing the base from UAS threats. Much of the project is tied to the strengths and capabilities of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site and its ability to provide critical support for flight route modeling, UAS selection, and FAA coordination.

The standards and procedures established through ULTRA with Grand Forks County, Grand Sky, NPUASTS, and GFAFB will serve as a model for incorporating UAS into installations nationwide. The Grand Forks region is leading the nation in UAS!

7. Grand Forks Leaders Travel to Meet with Simplot Leadership

Mayor Brandon Bochenski led a Grand Forks delegation to Boise, ID to meet with J.R. Simplot Company leadership, including President & CEO Garret Lofto and Global Food President Graham Dugdale on Wednesday, May 1st. Delegates included City of Grand Forks Administrator Todd Feland, EDC Board Chair John Oncken, EDC Board Vice Chair Shawn Gaddie, JDA Chair Brett Weber, and EDC President & CEO Keith Lund. The purpose of the meeting was to thank J.R. Simplot for their ongoing investment in Grand Forks and to discuss how the community could further support the company’s growth in Grand Forks. The group was well-received and made a positive impression on the leaders.

8. EDC Hosts Site Selectors for Advisory Forum

As identified in the EDC Strategic Plan, one of the priorities is developing a site-selector network and hosting site-selector familiarization tours. Site selectors are consultants businesses hire to help the company identify the best location for talent, operating costs, plant options, and more. The EDC staff worked with the Site Selectors Guild to bring three site selectors that fit within the region’s targeted industries to Grand Forks for a three-day Advisory Forum from Monday, May 13th through Wednesday, May 15th. The following Site Selectors attended: Didi Caldwell, Don Schjeldahl, and Kim Moore.

During their three days in Grand Forks, the site selectors were able to experience the region and learn more about what we offer as a community. The feedback and findings reported by the site selectors throughout the visit and at a wrap-up presentation were collected and compiled. Each Site Selector will provide a written summary of their findings to the rest of the 60+ Site Selectors Guild members.

Once the summaries are received, EDC Staff will evaluate all findings and recommendations based on their cost, staff time to implement and manage, and the overall impact.

9. 2024 NVCE Registration Opens

Exhibitor registration is now open for the 2024 Northern Valley Career Expo that will take place on Wednesday, October 23rd!

The expo is an opportunity to showcase career opportunities to over 2,000 tenth-grade students from over 14 counties in the Grand Forks region. Tenth grade is a crucial time for students as they begin exploring post-graduation opportunities. Exhibitors are encouraged to have engaging activities that showcase the unique tasks and activities associated with a specific career field.

Learn more and register for the expo at NorthernValleyCareers.com

10. InternGF: Intern Funding Program Apps Open for Fall 2024

Through the InternGF internship funding program, employers can offset the cost of a new and innovative internship at their organization up to $3,500*! The program is designed to increase the number of local internship offerings, aiding employers’ workforce recruitment and retention efforts. 66.7% of InternGF participants from 2018 are still in Grand Forks! The program is a partnership between the Grand Forks Region EDC and UND Center For Innovation.

July 1st is the priority application deadline for fall 2024 internships! Learn more and apply at GrandForks.org/interngf