December 1, 2004

Volume 1, Number 1

 
“Your comments and suggestions are always welcome at Forward Devils Lake Corp.”

In this issue:

· Summers Mfg. Expansion Nearly Complete.

· Devils Lake part of Regional Marketing Partnership.

· Forward Devils Lake Supports Internships

· Marketing Partnership Hosts 1^st Alumni Reception

·  FDL Focus

·  Looking for Your Help!

“Our ultimate goal is to repopulate the Devils Lake Region and become the place where people want to live, raise families and operate successful businesses.”  Jim Dahlen, Executive Director

“we hope to place at least 10 internship opportunities within our region next summer”

Welcome to the First Edition of the Forward Devils Lake Development Corporation Newsletter!

We are pleased to offer you our alumni, members, supporters, stakeholders and friends, this form of communication.  On a quarterly basis, we will provide you with information pertaining to the ongoing growth and diversification of the Devils Lake Region.

Your comments and suggestions are always welcome and we encourage you to contact us at any time if you have any questions, ideas for future articles or suggestions on how we can provide you with more information on the Devils Lake Region.

The success story about Harley Summers, a blacksmith from Maddock, ND, and his wife Viola continues. Harley and Viola Summers started Summers Mfg in 1965 when they purchased the manufacturing rights of the Goebel truck hoist. After diversifying into the manufacture of a heavy spring tooth harrow, the company experienced phenomenal growth in Maddock. Summers Mfg reached a point in 1981 when they needed to tap into the resources of a larger labor market. In that same year the community of Devils Lake encouraged and supported the expansion of Summers Mfg into their new industrial park located on the west side of the city. Growth of their company, product lines, and work force has continued since that date. Since 1981, Summers Manufacturing has added additional factory, warehouse, and office space 10 different times (in 1965, 1973, 1976, 1982, 1992, 94, 95, 96, 97, 2000 and 2003).

In May 2004 Larry Summers, President, announced the largest expansion in the company’s nearly 40 year history.” “Today, our company is breaking ground for a 38,000 sq foot addition at our Devils Lake, North Dakota facility bringing our total square footage in Devils Lake alone, to over 104,000 sq feet.”  When complete, the cost of the building expansion and equipment will be in excess of $1.5 million.  With this expansion the company has added 10 new employees to their workforce and will hire 5 more by spring bringing total employees to 135 company-wide."

In 2002, Forward Devils Lake Corp., along with the Cavalier County Job Development Authority, Rolla Job Development Authority and Towner County Economic Development Corporation, joined together to form “the Devils Lake Region Marketing Partnership.”

The group jointly markets the region to targeted industries in Midwest locations to generate new business leads that bring new businesses, new job opportunities and new residents to the region.

“Our ultimate goal is to repopulate the Devils Lake region and become the place where people want to live, raise families and operate successful businesses,” said Jim Dahlen, executive director, Forward Devils Lake Corporation.

As part of the campaign, the Devils Lake Region identified three measures for its success: Increase in the number of out-of-state business inquiries and visitations to the region; increased awareness in the targeted geographic areas of the diversity of businesses already operating in the Region; and ultimately the location of new businesses in the region.

Campaign activities include participation in industry-specific trade shows in the Minneapolis market, development of a region-wide information/quality of place brochure; print advertising in the target market areas; and regional alumni receptions located in the target market areas and existing local businesses with ties to those markets will also be a part of the campaign.

“Operation: Intern,” a statewide program that encourages all North Dakota businesses to provide internship opportunities for the more than 41,000 students in the state, will soon be launched across North Dakota.

James Burgum, program coordinator, youth initiatives of the Office of the Governor said “Operation: Intern is designed to educate and encourage all North Dakota businesses to develop, implement and sustain a viable internship program.”  “Internships offer students opportunity, experience and exposure to the most up-to-date ideas and practices within a specific business sector.  In return, an internship program can bring significant long-term benefits to a business – new perspectives and ideas, enthusiasm and energy, diversity and additional staffing. This is North Dakota’s future at work.” 

Jim Dahlen, Executive Director of Forward Devils Lake said, “Our organization is joining with other economic development organizations in the Devils Lake Region to encourage businesses in our area to offer internship opportunities during the summer of 2005.”  “We are working right now to draft guidelines for a regional internship program and hope to place at least 10 internship opportunities within our region next summer.”

Alumni Reception showcased the Devils Lake Region and their home state as a good place to visit, find employment, raise a family, start or expand a business, and retire.

 Alumni Wanted:

 If you know of an alumni who would like to receive this newsletter, please e-mail their name, contact information and e-mail address to:

 Board of Directors

 Fran Leiphon-Pres.
Ramsey County Representative

Barry Gage-Vice Pres.
Montana Dakota utilities

Richard Volk-Sec.
Ramsey County Representative

Michael Connor-Treas.
Devils Lake Basin  Water Board

Arne Berg
Ramsey County Commission

Russ Denault
Ottertail Power Company

Guy DeSautel
Wallys Supermarkets

Dale Dinger
Retired

Dave Dircks
North Dakota Telephone Co.

Paul Gutschmidt
Summers Mfg.

Rodger Haugen
Gilbertson Funeral Home

Jim Helgeson
Bremer Bank

Richard Johnson
Devils Lake City Commission

Jay Klemetsrud
Klemetsrud Plumbing & Heating

Gary Lochow
Western State Bank

Doug Mohr
Ramsey National Bank & Trust

Wade Schwan
Schwan Wholesale

Jim Dahlen
Executive Director

Forward Devils Lake Development Corp.

PO Box 879

Devils Lake, ND 58301

Fax: (701-662-2147) 

E-mail:

forwarddl@stellarnet.com

 We’re on the Web!

www.forwarddl.com

Devils Lake Region Hosts 1^st Ever Twin Cities Alumni Reception

Devils Lake Mayor Fred Bott gets a laugh during alumni event!

Fred Bott, Mayor, Devils Lake, emceed a short program that included presentations by Shane Soderstrom, Osnabrock; Dick Horner, Devils Lake State Parks; Rock Clapper, DataTic, Langdon; and Todd Mears, Golden Rule, Rolla.  All spoke of the opportunities they have found and the benefits of living, working and playing in the region. 

Pat Carney, Devils Lake alumni and owner of The Carney Group based in Minneapolis, urged the group to become North Dakota and Devils Lake Region Ambassadors by “becoming knowledgeable on the competitive advantages the region and North Dakota hold for businesses and families, creating North Dakota enthusiasm in and out of our great state, and spreading region and North Dakota good news whenever possible.”

This was the kick-off of an ongoing contact program that will include events in the Twin Cities and back home and regular communication through newsletters and email with the ultimate goal of growing the region with new or returning residents and new and expanded businesses.

The Devils Lake Region Partnership is made up of the Cavalier County Job Development Authority, Forward Devils Lake, Rolla Job Development Authority and the Towner County Economic Development Corporation, with support from the North Dakota Department of Commerce.  These organizations have come together to jointly market the Devils Lake Region to attract new businesses, new job opportunities and new residents to the region.  The group aspires to repopulate the area to levels which sustain health care systems, schools, retail activity and support for the activities which create a sense of well-being for those who live here.

FDL is the lead organization for gathering people together in a common objective to create new wealth and jobs in Devils Lake, Ramsey County and throughout the Lake Region Area.  FDL is a results oriented, non-profit corporation that works to keep Devils Lake and the surrounding area on the cutting edge of aggressive economic development.  FDL is made up of business and individuals who pay an annual membership fee, to be applied to funding the programs and efforts of the corporation as defined by the membership, the City of Devils Lake and Ramsey County.

The mission of the Forward Devils Lake Development Corporation (FDL) is to provide for the economic growth of the Devils Lake Area through economic development activities focused on primary sector businesses that create new wealth.  When successful, economic development diversifies our economy, creates new employment opportunities that provide increasing wages and enhances the overall local tax base.

FDL’s focus is to work towards the following:

· The retention and expansion of local businesses

· The attraction of companies from outside the area that are looking for a new expansion or relocation for their current operations, and

· Entrepreneurial start-up businesses.

Forward Devils Lake Looking for your help.

We invite you to become more involved in economic development in the Devils Lake Region.  If you know someone from out of state involved in advance manufacturing (i.e. electronics, medical device, outdoor recreation, etc.) or information technology (i.e. software development, support services or back office operations) please visit with them about doing business in the Devils Lake Region.  Then, give us their names.  We will provide much more information about available labor force, workforce training, site information, financing options and incentive programs.

We are also looking for alumni to return to the Devils Lake Region to Live, Work and Play.  If you or someone you know is interested in returning to the Devils Lake Region and would like more information on:

* Business Development;   * Job opportunities;

* Tourism;                           * Retirement Options; or

* “Leaving a Legacy”

Please e-mail us at any time.