DOC UPDATES MARKETING PLAN

ND Department of Commerce (DOC) recently updated its 2001-2003 marketing plan, more than doubling the number of events from the 1999-2001 biennium.

The new plan matches the past number of trade shows while adding 14 receptions, dinners, or trade mission trips, and new in-state events. ED&F; will also initiate a program to bring site selectors -- people hired by companies looking to relocate or expand -- to the state for a first-hand experience of what North Dakota can deliver.

Trade show and event calendar for the months of June-September 2002

• EDND (Economic Developers of North Dakota) summer meeting, Devils Lake, June 23-25
• Alumni Luncheon and Business Tours, Tioga, June 28
• Third Annual IT Open, Williston, July 15-17
• Semicon (show and reception), San Jose/San Francisco, July 17-24
• Business visits and reception, Minneapolis, week of July 28
• Fifth Annual Ag Open, Williston, Aug. 6-8
• Business visits, Chicago, September

BUSINESS MEETINGS, RECEPTION PLANNED FOR MINNEAPOLIS

DOC staff will hold business meetings and a reception in Minneapolis the week of July 28. Local economic developers are invited to co-host the reception at the Hotel Sofitel, Bloomington, Minn., 5:00-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 30.

N.D. Gov. John Hoeven has been invited to attend, along with state legislators and members of the North Dakota Economic Development Foundation.

The business meetings and reception the DOC held in Minneapolis last January attracted 60 guests representing 33 companies, and resulted in 11 business appointments. Local developers are invited to schedule their own business appointments throughout the week of July 28 and invite their guests to July 30 reception.

For more information, contact Tracy Metzger, ED&F; vice president for marketing, 701-328-5352, [email protected].

N.D. MAKES ITS MARK IN NORTHERN COLORADO

Six developers representing North Dakota met with six northern Colorado business executives in late May. A local professional developer who attended said, "This was one of the best DOC activities I've attended. I'll take two appointments with companies looking to do business over a trade show any day. "

The North Dakota business development team included Mike Strotheide, DOC vice president for business development; Tom Rolfstad, Williston Area Development Foundation; Russ Staiger, Bismarck-Mandan Development Association; Paul Lucy, Minot Area Development Corporation; Chuck Fine, DOC; and Bill Argo (consultant), DOC.

FORBES/MILKEN LISTS ND CITIES AMONG BEST PLACES FOR BUSINESS, CAREERS

Bismarck, Fargo, and Grand Forks are ranked among the 96 best small metro areas in the nation in which to do business and advance careers. (Small metro areas are communities with populations below 177,000.)

In the May 27 issue of Forbes magazine, the 2002 Forbes/Milken Institute list of Best Places for Business and Careers placed Bismarck at 18th this year, up from 30th last year; Fargo-Moorhead at 21st, up from 22nd last year; and Grand Forks at 72nd, up from 83rd last year.

Visit www.forbes.com/bestplaces or www.milkeninstitute.org/ranking/rank.cfm to view this year's ranking.

CORPORATE MARKETING MATERIALS OFFER ACCESS TO LOCAL DEVELOPERS

DOC's marketing materials for economic development, to be released this summer, will deliver much-needed national access to local developers.

KAT Productions, Bismarck, won the bid to produce an interactive CD with an autorun video presentation and 10 "chapter marks." Chapter marks are subject areas containing specific, in-depth North Dakota data from ED&F; on topics such as workforce, natural resources, financial incentives, and quality of life. Each chapter mark also links directly to the ED&F; web site.

Companies featured in the marketing materials include Imation, Microsoft Great Plains, Phoenix International, Bobcat, Marvin Windows, MLT Vacations, ING, and Sabin Metals West.

For communities wanting to use the CD as part of their marketing materials, copies are available for purchase. ED&F; has also purchased the template, allowing KAT to produce custom variations to the CD, including a video segment featuring the community. The customization can also feature a chapter mark with specific information about the community.

The cost will be about $3,000-$5,000 -- a small fraction of the total production cost -- because communities pay only for the local video segment and the duplicate CDs.

For more information, contact Tracy Metzger, ED&F; vice president for marketing, 701-328-5352, [email protected].

ROCKY MOUNTAIN AND PLAINS STATES TO TEST PRODUCTS IN IRELAND

The Montana World Trade Center announces an innovative program that will allow preliminary test marketing and limited product placement in Ireland for items from the Rocky Mountain and Plains regions (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and North and South Dakota, and eastern Washington).

Four product categories will be considered initially: specialty food and beverage, art, outdoor, and home furnishing. No alcoholic beverages or perishable, refrigerated, or frozen products are eligible. Manufacturers need not have prior exporting experience to be considered for participation.

Closing date for participant consideration is Friday, June 28. Interested manufacturers should contact Brigitta Freer with the Montana World Trade Center (406-243-6982, [email protected]) as soon as possible to allow time for participant selection, catalogue compilation, presentation to Irish buyers, and the anticipated retail launch this September.

The program is funded in part by a grant from the Market Development Cooperator Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce and other generous sponsors, allowing participation costs to be kept low. For a complete description of the program, including benefits and costs, go to www.rockymountainmarket.com.

TWO LEWIS & CLARK SIGNATURE EVENTS RECEIVE $10,000 EACH FROM N.D. TOURISM

Across the nation, 15 "signature events" are planned to commemorate the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial. Two of those events are in North Dakota.

The DOC Tourism Division awarded $10,000 grants to the two N.D. groups organizing Lewis & Clark Bicentennial signature events: one in Bismarck, Oct. 22-31, 2004, and one in New Town, Aug. 17-20, 2006. The three organizations coordinating the Bismarck event are the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation, the Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Foundation. Three Affiliated Tribes Tourism is coordinating the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation event in New Town.

"North Dakota is the place where travelers can experience a rich culture and heritage, and we have the sites and activities to meet the public's expectations," said Tourism director Allan Stenehjem.

APUC AWARDS $246,750 IN VALUE-ADDED AG GRANTS

The Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC), a program of the N.D. DOC, recently awarded $246,750 in value-added grants to 14 projects.

• Inforcer, Inc., Newburg: $26,250 to develop its round baler unplugging system
• Superior Grains, Inc., Crosby: $63,000 to establish international markets for chickpeas, peas and lentils
• Tioga Area Development Corporation: $5,250 to conduct a feasibility study dealing with a double-compressed alfalfa baling business
• Safflower Technologies International, Williston: $21,000 to help establish international markets in Japan and Western Europe for North Dakota safflower products
• eBirdseed.com, Grandin: $17,850 to market N.D.-grown wild bird seed through print, direct mail, and e-commerce
• Cloverdale Growers Alliance, Mandan: $10,500 to study the feasibility of producing premium pork-and-bean products using North Dakota pork and dry edible beans
• Skandia Mills, Valley City: $4,200 to help market premium ground N.D. flax and whole flax products
• Miltech LLC, Hillsboro: $8,400 to prototype a portable field-ready sugar beet tester
• Specialty Exports Productions, Hatton: $23,100 to help market N.D.-produced specialty grains and oilseeds in Europe, Japan, and other Asian countries
• North Dakota Dry Pea & Lentil Association, Bismarck: $23,100 to develop a nutritional feed for livestock using dry peas and lentils
• NDSU Mechanical Engineering Department, Fargo: $17,850 to study bio-fuel from vegetables
• NDSU Plant Science Department, Fargo: $3,150 to study growing and handling sprout soybeans for export
• FarmNet Services, Harvey: $17,850 to hold producer meetings and expand the number of growers using the Internet to market their crops
• West Bay Resort, LLC, Minnewaukan: $5,250 to turn unsuitable cropland into a year-round fishing, big-game hunting, waterfowl-hunting, or weekend-getaway resort.

APUC's next quarterly hearing will be held Aug. 1-2 in Williston. The deadline for grant application is July 1. For grant applications or information, visit APUC's web site, www.growingnd.com.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"We're unlike the typical technology company in that turnover is very low, 4 percent a year, highly unusual in the technology field. We're family here." (Vern Dosch, CEO, National Information Solutions Cooperative, Mandan, ND)

ED&F; MISSION

"To provide strategic direction and quality products and services that stimulate and support local economic growth and diversity."

ED&F; STAFF LISTING

• Lee Peterson, Department of Commerce Commissioner 328.5300
• Linda Butts, ED&F; Director 328.5342
• Sheila Auch, Administrative Assistant 328.5310
• Celeste Engelhard, Account/Budget Specialist 328.5306
• Chuck Fine, Senior Project Manager 328.5331
• Cory Finneman, Research Vice President 328.5328
• Cornelius Grant, Rural Development Council Director 328.5313
• Bob Gruman, ND Development Fund Consultant 328.5308
• Jim Hirsch, Workforce Development Director 328.5345
• Tara Holt, Women's Business Program Director 328.5885
• Leigh Ann Huether, Research Analyst 328.5336
• Renee Loh, Associate Project Manager 328.5335
• Tracy Metzger, Marketing Vice President 328.5352
• Nancy Miller, Administrative Assistant 328.5312
• Sandy Opp, Project Manager 328.5338
• Kelly Potts, ND Development Fund Credit Officer 328.5349
• Jeff Quast, Research Analyst 328.5323
• Dean Reese, ND Development Fund/Rural Fund CEO 328.5334
• Brad Rosenfeldt, Computer Network Specialist 328.5362
• Inez Ryberg, Agricultural Products Utilization Commission Administrative Assistant 328.5318
• John Schneider, Agricultural Products Utilization Commission Executive Director 328.5350
• Randy Schwartz, Manufacturing Extension Partnership Director 328.5314
• LaVonne Stair, Office Manager 328.5317
• Mike Strotheide, Business Development Vice President 328.5322
• Cyrena Weeks, Administrative Officer 328.5311
• Laura Willard, Project Manager 328.5337