Go to www.ndcommerce.com, the official site for North Dakota Commerce Department.
North Dakota Department of Commerce
HomeFAQSearchSite MapContact Us
1600 East Century Avenue, Suite 2 - Bismarck, ND 58503 - 701-328-5300
Logo
Business Development
Business Development
North Dakota Profile
Mapping/GIS
Major Companies
Company Profiles
Economic Development and Finance Services
Business Toolkit
Careers
Media Center
PRESS RELEASES

AUDIO/VIDEO

MEDIA KIT

SPEECHES/PRESENTATIONS

PHOTO GALLERY

 Media Center | Media Kit |
image
Media Kit image image

NOV 2000

For PDF version of this newsletter click here.

CONTENTS

  • Hot new ED&F; web site
  • ND'S dynamic industries
  • E-biz in Towner-Rugby-Maddock
  • Custom business training in Fargo
  • IT Open in Williston
  • Fargo: Great place for women
  • Ride the Maah Daah Hey Trail
  • "May we quote you?"
  • ED&F; MISSION
  • NEED ND BUSINESS INFO? MAKE YOUR FIRST STOP ED&F;'S NEW WEB SITE

    The state's economic development leader unveiled a redesigned, highly interactive web site in August. The ND Department of Economic Development & Finance (ED&F;) created www.growingnd.com to be the first stop for anyone seeking information about North Dakota for business expansion, startup, or relocation.

    New information and interactive services help users get exactly the information they want. For example

    • The "Company Profiles" section lets users search for information on primary sector businesses across the state based on city, SIC/NAICS codes, product profile, or key words.
    • The "ED&F; Services" section shows users a list of ED&F-funded; projects and review summaries.
    • The "Business Toolkit" section lets users view or download a variety of forms and applications for businesses, including new business registration, financing, business costs and licenses, taxes, patents and trademarks, and job training.

    By late 2000, the American Community Network database for North Dakota will be added, giving users access to more than 600 data elements for all 53 ND counties and the state's three metropolitan areas: Grand Forks, Fargo, and Bismarck. ND'S DYNAMIC INDUSTRIES GROWING FASTER THAN NATIONWIDE RATES

    The dictionary definition of "dynamic" is "vigorous" or "energetic." In economics, dynamic industries are defined as those for which employment is increasing at a rate greater than 1.5 percent per year and the ratio of the industry's employment share in the state to its employment share nationwide is growing by more than 3 percent per year.

    North Dakota's dynamic industries match both definitions, currently expanding employment and increasing productivity more rapidly than the state average, and also increasing their concentration in the state more rapidly than in the nation as a whole.

    In North Dakota, dynamic industries include business services (call centers and telemarketing ventures), industrial and commercial machinery and computer equipment manufacturing, general building contractors, and amusement and recreation services.

    Economists and researchers at RFA of West Chester, Pa., found that North Dakota's dynamic industries have outperformed the same group of industries nationally for most of the decade from 1988-98.

    Employment statewide for the industry group has expanded at an 8.7 percent annual rate, compared to a 2.6 percent national rate for the same group of industries. Behavior of output was similarly impressive, growing at an 11 percent rate statewide versus a national rate of less than 6 percent. Dynamic industries account for 11 percent of state employment and around 13 percent of gross state product in North Dakota. HOME E-BUSINESSES TEAM UP IN TOWNER-RUGBY-MADDOCK

    "e.hub-club," a regional team of home businesses using the Internet, opened in Rugby this summer. The web-based company will support home-based businesses in the Towner-Rugby-Maddock area. Businesses will include a training company and shopping portal for the best prices on technology equipment and supplies, and an e-mart for up to ten other North Dakota home-centered businesses. CUSTOM BUSINESS TRAINING OFFERED AT FARGO CENTER

    The new Skills and Technology Center in Fargo is designed to meet the short-term custom training needs of business, industry, and health care providers.

    The center offers training in the areas of computers, diversity, team building, customer service, supervisory and sales skills, electrical, AutoCAD, blueprint reading, welding, and sheet metal.

    The 55,000-square-foot center includes modern training bays, computer rooms, satellite downlinks, videoconferencing, and teleconferencing. "I.T. OPEN" OFFERS FUN, NETWORKING, FOR 150 U.S. BUSINESS PEOPLE

    North Dakota's Department of Economic Development and Finance sponsored the first annual Information Technology (IT) Open Sept. 6-7 in Williston.

    ED&F;, North Dakota Gov. Ed Schafer, and Rosenbluth International welcomed more than 150 business people from in-state and out of state, economic developers, and elected officials to the golf, fishing and sailing outing. The event is patterned after the highly successful "Ag Open" sponsored by ED&F; each August.

    The IT Open focused on developing business and building relationships that will lead to higher-end and higher-impact IT jobs in the state.

    "Building relationships, nurturing new ideas, and sharing resources is imperative," said ED&F; director Kevin Cramer. "This enormous, exciting industry will grow and evolve beyond anything we can imagine. The IT Open is a chance for U.S. industry professionals to relax and network. We intend to position North Dakota as the state providing this unique opportunity," Cramer added. LADIES HOME JOURNAL STUDY: FARGO IS 8TH BEST PLACE FOR WOMEN IN NATION

    Fargo ranked eighth in the nation in a 2000 Ladies Home Journal rating of the best places for women to live.

    The magazine's rankings were based on criteria for crime, lifestyle, education, jobs, childcare, health, politics, and economics. The city ranked third in the jobs category, behind Thousand Oaks and Huntington Beach, Calif.

    Of particular note were Fargo's commute time (a whopping 14.3 minutes!) and its lifestyle, economy, and crime rate. MAAH DAAH HEY TRAIL GROWING IN POPULARITY WITH MOUNTAIN BIKERS

    The hottest thing to hit the mountain biking, hiking, and horse trekking worlds is the Maah Daah Hey Trail, 100 winding miles through the beautiful and pristine North Dakota Badlands. It was recently listed as "One of the Ten Places Every Mountain Biker Should Visit" by Mountain Bike Action magazine, and "One of America's Top Adventures" by National Geographic's Adventure magazine. Nearby Medora was named "One of the ten best mountain biking towns in America" by Sports Afield. Seven campgrounds are being built at 15-mile intervals along the trail. "MAY WE QUOTE YOU?"

    "Small-town values and high-tech education are not such a bad combination for the future." (Douglas Burgum, president, Great Plains Software, Fargo) ED&F; MISSION: "To provide strategic direction and quality products and services that stimulate and support local economic growth and diversity."


  • image

    line

    image

    ED&F;: A BIOGRAPHICAL VIEW

    FILE DOWNLOADS

    NORTH DAKOTA MEDIA LINKS

    TESTIMONIALS

    QUICK FACTS

    SUCCESS STORIES


    NEWSLETTERS
    NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE