By Tammy Miller

VPP Co-chair

CEO Border States Electric

(Steven Burian, CEO AE2S is also a co-chair)

The Red River Valley is strong thanks to our people, businesses and quality of life. There are incredible opportunities from south of Wahpeton to north of Grand Forks and on both sides of the river.

The Valley Prosperity Partnership (VPP), started with the leadership and foresight of William Marcil Sr., is a group focused on using our strengths to create an even brighter future.

To do this, we have identified six areas for leaders all across the Valley to focus on:

• Water management

• Expanding research capacity

• Workforce

• Entrepreneurial output and activity

• Investments in critical infrastructure and capital improvement

• Defining and improving perceptions of the Valley

The VPP, a collective of 27 industry and higher education leaders, has come together to develop an action-oriented strategy and plan to collaborate on these issues that impact the long-term economic growth and sustainability of the Red River Valley.

The VPP has formed working groups to tackle the first three of the six strategies: water security, expansion of research capacity and relevancy, and talent attraction, retention and development in the Valley. Working groups will form around the latter three areas in early 2015.

The supply and management of water is critical to the long-term success and sustainability of any community and economy, including ours. Fargo-Moorhead remains vulnerable to a catastrophic flood. The VPP believes permanent flood protection is critical to the continued success of the F-M area to protect the economic interest of the region and the state. The region also needs a supplemental water supply to support residents and businesses when a drought cycle hits the Valley.

Our universities educate students, support entrepreneurship and conduct important research, all of which play an important role as engines of innovation, productivity and economic vitality. The VPP will work to remove barriers in attracting top research talent and also work with state and regional leaders to evaluate policy and procedures that are barriers to commercializing intellectual property at the state's research institutions.

To attract additional people to the region, we advocate for more attractive tuition structures and increasing the number of internships. Promoting high-tech careers and expanding K-12 and higher education teacher internship programs are additional ways for us to build on the great workforce we have to match the opportunities here in the Valley.

The Red River Valley has always sat in a position of economic strength, and the expanding energy development in the west only adds to our opportunities. Our economy is solid, our quality of life is second to none, and the world around us is starting to acknowledge what we have long known-that we live in a great place. The region and the state are included in-and are topping-many lists that measure every aspect of economic strength and quality of life.

We have an opportunity to capitalize on our strengths right now. If we take action, the best is yet to come. The VPP is here to help create long-term economic strategies as a region while defining and improving the perceptions of the Valley.

When people move to a city, they enjoy the whole region. They go to UND hockey games, shop at West Acres, enjoy Wahpeton's Chahinkapa Zoo and spend the weekend in lakes country. We are stronger together, and with long-term growth and continued economic vitality in our sights, the VPP has carved out actions to ensure that the Red River Valley continues to be a vibrant place to live, work and play and a great place to call home.

Emile Dargbeh's enthusiasm was infectious.

The Fargo Davies High School senior spoke excitedly about his prospects in finding a career in manufacturing, something he would now "definitely like to have."

Dargbeh was one of about 160 students from Fargo Moorhead who attended the third Manufacturing Day, hosted by the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation.

Coinciding with National Manufacturing Day, GFMEDC aimed to have the event educate students of the many valuable careers available in their own backyard. Through the morning, the students toured four local manufacturing businesses, getting valuable hands-on experience.

Experiences like the manufacturing tours are helping influence students' choices for their education after graduating high school and life-long careers.

"Because I'm getting more and more experience in automotive and things like that, more mechanical work, I'm leaning over to that side right now. I think a technical college like [MState] would be the best option for me right now," Dargbeh said.

Students from Moorhead, Fargo and West Fargo visited Aggregate Industries, the Fargo Jet Center/Weather Modification, John Deere Electronic Solutions and Prinsco.

Manufacturing Day 2014 was sponsored by the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Minn-Dak Manufacturers Association and Dakota MEP.

Two local startups got a chance to compete and showcase their business on a national stage. The companies, Booth (a product of Codelation) and Medytex, each pitched their startups at the Tech Cocktail competition in Las Vegas. 
 

To ensure Fargo Moorhead representation at the national pitch competition, the GFMEDC facilitated Tech Cocktail's local voting poll and assisted the local startups with travel and accommodation expenses. 

Tech Cocktail's Celebrate Conference brought together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, startup founders, creative technologists, designers, investors, community builders and media.

The winner of the competition, HIS Energy, is a startup out of Baltimore. HIS Energy took home a $10,000 check, American Airlines Business Extra points and $5,000 in Amazon Web Service credits.

How do we give students the skills they need to be successful in the IT industry?

How do we provide higher education professionals the tools they need to respond to a dynamic and ever-changing industry?

Those were a couple of the questions tackled during a four-hour summit that brought together roughly 50 leaders in the IT sector both from industry and higher education.

A couple themes quickly emerged including experiential learning and providing information that more accurately reflects the jobs available within the IT industry. Participants discussed increasing efforts to provide internships and job shadowing.

The group also discussed creating a better awareness of the current policies related to intellectual property and student work.

For example, NDSU's Dr. Kelly Rusch stated that ownership of IP is currently with the student. If a student is doing an internship, the student can sign over the IP to the company or the college.

The event was organized by the Greater Fargo Moorhead EDC and held at Microsoft. Gary Inman, SVP, IT Bell State Bank and Trust, moderated the event.

"The discussions were excellent, and people really seemed to want to be there and actively work on opportunities to tackle challenges. The number of ideas presented suggest there is pent up demand to work on things. If we strike while the iron is hot, we will reap some pretty big rewards," said Inman.

The GFMEDC is leading efforts to create and expand on initiatives and tackle challenges brought up during the event. 

1 Million Cups 

Every Wednesday 9:15

FMCT The Stage

http://fargo.sites.1millioncups.com/  

Startup Drinks

October 23 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Absolute Marketing, 222 Broadway

Sign-up

E-Commerce Breakfast

October 29

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

The Boiler Room, 210 Broadway

$10 cover Tickets

The complete annual meeting is now available to watch.

Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation