New Investor

Real Truck

Thank you to our new and current investors for your support of the GFMEDC and economic development.

GFMEDC Smart Brief

Fargo Moorhead MSA has an unemployment rate of 3.2% (not seasonally adjusted) compared to the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.7%. To see the GFMEDC's latest economic indicators, please check out the following link.

May Economic Indicators

President's Report: Get out and vote!

We are approaching a very important date. It's one that will have significant long-term impact on our community and state. Election day is June 14, 2016, and the outcomes of the races for ND governor, city commission, school board and state house and senate will have profound long-term affects!

On a local level, this election could determine the future of the Diversion Project, how downtown and suburban developments are granted incentives, transportation and zoning laws and many more important issues.

On a state-wide level, our next biennium state budgets will be determined. The ND Legacy Fund interest will be available for the first time which could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Our state's economic development tools and incentives are all up for review in the 2017 legislative session. Finally, education at all levels will be up for scrutiny as well as state social programs.

All these issues are critical to our region's long-term success. Since this is typically a low turn-out, election-cycle time, it is going to be critical to get out the vote! Encourage your employees to research the issues and vote. Sell the importance of this vote to your employees, and let them know that this vote will have as much impact on them personally as it will on regional businesses.

Go out and VOTE on Tuesday June, 14, 2016. You can also vote absentee at several places in the region so there's no excuse!

Educators in Industry expands to 16 educators, spreads across region, state

Sixteen teachers will participate in this summer's Educators in Industry program. Formerly called Teachers in Industry, the internships will run two sessions in June and July.

Through the internships, teachers will make stronger connections between education and industry. Nine educators are from Fargo,

Moorhead and West Fargo.

Local companies hosting teachers are: Microsoft, Sanford Health, John Deere Electronic Solutions, Border States Electric, Caterpillar, Moore Engineering, Trail King and KLJ. The other companies are Cloverdale, Doosan Bobcat (at their Gwinner, ND and Bismarck, ND locations) and Sanford in East Grand Forks.

By working with employees at their respective company, each teacher will gain more in-depth knowledge of teamwork, collaboration, communication and other critical skills needed to be successful in the work environment. Every teacher will gain the knowledge to develop curriculum materials and lesson plans that create project-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities in the classroom. The teachers will strengthen their ability to make curriculum content more relevant and applicable.

The teachers sp

end Monday through Thursday at their respective company. On Friday, the interns meet to reflect on their experiences. Each teacher receives a $2000 stipend and continuing education credit.

The North Dakota Department of Commerce will reimburse companies for half the stipend for North Dakota teachers.

In 2015, nine educators participated in Educators in Industry.

The GFMEDC helps initiate and support programs like the teacher internships to establish long-term, workforce-development strategies which support economic growth and vitality.

FM Welcome Party Street Dance - Sponsor Invitation

The GFMEDC is planning a summer street dance to welcome folks to Fargo Moorhead (Midwest style). We can't do it alone though. We need your help. Please consider becoming a sponsor for the event.

We have three sponsorship levels:

Platinum $5,000 (One available)

Gold $2,500 (Two available)

Bronze $1,000 (Three available)

For more detailed information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Lisa Gulland-Nelson at lgnelson@gfmedc.com or 364-1900.

Drone Focus Conference attracts a national audience to learn from industry experts

More than 300 people from the region and across the country learned about the latest changes in the Drone industry during a recent Drone Focus Conference in Fargo.

The full-day event kicked off with comments from Sen. John

Hoeven and Dr. John Cavolowsky, Director of NASA's Airspace Operations and Safety Program.

The conference featured leaders in the UAS industry including U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Stuart Munsch, representatives from Northtrop Grumman, XCraft and Botlink.

The conference also included student pitch presentations from North Dakota State University, University of North Dakota, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Syracuse University.

GFMEDC was a sponsor because the conference aligns with two of our strategic goals. First, the event attracted people to the area aligning with our workforce attraction goal. Second, it promoted the UAS industry in our region aligning with our goal to attract UAS businesses continuing to diversify our business sectors.

Attendees from outside the area spoke highly of Fargo Moorhead and the regional UAS business climate.

The second annual Drone Conference was organized and hosted by Emerging Prairie.

Mark your calendars for Drone Focus 2017 on May 31, 2017 in Fargo.

Join us to celebrate Manufacturing Day 2016 on October 7th!

Join us on October 7th as we educate high school students about the high-tech manufacturing industry.

To sign your business up for high school student tours or for more information, contact Tifanie Gelinske at tgelinske@gfmedc.com or 364-1900.

EDC staff in the news, check out the following publications quoting the EDC

Fargo Inc.

The Advisors

John Machacek talked about the EDC's role in the entrepreneurial community

Prairie Business

Community Profile - A Big City Feel

Lisa Gulland-Nelson represented the EDC in a community profile piece about Moorhead, Fargo and West Fargo.

GFMEDC Annual Report

Our annual report is now available. Please request hard copies or check it out online.

Fargo Moorhead Magazine - request your copies today!

Stories highlight Fargo Moorhead's quality of life, business climate, attractions, restaurants and must-do activities. Articles focus on how Fargo Moorhead residents enjoy the proximity to the lakes country; the cultural and economic impact of the region's colleges and universities as well as the area's growing business sectors and the local initiative to recruit, retain and develop the talent to support them.

Other articles highlight the quality-of-place amenities that attract people to the Fargo Moorhead region including high-quality

public and private schools, top-rated health-care facilities and a robust business climate.

For a free digital version of the magazine optimized for iPads, tablets and other mobile devices, visit

http://www.livability.com/nd/fargo/digital-magazine.

A spotlight on our strategic plan...

Here at the GFMEDC, we recently took a little time to review challenges and opportunities within the regional economic landscape. We developed a five-year strategic plan that provides a framework for five new priorities. You can see the complete plan on our website under What We Do.

GFMEDC Strategic Plan

Priority 1: Facilitate the Attraction of Talent to the Region

Priority 2: Encourage the Expansion and Increase the Awareness of Technical Training, Higher Education, STEM Education and Associated Career Opportunities

Priority 3: Advance an Advocacy Agenda and Communicate Economic Impact

Priority 4: Leverage Existing and Emerging Regional Industry Base and NDSU Research and

Technology Park resources for Business Retention, Expansion and Start-up

Priority 5:

Continue the Development of the Region's Entrepreneurial Eco-System

Do you have news to share?

If you have news items you would like included in an upcoming newsletter, please send the ideas or articles to Lisa Gulland-Nelson at lgnelson@gfmedc.com. Thank you!

The mission of the GFMEDC is to grow and diversify the economy in Cass County, ND and Clay County, Minn. through the attraction, retention and expansion of primary-sector employers.

A primary-sector company is one that brings new wealth into the community through the sale of its goods and services outside the trade area. This new wealth circulates and supports all other sectors of the local economy, thus making the primary sector the principle driver of economic growth.

Thank you for your continued support of the Greater Fargo Moorhead EDC and economic development. We look forward to your feedback.