The Watertown Development Company (WDC) is pleased to announce the addition of Amanda Culhane as their new Marketing and Administrative Specialist.

Culhane, formerly the Marketing Coordinator at Persona, brings to the group over 10 years of graphic design and marketing experience. Her main duties will be handling all WDC social media accounts, designing marketing collateral and any other marketing overflow. She will also assist with property management and any administrative needs.

“It felt almost surreal to be interviewed and hired for a new job amidst all the chaos of layoffs and business closures caused by the pandemic.” Culhane said “I feel very lucky, and it shows not only how resilient the WDC is, but how important it is to keep the momentum going on these projects for the progression of Watertown.”

Originally from Ohio, Culhane attended South Dakota State University (SDSU) where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in graphic design with minors in art and business. It’s there where she met her husband, Liam Culhane, who would later bring her back to settle down in his hometown.

“Between our careers, getting married and buying a house, we feel that Watertown is the best place for us to be right now. Even though I’m not from here, I’ve formed a lot of strong relationships with people in the community over the past six years and have a terrific group of friends” said Culhane. “I’m looking forward to using my skills and ‘outsider perspective’ to generate new ideas and help with any future development projects in Watertown.”

Culhane lives on a small acreage on the north side of town where she and her husband plan to have a few smaller farm animals and a large garden in the upcoming years. When she’s not busy preserving this year’s harvest or trying out new recipes, you can find her enjoying the nice weather on Lake Kampeska or hiking around the Black Hills.

A new national community investment tool that connects private capital with low-income communities across America to provide new investments, new business, and better paying jobs has made its way into Watertown by a fund set up by an area developer. JASK SD, LLC was created as part of the Opportunity Zones Incentive – a new community investment tool established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide. Opportunity Zones provide a tax incentive for investors to re-invest their unrealized capital gains into dedicated Opportunity Funds.

Opportunity Zones are areas of a community where low-income census tracts are nominated by governors and certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury into which investors can now put capital to work financing new projects and enterprises in exchange for certain federal capital gains tax advantages. The United States has over 8,700 Opportunity Zones in every state and territory.

Watertown has one area designated as an Opportunity Zone. The area spans from 3^rd Avenue NW near Riverside Park, down 1^st Avenue to 19^th Street NE, South stopping at Highway 212, West to Kemp Avenue and ends North at 3^rd Avenue NW.

Jesse Craig explained, “Many small communities have been passed over by economic growth and forgotten. This new formula for public and private sectors to work together to generate new investments, new businesses, and new good paying jobs in places that have fallen behind harnesses much-needed private capital to flow to communities and empower local leaders to build a more prosperous community.”

The Lofts, a project that already has its ownership structure in place and has started under the operation of Jesse Craig of Craig Companies, is an example of a mixed-use project currently under construction in a designated Opportunity Zone in Watertown. Upon completion, it will have thirty-nine residential units and 8,000 square feet of commercial space for lease.

The Opportunity Zones concept was originally introduced in a 2015 paper, “Unlocking Private Capital to Facilitate Economic Growth in Distressed Areas,” to help address the persistent poverty and uneven recovery that left too many American communities behind. The idea has since been supported by a wide-ranging coalition of investors, entrepreneurs, community developers, economists, and other stakeholders.

Two projects are in the works for Craig Companies under the JASK SD Opportunity Fund in the near future. Craig is planning a new apartment building which is currently in the design stage, and another apartment building with mixed-use that is currently in the development stage.

To become involved in the JASK SD, LLC Opportunity Fund, contact fund sponsor Jesse Craig at 605 868 8330 or visit their website at www.livingwatertown.com.

The Watertown Development Company (WDC) has selected a name for their new industrial park that honors an individual who has made a lasting impression on the industrial culture of Watertown.

The park will be called Calvin Industrial Park, named for John Calvin, notable Watertown businessman, philanthropist and entrepreneur.

Chris Schilken, Executive Director of the WDC, said, “John is a very successful, well-respected businessman and entrepreneur who has brought a wealth of experience and opportunity to our community,” said Schilken. “His name evokes economic vitality and signifies the promise of a brilliant future for the park.”

Calvin is known for bringing his company, Angus Industries, to Watertown over 40 years ago, and for being the second Watertown businessman to oversee the state of South Dakota’s economic development efforts.

He first came to South Dakota to hunt pheasants, but after many more visits to the state, the late Gov. George S. Mickelson convinced him to expand his manufacturing business to Watertown. He put only part of the company in Watertown to start.

By 1992, Calvin moved all of the operations to Watertown, and many other employees from the plant in Minnesota. The company grew quickly; from $2.7 million to $20 million in annual sales, and in 1996, sold it to the employees and watched it continue to grow while he formed a new venture, J. Scott Industries of Watertown, investing in other new businesses.

Calvin said of his success and naming of the park, “Watertown was a good move. It has a remarkable workforce with good work ethic and attitude. I am deeply appreciative for the recognition.”

Acquisition of the industrial park land by the WDC was completed last fall.  Hoping to continue the legacy of successes such as recruiting Calvin’s business to Watertown, new development within the park will follow one of the long-held missions of the WDC: focusing on new business attraction and existing business retention and expansion.

The WDC is already working with a company looking to locate to the new park.

“We are working on recruiting a company from out of state who is ready to locate on the north end of the park and employ up to 50 people. Construction is expected to start this fall,” said Schilken.

A park dedication ceremony is planned for May 28^th at 2:00 p.m. at the southwest corner of the park, with a reception to follow at 4:00 p.m. at Joy Ranch. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is expected to be in attendance at the dedication ceremony. The public is welcome to attend.

A company from Detroit Lakes Minnesota will combine two of its locations and relocate them to Watertown.

Broadway Welding, Inc. plans to invest more than $5 million dollars to purchase building and equipment, creating approximately 50 new jobs over the next several years.

Broadway Welding, Inc. began operations in 2004 as a full-service manufacturing job shop. In 2012 they began manufacturing a full line of Skid Steer Attachments known as Legend Attachments and in 2015 GS Trailers first fish house frame was manufactured. The company now has over 3500 trailers on the road. In 2019 two additional product lines were added as they acquired Sprayflex Sprayers which builds field sprayers and Truflex Landrollers, manufacturing heavy duty land rollers. The company will first be moving GS Trailers manufacturing to Watertown with potential for other product lines to follow. The Watertown location will also have full job shop capabilities.

The Watertown Development Company worked with Broadway Welding to secure the expansion to Watertown.

“The decision to expand their manufacturing presence to Watertown is a strong testament to the region’s supportive environment for manufacturers,” Chris Schilken, Executive Director of the WDC said. “Companies from around the world continue to locate and expand in our area for its skilled workforce and top-tier institution of higher technical education, Lake Area Tech. The WDC is proud to have assisted with their relocation, and we look forward to their next phase of growth.”

To help in the relocation of the company, the WDC assisted with the purchase of the Terex main plant building located at 500 Oakwood Road. Although Terex has not moved from that location, Broadway Welding will lease the building to Terex until they are able to move to their new location in Mallard Pointe Business Park in Watertown.

“Innovative companies like Broadway Welding help to keep Watertown at the forefront of a rapidly evolving manufacturing industry,” Traci Stein, Director of  Marketing said. “The company has provided high-quality, well- paying jobs for hardworking people for nearly fifteen years. Their expansion into Watertown from Minnesota is a significant win, and we are grateful for their commitment to Watertown.”

Broadway Welding is expected to begin operations late this summer. For more information on the company, visit www.broadwaywelding.com

Westside Implement out of Clark is opening a new dealership in Watertown soon.

Eastside Equipment, the sister location to Westside Implement of Clark, recently purchased about nine acres of land from the Watertown Development Company (WDC) in Calvin Industrial Park.

Calvin Industrial Park is located south of Walmart and consists of approximately ninety acres of land that is owned by the Watertown Development Company for the purpose of commercial and industrial development and the creation of new jobs.

Construction on the new location has already started.

The WDC assisted by helping them find a location and by creating a Tax Increment Finance District to assist with infrastructure costs.

Owner Kyle Gaikowski said that it expects to be set up in its newly constructed facility by next summer. “The dealership will have a 9,000 square-foot showroom, a 10,000 square-foot shop and service area, and a large display area outside facing the 20th Avenue bypass and park entrance. “

The new location will offer sales, service, and parts to Watertown and the surrounding area, and carry the full line of Kubota equipment, including tractors, skid loaders, track loaders, mini excavators, wheel loaders, lawn and garden equipment, and recreational vehicles.

The process to become an authorized Kubota dealer took several months, according to Gaikowski. “It is a very detailed process to become a Kubota dealer. The process started off with an interview. Kubota (then) looked at my educational background, finances … and we were asked to complete a five-year business plan. We had to prove that we could make it work for what we were going to sell.”

Besides the Kubota line, Eastside Equipment will have a large offering of short line equipment that they’ve always offered in Clark, including spraying, planting and seed handling, haying, cattle feeding and manure, grain handling and storage, skid loader and tractor attachments, and tillage.

Westside Implement and Eastside Equipment specializes in repair work on any farm equipment purchased from the dealership. Gaikowski said they will sell service and rent Kubota and many other short line equipment pieces that they offer in Clark currently. “We service all the brands we sell and can accommodate repairing brands that we do not sell. We will also have a service truck with the ability to do in the field repairs.”

Gaikowski believes the new business will fill a void in the area for those who own Kubota equipment and need a nearby location to have their equipment serviced and to purchase parts.

Eastside expects to employ eight when the dealership opens in the spring of 2020, including two sales people, one parts person, three techs, one service and parts manager, and one accounting and marketing person.

Third-party logistics (3PL) services provider, Comprehensive Logistics Inc, (CLI) will be locating to Watertown as part of its plan to assist Terex with their parts and warehouse management needs. The expansion is part of a ripple effect that is taking place in Watertown after Terex started their expansion earlier this year.

The company is one more of a few businesses that have already made their move to be closer to Terex since their announcement.

CLI is a full-service logistics and value-added assembly business focused on automotive, construction, mining, agriculture and consumer goods industries. The Company has operations in more than 12 states and services a broad range of customers.

The Watertown Development Company will build and lease back to CLI a 60,000 square foot facility in Calvin Industrial Park. The company is expected to add approximately 25 full time positions with yearly salaries ranging from $34,000 to $100,000 and an estimated $4.3 million in capital investment to Watertown.

Michelle Kakacek is the Director of Business Development for the Watertown Development Company.  She has been working with CLI on a lease/purchase agreement for the new building for several months. “We are thrilled to welcome Comprehensive Logistics to Calvin Industrial Park. It is exciting to see an industry leader in supply chain solutions set up shop in Watertown and partner with a local manufacturer. It illustrates how growth of one business can spur additional investment in our local economy.”

Manufacturers from around the world rely on supply chain management systems like CLI’s because building an in-house distribution system can be costly when vehicles and vehicle repair, fuel and labor costs are taken into account.

“Comprehensive Logistics Co., Inc., is proud to have been selected to support Terex Utilities and the Watertown community with innovative and progressive warehouse and transportation solutions with the singular goal to produce the highest quality utility vehicles,” said Brad Constantini, CEO of Comprehensive Logistics.

Comprehensive Logistics’ operations will support and sustain Terex production capacity through engineered warehouse processes applied to key part flow-paths routed through this new facility.  Consulting with Terex, CLI has developed a “Plan For Every Part” (PFEP) methodology and set requirements for material receiving, inventory storage space, parts picking, re-packaging for line presentation, sub-assemblies and kitting services, built in-sequence for production.  CLI will transport materials by short-run shuttle trucks to the assembly plant triggered by Terex ERP/EDI communications and build forecasts.

With CLI management of resources, consisting of material handling vehicles, special handling equipment, barcode labeling and packaging containers, an entire team of CLI trained people will be dedicated to delivering safe, sustainable optimized performance for Terex within this purposefully constructed facility.

CLI operations will enable Terex to focus on assembly of world-class products, while CLI assures that the exact parts needed for assembly are delivered just-in-time.

CLI expects to be fully operational by Spring 2020.

With assistance from the Watertown Development Company (WDC) through their downtown revitalization program, another business will be making its move to downtown Watertown soon.

The Painted Fox will be moving into the building located at 208 East Kemp Avenue in downtown Watertown.

Opening in August, the studio will be a place where you can paint your own pottery, attend pottery classes, do glass fusing, wood sign painting, and canvas painting.

Ashley Fox is the owner of The Painted Fox. She said she considers this a “hands-on arts studio.”

“I am not an artist, but I can help. You don’t have to be creative or good at it. You can come in and I will guide and help you with your project. Its more about the experience of working with pottery rather than being an expert and creating a work of art,” Fox said.

Some examples of the items you will be able to create include paint your own pottery with 50 plus items to choose from, dinner wear, and piggy banks.  Price ranges will be $10.00 and up.

There may also be an opportunity for the business to offer wine during classes in the future. Ashley has applied for a beer and wine license which will be going in front of the Watertown City Council at their July 15^th meeting.

The Painted Fox will be open most evenings. Ashley plans on posting a monthly calendar the month before so people can plan ahead for her events which will include art camps for children, lady’s night, and a couple’s night.

The Watertown Development Company is keeping its promise of filling empty buildings downtown.

Anne Mack, owner of Hot Mama Mack’s, and Jason Mack, an AFLAC Insurance Agent, are the newest businesses to have chosen to locate downtown.

For the last 10 years, Jason has been working at another location in Watertown, and Anne has been assisting him out of their home.

The two businesses will now occupy all of the space previously known as Off the Clock Chophouse at 206 East Kemp Avenue.

Anne and Jason’s businesses join others who have recently located downtown because of the WDC’s downtown revitalization program, including Phillip Matthews’ State Farm Agency, and Sunshine & Co. boutique.

“We are excited to have them locate downtown. They will make a great addition to the mix of retailers located there,” said Chris Schilken, Executive Director for the Watertown Development Company. “What we’re most excited about is that Anne’s business is serving a dual purpose,” said Schilken, “She’s filling an empty space downtown and answering a question that most working parents dread to hear almost every day around 3:00 pm, which is, ‘What’s for dinner??’ “.

Whether the question comes in a message or it pops into your head during the workday, most parents automatically cringe, because it’s one of the most stressful times of the day.

Anne is making it her mission to help you.  “I know there is a need for healthier, real food, but people are too busy to figure out how to make that work. I have always loved cooking for people, it just makes me happy,” Anne said in a recent interview.

Born and raised in Watertown, Anne is the daughter of local longtime resident and dentist, Dr. Jim Saylor. Her passion for cooking and baking was sparked when she was just 10 years old. Over the years, she has worked in a few other positions, from being a nurse, to a full-time mom, to working alongside her husband at AFLAC. While she was doing that, she was also making salsa.  She started giving her salsa away to friends and family. Over time, it became so popular that she decided she should start selling it. That’s when she came up with the idea to start her own business.

Hot Mama Mack’s business is two-fold; she prepares mild, medium, and hot salsa, and she also prepares ready-made meals that people can take home, heat, and eat, or freeze for another day. Her meals are available for pickup 11:00 am – 6:00 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Depending on the type of meal prepared, prices will vary slightly; from $10-12 dollars for a two-person meal and $15-20 for a family size meal.

She will do her best to customize for allergies and dietary preferences.

Both places are open and ready for business. You can find the meals and order what Anne will be preparing for the week on her Facebook page at “hot mama macks.”

With assistance from the Watertown Development Company (WDC) through their downtown revitalization program, another business will be making its move to downtown Watertown soon.

The WDC welcomes State Farm agent Phillip Matthews to its family of relocated businesses downtown. For the past couple of years, Matthews and his team have been servicing their clients in Watertown at 600 5^th Street SE. The new location, located at 208 East Kemp, will officially open its doors this June.

This will be the second business this year to make its move to downtown as a result of the WDC’s revitalization program.

The move is part of the WDC’s strategic initiative aimed at creating renewed interest in locating businesses and people into downtown. The goal is to renovate and fill storefronts on Kemp Avenue, which in turn will attract new workforce, visitors, shoppers, and new life to the downtown area.

Matthews moved to Watertown in 2017 with fiancé, Jordan, from Montana.  Since moving here, he has become active in Rotary, Optimist Club, and Excite 21-40. Last year his business was chosen as Chamber Business of the Year.

Matthews said, “We are very excited for our new office space downtown. I want to thank our wonderful community and Watertown Development Company who has made this all possible. One of the biggest reasons for our move to downtown is because I know the heart of any growing city is their downtown. We look forward to being a part of that as we continue to watch Watertown grow and prosper.”

Matthews and his team bring years of insurance and financial services experience to the area. Phillip’s office currently includes three fully-licensed and bank certified team members: Shareen Brazil (Office Manager); Teresa Kaaza (Bank and Life Specialist); and Allison Lehrke (Account Manager).

The agency offers auto, antique classic auto, motorcycle, recreational/off-road vehicles, boat-owners, condo unit owners, farm/ranch, flood, homeowners, manufactured home, personal articles policy, liability umbrellas, renters, life insurance, disability income, hospital income, medical supplement, vehicle loans, cd’s, checking, savings, and credit cards.

Matthews is planning to have a grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration at the new location in July.