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 73 acres of  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.

Calvin Industrial Park is located directly west of the new Terex expansion, along 20th Avenue south.

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 North Dakota supplier of oilfield and construction services has expanded to Watertown.

Sentry, out of Waterford and Williston, N.D., has expanded its business, making it the company’s 3^rd location for operations.

The expansion will result in up to 40 new jobs for Watertown.

Sentry started in 2011 as a crane company whose focus was primarily on the oil fields. They now offer roustabout, welding, well services, trucking, and building concept services, pre-plumbed skid buildings for industrial infrastructure and the oil field, pre-manufactured pipe; welded/flanged, grooved, and threaded, and crane work services.

The company had considered other locations to expand but chose Watertown because they are familiar with the area, there were existing buildings available, and the availability of skilled workforce for what they would need for their operations.

Sentry is located at 1414 5^th Street SE in Watertown.

The Watertown Development Company (WDC) has reached $3.5 million in pledges for its capital campaign goal, the largest total its ever achieved.

Launched September 2018 with the assistance from National Community Development Services out of Atlanta, GA, GROW Watertown is a five-year campaign for collaborative investment to accelerate and secure Watertown’s economic growth. The success of the campaign means WDC will be better positioned to promote the area to businesses and entrepreneurs across the country and beyond while also helping companies already rooted in the community thrive.

“WDC’s successful $3.5 million capital campaign under the leadership of Chris Schilken marks the beginning of a new state of advancement for the organization. The WDC staff efforts – from developing our economic blueprint to the strategic plan – laid the groundwork and now our community leaders have shown their confidence by rallying behind WDC so it can implement the plan. Together we will pursue a bold new future for Watertown,” said Jim Redlinger, WDC Board Chair.

Success of the campaign was facilitated in part by creating a new investor model as a result of a survey that was conducted of WDC stakeholders and their enthusiasm for its proposed new strategic plan. Stakeholders responded that they wanted aggressive and intentional economic development and expected the WDC to lead those efforts but wanted WDC to also reimagine their engagement with investors and how it collaborates with the rest of the community to meet its goals. As a result, the WDC aligned its plan to provide for more investor and community involvement.

“WDC’s new investor model is already having a meaningful impact on our business development efforts in the community as companies are no longer viewing their contributions as a donation, but as an opportunity to be part of building a stronger and growing community. Many are actively engaged in committee work that is driving some of the strategies for the WDC,” said Traci Stein, Director of Marketing and Public Communication for the WDC.

Strong capital campaign leadership also helped WDC reach beyond its campaign goal. To date, eighty-eight businesses have invested in WDC, and more are expected to join.

“Achieving its capital campaign goal allows the WDC to continue to be a vital driver of economic development for the community. Over the years, their focused efforts have helped strengthen Watertown’s position as a destination for business investment, and under the leadership of Chris Schilken and his staff, I am confident they will reap even greater rewards for our city in the years to come,” said Watertown Mayor Sarah Caron.

The investments made will be used to focus WDC on these five strategic initiatives over the next five years:

1. New Business Attraction
2. Existing Business Retention and Expansion
3. Workforce Development/Talent Attraction
4. Downtown Redevelopment/Entrepreneurship
5. “Built Environments” conducive to talent attraction and retail growth

“We are very thankful to all of our investors for supporting not only WDC but also the entire GROW Watertown Strategic Plan. This community has tremendous potential – from world class manufacturing facilities to a highly educated workforce – and the success of our campaign will allow us to more effectively attract workforce, new investment, and jobs that will accelerate Watertown’s growth,” said Schilken.

About National Community Development Services

National Community Development Services (NCDS)  was founded in 1977 by Howard Benson. Located in Atlanta, GA, NCDS is the leading, most experienced provider of fundraising campaigns for chambers of commerce, economic and community development organizations across the United States.  NCDS pioneered the multi-year strategic initiative funding model, which has become the preferred approach for public-private economic development programming.

As part of the WDC’s economic development efforts in its five-year strategic plan, the Watertown Development Company has contracted with Maxfield Research & Consulting Company to complete a housing study and downtown market analysis for Watertown.

The goal of the study is to determine the market potential for developing additional housing and commercial spaces in the City and specifically Downtown Watertown.  The information Maxfield Research obtains from both public and private sources will be used by Watertown Development Company to develop an action strategy.

The kick-off meeting for the project is open to the public and will be held in the City Hall council chambers on Monday, March 25 at 5:30 pm.

The public is welcome to meet with Matt Mullins, Maxfield’s Vice President, to hear about how you can be involved and what to expect.

By Dan Crisler, Public Opinion Staff Writer

When South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem outlined her administration’s priorities over a week ago at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, she spoke of a desire to increase opportunities for South Dakota’s workforce by training potential employees for skilled jobs that come with high wages.

With positive reception from the downtown advisory committee and a supportive nod from the board of the Watertown Development Company (WDC), downtown Watertown will soon realize its first revitalization project.

Sabrina Valsvig, owner of Sunshine & Co., will be moving her business from 17 1^st Avenue SE, to a larger space to support her growing business.

The move is part of the WDC’s strategic initiative aimed at creating renewed interest in locating businesses and people into the heart of downtown.

Chris Schilken, Executive Director of the WDC, said, “This is the first of many more developments to come. Our goal is to make strategic investments in downtown Watertown that will fill empty buildings and repurpose available space, which in turn will attract new workforce, tourists, shoppers, and bring renewed life to the uptown area.”

With unified support from the City of Watertown, Watertown Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce, the WDC launched their downtown revitalization initiative in November 2018.

The Downtown Advisory Committee was formed soon after to review potential initiatives and make recommendations to the WDC Board for final approval. The advisory committee is made up of several independent business owners who are in downtown Watertown, Julie Knutson, President of the Watertown Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Tim Sheehan, President of the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce.

Investments in the downtown projects are made by the WDC with money received from Dakota Resources, which allows small businesses and entrepreneurs access to capital to grow and expand their business. The funds are then used to allow the WDC to structure lease-purchase agreements on newly acquired buildings, providing a path to ownership.

Schilken said, “Investment in the revitalization of our downtown attracts workforce, attracts tourists, creates jobs, and increases property values, all of which benefit our economy and keep Watertown moving forward.”

The WDC’s downtown revitalization initiative also accommodates local needs in a way that might not be possible in a completely privately funded project. “Funding from the WDC helps fill the gap to make these projects a reality and overcome unique issues that occur in downtown environments, such as accessibility, affordability, remediation, restoration and preservation,” said Schilken.

Sunshine & Co. is expected to open in April after improvements are made at their new location at 18 East Kemp Avenue, and have expanded hours Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The retail store carries clothing for women and children, jewelry, and home décor.

Several other downtown projects are currently under consideration. The downtown advisory committee and WDC Board hope to have final approvals and the details of these projects in the coming weeks.

Amid completion of the third floor, relocating our office, our day to day work, and six months of fundraising, the WDC has had a very busy year, and, completed its largest capital campaign ever—$3.2 million raised…

Downtown Watertown will see some changes in the new year thanks to an initiative being launched by local business leaders.

With unified support from the City of Watertown, Watertown Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce, the Watertown Development Company is launching a downtown revitalization initiative aimed at creating renewed interest in locating businesses and people downtown.

Chris Schilken, Executive Director of the Watertown Development Company, said the goal is to make strategic investments that will create a unified downtown and improve the quality of life for residents in the area. “Success in economic development is increasingly becoming more about creating walkable, and connected places. Investment in revitalization creates jobs, workforce, increases property values and attracts tourists, all of which are economic benefits to the cities making those investments.”

Initiatives like this are nothing new to economic development groups like the Watertown Development Company. The impact of downtown revitalization on local and state economies is well documented. Having a unique quality of place plays a strong role in attracting residents, visitors, and businesses. Many rural economic development corporations across the United States are engaged in revitalization efforts to renew downtown areas and restore them to their former distinction as the center of community activity.

To move the initiative forward, the WDC has formed a committee that will collaborate with WDC staff on research, ideas and presentation of recommendations to the WDC Board of Directors. The group will also be utilizing an advisory committee made up of downtown business leaders that will draw from their input, research, and plans to help them develop a wide range of ideas and concepts to reposition downtown as a community destination.

Mayor Sarah Caron is one of a handful of community leaders who will serve on the downtown revitalization committee. She said, “We are excited to listen to ideas from our downtown business owners to re-establish downtown as a center of activity for our youth, adults, families and seniors. We want it to be a place that reflects the qualities, characteristics, and activities that have historically defined Watertown, a community that gathers morning, noon and night. We will be looking to downtown business owners for their recommendations on how to build on what we have to create something even more appealing.”

One thing that will be necessary to the success of the initiative is continued investment – which means committing the WDC’s resources strategically. Thanks to the supporters of the current GROW Watertown five-year strategic plan, investment will come directly from the Watertown Development Company, which in turn will generate several positive impacts, including a decrease in the building vacancy rate.

“This initiative is an economic opportunity for Watertown. Creating a vibrant, walkable neighborhood will help attract and retain talented people and the companies that want to hire them, and make Watertown stand out as a destination to dine, shop, visit, invest, or move to,” said Schilken.

The downtown advisory committee will be formed between now and the end of the year, and the committee is expected to meet in January to discuss the first round of proposed action plans.

Another of Watertown’s largest employers is planning an expansion of its operations and hiring more workers.

Dakota Tube is making what it describes as a multi-million-dollar investment into the construction of a new 168,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that will take place in three phases over the next three years.

The company has had a presence in Watertown since moving their operations here from Minnesota in 1985.

“Manufacturing in Watertown continues to thrive, and when companies like Dakota Tube choose to move and operate here, it strengthens the sector even more,” said Chris Schilken, Executive Director of the Watertown Development Company. “This is a significant investment by Dakota Tube. Once again, Watertown is proving to be a major hub for manufacturing and distribution in South Dakota.”

With previous expansions that took place in 2013, 2014 and 2017, this will be the fourth time that Dakota Tube has expanded in Watertown in the last six years. In 2014, with assistance from the WDC, the company completed a building expansion that took place directly across from their location in Lake Air Industrial Park, which added 38,000 square feet to their building complex and totaled more than $2.1 million in capital investment. Phase one begins this week into a 42,000 square foot spec building owned by the Watertown Development Company (WDC) located in Pheasant Ridge Industrial Park.

John Steinbauer, Vice President of Manufacturing for Dakota Tube said, “The new location will produce our high volume and standardized production. We’ve purchased all new equipment for that building which will begin arriving in November. The equipment is very efficient with some significant automation, and the plans for layout and process flow are exciting too.”

The first phase of their expansion is expected to create over 60 jobs with competitive starting wages of $17.00 – $18.00 per hour.

“We’ve not only invested in our equipment and buildings but have also invested in our people and the work environment. We’ve had two rounds of wage increases since the beginning of the year, improved and added to our benefits, and remodeled our employee break areas and restrooms,” said Steinbauer.

News of the Dakota Tube expansion comes on the heels of the Terex Utilities expansion announcement made in April of this year. Since 2010, manufacturing has bounced back strongly from the crater the sector fell into during the Great Recession. In recent months, 17 of the 18 major manufacturing industries are reported to be in growth mode, including manufacturers of fabricated metal products for machinery, transportation, and construction equipment, like Dakota Tube.

Dakota Tube’s customer base is comprised of many of those major global agriculture and construction equipment manufacturers, including Melroe/Bobcat.  “Recently, economic conditions have drastically improved causing a ‘sling shot’ growth in demand from our customers, mostly from construction. People are building more machines than they have any time in the past 10 years. Since we are supplying a higher percentage to the industry, our growth has been pretty large with even more possible if we had capacity,” said Steinbauer.

The first phase of building 3 is expected to start production in April 2019. The 2-year plan to add more space and processes will follow in 2020 and 2021. The company anticipates their total investment to be at least $10 million when phase 3 is complete.

Dakota Tube currently operates from a building complex totaling 183,970 square feet in Lake Air Industrial Park. When phase one of their expansion is complete, Dakota Tube will have the third largest manufacturing building footprint in Watertown at 225,970 square feet.

The Watertown Development Company, Watertown Workforce Advisory Council and area manufacturers are highlighting the importance of manufacturing during South Dakota Manufacturing week October 1-5.

Several events are planned, including trolley tours on Tuesday with Mayor Sarah Caron, hosted area manufacturing tours, and the 3^rd Annual Manufacturing Olympics on Wednesday.

Michelle Kakacek, Director of Business Development for Watertown Development Company, plans and organizes events for manufacturing week in Watertown with the help of a committee from the Watertown Workforce Advisory Council. She said, “Because Watertown is so well represented by the manufacturing industry sector, the events are a meaningful and important way to expose students, educators and elected officials to the diverse and valuable career opportunities that exist in manufacturing.”

Manufacturers in South Dakota account for 9.2 percent of the total output in the state, employing 9.6 percent of the workforce.

The manufacturing sector is one of Watertown’s largest employers and the need to fill jobs in this field is higher than ever before. Lisa Johnson, Manager of the Watertown South Dakota Department of Labor office said, “In our service area, which includes the counties of Codington, Clark, Deuel, Hamlin, Grant, and Roberts, we have 161 openings listed today.”

Analysts predict that more than 3.5 million advanced manufacturing positions will open up in the next decade. These jobs are high paying, high tech, advanced careers that require specific education and training.

Lake Area Tech (LATI) in Watertown is preparing students to work in manufacturing fields where many jobs pay upwards of $50,000. The school offers hands-on training in state-of-the-art facilities using the latest equipment and technology with faculty who understand today’s advanced manufacturing skill requirements. Lake Area Tech President Mike Cartney said, “Lake Area Tech prepares students for careers in welding, robotics and automation, precision machining and computer automated design. The classes offered teach advanced manufacturing skills including how to program, operate and repair robots, and how to use hydraulics and precision machining to create prototypes with 3D drawings.”

Tours during manufacturing week are open to the public. To sign up, please contact Michelle Kakacek at 605-884-0340. The Manufacturing Olympics are open to employees only of manufacturers but the public is welcome to attend as spectators. The Manufacturing Olympics will take place on Wednesday, October 3^rd at 5:30 p.m. at the Park and Rec Field House located at 1900 West Kemp Avenue, Watertown. For more information on all the events that are planned during manufacturing week in Watertown, visit www.wdcsd.com.