Looking at Future Community Growth
As energy development expands in Western North Dakota, Bismarck- Mandan and Burleigh and Morton counties are anticipating continued growth. While many local leaders don’t expect drilling to reach the community or surrounding counties, with an ideal proximity to the oil fields, many ancillary services and individuals are making the area home.
With a steady influx of businesses and employees expected, local leaders believe now is the time to prepare for the future. “It is important we plan to get our cities positioned for the right response to …

The IRS has many resources available for individuals that are opening a new business. Here are six tax tips the IRS wants new business owners to know.
First, you must decide what type of business entity you are going to establish. The type of business entity will determine which tax form you have to file. The most common types of business are the sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation and S corporation.
The type of business you operate determines what taxes you must pay and how you pay them. The four general types of …

More than 50 Chamber members attended the second quarter Breakfast B4 Business hosted by Rasmussen College on June 21. The event was held at their Bismarck campus, which is located on Century Avenue just east of Highway 83.
Alarms were set early to arrive at the Breakfast that began at 7:30 a.m. and wrapped up at 9 a.m. Attendees were acknowledged for their commitment to network early in the morning with a spread of breakfast fare and personal tours of the facility.
Participants learned about the local college’s educational offerings including associate’s …

By Kylie Blanchard, Clearwater Communications

Connecting business and education is key to a community’s success and educating the community’s youth to be tomorrow’s business leaders helps to ensure its vitality. The Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce plays an active role in facilitating relationships between business and education, and promotes and coordinates many business education programs throughout Bismarck-Mandan.
 
“One of these entities can’t exist without the other,” says Sally Paulson, Bismarck-Mandan Chamber program director. “The Chamber has made this connection a priority and has even included it in our strategic plan.”
She says this …

Shannon Gangl, owner and CEO of the Best Western Seven Seas Hotel & Water Park in Mandan, has been selected as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 2011 North Dakota Small Business Person of the Year. This annual award recognizes exceptional business owners who demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit in starting and growing a successful business. Nominated by the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce’s Excellence in Business Committee, Gangl was selected following a statewide competition.
“The Chamber is extremely proud of the work Shannon has done as a small business owner in Bismarck-Mandan,” …

On Aug. 18, the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce will celebrate local businesses and their accomplishments. Celebrate Bismarck-Mandan “Beyond the Horizon” is the Chamber’s annual awards event that celebrates success and encourages continued economic growth.
“Innovative businesses and people make our community thrive,” said Kelvin Hullet, president of the Chamber. “Celebrate Bismarck-Mandan gives us the opportunity to showcase businesses, large and small, that are showing success.”
Each year the following awards are presented:
• Granite Award
This award is presented annually to a company that has been in business for at least 50 years, …

By Kylie Blanchard, Clearwater Communications
Bismarck-Mandan is growing, and so are the opportunities for businesses in the community. Strong population growth, a vibrant economy and tunedin city and state officials have helped create many incentives for both establishing and expanding businesses. And with needs still unmet for the area’s consumers, there is no time like the present for businesses to “get growing” in Bismarck-Mandan.
“There are excellent opportunities in the area,” says Ellen Huber, Mandan business development and communications director. “We are seeing a long-term trend in population growth, which is giving …

The Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce’s Excellence in Business Committee (EIB) is currently seeking several new members. The EIB committee is responsible for business outreach and events including the much anticipated “Celebrate Bismarck- Mandan.”
Celebrate is the premier recognition event of the year. EIB committee members are responsible for soliciting, grading and announcing Celebrate award winners, as well as event planning and business relations. The group administers the Granite Award, the Small Business Person of the Year, the New Entrepreneur of the Year, and the Mike Fink Award for Steady Growth and …

By Kylie Blanchard, Clearwater Communications
Today’s technology provides many conveniences in producing, copying, sharing and saving business documents and data. But these conveniences often pair with an elevated risk of sensitive information being compromised through inadequate security measures.
In today’s business world, data security strategies are as important as business plans, and as technology evolves, companies are being urged to learn about and implement security measures.
“Information can be one of the most valuable assets businesses have,” says Todd Henderson, vice president of operations at Records Keepers LLC. “Any business that produces records …