By Molly Sullivan, President, Bismarck- Mandan Young Professionals Network
The strength of North Dakota’s economy is plastered across national and international news with much of the credit being given to the growth in the energy industry. While the energy industry is a key component to our state’s economic success, we must also give credit to all of the North Dakota grown business ventures that have started and blossomed in our state. Entrepreneurship has been, and will continue to be, the backbone of our economy. North Dakotans are known for their ingenuity …

On May 5, the Bismarck-Mandan Young Professionals Network celebrated their 6th anniversary and welcomed Molly Sullivan as their new president for the Network.
Sullivan works at Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson as a government aff airs specialist where she empowers clients across the Upper Midwest to pursue a variety of funding opportunities for their key projects. Her work with clients extends into all aspects of economic development including project coordination and facilitation, as well as community strategy development. Sullivan also works closely with the I.D.E.A. Center where she assists startup businesses with …

The Bismarck-Mandan Top 10 Young Professional Workplaces award recognizes local businesses committed to recruiting and retaining talented young professionals. This year’s recipients were selected from a pool of 22 nominees, the largest competition since the award’s inception in 2007. The 2011 recipients are Barr Engineering, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bismarck State College, Capital Credit Union, Coventry Health Care, Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson, NDSU Extension Service, National Information Solutions Cooperative, SIA Marketing, and Silicon Plains, LLC.
Eligible businesses, those employing young professionals under the age of 40, were measured on criteria related …

The top floor of Bismarck State College’s National Energy Center of Excellence was the sea of green on March 17 when area businesses and individuals gathered to raise funds for children’s cancer research and fellowships as part of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. More than 150 volunteers, both men and women, shaved their heads this year.
This was the first time the Bismarck- Mandan Young Professionals joined forces with one of our partners, Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson to support a community charity event. We also must recognize Scott Wild of Wild Inspire …

Local YPs Connect in
Cincinnati
The Bismarck-Mandan Young Professionals Network (YPN) will expand their horizons at the 2009 National Next Leaders Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The purpose of this summit is to meet other young professionals (YPs) from across the country and share ideas and stories. The YPN was selected to present on their program entitled “Stepping Up”.
This program was created by YPN member, Angil Wanner, and it places YPs in high school classrooms to share their experiences with students.
The program will be talked about in a panel entitled “Connecting the Generations: Program …

This is the ffth year that the YPN has been up and running and 2009 has proved to be a great year. A recent Get Connected Get Together at Captain Freddie’s hosted around 30 YPs. Attendees learned how the new bar and grill, located on the Missouri River in Ricker’s Marina, got started and enjoyed a sample of their cuisine.
The YP Picnic in the Park brought together great food and friends. It was great to meet members’ families through a relaxing event in the park. If you would like more …