Hello [First Name],

This is the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce, Pierre Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Pierre Economic Development Corporation's October 2021 E-Newsletter.

Take a few moments to enjoy an update from the Chamber as we promote prosperity, growth, and our way of life in the lower Oahe region.

-Your Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce Staff

Fall is officially here. The leaves are beginning to change, and the temperatures are starting to drop. With these changes, we begin to turn our thoughts to the quickly approaching holiday season. This time of year is a favorite around the Chamber, and we are excited to continue with the tradition of hosting many of the areas favorite holiday events!

It may not be a universally recognized holiday, but it sure is in South Dakota – pheasant hunting season opener is Saturday, October 16, and boy, are we excited! Show off your enthusiasm for the upcoming hunting season by participating in Rooster Rush week, October 11-17. Join us as we roll out the orange carpet and welcome hunters and their families to our area!

November brings our 21st Annual Parade of Lights, a kickoff to the holiday season. Monday, November 22, the Parade of Lights will be marching down our streets spreading holiday cheer! Pierre’s most famous holiday tradition, Christmas at the Capitol, will hold its Tree Lighting Ceremony on Tuesday, November 23. The annual tree display will be showcased until December 26 and is open to the public every day from 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM. November 27 is Small Business Saturday and, as always, the Chamber would like to remind the Pierre and Fort Pierre communities to shop small and support our local retail stores as we head into the holiday season.

The Chamber’s Annual Celebration and Community Christmas Party is on Thursday, December 9, featuring hypnotist Kellan Marson. Sure to be a hit, we invite you to join us and bring your friends. We’ve booked the room, planned the meal, and arranged for the entertainment and we welcome you to sit back and enjoy the evening! Tickets can be purchased at the Chamber office or on our website at pierre.org or contact Mallory. Back by popular demand, the Chamber will be hosting a meet and greet with Santa and his reindeer on Sunday, December 12 at East Pierre Landscape and Garden Center. Bring the kids, grab a cup of cocoa, and get up close and personal with Dasher, Dancer, and the rest of the gang.

As you begin thinking about your holiday shopping, or start to add to your own wish list, we urge you to keep our local retailers in mind. We are truly blessed to have so many great options. I also encourage you to support our local non-profits as they roll out their holiday campaigns. There are countless non-profits whose work becomes increasingly important during the holiday season, and it is up to us as community members to help them make a difference! This holiday season we encourage you to stay Loyal2Local!

The Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce will be closed on Monday, October 11 in observance of

Native American Day. We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, October 12 at 8:00 AM.

If you joined the chamber to meet new people, grow your network, and get more customers, you’re on the right track. But do you have a plan to make the most of your time investment? If not, you need one.

What Am I Doing Here? Map Out an Effective Networking Plan

There may be many reasons you’re interested in that networking event. First, ask yourself who it is you want to meet. Are you there for:

• People in your target market

• Vendors that provide services and items you need for business

• Partners or complementary service providers (partnering with the healthy juice bar when you’re a gym, can be mutually beneficial)

• Industry peers for a best practice exchange or referrals

Beth Bridges, the Networking Motivator acclaimed speaker and author of several books on networking, says “A smart networker never goes to a networking event ‘hoping’ to find a prospect. Instead, they will be ready to act on one of several very specific plans that they will have set in advance—or are ready to pivot to—if the event turns out to be something different than they anticipated.”

Here are two potential plans she suggests:

Networking Plan 1: Meet "The one." If you know who is attending in advance, research and choose one or two people you must absolutely meet. When you walk in the door, tell the host "I am here to meet Pat Vang. Are they here yet?"

Networking Plan 2: Build social capital. Walk into the event with something to offer. An event invite (a private mastermind? an online speed networking event?), a line on a new business opening, or a great webinar (not necessarily yours!). Anything that gives value to other people so that you can build up your social capital with them for future use.

Which brings us to Beth’s third suggestion on how to make the most of your networking time. She advises:

Networking Plan 3: Get a referral or resource. If you don’t have a guest list for the event but know the audience type (i.e. CEOs, accountants, solopreneurs), hone in on a problem that type of person could solve for you with a referral or resource. When meeting someone, your intro remarks end with "I'm here to find someone who knows a good bookkeeper / copywriter / etc."

But there might be something else you can take away from networking. How about a fourth plan of action?

There’s a group of people you might not be thinking about when it comes to networking. And yet, they may be able to shape your company culture and help you grow much faster than you would’ve expected.

The Fourth Person You’ll Want to Meet

Who are they?

Well, it’s different for everyone.

Networking Plan 4: Find a Solution. Think about the proverbial, “what keeps you up at night?” question. There’s a problem you’re likely struggling with. There’s also a professional, company, or industry out there that has solved your problem. Let’s look at an example from Henry Ford. He wanted to make cars more efficiently, so he instructed his employees to place the car parts in a line on the floor making them easy to access. While that reduced some of the time required, shaving a few hours off the original 12 it took to build a car, there were still hiccups. He thought there had to be a quicker way.

So, he studied flour mills, breweries, and meat packing plants (or maybe he went to a chamber networking mixer and talked to professionals from those industries; who’s to say?). By studying how they mechanized their systems, he used pieces/ideas from each and created the first moving assembly line for the mass production of an entire automobile. He reduced the time it took to manufacture from over 12 hours to one hour and 33 minutes!

With that change he could afford to produce cars for less, making them available to a greater number of people. This revolutionized not only his business but car production in general. All because he spent some time thinking about other businesses and their mechanization practices!

I recently talked to a rocket scientist (yes, really) who pulled methodologies from tech companies to learn quickly and fail often. He looked outside of his company to find a way to make his business goals attainable.

At your next networking event, know that there’s someone who has already solved the problem you’re facing. They may not be in the same business or industry but the lessons they learned are likely still applicable.

So, when you’re making a list of networking interests, think about the problems you face and strike up a conversation asking other attendees if they’ve faced the same. You may be pleasantly surprised by the insights and advice they can give you. Plus, that type of in-depth beginning conversation and sharing can lead to much deeper relationships down the line.

For more than a decade, I’ve worked on local government budgets. They aren’t always fun; at times, they could even be painful. But I’m pleased to say the 2022 budget planning season was a good one!

At last week’s commission meeting, we approved a $57 million budget. With those funds we are able to improve infrastructure in the community (we included an extra $1 million for street projects), get staff the equipment it needs to operate efficiently, and continue to provide quality service to our community members.  

That’s all happening without raising wastewater or electrical rates! You might remember, we are raising water rates as part of the drinking water treatment facility project. You might also remember, that increase was approved by voters and required by the state funding used for the project.

But more importantly, this means our revenues are covering our expenses! It doesn’t mean we’re sitting on a pot of gold, but it does mean we’re not sacrificing new equipment for operational expenses. It means our current needs are being met.

Since becoming Mayor, I have asked the team to take a conservative approach to the budget process and to focus on infrastructure, equipment, and buildings. It has worked out really well. With that goal we are modernizing all of utilities –drinking water, wastewater, and electric. We are making significant headway on street upgrades. We’re giving a boost to community assets that have fallen into disrepair. You’ll notice much of that work in our park systems where facilities, including the outdoor pool, are being replaced or repaired. And we have returned our reserves to a healthy state.

Aiding in those improvements and positive outlook has been our local spending and sales tax receipts. We saw those jump considerably this year. I think a significant piece of that can be attributed to the shop local commitment we realized during the pandemic. By allowing businesses to stay open, we allowed our community to keep progressing. We also received some one-time pandemic related funding from the federal government that provided us with additional confidence to keep projects pushing forward.

Prudent financial planning paired with healthy sales tax returns and one-time funding gave us the financial resources we needed. But that’s just one piece necessary to complete the budget. For the last couple of years, we have taken a different approach with our budget process as well.  Rather than a top-down approach, we have our departments prioritize their needs. This helps ensure the full commission understands what our team needs to efficiently and effectively do their jobs.

We are ending 2021 on solid financial footing, and 2022 looks to bring more of the same!

During the last few Council meetings, we received questions from an individual about transparency, so I thought that would be a good topic to cover in this column.

Getting information out to the general population in Fort Pierre has always been a high priority of mine, and is somewhat of a challenge. In the “old days,” everyone read the newspaper so that was an easy call. But now we get our news from a variety of sources; some people read it online, some people rely on the radio, some watch TV, and others read the paper.

In order to try to hit all the bases, we use our Facebook page and web site. In addition, we put together a quarterly newsletter and mail it to every utility customer. I personally am scheduled regularly on the two local radio stations 5-6 times a month, and write a monthly column for the Pierre Area Chamber newsletter and Capital Journal.

The City Council meeting agendas are posted in the Capital Journal, on our website, and on the doors of the Court House (home of City Hall). Approved minutes are printed in the Capital Journal and posted on our web site.  

As a staff, we make ourselves available to respond to questions and concerns from the general public and the media. The experience of COVID-19 made it necessary to use teleconferencing and Zoom for our City Council meetings. As a result, we now have the opportunity to make it easier for residents and media to attend the meetings virtually. All you need to participate is a phone.

As a small town, the staff and I are easily accessible at the office or by phone.

The greatest improvement we could make would be to televise our public meetings. I have looked into the cost, both the initial investment and the ongoing production costs, and the Council agreed with me that we don’t have available funds at this time.

I am always open to suggestions for more effective ways to communicate with our residents. My email address is mayorhanson@fortpierre.com.

Happy Fall! Rooster Rush is right around the corner on October 11 – 17, 2021. Don’t forget to contact the Chamber to make an appointment to take pictures of your hunting displays for Paint the Town Orange. To make an appointment, call the Chamber at 224.7361 or email tkafka@pierre.org. We are excited to be personally welcoming the hunters arriving at the Pierre Regional Airport. However, Rooster Rush isn’t just for hunters, there are activities for families as well. Make sure to check out the Autumn Wine Walk and the Hunters’ Wives weekend at Northridge Plaza.

Over the last year, I have been working hard to grow our social media presence. Part of the social media growth is due to a social media co-op program the CVB is offering for industry partners. Currently the focus is on boosting posts geared towards hunting and fishing. Chamber membership participation in this program allows us to grow in this area of marketing to encompass more than just hunting and fishing and to broaden our reach to visitors. If you are interested in partnering in the social media co-op marketing program, please contact me at tkafka@pierre.org.

In addition to the social media marketing, you may see other ads from the South Dakota Departments of Tourism and Game, Fish and Parks, as well as ads from the CVB this fall. Both campaigns will be promoting hunting and outdoor activities. These types of campaigns are important to the Pierre area. Tourism is Pierre’s fourth largest industry and is vital to the community as a income generator. For every dollar spent on marketing and advertising, we receive $52 in visitor spending to support local businesses and generate tax revenue for Pierre. Tourism also creates local jobs. In Hughes County alone there were 1,301 jobs created or sustained by travel spending in 2019. These are unprecedented times, but for the success and survival of our community, it is important to continue to promote travel and tourism to the area.

It’s October - my favorite time of year! The hoody sweatshirts, the crisp air, and of course all the beautiful fall colors. I couldn’t imagine living in a place where the seasons didn’t change!

October is also the beginning of pheasant hunting season, and Rooster Rush is alive and well in the Pierre area. Many families and friends will be returning for the long-standing tradition of hunting; filling our homes, hotels, restaurants and shops with prospective customers. Now is the time to start thinking about how you want to welcome hunting guests into our area and encourage their patronage. Decorate your store fronts and offer some great South Dakota hospitality when they come through the door.

It isn’t too early to start thinking about your holiday shopping. We hope you will consider being Loyal2Local this holiday season. There are many reasons to Shop Local, here are just a few:

1. Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is. Support your friends, neighbors, and yourself. Invest in the community you love to live in; help to create a stronger and healthier Pierre area by keeping our money here.
2. What Goes Around Comes Around. Two or three times as much money spent stays in the local economy when you buy goods and services from locally owned businesses.
3. Community Sustainability. Local stores help sustain vibrant, walk-able areas which reduce gas consumption and pollution, and improves quality of life.
4. Keep Our Community Unique. One-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of the Pierre area.
5. Create Collective Prosperity. Locally owned businesses invest more in local labor, pay more local taxes, spend more time on community-based decisions and create local events. In doing so, they create more opportunity for all of us here in the Pierre area.
6. Local Owners Care About the Pierre Area. Local business owners live in and love the Pierre area. They are less likely to leave and are more invested in the future of our whole community.
7. Give Back and Take Care. Local business owners make more local purchases themselves. Locally owned companies and employees are statistically more likely to give to local charities.

I hope you have a great fall season! 

Katie Johnson

Ribbon Cuttings & Open Houses

Leonard Managment McDonald's

Leonard Management McDonald's in Pierre kicked off their three-day Grand Opening event with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, September 8. As part of the Grand Opening, McDonald's donated a percentage of sales to the Boys & Girls Club of the Capital Area.

Dakota News Now

Dakota News Now was finally able to cut the ceremonial ribbon on Thursday, Sept. 23 after having to put the event on hold due to COVID-19. The news organization moved into 455 S Pierre Street in February of 2020, and is a shared partnership with KOTA Territory News and Black Hills Fox in Rapid City.

South Dakota Discovery Center

The South Dakota Discovery Center celebrated its new Soil is Life exhibit with an Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Friday, September 24.  From the soil beneath your feet to the farthest reaches of the universe, find out how everything is connected in the new exhibit!

Fall Business After Hours

The Chamber held Fall Business After Hours on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at The Silver Spur Restaurant. Co-hosts included the Capital Area Pickleball Association, Pierre Educational Foundation, First National Bank, Quality Quick Print and the South Dakota Historical Society. Event participants and attendees enjoyed food, beverages and getting back to building relationships in person.

The next Business After Hours will be on Thursday, November 18 at The Longbranch. If you would like to participate in a future Business After Hours, contact Katie via email or call 605.224.7361.

Leadership Pierre 2021-2022

The 2021-2022 class of Leadership Pierre got to know each other at their Kickoff event at the Missouri Avenue Event Center on Tuesday, Aug. 31. The following Thursday, Leadership Pierre enjoyed their first session with the objective to learn more about business, financial and professional development in the Pierre area.

Get Involved

• McQuarter Pounder Feed (10/1/2021)
• 9th Annual "R U TUF ENUF to Eat Pink" Fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (10/1/2021)
• Pierre Homecoming Football Game (10/1/2021)
• St. Charles 5 Year Anniversary Party (10/1/2021)
• Country Fair (Fall Bazaar) (10/2/2021)
• Capital City Farmer's Market (10/2/2021)
• Family Fun Take-to-Make Saturday: Beady Pheasant (10/2/2021)
• High School Volleyball (10/2/2021)
• Fort Pierre Horse Races (10/2/2021 to 10/3/2021)
• OctoberFest (10/2/2021)
• Feeding South Dakota Needs VOLUNTEERS (10/4/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/4/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/5/2021)
• River City Toastmasters (10/6/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/6/2021)
• Pierre Senior Center Potluck and Entertainment (10/7/2021)
• Shop Where I Live Vendor Set Up Webinar (10/7/2021)
• Breast Cancer Support Group (10/7/2021)
• First Thursday Event Series (10/7/2021)
• Be Fit.. Recharge your Energy (10/7/2021)
• Women's Cancer Support (10/8/2021)
• Capital City Farmer's Market (10/9/2021)
• Rooster Rush Week (10/10/2021 to 10/16/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/11/2021)
• Stately Stitchers Guild Meeting (10/11/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/12/2021)
• Gale Online Courses (10/13/2021)
• Capital Area Networking (CAN) Meeting (10/13/2021)
• Mobile Food Distribution - Volunteers needed (10/13/2021)
• Shop Where I Live Platform Tips & Tricks Webinar (10/13/2021)
• 65+ Free Flu Shot Clinic (10/13/2021)
• River City Toastmasters (10/13/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/13/2021)
• Pierre Senior Center Potluck and Entertainment (10/14/2021)
• How music Affects the Brain (10/14/2021)
• "Read What You Want" book club (10/14/2021)
• Author Talk (10/14/2021)
• Stately Stitchers Quilt Retreat (10/15/2021 to 10/17/2021)
• Pierre Half Marathon (10/16/2021)
• Capital City Farmer's Market (10/16/2021)
• Walking Through History (10/16/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/18/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/19/2021)
• Shop Where I Live Monthly Marketing Webinar (10/19/2021)
• The Big Week for Small Business virtual conference (10/20/2021 to 10/21/2021)
• Early Birds: Separation Anxiety (10/20/2021)
• River City Toastmasters (10/20/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/20/2021)
• Pierre Senior Center Potluck and Entertainment (10/21/2021)
• Breast Cancer Support Group (10/21/2021)
• Dementia Caregivers Support Group (10/21/2021)
• CPR (10/21/2021)
• Pierre Players Presents "A Little Piece of Heaven" (10/22/2021)
• Capital City Farmer's Market (10/23/2021)
• Pierre Players Presents "A Little Piece of Heaven" (10/23/2021)
• Pierre Players Presents "A Little Piece of Heaven" (10/24/2021)
• Halloween Hike (10/24/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/25/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/26/2021)
• History Trivia Night (10/26/2021)
• River City Toastmasters (10/27/2021)
• Reading Buddies (10/27/2021)
• Pierre Senior Center Potluck and Entertainment (10/28/2021)
• Pierre Players Presents "A Little Piece of Heaven" (10/28/2021)
• You Gotta Have Friends (10/28/2021)
• Breastfeeding Class (10/28/2021)
• Pierre Players Presents "A Little Piece of Heaven" (10/29/2021)
• Shop Where I Live E-Commerce Best Practices Webinar (10/29/2021)
• Haunted Doggie Hustle (10/30/2021)
• Capital City Farmer's Market (10/30/2021)
• Pierre Players Presents "A Little Piece of Heaven" (10/30/2021)