Rapid City and North Sioux City have been chosen as South Dakota’s Large Community of the Year and Small Community of the Year, respectively.
Mutch Usera is the winner of the Excellence in Economic Development Award.
“Thanks to South Dakota’s ‘Open for Business’ mindset and the hard work of our community partners, our state is emerging from the COVID pandemic with the strongest economy in America,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “In particular, our Communities of the Year – Rapid City and North Sioux City – stepped up to support their neighbors. Mutch Usera has been instrumental in diversifying projects in the Black Hills for years, and we thank him for his longstanding commitment and passion.”
The awards were presented during the Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s annual spring conference at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Economic development, business, and community leaders from across South Dakota attended informational sessions on housing and workforce and learned how to navigate difficult conversations from keynote speaker, Henry Lescault.
“It was great to welcome our partners back together for the first time in a few years,” said Commissioner Steve Westra. “Between blizzards and the COVID-19 pandemic, we haven’t been able to host a full conference in three years. It was long overdue to get together as a whole network, to catch up with old and new friends and hear from some of our state’s leaders.”
In 2020, Elevate Rapid City created the Emergency Bridge Loan Program to assist small business owners, providing more than $220,000 to 18 businesses. They had checks out the door in just four days.
Rapid City was selected as South Dakota’s 2021 Large Community of the Year.
Photo credit Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
North Sioux City has experienced impressive growth over the last several years, driven largely by globally recognized companies like FIMCO Industries, Royal Canin, Wytec and Sterling Computers.
North Sioux City was selected as South Dakota’s 2021 Small Community of the Year.
Photo credit Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
Mutch Usera named South Dakota’s 2021 Excellence in Economic Development Award.
Photo credit Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
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