The Williston Basin straddles two state lines and one international border, but the geography that counts is the Bakken.
In its 18th year, the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference started when companies began applying horizontal drilling methods in the basin. Since then, the Bakken play has grown in prominence in the oil industry and increased the importance of the event.

“It’s becoming a Bakken conference, essentially,” said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council. “Everyone involved in the Bakken is going to be there.”

Because the basin covers a board swath of territory in North and South Dakota, Montana, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, it moves to different locations around the region. In May, the conference is coming to the Bismarck Civic Center, along with around 2,000 attendees, from across the oil industry. In 2008, the last year it was held in North Dakota, the conference drew people from 27 states and four countries, Ness said.

“We expect a really big crowd and the biggest trade show we’ve ever had,” he said. The event, the biggest scheduled in Bismarck this year, is expected to inject about $750,000 into the city, said Sheri Grossman, Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau’s director of sales.

The conference revolves around discussions and workshops on the drilling issues specifi c to the Williston Basin, and several technical aspects of the oil industry in the region. Sessions will cover different levels of exploration, production and transportation, and are tailored toward geologists, engineers and pipeline companies. The Civic Center’s exhibition hall will house 300 exhibition booths for industry companies. Oil fi eld equipment will also be on display outside the Civic Center.

North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven and Sen. Byron Dorgan will give presentations, and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has been invited.

The information attendees learn about the Williston Basin can be used by the oil industry in other areas as well. Julie LeFever, a geologist for the North Dakota Geological Survey and presenter at the conference, said the physical composition of the basin has qualities that make it different from other oil reserves and offers drillers the chance to develop different extraction techniques.

“The basin is simple; it is essentially bowl shaped with a series of different rock layers fi lling the bowl,” LeFever wrote in an e-mail. “It is well known that many of the rock formations in the Williston, especially the Bakken, contain oil. And because it is ‘geologically simple’ it makes a perfect laboratory, where companies can try new drilling and completion methods. An additional bonus is that these methods can then be used to explore in similar rocks in other parts of the country where it is not ‘geologically simple.’”

In addition to technical people — geologists, hydrologists and other people with “-ist” titles — the petroleum conference has been attracting more people with the letters “CEO” in their titles. As the profi le of the Bakken rises in the North American oil industry, the conference has become a more important event for company top executives, Ness said.

“Now we have been able attract executives who feel that this conference is the place to be,” he said.

Scheduled speakers include James Volker, chief executive offi cer and board chairman of Whiting Petroleum, and Clarence Cazalot, president and CEO of Marathon Oil. The keynote speaker will be Gardner Walkup, vice president of IHS CERA, an energy advising company that works with governments, international energy and technology companies, and banks. He will speak about the characteristics of the Bakken play that make it an unconventional oil fi eld.

The event has alternated in recent years at locations in North Dakota and Canada, Ness said. Last year, it was held at a casino in Regina, Saskatchewan, where it drew about 900 industry officials.

The expo was held in 2008 at the state fairgrounds in Minot. Ness said the event sold out at 1,400 participants.

“We had to shut down registration because we” couldn’t handle any more,” he said.

Bismarck, North Dakota’s second biggest city behind Fargo, should be able to handle all participants, Ness said. Eighteen hotels and motels in the city already have begun taking reservations for industry offi cials, who are expected to come from throughout the U.S. and several countries, he said.

State geologist Ed Murphy said it will the fi fth time the event will be held in Bismarck. He said it has been held nine times in Regina and four times in Minot.

“Minot was great,” Murphy said. “But we just outgrew it.”

The first event in Regina in 1993 drew fewer than 200 participants, said Murphy, who has lectured at some of the expos over the years and is scheduled to do so this year.

The expo drew only a few hundred people until a few years ago, he said.

“As things started improving with oil, the attendance numbers started coming up,” Murphy said.

The Bakken — along with the other oil formations beneath the state, the Three Forks-Sanish and Birdbear — is a rare source of activity during a relatively fl at period in the industry, which has experienced low oil prices and decreased demand. North Dakota’s status as a hot spot pushes up attendance for the conference.

“The industry across the nation is slow, and people are looking for places to do business,” Ness said.

The petroleum conference is an educational event for attendees, covering technical issues such as fracking and pad drilling. But the networking opportunities give oil people a way to see what others in the industry are doing.

“The biggest attraction is that you get to meet all the other people in the industry,” Ness said.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach Bismarck Tribune reporter Christopher Bjorke at 250-8261 or chris.bjorke@ bismarcktribune.com.)

Money doesn’t grow on trees. The fi rst time you heard those words, they were probably uttered by a parent giving a lesson about the hard facts of life.

But for an entrepreneur with a solid business plan, a money tree may just grow anyway. That is, if it gets a little rain. RAIN Source Capital is a multi-state network of investors who want to support growing companies. They provide funding to assist businesses with high-growth potential, and offer expertise in due diligence, legal matters, management support and marketing.

Northern Plains Investment of Bismarck is a member of the RAIN Fund Network, and as administrator Dewey Tietz explains, it enables businesses to attain the funding they need to get to that next level of growth. “The power of a RAIN fund team is that you have people from different professions – finance, marketing, inventory – that can help determine if the idea is something that will fi t a need,” he said.

Many entrepreneurs turn to places like the I.D.E.A. Center or NDSU Technology Incubator to give their business or invention a jumpstart. Once the business has proven it has what it takes, it can be a big leap from potential to profi ts. So if the RAIN Fund can collectively raise most or all of the capital that a growing company needs, a huge burden is lifted.

Dewey Tietz is the administrator of RAIN Funds - Northern Plains Investment.

Tietz can relate. Thirty years ago, he developed Cross- Country Courier, an expedited shipping company headquartered in Bismarck. He says he understands the challenges of new businesses and is glad he can help young entrepreneurs. Tietz found numerous others who feel the same way. “Rain Source Capital came out [to Bismarck], and in one day they presented an easy and do-able process to recruit people. We got 14 investors right away,” he said. Bismarck paved the way for RAIN Funds in North Dakota, being the fi rst to form. Since then Fargo, Grand Forks and Wahpeton have started their own RAIN Fund groups. Northern Plains now has 17 investors, and Tietz says Bismarck may soon start another RAIN Fund.

For an entrepreneur to obtain this funding, they must begin the process by submitting a business plan online at http:// northernplains.angelgroups.net/ home. Once they’ve provided all the necessary information, a screening committee will review it. If the business plan sounds feasible, the committee will ask the business owner to make a presentation to the investment group. It also allows an opportunity for the investors to ask questions, and for them to see what kind of passion the entrepreneur has for the business. “From that, we usually can decide whether we’ll invest, and how much. But with all the funding options available, it can get complicated,” Tietz said. “So we rely on RAIN Source Capital’s depth of experience to help come up with a proposal.”

Teitz says in the three years Northern Plains Investment has existed, they have screened between 30-40 businesses, and invested in seven of them. “Our goal is to make 10 to 30 times on our return. But an investor has to be patient,” Tietz said. “It can be seven to eight years before the company is mature and able to make payment back to us.”

One of the biggest advantages for investors of a RAIN Fund is their ability to invest side by side with the business owner if they so choose. “If they see the potential and want to make a private investment, they can do that,” Tietz said.

The group invests locally to foster economic development in the area, but if the RAIN Fund screening identifies a company in another state that could potentially move their business to Bismarck, it could get the backing from Northern Plains also. “Right now we see growth in 50 percent of our companies in regards to employment. As a community, that is a positive impact,” Tietz said. “I think we’ll see as time goes on, a greater local impact – maybe even help replace a [business like] Bobcat.”

For some companies, the goals they’ve been able to attain would have been impossible without the investment network. For Intelligent Insites, a company that provides software to increase productivity, safety and efficiency within health care organizations, the RAIN Fund offered new life. “Capital for a young, growing company is blood. Since I’m a surgeon, I considered it a transfusion – a welcomed one,” said Ray Gruby, chief medical officer.

Gruby says beyond the fi nancial benefit, the RAIN Fund provided validation to his business model. “The fact that we were getting a stamp of approval showing we had a solid company with the right pieces to do well was a wonderful commitment from the local community,” he said. Though Gruby admits the process was grueling, he was grateful that Northern Plains could input all the information into a databank accessible by other RAIN Funds. This avoided the need to start from scratch when he applied for RAIN Funds in Fargo, where Gruby relocated the software company. Due in part to the RAIN Funds, Intelligent Insites is thriving, and considering expansions internationally.

Paul Wolf is hoping for similar success as he works through the process with RAIN Fund investors. He invented Light Check, a portable device for testing trailer lights, and is now at a stage of needing more operating capital so he can purchase additional inventory and start a more aggressive marketing campaign. “I have sold some units, but manufacturing 100 of them is a lot different than 500 or 1,000. The funding would help me be able to provide a bigger batch of production next time,” Wolf said.

Wolf has presented his ideas to the RAIN Fund panel and is now in the midst of fielding questions from the investors and gathering feedback to fine tune his business plan. “I’m always looking for suggestions from people that have been successful in business. I appreciate their input,” Wolf said.

Tietz has observed Wolf develop his business and is excited to see him go from that starting point – a note on a napkin – to a solid business plan and prototype. Tietz says starting a business can be overwhelming at times, but if there is desire and passion, challenges can be overcome. And resources like the RAIN Fund are eager to help.

“People have wonderful ideas, but sometimes they’re just afraid to execute and they die with that idea inside,” Tietz said. “We’re trying to change that.”

Story and photos by MAXINE HERR

Rehabilitation Consulting & Services makes employment connections

Picture if you will: A man sits behind the president’s desk on the executive floor in the headquarters of an international business. He is capable, confident and commands authority, answers phone calls and signs off on all of the company’s largest decisions. He is a leader in every sense of the world. Also, he is blind.

Does this affect your image of the man? Do you see his handicap as a hindrance or a detriment? Or do you picture his inability to see as a prime factor in his ability to succeed? As a motivator, a part of his character, the very reason he has been able to dig deeper into himself and fi nd the way to lead both himself and his company on to success?

Harley Engelman, business and marketing director at Rehabilitation Consulting & Services (RCS), knows that attitudes about people with disabilities can limit their employment opportunities. Launched in 2001, RCS is a unit of the North Dakota Department of Human Services. Consultants at RCS’s eight statewide locations provide outreach services to every county in North Dakota and are leaders in disability- related employment solutions. “Stereotypes regarding individuals with disabilities are often the largest barrier for our clients. When employers hear ‘disability,’ they often focus on what a person cannot do, not what that person can bring to the company,” Engleman said. RCS has a dual mission: supporting individuals with disabilities who wish to improve their employment opportunities while at the same time forming collaborative relationships with the business community and assisting individual businesses in solving disability-related issues.

Quality workers = quality work

The Bismarck metropolitan area has over 8,000 job openings right now, just one of the many compelling reasons for businesses to hire people with disabilities. In addition, because of the challenges they regularly face, people with disabilities often have better- than-average problem solving skills, they know how to overcome challenges, and know that it is ability, not disability, that will allow them to achieve their full potential. Employees with disabilities have lower absentee rates, less turnover and have been shown to rate average or better than average in job performance when compared to their colleagues without disabilities.

The average replacement cost of a key employee is $25,000 while the average cost of implementing a reasonable accommodation or a piece of assistive technology needed to keep that employee on the job is less than $600, according to Cheryl Hess, technology program administrator. Assistive technology can be anything from adjusting the height of a desk with a couple of blocks of wood for a person in a wheelchair to software programs that offer magnification technology or screen readers. “When it comes to accommodation,” Hess said, “the reality is that everything employers do to enhance the productivity of people with disabilities can impact all employees.” As an example, Hess cited voice recognition software Dragon NaturallySpeaking. The software was originally created for people with disabilities, but is now being used by the general public, allowing users to attain transcription speeds from 50 to 180 words per minute.

Building partnerships

One of the things that many people don’t understand, according to Kari Shea, regional administrator of the RCS’s Dickinson office, is the wide range of disabilities. “People often simply think of wheelchairs or Down’s syndrome. The Dickinson site alone works with over 300 individuals per year, and we have so many types of disabilities and abilities in the clientele we work with — someone may not be able to walk, but has an I.Q. of 130.”

Trained as a college career counselor, Shea has worked for the Department of Human Services for 25 years. “What I do in my job at RCS is really career counseling with a specialized population of clients,” Shea said. “The word client implies a true partnership among the individual, RCS and the potential or current employer. Without our employers, all the training in the world won’t help people achieve fulfilling careers. The attitude of our employers in North Dakota is amazing. They go beyond even what I would hope to keep people on the job.”

A twist of fate

Candy Johnson walked into Shea’s office 16 years ago to ask if Shea could help her keep her job. Described by Shea as gifted and intelligent, Johnson had been in a horrific car accident. Her husband and two others were on their way to Belfield for dinner when the Ford Bronco II they were driving in hit a patch of black ice. Johnson was ejected from the vehicle, and doctors estimated that her head hit the pavement seven times. She woke up in the ditch with a fractured skull and a serious shoulder injury.

The after-effects of Johnson’s brain injury were grave. “The entire first year I felt exhausted.” Johnson suffered from vertigo and panic attacks. She would be driving in her car with her four-year-old daughter chatting in the back seat when suddenly a wave of panic would come over her when she realized that she didn’t know why they were in the car or where they were going. “At work,” she said, “the phone would ring and sometimes I couldn’t understand what the person on the other end of the line was saying — it was like they were speaking another language.”

Rehabilitation Consulting & Services sent Johnson to Fargo to be evaluated by a neuropsychologist, a doctor trained in the function of the brain as it relates to psychological processes and behaviors. After a full day of testing, the doctor sat down with Johnson and her husband and told them Johnson’s brain injury caused her to become overloaded because her ability to multitask was compromised. The doctor noted that in a quiet room, she would be able to do her job, but in a busy office environment with sensory input coming at her from all directions, she simply would not be able to function.

Johnson was told that her symptoms would take a year to improve and that while at work she needed to be in a private office in order to begin rebuilding her brain. Johnson was worried that her employer might not be able or willing to accommodate her needs. “[Shea] was an amazing advocate,” Johnson said. “She came with me to meet with my boss to describe what I needed.” Shea added, “Candy had lost none of her intelligence, simply her ability to focus in an environment with too many distractions. One year later, just as doctors had hoped, she had improved considerably. Her doctor subsequently asked her to meet with emergency room residents to explain her experiences as a traumatic brain injury patient.

Another challenge that Johnson faced was limited use of her arm. Shea directed her to North Dakota’s Interagency Program for Assistive Technology (IPAT), a program that allows individuals to learn about, try out and get assistive technology. IPAT loaned Johnson a Comfort Keyboard System. The keyboard, which separates into three sections, can be bent or twisted into the appropriate angle for each individual user.

Because the special keyboard was relatively new to the market, there were some bugs that needed to be worked out, and soon Johnson was asked by the company’s programmers to work with them to improve the technology. Today, that same keyboard has dropped in price from $800 to $200 and is the top ergonomic product in the world.

Johnson had always dreamed of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. After recovering from the car accident and pulling her life back together, she returned to college at Dickinson State University. “Because of the addition of online and evening classes at DSU I was able to take at least 12 credits per semester while continuing to work full-time. In my experience, people with disabilities have a hunger to better themselves.” Johnson graduated summa cum laude in 2006 at the age of 50 and has since received several promotions from her employer. She is currently an administrative staff offi cer with the North Dakota Department of Human Services, Fi

Can Rehabilitation Consulting & Services help you?

scal Administration.

If you think you or your company could benefit from the many services that RCS offers, call 800- 755-2745 or visit the Web site at www.nd.gov/dhs/rcs.

A one-time military fort built to guard the emigrant route from Minnesota to the gold mines in Montana and Idaho as well as to provide protection from the Sioux, Fort Stevenson was established in 1867. The town of Garrison sprang up 3 miles north of the fort, becoming established in 1905, and was aptly named after the French term, garrison (a body of troops stationed in a particular location, guarding it, a fort).

Evolving through the years, today’s Fort Stevenson State Park draws visitors who utilize the park for camping, hiking or to tour the guardhouse. Additionally, fishers and boaters dock boats at the marina. Formerly, the marina existed in De Trobriand Bay accommodating 70 boat slips. However, recent drought periods reduced park visitation, since low water levels meant an inactive marina. Constructively, the park scrambled to provide peripheral activities to guests. Committees formed, and events were scheduled.

Further, an economic impact study found that money spent in operational years warranted attention to a deeper, new marina at Garrison Bay. The Omaha District Corp of Engineers hired contractors and supervised the construction. Working through a wet season complicated and slowed progress; however the marina is projected to open in May. The new marina will be a full 32 feet deeper, due to fl oor elevation differences between the two bays, allowing for a continuous, fully operational marina – even in periods of drought.

“We anticipate transferring the boat slips from the old marina this spring,” Fort Stevenson Park Manager Richard Messerly said. “We hope to increase the number upward from 60 as the need arises. The old marina will still function as a marina, but differently. Sailboat moorings will be added.”

Visitors can expect to rent boats, pontoons, canoes and kayaks. Fuel, bait, convenience store items and slip rentals as well as a full restaurant promises to provide a full gamete of needs for recreation.

“We’re looking forward to offering nearly 40 indoor seats with air conditioning as well as the same outdoors on the patio,” marina manager Carey Gieser said. “We’ll serve charbroiled hamburgers, steaks and ribs as well as a full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu.”

Garrison Convention and Visitors Bureau director Hillary Nelson moved to the community two years ago; her job is to promote area events. She said the CVB and Fort Stevenson State Park work hand in hand with a number of projects including: the Beach Party (key event held at the park with live entertainment and kids’ entertainment), Skydance Sakakawea (a kite-fl ying festival for all ages; fl ying purchased or homemade kites or viewing professional stunt kite flying) and the North Dakota Governor’s Cup Fishing Derby, now in its 35th year.

“We strive to flood the area with events throughout the entire year,” Nelson said. “The CANDISC bicycle tour originates and ends at Fort Stevenson State Park. Riders see North Dakota like never before as they ride past fl ax and sunflower crops or through national wildlife refuges on their ND loop tour.” She said the tour includes stops at host communities along the route, and bicyclists can expect to ride an average of 55 miles per day.

The community also rallies up and transforms the town into an English village for the Dickens Village Festival. The Sakakawea Area Council of Arts produces the Christmas Carol play, bringing visitors to the community for horsedrawn carriage rides, street vendors and entertainment.

And guests tend to spend the night. Dennis and Irene Jeffrey purchased the Garrison Motel eight years ago. When they consistently packed a full house, they considered the clientele they trended to bring to their motel, and added three cabins, specifically themed and geared up for hunters and fishers. Still, they faced a dilemma — to add more rooms or build new. After seeing full occupancy, even in dry years, they opted for a new space. North Shore Inn and Suites will provide 22 rooms, including three king-size suites.

Despite tourism dollars in the Garrison community, residents here turn to agriculture for their primary source of income. Farming remains a major contributor to the economy, followed by employment in energy. The power plant, wind farms and a bit of oil play create employment dollars to the community.

“We’ve done a good job of keeping costs down in the community,” Garrison Mayor David Reinarts said. “We have a very good infrastructure, having just worked 1.8 million dollars into our water treatment plant and storage upgrade. Our streets are also in excellent shape.”

Located midway between Minot and Bismarck, Garrison enjoys a strong medical community, tied to both towns, helping attract new retirees, including both chiropractic and medical facilities. The Garrison Memorial Hospital and attached clinic are affiliated with St. Alexius of Bismarck. A second clinic is affiliated with Trinity of Minot. Additionally, satellite clinics offer optometry and dental care.

To further improve or enhance the community, Better Living for Garrison was formed as a nonprofit organization. The organization itself includes a seven-member board, and exists to promote and facilitate community projects. Their inauguration project launched a capital campaign, raising monies for The Meadows, an 18-unit assisted living facility. Final financing came from several sources, including MIDA bonds. Backing from the Bank of N.D. guaranteed a local loan to round out the $3.2 million project. Attached by a corridor to the Benedictine Living Center, who provides management for the facility; the property is owned by Better Living for Garrison.

“Each unit has vaulted ceilings, a full kitchen, laundry, bath and a garage,” Chamber President Tod Graeber said. “The residents enjoy a shared community gathering space, kitchen, dining room and a common area.”

Additionally, he said the city sold a plot of land to a developer who plans to offer twenty homes for the community. “And Main Street is full. There are no open spots. Every business is active,” Graeber said.

“Garrison is a productive little town,” Garrison Motel owner Irene Jeffrey said. “And as it grows, everything comes together.”

By Tina Ding

Vineet Saxena bet his future and the future of his wife and two young daughters on the United States. In 2005, the accomplished global textiles trader bought four one-way tickets from India so that he could further his education and career opportunities at North Dakota State University.

He researched universities and was impressed with NDSU’s master’s programs. Able to secure financial assistance, Vineet and his family were soon unpacking in a small, wood frame house near the NDSU campus. He worked as a teaching assistant in the industrial engineering program to help make ends meet. A year later and deep into his studies toward a master’s degree in business administration, Vineet applied for and was awarded an export assistantship through NDSU and the North Dakota Trade Office.

The program connects graduate students with North Dakota companies in need of help in penetrating high-demand foreign markets. Students are selected based on their area of study and skills and the needs of export companies. Selected students earn a graduate degree while gaining real-world experience in global business and earning a modest paycheck. Businesses gain a resource devoted to their global business expansion – talented students with fresh ideas and strategies. The export assistant program also helps retain North Dakota’s talent and prepares students to lead North Dakota’s future businesses.

In December 2006, the export assistant program brought together Vineet and Tom Shorma, president and CEO of Wahpeton-based WCCO Belting, Inc. WCCO Belting is a leading manufacturer of specialized rubber conveyor belting for both industrial and agricultural markets.

At the time, Tom was concerned about a dwindling number of suppliers needed to provide his company with raw materials used in the production of rubber belting. WCCO’s sole fabric supplier of 30 years fell on hard times and became increasingly unreliable and overly expensive to boot. Vineet went to work, contacting his sources in the textile industry to identify some potential suppliers. During NDSU’s spring break, Tom and Vineet jumped on a plane to China and India to further their due diligence. In China they found what they were looking for – a high quality and reliable supplier at fair cost.

Tom says what they accomplished on that trip has helped transform WCCO into a much more healthy and growing company.

WCCO’s export business has grown from 38 percent of the company’s total revenue in 2001 to about 60 percent last year. WCCO has expanded its manufacturing plant twice in the last fi ve years and has added 127 jobs since 2008.

“Since we brought on these new raw materials, we’ve doubled our workforce,” Shorma said. “Before that we were worried about our global competitiveness and keeping the workforce we had.”

Today, Vineet is executive vice president of WCCO. About a year ago, he and his wife bought a home in West Fargo and their girls are excelling in the local school district.

“Frankly, I really didn’t think that we would be staying here in North Dakota, but the export assistant program uncovered this opportunity,” Vineet said.

The export assistant program has other success stories including Mohall native Erica Olson who excelled in her internship, researching global markets and opportunities for North Dakota businesses. Today, Erica is the marketing specialist with the North Dakota Wheat Commission. Students at the University of North Dakota and Dickinson State University also have taken part in the program. Rodrigo Cintra was earning his master’s degree in business management at UND while helping some of the state’s emerging exporters get their feet wet. Today, Rodrigo is applying his experience at UND’s Center for Innovation where he is the marketing director and an entrepreneur consultant.

Ken Grafton, a native of Minneota, Minn., is working toward his master’s in business administration at NDSU and taking part in the export assistant program. With a particular interest in supply chain management, Ken is gaining valuable experience at Midwest Motor Express where he is handling some of the transportation company’s international logistics.

There are eight NDSU graduate students currently assisting North Dakota’s global businesses. They’re assisting global business for manufacturers, marketing North Dakota’s value-added foods around the world and conducting research to identify high-demand global markets. We’re looking forward to more great results for students, the business community and the state as a whole.

(Columnist Jeff Zent is the communications director for the North Dakota Trade Office in Fargo.)

Most people are aware of the “bottom-line” when it comes to business.

Few may be as aware of the “triple bottom line,” a phrase that is attributed to author John Elkington and adopted by many organizations, including the United Nations. The triple bottom line relates to profit, of course, but also includes people and the planet. These three characteristics are the gauges used to mark corporate social responsibility in the business world. For many entrepreneurs, the choice of setting up not-for profit or nonprofi t operations is sometimes an easy one, due to the philanthropic side of many innovative thinkers.

The term nonprofit is considered a misnomer, as many nonprofits do indeed make a profit. The difference between such organizations and a corporation is the nonprofit pours their earnings back into the operations, rather than share them with investors in the forms of dividends. The area within the Internal Revenue Service guidelines falls under the 501(c) section. These guidelines identify 26 types of nonprofi ts that qualify for exemption from federal (as well as many state) taxes. The most common of nonprofi ts are dictated by the 501(c) 3 regulation, which allow for charitable, educational, religious, as well as other business operations.

That is the philosophy behind the I.D.E.A. Center, Bismarck-Mandan’s incubator. The I.D.E.A. Center provides a basis of support in terms of physical, human and technological resources for start-up businesses. Additionally, the Center allows for assistance to existing businesses related to the support services in a variety of areas. Individuals and/or businesses contributing to the I.D.E.A. Center are able to take advantage of their fi – nancial support through taxdeductible donations. The nonprofi t I.D.E.A. Center benefi ts in terms of resources that assist in the fulfillment of their mission and the donating organizations/ individuals contribute to the economic development and growth of small business in the region.

Some nonprofits also associate with for-profit entities as a means to assist in the growth of both structures.

An example of this type of operation is the Great Plains Commerce Alliance (GPCA). This new Bismarck- Mandan area organization was formed as a subsidiary of the 501c6 organization – the Central North America Trade Corridor Association (CNATCA), which is used to facilitate economic activity across the borders of Canada and Mexico, founded when NAFTA was enacted. Recognizing the expansiveness of that mission, the GPCA was structured as a way to provide niche offerings as a “fee for service” operation, contributing back to the parent company as finances allow. The 501c6 status of their parent company gives the GPCA operations access to lobbying activities related to trade between the two countries.

The GPCA organization has both voting and nonvoting shares, along with separate board and governance operations. While it is still too early to determine the success of such a structure, both sides see this as a win-win opportunity worth taking on.

Some entrepreneurs find organizing a business operation without profit being the motivating factor as a relief in this dog-eat-dog world.  Such operations allow the business owner to focus on the core competencies of their expertise. Pouring the surplus, if any, back into the organization also brings a little more credibility to the organization, since no one privately benefi ts from the revenue derived by the nonprofi t. The largest benefactor of the nonprofi t is truly society.

Individuals or groups who have ideas that many feel would be a good way to make money should pursue the nonprofi t route. While regulations and compliance may be strict, the benefi ts of pursuing the not for profi t status for entrepreneurs or those with innovative thoughts should never be excused without proper due diligence.

(Karel Sovak is an assistant professor at the University of Mary in the Gary Tharaldson School of Business. He is also co-founder of the I.D.E.A. Center.)

The Agriculture Department says in a new report that all wheat stocks on Dec. 1 totaled 269 million bushels, up 52 percent over the year.

Barley, soybean and hay stocks also were up in North Dakota, while corn stocks were down.

American Indian farmers have more land, less cash

Relatively little was known about American Indian farmers until the most recent agricultural census because the U.S. Department of Agriculture had counted all farms on a reservation as one. The agency changed that rule for the 2007 census, and data released over the past year has provided the fi rst reliable look at how those farmers are doing.

The census found stark differences between the nation’s 80,000 American Indian farmers and those of other races. The typical American farm is 400 acres, but American Indian farmers average about 1,400 acres. Many are ranchers. Most live in the desert Southwest, Oklahoma or Montana.

Their farms average about $40,000 a year in sales, compared to $135,000 for farms overall. But relatively few get government aid – only 13 percent, compared to 39 percent of white farmers.

Agriculture officials said the lack of aid is partly because American Indians have shied away from corn, wheat and other subsidized crops. But some American Indian farmers have filed a discrimination lawsuit, claiming they have been denied government loans and other help given to white farmers raising the same animals and crops.

American Indian farmers also are often limited by the types of soil found on their reservations, said Ross Racine, director of the Billings, Mont.-based Intertribal Agriculture Council, which represents 84 tribes from Florida to Alaska and California to Maine. With corn, wheat and other subsidized crops unlikely to thrive on their farms, many have turned to raising livestock.

Of the 56 million acres owned by American Indians, 46 million is used for grazing.

The nonprofit organization is accepting planting requests from farmers in North Dakota, South Dakota, western Minnesota and eastern Montana. Farm Rescue provides planting and harvesting assistance to farm families that have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster.

“Last year, Farm Rescue assisted its 100th farm family, which was an important milestone for our young organization,” said Pam Musland, Farm Rescue director of operations. “Overall, we were able to plant and harvest crops for 34 farm families in the region.”

The organization’s funding is limited, Musland said, so it is important that farmers apply early to receive top consideration.

Families assisted are selected based on a number of factors, including extent of need, farm size, farm viability, and geographic location for moving equipment and volunteers in a timely manner.

Applications postmarked by March 31 receive priority consideration.

Each family may receive up to 1,000 acres planted free of charge.

Since 2006, Farm Rescue has assisted farm families that experienced hardships ranging from open heart surgery and cancer treatment to severed limbs, overland flooding and tornado destruction.

For an application or more information, go to farmrescue. org or call 701-252-2017.

MDU Resources Group Inc. had lower earnings last year, and recorded a loss due to low prices for oil and natural gas.

The Fortune 500 company, based in Bismarck, earned $260.4 million in 2009, compared to $377.2 million in 2008, it reported Feb. 1. When a write down on the value of oil and gas reserves is included in the reporting, MDU had a loss of $124 million compared to earnings of $293 million last year.

Spokesman Rick Matteson said that MDU reports the earnings in two ways to compensate for fluctuations in oil and gas prices and reflect cash flow versus expenses as an apples-to-apples comparison.

He acknowledged that low commodity prices have hurt MDU’s bottom line, but said financial analysts also look at earnings separate volatile commodity prices.

“Certainly, we lost $124 million,” he said. “Analysts tend to look at it more at what your operating expenses were.”

Gas prices have increased from last year

Prices at the gas pump are around 90 cents above where they were a year ago, despite reduced demand during that time.

A gallon of regular unleaded was $2.74 at most Bismarck gas stations in late January, according to a Web site that tracks gas prices. That is about 12 cents higher than the month previous.

Patrick DeHaan, an analyst for GasBuddy.com, said cold weather and lower fuel inventories drove up the price in January, which peaked around $2.79 in North Dakota earlier this month from a low of $2.62.

GasBuddy.com is a price tracker that maintains NorthDakotaGasPrices.com

With cold weather across much of the U.S., some of the crude oil that would go into producing gasoline is shifted toward making heating oil, which is in greater demand, DeHaan said.

“There is less concentration on producing gas and more concentration on producing heating fuel,” he said.

At the same time, inventory levels are usually lower around the New Year, DeHaan said.

Refineries prefer to delay orders until after Dec. 31 for tax purposes and bumping up supply later on.

Speed limits lowered on oil-patch roads

Everyone driving through the heavily traveled oil patch of Mountrail County will have to slow it down.

Speed limits were reduced from 65 mph to 55 mph on two primary highways because of a dangerous mix of oil trucks and passenger traffic.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation took the unusual step in January of posting new speed limit signs on 70 miles of Highway 23 and Highway 8.

Joe Wilt, engineer of the Williston district, said the speeds will stay lowered unless some major highway reconstruction takes place.

“Lowering the limit was the right thing to do,” Wilt said. He said a lower limit is a better plan than making the highways a solid nopassing zone because drivers who would chance it anyway wouldn’t know where it was safe to pass.

Mountrail County Sheriff Ken Halvorson said the reduced speeds should be only a start by the Department of Transportation in improving highway safety in the oil patch.

“There’ve been a lot more accidents and a lot more serious accidents,” the sheriff said.

Accidents on those highways contributed to the 2009 fatality count of 140, the highest since 1982.

Halvorson said drivers are noticing and driving the new limit. “Most people are trying to be as law-abiding as they can,” he said.

Specifically, the speed is reduced on 28 miles of Highway 23 east and west of New Town. It’s reduced on 42 miles of Highway 8 north and south of Stanley.

‘Green mandates’ will increase N.D. wind infrastructure

CENTER — Minnesota’s “go green” mandate will cause a vast crop of wind turbines and transmission lines to grow in North Dakota.

On Feb. 1, a Minnesota company presented its case for a 230-kilovolt transmission line in Morton and Oliver counties, crossing Lake Nelson and hooking into a major substation on the east side of the lake.

Minnesota Power, which serves the Duluth region, needs the 22-mile line to bridge new wind energy to an existing transmission line. The Public Service Commission’s hearing in Center was at the company’s request to expedite the process. No action was taken at the hearing.

Oliver County’s zoning commission OK’d a conditional use permit for the new line on agricultural land last week and the county commission will likely make it official when it meets.

Oliver County commissioners were at the hearing and said no one is against the project.

Commissioner Dwaine Helmers said the county’s main concern is that the transmission line stays off the public section lines in Oliver County.

Commissioner Lee Husfloen said he hasn’t heard any negative comments about wind farms in Oliver County. “It’s all positive,” he said.

Minnesota Power plans to build 33 turbines at the western end of the new transmission line in a project it’s calling Bison Wind. The wind farm will straddle the Oliver-Morton county line on the west side of Highway 31 nine miles south of Hannover.

These will be granddaddies of the turbine breed, generating 2.3 megawatts each and towering 421 feet from the ground to the tip of the blades when they’re straight up. That’s close to 200 feet higher than the Capitol building in Bismarck. They will start rotating at 9 mph and kick off at 56 mph.

(Energy briefs compiled from stories by The Bismarck Tribune and The Associated Press.)

The 32nd annual ABA Marketplace was held Jan. 15- 19 in National Harbor, Md. The event provided the tourism representatives with an opportunity to build business relationships, learn what’s new in the industry, and network with tourism industry partners. Attending the event were 760 qualified ABA bus and tour operators and 300 motorcoach and tour operator companies.

North Dakota convention and visitors bureaus were represented by Stephanie Leach, Fargo/ Moorhead, and Amy Krueger of Williston. Representing North Dakota attractions and lodging were Darrell Dorgan, North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, Annette Schilling and Chelsey Erdmann of Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, and Dana Todd, Choice Hotels International.

Deanne Felchle attended from the state tourism division.

For more information, go to www.NDtourism.com or phone 701-328-2525 or 800-435-5663.