Alan Anderson Named New Commerce Commissioner

Editors Note: The North Dakota Department of Commerce welcomes Alan Anderson as its new commissioner. Alan is a long time Ambassador for North Dakota!

Commerce Commissioner Alan Anderson

Gov. Jack Dalrymple recently named Alan Anderson of Mandan to head the North Dakota Department of Commerce effective May 2.

Anderson has three decades of business development experience, including the coordination of multi-million dollar projects and high-level strategy planning. He has a strong academic background in both the business and engineering areas, and diverse experience in managing complex projects, defining future growth opportunities and developing a diverse workforce.

Read the full Alan Anderson Named as Commerce Commissioner release.

He has 30 years of leadership and development experience in the oil and gas industry, serving on the management team for the Tesoro Corporation. Before retiring from the company last year, he served as vice president of operations strategy and development, charged with the overall development of future business opportunities and the evaluation of strategic options for the company’s future growth.

“Alan’s proven leadership and extensive experience will be a great asset for the Department of Commerce and the state of North Dakota,” Dalrymple said. “His strong background in strategic planning and business development will be a valuable resource as he leads the Commerce team and advances the state’s aggressive economic development efforts.”

A native of Underwood, Anderson received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering from the University of North Dakota and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Utah.

He was elected chairman of the North Dakota Petroleum Council and has served on numerous boards, including Bismarck State College and the Bismarck/Mandan Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed to the North Dakota Oil and Gas Research Council and has been active with Dickinson State University’s Business Challenge, the Missouri Slope United Way and the American Red Cross.

“I am looking forward to serving on the Governor’s cabinet and appreciate this opportunity to serve the citizens of North Dakota,” Anderson said. “I am excited to work with the state’s many business and education partners to continue to grow and diversify North Dakota’s economy.”

Foods of North Dakota

Note: Thanks to Ambassador and new North Dakota Department of Commerce Marketing Intern Stacey Loula for sharing her thoughts as a student-transplant to North Dakota.  She truly is a “city-slicker,” born and raised, as she grew up in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. She is currently a senior at the University of Mary, majoring in Business Communication with a minor in Public Relations.

North Dakota is home to many different cultures, Native Americans, Germans, Scandinavian’s, and Norwegian’s which have all brought with them their unique tastes and foods. As a native of Minnesota, I have found that there are many different foods that I have never had or heard of before moving to North Dakota.  Although I have not experienced all of them quite yet, I would like to share with you some of the different tastes and foods that North Dakota has to offer.

Native American/Western Grub

Buffalo burgers and other buffalo dishes are on some menus, but I have heard if you want real, authentic Native American foods, your best bet is to attend a Pow-Wow. A few you might want to consider:

• Nue’ta Corn Festival, held in Mandan in August
• Mid-Winter Pow-Wow, which takes place on the day of New Year’s Eve in New Town
• Twin Buttes Pow-Wow, in June
• United Tribes International Pow-Wow, held in Bismarck in September

German-Russian Grub

Many German/Russian traditional foods remain popular in the state, particularly Knoepfla soup, Fleischküchle, and Kuchen. Knoeplfa soup is true comfort food, mixing dumplings and potatoes in a creamy chicken broth, it is unlike any other soup you could have. Fleischküchle is a savory, deep-fried turnover which can contain a variety of fillings, but the most common is seasoned ground beef. For dessert, Kuchen is the hands-down favorite. Kuchen, as the German-Russians prepare it, has a cake-like crust with a custard filling, which often includes fruit.

You can find German-Russian dishes at numerous local restaurants:

• The city of Beulah  is noted for their Fleischkuchle, which you’ll find not only at restaurants, but fairs, festivals, a few roadside stands, and even the Dairy Queen.
• Kroll’s Kitchen restaurant chain in Fargo and Bismarck to be the best place for Knoepfla soup, as well as other German-Russian dishes.
• New Leipzig, Leipziger Hof Restaurant is a popular gathering place to enjoy dishes like schnitzel (deep-fried, breaded meat, usually veal) and Russian-style borscht (soup made with cabbage, and often beets).
• Wishek, which calls itself the “Sauerkraut Capital of the World.” Nothing beats it!

What other German-Russian foods might you encounter in North Dakota? Sausages, spaetzle (tiny dumplings), strudel (flaky pastry with either savory or sweet fillings), and pierogies (baked or fried half-moon dumplings, which also contain either savory or sweet fillings, especially mashed potatoes or cheese). If you like pickles and happen upon German-Russian watermelon pickles, you may want to give them a try. Dill and red-hot peppers added to the brine give these watermelon pickles a nice kick.

Norwegian Grub

Among the most common Norwegian dishes are lutefisk and lefse. Lutefisk is cod which has been preserved by soaking it in lye. Lutefisk is slimy and slippery; it just slides right on down your throat (gross). It’s most definitely not my most favorite thing to eat, but who knows maybe it will be yours. It’s a love, hate thing; people generally either love it or hate it. In either case, it’s considered an acquired taste, so lutefisk may be best left to those with a more adventurous palate. On the other hand, lefse will appeal to just about anyone. This delicious thin, flat potato bread is most often served rolled up with either butter, sugar, cinnamon, or brown sugar. I like mine sometimes with just butter and other times with just brown sugar or a mix of butter, sugar, and cinnamon, but it can also be rolled around fillings, as you would use a tortilla. Lefse is one of my favorites and has been a tradition in my family for centuries; my mom makes batches upon batches every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nothing beats homemade fresh lefse, but buying it from a grocery store is an alternative to making it from scratch.

Local Specialties

The land and rivers of North Dakota also produce a few local specialties.

• The official state fruit, the chokecherry, adds a flavorful touch to a number of food items. For instance, there’s chokecherry butter, similar to apple butter. Chokecherries are also used in jellies, fudge, barbecue sauce, and more.

With North Dakota’s vast, unspoiled lands and its lakes and rivers, hunting and fishing are popular pastimes. Local fish you may catch or find at a local restaurant include:

Northern Pike, Walleye, Bass, Perch, Trout, Catfish and Chinook Salmon.

Among wild game there is:

Ducks, geese, pheasants, grouse, partridge, wild turkey, deer, elk, moose, antelope and bighorn sheep.

In addition, North Dakota boasts a few wineries, all of which offer tours and tastings.

• For a number of grape wines like Merlot and Riesling, the main establishment is Red Trail Vineyards in Buffalo.
• Dakota Hills Winery in Knox produces a few grape wines, though most of their wines are native fruit wines and honey wines.
• Maple River Winery in Casselton and Point of View Winery in Burlington produce only non-grape wines, mainly fruit and honey wines. Fruit wines you’ll find include chokecherry, crab apple, wild plum, elderberry, apple, raspberry, and many more. Rhubarb wine is another variety, and Maple River also makes dandelion and pumpkin wines.

You may not find these wines outside of North Dakota, so if you love wine, stopping by a winery would be a fun and tasty adventure.

In the Peace Garden State, there are plenty of food options to choose from. Trying some of the state’s local cuisine, whether buffalo, kuchen, lefse, or chokecherry jelly, you can’t go wrong and it will give you a real taste of North Dakota and our land of many cultures.

Commerce Commissioner Takes on New Opportunities

Guest Blog by Shane Goettle, Commissioner, North Dakota Department of Commerce

Shane Goettle, Commerce Commissioner

Senator Elect John Hoeven named the first members of his new Senatorial staff today, and I have decided to join his team as the state director. I expect my role will evolve and change as Senator Hoeven’s agenda develops. I will wrap up my tenure at Commerce by the end of December. Governor-to-be Jack Dalrymple has asked Paul Govig, who has been my deputy for five years, to serve as interim commissioner while he takes time to select a permanent appointment to this key position.

 This was an extremely difficult decision for many reasons, but most obviously, because I thoroughly enjoy the working for the Comerce Department and the people involved in it.

 When I look back on the last five years, I’m amazed at everything Commerce has accomplished. It has grown from an infant agency to an organization that is trusted to build connections, deliver effective programs and lead the state’s efforts to increase wealth and improve the quality of life for North Dakota people.

The list of new initiatives spearheaded by Commerce in partnership with many others throughout the state is lengthy and includes the Centers of Excellence program, Innovate ND, Operation Intern, Empower ND, the Youth Office, Workforce Enhancement grants, western North Dakota infrastructure development, energy programs, Experience ND, the North Dakota Trade Office, the Native American Business Development Office and much more.

The network of people working to grow our state is stronger today than at any time in our history. State officials are working more effectively with locals and partnerships between communities are the norm not the exception. We are working more efficiently toward a shared vision of prosperity for all North Dakotans. And together we have managed to elevate North Dakota to a position of national prominence.

 I’m confident the leadership of Jack Dalrymple as governor will keep North Dakota on this successful path, and I know community and economic development will remain a cornerstone of his administration.

Thank you for your ongoing involvement in growing North Dakota, and most of all thank you for your friendship. One part about my new role that excites me most is the opportunity I will have to continue working with you and others in North Dakota’s business and development community.

 Sincerely,

 Shane Goettle

Goettle Provides Update on Western North Dakota Infrastructure Investments

BISMARCK, N.D. — Commerce Commissioner Shane Goettle today provided legislators on the interim Energy Development and Transmission Committee with a progress report on the state’s current efforts to address western North Dakota infrastructure needs.

“The growth in oil producing counties is having a positive effect on local economies but it is also posing challenges,” Goettle said. “The good news is that city and county officials are working together, and with the state, to make progress on immediate issues, while developing thoughtful plans for permanent, long-term investments that will enhance the infrastructure of this region for years to come.”

Direct Funding 

More than $210 million in direct funding will go to oil and gas producing cities, counties and schools in the current biennium. That includes $165 million in oil county revenues and $50 million from royalties on federal lands in the public domain.

Transportation

The state implemented a record budget of $1.35 billion statewide for transportation in 2009-2011, a 50 percent increase from the last biennium. This includes $500 million for state and local roadways. In the 2010-2011 construction seasons, $237 million is dedicated to the western part of the state including the Dickinson, Williston and Minot areas. Goettle said for continued transportation improvements North Dakota needs a dependable, multi-year federal transportation bill.

Major western North Dakota highway projects integrated in the state transportation improvement plan include:

• US 85 - $75 million to Super 2 US 85 with passing lanes, intersection improvements & turning lanes, transitional to four-laning from Williston to I-94.
• ND 12 - $34 million to provide major rehabilitation of the road.
• ND 8 – $21 million to re-grade and add a traffic signal at the intersection of US 2 and ND 8 at Stanley.
• ND 23 - $16.5 million for major upgrades, intersection improvements, passing and turning lanes moving toward a Super 2 status, and designed to allow four-laning.
• ND 22 – $14 million for pavement upgrades.

Public Safety

Additional safety measures have been implemented to improve road safety, including rumble strips, turning lanes, education efforts and enforcement campaigns. According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol these steps are proving effective and fatalities are down in oil and gas producing counties. Fatalities for the 17 oil and gas producing counties are 56 percent lower than last year at this time, 21 fatalities compared to 46 at the same time last year. 

Housing

More than 1,000 new units are in the works in Williston alone, including about 848 new units permitted or under construction in 2010-11. This includes 122 homes, 169 apartment units, 136 manufactured homes, 30 extended stay-hotel rooms, 233 standard hotel rooms, 158 crew quarters. It also includes a new mobile home park with accommodations for more than 300 lots already committed. In addition, a contractor in Dickinson is planning 170 single family and duplex homes, up to 320 apartment units, and 13 acres of commercial land to serve the community’s long-range needs. Other developers are in the early stages of developing approximately 250 more homes in the Dickinson area. State and local officials are also working successfully to attract additional investors. Several are breaking ground on new housing projects including:

• Granite Peak Development, LLC, in partnership with the City of Williston and Bank of North Dakota has 159 single-family and twin homes targeted for completion by Christmas; two apartment complexes with more than 100 units; and 850 new residential lots are being planned for next spring.
• Leadership Circle, L.L.C. has more than 130 single-family lots in various stages of construction and 16 nearing completion, with 32 targeted for completion by October. Six single-family homes are currently under construction with plans to start at least 10 more homes before October. A 5.5 acre lot is targeted for developing two apartment buildings with between 100 and 120 units.
• Roers Development, Inc., a Fargo-based company with projects in Minot, Jamestown and Fargo, is planning a major five-year project in Dickinson, which will include about 85 single-family homes; about 85 twin homes; up to 320 apartment units; and about 13 acres of commercial land for stores and services.

Water Needs

The State Water Commission has approved 34 groundwater and six surface water permits to help meet industrial and municipal water needs in western North Dakota. Depots in Dodge, Ray, Tioga, Stanley, Watford City and elsewhere are providing the water necessary to address the long-term municipal water supply needs of the petroleum industry to enhance industry sustainability.

Pipeline Capacity

New pipeline capacity is helping to reduce wear and tear on state and county roads. In fact, pipeline and rail capacity in the state now exceeds production in both North Dakota and Montana, resulting in reduced discounts for producers of North Dakota petroleum and less stress on the state’s infrastructure. For example, the new Four Bears Pipeline scheduled to be completed late this year or early next year will be able to transport 60,000 barrels of oil per day, enough to take 300 trucks a day off ND 22 and ND 23 between New Town and Dickinson. Other intra- and interstate pipelines and gathering systems throughout western North Dakota are reducing traffic on the roads.

Studies and Initiatives

To help cities and counties with their planning, Goettle said the Commerce Department is collaborating with the Oil and Gas Producing Counties and other state agencies on studies and initiatives to gather information about transportation, housing and workforce needs prior to the upcoming session.

• Transportation: The study is compiling an assessment of current traffic counts on key county and township arteries in order to quantify short-, intermediate- and long-term needs. Goettle said a draft report is expected by mid-November.
• Housing: The North Dakota Housing and Finance Agency, the North Dakota Department of Commerce and the Bank of North Dakota are providing 70 percent of the funding for a comprehensive housing assessment to identify opportunities and barriers to housing development in these communities.  When completed, sometime in December, the final report will include an examination of housing issues from the employers’, communities’ and developers’ perspectives. The communities of Watford City, Williston, Tioga, Stanley, New Town and Parshall have joined this study.
• Workforce: The North Dakota Petroleum Council and the North Dakota Department of Commerce are conducting a workforce needs assessment to project the workforce and skill needs for the oil and natural gas industry and industry sub-sectors.  Seventy-seven oil and gas employers were targeted for this survey.  This survey also includes a series of questions designed to assess short and long term housing demand to feed into the housing study described above. The study is to be complete before the legislative session begins in January.
• Technical Assistance: This $300,000 technical assistance matching grant program available through the North Dakota Department of Commerce will help cities and counties in oil development areas craft plans for water, sewer, zoning and other infrastructure needs connected with oil and gas development.  To date, Commerce has received formal applications from McKenzie County, Adams County, Stark County, Parshall, Crosby, Stanley and Killdeer and interest from a number of other communities.

State Agencies Working To Help

Meanwhile, the state is working to help through existing agencies and programs. The ND Public Finance Authority is providing assistance with bonds, up to $10 million in two phases to reduce risk. The Bank of North Dakota is providing Flex PACE loans; letters of credit to mitigate risk for necessary infrastructure in support of housing developments; access to credit with local lenders; and a variety of housing programs, including a $10 million pool to purchase USDA Guaranteed Loans. The North Dakota Housing Finance Agency is providing a total of $4.2 million in western North Dakota through a broad range of programs to provide financial assistance for low- and moderate-income housing.

“We’re working with cities and counties to provide the funding and technical support necessary to substantially boost their ability to meet both the immediate and long-range transportation, housing, and water needs of their communities,” Goettle said.

Moving Forward

Goettle said the various studies are advancing to fully assess needs. The challenge for lawmakers and local authorities will be to find consensus on how those needs will be presented and funding will be administered and distributed. 

“North Dakota is investing significant sums of money to address infrastructure needs in this region,” Goettle said. “In doing so, it’s essential that we not only make funds available but that we ensure the money is being used wisely and in a way that will provide meaningful long-term solutions.”