BankWest Learning & Development Initiatives Earn National Recognition
BankWest Learning & Development representatives received three distinguished awards at Training Magazine’s APEX Awards event. For the fifth year in a row, BankWest was named an APEX award winner based on the quality and impact of the company’s training and development initiatives. BankWest received its highest award ranking to date, placing 21st among 105 applicants. Training magazine is […]
Rapid City February Building Permit Activity Signals Strong Investment
Rapid City’s business environment is showing positive signs of growth, with a significant increase in building permit valuations. Here’s the breakdown from the February 2024 building permit report: February Permits: In February 2024, the city issued 157 building permits, totaling over $45.4 million. This is the second-highest February on record. The number of permits issued […]
2024 Black Hills Defense and Industry Symposium
The Black Hills Defense and Industry Symposium is coming to The Box Elder Events Center, April 10- 11, 2024. This annual event will bring leaders of academia, research, industry, military, and the Black Hills communities together for meaningful dialogue on the importance of defense investment in western South Dakota. Leaders will discuss how attendees can […]
Carrie Gerlach – A Life of Adventure (Tours)
Carrie Gerlach has been sharing her love of adventure and the Black Hills for nearly two decades. Just a few years after starting Black Hills Adventure Tours, Carrie Gerlach’s life took a dramatic turn. As a single mom with two kids, she didn’t know how she could continue her company while fulfilling the basic needs […]
Head Brewer Mike Beebe Infuses New Life into Firehouse Brewing Company
As South Dakota’s oldest brewery, the Firehouse Brewing Co. has long stood as a pioneer in the local beer scene. The brewery is poised to embark on its next chapter of growth and innovation. Last year, they brought on Head Brewer Mike Beebe. This brings a fresh perspective and a commitment to building on Firehouse’s […]
Rapid City Ranks High Amongst Happiest Places to Live
WalletHub ranks Rapid City among top tier of 182 ranked cities for happiness Rapid City was ranked among the nation’s happiest cities to live in the nation in a report released this week by WalletHub. Rapid City ranked 36th among the top 182 cities referenced in the report. WalletHub compared 182 of the largest cities, […]
BHFCU Recognized as Top Workplace in Great Plains
Employee engagement partner Energage recently awarded Black Hills Federal Credit Union (BHFCU) the 2024 Great Plains Top Workplaces award. The award identifies BHFCU as a premier workplace across all industries in the Midwest Region (SD, ND, WY, NE, KS.) BHFCU asks staff to provide feedback through the Energage Workplace Survey each year. Top Workplaces uses […]
Diamond E Collective Opens on Rapid City Main Street
Diamond E Collective, a new restaurant, venue, and hub for community gatherings, has opened its doors in downtown Rapid City. Nestled in the former Bashful Bison location at 523 Main Street, it’s a place where friends can come together and create lasting memories. Cindy Tolle of Evergreen Ranching and Livestock is the owner of Diamond […]
Texas native brings years of hospitality experience to the Black Hills
Clint Cox knew he needed a change. The Miami hotel management and consulting company he worked for was going through some transition, and the Texas native decided it was a good time to move on. After earning his MBA from Florida International University, Clint began his search for something new. That something new brought Clint […]
Progress continues at the Black Hills Industrial Center
In September 2022, Dream Design International broke ground for the Black Hills Industrial Center construction. The hope is to improve the wage scale and boost the local economy by adding sustainable industries to this new manufacturing hub. Situated in the southeast corner of Rapid City, this expansive 700+ acre industrial site is strategically tailored to […]
BHFCU CAT Program Raises Over $62,000 for Charity
More than 30 years ago, Black Hills Federal Credit Union (BHFCU) established the Community Action Team (CAT) program. This program reflects the company’s commitment to empowering its employees to better the communities they serve. 40 employees served as CAT program co-chairs to organize giving opportunities in 2023. The BHFCU CAT program covers their locations throughout […]
Black Hills Surgical Hospital Ranked #1 Hospital in the Nation for Second Consecutive Year
For the second year in a row, Black Hills Surgical Hospital (BHSH) has been ranked as the #1 Hospital in the Nation for Major Orthopedic Surgery for Medical Excellence by CareChex®. BHSH has also been ranked as the #1 Hospital in the Nation for Major Orthopedic Surgery for Patient Safety – achieving the nation’s top […]
Marketing Manager Making Memories in Rapid City
After growing up and living in eastern South Dakota for many years, Bri Vande Pol and her husband decided it was time for a change of scenery for their adventure-seeking family. They didn’t have to travel far to find the change they were looking for; they set their sights on the west side of the […]
City of Presidents Adds Audio Tour
Celebrate President’s Day in a brand new way this year. After more than a year of development, Visit Rapid City created a City of Presidents Audio Tour for downtown Rapid City. There are two ways to experience the new audio tour: a mobile tour or a dial-in tour. Plaques with a dial-in number and QR […]
Plato’s Closet Rapid City Moves to Cambell Street
Plato’s Closet will soon be moving from its Omaha Street location in Rapid City to 262 N Cambell Street. The building was formerly Black Hills IP. The official opening of the new Plato’s Closet location will be on February 24. After 10 years in their former building, this move to Cambell Street will allow customers […]
Cole-TAC LLC Expands Operations in Rapid City
Two years after relocating to Rapid City, South Dakota, Cole-TAC, LLC has been able to hire more people than in the 6 years the company operated in New Hampshire. Now, the company is ready to expand its operations once again. Cole-TAC, LLC is a tactical accessory manufacturer, founded in 2015. What started as an 8200-square-foot […]
Nominations Open for Black Hills 40 Under 40
3/1/2024 Update – The nomination window for 2024 is now closed. Keep an eye out for the April issue of Elevate magazine to see who was named 40 under 40. Nominations for 2025 will open in January 2025. Rapid City Business Journal is seeking nominations for the 2024 40 Under 40 in the Black Hills […]
Rapid City Starts 2024 with Strong Construction Growth, Highest January Valuation Since 2018
Rapid City’s building industry kicked off 2024 with a bang, boasting the highest January valuation for building permits since 2018. The City’s Building Services Division issued 161 permits in January, totaling over $35.3 million, exceeding the $30.6 million recorded in January 2023. “The year is off to a solid start,” said Community Development Director Vicki […]
Phoenix Couple Find Home in Beauty of the Black Hills
Robert Julian and Katelyn Flowers-Velasquez love exploring different places – the food, the culture, the people. The couple, both in their 30s, have traveled between both coasts and across continents. But when Julian’s friend told him about an IT job for Katelyn in South Dakota, Julian hesitated in telling his southwestern-born girlfriend about the opportunity. […]
BHFCU Business Lender Named January Lender of the Month
The South Dakota Development Corporation (SDDC) recently recognized Marie Darling, a Business Lender at Black Hills Federal Credit Union in downtown Rapid City as the January Lender of the Month. “As a relatively new member of the commercial lending space, I was very honored when I learned I’d been named Lender of the Month,” Marie […]
West Plains Engineering Announces Leadership Transition
West Plains Engineering (WPE) announces Doug Feterl, P.E. is stepping down to retire from his position as company President. The firm has planned for Marty Christensen, P.E. to take over as Feterl’s replacement effective January 26th, 2024. Feterl has been with the firm for 32 years and served as President since 2014. He was one […]
New Partners Named at Ketel Thorstenson, LLP
Ketel Thorstenson, LLP (KT) announces the addition of new Partners, Carrie Christensen, CPA, MBA, and Brady Larsen, CPA, effective January 1st, 2024. Both Christensen and Larsen work in the Tax Department in the Rapid City office. Carrie J. Christensen has over 15 years of experience helping clients with various tax issues and uses her experience […]
2023 Economic Impact of Meetings
During 2023, Visit Rapid City aided the Rapid City hotel industry in hosting 50 meetings, resulting in 5,459 room nights – the third-best year on record – and delivered an economic impact of more than $3 million to Rapid City. “Meetings play an integral role in Visit Rapid City’s strategic marketing efforts,” said Brook Kaufman, […]
Rapid City-based Property Meld Announces $15M Series B Funding
Property Meld, Rapid City SaaS company and leading property management maintenance software, announced a $15 million Series B funding round led by Frontier Growth, a growth equity firm focused on high-growth software businesses. Additional investors include Vesta Ventures, South Dakota Equity Partners, and Badlands Capital. As a leading provider of property maintenance software with over […]
