News & Events

Minnesota Hops Take a Giant Leap Forward

Thursday, July 11, 2019

What exactly do Minnesota-grown hops taste like? Beer lovers, gather round, we are in receipt of some of the biggest Minnesota-beer news of all time. First off, Minnesota's poised to break our all-time hops harvest this year, with 100,000 pounds coming out of Mighty Axe hops in Foley, just north of St. Cloud. That's more than before Prohibition, it's more than ever. But that's only the start of this story, because Mighty Axe founder, hops-champion, and CEO Eric Sannerud feels so strongly that the hops he's growing are unique in the world, in terms of their flavor and aromas, that he's rebranded...

Redwood Area Community Festivals

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Community events and festivals celebrate the characteristics and amenities that make a town distinctive. They help create a sense of place and foster community pride among residents. Beyond improving quality of life, such events have social benefits. They bring people together and deepen relationships. They engage people — whether it’s organizers through their volunteerism or attendees through participation. Festivals also have an economic impact. When you attend a local event, you’re supporting local food vendors and artisans. Events also draw in visitors who then patronize local gas stations, hotels and restaurants. Redwood County has a range of wonderful community festivals and events throughout...

Young Redwood Falls entrepreneur driven by values

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

For years, we’ve heard about “brain drain,” the phenomenon where young folks leave rural towns to attend college and pursue better opportunities in cities. But research into Minnesota’s shifting rural demographics now shows a positive reverse trend of “brain gain” — where young adults migrate back to their hometowns with families in tow and expertise to offer. Tony Madsen of NewLeaf Financial Guidance is a local case in point. He grew up in Redwood Falls and left to attend college at Augustana University in Sioux Falls. Madsen worked for a number of years in the Twin Cities metro area for a...

Jeff Shuford: 5 unique ways small business owners can increase their odds of long-term success

Monday, June 03, 2019

If you want to increase your odds of long-term success as a small business owner, it’s time to get strategic with your approach to growth. Aspiring to build a thriving small business is admirable, but is much harder than some entrepreneurs imagine. “Build it, and they will come” does not apply to small business startups. If you need help learning how to increase your odds of long-term success as a small business owner, pay attention to the following five tips for entrepreneurs: Read full article.

Business Expansions Reflect State’s Diverse Economy

Sunday, June 02, 2019

Minnesota’s diverse economy is reflected in the 226 business expansion projects that were publicly announced in 2018 and tracked by DEED. These projects were spread across the state and involved companies of all sizes in more than 40 industries. While complete data is not available for all of the projects, these expansions represent at least 8,829 new jobs and 1,672 retained jobs. They also reflect new investment of at least $2.4 billion and over 7.5 million square feet. Read full article.

Minnesota adds 3,600 jobs in April

Saturday, June 01, 2019

Construction led all sectors annually, gaining 10.5 percent over the previous year ST. PAUL – Minnesota gained 3,600 seasonally adjusted jobs in April, according to figures released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Minnesota annual job gains were up 14,434 or 0.5 percent since last April, however, the first four months of 2019 have only netted 700 additional jobs. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 3.3 percent, an increase of one tenth of a percent. In so doing, the number of unemployed Minnesotan’s topped 100,000 for the first time since August 2017. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6 percent. Over...

Delineator Posts Coming To A Highway Near You

Monday, May 13, 2019

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says a safety improvement project will see delineator posts installed along all unlighted, four-lane rural highways. Starting May 20th, a MnDOT contractor will install nearly 6,000 posts, beginning with I-90. Portions of other highways scheduled for work throughout the summer-long project will be Highway 14, Highway 60, and Highway 169. The project aims to provide visual separation between the road and the surrounding land through the use of a diamond-shaped reflector at the top of each post. The statewide project began in the fall of 2018 and will be completed by the end of the summer. Read full...

RVHS Evening of the Stars scholarship winners

Friday, May 03, 2019

Dollars For Scholars Scholarships were awarded at the Evening of the Stars event. Attached is a list of the winners. 950 scholarships totaling over $500,000 have been awarded since they started in 2002. Read full article.

Celebrating Small Businesses

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

May 5–11 is National Small Business Week across America. Redwood County has a wealth of dedicated and creative small business owners who contribute to the vibrancy and character of our communities, while employing many of our local residents. Locally owned businesses help to define our communities. They improve our quality of life. During National Small Business Week and beyond, these companies deserve our appreciation and support. Show your appreciation by visiting small businesses You can show your appreciation for the local business owners who contribute to our community's vibrancy and success all year round. It's as simple as choosing to spend your dollars...

Redwood Falls to begin next phase of electricity distribution conversion in the downtown area

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

In 2018, the City of Redwood Falls began the conversion of the downtown business district to an underground electrical system. Due to an early onset of cold weather, the first phase of that project was not completed, but as that work continues the process to start the second phase of the project is also going to begin. That process moved forward April 16 when the city council approved a request from Chuck Heins, city public utilities superintendent, to solicit bids for the next phase. The work as part of Phase 2 includes the alley between Third and Fourth streets from Minnesota Street east...

Wood & Conn of Redwood Falls honored by Sukup

Monday, April 29, 2019

Wood & Conn Corporation of Redwood Falls has been recognized by Sukup Manufacturing Co. for outstanding sales and customer service for 2019. The company received the president’s club sales award during the recent dealer meetings at Sukup headquarters in Sheffield, Iowa. Dealers were recognized with sales achievement awards for high volume sales of Sukup grain handling and storage equipment and/or Sukup Steel Buildings. Diane Hughes, sales supervisor for Sukup Manufacturing, said award recipients have worked closely with their customers to meet their needs for better grain handling and storage solutions. Read full article.

Redwood County highway department settling into new Redwood Falls location

Friday, April 26, 2019

In August 2017, Keith Berndt started his new job as the Redwood County engineer. In that role, he began having discussions with the county commissioners about the future of the highway department, and on the list of priorities was addressing the highway shop located west of Redwood Falls. As Berndt investigated the shop, which included having conversations with those who are employed by the county regarding the building, he soon learned that finding a solution needed to be a priority. Ultimately, that task took a different path than most expected, but those who have been part of the process of the new...

Budget for One Minnesota: Broadband

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Access to robust broadband is a critical factor in the economic and social sustainability of all Minnesota communities. In 2014, the state of Minnesota set a goal of border-to-border broadband access by 2022, signaling that access to quality broadband service should be a right for all Minnesotans. Read full blog post.

Budget for One Minnesota: Closing the Opportunity Gap

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

A report by 24/7 Wall Street ranked Minnesota as the second-worst state in the country for racial equality. Although U.S. Census figures show income gains and lower unemployment rates for Minnesotans of color, we’re still experiencing drastic inequality in these areas across the state. Governor Walz’s Closing the Opportunity Gap investment continues direct appropriations made in the 2018-2019 biennial budget and funds competitive youth employment programs that target at-risk youth. Read full blog post.

Growing Our Leadership for Minnesota's Workforce

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

One of the most important areas of focus for our work at DEED is to help Minnesota workers from all professional backgrounds find great jobs, and to help companies large and small meet their hiring needs – enabling our economy to grow and thrive. That’s why we’ve decided to expand the leadership team within the DEED commissioner’s office by creating two Assistant Commissioner positions to lead our workforce efforts. We’ve just posted these two unclassified jobs – one is as an Assistant Commissioner for Workforce Services (Keyword 31802) and one is as an Assistant Commissioner of Workforce Development (Keyword 31799). You can find out more...

DEED Awards $2 Million in Redevelopment Grants and Loans

Monday, April 22, 2019

Five sites Awarded Funding for Demolition and Redevelopment DEED awarded four redevelopment grants for the cities of Mankato, Minneapolis, Woodbury and Edina. Fergus Falls Port Authority was also awarded a Demolition Loan from the agency. “Redevelopment can be a costly and time-consuming process for local municipalities,” said Governor Tim Walz. “With DEED’s assistance, these projects will attract or retain 455 jobs and increase the local tax base by as much as $1.76 million.” “Turning blighted and underutilized sites into productive uses is a good investment,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “The criteria for DEED’s Redevelopment Grant Program and Demolition Loan programs ensure that...

Why Minnesota's Broadband Push is Crucial to Rural Residents

Friday, April 19, 2019

Rural communities in Minnesota fail to conduct timely business because they lack fast Internet. In one town, it's the difference between employment and mass layoffs. A new state bill would fund broadband for two years. (TNS) — International Falls, Minn. – After more than 30 years of doing business in this longtime mill town, Optum Health plans to close its health care claims office this summer. The good news is the company's 90 workers can keep their jobs. The bad news is that offer is good only if they're able to work remotely. And those who live outside the city limits may...

Recognizing Economic Developers in May

Thursday, April 18, 2019

May 6-11 is International Economic Development Week (EDW). It’s an opportune time to reflect on the importance of local economic development efforts to building a vibrant and sustainable community. The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) created EDW in 2016 to help raise awareness for the profession. Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) are often misunderstood because their activities happen behind the scenes, outside of the public eye. EDW is a chance to recognize economic developers, the local leaders and organizations that work tirelessly to recruit investors, develop businesses, create jobs, enhance the tax base and ultimately improve the quality of life of their communities. Did...

DEED seeks $70 million for rural broadband

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

After a five-year effort to bring broadband internet to rural Minnesota, state leaders believe the finish line is in sight. Under Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed budget, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development would spend $35 million in both 2020 and 2021 to support the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program. That $70 million will put the state on track to hit a statutory goal of extending broadband to all Minnesotans by 2022, DEED Commissioner Steve Grove said. Read full article.

Building up gender diversity

Monday, April 15, 2019

If enrollment growth at Dunwoody College of Technology is a good tape measure, women are poised to make big strides in Minnesota’s construction industry. Women currently make up about 18 percent of all students in the school’s popular construction management program, up from just 2 percent a decade ago, said Heather Gay, who has taught at Dunwoody since 2008. Those rising numbers are no accident, school officials say, as Dunwoody has been deliberate about bringing more women into the school’s technical programs. Read full article.

Budget for One Minnesota: Minnesota Innovation Collaborative

Friday, April 12, 2019

States and cities that create attractive environments for startups, entrepreneurs, and innovative talent are quickly distancing their economies from those who do not. For every one job created in the innovation sector, five more jobs are created in adjacent sectors – the strongest network effect in job growth today. Minnesota must put our economy on the cutting edge of this ecosystem by making strategic investments in our innovation ecosystem. The proposed Minnesota Innovation Collaborative (MIC) contains a series of initiatives focused on growing Minnesota’s innovation economy by accelerating the growth of our startup ecosystem and attracting top technology talent to the state. Comprised...

Budget for One Minnesota: Community Prosperity

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Prosperity and opportunity for all people in all parts of our state stems from the well-being of their community. Governor Tim Walz’s budget ensures that communities are thriving – not just surviving. His budget expands access to affordable childcare and housing, invests in infrastructure and broadband internet, and gives local leaders the tools they need to succeed. In total, the Budget for One Minnesota represents an investment of $432 million in community prosperity investments over the next two years, with an additional $1.9 billion in transportation and infrastructure. Read full article.

Preparing the Workforce of the Future

Thursday, April 04, 2019

Projections indicate that Minnesota may have 400,000 unfilled jobs by 2024 due to a wave of Baby Boomer retirements and a shortage of skilled workers to take their place. While two-thirds of these jobs require post secondary education or training, a four-year college degree isn't always necessary. Thanks to a generous donation from philanthropist Orrin Estebo, the Redwood Falls Area School District will have the tools to proactively address the imminent workforce skills gap to ensure talent needs are met in areas like manufacturing, construction and healthcare. The idea for the Orrin S. Estebo Career Development Center was born a couple of...

Expo Gets Youth to Think About Careers; Employers, the Next-gen Workforce

Monday, April 01, 2019

An HR executive, truck loader, court reporter and physical therapist will be among 25 Minnesota professionals who are blind, DeafBlind, or low-vision networking with blind students at the 2019 Career Expo sponsored by State Services for the Blind. The Expo highlights the diversity of career paths for job seekers who are blind. This free event, focused on high school and undergraduate students, will be held Sat., April 27 at Minnesota Department of Education, 1500 Highway 36 West, Roseville, Conference Center B. Expo attendees will connect with employees working in a variety of jobs and careers, the tools they use, and the techniques that have...

Minnesota adds 3,800 Jobs in January

Friday, March 08, 2019

Unemployment rate ticks up to 3 percent ST. PAUL - Minnesota added 3,800 jobs statewide during the first month of 2019, and the state's unemployment rate increased to 3 percent, according to seasonally adjusted figures released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.0 percent in January. Read full article.

Budget for One Minnesota: Child Care Investment and Integrity

Friday, March 01, 2019

For many Minnesota families, child care is a necessity, yet a growing number of Minnesotans can’t access it – it just doesn’t exist. The number of licensed family childcare providers has decreased almost 30 percent in Minnesota since 2005, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Census data from 2014 show that about 310,000 children in Minnesota ages 0-5 have both parents or guardians in the workforce and likely need some form of child care. Lack of affordable, quality child care is a significant barrier to workforce participation that can negatively affect job and wealth creation, business expansion and retention,...

Business, education creating connections to address workforce shortage in the Redwood area

Monday, February 18, 2019

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a three-part series of stories focused on the issue of workforce shortages facing rural Minnesota and the efforts that are being made to address them as it relates to students who will be taking over those jobs in the not-so-distant future. If today’s students were assured of a good-paying job in the region where they have been growing up, 75 percent of them indicated they would want to live and work there. That statistic was offered by Luke Greiner, a regional analyst for southwestern and central Minnesota for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic...

Redwood Area School District education program focused on preparing students for next stage

Friday, February 15, 2019

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a three-part series of stories focused on the issue of workforce shortages facing rural Minnesota and the efforts that are being made to address them as it relates to students who will be taking over those jobs in the not-so-distant future. In 2013 the Minnesota legislature changed the way schools review everything from curriculum to achievement through what is known as the World’s Best Workforce. As a result, schools are required to develop a plan that addresses a series of established goals all in an effort to help prepare students from preschool through Grade 12 for...

Mid County Ag Services begins construction

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Many in the Wabasso community may have noticed the construction activity across from St. Matthew Lutheran Church at the intersection of State Highway 68, County Road 6 and Impala Avenue in Wabasso. The building construction will be the home of the Mid County Ag Services, LLC, which is owned by Jamison Panitzke who purchased the land from the Wabasso Economic Development Administration and has started building a seed warehouse and office. Read full article.

Company’s Innovations Improve Life for Those with Disabilities

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” is a saying that is applicable to entrepreneurism. Successful business ventures are often based on identifying a problem that needs to be solved. When a spinal cord injury left Alan Tholkes a quadriplegic at 17, his creative ways of navigating mobility challenges turned him into an entrepreneur. He founded Altimate Medical in 1987 and the products he developed improve the lives of people who use wheelchairs. Tholkes’ initial invention was a folding, lightweight wheelchair that could easily squeeze through narrow doorways. This product provided a foundation the company was built upon. Now the company based in Morton,...

The 5 biggest economic stories in Minnesota from 2018

Monday, February 11, 2019

It was a year with highs and lows for Minnesota’s economy, marked by turnover in the state’s technical college system, trade war uncertainty, rosy economic numbers and an escalating shortage of workers. Here, a look at the year in Minnesota’s economic development: Read full article.

Magazine Highlights Minnesota as a Top Spot for Business

Friday, February 08, 2019

The new edition of Minnesota: Thriving in the North spells out the benefits of doing business here. It highlights the state’s inviting business climate, innovative atmosphere and world-class workforce. The publication, available in both print and digital versions, is part of DEED’s ongoing work to promote the state’s advantages for business investment and expansion, as well as its culture of innovation and quality of life. Read full article.

New Privacy and Data Security Guide Published for 2019

Thursday, February 07, 2019

Annual guide developed in cooperation with Gray Plant Mooty ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has partnered with Minneapolis law firm Gray Plant Mooty to publish “A Legal Guide to Privacy and Data Security 2019.” This privacy guide is intended to inform businesses of legal issues related to privacy and data security. Written for non-lawyers, this is the fourth time Gray Plant Mooty and DEED have collaborated to publish and distribute the privacy guide. Read full article.

Match.com for business Redwood County supports a diverse community of manufacturers!

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Enterprise Minnesota - December 2014 Issue -- Tom Mason, writer When Enterprise Minnesota’s president and CEO Bob Kill traveled recently to Redwood Falls he got to experience first hand how a diverse community of manufacturers can give their community a solid economic base. Kill was invited by the Redwood Area Development Corporation (RADC) to keynote their annual Manufacturing Week luncheon. Redwood Falls is a prosperous community of about 5,000 people located a couple hours southwest of the Twin Cities. RADC is considered a well-run and forward-thinking organization thatserves 16 area communities. The day’s chief organizer was Julie Rath, one of two development...