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COVER STORY
Chamber's YPN to celebrate first anniversary
YPN Stats
YPN Steering Committee Members
Chamber's YPN to celebrate first anniversary
by Kate Foley
Small Business & Leadership Development Manager
 When the Chamber’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) Steering Committee began planning their first event one year ago, they experienced some trepidation over attendance.
However, as the date of the kick-off event grew closer and word got out, the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the YPN, was flooded with ticket requests for the event — which was an overwhelming success and kicked off a year full of activity for the community’s newest network for young professionals. YPN volunteers are planning for an anniversary celebration to be held Wednesday, April 21 at the Museum of Visual Materials. Tickets are available at www.siouxfallsypn.com.
Since last April, the YPN has generated more than 500 members ranging all industries, ages and career levels; developed a dynamic web presence at www.siouxfallsypn.com; and created a calendar of events that tries to offer something for everyone.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors believe that young professionals represent the next generation of business and community leaders and support the simple mission of the YPN, which is to cultivate an informed and involved young professionals community in the Sioux Falls area in order to retain and attract young and diverse talent.
“The Chamber’s YPN has become a dynamic, diverse group of emerging young professionals with a passion for the Sioux Falls community,” said Chamber Chair of the Board Dave Rozenboom, U.S. Bank. “The programs of the YPN provide its members with opportunities to build relationships with local community and business leaders as well as other young professionals. In less than one year, the membership has exceeded all expectations — they have good reason to celebrate.”
According to Next Generation Consulting (NGC), a firm based in Madison, Wis., today’s young professionals pick their cities, then look for a job. In a study conducted in June 2009, NGC ranked Sioux Falls in the Top 10 cities its size as one of the best places to live and work. NGC studied residential and relocation patterns of 20- to 40-year-olds and interviewed 40,000 young professionals asking why they live and work where they do. Turns out, many of these cities (the places they love) have seven “life factors” in common: vitality, earning, learning, social capital, cost of living, after hours and getting around town. Although jobs are important, the next generation is very savvy about choosing where they’ll live, according to NGC founder Rebecca Ryan. Young professionals look carefully at quality of life factors: traffic commute time, parks or hike-and-bike trails, friendly neighborhoods, and whether a city stays alive after five.
The objectives of the YPN, developed by the Steering Committee, include: to foster a sense of responsibility for the current and future progress of our community; to create an environment where young professionals have influence; to interact professionally and socially with peers; and to build awareness of community issues. The Chamber’s YPN is looking forward to another great year and welcome new members. Funded by the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, YPN membership remains at $20 annually for Chamber member employees and $50 for non-Chamber members. The fee is waived for Chamber member small business owners if they have no employees. Joining the YPN is easy — just download an application at www.siouxfallypn.com.
Many businesses have encouraged their employees to join the YPN and have sponsored the annual YPN membership fee, such as Sammons Financial Group/Midland National Life Insurance.
“The objectives of the Chamber’s YPN appeals to us,” said Executive Vice President Robert TeKolste. “Challenging our developing, young associates to get involved offers our organization a way to foster a sense of responsibility for the current and future progress of the community as well as support their individual efforts to enhance personal development.”
Led and organized by a steering committee and four separate action teams, the Chamber YPN has established itself as a staple resource for the community. This past year, the YPN has broadened its programming to include:
• Focus Workshops (held approximately every other month; past topics have included:: Money! Do you know why you spend?; How Full is Your Bucket; Social Media Do’s & Don’ts; Business Etiquette; How to Handle the Media; Building a Positive Image Through Linked-in; Bridging the Gap: Not Us vs Them)
• YPN Exchange roundtables (breakfast and lunch sessions held monthly)
• YPN Off the Clock (monthly “after 5” socials held at various Chamber member locations)
• YPN Reservations for Six (monthly networking dinners held a various Chamber member locations)
• Our Sioux Falls (sessions that feature presentations and informal discussions on various aspects of the community, including: Sioux Falls-A Safe City; Where Are We Going & Growing; Where do our taxes go?; Meet our Mayor; the Events Center Proposal)
• A Seat at the Table (sessions that allow YPN members to access the insights, wisdom and lessons only experienced leaders can provide; held bi-monthly.)
• The Kringle (holiday party featuring live music, food, beverages, and fun photo booth. More than 100 toys were collected and donated to Children’s Care Hospital & School.)
• Welcome to Winter! (social outing at Great Bear)
• Community Connection Tours
• Your Voice Matters (session focusing on young professional voter demographics)
• YPN Golf League
• YPN Night at the Canaries
• YPN Night at the Skyforce
• Inside Washington (private roundtable discussions with South Dakota’s U.S. Congressional delegates)
• Downtown Block Party on the Eastbank
• Family Fun Picnic (planned for July 2010)
The YPN recently received a grant from the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation to raise the level of awareness and involvement of young professionals in the democratic process. Some of the events YPN has held, such as the Your Voice Matters informational session and the recent candidate forums for the April 13 municipal election, have been designed to meet this mission. Look for more similar events in the coming months.
The YPN Steering Committee also introduced YPNgage and YPN Perks. YPNgage is an invitation to serve and was developed to assist YPN members who are seeking volunteer opportunities or looking for others to join them in their volunteer activities. YPN members as well as Chamber members can post their activities and volunteer needs by going to www.siouxfallsypn.com and follow the link to YPNgage.
YPN Perks is an opportunity for Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce member businesses to offer discounts and special promotions to YPN members. This feature is also available at www.siouxfallsypn.com and follow the link to YPN Perks.
The Anniversary Celebration is being organized by members of both the Social Action Team and the Membership & Marketing Action Team. “The Chamber YPN has grown tremendously over the past year. This event is really a celebration of this past year’s accomplishments,” said Bobbi Nelson, Novak Sanitary Services and co-chair of the Membership & Marketing Action Team. “This event is being held for all young professionals. We encourage both members and non-members to attend and learn more about us, as well as enjoy another great event put on by the Chamber YPN.
For more information about the YPN, call (605) 336-1620 or visit www.siouxfallsypn.com.
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YPN Stats
Total Members - 524
Home Town
Sioux Falls: 33%
South Dakota (not Sioux Falls): 38%
Minnesota: 13%
Iowa: 7%
Nebraska: 3%
Other States: 5% (TX, NJ, AK, NY, OR, MI, ND, CA, PA, KS, AL, SC, WY, NM, MY, MO, WI, IL)
Out of Country: 1%
Job Industries
Banking/Finance: 16%
Media/Advertising/Technology: 15%
Professional (Attorney, Accounting, Architect): 11%
Insurance/Investment: 11%
Non-Profit/Government: 10%
Medical: 9%
Construction/Engineers/Developers/Real Estate: 8%
Hospitality/Retail/Entertainment: 7%
Education/Students: 5%
Misc. Other Services: 5%
Manufacturing/Wholesale: 3%
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YPN Steering Committee Members
Nick Bentele, The First National Bank in Sioux Falls
Darin Hage, Sioux Falls Construction Co.
Brian Jans, Jans Corporation
Stacey Jans, Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc.
Lesa Jarding, Wells Fargo Bank
Steffanie Liston, MED (Midwest Medical Edition)
Tiffany Miller, Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP
Megan Myers, South Dakota State Medical Association
Shelly Munson, Woods, Fuller, Shultz and Smith PC
Bobbi Nelson, Novak Sanitary Service
Rachel Nordling, U.S. Bank
Jen Rothenbuehler, Holiday Inn City Centre
Tim Schut, Waddell & Reed
Jo Theodosopoulos, Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation
Kristen Townsend, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center
Nate Welch, Farmers Union Insurance
Garrett Wilson, Children's Care Hospital & School |
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