Chair's Column
Sioux Falls' success: A shared responsibility

By Dave Rozenboom
2009-10 Chair of the Board

Dave Rozenboom 2009-10 Chair of the Board

It's no secret that Sioux Falls and our surrounding area is one of the very best regions in the country. Year in and year out, in good times and in challenging times, Sioux Falls stands tall. We are consistently recognized at the national level in any number of areas, and the past year has been no exception.

A recent example, in its 11th annual ranking of the Best Places for Business and Careers, Forbes ranked 400 metro areas (large and small) on 11 criteria, including: job growth, cost of living, income growth, labor supply, quality of life information, educational attainment and two new categories — projected job growth and subprime mortgages. For an amazing seventh year in a row, Sioux Falls ranked No. 1 out of the 200 small metro areas examined!

The success we enjoy as a community hasn't just happened by accident. Sioux Falls has a long-standing heritage of leaders and organizations that work so well together to make this a very special place to live and to work. We have a strong culture of putting the common good of our community first, realizing that if our community succeeds — we all succeed.

Your Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce plays a central role in bringing everyone together. Business, city and county governments, education (K-12 and post-secondary, public and private) and many other organizations all have a seat at the table. In a collaborative effort, we work together to identify the priorities we have as a community. In a cooperative effort, we pool our resources to meet the challenges and opportunities we have identified. It's been a time-tested recipe for success, and from my perspective, it's been the single biggest attribute in setting Sioux Falls apart from our peers.

As we look forward to a new Chamber year, we are at an exciting time. With the challenges and changes in our national economy, more than ever before it is clear that we can not rest on our laurels. Rather, we need to be intentional about planning for the future growth and development of our community and region.

Over the next six months, we will be embarking on a strategic planning process focused on economic development. In classic Sioux Falls style, your Chamber is partnering with the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, the City of Sioux Falls, Minnehaha and Lincoln counties, the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation and the Sioux Empire United Way in a collaborative effort called “Future Sioux Falls." In turn, this effort will provide the ground work and foundation for establishing our priorities for Forward Sioux Falls VI, which will also begin to take shape throughout the coming year. Please take time to read more about this project inside this issue.

Leadership succession is a critical component of any successful organization over the long term. It is clear that we have inherited this strong culture from those leaders in our community that have come before us, and it is important that the leaders of today help carry the torch into the future by serving as mentors for the next generation. One of the ways that we do this is through the very successful Leadership Sioux Falls program. Now in its 24th year, we have had over 600 graduates — many of whom have gone on to serve their respective organizations and our community in a variety of leadership roles. Thank you to the sponsoring organizations and good luck to the new class of leaders who will be participating.

With Sioux Falls' recognition by Forbes magazine, it will be an honor and privilege for us to host Steve Forbes, Chair and CEO of Forbes Media and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine, as the featured speaker at our 103rd Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20. I invite you to join us for what promises to be an exciting and informative evening where you will hear more about the Chamber priorities for the coming year. We anticipate a full house so be sure to secure your tickets now — call the Chamber at (605) 336-1620.

I have great respect and appreciation for the past leadership of our organization, and especially for our outgoing Chair Dave Fleck, who has made such a positive difference in so many ways for our community. We have an exciting future ahead of us and we have a shared responsibility in doing our part to ensure the success of Sioux Falls for years to come. I look forward to working together with all of you in the coming year.