pride of dakota newsletter - april issue
DESCRIPTION
Find out about activites and events going on in Pride of Dakota!TRANSCRIPT
NewsApril 2010
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring
Business Development DirectorChuck Fleming
Marketing SpecialistsSara KelschStephanie SinnerSue Balcom
Marketing InternJoanna Drennen
Pride of Dakota at Capitol
Companies in the NewsJust For Your JewelryEarth-Kind Inc.
Featured Company: Tricia’s Bakery
Featured Store:Prairie Creek
Pride of Dakota Annual Meeting
Social Networking
Calendar of Events
In This Issue
Pride of Dakota News
Pride of Dakota Day at the CapitolPride of Dakota Day at the Capitol on March 25 filled the halls of the North Dakota Statehouse with bright colors, textures and aromas, as state employees and visitors shopped from over 50 Pride of Dakota vendors.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., vendors in Memorial Hall, Legislative Hall and ground floor were doing business, and sharing information about their products with the constant flow of people wandering through the build-ing. Many shoppers took advantage of the opportunity to win a Pride of Dakota gift basket and other items donated by member companies. Rep-resentatives from local media – The Bismarck Tribune, Prairie Public, KXMB, KFYR and KFYR Radio – covered the event.
For breakfast and lunch, the Capitol cafeteria produced a menu featuring Pride of Dakota products from Cloverdale Meats, Firehouse Ribs, Dean Foods, Baker Boy, Pan O Gold Baking, M&W Meats, Dakota Growers Pasta and J.R.
Simplot. Sue Balcom, a marketing specialist for the Department of Agriculture Business Development Divi-sion, tried her hand at serving the lunch and captured the attention of lunch crowd as well as local media. You can check it out on the KFYR and KXMB television websites.
Jewelry artist, Tamra S. Kriedeman from Enderlin, North Dakota has had one of her designs featured in the April 2010 edition of Bead Trends Magazine, a national publi-cation that showcases the work of many talented artists.
Kriedeman’s design named “Clairvoyant” is a set of ear-rings that feature a grouping of three petite rock (quartz) crystal nuggets hanging from hand-forged hoops wrapped in Sterling Silver that are washed with patina. Rock (Quartz) crystal is regarded in shamanistic practice as “light stone”, an instrument of clairvoyance between the visible and invisible. It is also considered a healing stone.
Kriedeman, a mostly self-taught glass artist and metalsmith has been designing and creating jewelry since 2004 using traditional metalsmithing such as fusing, etching, riveting and wire-wrappingh and venetian lampwork techniques, an artform dating back over 3000 years. She uses fine gemstones, her own artisan lampwork beads, and myriad of metals to create her “Distinctively Different” jewelry line.
Kriedeman sells her jewelry through her website, festivals and trunk shows. She shares her skills through the classes she teaches so that students can experience the process and expression of creating jewelry that is uniquely their own. She is a member of ISGB (International Society of Glass Beadmakers), Pride of Dakota and the RRWS (Red River Watercolor Society).
She was a part of the “Emerging New Artist” program at ArtFest and a “Featured Artist” at JunkFest in 2008. You can see all of her designs and see scheduled events at her website: www.justforyoujewelryand-beads.com or by e-mail: [email protected].
Jewelry Artist Has Design Featured in National Publication
Pride of Dakota member Kari Block, the founder and CEO of Earth-Kind, has been named the 2010 Region VIII Women in Business Small Business Champion by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The award recognizes Block’s initiative and involvement in promoting small businesses in her community.
“It’s really exciting for me to get this because it’s an award that’s not about me, it’s about something much bigger,” she said.
Block continues to contribute to the business world by raising aware-ness about the positive effects that small business have on the economy through job creation.
“Everything I learned the hard way in my own business I can use to help other people,” said Block.
She is a member of many boards including Women in Business, Rural Development and Women in Technology as well as a mentor for other Pride of Dakota members.
One of ten regional award winners, Block will receive her award in Washington D.C. during National Small Business Week, May 23-29.
Pride of Dakota Member Wins Award
Pride of Dakota Featured Company
Pride of Dakota Featured Store
Looking for a special treat for your four-legged friend(s)? Then check out Tricia’s Bakery in downtown Bismarck.
Owner Tricia Allen’s custom-made treats are perfect for cats and dogs, that are picky eaters, as well as animals with allergies or weight control problems. The treats are available in many different shapes and sizes for all sizes of customers
“The treats are low-calorie, natural and do not contain color, preservatives or byproducts,” says Allen.One of the most unique products is fortune cookie dog treats that have special messages for owners to read to their dogs before giving them their treats.
Tricia’s also offers handmade toys and beds, and also carries products from other Pride of Dakota member companies. Tricia’s Bakery is located at 413 E. Broad-way Ave. You can also buy online from her website at www.triciasbakery.com.
Tom Meloy and Catherine Maxey, owners of Prairie Creek Creations, recently moved to a larger store in the Gateway Fashion Mall in north Bismarck to satisfy their customers’ requests for Pride of Dakota products.
“One reason we decided to make the move was the number of people looking for Pride of Dakota products.” said Meloy. “As soon as people found out that we carry some Pride of Da-kota products, sales have increased dramatically.”
Prairie Creek Creations carries nine Pride of Da-kota members’ products, and is looking for more.
“We want to give Pride of Dakota vendors an outlet for their products.” said Meloy.
A grand opening and one-year anniversary celebra-tion is set for April 9-11. On Saturday, April 11, Pride of Dakota vendors will exhibit their products at the store with demonstrations and samplings.
Meloy says custom-ers are excited about the new store in Gateway.
“I’ve had lots of peo-ple come in [Prairie Creek Creations] and tell us they were very pleased to see Pride of Dakota products in the mall,” he said.
If you’re interested in having your Pride
of Dakota products sold at Prairie Creek Creations, contact Tom or Catherine at 701-751-1710 or email [email protected].
Social networking has become a very easy way to connect people and products. If you haven’t already taken the plunge into social networking, give it a try! It is easy to do and the benefits are many.
Ning: Check out our Pride of Dakota Ning site and network with your fellow Pride of Dakota members. To access the Ning network, go to http://prideofdakota.ning.com.
Facebook: Check out our Pride of Dakota Facebook fan page. Go to: www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Bismarck-ND/Pride-of-Dakota/116077500184?ref=ts. Pass it on to your friends!
Twitter: Be sure to look us up at https://twitter.com/prideof-dakota. Updates on activities and information on member companies are posted regularly.
For questions on Pride of Dakota social networking, contact Sara at 701-328-4766 or email [email protected].
Pride of Dakota Social Networking
April 20-21 Pride of Dakota Annual Meeting Bismarck
July 26 Pride of Dakota Day North Dakota State Fair Minot
September 18-19 Pride of Dakota Harvest Showcase Dickinson
Upcoming Events
The 2010 Pride of Dakota annual meeting will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, April 20-21, at the Best Western Doublewood Inn, 1400 E. Interchange Ave., Bismarck.
The registration desk opens at 9:30 a.m. Monday, with the first session, “Social Networking” with computer ace Scott Wild at 10 a.m. Patty Corwin, an outstanding motivational speaker from Fargo, will round out the morning session with “How’s Your Professional Image?”
Following the awards luncheon, participants can choose from a variety of breakout sessions –wholesale pricing, internet marketing, business financing, finding sales representatives and distributors, market re-search, food safety, marketing on a budget and working with the media.
Also available in the afternoon will be 20 minute, one-on-one consulting sessions on product packaging and labeling and on website design. Space is limited to 10 companies and session times will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis.
There will be opportunity for networking with appetizers from 5 to 7 p.m. and the Pride of Dakota Coopera-tive will meet at 7 p.m.
Wednesday opens with networking roundtables with Pride of Dakota Council members, followed by ses-sions on the importance of packaging and labeling and on customer service.The meeting concludes with an update on Pride of Dakota programs and events.
For more information or to register for this event, please contact Sara at (701) 328-4766 or [email protected].
Pride of Dakota Annual Meeting