March 16, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by South Dakota Biotech.

Whether you’re part of the biotech industry or looking to connect with it, this industry breakfast series will leave you with new insight and connections.

“We’re excited to bring back this popular quarterly event series, featuring professionals ready to deliver information you can use in nearly every industry,” said Joni Ekstrum, executive director of South Dakota Biotech.

“Our biotech member companies have the same fundamental business needs as any other industry, so we wanted to connect them with this expertise while at the same time offering a way for other professionals to get to know the leaders growing the biotech sector in Sioux Falls and regionwide.”

The first breakfast, from 7:45 to 9 a.m. March 29 at Minnehaha Country Club, features Patti Bell of Principal Financial Group to address issues involving business valuation and continuity. If you’ve ever found yourself asking the following questions, this is for you:

• Will I receive income from my business during my retirement? And if so, how much?
• Who would be a good potential buyer of my business?
• What is the value of my business, and what could I sell it for?
• If I lost a key employee, how would it impact my business?
• If I became too sick or hurt to work, how would that impact my lifestyle and business?

“The good news is you don’t have to figure this out on your own,” said Bell, an Iowa native who joined Principal in 1986.

“Together, we can address your top priorities and discuss solutions. That way you can stay focused on running your business.”

Since joining Principal, Bell has held a variety of roles in the tax reporting and business and advanced markets. She currently is a leader in Business and Advanced Solutions who presents and provides technical support to financial professionals on challenging cases and unique plan designs for business owners.

She is also instrumental in developing marketing tools for technical reference on executive benefits, business succession and estate planning.

“Patty Bell brings a high degree of expertise that will be applicable no matter what your size or stage in business,” Ekstrum said. “She specifically will address what you can do to get the full value of your business someday, including key factors that impact valuation and how you need to be positioning your business to protect its value and providing long-term stability for your team.”

Principal is a leader in global investment management and retirement services, helping clients worldwide build, protect and advance their financial well-being.

Registration is open to any interested business. Click here to sign up. 

Details on the next breakfast, scheduled for May, will be announced soon.

Connect to the growing biotech industry in South Dakota anytime by visiting sdbio.org or emailing [email protected].