Feb. 17, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

From innovative community development to unique partnerships, these leaders are helping the Sioux Falls metro area make important steps forward.

Sioux Metro Growth Alliance recognized three individuals and communities with its annual awards this week.

“No matter where you look in the Sioux metro region, big ideas are happening, and people are coming together to make them a reality,” said Jesse Fonkert, president and CEO of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

“We’re excited to honor three of them who have made significant impacts this year and are inspiring others to do the same.”

Community Innovation: City of Lennox and Lennox Area Development Corporation

The Community Innovation award is given to a Sioux Metro Growth Alliance member community that has demonstrated successful new ideas in community development or achieved a community goal through partnership and community effort.

The community of Lennox has demonstrated a special approach to partnership in economic development.

“By working with our organization, this community has helped launch a brand-new program that won’t just benefit them, but the entire region,” Fonkert said.

Working strategically among the city, its development corporation and SMGA, “we’re all about to start crossing out goals,” Fonkert continued.

Lennox was the first community to partner with an economic development specialist on the SMGA team to help guide its planning and economic development efforts. And it already has proven to be a worthy investment.

“Lennox is making things happen and positioning itself for even more,” Fonkert said. “From attracting a developer to the community focused on building homes to supporting a growing number of local businesses, we expect Lennox to be making plenty of news in the year ahead.”

Business Partner: Grant Park Capital, Brian Hefty

Grant Park Capital sits at the intersection of business and community in founder Brian Hefty’s town of Baltic.

The organization is the winner of the Business Partner of the Year award, granted to a company, enterprise or entrepreneur doing business in the Sioux Falls metro region who has shown outstanding community or regional economic development support and partnership.

Led by Brian Hefty, owner of Hefty Seed, Grant Park Capital brought a significant residential development to Baltic to help alleviate the community’s housing shortage.

“Brian Hefty could have won an award in any of our categories as his companies support hundreds of people from across the region directly and indirectly,” Fonkert said. “His business saw a community problem and in partnership with the city worked to establish a solution.”

Hefty’s approach has spawned interest from across the region – as evidenced by his story on SiouxFalls.Busineess, the most-read piece produced in partnership with SMGA for 2021.

When a community needed housing, this business owner stepped up

Regional Economic Development Champion: Kris Frerk

If you want to get something done in Garretson, it’s generally a good idea to make sure Kris Frerk is in the room.

The winner of the Regional Economic Development Champion award is recognized for showing active support for community development through recent or cumulative past service to economic development and community enhancement.

“That describes Kris Frerk perfectly,” Fonkert said. “It’s not an exaggeration to call her a legend in her community. Before I met her, I had heard stories about her and was told she needed to be my first point of contact in Garretson.”

That proved to be the right advice as Frerk has supported everything from child care to the arts in her effort to make Garretson even better.

“Since meeting her, we’ve collaborated on a variety of projects and ideas and continue to do so,” Fonkert said. “Every community needs people like Kris Frerk, and we’re grateful that Garretson and our region have her as a leader.”