Jan. 31, 2023

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Chad Biegler, global business owner at Raven Industries.

Name: Chad Biegler

Age: 34

Hometown: Timber Lake

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

The opportunity to lead and grow. To be fully transparent, Sioux Falls was not on my radar until I was offered a job by Raven Industries. Growing up in South Dakota, I always wanted to stay local however didn’t have a specific goal of where I exactly wanted to call home. I have been very fortunate to call Sioux Falls home for the last five years and look forward to building a better Sioux Falls!

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

The energy of the city! Sioux Falls has all the amenities of a big city but continues to keep that small-town feel and strong sense of community. Growing up in rural South Dakota, my goal was never to live in a big city such as Minneapolis or Chicago or Dallas. I cherish the fact Sioux Falls offers the ability to experience multiple cultures while offering a small-town feel. Everyone really cares about making Sioux Falls a great place to live, and this is evident through all the local businesses and our city leaders.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

The people, hands down. “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” Amy Poehler.  I have been truly blessed with friends and co-workers helping me become a better person, challenging me to grow professionally, all while as a team providing value to our industry. Additionally, I have been very fortunate to work with people in agriculture around the globe. People are people; they are what make all jobs worthwhile. And as always, remember to thank a farmer!

How did you get connected to your industry?

Agriculture has been in our family for generations. You’ve probably heard the saying that everyone’s involved in agriculture because they eat — and who doesn’t like to experience a great meal! Personally, I take satisfaction in the agricultural industry that we are able to provide a common-sense approach to feeding the world while also maintaining a strong sense of national security.

Describe your workplace in three words.

Challenging, innovative, passionate.

What is something someone might be surprised to learn about you?

Not only that I have the opportunity to travel for my work, but I actually enjoy the travel. In my travels, it surprises those that I meet that I grew up in a small town in South Dakota with a population of around 500 people. Growing up in a small town taught me the value of working hard, and that value is now allowing me to take hiking trips around the globe, enjoying the natural beauty of the land. Traveling has also allowed me to connect and enjoy other cultures through food: I am always looking for new recommendations and new spots to visit!

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

I believe there are three ways to provide an impactful benefit to our community: No. 1. Shop local, No. 2. Be involvedb and No. 3. Volunteer. My goal for 2023 is to volunteer more in our community. Currently, I am a diplomat with the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, serving on the task force for the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds and involved in various church activities. We each have a role to play in giving back to our community. A positive community can’t exist without some degree of interdependence — and positive communities thrive off mutual care for one another. When we choose to intentionally make a difference for our community, we’re strengthening our communal bonds and creating a better environment to live! Plus, it’s good for us too!

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

Since most people think we need a Trader Joe’s, I am going to buck the trend and indicate anything but a Trader Joe’s. Ha!

In all seriousness, I would like to see Sioux Falls promote a town square or plaza that embraces the many unique and diverse cultures of our city.  I would envision a gathering place of ethnic foods, the arts, cultural celebrations, shops/souvenirs/gifts, etc. that would offer a taste of our great city. Extensive and ongoing community participation is critical to the success of a multicultural city. I want to see us embrace that mentality. We have many great local businesses; let’s unite our many cultures in a vibrant city center setting and promote our local businesses. We often endorse our “Midwest nice” mentality; let’s promote and celebrate it with all the great cultures Sioux Falls has to offer!

 If you had $1 million to start a business, what kind of business would it be?

Now I can’t give away all of my secrets; however, it would have to be in either real estate or a startup tech company.