shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com May 2, 2017 • Page 5 Governor’s Giant Vision Business and Student Competition Winners Announced SIOUX FALLS, SD - As host of the Governor’s Giant Vision Business Entrepreneurial Competition, South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry President David Owen announced the top winners of the 2017 business and student business competitions in Sioux Falls April 26th. After a preliminary judging process that reduced the field of applicants to nine qualifying business and eleven qualifying student entries, the competition concluded with day-long judging activities Wednesday, April 26 at the Sioux Falls convention Center. The awards were presented as part of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) banquet with Governor Dennis Daugaard presenting the top prizes in both competitions. The following were selected as this year’s winners. Each first place winner listing includes the competitor’s “elevator pitch” that explains their business. BUSINESS COMPETITION: The first place $20,000 winner was NP SYSTEMS INTEGRATION, Daniel Stanton, Rapid City "NP Systems Integration, LLC (NPSI) is a South Dakota tech startup that was created in collaboration with university researchers. Our founders have extensive experience in supply chain management and the supply chain technology industry. Our research partner is The Center for Security Printing and Anti-Counterfeiting Technology (SPACT). Since 2009, SPACT has received more than $1 million in research funding to develop an innovative new system for securely marking products using nano technology. NPSI and SPACT have leveraged this research to create an anti-counterfeiting platform that is secure, flexible, and affordable. This technology will be marketed under the brand name SecureMarking™.” Second ($10,000): Primary Manufacturing, Ladd McCluskey, Humboldt Ladd McCluskey is owner of Primary Manufacturing. We manufacture highquality small plastic parts using the latest additive technology. This process uses light and oxygen to build the desired solid shape out of liquid resin. Once this shape is formed it is baked to fully cure the resin into a finished part. This process creates a highly detailed, non-layered part with incredible physical properties. If your dream invention or process needs 10 to 10,000 parts, we can build your production jobs from a drawing or 3D rendering in as little as a day. What possibilities do you see? Tie for Third ($4,000 each): Ease, Travis Kiefer, Aberdeen and XpressRules LLC, Lanny Turner and Ron Turner, Yankton Ease is a technology company that provides customized hardware and soft- ware solutions for senior living. Ease’s flagship product is an intelligent passive sensor network that can notify caregivers or family members in the event something is amiss in the senior’s surroundings. Whether it’s forgetting that the stove was left on or receiving a notification that the time spent walking is below a risk threshold for falls, our technology allows seniors to age with dignity and live with Ease. XpressRules: A market opportunity has recently emerged with a potential of over $15B. XpressRules recognized this, creating a patented technology to replace manual IT programming in multiple business environments. Natural language sentences—simple to implement and easily understood— automatically create executable computer code. Using XpressRules technology, non-IT rule makers can easily create, modify or delete rules and policies for their organization with simple sentences and a few mouse clicks. This workflow automation generates significant savings, military-grade cybersecurity and transparent audits. XpressRules represents a rare opportunity for South Dakota: “Right product, right time and great jobs”! Fifth ($2,000): Health Workforce USA/ Connectushealth.org, Krista Marx and Sandy Williams, Sioux Falls Health Workforce USA, dba Connect US Health is a digital platform to engage and develop the healthcare workforce – the fastest growing employment sector in the United States. By mobilizing the 250+ AHEC network, Connect US Health is a national data system to support federal and business funding to enhance AHEC sustainability producing value for advertisers, colleges, employers, and governments. It connects healthcare students to professionals connecting them all to careers and communities. Connect Us Health facilitates audience groups into education, supports clinical training, data storage, mentoring and employment. Practicing professionals receive on-going professional development across the continuum of their career. The remaining qualifiers received $500 each to help with the expenses of participation. Sponsors of the Giant Vision Business Competition are Governor Dennis Daugaard; Black Hills Energy, Rapid City; Christiansen Land & Cattle Ltd., Kimball; Dacotah Bank, Aberdeen; Daktronics, Inc., Brookings; MidAmerican Energy, South Dakota; Toshiba America, Mitchell; US Bank, Sioux Falls, Aberdeen and Rapid City; Wheeler Manufacturing, Lemmon, and Xcel Energy, Sioux Falls. The Giant Vision Competition is a program of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, located in Pierre. SD Chamber President David Owen stated, “The goal of this program is to encourage people to explore being a business owner and to create an exciting future while also expanding South Dakota’s economy. We have worked hard to produce an event that will benefit all of the businesses participating. While the prize money will help the finalists, the contacts and rigor required to be a qualifier will prepare each entrepreneur to advance their business idea.” STUDENT COMPETITION: 2017 marked the eleventh year of a college student competition. Entries were received from across South Dakota. From the original applications, the top 10 were selected to compete April 26. The winners of the student competition were: Tie for first place $4,500 Ellen Schlechter, The Calving Book App, Faulkton High School and Henry Wegehaupt, Provender Technologies, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology The Calving Book App is an app for smart phones and tablets that keeps track of your calving records. All of your records are at your fingertips so you won’t ever be without your calving book. Plus, everything is cloud-based so everyone on your operation has live access to the calving records! Need to look up a calf? We’ve made it easy with a search tool. No network connection? Don’t worry, it works offline too. The app is available in the major app stores. Check out our website for more information: wwwthecalvingbook.com Provender Technologies is from Parkston, SD. Provender Technologies is working to provide automated feeding solutions for cattle operations. According to the USDA Census of Agriculture, sales from cattle and dairy products are increasing while the average age of U.S. farmers also continues to increase. Provender Technologies aspires to help farmers by saving them labor, time, and money and increasing their revenue. This is achieved through innovation and greater efficiency. Provender Technologies’ innovative feed bunk design provides an affordable and reliable automated feeding solution. Third ($3,000): South Dakota Refining Company, Scyller Borglum and J. Zack Malone, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology The South Dakota Refinery Company (SDRC) development is a local team bringing technical careers to SD. Over a three-year period, SDRC will complete Phase 1 which includes refinery siting near Mitchell, completion of environmental studies, acquisition of necessary permits, and actively seek investors for Phase 2 which includes the refinery construction and operation. Once built, the SDRC will create temporary jobs dur- ing construction and long term careers for operators, engineers and scientists, and everyone in between. Join our team. Invest in a profitable, environmentally responsible and socially developing business adventure. Invest in South Dakota. Invest in SDRC. Fourth ($2,000): The Knak, Sam Hummel and Tyler Frank, University of South Dakota The Knak is an app based e-commerce platform that is revolutionizing the way customers are able to access and buy goods and services. Currently, millions of people are using social media platforms to share ideas about custom goods but no current marketplace solution is able to monetize these ideas. Our goal is to be the bridge that connects makers of handmade goods and services to those demanding them. This will be feasible by creating a community of makers, on our app, that will bid on each project and only complete the projects where the buyer accepts the bid. Fifth ($1,000): 305 Bucking Stock, Jack Stark, South Dakota State University 305 Bucking Stock headquartered in Brookings SD, will serve most of SD, MN, and the other surrounding areas to provide outstanding bucking stock for every level of competition. Starting with the purchase of older rodeo stock, gives us time to create a name for ourselves by having consistent stock that performs day in and out. From there we will start with both breeding and purchasing younger stock that has the potential to be the best. By breeding and raising the younger stock within our company, the industry can see what our potential is and what we have to offer. The remaining qualifiers will receive $500 each to help with the expenses of participation. Governor Dennis Daugaard supported this program financially, along with Citibank N.A. of Sioux Falls and South Dakota EPSCoR of Brookings. The Governor’s Giant Vision Business Awards and Governor’s Giant Vision Student Awards were established to help citizens realize that South Dakota is the very best place to start a successful business. The program was designed as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to compete for seed money and a chance to achieve their dream. This South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry program is chaired by Brad Wheeler, President of Wheeler Manufacturing in Lemmon. Wheeler commented “We are fortunate to have successful entrepreneurs take time to be judges and really work hard to examine all of these new ideas. This is an exciting day with high energy people working hard to share in the American dream.” Choices Behind The Wheel State Plan on Aging Public Comment Notice By Gov. Dennis Daugaard: Traffic fatalities are a recurring headline. Hardly a day goes by when we don’t read another story, hear a radio report or see the terrible images on television. The good news is the numbers indicate a decrease of traffic fatalities in South Dakota. In 2016, there were 115 fatal vehicle crashes. That is the lowest total since 2011 and the second lowest of all time. Of course, even with this good news, every fatal crash is a tragedy. Each traffic death is a blow to a family, to a group of You determine whether to drive home after a few drinks or to get a ride. How fast you drive, how often you pull over, what role you’ll play in your kids’ driver’s education – these are all up to you. There are people who love you and want you to come home safely. Practice safe driving methods for their sake and for the sake of every other driver who has kids, grandkids, a spouse, parents and friends. Let’s all make good choices when we get behind the wheel. The right job is just one click away. www.missourivalleyshopper.com In Print and Online! Call 665-5884 friends and to a community. That’s why the Office of Highway Safety tracks crash data and keeps tabs on the state’s fatality rate. Highway Safety uses the numbers to identify trends and to target their messaging on safe driving. Data reveals the tragic facts: In 2015, 60 people died in motor vehicle crashes when not wearing a seatbelt belt or safety device of any kind; another 825 unrestrained occupants were injured. That same year, distracted drivers were to blame for 1,125 crashes including six fatal crashes. Of course, alcohol also is still a problem. In 2015, alcohol was a factor in 1,085 motor vehicles crashes in South Dakota and was a factor in 41 fatal vehicle crashes. Additionally, drivers under the age of 25 (which make up only 15 percent of all drivers) account for almost 50 percent of the crashes involving speeding and more than 30 percent of the crashes involving alcohol. Car accidents are preventable. Every time you get behind the wheel, you have choices. You decide whether to wear your seatbelt and whether to ask your passengers to buckle up. You decide whether to look at that text or email. PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Human Services Division of Long Term Services and Supports is seeking public comment on the State Plan on Aging. The public comment period runs from Apr. 26 – May 25, 2017. Comments can be emailed to hcbs@state.sd.us, submitted by phone at 605-773-3656 or in writing to: Division of Long Term Services and Supports, ATTN: State Plan on Aging, 3800 E. Hwy. 34, c/o 500 E. Capitol, Pierre, S.D. 57501. A public hearing will also be held at the address listed above on May 23 from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. CDT. 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