In February, Shelly Carlson stepped up and was sworn in as the new mayor of Moorhead after Johnathan Judd moved on to become a judge. After serving on the city’s council, Carlson is no stranger to the needs and challenges of our city on the east side of the river. Listen in as she talks to us about her journey to mayor, experience and platform, and her vision to take Moorhead into the future.

Culture is one of those buzzwords that businesses throw around, but what is company culture really, and why does it matter? For Kurtis Karn, Manager of Global Talent Acquisition Consulting at WEX Health Inc., culture is woven into every aspect of a workplace. Listen in as we discuss exactly how culture plays into talent attraction and retention, how it affects your bottom line, and what employees are looking for. As new generations are entering the workforce with new expectations, we’ll talk about how employers can hire for culture and build their brand, and how job-seekers can find the role that fits them best.

In December, The Chamber welcomed a new president and CEO, Shannon Full. Bringing over 20 years of experience, Shannon is a pro-business advocate with a passion for building communities, supporting talent and workforce, and regional collaboration. Listen in as she shares her experience and the vision she brings to her role in Fargo Moorhead West Fargo, as well as the strengths, challenges and opportunities she’s found in our community.

Recently, major news broke regarding the FM Diversion. A settlement agreement resolving federal and state litigation was signed in late October, signaling the end of project delays and a clear path to move forward. The FM Diversion has been a contentious project in our community, yet The Chamber and many business leaders regard it as the best and only way to permanently protect the FMWF metro from floods and devastating damages. Listen in as Joel Paulsen, executive director of the project, shares an update and breaks down what this latest news means. We’ll also find out details on the history, funding, construction milestones, city impact, opponent’s arguments, and uncover obstacles and successes of this multi-million-dollar infrastructure project.

September is Hunger Action Month, dedicated to inspiring people to take action to end food insecurity across our region, state and nation. A local effort called the Cass-Clay Hunger Coalition represents over 30 agencies working collaboratively to support equitable food access and address the root causes of hunger. In this episode, we’re talking with Taylor Syvertson, the Ending Hunger 2.0 Impact Manager at Great Plains Food Bank, to learn more about the issue of hunger in our community, what efforts exist and how others can help.

The 2020 Census. You probably have heard a few ads about it, and know that every 10 years, the Census counts residents across our country. But did you know that information from the Census is used to determine Congressional representation for our state, and regionally determines districting? Federal funds are apportioned based on city population and are used for things like transportation improvements and home building. Further, local information helps our cities plan where to build schools, libraries, parks and use employee information for hiring. Get an inside look at 2020 Census efforts in this episode with Louise Dardis, co-chair of the 2020 North Dakota Census.

Darren Dunlop sits down with Collette from Bremer Bank in this week's episode of The Chamber Connection. 

Fargo City Commissioner Arlette Preston and West Fargo City Commissioner Mandy George join Katie Mastel on The Chamber Connection.