The results will inform a new region-wide economic development collaboration called ‘Black Hills Means Business’, which aims to strengthen regional prosperity. The survey asks business owners and managers to identify what is needed to grow or diversify six (6) targeted growth industries.

Information collected will be treated as confidential and will not be released outside the study. Please take 10 minutes to share about your business and industry and help shape a stronger regional business environment.

• metalwork manufacturing cluster added 169 new jobs and $7.8 M in additional earnings to the region over ’06-’11
• top growing segments offer $46,284 average earnings per person working in the industry
•  Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Parts Manufacturing added 101 jobs from 2006-2011 and $5.1 million dollars in new earnings
•  Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing added 33 jobs from 2006-2011 and $1.4 million dollars in new earnings
•  Machine Shops added 24 jobs from 2006-2011 and an estimated $1.0 million dollars in new earnings

The Black Hills Region and surrounding trade zones are home to 50 metalwork manufacturing firms in top-growing industry segments and that have 25+ employees.  Large employers in the Black Hills and surrounding trade zones include: Westech Wotco (200 employees);  L&H Indl Inc. (150 employees);  JW Williams Inc (150 employees);  Wotco Inc (100 employees); Riddle’s Jewelry Ridco Inc (100 employees); Wheeler Manufacturing Co Inc. (100 employees); Stamper Jewelry Inc (96 employees);  H-S Precision Inc  (95 employees);  Landstrom’s Original Black HI (90 employees);  True North Steel (65 employees);  Dakota Arms (65 employees);  Black Hills Ammunition (50 employees);  Ultramax Ammunition (50 employees)

Please take the Business Issues Survey and share your insights into doing business in the Black Hills and surrounding region.

• Manufacturing – Food and Beverage cluster grew 136 new jobs with $53.7 K/year average earnings per person in the industry
•  $7.3 million new earnings impact on the regional economy (’06 -  ’11) 
• Growing segments over ’06 – ’11 included: Tortilla Manufacturing added 23 new jobs for $1.1 M impact;  Breweries added 18 new jobs for $3.6 M impact;  Beer & Ale Merchant Wholesalers added 16 new jobs for $0.9 M impact;  Wineries added 30 new jobs for $0.9 M impact;  Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers added 5 new jobs for $0.2 M impact;  Animal (ex. Poultry) Slaughtering added 49 new jobs for $1.7 M impact;  Meat Processed from Carcasses added 21 new jobs for $0.8 M impact

Altogether the Black Hills Region and surrounding trade zones are home to 30 firms in top-performing segments, each with 30+ employees, including: Baker Boy Bake Shop Inc  (250 employees);  Nash-Finch Co  (130 employees);  Fort Pierre Livestock Auction (110 employees);  Coca-Cola Bottling Co (100 employees);  Lemon Livestock Inc  (80 employees);  Swire Coca-Cola 51 (77 employees);  Pepsi Bottling Group (65 employees);  Eagle Sales of the Black Hills (50 employees);  Amcon Distributing Co (49 employees); Belle Fourche Livestock Exchange (40 employees)

Please take the Business Issues Survey and share your insights into doing business in the Black Hills and surrounding region.

Recent signs of building momentum in the Black Hills Region include:

• Insurance and finance industries added 1,010 new jobs (14% growth) in the Black Hills over ’06-’11
• average earnings per person in these industries stand at about $36,125.
• 3^rd Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds grew 318 new jobs over ’06 to ’11
• Direct Life Insurance Carriers grew 121 new jobs over ’06 to ’11
• Other growing segments included Funds Management, Portfolio Management, Investment Advice

The Black Hills Region and surroundings trade zones are home to 35 Insurance and Finance firms with 25+ employees, operating in high-growth segments, including:  American Memorial Life Insurance Co (180 employees);  Hilltop National Bank (150 employees);  Wells Fargo Bank (100 employees);  Stockman Bank (90 employees);  Bank West (80 employees);  First Interstate Bank of Casper (80 employees);  First Interstate Bank of Sheridan (68 employees); Western Dakota Insurors Inc (50 employees);  First Interstate Bank of Rapid City (44 employees);  Durst Investments (40 employees)

Please take the Business Issues Survey and share your insights into doing business in the Black Hills and surrounding region.

Some recent signs of building momentum in business services in the Black Hills:

• Business Services cluster added 1,200 new jobs (24% growth) over ’06 to ’11 with $45,999 average earnings per worker
• Business Services cluster brought in an estimated $55.2 million dollars in new earnings over ’06-’11
• Top growing business services segments saw 838 new jobs added with average earnings of $45.4 K/year
• Notable growth segments include Corporate Offices, Holding Companies, Computer Programming, Engineering Services and Management Consulting

Black Hills Region and surrounding trade zones are home to twenty one business services firms operating in high growth industry segments and that have 50 or more employees.  Notable employers in high-growth segments in the Black Hills and surrounding trade zones include:  Missouri Basin Well Service Inc. (100 employees);  Energy Transportation Inc. (99 employees);  West Plains Inc.  (95 employees);  Montana-Dakota Utilities Co (87 employees);  Black Hills Trucking (84 employees); GBA Inc General Contractors (50 employees);  US Food Service (50 employees);  Aulick Leasing Corp (40 employees);  S&S Trucking Inc. (33 employees)

Please take the Business Issues Survey and share your insights into doing business in the Black Hills and surrounding region.

Signs of growing momentum in the Black Hills Region:

• Healthcare and Life Sciences added almost 1,400 jobs (14.5% growth) with $51,059 earnings per worker over ’06-’11
• Healthcare and Life Sciences related industries brought in $71.5 M in new earnings over ’06-’11
• The five fastest growing industry segments combined grew $37.0 M in new earnings (’06 to ’11)
• Seven of the top-twenty best paying occupations in the Black Hills are healthcare related

Black Hills and surrounding trade zones are home to 42 healthcare related organizations with 50 or more employees, operating in fast growing segments.  Notable employers include:  Rapid City Regional Hospital (4000 employees);  Regional West Medical Center (1300 employees); Campbell County Memorial Hospital (600 employees); St. Mary’s Hospital (500 employees); St Joseph’s Hospital and Health Center (478 employees); VA Medical Center Sheridan (450 employees); VA Medical Center Hot Springs (416 employees);  US Phs Indian Hospital (169 employees);  Rapid City Ambulance (130 employees);  Belle Fourche Health Care Center (130 employees)

Please take the Business Issues Survey and share your insights into doing business in the Black Hills and surrounding region.

• The Black Hills’ Energy and Extractive industries grew $34.9 million dollars in new earnings and 609 new jobs with average earnings of $57,291 per worker (’06-’11)
• Coal Mining and Oil and Natural Gas Extraction grew especially fast, adding 148 new jobs and $10.7 million in new earnings (’06-’11)
• For the Black Hills and surrounding trade zones, combined, Mining, Quarrying and Oil & Gas extraction was the top-performing sector over ’06-’11, growing $386 M new earnings and 4,091 new jobs.

The Black Hills and surrounding trade zones are home to over 480 energy and extractive based businesses in just the high growth segments; 32 of these have 50+ employees.  Notable employers operating in high-growth segments in the Black Hills and surroundings trade zones include:  Powder River Coal LLC (1250 employees);  North Antelope Mine (960 employees);  Cloud Peak Energy (500 employees);  Cyclone Drilling Inc (480 employees);  Powder River Coal LLC  (400 employees);  Black Hills Power Inc (350 employees); BPM Minerals LLC (80 employees);  Horsley Specialities Inc (50 employees); Moyle Petroleum Co (33 employees);  Black Hills Electric Co-op  (31 employees)

Please take the Business Issues Survey and share your insights into doing business in the Black Hills and surrounding trade zones.