TechND News

TechND presents past president and tenured member Troy Walker with Appreciation Award

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:08:48 GMT

Bismarck, Oct. 1, 2025 - At this year’s annual CyberCon event hosted by Bismarck State College at their Advanced Technology Center, TechND presented DCN’s Troy Walker with an award to show appreciation for his dedication and leadership during his time with the non-profit group.

Current TechND President Tony Ambrose closed the TechND awards ceremony with the special presentation, expressing that “Our last award is a unique one, as we’d like to take a moment to acknowledge our 2023-2024 President Troy Walker. His outstanding leadership, commitment, service, passion, and hard work have helped to cement TechND as a strong and prosperous organization. We’re not sure where we’d be without his effort and dedication since joining the organization over 20 years ago.”

Ambrose continued “Troy wears many hats in the community and serves on multiple boards, so we truly appreciate the time, talent, and effort he continues to give us for the betterment of TechND. ” Ambrose then took a moment to personally thank Troy for his mentorship and guidance over the years, expressing gratitude for his leadership and friendship.

TroyWalkerPressRelease.pdf

North Dakota's F5 Project named the 2025 Technology Innovator

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:37:03 GMT

Bismarck, Oct. 1, 2025 - At this year’s annual CyberCon event hosted by Bismarck State College at their Advanced Technology Center, TechND presented the 2025 Technology Innovator award to the F5 Project for their unique and innovative use of social media to empower and improve North Dakota communities.

TechND President Tony Ambrose presented the award to F5 Project’s Chief Advancement Officer, Megan Indvik.

“We are celebrating F5 Project and their utilization of social media to create spaces for followers to share experiences in recovery and connect with others in their community. This type of peer support is key for abating feelings of isolation and potentially relapsing,” Ambrose remarked, adding that “(F5 Project) regularly showcases success stories that highlight the journeys of individuals who have successfully rebuilt their lives. Those types of stories inspire and motivate people struggling with addiction or the justice system to prevent recidivism. They also use social media to announce their community involvement and availability to individuals who may not know all the resources available to them.”

Applied Digital receives 2025 Premier Technology Company Award

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:12:38 GMT

Bismarck, Oct. 1, 2025 - The annual CyberCon event hosted by Bismarck State College saw Applied Digital awarded as 2025’s Premier Technology Company for their demonstration of outstanding performance, innovation, and community engagement in the state.

The award was accepted by Applied Digital’s Director of Community Operations, Martin Vega.

When presenting the award, TechND President Tony Ambrose remarked “Harnessing North Dakota’s natural advantages, with facilities under construction in Ellendale, ND, and now in Harwood, ND, Applied Digital seeks to provide scalable and robust capacity for the world’s leading AI companies.”

Ambrose continued, saying “Applied Digital has become an essential player in North Dakota's business and technology landscape by making substantial investments in AI centers across the state and bringing rural areas incredible amounts of economic development. We are celebrating Applied Digital and their contributions to the North Dakota’s growth as a technology hub and industry leader.”

Kayla Pulvermacher receives 2025 Technology Champion Award

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:23:48 GMT

Bismarck, Oct. 1, 2025 - This year’s annual CyberCon event hosted by Bismarck State College in their Advanced Technology Center featured the 2025 TechND Technology Awards ceremony, which saw Kayla Pulvermacher honored as North Dakota’s 2025 “Technology Champion.”

TechND President Tony Ambrose remarked when presenting the award that “Kayla has spent what seems like her whole career championing technology in one way or another;” continuing by noting a span “from her beginnings in finance and agriculture, holding executive positions helping to build infrastructure in non-profit and private sectors, modernizing organizational workflow for developing clear direction regarding policy and advocacy during legislative sessions, her involvement with TechND over the years (including recently moderating TechTalk panels and offering her insights to the Data Center Coalition of North Dakota), to her current role at Midco managing nuanced, large-scale government relations.”

After a momentary pause, Ambrose concluded with “(during this time) ...Kayla has been at the forefront in North Dakota of ushering in and utilizing technologies as they emerge.”

TechND 2025 Legislative Recap

Sat, 31 May 2025 23:26:52 GMT

Available in PDF Format: 2025LEGISLATIVERECAP.pdf

Western Dakota Energy Association's Wise Roads receives 2024 Technology Innovator Award

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 21:31:44 GMT

Bismarck, Oct. 3, 2024 - At this year’s annual CyberCon event hosted by Bismarck State College in their National Energy Center of Excellence facility, the 2024 TechND Award for “Technology Innovator” was awarded to the Western Dakota Energy Association for their Wise Roads project.

Executive Director of TechND Terry Effertz presented the award to WDEA representatives Geoff Simon and Brent Bogar.

“This year's winner is the result of a project spearheaded by the Western Dakota Energy Association, in partnership with NDSU's North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network and the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute,” Effertz remarked, adding that “Wise Roads, as the name implies, has taken aim at drastically improving transportation information-sharing and data models which influence the oil and gas industry. Increasing efficiency for large-scale transport logistics in the energy sector, where they rely on many county and township roads subject to restriction during inclement weather, benefits the workers and citizens in our communities by maintaining the integrity of public roadways and keeping businesses operating everywhere it's safe.”

The presentation commended the project for their advanced technological approach to addressing weather monitoring needs, benefitting county road managers, industrial operations, and communities alike.

see below for official press release:

Pavewise recipient of TechND 2024 Award for Premier Tech Business

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 21:28:04 GMT

Bismarck, Oct. 3, 2024 - The annual CyberCon event hosted at the National Energy Center of Excellence by Bismarck State College saw Pavewise awarded as 2024’s “Premier Technology Business” for their cutting edge approach to large-scale infrastructure and engineering project management in the road construction field.

The award was accepted by Pavewise co-founders, CEO Bryce Wuori and COO Brittany Wuori.

When presenting the award to the winners, Executive Director of TechND Terry Effertz complimented the venture, stating they were being recognized a technology entity who has achieved outstanding success in their field by delivering technological business solutions.

“Using AI analytics and realtime data collection across a myriad of sources, Pavewise offers a fast-growing platform with accurate predictions of potential road wear and damage, which means an opportunity to intervene with preventative maintenance, extending the lifespan of roadways and reducing community costs across the board,” said Effertz. “And yes, though we don't always think about road conditions, we ALL benefit from roads staying nicer, longer. During his beginnings in an industry contingent upon innumerable variables, plagued by many important pivot points where a "weak link" brings a halt to the entire operation, CEO Bryce Wuori observed… and saw an opportunity to optimize resources, time, and energy.”

See below for official press release:

John Nagel receives 2024 North Dakota Tech Champion Award

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 21:12:33 GMT

Bismarck, Oct. 3, 2024 - This year’s annual CyberCon event at Bismarck State College’s National Energy Center of Excellence featured the 2024 TechND Award ceremony, which culminated in John Nagel being honored with the 2024 award for “North Dakota Technology Champion.”

TechND Executive Director Terry Effertz remarked when presenting the award that “throughout the decorated career of our last recipient, he has consistently set the tone for a progressive and intelligent approach to marrying technology and the values we cherish in the state. As an established leader in the field, he’s been instrumental in shaping the landscape that allows us opportunities to attend and support events like today’s.”

Effertz continued, “A graduate of Bismarck State College, he serves as a beacon of professionalism in his President and Chief Security Officer roles for CyberNet Security, a BEK Company, where he’s brought top-tier information security standards and practices to the business sector.” She followed by commending John for previous awards, involvement in community organizations, business success, and track record of influencing technology policy in the state. Highlighted was Governor Burgum appointing him to North Dakota’s Economic Development Foundation in 2021, advising the Department of Commerce, his pivotal involvement with the Central North American Autonomous Transportation Association (CNATA), and the focus he has put into raising awareness of cyberbullying and safe online practices.

See below for official press release:

Spotlight on Technology: Be More Colorful

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:53:08 GMT

When Matt Chaussee picked up his first virtual reality headset, the Nintendo Virtualboy, he knew he was onto something.

“I knew the Virtualboy was revolutionary, but I also felt the overall experience was underwhelming,” says Chaussee. “It needed more color.”

Out of that experience, Chaussee’s company, Be More Colorful, was born.

Today, Be More Colorful, co-owned by Chaussee and his wife Katie Chaussee, offers an assortment of services including immersive virtual reality experiences and tours.

Early Experience

Initially, Chaussee saw an opportunity to create virtual tours for real-estate agents.

“My wife and I were looking at purchasing a new home, but unfortunately my wife had an injury that prevented her from entering a lot of homes we were interested at looking at,” says Chaussee. “I thought offering virtual tour services for Realtors® was an opportunity to make real estate listings more accessible to those with mobility impairments.”

Pivot Possibilities

Like many startups, Chaussee’s initial idea started evolving away from real estate, causing him to pivot his business model.

“I love North Dakota and the experiences it has to offer and saw an opportunity to capture some of our outdoor experiences and turn them into 360 tours to lure visitors to our state.”

Shortly after, Chaussee attended the North Dakota Tourism Convention tradeshow where he connected with state officials who were excited to utilize Be More Colorful’s services to market, not only North Dakota’s tourism experiences, but also the state’s workforce opportunities.

“Former Commerce Commissioner Michelle Kommer was really excited about using our services to help market North Dakota’s employment opportunities,” he notes.

Startup Success

Today, Be More Colorful creates interactive tours and immersive career exploration experiences through a product called CareerViewXR to showcase career opportunities across North Dakota.

Chaussee recently worked with the Fargo Police Department to create an experience that puts users inside the back of a Fargo Police Department squad car.

“It gives citizens an idea what it’s like to be a Fargo police officer while allowing users to interact with the environment,” says Chaussee.

CareerViewXR also allows users to click and interact with the tools the Fargo Police Department uses to learn more about its equipment, facilities, and operations.

Growth Opportunity

Chaussee says the demand for his services were accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and he expects his business to continue to thrive as the pandemic subsides.

“Regardless of a pandemic, how do you put a student or classroom on an oil rig? You can’t. You can’t bring a high school to a dental office, but we can demonstrate what it’s like to work in one by creating a scalable experience that can be deployed to a classroom, computer, or mobile device.”

Chaussee says his clients also utilize his services on Zoom calls, as it helps clients remember their talking points when they discuss their facilities and operations.

Looking ahead, Chaussee hopes to incorporate augmented reality (AR) into CareerViewXR experiences, which incorporates graphical information into the real world through electronic displays and devices.

“It’ll take some time for AR to be fully incorporated into our experiences, but we hope to make all of these experiences part of the curriculum in schools.”

Interested in having your company featured with TechND? Email us at: kyle@technd.org

North Dakota Technology Award Nominations Sought

Mon, 10 May 2021 19:33:57 GMT

Bismarck, N.D. – The Technology Council of North Dakota (TechND) is seeking nominations for its 2021 North Dakota Technology Awards. Nominations are sought in three categories: Premier Tech Business, Technology Innovator and North Dakota Tech Champion. Additional information on award criteria and nomination forms are available at technd.org/Technology-Awards. The nomination deadline is June 30.

These awards recognize individuals, entities and businesses that are changing the face of the technology industry. North Dakota’s tech leaders will be recognized for their achievements in and contributions to the state’s technology industry. Awards program details are yet to be determined.

“The North Dakota Technology Awards Program is TechND’s way of recognizing the efforts of outstanding individuals and entities that have played a vital role in the use, growth and development of technology in North Dakota,” says Justin Forde, TechND president.

Founded in 2000 by North Dakota business, government and education leaders, TechND (formerly Information Technology Council of North Dakota) has spent the past two decades advocating for a positive business climate for technology companies, addressing tech workforce needs, encouraging infrastructure development and providing knowledge sharing opportunities for its membership.

TechND Releases 2021 State of Technology Publication

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 15:00:00 GMT

The Technology Council of North Dakota (TechND) recently released its biennial publication, the 2021 State of the Technology. It reveals that more than 7,500 new and replacement technology workers across all industries, including agriculture, energy, healthcare, and finance, will be needed in North Dakota by 2028. Demand for technology positions will create the need for 900 employees to fill new positions. The remaining positions will be replacements.

“North Dakota’s demand for technology professionals has never been greater. Those needs have only been underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic as remote work and education have become commonplace. North Dakota’s businesses have been the driving force in creating solutions to the ever-changing challenges faced by our world today,” says TechND President Justin Forde, Senior Director of Government Relations at Midco. “As we look ahead to the future, it is clear that North Dakota’s success is tied to the success of our technology workforce.”

There currently are 7,620 North Dakotans in technology positions, and this projected growth means replacement combined with new positions will equal 99 percent of the state’s current technology workforce. These are professional, high-paying jobs with an average annual wage of $66,113, which is 27 percent higher than the state average.

Information security analysts is the technology occupation with the highest percentage of projected growth (29.2 percent). Software developers/software quality assurance analysts (19.3 percent) and computer network architects (12.4 percent) are the technology occupations with the second and third highest percentage of projected growth. Through 2028, the three technology occupations projected to have the largest number of openings include computer user support specialists with 1,751 openings; software developers/software quality assurance analysts and testers with 1,566 openings; and computer occupations, other, with 842 openings.

View the complete publication here.

Included is additional information on the state’s technology sector in the areas of infrastructure, workforce, trends, competitiveness, and economic impact.

TechND Is A Proud Sponsor of Curiosity Week

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 21:47:06 GMT

TechND is excited to announce it is a proud sponsor of Curiosity Week, held December 13 - 19th.

Curiosity Week is a week of virtual events meant to build up our technology community in our region. Emerging Prairie, Emerging Digital Academy and community members, including member organizations of TechND, will host 30+ events revolving around technology. Digital events will include keynotes, workshops, courses, meet-ups and more. These events will be curated to engage those interested in pursuing tech as a career, provide professional development to technology professionals, and give tech entrepreneurs a place to convene.

Registration is free and open to anyone. Learn more by visiting: emergingacademy.org

Emerging Prairie & Grand Farm to be featured in upcoming TechTalk

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 17:00:00 GMT

The TechND events committee is excited to announce its next TechTalk virtual event.

Join us October 29 at 2:00 PM as we explore technology's role at Emerging Prairie and Grand Farm. Andrew Parsons, director of marketing, Emerging Prairie, and Dr. William Aderholdt, program manager, Grand Farm, will join us for an in-depth discussion on Emerging Prairie and Grand Farm's initiatives and how technology is driving these exciting endeavors in the Red River Valley.

Registration is free for all TechND members. To register, visit: https://technd.org/event-4021897.

North Dakota Technology Leaders Recognized

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 14:00:00 GMT

Bismarck, N.D. – Three of North Dakota’s leaders in technology were recognized for their achievements in and contributions to North Dakota’s technology industry virtually during the Cybercon Conference on Oct. 6 and 7.

Awards were presented in three categories to the following recipients:

Premier Technology Business Award to Aldevron, Fargo
Technology Innovator Award to SkySkopes, Grand Forks
North Dakota Technology Champion Award to Vern Dosch, CEO and President of National Information Solutions Cooperative (retired), Mandan

A video presentation featuring the TechND award winners can be viewed below:

Founded in 2000 by North Dakota business, government and education leaders, TechND has spent two decades advocating for a positive business climate for technology companies, addressing technology workforce needs, encouraging infrastructure development and providing knowledge sharing opportunities for its membership, which consists of more than 65 North Dakota business, government and education entities.

TechND Launches TechTalks

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 20:50:30 GMT

The TechND events committee is excited to announce the launch of TechTalks – a series of events that will focus on how technology is shaping the ways North Dakotans learn, work, and live.

Our first TechTalk is scheduled for August 12^th at 10:00 AM. This webinar will feature DPI Superintendent Kirsten Baesler and NDUS Chancellor Dr. Mark Hagerott as they discuss technology’s role in K-20 education and delivery. North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education Director Wayde Sick will moderate the event.

TechTalk is a free, virtual event. To register, visit: https://www.technd.org/event-3917493.

Legislative study on data privacy continues

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 15:51:27 GMT

The interim commerce committee met for the second time Oct. 9 to continue studies on topics mandated by the 2019 legislative session, including the disclosure of consumers’ personal data.

Congressman Kelly Armstrong provided testimony urging caution to the committee as it considers potential state regulation of consumer data. According to the Congressman, regulating data privacy at the state level could prove harmful to businesses. Representatives from the wireless communications industry, consumer reporting industry, internet service provider and life insurers were among other stakeholders who testified against state level data privacy legislation. No testimony was provided in favor.

TechND to hold ag tech panel at Cultivate Conference in Fargo

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 15:49:27 GMT

TechND will facilitate a breakout session during the Cultivate Conference on Nov. 14 at the Avalon Events Center in Fargo that will feature a panel discussion on Enhancing Technology Innovation.

This panel will explore how North Dakota can take technology innovation to the next level, specifically related to agriculture. Participants will discuss opportunities, barriers and policy needed (or not needed) to stimulate a climate of innovation into the future.
Panel participants include:

Justin Forde, TechND and Midco (Facilitator)
Barry Batcheller, Appareo Systems and Intelligent Ag Solutions
Drew Ryder, Entrepreneur
Anthony Molzahn, Project Phoenix
Peter Schott, Genesis Feed Tech

Register today for the Cultivate Conference using promo code TECHND for your special ticket price of $60 off general admission. Learn more.

K-20W Initiative wins state and national awards

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 15:47:59 GMT

TechND is a partner providing the tech industry voice in the K-20W Initiative, a statewide, comprehensive approach to cybersecurity education and workforce training, which has been named a CSO50 Award winner. Code named “K-20W” to reflect every student from kindergarten through PhD and workforce, the K-20W coalition is comprised of more than 40 public and private sector participants including TechND who share a goal of “Every Student. Every School. Cyber Educated.“ The Initiative was also the recipient of a Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service and was a Center for Digital Government Government Experience Award Finalist.

“We have a unique and robust ecosystem with dozens of committed partners in North Dakota making a huge impact on our ability for every student and citizen to learn computer science and cybersecurity skills – truly foundational for 21st century careers,” said Chief Information Officer Shawn Riley. “There is growing national attention on this exciting initiative, and this team has shown first-hand what can be accomplished through a whole-of-government approach and desire to change the world.” Read more.

Bushel receives Premier Technology Business Award

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 19:44:34 GMT

Bismarck, N.D. – Bushel received the Technology Council of North Dakota’s (TechND) Premier Technology Business award during the 19th annual North Dakota Technology Awards Program on Aug. 14 in Fargo.

Bushel, formerly Myriad Mobile, was started in 2011 in the North Dakota State University Incubator in Fargo and has grown into an agriculture technology company focused on delivering software and technology platforms to the ag industry. It now has more than 130 employees. Bushel has quickly become a leader in software technology for the grain industry, benefiting more than 100 grain and agronomy companies in the U.S. and Canada and more than 14,000 farmers who use their products every month.

Bushel was named as one of the Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in the U.S. three times. It has successfully raised more than $9 million in investments and is currently raising additional capital, to help accelerate Bushel as one of the nation’s leading ag-players in the industry. In the past two years, they have had two successful acquisitions, and revenue growth was more than 300 percent over the last three years. Bushel was also named Inc. magazine’s list of Best Places to Work in 2018.

“Bushel is one of leading technology businesses in the nation. It’s growth and impact on the industry and market are outstanding,” says Justin Forde, TechND’s president and senior director of government relations at Midco. “Bushel is very deserving of the Premier Technology Business Award.”

Founded in 2000 by North Dakota business, government and education leaders, TechND has spent nearly two decades advocating for a positive business climate for technology companies, addressing technology workforce needs, encouraging infrastructure development and providing knowledge sharing opportunities for its membership, which consists of more than 65 North Dakota business, government and education entities. For more information, visit www.techND.org.

New NDUS website portal opens application process for scholarships and student loan repayment under the new ND Career Builders program

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 19:42:58 GMT

A new program called ND Career Builders is aimed at increasing workforce in high need and emerging occupations in the state. The program originates from House Bill 1171, passed by the 2019 legislature, and provides a skilled workforce scholarship and student loan repayment program.

“We thank the legislature for the foresight in passing this bill. We are seeing a shortfall in the number of workers that are trained to fill necessary and emerging occupations in our state. As part of higher education’s mission to meet the ever-evolving needs of both students wanting good careers as well as our business folks that want skilled workers, ND Career Builders was developed to help meet those demands,” said State Board of Higher Education Chair Nick Hacker.

The North Dakota University System and institutions across the state are working together with partnership agencies, including the ND Workforce Development Council, ND Commerce Department, the Bank of North Dakota and Job Service of North Dakota to promote this opportunity for both students and employers. The scholarship and loan repayment programs target the workforce needs of North Dakota with the overarching goal to reduce the number of unfilled skilled workforce jobs that require a two-year degree or less. Qualifying certificate or degree programs that are 4 semesters or 6 quarters or less in length at ND’s public, tribal and private institutions are eligible for the program.

The ND Career Builders scholarship and loan repayment programs are a public-private endeavor – for each dollar of private support, the state will contribute a dollar of public funding. Employers can contribute dollars to match the investment of the state and help employees reduce their student loan debt while filling their workforce needs. Since this is a joint public-private funded program, donations will be accepted for both the scholarship and loan repayment programs by the NDUS. The maximum public support is $3 million for each program; awards will be made until funds are exhausted.

The list of in-demand qualifying careers was developed by the partnership agencies. To apply for the scholarship or loan forgiveness or to see the list of in-demand careers, go to: https://www.ndus.edu/career-builders/