South Dakota congressman Dusty Johnson held a business round table at the Market on the Plaza in downtown Aberdeen Monday. At the event Johnson spoke with business leaders in Aberdeen about the needs entrepreneurs are facing and South Dakota’s business climate. Featured speakers at the event along with Johnson included Rich Ward with the Aberdeen Development Corp, Cam Shock with Climate Control, and Bea Smith with the Northern State Innovation and Start Up Center.
Johnson says South Dakota was once the best state in the nation for business, but no longer is. Johnson says South Dakota has had the least amount of tech start ups in the United States over the last five years other than Mississippi. He talked about the need for entrepreneurs to be connected with the next generation of business leaders….
Shock talked about the need to support young and growing businesses by connecting them with the cities business community. Especially after their first year in operation…
Bea Smith talked about the business needs across South Dakota, but specifically smaller communities such as Aberdeen getting left behind other larger cities including Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Johnson agreed more needs to be done for the state’s smaller business communities…
Johnson explained his economic plan if elected Governor. That includes shifting $2 million from the state’s future fund to be used to increase the number of entrupernurship related grants. Johnson says its more important the state invest locally rather than chase big companies trying to lurer them to South Dakota…
Johnson claims his vision for business investment in South Dakota would be shift in focus from what the state is currently doing now…
