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:
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:
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.
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
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.
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 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
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.
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:
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.
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 12th 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.
