As a gesture of gratitude for their contributions of time, talents and financial support, all of which helped to make the second annual WIN in Workforce Summit a success, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation gifted commemorative plaques to the 40 speakers and the 13 sponsor organizations who supported the August event.

“Due to the generosity of our business partners, the WIN in Workforce Summit was a resounding success,” said Denise Guzzetta, Vice President of Talent and Workforce Development. “We at the Sioux Falls Development Foundation are grateful to the speakers for sharing their experiences and to the sponsor companies for supporting our shared vision to equip and to grow the Sioux Falls area workforce for the betterment of our business community.”

As a human resources executive at Sanford Health, Darren Walker has bought in to his organization’s hiring motto: “See yourself at Sanford.”

It’s part of a broader effort in employer branding – a best practice for organizations trying to land top talent in an increasingly competitive environment.

“I think it’s all about what are we as an employer doing to stand out. Our goal is to be the employer of choice,” said Walker, vice president of human resources.

“We recognize that individuals spend just as much time at work as they do at home or other activities, and we want to create a brand and environment that’s welcoming and that people want to be a part of.”

One concept that’s central to workforce development today? Technological innovation.

In order to position the city of Sioux Falls, and the state of South Dakota, as a regional powerhouse of business excellence, investment in infrastructure that allows our city to grow its technology footprint is vital. And thanks to the great work of many in and outside of Sioux Falls, advances in innovation, including technology infrastructure and research/development facilities, will work in tandem with city, state, and federal organizations and stakeholders to attract a talented, technically skilled future workforce home to South Dakota.

It’s probably the one topic that can easily draw dozens of executive leaders, human resource professionals and marketing experts on a Friday during the summer: talent acquisition and workforce development.

This shared priority of the Sioux Falls business community is the unifying theme for the Recruitment Council, a newly formed group organized by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation that meets quarterly to learn about and share best practices.

Led by Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development, and Sara Gillis, director of talent and workforce development, the group has grown to 190 members representing businesses of all sizes.

Approximately 140 people attended the most recent meeting June 21.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a five-person organization or a 5,000-person one, the women delivering a breakout session at Thursday’s WIN in Workforce Summit have a message for you.

“These are foundational pieces any organization needs to be aware of today to attract and retain and keep really good employees,” said Christine Buell, director of leadership development at Avera Health.

Buell will be joined for a discussion with Linda Halliburton, associate dean of workforce education and professional development at the Community College for Sioux Falls. The breakout, titled “How to equip the next generation of leaders for any industry,” will be moderated by Pam Hanneman, vice president and business banking manager at First Premier Bank.

Their session is one of several in the area of talent attraction. The WIN Summit, presented by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, also includes expert insight in the areas of talent development and business practices.

If your business finds itself trying to attract talent, develop talent or determine what resources are available to help, this event is for you. The WIN in Workforce Summit will be held from 1 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

This annual event sponsored by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation brings together industry leaders, innovative educators and engaged business leaders from the greater Sioux Falls area to engage and share best practices for workforce development.

“We’ve put together an incredibly deep, informed group of experts to ensure you will leave this half-day event with actionable information and strategies you can immediately begin to put to work in your organization,” said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.