By Sara Karnish | Photo: IEEE-USA

With 500,000 members around the world — 150,000 in the U.S. alone — the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world’s largest professional association for technology. The IEEE holds more than 2,000 conferences around the world annually. Strengthening connections and visibility in the Dakotas was a major goal for the Innovation, Workforce and Research Conference (IWRC) Dakotas 2024, held at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls from June 10 to 11, 2024.

Although the IEEE has held events in the Dakotas before, this was a first-of- its kind thought leader event, drawing 100 attendees. (Another similar event in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 2025 drew 120.) The IWRC Dakotas brought national leaders to Sioux Falls with the intention of bridging the gap between research and commercially viable products. Attendees discussed research grants, technology transfer programs, start-up funding, intellectual property and a host of other hot topics related to innovation before, during and after the event.

The primary audience included chips manufacturers, AI researchers, small business owners, college students and local business leaders. Melissa Carl, the IEEE-USA director of business development, career and member services, was the planning lead, although she credits several key partners who helped bring the event to life, such as South Dakota State University, the Air Force Research Lab and South Dakota Small Business Innovation Research led by Stoen Mollman, the program director. APEX Accelerators also helped identify key audience members. The IEEE tapped its own local connections and expertise to identify speakers and refine the right audience for the event, which consisted of a reception and one-day program.

The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act was a major focus; one goal was to share information about the CHIPS Act and tap into the local workforce pipeline. “We wanted to talk about what was going on with the act at the federal, state and local levels, and ask, ‘How can we help our partner institutions?’” Carl says.

“For the IEEE, any federal technology initiative like the CHIPS Act is important, as there are federal resources working in the tech space, so we wanted to get that information out. The CHIPS Act had provisions that information should come from all over the country. The IEEE could really help shine a spotlight on the cool things going on.”

The PREMIER Center’s location in Sioux Falls made it a great choice of venue. “We wanted to have it at a neutral site rather than at one of the universities and the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center has a hotel next to it. We had people coming from three to five hours away, so we needed a hotel that was close to the venue,” Carl says. “The facilities were newer — they just did a remodel during the pandemic, so it’s a really nice facility with an all-new audiovisual system.”

THE RECEPTION

The opening reception was held at The District, a smaller venue near the PREMIER Center. The District normally works with groups of up to 400, but frequently hosts smaller gatherings of 80 to 100 attendees. “In this case, the IEEE had a guest count of 125, so we customized the room in a way that was intimate and inviting,” Shawn Larson, The District’s general manager, says. “We decided to design a social setting with cocktail tables near our bar so that conversations could ebb and f low, while nicely groomed tables sat before them ready to be used for dinner service.”

ROAM Kitchen + Bar, The District’s exclusive caterer, prepared a dinner consisting of an array of hors d’oeuvres. “The IEEE trusted us with our décor options, from centerpieces to lighting packages, so when they arrived, all the details were in place. This made it stress-free for them, so they could focus on their guests,” Larson explains. Molten Audio provided audiovisual, and were set up and ready to work with the speakers for the night.

THE PROGRAM

The daylong program at the PREMIER Center featured speakers representing industry, academia and government. South Dakota Rep. Tyler Tordsen kicked off the day with his keynote address. Other breakout sessions included “The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, Small Business Administration and 66 Federal Partnerships,” “The South Dakota Workforce of the Future” and “Partnering Tactics.” The afternoon breakout sessions took a closer look at more specific topics, such as “Engaging with the Federal Government: From Gaining Specialized Designations to the Award;” “Utilizing Federal, State and Local Resources,” a panel discussion moderated by Mollman and “How South Dakota Can Contribute to the CHIPS Workforce.”

“We tend to have a conversation,” Carl says of the content delivery. “Our event is really about thought leadership. We had some great keynotes from the Air Force Research Lab — what they’re funding research-wise, what the lab is looking for and how to navigate through the channels of government funding for a tech idea.”

The venue handled catering on site, and Carl had high praise for the food and beverages. “We had a full breakfast, then sandwiches for lunch,” she explains. “The catering folks were able to handle the two to three special request meals and they were appropriately labeled.”

Speaking about some of the planning strategy, Carl notes, “We used the reception as a time to gather. [For the program,] we try to do preparation calls with the organizers and speakers ahead of time. We draft questions the moderator can use and the moderator tends to hone those questions. With our small business panel, I just can’t say enough about Stoen [Mollman]. He really helped tell a story about Dakota business to show attendees how to navigate federal resources.”

Carl says the logistics went smoothly, although an occasional hiccup is to be expected. “There are always audiovisual challenges, no matter how much you plan, and as a tech organization, it’s always frustrating when your audiovisual goes wonky,” she acknowledges.

But getting from place to place was easy, as The District and PREMIER Center are so close together, and out-of-town attendees had rooms at the hotel next to the venues. “With out-of-towners, you always want to make sure they know where they’re going and everyone was really helpful,” Carl points out.

THE MARKETING

Marketing any event can be challenging when attendees have so many other commitments on their calendars. New events like the IWRC Dakotas have an advantage, however — curiosity will drive attendees to register simply because it’s a first-time function, or a longtime event touching on a new industry or initiative will draw registrations out of sheer interest.

Once again, the IEEE’s team of local partners were invaluable when it came to marketing and promoting the event.

“We were blessed to be connected to a lot of local partners who helped get the word out. We connected with Jodi Schwan, [founder and distributor of] Sioux Falls Business, a resource used by the local business community; we utilized South Dakota State for sure; as well as South Dakota Small Business Innovation Research; and the South Dakota Small Business Administration.” The speakers helped promote the event, too.

Sioux Falls was chosen as the host city because of its proximity to the market the IEEE wanted to reach — namely, the upper Midwest region. “June was a great time in Sioux Falls,” Carl says, adding that the IEEE is looking to have a second event in the fall.

Sioux Falls is a great destination any time of year, according to Larson. “The amenities of this town are what make Sioux Falls so great. You get so many transportation services, hotels, venues and entertainment options, and with all of those mentioned, it’s still a small town at heart, so the people in this community are ready to welcome you with open arms. With that said, we do love to have crossover events with the PREMIER Center. It’s nice to go off site for a dinner, or enjoy entertainment and loosen up the tie, so to speak.”

With the IWRC Dakotas successfully wrapped, Carl is focusing on future events in the area, but notes that first-time events are always important learning experiences. “We learn from each event how to make it better and worth people’s time,” she concludes.