Attitude for Success ~ Bob Prentice

     Robert A. (Bob) Prentice is an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker, a corporate trainer, a business and marketing consultant, an author, and publisher, who began his professional speaking career over 30 years ago.
     In 1998, Bob moved his business to Wessington, South Dakota, so his family could experience the benefits of living in a small rural community.
     Bob has worked with hundreds of companies, schools and organizations all over the United States, delivering highly motivational training sessions in Customer Service, Leadership, Sales, Team Building and more. Thousands of people participate in Bob's training seminars each year, with over 325,000 people to date, having enrolled and participated in these productive and profitable training sessions.
     A family man, Bob and Vicki, his wife of 31 years, have enjoyed the privilege of raising three children–two sons and a daughter–to adulthood. They also have a 16 year-old daughter still at home.
     Bob says he plays much more than he works, and when he works he goes to fun! Bob's friends call him Mr. Attitude! www.mrattitudespeaks.com

     Have a plan, write it down, tell someone and be held accountable! Those were some of the steps for success. The ability or skill to enlist the willing cooperation of people to achieve the desired result is the definition of leadership and to lead you must have a positive attitude. Don't let negativity leak out and deal with a problem by seeing it as a challenge. Last, but not least, success is an attitude, so have an attitude for success.
                                                                              Janelle Goddard

CSDA Pin Recipients

The CSDA committee recognized the three new CSDA recipients- Patty Caster, Dawn Puckett, and Melanie Sanner. We discussed and agreed upon a standardized grading sheet to be used to grade demonstration reports. It was agreed that only two of the three report grades need be a passing score, or above. A motion was made, but failed, to lower the passing grade for reports from 80% to 70%.

                                                                                    Shannon Rittberger

Pictured to the right are: Shannon Rittberger, CSDA, CAA from Pennington Co, CSDA President; Dawn Puckett, CSDA, CAA from Pennington Co; Melaine Sanner, CSDA, CAA from Minnehaha Co; and Patty Caster, CSDA, CAA from Pennington Co

Energy Star Ratings for homes and Certified Green Professionals
Greg Neppl, Building Construction Instructor, MTI

    Greg has completed his second year as an instructor at MTI.  He is the Division Head for the Construction Division, is  a Certified Green Professional Contractor and recently became a Certified Home Energy Rater (HERs), which is a rating that provides a way to evaluate the energy efficiency of a home.
    Greg is a graduate of the MTI Architectural Drafting and Building Construction program, he has both residential and commercial construction experience.

    Mr Neppl informed the association on Green Building and what it takes for a property to qualify for an Energy Star rating.  To come up with a Home Energy Rating they rate your heat, cool and water.  They can audit your home and give you tips on how to improver your usage.  They can also rate your home by comparing your home to a reference home and see how it stands up to the 2004 IECC code.
     In 2006 $8 million dollars was spent in marketing costs to promote green building.  In 2010 they estimate $15 million will be spent to market green building.
     We also learned there are loans available to purchase a Green home, the Energy Efficient Mortgage.  You can also qualify for a mortgage to improve your home to a Green home, the Energy Improvement Mortgage.
     Green isn’t new, the Pioneers used the resources they had around them to build structures.
     Mr Neppl gave a wonderful presentation and provided us with information that I was unaware of.  We appreciate his time.
                                                                          Allison Jensen

     Jen just completed her 10th year of instruction at Mitchell Tech.  She is an experienced computer technician and has received the CompTIA, A+ Certification.
     Jen is a graduate of the MTI Computers Systems Technology program and teaches courses in Computer Hardware, Server Technologies and Computer Forensics.

    Ms Jen Schumacher has been an instructor at MTI for 10 years. She explained that Windows 7 has a lot of changes from Windows XP. Windows 7 is compatible with most Vista programs and drivers however Windows 7 has problems being compatible with printers. Some of the new features of Windows 7 are: Jump Lists  which gives you more information when hovering; Snap which can resize open windows and is like having 2 screens; Home Groups which is like a home networking that can share files between computers; Action Center which is the new security; Problem Step Recorder which shows screens and error messages and XP Mode which is a Windows 7 downloadable add on. Windows 7 does not have movie maker, messenger or outlook mail but they are downloadable as Windows Live Essentials Pack. To see if your computer is capable of accepting Windows 7 you can run Windows 7 upgrade advisor at http://tinyurl.com/w7advisor.

                                                                                 Patty Caster

Windows 7, Microsoft’s Newest Operating System
Jen Schumacher, Computer Systems Technology Instructor, MTI

Forms Meeting with Colleen Skinner, May 27, 2010

     PT 8-Property Tax Credit on Renewable Resource Energy System- Changes July 1st for 2011. Is to now include wind energy, stated as any renewable energy. May be deleted or reworded, they will let us know.
     PT 46C-Application for disabled Veteran property tax exemption- now to include surviving spouse as eligible for the exemption.
     PT 56- Certificate of Real Estate Value- was discussed. The form's purpose will be explained more at the Sales Ratio Workshops.
                                                                       Janelle Goddard

DRR with Michael Kenyon, May 27, 2010

Kenyon passed around and explained an audit form to be filled out by each county in an effort to keep track of county changes or adjustments made to individual parcels or areas of parcels, and to make sure all information (classifications, maps, tax exemptions, assessment records, assessment practices, sales information, etc) is kept up to date in each office.
                                                                              Janelle Goddard

South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner
Dustin Johnson

     Dustin “Dusty” Johnson was elected to the Public Utilities Commission in November 2004, becoming the youngest utilities commissioner in the nation. Since joining the commission, he has played a role in developing renewable energy resources, expanding broadband and wireless phone capabilities, keeping utility rates low and protecting consumers.  His fellow commissioners elected him to serve as the commission chairman, a position he also held in 2007.
     Dusty serves in leadership positions for a number of local, regional, and national organizations, including as a director for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.  Prior to joining the PUC, Dusty served Gov. Mike Rounds as the senior policy advisor for economic development, energy, corrections and transportation issues.
     Dusty and his wife Jacquelyn live with their sons Max and Benjamin in Mitchell

    Dusty Johnson started the meeting talking about our use of electricity and how our consumption of electricity is now 90% greater than what is was in 1990.  He then went on to talk about wind energy.  He also discussed how many wind farms there are throughout South Dakota and how rapidly the idea of wind energy is growing throughout South Dakota.
     We also touched base on high speed internet access and discussed the sale of Alltel-Verizon Wireless (in SD) to AT&T and the effect it could have on its customers.
     Other things he briefed on were the effects of the Keystone and the Keystone XL Pipelines, the Hyperion Refinery, and the Ethanol Plants throughout South Dakota.
                                                                        Brandy Meier

     Carter Anderson is a third generation native of North Dakota. The Anderson family farm, located in south central North Dakota, is a “Century Farm” which was homesteaded in 1882. Carter earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from North Dakota State University. He has twenty seven years of experience with USDA, working in three other field offices (Idaho, Minnesota and Utah) and headquarters operations in Washington DC.   Carter serves on the board of directors for Ag in the Classroom and the Livestock Foundation.

    Carter gave conference attendees an informative talk on how the National Agricultural Statistics Service gathers their information for the various reports they print for the public.  He explained each of the survey/data areas (Producer Surveys, Objective Yield Surveys, Satelite Data, Administrative Data).  He also shared the NASS website,  http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/South_Dakota/index.asp

                                                                                            Lila Teigen

National Ag Statistics Services (NASS)
Carter Anderson

Dakota Defensive, LLC
John Broers

     John Broers is married with two children (ages 5 and 3). John has worked full time in law enforcement since 1997, jobs including a deputy sheriff in Bennett and Butte Counties and a SD State Trooper for 11 years.
     With Dakota Defensive, LLC, John works as a Defensive Tactics Instructor, Ground Fighting Instructor, a Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Instructor, and in the past a Knife Defense Instructor.

    John Broers, whom is currently a First Sergeant in Pierre with Dakota Defensive, gave an informative speech on the subject of protecting yourself, whether in the field or just in everyday life. He explained on the clues to look for, if someone is possibly thinking of assaulting you in any way. Always watch for someone who may be watching you in a parking lot or outside of your house or anywhere for that matter. One of the subjects that he touched on especially is say when you are in a home and walking through the house, for the assessment and say you are going in to look at the basement making sure that you are following them if you are uncomfortable. Don’t have them behind you; you just simply don’t put yourself in the position of a dangerous spot, if you are feeling uneasy about the person. Simply using your common sense and going with your gut on your feeling of someone. If you are in an uncomfortable or dangerous position, don’t feel ashamed to just get out of the position that you are in. 
                                                                              Jenny Glover