Mitchell, South Dakota

MI TCHELL , SOUTH DAKOTA has become far more than just a symbol of agriculture. It’s the home of Mitchell’s fall festival and the center for industrial exhibits, circus, dances, stage shows, meetings, banquets, proms, graduations, as well as regional and state sporting tournaments. It has even been named one of USA Today’s top 10 places in America for high school basketball tournaments. Perhaps it is fitting that the local high school mascot is the Mitchell Kernels, also the Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers play in the palace. The city of about 16,000 is located on the eastern side of South Dakota, about an hour west of Sioux Falls. “We are right off Interstate 90, so we are a very popular stopping point for tourists and visitors because we are a direct line to the Black Hills and the Badlands, which is Mount Rushmore,” says Putnam. “We get a lot of traffic coming across the interstate.” While agriculture is still a major industry, Mitchell also boasts a strong technology sector. The city is home to Vantage Point Solutions, which offers solutions for business challenges faced by broadband and data network operators; as well as Innovative Systems, which provides advanced voice and video systems for communications companies. “We do have some significant technology jobs here,” Putnam reports, “as well as a pretty good manufacturing base. We have a Toshiba plant here and two large truck trailer companies – Trail King and Trail Eze – along with other manufacturers.” The city’s number one employer is the hospital system, Avera Queen of Peace. There are many clinics located within the facility and the same healthcare company also owns one of Mitchell’s nursing homes. The city’s education system is the second largest employer. It includes two higher education institutions – Dakota Wesleyan University and Mitchell Technical College – as well as both public and parochial schools. Courtsey of Dakota Wesleyan University