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Patrick O’Rourke to be offered Kandiyohi County Economic Development position

WILLMAR – Patrick O’Rourke rose to the top of the executive director candidate list for Kandiyohi County Economic Development and will be offered the position. Four members of the Joint Powers Board for Kandiyohi County Economic Development, in a secret ballot, voted for O’Rourke as their top candidate; two members voted for him as the […]

KCED reveals finalists for executive director position

WILLMAR — Four finalists have been named for the executive director position for the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission — all of whom are local to Minnesota. The finalists chosen by the KCED Joint Powers Board are Paul Borgerding, Jolene Foss, Patrick O’Rourke and Brianna Sanders, according to a news release […]

Kandiyohi County / Willmar EDC offices to relocate this fall

WILLMAR – The Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission has found a new home, which is currently being renovated to suit its needs. Earlier this spring, both the EDC Joint Operations and Joint Powers boards approved moving forward with a 10-year lease agreement with Willmar Ten Investors to move the EDC office […]

Minnesota awards $500,000 grant to expand child care in Kandiyohi County

KANDIYOHI COUNTY — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday announced $6.2 million in new grants to expand child care across the state, including $500,000 for Kandiyohi County. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development has awarded 21 organizations with Child Care Economic Development grants — the state’s largest-ever round of funding for this program. […]

Woody’s Trucking of Willmar named Women-Owned Small Business of the Year

A KCED Summer 2024 Newsletter Article: Woody’s Trucking, Inc. is cleverly branded. Black and orange decorate the office, and the serious woodpecker dressed in a ready-to-work outfit decorates the details. The brand comes from customer service and a sense of culture that emulates the space. Terri Wood, president of Woody’s Trucking, shared the story of […]

Women in Ag Elevated at Kandi Acres

A KCED Summer 2024 Newsletter Article: Visiting Kandi Acres farm is an adventure. Looking around at pastures and lots, you see shepherd dogs, chickens, and goats. Her daughters help with chores while her eldest son checks in with his mother about product details as he updates the company website with full details and new pictures. […]

On a Wing and a Prayer: Clean Chickens and Co., LLC. launches Happy Halal

A KCED Summer 2024 Newsletter Article: According to Becky, “Happy animals are healthier animals, and I want to feed my family those animals, and I want others to have that same access.” Becky and Greg started raising their chickens because they enjoyed eating home-grown chickens and providing for their family. There was one complication: access […]

Community Integration Center in Willmar, Minnesota, awarded $420,000 workforce grant

WILLMAR — Gov. Tim Walz recently announced more than $12 million in grants for job training, work readiness, internship and other employment development programs across the state, and the Community Integration Center in Willmar will receive funds. The Community Integration Center was awarded $420,000 through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The grant will […]

NexYst 360 brings ‘smart’ shipping for ag products to Willmar Rail Park

WILLMAR — NexYst 360 is the newest addition to the Willmar Industrial Park and the first tenant for the Willmar Rail Park. Its equipment and technology offer a farm-to-processing supply chain system for agricultural products. The Willmar Rail Park is a 144-acre rail park being developed by Midwest and Bluegrass Rail. It will have a rail loop that comes off the Willmar Wye, […]

Prinsburg Broadband Project

Sarah VanDyken is the City Administrator in Prinsburg, a city in southwest Kandiyohi County with about 500 people. Here you can find the Central Minnesota Community Christian School, the Farmers Co-Op, the headquarters of Prinsco, a water solutions company, and Duininck Inc., a third-generation construction company. In 2022 a life-changing event happened – fast, reliable […]

Interview with Fernando Cano

Interview with Fernando Cano – Fall 2023 Like many entrepreneurs in Kandiyohi County, Fernando Cano hasn’t waited for opportunity to come knocking; he found it. After graduating from Ridgewater College with a degree in accounting, he shifted from full-time work to earning his real estate license and joining community organizations. “I wanted to work for […]

Pen House Boba

As you walk into Pen House Boba in downtown Willmar, you are welcomed with a refreshingly green décor of flowers and ivy. They line every wall and are the backdrop for the smiling faces that greet you, that of owner Agg (Pen) Thaw and her brother, Eh K K’yaw Soe. The story of Pen and […]

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