Prairie People: New hires and promotions for the week ending June 17, 2022

As they become available, Prairie Business highlights new hires, promotions and employee achievements from companies in the Dakotas and western Minnesota. This week's spotlight includes the following:

Burian & Associates welcome new team member

FARGO, N.D. • Kyle McCamy recently joined the team of Burian & Associates.

Image: Courtesy of Burian & Associates

McCamy brings nearly two decades of civil engineering expertise with a focus on land development and site design projects. He has experience working with both public and private clients, where he has managed projects spanning multiple sectors including residential, commercial, industrial, office, and educational.

McCamy joins the Fargo office as the director of the company’s land development team.

Olson Effertz adds principal consultant

BISMARCK, N.D. • Olson Effertz Lobbying & Consulting recently welcomed Terry Effertz as a principal consultant.

Image: Courtesy of Olson Effertz

In her new role, Effertz will provide lobbying consulting and legal analysis services, as well as supporting the Olson Effertz executive search team.

Effertz is a native North Dakotan who earned a law degree and transportation law certificate from the University of North Dakota in 2018. Since 2015, she has served under all three branches of government.

During law school she interned for the Legislative Council during the 2017 legislative session in the House Finance and Tax Committee and the House Transportation Committee. The following summer she worked under the Attorney General’s office to audit existing regulations and policy for the North Dakota University System and recommended changes to standardize four decades of language. After law school she clerked for the North Dakota Supreme Court under the Honorable Justice Dan Crothers.

Effertz represented North Dakota in the American Bar Association as the Lt. Governor of Professional Development for 8th Circuit Law Schools and was the sole North Dakota representative at the Harvard Food Law Policy Clinic and American Bar Association Air and Space Law Conference during the 2017-2018 academic year.

UMN Crookston hires communications specialist

CROOKSTON, Minn. • The University of Minnesota Crookston has hired Jess Bengtson as communications specialist.

Image: Courtesy of UMN Crookston

Bengtson will be a member of the University and Alumni Relations team under director Brandy Chaffee. Bengtson joins UMN Crookston from the Crookston Times where she served as the managing editor for the newspaper.

In her new role as communications specialist, Bengtson will serve as the primary writer for UMN Crookston. She will produce internal and external communication for the university, and will also serve as the main media relations contact.

In addition, she will help lead public relations efforts for UMN Crookston along with Chaffee, and will work with the University of Minnesota on Systemwide messaging. She will also work as a main editor and writer for alumni publications, including the Torch and Torchlight, and will assist with overall marketing efforts of UMN Crookston, branding, design, and photography

Bengtson started at the Crookston Times in 2013, and held a variety of roles, most recently serving as managing editor.

Bengtson has been involved in Crookston volunteering for countless local and regional organizations. She was named the 2020 University of Minnesota Crookston Outstanding Community Service Award - Community Partner for her work with UMN Crookston.

Bengtson received her Bachelor of Science degree in communication from the University of Minnesota Crookston.

Bengtson replaces Shawn Smith, who served as interim assistant director of communication within University and Alumni Relations. Smith goes back to serving full-time as assistant athletic director for media relations. He just finished his 10th year with UMN Crookston. He held the assistant director of communication role starting in October 2020.