UND Center for Innovation Foundation
The North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center’s designation is held by the UND Center for Innovation Foundation (Foundation), which was among the first entrepreneur outreach centers in the nation when formed in 1984. The Foundation provides assistance to entrepreneurs, developers, and students to launch new ventures, expand operations, commercialize new technologies, and secure access to capital from private and public sources. Over the past 30 years, the Foundation has fostered over 770 startups, which employs more than 7,000 people and have attracted over $140 million in investment. The Foundation’s mission is to maintain national leadership in entrepreneur outreach and education, and become the leader in tech entrepreneurship in rural America. It is through the Foundation’s expertise that the North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center is able to confidently identify and develop EB-5 investments opportunities. The Foundation’s goals include:
Grow entrepreneur ventures
Secure access to entrepreneur capital
Economic development
The Foundation has received 15 national awards for excellence in innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Since 2006, the Foundation has received four National Business Incubator Association “Soft Landings International Incubator” designations, one of only 25 incubators worldwide continuously proving itself as a business incubator that helps companies expand internationally.
Recent Awards
The UND Center for Innovation Foundation won two awards for its innovative work in the Increasing Access to Capital category. In 2013, the Foundation was awarded the Excellence in Technology-Based Economic Development Award from the State Science and Technology Institute for its work in managing the North Dakota/Minnesota EB-5 Regional Center. One year later, in 2014, the Foundation was named recipient for the National Business Incubation Association’s 2014 Incubator Innovation Award. The Foundation was given the honor for developing a unique and varied menu of capital options for entrepreneurs, including EB-5 foreign direct investment. “We work daily to make it easier for ventures to secure the funding their progress requires. Our work is a reflection of the commitment of the North Dakota public and private sectors to entrepreneurship and innovation and more specifically, to increasing the flow of capital in the region. We are delighted to be a leader nationally and to be a model for others to follow.” Bruce Gjovig, CEO
World Renowned Board Members
Chairman: Dale F. Morrison is a founding partner of TriPointe Capital Partners, a middle market private equity firm based in New York City. Prior to launching TriPointe Capital Partners, Morrison served seven years as Chief Executive Officer of McCain Foods, an international leader in the frozen food industry, employing 20,000 people and operating 53 production facilities in 14 countries on six continents. McCain products are sold in 130 countries around the globe. Prior to leading McCain Foods, Morrison was an Executive at Fenway Partners, a middle market buyout firm based in New York City, where he worked on a number of assignments in the consumer products space. Morrison was previously President and Chief Executive Officer of Campbell Soup Company and began his career at General Foods and PepsiCo, where he had significant international responsibilities. Morrison is a board member of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and InterContinental Hotels Group. Originally from Milton, North Dakota, Morrison earned a business degree from the University of North Dakota in 1971. Morrison currently serves as a member of the National Campaign Steering Committee to raise $300 million for the University of North Dakota and previously served as President on the University of North Dakota Foundation Board from 1995 to 2004.
Trustee: Howard Dahl is President and Chief Executive Officer of Amity Technology in Fargo and Chief Executive Officer of joint venture AGCO-Amity JV since 2010. Amity markets farm equipment in 14 countries while AGCO, based in Duluth, Georgia, has more than 2,700 dealers and operates in 140 countries. Dahl heads the AGCO-Amity effort to manufacture and market air seeders and tillage equipment. Dahl continues to run Amity Technology with its sugar beet manufacturing equipment. Dahl started Concord Inc. in 1977 with his brother, Brian Dahl, and father, Gene Dahl, who was Chairman on Steiger Tractor Co. Board. Dahl received an honorary degree from the University of North Dakota in 2010.
Trustee: Linda Pancratz is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mountain Capital of Edwards, Colorado. Pancratz was Chairmain of the University of North Dakota Foundation Board and Co-Chaired the National Campaign Steering Committee for the $300 million fund raising campaign recently completed. Pancratz was a telecommunications entrepreneur holding several senior management positions with U.S. West including Vice President for small business services. Pancratz retired as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of TDL Infomedia in the United Kingdom. Pancratz is a native of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and a 1977 graduate of the University of North Dakota.
Trustee: Phil Gisi was raised on a farm near New Rockford, ND and is a 1982 graduate of the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Major in Accounting. Phil first served as the CFO for an oil field service and construction company, then spent 10 years working for St. Joseph’s/UniMed Medical Center in Minot, ND, where he was the Vice President/CFO and later President/CEO. Gisi is currently the majority owner and CEO of the Edgewood Group of Companies, and the President/CEO of Edgewood Real Estate Investment Trust, a company specializing in the ownership of senior housing facilities under the REIT ownership structure. He is also the Chair/CEO of SBG Energy Services LLC, a North Dakota-based oil field services company. Gisi serves as a board director of Tulsa, OK-based Cypress Energy Partners LP (NYSE:“CELP”), a community board member and Secretary of Altru Health Systems of Grand Forks, a board member of the University of North Dakota Alumni Association Foundation, and a member of the Alumni Advisory Council of UND’s School of Business and Public Administration. Phil and his wife, Patricia, have two children and live in Grand Forks, ND.
Trustee: Ed Schafer is an American businessman and politician who was the 30th governor of North Dakota from 1992 to 2000. Schafer was co-founder and CEO of Extend America, a start-up wireless communications company he founded after leaving office as governor. In 2002 Schafer was appointed as civilian aide to the United States Secretary of the Army. Schafer also served as the 29th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2008 to 2009, appointed by President George W. Bush. From January to July 2016 he served as interim president of the University of North Dakota.
Trustee: Lauris Molbert is the former CEO of TMI Hospitality L.P. TMI is a developer, operator, and owner of select-service and extended-stay hotels. It owns and operates approximately 200 hotels in 24 states and has 4,500 employees. Prior to TMI, Molbert spent 15 years as an Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Otter Tail Corporation. Lauris joined Otter Tail in 1995 to lead and develop a diversification strategy to expand the electrical utility business into a diversified holding company. During this time he directed and completed more than 45 acquisitions and consolidated revenues grew from $300M to over $1.2B. Lauris joined Otter Tail from Conmy, Feste, Bossart, Hubbard and Corwin, LTD, a Fargo, N.D. based law firm where he focused his practice on banking and finance law. Molbert is a member of the Minnesota and North Dakota State Bar Associations and also is a licensed CPA in North Dakota and holds a J.D. from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, and a bachelor’s degree in banking, finance and accounting from UND. Molbert is the past Chairman and current member of the Board of Sanford Health, an integrated healthcare provider headquartered in Fargo, N.D. and Sioux Falls, S.D. Sanford is now considered the largest, rural, not-for-profit health care system in the nation with locations in 112 communities in seven states.