North Dakota
Seven from Grand Forks region honored by Prairie Business
GRAND FORKS – Seven professionals from the Grand Forks region have been named to the Prairie Business magazine’s 2025 list of “40 Under 40.” Honorees must be 40 or younger by the end of the year.
They are: Dustin Fanfulik, civil engineer and vice president at Widseth in East Grand Forks, Minnesota; Travor Fredrickson, senior project manager and senior electrical engineer with CMTA in Grand Forks; Kelby Laxdal, principal civil engineer at Houston Engineering, Inc. in Grand Forks; Courtney McNamee, director of Revenue Cycle and Reimbursement at Altru Health System in Grand Forks; Maggie Melvin, director of Admissions at University of Minnesota Crookston in Crookston, Minnesota; Geoff Slick, Rural Water practice leader at AE2S in Grand Forks; and Sean Sorteberg, MultiMarket Semiconductor director at Digikey in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.
They will be honored at an event in the fall, along with Prairie Business magazine’s other honorees for “Top 25 Women in Business” and “Leaders and Legacies.”
The 40 Under 40 list highlights exceptional professionals, including industry executives, administrators, community leaders, entrepreneurs and more.
Contributed
As a civil engineer and vice president at Widseth, Fanfulik, 36, is known for his professionalism and sound engineering judgment. He prioritizes client needs and consistently delivers high-quality results.
He serves as consulting city engineer for Pembina, North Dakota, and several northwest Minnesota communities. His work includes master planning for development, feasibility studies, assessments, design, inspections, and comprehensive project management. His experience spans infrastructure and extends to schools, campground expansions, and commercial and industrial developments across both states. He has also collaborated with the Minnesota and North Dakota Departments of Transportation on major infrastructure projects.
As a shareholder, Fanfulik brings vision, integrity, and a collaborative spirit to his work. His dedication to mentorship, community involvement and engineering excellence makes him a vital contributor to Widseth’s success and a standout young professional in the field.
Contributed
Fredrickson, 37, is a senior project manager and senior electrical engineer with CMTA’s paper Midwest office in Grand Forks.
Fredrickson began his career at Ulteig Engineers in Fargo as a substation engineer, designing substations and windfarm grounding systems. He joined CMTA in 2013 to help grow the Grand Forks office and has since designed electrical systems for hospitals, wellness centers, schools and commercial buildings. He focuses on delivering innovative, sustainable solutions that reduce carbon footprints by combining proven design principles with the latest green technologies.
Passionate about mentoring the next generation, Fredrickson regularly shares his expertise with engineering students, emphasizing that much of real-world engineering is learned on the job. His outreach has helped recruit several local engineers from UND and NDSU. He’s also active in the Grand Forks–East Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce, supporting both business development and broader community initiatives.
Laxdal, 37, is a principal civil engineer with Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI) in Grand Forks, bringing nearly two decades of experience in transportation and municipal design across North Dakota and Minnesota. Specializing in urban, multimodal transportation corridors, Laxdal is known for his leadership in shaping infrastructure that supports vibrant, connected communities.
He began his career with CPS in Grand Forks, contributing to major urban reconstruction projects including Columbia Road, 42nd Street, and 48th Street, along with a variety of municipal utility and transportation initiatives.
Joining HEI in 2018, Laxdal quickly advanced from project engineer to principal, managing key projects for the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the City of Grand Forks. His portfolio includes I-94 reconstruction near Beach, North Dakota, highway improvements, and numerous city infrastructure upgrades. Currently, he leads several transformative efforts such as the U.S. Highway 81 reconstruction, southwest Grand Forks master planning, and the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project in Minot.
Contributed
McNamee, 34, is the director of Revenue Cycle and Reimbursement at Altru Health System. Since joining Altru in March 2024, she has combined a patient-first mindset with strong financial leadership, introducing programs that reduce costs for patients and advancing e-payment technology through MyChart. Her ability to balance patient needs with organizational goals has quickly set her apart as a leader who drives both innovation and results.
McNamee is committed to developing people. Her team demonstrates strong engagement, and under her leadership, more staff across multiple departments have earned professional finance certifications.
Her influence extends beyond Altru. As the former president and active member of the Minnesota Healthcare Finance Management Association, she is recognized across the industry as a thought leader. She is frequently invited to speak on critical issues, such as price transparency, patient engagement, the No Surprises Act and reimbursement enhancement, representing both Altru and the broader healthcare community.
Melvin, 29, director of Admissions at the University of Minnesota Crookston, brings energy, vision and a genuine commitment to helping students find their path.
Melvin began her career at the University of North Dakota School of Law, serving as director of Admissions and Records. There, she gained valuable experience working with diverse students and faculty, learning how thoughtful admissions practices can shape a university’s culture. At UMN Crookston, she leads the admissions team with a focus on making the process welcoming and accessible for all.
Melvin is pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Higher Education, expecting to graduate in 2026. Her commitment reflects both personal development and a desire to advance the field for others. Through her leadership and dedication, Melvin is shaping admissions today while paving the way for future generations of students and educators.
Slick, 39, began his career at AE2S as an intern and during the past 16 years has risen to Rural Water practice leader. In this role, he leads a team of engineers and technical staff providing specialized expertise to rural water districts across the Midwest. Slick’s experience spans management, mentorship, project leadership, hydraulics and strategic planning, with a focus on concept planning, funding development, project coordination, regional system planning, mergers and construction management.
He has worked with over 20 rural and regional water clients, often acting as an extension of their staff. Notable projects include the Red River Valley Water Supply Project, the Western Area Water Supply Project, and the development of Minnesota’s first new rural water district in over 40 years — the West Central Regional Water District serving Clay, Norman and Polk counties.
Slick serves on the North Dakota Water Users Board and volunteers as a youth hockey coach. He is committed to continuous professional growth and is active in the National Rural Water Association, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the North Dakota Rural Water Association and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society.
Contributed
Sorteberg, 36, is an accomplished leader in the supply chain and semiconductor industries, currently serving as director of Multi-Market Semiconductor at DigiKey. In his role, he directs global product segment strategy, leads a comprehensive semiconductor portfolio designed to outperform market growth expectations and oversees all product management and asset management functions. He manages aggressive business performance metrics across cross-functional teams, while building trusted relationships with supplier executives and key partners.
With more than 13 years of progressive experience in supply chain management, Sorteberg has demonstrated expertise across distribution, manufacturing and procurement. Before his current director role, he served as the manager of the technology business at DigiKey, overseeing all procurement activity in the semiconductor business unit.
Sorteberg is a strong leader on DigiKey’s supplier management team. He excels at helping his team members grow and collaborating with other departments to achieve mutual goals. He also excels at developing strong relationships with executive-level connections at many of DigiKey’s supplier organizations, building engagement and collaboration across companies.
North Dakota
Hawks Split Friday Doubleheader against NDSU and Omaha – University of North Dakota Athletics
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The North Dakota softball team went 1-1 on Friday, falling to Omaha 9-0 in the first game and defeating North Dakota State 2-0 in the nightcap from Albrecht Field. The Hawks now sit at 26-21 overall and 3-9 in Summit League play on the season.
It was a tale of two games for UND, from getting shutout in game one to doing the shutting out in game two. Chloe Bethune was 3-for-4 on the day with a walk, reaching base four times.
Game 1 – Omaha 9, UND 0
UND was outhit 8-2, with the Hawks hits coming from Tyler Price and Bethune. NoDak had three total base runners in the contest.
Unity Nelson took the loss in the circle, falling to 9-8 on the season. The sophomore went 1.2 innings and gave up seven earned runs on just three hits, with five walks. Camryn Lasota came in for relief, throwing a season-high 3.1 innings, giving up two earned runs, five hits, one walk with one strikeout.
How It Happened
Both teams went down in order in the first inning, but Omaha struck with seven runs in the second on just four hits. Following a double and two walks, Sammy Schmidt hit a no-out double to right field, bringing home Katherine Johnson and Marra Cramer to take a 2-0 lead.
Nelson recorded the first out of the inning on an Ava Rongisch pop up, before throwing a wild pitch which allowed Alyson Edwards to score to make it 3-0. Following two more walks and a Taylor Sedlacek sac fly, UND was down 4-0. The Mavs scored three more in the inning, headlined by a Bailey Sample two-out double. NoDak trailed 7-0 after three.
The Mavericks scored two more in the top of the third to open up a 9-0 lead. UND got its first hit in the bottom of the fourth on a Price infield single, but the Hawks could not get anything going offensively, falling 9-0 in the first game.
Game 2 – UND 2, NDSU 0
Game two was the Tegan Livesay show, as the junior tossed her 13th complete game and fifth complete game shutout of the season, improving to 12-8 in 2026. She went 7.0 innings, surrendering just six hits and three walks with five huge punchouts. She recorded nine groundouts and threw 131 pitches. Livesay left 10 Bison stranded on base.
The Hawks scored two runs through the first two innings, first on a Bethune RBI single to center field in the bottom of the first, which was followed by an RBI double down the left field line from Makenna Alexander in the bottom of the second.
The hit battle was even at 6-6 in the contest, led by Bethune who went 2-for-2 at the plate. Alexander, Taya Hopfauf, Katelyn Neumayer and Aleksia Severson each poured in a hit as well.
How It Happened
Livesay was weaving in and out of traffic all night, battling out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the first. Amai Hanta from NDSU walked to start the game and stole both second and third base to give the Bison a runner on third with no outs. Livesay recorded a massive strikeout on Star Cortez, which was followed by a walk to Bella Dean, setting up runners on the corners with one out.
Jessica Delatorre lined out to Severson for the second out, before Lileigh Nieto walked to load up the bases. Mya Boos grounded out into a 6-4 fielders choice to end the frame on some nifty glove work from Severson to keep it at 0-0.
Alexander and Price both struck out to start the second inning, before Hopfauf and Neumayer both singled. Jaedyn Valdez followed that up with a hit-by-pitch, loading up the bases for Bethune. The sophomore came through with a massive single up the middle, giving UND a 1-0 lead.
Livesay left two stranded in the second inning, surrendering a leadoff infield single to Taylinn Warren. Warren then advanced to second base on a passed ball, but Livesay got Zoe King to strikeout swinging next.
The next batter grounded out to Livesay, before another infield single, this one by Hanta to put runners on the corners. Livesay got Cortez to groundout to first base, where Neumayer took it to the bag for the 3U inning ending putout.
In the bottom of the second, Brooklyn Morris reached on a one-out walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Alexander then belted a ball down the third base line to bring home Morris, giving NoDak a 2-0 lead after two.
Livesay sat down the Bison 1-2-3 in the third and fourth innings before leaving two stranded in the top of the fifth. Hanta and Cortez both logged one-out singles and executed double steals, to give the Bison second and third with one out. Livesay got Dean to line out to short, before punching out Delatorre to get out of the jam.
NoDak stranded a runner on second base in the top of the sixth, with a chance to close it out in the top of the seventh. Livesay sat down Ella Claus, before allowing an infield single to Hanta, sending the tying run to the plate for the Bison.
Cortez was able to reach safely on a fielding error by Livesay, giving NDSU runners on first and second with one out. The junior pitcher did not flinch, striking out Dean on a 3-2 count to make it two outs. Livesay completed the complete game shutout, getting Delatorre to pop out to second base, as UND secured its third-straight win over NDSU.
Game two of the series will take place tomorrow at 1 p.m. on Midco Sports.
For more information on North Dakota Softball, follow on social media @UNDsoftball or visit FightingHawks.com.
North Dakota
Glatt to retire from ND Department of Environmental Quality; Armstrong thanks him for 43 years of service
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong today thanked North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Director Dave Glatt for his 43 years of service to the state as Glatt announced his retirement as the first – and only – director of DEQ since it became a standalone agency in 2019. His retirement is effective July 31.
“Dave has dedicated more than four decades of his life to protecting North Dakota’s air, land and water with a regulatory approach that boils down to one simple rule: follow the science,” Armstrong said. “He rejected federal overreach and ideology-based regulation, instead holding firm to a cooperative, common-sense approach that allows North Dakotans to enjoy some of the cleanest air and water in the country as our economy thrives. We’ll miss Dave’s leadership, his expertise and his wry sense of humor. We thank him for his exceptional service and wish him all the best in retirement.”
Glatt was appointed DEQ director in May 2019 by then-Gov. Doug Burgum and reappointed by Armstrong in 2024. Prior to that, he served as chief of the North Dakota Department of Health’s Environmental Health Section from 2002 to 2019. He also previously served as the section’s Division of Waste Management director, interim director of Consolidated Laboratories, Division of Water Quality assistant director, and Groundwater Protection Program manager.
During his long career in state government, Glatt helped implement the Safe Drinking Water Act in North Dakota and was the state project manager for an EPA Superfund project to address high arsenic levels in groundwater in southeastern North Dakota. Through collaboration with government at all levels, industry and citizens of the state, Glatt helped ensure that North Dakota remains a clean air state, maintains high regulatory standards and leads through the efficient implementation of all environmental protection programs.
“It has been a privilege to work alongside so many dedicated professionals and North Dakotans who care deeply about protecting our shared environment,” Glatt said. “They made this work enjoyable, rewarding and meaningful, and I’m deeply grateful.”
Born in Valley City and raised in Milpitas, Calif., Glatt graduated from North Dakota State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in environmental engineering. He briefly worked for the Los Angeles Flood Control District before returning to North Dakota in 1983, joining the Department of Health.
The 2017 Legislative Assembly passed legislation separating the Environmental Health Section from the Department of Health to create the standalone DEQ. On April 29, 2019, DEQ became an independent agency after all programs completed a federal review and approval process.
Currently, DEQ has a two-year total budget of $141.8 million and is authorized for 175 full-time employees in six divisions: Air Quality, Chemistry, Municipal Facilities, Waste Management, and Office of Director.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) — The U.S. Space Force wants to build a $250 million space operations center at Grand Forks Air Force Base as part of President Trump’s 2027 defense budget request.
The facility would be about 180,000 square feet and built as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or SCIF, designed to handle top-secret information. It would house highly classified missile-warning and missile-tracking operations, as well as the space data network.
The project would bring more than 100 Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office personnel to the base across two to three fully manned squadrons, according to North Dakota Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer.
“This new project puts Grand Forks right at the center of what’s next in space operations,” Cramer said in a statement. “It speaks to the depth of our Airmen and Guardians’ expertise and why this base keeps getting tapped for the most important and modern missions.”
The facility builds on the low-Earth orbit satellite mission already at Grand Forks, which serves as the backbone of U.S. military communications. Hoeven worked to establish that mission and has been pushing to add missile-tracking and advanced fire-control capabilities.
The three-story facility will include a 500-person auditorium for secure briefings and conferences, as well as a dining area to support 24/7 operations, according to the Space Force.
Hoeven, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, said he spoke with Space Force Chief of Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman about the proposal this week. He said he will work to secure funding through the annual appropriations process.
Design is expected to start later this year if Congress approves the funding.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
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