Staff
| Dakota BUSINESS Finance South Eastern Development Foundation |
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Lynne Keller Forbes Executive Director 500 N. Western Avenue, Suite 100 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Ph: 605-367-5353 Fx: 605-367-5394 |
Lynne Keller Forbes serves as Executive Director of Dakota BUSINESS Finance, the South Eastern Development Foundation, and the South Eastern Council of Governments (SECOG). Lynne has served as Director of SECOG since 2001 and led the organization's efforts to create the South Eastern Development Foundation and Dakota BUSINESS Finance. The South Eastern Council of Governments serves six counties in the southeastern corner of South Dakota. In 2002, the South Eastern Development Foundation (SEDF) was incorporated to operate economic development and housing regional revolving loan funds in the SECOG region. In 2005, the Dakota BUSINESS Finance was incorporated to complement SEDF and provide the Small Business Administration's 504 Program. Ms. Keller Forbes serves as the immediate Past Chair of the South Dakota Rural Development Council and is a member of the Steering Committee for the Sioux Falls Tomorrow II strategic planning process. Ms. Keller Forbes has a Bachelors degree in Business Administration (1992) from St. Leo College, St. Leo, FL and a Juris Doctorate Law Degree (2000) from the University of South Dakota. |
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Shawn Pritchett Economic Development Director 500 N. Western Avenue, Suite 100 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Ph: 605-367-5353 Fx: 605-367-5394 |
| Shawn Pritchett
has served as Staff for Dakota BUSINESS Finance,
the South Eastern Council of Governments, and
the South Eastern Development Foundation since
May 2006. Prior to joining Dakota BUSINESS Finance, Shawn worked as Executive Director of the South Dakota Rural Development Council. Shawn holds a Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of Minnesota, Morris and a Masters degree in Public Policy from the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Shawn currently serves as Immediate Past Chair of Partners for Rural America, the association of state rural development councils. Shawn also serves on the Federal Home Loan Bank’s Affordable Housing Advisory Council and the Sioux Empire Housing Partnership Board. |
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Jessica Evans Economic Development Specialist 500 N. Western Avenue, Suite 100 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Ph: 605-367-5353 Fx: 605-367-5394 |
| As an Economic Development Specialist, Jessica assists staff with the processing and servicing of loans financed through Dakota BUSINESS Finance and the South Eastern Development Foundation Prior to joining SECOG, Jessica served as the Economic Development Authority Assistant for the City of Hutchinson, MN. In that capacity, she managed the city’s $1.2 million EDA Economic Development Loan Fund, Downtown Commercial Rehabilitation Loan Program, Downtown Storefront Revitalization grants, and Downtown Sign and Awning grants. Jessica was actively involved in the recruitment of new businesses and supporting business expansions. She also served as the primary staff member for the Hutchinson Downtown Association, an organization devoted to maintaining and enhancing the vitality of the downtown. Jessica earned a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN and a Bachelors Degree in Aeronautical Studies from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND. She is a licensed pilot, and would love to have free-time available to go flying. |
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Amber Gibson Economic Development Specialist 500 N. Western Avenue, Suite 100 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Ph: 605-367-5353 Fx: 605-367-5394 |
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Prior to beginning her position as an Economic Development
Specialist, Amber served as a Planner for the
South Eastern Council of Governments (SECOG)
where she administered loan and grant programs
for large infrastructure projects. Amber also
previously served as SECOG’s lead staff member
for the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO).
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Sioux Falls, SD 57104