DWU Employee Named to 2023 Prairie Business 40 Under 40 List

GRAND FORKS, N. D. — Prairie Business magazine recently announced 2023’s 40 Under 40 recipients. The annual awards honor young professionals in the Dakotas and western Minnesota, each under the age of 40. These nominees come from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds who have made significant impacts in their chosen professions and communities. They are business leaders, industry experts, executives, managers, nonprofit leaders and community trendsetters.

Named to the list is Jan Larson, DWU Director of Marketing and Communication. Only four South Dakotans made the list with Larson the only one from Mitchell.

From her nomination: “Larson has consistently demonstrated her strategic acumen in developing and executing marketing and communication strategies that align perfectly with our goals and values while working to enhance the culture of Dakota Wesleyan University. Her leadership has led to the implementation of a brand essence refresh, a new website, and numerous new digital and traditional marketing campaigns, all of which have expanded our reach and influence in the industry. She is a motivator who has built and nurtured a high-performing team that consistently delivers outstanding results. In her tenure, we have seen increased brand visibility, and improved engagement among all of our constituents. Beyond her role at DWU, Jan is actively engaged in our community. She truly is a role model for marketing professionals everywhere. Not only has she elevated our organization's reputation but has also left an indelible mark on our culture and success.”

Larson holds a B.S. from the University of South Dakota and an MBA from Golden Gate University. She earned a Certificate in Digital Marketing from Columbia Business School and a Certificate in Organizational Leadership from the South Dakota Leadership Academy. Before joining DWU she was employed at TrioTel Communications, Inc., for more than 10 years as director of internal operations and as marketing supervisor. Prior to that she worked for local and statewide political campaigns, also serving as an intern for Sen. John Thune in Washington, D.C.

She is a board member for the Safe Place of South Dakota, a previous board member of Mitchell First Circuit CASA and an active member of the Mitchell Downtown First United Methodist Church. Larson and her husband, Tate, live in Mitchell with their two daughters.

Prairie Business received nearly 100 nominations for 2023.

To read the entire list, visit the online publication at https://issuu.com/gfherald/docs/gfpb_2023-12-01_links?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ.