Siouxland Magazine - Volume 2 Issue 5

Siouxland Magazine | Grow /34
Sioux City Growth Organization Board.
Young Professionals Dedicated to Making a Difference
By Emily Vondrak
For 18 years now, Sioux City Growth Organization
has been carrying out our mission of attracting,
developing, and retaining young professionals in
Siouxland by providing insight and opportunities
to help shape the future of our community. Our
organization carries out this mission by upholding our three
pillars of Networking, Volunteering, and Getting Involved.
We host and participate in a wide variety of events each
year, from nonprofit fundraisers and Chamber of Commerce
connects, to holding our own workshops for local college
students and happy hour networking each month. We want
our current and future members to learn more about all
the Siouxland community has to offer, and why they should
consider a future here, too.
We actively take part in continually improving Siouxland
through a wide array of initiatives. Our annual Innovation
Market has been providing resources for local
entrepreneurs for 10 years now. GO University allows us to
meet with college students around the area and share our
experiences, offer advice, and advocate for the community.
Projects like Sculpt Siouxland and our upcoming Downtown
mural allow us to invest in things that matter to us, like the
continued beautification of our cities.
SCGO not only helps young professionals to find a likeminded
community to network, volunteer, make friends,
and grow their careers, but it helps the community by
giving us a platform to work from on projects that matter,
while retaining our members in the area. We’ve created a
community of young professionals dedicated to making
a difference.
“Sioux City Growth Organization has impacted my life
in so many ways. I remember one of the first times I
learned about the organization was when I heard about
their entrepreneurial event, the Innovation Market. I love
thinking about businesses I would love to start or see in
our community, and after attending, I knew that this was a
group that was focused on community improvement. Since
that first meeting, I have met some of my best friends in this
organization, benefited from the professional networking,
and witnessed its ability to retain young professionals in our
community.”
-Alex Watters, Sioux City Council Member
“When first joining SCGO I didn’t realize the impact it
would have on my life. To be honest, I first viewed it as a
great opportunity to meet new people, network, and build
a resume. I didn’t realize that during the last 3 years I would
have been introduced to some of my closest friends and
have the opportunities to learn different tools that allow
me to not only grow as a young professional, but overall
as a young woman. A job or career might lead you to a
certain city, but it’s the friends and connections you make
along the way that keep you there. Sioux City, and the Sioux
City Growth Organization, is no different. My connections
through SCGO and the friends I have made are the reasons
why I love Sioux City and why I what to continue to educate
everyone about everything that Sioux City has to offer.”
-Kalynn Sortino, MidAmerican, SCGO President
“SCGO’s Innovation Market is great for Siouxland because
it helps businesses out with some startup capital and helps
promote the growth of new businesses in the area.”
-Erik Martin, Owner, Marto Brewing
Interested in becoming a SCGO member? Anyone is
welcome- regardless of industry or age! Learn more about
how you can join our community and make a difference in
Siouxland by visiting our website at siouxcitygo.com or by
liking our page on Facebook.
Emily Vondrak, Marketing Board Chair for Sioux City
Growth Organization.
Photo Contributed By SCGO.