Spectrum Aeromed, a Fargo-based air ambulance medical interior designer and manufacturer, was named North Dakota’s 2018 Exporter of the Year on Thursday, May 23 for its international expansion and commitment to innovation. In addition, the Minot Area Development Corporation, a nonprofit corporation that seeks to grow and diversify the Minot area, received the 2018 Service to Exporters Award for its dedication to building an intermodal facility and improving the transportation options for North Dakota exporters. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Commerce Commissioner Michelle Kommer presented the awards during the Global Business Awards ceremony, the annual international business event hosted by the North Dakota Trade Office (NDTO).
“It’s so important to recognize the individuals, businesses and organizations that are bolstering North Dakota’s economy and also to demonstrate the support they have here at the NDTO and within our state government,” said Simon Wilson, executive director of the North Dakota Trade Office. “We are a state dependent on exports and organizations such as Spectrum Aeromed and the Minot Area Development Corporation are pushing North Dakota to the world stage and providing further economic opportunities to North Dakotans.”
The Exporter of the Year Award is presented to one North Dakota business each year. To win the award, the business had to achieve success in entering or further developing international markets, incorporate exports into their long-term business growth strategy and demonstrate innovation and an ability to overcome challenges in exporting. Also taken into consideration is how a company has displayed corporate social responsibility by working to improve the local and/or global communities they serve.
Spectrum Aeromed is based out of Fargo’s Hector International Airport but sells their life-saving equipment all over the globe. For over 28 years, they’ve built a reputation worldwide for producing innovative, lightweight emergency medical service interiors for fixed and rotary wing aircraft that allow medical crews, including search and rescue operations, to travel further and faster with lifesaving equipment. The company’s team also produces specialized life support solutions for air, ground and marine support applications. Spectrum Aeromed credits their success, including exporting to a current total of 23 international markets, to their pursuit of innovation and a problem-solving culture. They view challenges as opportunities to advance, and a means to accelerate their mission and vision of saving lives by being the best air ambulance provider in the world. They also give back to the community by sponsoring the activities of the Association of Critical Care Transport, a non-profit, grassroots patient advocacy group that is committed to ensuring that critically ill patients have access to the highest quality air and ground transport.
The 2018 Service to Exporters Award is given to a trade service provider that has demonstrated excellence in assisting North Dakota businesses in the international marketplace and a commitment to increasing North Dakota’s trade volume.
The Minot Area Development Corporation (MADC) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to diversify and stabilize the economy of the Minot area. Founded in 1955, MADC is the lead economic development group for the city of Minot, and a key logistics and distribution advocate for North Dakota exporters. They’ve taken the reins on a project that will create an intermodal facility in Minot, bringing exporters the intermodal transportation options that are currently lacking in the state. MADC has gathered local and out-of-state entities, including ports, railways and ocean carriers, to collaborate on establishing reduced cost and increased security transportation options in North Dakota so that exporters can more easily transport their goods to international markets.
Approximately 75 people took part in the 2018 Global Business Awards ceremony, which was sponsored by the North Dakota Trade Office and its network of trade service providers. It was held on May 23 at the Radisson in Fargo. The event consisted of a luncheon and a keynote address by Meridith Elliott Powell, an award-winning author and business strategist that coaches audiences on business growth in the new economy and thriving in uncertainty. For more information, visit www.ndto.com
The North Dakota Trade Office is a member-based organization that provides education, research, advocacy, and leadership so that North Dakota companies can develop and expand their export business. NDTO is a public-private partnership, led by a board of directors and chaired by North Dakota Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford.