Region V - Saturday Industry Roundtables

Our mission at 701x® is to empower the beef cattle industry with unprecedented data, tracking solutions, automation, and secure digital records. Through extensive market research we found a need for more technology within the agriculture space specific for beef cattle ranchers. At 701x, we’re invested in building the future of ranching, and we want to make life for ranchers as easy as possible. Giving ranchers full control of their operation is our goal, and we do our best to make every 701x herd as productive as possible. To that end, we’ve developed an innovative cattle management system. Our cattle management system encompasses a software solution and data collection devices. With our products, beef cattle producers are empowered to make better-informed management decisions backed by data.

Chris and Teresa are two shepherds and fiber experts who joined their fiber arts businesses, purchased a 100-year-old abandoned school building and restored it into a world class retreat center and boutique hotel called Nome Schoolhouse. They look forward to sharing their love of fiber arts, industry, and agriculture through their for-profit businesses, the Nome Schoolhouse and Shepherds Industries as well as through their non-profit educational side, the Nome Eweniversity. They connect shepherds, fiber, fiber arts enthusiasts, and fiber artists and makers through direct educational offerings while preserving a historic building and growing rural community. Nome Schoolhouse is a Boutique Hotel, Retreat Center, Event Center, Fiber Processing Mill, Online Business, Needle Felting Kits & Instructions, and Fiber Art, Agriculture, and Industry Education.
Learn With them with a Hands-on, take-home Needle Felting activity while learning about Chris & Teresa's experience in business. ​

Megan believes in feeding people: whether that is finding delight in artisan cheese or helping those who may struggle feeding their family, her involvement with the Growing Together Community Garden’s provides the tangible experiences of growing food and feeding the community. Through Heart & Soul community cafe, you’ll find Megan bringing her culinary skills to the kitchen.
That's why you'll find a cheesy man in a bowtie and monocle adorned salami hanging out with an olive with pimento baseball cap. You’ll find that Megan brings her whole self to Milk Made. She lives the brand, knowing this world is full of incredible product from artisan producers. Bringing that cheese to you is her craft.
Looking back at what brought Megan to the creation of Milk Made, it's clear she wasn't trying to find her place in the culinary world, she was taking her steps to make Milk Made a reality.
Milk Made is a culmination of natural business savvy, artistic instincts, and a professional culinary education.

Seth Carlson founded Dakota Timber Company in 2013 and serves as company President. In his role, Carlson oversees the manufacturing, operations, and retail distribution of Dakota Timber Company’s products. Dakota Timber Company is a full-scale wood manufacturing plant that utilizes sustainably sourced wood to manufacture a variety of Made in America wood products.
Carlson grew up in a small town in North Dakota and was raised by “tree-hugger” parents who encouraged him to spend most of his free time outdoors. His dad volunteered as City Forester and Carlson quickly learned how to plant and care for trees alongside his dad and older brother. It was during this time that he also developed a passion for sustainability and for finding creative ways to support environmental causes.
Following his graduation from Central Cass High School in Casselton, ND, Carlson attended the University of Minnesota, Duluth and received a BFA in Acting. While developing his acting skills Seth enjoyed working in the scene shop where he would build sets for plays and performances. His experience building sets and solving problems behind-the-scenes would directly inform his career as an entrepreneur.
After college - fresh with his knowledge of manufacturing - he started building and selling platform beds. Just a few years later he transitioned into the reclaimed wood business.
In 2012, Dakota Timber Co. was founded by Carlson after an opportunity to purchase lumber inventory from a reclaimed wood company that was going out of business arose. He quickly noticed a large demand for high-quality, American-made products which led to investing in machinery, equipment, and personnel to start processing old wood into usable and saleable material.

Vanna Adventure Vans:
You dream it, we build it. Vanna Adventure Vans are equipped with the most advanced off-grid technology on the market. True four-season, full off-grid functionality. Vanna is now developing mobile medical units as well as mobile offices. Nick Lehr is the community engagement director and helps with community development, sales, rental management and customer experience and events.