With the snip of a scissors, the Strom Center was officially opened August 24, 2007.  Pictured left to right: Dr. Lee Vickers, president of DSU (1999-2008); Jerome Strom, major donor of the Strom Center and DSU alumnus; and John Hoeven, governor of North Dakota. For eight years now, The Strom Conference has focused on entrepreneurial opportunities and innovations. This event is sponsored by Dickinson State University with the support of Jerome Strom, a North Dakota native and entrepreneur. In 2008, the format of the conference changed from a 3 day event to a series, necessitating a name change as well. The Strom Entrepreneurial Leadership Series now focuses on a different aspect of entrepreneurial creativity and innovative leadership in each half day event. This new format will allow business leaders to enhance competitive business practices by attending more frequent seminars on timely topics. One half-day session will be held each month during January, February, March, and April. Webster’s dictionary defines an entrepreneur as “one who launches or manages a business venture, often assuming risks.” With a theme of Creativity and Innovation, the Strom Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation seeks to aid entrepreneurs at all levels in managing their own enterprise. The Strom Entrepreneurial Leadership Series events strive to provide business leaders with new ideas and the opportunity to learn more about practical applications to improve workforce recruitment and retention, performance appraisals, and other crucial topics.

Jerome Strom is a Dickinson State College alumnus who lives in Los Altos Hills, Calif. He and his late wife, Rosie Ann have been enthusiastic supporters of Dickinson State since their graduation in 1958 and 1960.

The Stroms have supported and contributed financially to Dickinson State University’s entrepreneurship conferences since its inception in 2001. They have stressed that there continues to be a need for new job opportunities within the state. Stroms, like many other graduates of the North Dakota school system, left the state in 1960, because opportunities were more apparent in other states. After teaching in Oregon and California, they have been in private business since 1963.

They credit their success in private business to the importance of commitment that was stressed by their North Dakota heritage. It is their belief that because of increased education, communication and transportation capabilities, North Dakota will become, more and more, a job destination.

Jerome Strom, a native of Beulah, N.D., graduated from Dickinson State in 1960 and his late wife, Rosie Ann (Ridl), a native of Dickinson graduated in 1958. They established the Strom Business Scholarship fund in 1982, which remains the largest single business scholarship at Dickinson State. In addition, they have funded many different activities, including being the sole contributor for Dickinson State University’s North Dakota Entrepreneurship conference. Strom owns and operates Yale Investment Company, a private real estate Investment firm in Palo Alto, California.

Jerome Strom has two children and five grandchildren.

Past Conferences: 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007
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