Day of Development

03/26/2026

The 2026 Day of Development is in the books! This year marks our best attendance to date. A special thank you to those who make this day truly great! Thank you to Laura Heathcote, Betsy Fjelland, and Sam Mooney for their behind the scenes work to make this great!

Our sponsors continue to show up and support this day!

We had great keynotes, outstanding break out sessions, and knowledgeable panelists that made this day special. Thanks!

03/25/2026

A great start to our development days in Watertown! We had a great turn out for the night of development at LATC last night. A special congrats to our Watertown Community Builders as well!

03/25/2026

One hour away!!

03/23/2026

Come on over tomorrow night to the 4th floor at LATC for the 4th annual night of development, sponsored by Prairie Lakes Hospital. Doors open at 5:00 with our first speaker starting at 5:45.

No need for a ticket, we have plenty of room.

For more details, see

The Goss Opera House • Watertown, SD • March 24-25, 2026 An inclusive high-quality professional and personal development event for all community members to enjoy. March 24-25, 2026 〰️ Join Us 〰️ March 24-25, 2026 〰️ Join Us 〰️ Register Now >

03/23/2026

Thanks for the coverage Steve!! We are looking forward to the day.

Watertown Prepares for 4th Annual “Day of Development” to Inspire Community Growth (Video/Streams)
👉 https://zurl.co/OVmuG

Read, STREAM, or listen to more interviews just like this one on Day of Development
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03/23/2026

It is Day of Development Week!!!

We have some awesome panel topics and even better talent to share their expertise.

Personal Development Strategies and Methods
Josh Houge
Jess Jasso
Marli Sayler

Advancing Your Career Within Your Organization
Corey Rabenberg
Robb Peterson
Brandi Hanten

From Burnout to Buy-In: Supporting Staff Well-Being
Luke Bruns
Dustin Flatten
Michael Heuer

Building Trust with Stakeholders/Boards
Tracy Buisker
Alan Stager
Matt Roby

Send a message to learn more

03/13/2026

Strong communities are built by strong individuals. In Watertown, we are fortunate to have people who show up every day with hard work, dedication, pride, and loyalty to the places they work and the community they call home.

Whether it’s helping customers, supporting coworkers, serving students, or simply doing the small things right day after day, these individuals make a difference. Their commitment not only strengthens their workplaces but also helps make Watertown a better place for everyone.

It is my honor to announce the 2026 Watertown Community Builder Awards.

Congrats to:
Kelly Jaderborg- Boys and Girls Club
Carmen Bakken- Merle Tschakert/Bailey Van Sickle Edward Jones
Morgan Hoff-Nelson- Real Estate Professionals
Denise Ragels- Beacon Center
Kevin Lauseng- ESCO-Stein Sign

03/12/2026

We are less than two weeks away!! Tickets still available.

The Goss Opera House • Watertown, SD • March 24-25, 2026 An inclusive high-quality professional and personal development event for all community members to enjoy. March 24-25, 2026 〰️ Join Us 〰️ March 24-25, 2026 〰️ Join Us 〰️ Register Now >

03/05/2026

Great work by Ben Ries at Stein Sign. This display will be shared around town on their billboards!

Also, thanks to the Rotary Club in Watertown for their sponsorship of the Top 4 Under 40!

02/27/2026

Congrats to the 2026 Top 4 Under 40 Finalists, sponsored by the Watertown Rotary Club. A great group of people doing wonderful things for our community!

Tia Hutt
Dacotah Bank, Junior Achievement, Watertown Homebuilders Association, Habitat for Humanity, United Way

Heidi Clausen
Watertown School District, LATC Strategic Advisory Council, Friends of Arrows

Jordan Wollschlager
First Premier Bank, Lions Club, Lake Area Foundation Board, Chamber Ambassador, State Ag Lenders Board, Watertown 20-50 Group

Sabrina Valsvig
Elevate IV

Derek Barton
Four Seasons Small Engine Repair

Michael Wight
Wight Comes Funeral Chapel, Past president of Watertown Lions Club, SD Funeral Directors Association, and member of the Ducks Unlimited

Seth Fryer
Seppanan Contracting

Lindsay Stangl
Visit Watertown, Watertown Kiwanis Club, Watertown Curling Club

Shane Hardie
SD Division of Criminal Investigation, Faternal Order of Police

Shauna Geier
Happy Trails

Amanda Woodruff
Rachel's Hope, SD Bureau of Human Resources and Administration.