By Sara Quam
It looks as though Luverne's economy is getting a boost from a business with local ties.
Netbriefings, an Internet Webcasting services company, announced June 21 that it will expand in Luverne. The Luverne Economic Development Authority is offering a $250,000 loan pending council approval and agreement upon loan conditions.
But even without final approval, all signs point to Netbriefings' new customer and product service center coming to Luverne.
Gary Anderson, CEO of Netbriefings, said, "I'm happy to be able to expand my business in the community where my parents live and the area where I was raised. This will allow our company to conduct our national product and services rollout by drawing upon the hard working and strong pool of talented people that Luverne provides."
Anderson's parents, Wayne and LaVonne Anderson, still live outside of Luverne, and his younger brothers are Luverne graduates. Anderson said he feels comfortable in southwest Minnesota as he spent most of his childhood in Slayton. He also preferred the Luverne location because of the access to Sioux Falls and its airport in particular.
In addition to the LEDA's financial support, Netbriefings is looking for funding from the Southwest Minnesota Foundation, a Small Business Administration loan and private capital.
The St. Paul company came to Luverne's attention through Patrick Pelstring, who also has Luverne ties.
Pelstring hosts meetings in which businesses and cities come together to find the right match. It's a tool the city of Luverne has used for some time to make contacts.
Anderson said that after meeting with six other cities, Luverne started to feel right. "We did a session and only visited Hibbing and Luverne. The chemistry was just there. I think part of it was the LEDA being such a good group to work with," he said.
As a Webcasting company, Netbriefings streams live audio and video for corporations wanting to have meetings in different locations. The company can also archive the meetings for large companies that may have employees who need to catch up.
LEDA Director Tony Chladek said he looks forward to the company's Luverne expansion.
"It can be risky," Chladek said, "but I think it's the type of company Luverne's been asking for, and it could be the one that brings back some of our graduates."
Netbriefings expects to hire a manager after finding the right office space. Within a year, Anderson estimates he'll need five to six employees at the most. He expects that number to increase to 31 after three years. The process of finding a manager could start as early as September.