Bruce Gjovig, former CEO of Center for Innovation, pens book on entrepreneurs

Native North Dakotans who have distinguished themselves in national and international business are featured in the newly published second book about innovative entrepreneurs written by Bruce Gjovig, CEO Emeritus of the UND Center for Innovation Foundation.

The book, Innovative Entrepreneurs from North Dakota: 125 Years of Impact!, features profiles of 46 North Dakotans who were born in North Dakota but made their mark in a variety of ventures outside of the state.

This is Gjovig’s sixth book and the second in a series on entrepreneurs. In 2019, Innovative Entrepreneurs of North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota: 150 Years of Impact!, was published, written by Gjovig and the late Dr. Hiram Drache, a longtime historian-in-residence at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.

“There are more former North Dakotans than current North Dakotans, and for more than a century our greatest export has been young talent which is far more valuable than our crops or energy,” says Gjovig.  “The good news is North Dakotans can go anywhere in the world and compete successfully. We do not have to play second fiddle to anyone from big urban states or Ivy League universities. This book is a sampling of that entrepreneur talent.”

The 400-page book includes a foreword by former North Dakota governor and current U.S. Senator John Hoeven. The profiles in the book include George Hughes, inventor of the electric stove and president of Hotpoint and General Electric; Billy Fawcett, founder of the Fawcett Publishing empire; Chester Fritz, international silver trader and longtime international businessman; Patrick Haggerty, president and chairman of Texas Instruments; Ralph Engelstad, Las Vegas businessman and founder of the Imperial Palace Hotel; Kirk Lanterman, entrepreneur behind Holland American Lines and Carnival Cruises;  Ray Rude, inventor of the Duraflex diving board; Clarence Myhre, founder and CEO of Frontier Airlines; Joe Whitty, founder of Happy Joe’s Pizza and Ice Cream Parlor; Sally Wold, Smith, former CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings, Scott Molander, founder of Hat World/Lids;  and Jim Engh, international golf course designer.

Gjovig continues to gather stories about more regional innovators and entrepreneurs for future books.

The book is published by Smoky Water Press of Bismarck.  It sells for $29.99 and is available at regional bookstores or online at www.DakotaBookNet.com.