Bradyn Neises: Latest Leadership Sioux Falls Graduate
Bender Commercial’s Bradyn Neises is officially a Leadership Sioux Falls graduate.
The thirty-two members of the 34th Leadership Sioux Falls class graduated in September 2020 after the original May graduation date was delayed due to COVID-19.
The Evan C. Nolte Leadership Sioux Falls program is designed to develop leaders in the greater Sioux Falls community through educational experiences. Via monthly sessions, the program teaches participants about the city and helps the class identify ways of serving and engaging the community using their strengths, talents, and purpose.
Neises is the third graduate of Leadership Sioux Falls to come from Bender Commercial Real Estate Services. Founder, Michael Bender (LSF Class 8 – 1994), and partner, Reggie Kuipers (LSF Class 26 – 2012), are also alumni.
Neises reflected on his time in Leadership Sioux Falls:
Van Essen: How was the program structured? Was it impacted by COVID-19?
Neises: Main sessions were held monthly between October 2019 and May of this year with supplemental monthly breakout sessions that allowed us to get closer to what was being discussed that month. We had to pivot to socially distant sessions towards the end of the program due to the pandemic, but that format didn’t take away from the content of the meetings.
V: Sioux Falls is a dynamic and growing city with plenty of opportunities and challenges. What did you learn about what’s facing our city?
N: We had sessions about topics ranging from the role local politics play to what urban planning looks like in the coming years in Sioux Falls. Working in commercial real estate I’ve had the chance to see how certain properties function in the city’s plan. Leadership Sioux Falls let me see the bigger picture of growth opportunities in Sioux Falls both in the physical presence of the city and in the community that makes it unique.
“Leaders have to realize they can’t do everything—it takes communication, vision, and encouragement to trust those around you to help make progress on big goals.” -Bradyn Neises
V: Leadership is a broad topic with so many different styles and skills. How did they approach developing leadership in the program?
N: There was an emphasis to reflect on what your unique talents and strengths are and to think about how to bring those skills out of those around you. Leaders have to realize they can’t do everything—it takes communication, vision, and encouragement to trust those around you to help make progress on big goals. At the end of the day, you get the best results by combining your hard work and pouring into those around you.
V: What was it like to be surrounded by a group of growth-minded leaders?
N: One of the goals of Leadership Sioux Falls is to create a network of informed citizens to help the city grow. It was great being around a group of high-energy people that want to create positive change. It’s also been encouraging meeting so many alumni from the last thirty plus years of the program. There are leaders at every career stage across every industry willing to give back. Sioux Falls is in good hands.