The Entrepreneurial Perspective
Minot State University and the Minot State Severson Entrepreneurship Academy are proud to sponsor The Entrepreneurial Perspective: Opportunities in Healthcare on November 13 at the MSU Student Center Conference Center.
About the Event
Through an inspiring speaker series, we aim to offer dynamic live case studies, ignite the entrepreneurial spirit, and foster a culture of innovation and growth in North Dakota. The lunch panel discussion will focus on various opportunities in healthcare through the unique experiences of three local entrepreneurs: Chad Thompson, Katie (Aide) Kringen ’07/’09, and Jerick Hensen ’06.
Event Schedule • November 13
11:30 a.m.
Free lunch and welcome from Dr. Amy Lee, Chair of MSU Nursing
12 p.m.
Featured speaker panel discussion moderated by Randy Conway, Director of the Severson Entrepreneurship Academy and Sydney Berg, senior, majoring in Individualized Studies
Featured Speakers
Chad Thompson
Prairie Grit Adaptive Sports
Chad Thompson has over 22 years of experience in restaurant operations, holding various roles including Server, Bartender, General Manager, Area Director, Chief Development Officer, and Owner. He currently owns four Qdoba Mexican Eats locations and one Jersey Mike's Subs restaurant.
Chad is the President of Norsk Brothers LLC, which developed and owns adaptive reuse properties in downtown Minot, including the AT Lofts—a building housing 21 loft apartments and The Starving Rooster restaurant—as well as the Nodak building. He also leads Sister Oak Farms LLP, a company that owns farmland with plans for self-storage development, and Leve Mer LLC, a real estate holding firm. Currently, Chad serves as the board chair for Prairie Grit Adaptive Sports and the Minot Hockey Boosters and is a board member for: Minot Hockey Boosters, Prairie Grit Adaptive Sports, Rehab Services Incorporated, Minot Family YMCA.
Born and raised in Minot, North Dakota, Chad is married to Angie, and together they have four children: Oliver (16), Palmer (13), Wells (10), and Ford (7).
In 2016, Chad and Angie founded Prairie Grit Adaptive Sports (PGAS) in Minot, inspired by their son Palmer, who was born with Spina Bifida. Recognizing a lack of recreational opportunities for people with special needs in Minot, Chad and Angie, passionate about physical activity, teamwork, and goal-setting, established PGAS to provide sports and recreational opportunities for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. Since 2017, they have also donated 1% of sales from their Qdoba locations in Minot, Williston, and Dickinson to support PGAS.
Katie Kringen, MS, CCC-SLP
Chatter Pediatric Therapy
A native of Bottineau, ND, Katie earned her Bachelors in Communication Disorders and Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from Minot State University. After six years of working in the public school system, she moved with her husband and three children to Williston, ND. In 2015, Katie founded Chatter Pediatric Therapy, providing essential therapy services for children and their families across Western North Dakota. Since then, Chatter has expanded to Dickinson in 2020, Jamestown in 2022, and Minot in 2023. In response to the high demand for same-day medical care in Williston, Katie also opened Chatter Family Walk-in Clinic in 2020. Katie loves spending her free time with her family at Lake Metigoshe. Between coaching volleyball and cheering on her kids in hockey and other sports, she keeps a busy schedule. She proudly serves on the Northwest North Dakota Community Foundation and the Williston State College Foundation. Family, sports, and her large, extended family are her greatest joys in life!
Jerick Hensen, DDS
Souris Valley Dental Group
Dr. Hensen is one of the talented dentists at Souris Valley Dental Group. Dr. Hensen enjoys helping people achieve and maximize oral health in lasting ways. He also greatly values the relationships he’s built with countless individuals and families over the years. Dr. Hensen completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the Creighton School of Dentistry. Ever since then, he has pursued hundreds of hours of continuing education at both the state and regional levels, mostly with Spear Education. He currently runs a local study club through Spear that includes local general dentists, specialists, and dental laboratory technicians.
Dr. Hensen and his wife Hope have two extremely energetic boys named Huntley and Bentley who keep them constantly on the go. Because they grew up locally, they have plenty of family nearby and enjoy doing anything related to sports and the outdoors with loved ones. They’ve even participated in a Tough Mudder as a group before, which is a 10-mile, team-driven obstacle course. Dr. Hensen is a passionate wildlife enthusiast, with a strong focus on archery hunting. He really enjoys living the farm life in a beautiful rural area!
