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Parallel Decisions Lead to Fargo Originally published in U Magazine December l997 "Three years ago I never imagined doing what I'm doing today," says Julie Cabinaw, CORE Marketing Manager. "But that's why I'm at Great Plains. I don't want any two days to be the same-and here they're not." "I wound up with the opportunity to do the kind of work I love in a place that I love to be in," GPS Vice President of Communications, Michael J. Olsen, relates. "You don't get too many opportunities like that-this was just too good to pass up." Jobs aside, the region and its personality are strong magnets for both Julie and Michael. Julie says, "Family is important. We're all migrating back to this region. There are so many advantages. I don't want my kids to have to go through metal detectors at the school door like I did in Colorado." Michael reflects, "The ambience and feel of North Dakota keep me here. I feel like a part of the prairie. I've been all over. I've adapted to all kinds of situations. But there's a familiar chord that strikes when I head west on I-94-a resonance that helps ground me and keep me real." Born in Fargo, Julie Cabinaw left the area as a child, settling with her family in Colorado Springs when her father retired from the military. As a college student, Julie was already eager to return to Fargo-Moorhead. Choosing to participate in a National Student Exchange program, Julie transferred to MSU to complete her education. While at MSU she set her sights on Great Plains Software. Julie says, "I decided that Great Plains was where I wanted to be and began planning how to make that happen." That decision meant resigning her position with a local insurance agency to take a 30 day temporary position at GPS. Thirty days turned into three years, several promotions, the opportunity to pioneer Great Plains Software direct sales on the Internet, and countless growth opportunities. Michael J. Olsen, also a native son, left the FM area in 1982 to move to Washington D.C. as a member of Senator Mark Andrews' staff. After five years in Washington with Andrews and later with then Secretary of Transportation, Elizabeth Dole, Michael and his family moved to the Twin Cities. A dozen years later, working at the PR firm of Himle Horner, Michael made a business call on Great Plains Software and "had a pretty good conversation" about PR and what Great Plains needed with Chairman and CEO, Doug Burgum. The PR firm didn't get the job, but Michael did. He says, "It wasn't the original intent, but it worked out great!" Regarding his decision, Michael says, "Even minimum research confirms that GPS is one of the country's best companies to work for." There is a corporate culture that you don't find many other places." He goes on, "We have a very homogenized culture at GPS-we're all working toward a shared vision-but we're a diverse work force. We have different opinions and talents. We're not a bunch of cookie cutter employees who define teamwork as agreement. We have varied personalities, and while healthy conflict is part of that mix-so is mutual respect." Julie's comments reinforce Michael's. "To make changes, you have to take risks. You take a stand, and sometimes take flak for it, but your ideas are respected. Everyone knows that risks are a learning opportunity and that there's as great a chance for failure as for success." Julie and Michael each made conscious decisions to return to Fargo. Julie's decision launched her career. Michael's is placing a capstone. According to Olsen, "It doesn't make any difference where you live in a knowledge-based industry. We live in Fargo...we have global responsibilities. The stars lined up to make it possible to do a job at this level and to be in Fargo, ND-and that's pretty neat." U
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