Kodi Benson

Customer Service Department Manager, PREMIER Bankcard

What are you working on now? 

With North Sioux City Council, we have numerous projects that we are working on from putting in a new water tower, to expanding a trail system from North Sioux City into Dakota Dunes and then eventually into Sioux City. We continue to try to recruit new businesses in North Sioux City from an economical development standpoint to create job opportunities and bring more individuals to our local communities. We make decisions on a daily basis and do our best to enhance the lives of our citizens and our overall community.   

What is your vision for the future? / What would you like to see happen in Siouxland? 

I would like to see our tri-state areas continue to partner together to grow our communities both financially and economically. We need to find ways to benefit all of Siouxland from a company standpoint as well as a citizen standpoint. This includes but isn’t limited to getting our community members to work, to developing our rural sanitary sewer system, to recruiting athletic events to participate in all areas of our tri-state area. We have seen great strides in these efforts through our United Sports Academy in North Sioux City, the Siouxland Expo Center, and the Arena Sports Academy in Sioux City. These have not only direct jobs but many indirect jobs as well due to the number of travelers coming to our local communities.  

What are you doing to make that happen? 

We are always looking for new growth in North Sioux City from an economical development standpoint and are always looking for new ways to recruit people to live in North Sioux City. We are working on some items that will help benefit low-income affordable housing that will create a win for our citizens and a win for our businesses, which in turn is a win for our community.

How can people help you make that happen? 

We need to look for new inventive ways to bring more developers to our communities to create low incoming housing. If your city has the opportunity to take advantage of a program, point it out and bring it to their attention. If you notice grants that can be applied for, send them to your city administration and/or economic development. If you have a job you are hiring for don’t just limit your business to your local community but expand it to the tri-state area.

What is the most important key to success? 

Only two words, team work. Together we will succeed, individually we fail. There is no one person that can accomplish and change the world by themselves; but with buy-in from our community, and all of our local leaders and dedication from everyone, we have limitless possibilities and can achieve anything.

What is one challenging life experience that taught you something you’ve been able to use to your benefit or to the benefit of others? 

Don’t settle for anything in your life: your career, your relationships, or in your personal goals. Once you accomplish your goals, set a new one. Without goals, life and work is boring, you always need something to strive for in order to better yourself and get to the next level. I have had many challenges in my life from having forced career changes, to relationships that didn’t work out, to other issues, but I have learned to not let those challenges define me. I have learned to over- come,  push-forward, and learn from them. With every experience comes a learning opportunity. You can’t succeed without failure; it’s just like Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb. He didn’t do it on the first try, but he learned more than 900 ways how not to invent a light bulb, furthermore he didn’t do it alone.

What quote or saying inspires you?

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world; We can’t change the world in a day but we can change the world one interaction at a time!”

Volunteer:

Vice President of City Council for the City of North Sioux City 

Board of Directors North Sioux City Fire Department 

SIMPCO Board