Brent Ekstrom ('89) serves as the executive director of the Lewis & Clark Development Group – a collaboration of three nonprofit organizations: Lewis & Clark Regional Development Council, Lewis & Clark Certified Development Company, and CommunityWorks North Dakota. In this role, he says he is “actively and directly involved in community and economic development that improves individuals’ quality of life and enhances local economies.”
Ekstrom and his team have helped to create and retain over 4,700 jobs and have developed or maintained 3,000 affordable single- and multi-family housing units in the state. They’ve also provided assistance on more than 2,000 small business and housing projects across North Dakota, totaling more than $794 million.
In addition to serving the community through his career, Ekstrom is actively engaged in volunteer service as a youth leader at United Methodist Church and as a Boy Scout leader. He has also served on the BSC National Alumni Association Board of Directors for six years beginning in 2001 – as chairperson, vice president and board president. In 2018, Ekstrom received the National NeighborWorks Association Emerging Leader Award. |