BryAnn Becker Knecht

BryAnn Becker Knecht

Communications and marketing, helping organizations tell their story, building relationships, and community and audience engagement are the themes that run through my career. I have worked in marketing/communications for more than a decade, with experience in the public and private sectors in health care, biofuels/ag technology, and the City of Sioux Falls. 

Most recently, I managed communications, public relations and media relations for Mayor Paul TenHaken’s Office and informed the community about issues and topics that affect their daily lives. I am passionate about community engagement, storytelling that inspires the community, women's leadership, and making an impact in our community.

In Sioux Falls, I am an involved community member and a graduate of Leadership Sioux Falls Class 32. Outside of work, I enjoy running on the bike trails, teaching and practicing yoga, exploring local hiking trails and Downtown Sioux Falls with my husband, and reading. Originally from Pierre, S.D., I received my bachelor’s degree in English and journalism from Augustana University and a master’s degree in English literature from the University of South Dakota.

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POET, University of South Dakota Partner to Form POET Center for Business Analytics

Thomas Tiahrt, PhD, serves as the coordinator of the Business Analytics program at the University of South Dakota’s Beacom School of Business and has been recognized as the inaugural POET Professor of Business Analytics. The problem for many businesses is that there’s often too much of it, and making informed business decisions based on that data — such as predicting the success of an advertising campaign or making optimal portfolio assumptions — requires complex analysis. As the world of big
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People of POET: From SDSU Dairy Program to POET, General Managers Have Shared Background

Kelly Kjelden, Daron Wilson and Blaine Gomer all studied dairy sciences as undergraduates at South Dakota State University and worked in the dairy industry before starting as general managers at POET. During the 1970s, when Daron Wilson was considering his college major and future career options, the dairy manufacturing program at South Dakota State University (SDSU) in Brookings, S.D., had several selling points: It was a well-regarded sciencebased program and had internship opportunities aple
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Rural Optimism in Challenging Times

By key economic indicators, the ag economy is down. Commodity prices are stagnant, farm income is down and farm debt is up. But that doesn’t deter many young farmers across the Midwest. Instead, this group of young farmers and proponents of agriculture beats to a different drum of what you might call rural optimism. Despite the challenges today of making a living in ag, farmers like Logan Weber of Atlanta, Mo., keep going by having the right perspective. Farmers have resilience on their side,
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People of POET: An Advocate for Chemistry, Science in the Community

If Melissa Tille has her way, when elementary and high school students in the Sioux Falls area are asked that age-old question of what they want to be when they grow up, one common response — among the parroted responses of doctors, lawyers and teachers — will be “scientist.” Tille is the Analytical Laboratory Manager at POET and works primarily in POET’s Research and Development arm. Both in and outside of her work at POET, she’s dedicated to sharing with students and community members how che
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POET Internship Program Offers Opportunity for Students to Gain Experience, Develop Skills

When POET interns presented an overview of their projects to team members this summer, there was a common theme, no matter the department: They were all given the opportunity to do hands-on work. That’s one of the key factors that distinguishes POET’s internship program, says Kate Hlushak, CARE Recruiting Business Partner for POET. “An internship at POET is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Our interns are hands-on, working on projects that have a direct impact on our business. We value their
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People of POET: Matt Reiners Operates at High-Energy Pace to Keep Up with Family, Work

The Reiners family at their family-owned business, Wing’s Gymnastic Academy, in Sioux Falls. The day of a snowstorm this past winter, Matt Reiners found himself at home after 5 p.m. on a weeknight with nowhere to go. Weeknight activities for the Reiners’ five kids had come to a halt. Hockey practice for their two oldest sons was called off. There was no dance or choir practice. His wife Alicia’s gym in Sioux Falls, S.D., Wings Gymnastics Academy, wasn’t running programs because there wasn’t
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REAL-WORLD CHALLENGE WITH A REAL-WORLD SOLUTION

Mitchell Sandey, Colin LeBrun, Caleb Lang, Brady Buck and Alex Koepke with the prototype in South Dakota State University’s Ag Engineering lab. Part 1 of a series that focuses on POET’s partnerships with area universities. In many college engineering courses, project scenarios come from a textbook and lack real-world constraints, like having to account for criteria such as speed, safety and cost. In other words, students might size a cylinder but not have to consider cost. That’s not the case
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POET Never Satisfied

When Anna Haydock was growing up in urban California, she noticed that not all of her classmates had the same opportunity to receive a strong education. Barriers both in the educational system and at home meant that many students fell through the cracks. The lack of funding for math and science books often meant some students didn’t have exposure to curriculum in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). She also noticed that many of her classmates were at a disadvantage because of econ
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People of POET: As Head of POET Research, Dave Bushong Focuses on Research Endeavors That Add Direct Value to POET

It’s only midafternoon on a Wednesday and Dave Bushong, Senior Vice President of Research for POET, has already met with scientists from global biosciences company DSM and had a meeting with representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It’s just a typical day for the head of POET’s Research division. Bushong provides strategic direction to POET’s research team. The team develops innovation from the lab bench through pilot plant trials and on to commercialization. What drive