From computers to Smithfield Foods, well-rounded experience leads new grad to marketing

April 17, 2018

This week’s Up-and-Comer is James Dykes, a digital marketing coordinator at Paulsen.

Name: James Dykes

Age: 23

Hometown: Tea

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

I grew up in the area.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

During college, I interned at Paulsen Ag. At summer’s end, Paulsen asked me to continue working while I finished my last few college classes. What keeps me in Sioux Falls is that I love going to work every day.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

One thing that I really like about my job is that I feel like my knowledge and opinion are always taken into consideration.

How did you get connected to your industry?

That’s a long story. In short, during high school and my first two years of college, I was interested in computer science.

The next semester, I took an array of different classes, including dance, electrical engineering, commercial computer-aided design/drafting, etc. In the drafting class, we were assigned to 3-D model a logo in order to learn SolidWorks software, which became my first exposure to branding and brand perception, and I was hooked. I started taking marketing/ advertising classes, which is where I really fell in love with this field. I participated in the 2017 South Dakota State University National Student Advertising Competition, where our team placed eighth in the nation. Through that experience, I developed a more robust media background.

You also spent summers in college working in production at Smithfield Foods, formerly John Morrell. What kind of experience did that provide you?

Working at John Morrell taught me how to work hard. That experience drove me to keep my grades up and make something of myself.

Describe Paulsen in three words.

Confident. Family. Achieving.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

I would like for someone to bring back Gigglebees. I would love to see Wilbur deliver pizzas once again — just for the nostalgia of it.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I want to be a leading influence in my industry.

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From computers to Smithfield Foods, well-rounded experience leads new grad to marketing

This week’s Up-and-Comer is James Dykes, a digital marketing coordinator at Paulsen.

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