Erik Peterson says he was vaguely familiar with the small town of Britton a year ago. As a football fan, he knew NFL player Dallas Goedert is from the area, and he had followed the story of Trevor Zuehlke that made statewide headlines. Though Peterson knew of Britton’s existence, it was not on his radar of places he might move to, that is, until May of 2022 when he saw an opening for Chief Financial Officer at Marshall County Healthcare Center.
Peterson is a native of Bismarck, North Dakota. Though he moved around due to his father’s military job, the family found themselves back in Bismarck where Peterson spent most of his formative years. After high school, he attended the University of North Dakota and got a degree in political science.
Soon, Peterson said he was being called in a different direction and took his education elsewhere to the University of Mary in Bismarck where he completed an accounting degree. At that point, Peterson was on the requisite post-college job hunt. A friend who was working at St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck suggested that might be a good place to work.
“I wasn’t necessarily looking for a job in healthcare, but at the time, I wasn’t picky,” said Peterson. He took a job as an accountant at the hospital and grew to enjoy it. One of the aspects of the job in healthcare and at that particular hospital, which is part of a Catholic health system, that Peterson enjoyed was its service to a larger mission. “I liked that I was working for something bigger than myself,” noted Peterson. “It gave me even more purpose in my work.”
Peterson would go on to experience some important milestones in the next couple years. In 2014, he married his wife Taryn, a Sioux Falls native, who was completing physical therapy school. She eventually took a job at Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls. Peterson moved there as well in 2015.
He spent two years working at an insurance title company there before he felt called back into healthcare. In 2017, Peterson took a position as a financial analyst for Avera Health. He explains that he worked on budgeting, financial modeling and data analytics and enjoyed the job. “That job sort of rejuvenated me and I realized how much I liked being in healthcare,” he said.
In 2020, Peterson’s world shifted, as it did for so many, with COVID. He found himself rather lonely at work as his bustling office went from many people to three or four. “I didn’t really like working from home. I missed the interactions and the mostly empty office was a struggle,” he stated.
By 2022, Peterson said he was entertaining a change of scenery. He saw a job listing in the Avera system for the CFO position in Britton and almost jokingly asked his wife about her feelings on moving to the small town. She didn’t reject the idea, laughs Peterson. When they thought about it, he says the change was looking like an opportune one. “Sioux Falls life was getting to be hectic,” he admits. By this point, the couple had two small kids, boys Blaise and Max. They could see the benefits of embracing the small-town life. Peterson added that Taryn has a brother who works in healthcare in Webster and had good things to say about Marshall County Healthcare Center.
Peterson pulled the trigger and applied for the CFO job. “Everything happened faster than I would have thought at that point,” he said. A virtual interview was followed by an in-person visit that included his family.
“I felt good after the interview process, and we liked the town. It seemed like a family friendly environment,” Peterson emphasized. After a few days of consideration with his wife, he was ready to accept the job. “It was the best thing for our family we knew.”
He started at MCHC on July 18, basically the same time the renovation and new additions were wrapping up. Peterson found CEO Nick Fosness to be a passionate leader and was in good hands as he trained with outgoing CFO Patty Roehr.
Peterson’s job now involves having a hand in many areas, from budgeting to payroll, managing bank accounts and overseeing financial efficiency. “It was a bit of a change for me, helping in so many different areas. It is also my first leadership role, but I think I have picked up on things pretty well, thanks to Patty’s great foundation here,” he added.
For his part, Fosness is pleased with what he has seen from his CFO in the last several months. “Erik brings a great finance background to our facility, from both St. Alexius in Bismarck, and most recently from Avera Mc Kennan in Sioux Falls,” he noted. “Experience in finance aside, Taryn, Erik and kids are a great addition to Britton.”
Though Peterson is still learning some ropes and settling in, he is enjoying the job and the people at MCHC. “Everyone has been very kind and welcoming. This is a special culture and I have been warmly received.” He is also impressed with the institution he has come to work for. “Britton can be proud of the way this facility is run,” he stressed. “It is keeping up with the healthcare needs of the area. We are all fortunate to have a prosperous facility in this rural area.”
Peterson is also happy to continue serving a larger mission through the Avera system. “Working here and contributing to an institution that cares for people in their time of need really gives me motivation,” he confirmed. “MCHC speaks to my personal values.”
The new CFO says he is excited about the future both for the sake of MCHC and his family. He and Taryn will be adding a third child to the family soon and are looking forward to a northeastern South Dakota summer. When not working, Peterson also enjoys golfing and traveling with his family.
