NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: Monday, Aug. 22, 2011

CONTACT: Brooke Bohnenkamp, Governor’s Office of Economic Development, 605.773.3301

                      Leon Steinberg, Chairman, Black Hills, IP Board of Directors, 605.415.4428

    Black Hills IP Cuts Ribbon, Companies Bring Jobs from India To South Dakota

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Black Hills IP, one of Rapid City’s newest corporate citizens, celebrated its Rapid City office and training facility today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Black Hills IP provides docketing and paralegal support to intellectual-property law firms and legal departments. The majority of Black Hills IP’s employees are highly-trained paralegals. The company has 16 employees in Rapid City and plans to add 48 more in the next two years.

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard is especially impressed with the new company because it’s not only creating jobs in South Dakota, but is bringing jobs back to the United States.

“Some of the law firms and legal departments using Black Hills IP services had previously outsourced their support services to India,” the Governor said. “In this global economy, it’s encouraging to see companies creating jobs and investing in this country and this state.”

Ann McCrackin, Black Hills IP President, says the investment in South Dakota is about more than just patriotism. She says technological advances and higher productivity from American workers allows Black Hills IP to be competitive with similar organizations based in India.

“Black Hills IP is obviously glad to be headquartered in the nation’s heartland, but offering these services on U.S. soil also makes solid business sense,” said McCrackin. “Given the option, our customers would sooner interact with U.S. workers during normal business hours.”

The South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the Rapid City Economic Development Corp. helped Black Hills IP establish its Rapid City facility.

“We’re pleased to welcome Black Hills IP to Rapid City,” said Rapid City Economic Development Director Ben Snow. “Black Hills IP is creating solid and well-paying job opportunities in our community.”

Black Hills IP was formed when it took over ownership and management of Schwegman Lundberg and Woessner’s Rapid City support center, which was first established in August of 2010.   Black Hills IP provides outsourced intellectual-property legal support services that include docketing, paralegal, proofreading and annuity management services.  For more information, visit www.blackhillsip.com

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