Sept. 11, 2015

Appareo recognized as NDSU Campus Community Partner

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Appareo has been honored as an NDSU Campus Community Partner. The company was recognized during a flag raising ceremony Sept. 11 at the NDSU Flag Plaza.

Appareo designs, develops and manufactures innovative electronic and software solutions for original equipment manufacturers and direct-to-market consumer products. NDSU alumnus Barry Batcheller is the company's chairman and CEO. He received an honorary doctorate from NDSU in 2010.

During the ceremony, NDSU President Dean L. Bresciani said Appareo is among the university's corporate partners that contribute to the betterment of our city, state and nation.

"Appareo was one of the first major corporations to partner with NDSU in the development of our Research and Technology Park," Bresciani said. "It's Barry's continuing vision and passion for that partnership that are making NDSU and our community stronger and better as each day goes by."

Tony Grindberg, manager of the Appareo Aviation Business Unit and former NDSU Research and Technology Park executive director, said, "This a goose bump moment for all of us when we look at the impact of Mr. Batcheller and the Batcheller family's commitment to North Dakota."

Appareo had two employees when Batcheller rented a room in the NDSU Research and Technology Park in 2003. By 2007, the company had grown to 50 employees, and it constructed its first building in the park during 2009.

To date, Appareo has disseminated more than $100 million throughout the local economy through salaries and purchased goods and services, Batcheller said.

"We now have several hundred people," Batcheller said of his company's continuing advancement. "Soon we will have another major growth spurt. We are entering the market with some new avionic products, and we recently purchased the former Alien Technology building."

He said Appareo's proximity to campus plays an important role in his company's growth. "We have access to the product of NDSU, which is really some of the finest minds of the Upper Midwest. That is something we consume every day," Batcheller said. "We certainly stand ready to do our part to be good partners in the future, as we have in the past."

Bresciani established the Campus Community Partner program in 2012 to recognize private sector collaborations with the university that benefit the community. Other Campus Community Partners include Sanford Health, Microsoft, Gate City Bank and Scheels.

The Appareo corporate flag will fly with the NDSU flag for the next several months at the NDSU Flag Plaza, located in the southwest corner of campus at the intersection of 12th Avenue North and 18th Street.

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