Investing in Place: An Essay in Words and Photos
In the early 1990s, after Mandan’s chamber and tourism departments joined forces with Bismarck’s, community members in Mandan still saw a need to support local businesses through events and engagement. The Mandan Progress Organization (MPO) was born, and in the years
since, has spearheaded 10 signature events, including community staples like Buggies & Blues; Holiday Lights on Main; and — for the first time this year — the Independence Day Prairie Pyro-Musical.
Executive Director Matt Schanandore ’05, MBA ’06, took the helm of MPO in 2022. He says the group’s purpose is to create core memories for community members and families that eventually become annual traditions. When Schanandore started at MPO, there were two employees. Now, the team has grown to six, five of whom are University of Mary alumni. He wanted a lively, energetic, and inspired team committed to service, and that’s exactly what these young alumni bring.
“They already know the Benedictine value of service, and with MPO, they get to live it out every day,” says Schanandore. “Our events bring families together and let them forget about the stresses of the world. It creates a very special experience.”
The community agrees. MPO’s events welcome more than 100,000 people to Mandan throughout the year. While such participation is certainly an economic driver for the city, service to community is the team’s ultimate goal, inspired directly by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery.
“We aim to do what the Sisters have always done: Serve our community well and sacrifice lots of time and effort for the community’s greater good,” Schanandore says.
