What began as a single sidewalk installation grew into a family business helping shape the landscape of South Dakota’s capital city and beyond.

Mark and Glennis Zarecky returned to their hometown in the early 1980s from Colorado, when Mark put his construction skills to work as an entrepreneur and Glennis worked full time at a bank to help pay the bills.

“Our beginnings were lean, but Mark’s work ethic was extraordinary — he worked seven days a week for years,” Glennis Zarecky said. “The first job was a concrete pour for a new residential sidewalk, and it ended up that the business just kept growing.”

Midwest Construction Inc. now is a premier general contractor serving the Pierre area with commercial and multifamily projects. But the Zareckys didn’t stop there. Early on, they partnered with Glennis’ parents in a mobile home community, where she learned business accounting. Later, the couple expanded into land development with projects such as the Highlands Ridge and Brookstone additions, developing commercial and residential lots, apartments and commercial buildings.

As the company expanded beyond land development, the Zareckys remodeled an older building in the heart of Pierre into the Capitol Creek Centre, a multitenant professional building. And 10 years ago, they became the owners of the Pierre Mall, renaming it Northridge Plaza and landing national tenants, including Hobby Lobby, T.J.Maxx and Five Below.

“We’re proud of the changes at the mall because they’re making a meaningful impact on sales tax revenue and revitalizing a building that needed attention,” Zarecky said. “Having local ownership ensures ongoing investment, and Mark has a true gift for seeing the potential in a property and bringing it to life.”

Most recently, they purchased Riverwalk Landing, a waterfront development on Lake Sharpe within the Missouri River channel. Their daughter operates Drifters Bar & Grille and Event Center, and the family has added a 61-slip marina – filling a community need for more convenient river access.

“And now, we’re in the planning process of building the LOFTS at Riverwalk Landing – a mixed-use community with commercial on the ground floor and residential condominiums on the upper three floors,” Zarecky said.

But when it came to envisioning the family business’s own future, the Zareckys knew they needed additional support.

In 2022, they worked with USD’s Coyote Business Consulting as Mark prepared to retire from day-to-day operations.

“The students were involved in those initial conversations about the company’s transition, and they gave us good marching orders,” Zarecky said. “They are still relevant today, three years later.”

Their sons, Michael and Andy, have taken on leadership roles as co-owners of Midwest Construction, with Glennis becoming CEO when Mark retired. But that was just one step in transitioning.

“As we age, it’s clear we need both an exit plan and an estate plan,” she said. “We want to determine where our children’s interests and strengths lie, recognizing they may not want to be involved in every aspect of the business. There’s important work ahead.”

They got started by connecting with the Prairie Family Business Association, which the family first encountered during an award ceremony for one of their business lenders.

“I was familiar with them, but we hadn’t been very active. Once our sons became more involved in the company, I began engaging with their resources. I now listen to nearly all of their webinars, which are consistently excellent. One recent session was so practical and insightful that I was grateful it was recorded so I could revisit it,” Zarecky said.

To set the family’s own transition in motion, they started by taking advantage of the Family Business Action Plan earlier this year through Prairie Family Business Association.

It involves both an initial and final family meeting, spread out over two months. Families work with a team of professional advisers in a confidential, non-solicitive environment. Pre-meeting documents are submitted, and ultimately, the adviser team provides a fresh look and road map for the future.

“We met with four professionals, shared information and received thoughtful recommendations that are helping us move forward with clarity,” Zarecky said.

From there, the family attended the association’s Family Business Retreat this August, offered over three days. This year, it was hosted at the family-owned Lazy J Sporting Club in Tripp County.

“The facilitators were excellent – both thought-provoking and engaging,” Zarecky said. “They provided tremendous value not just to us but to all the families present. It was reassuring to connect with other families navigating similar challenges and to realize we’re not alone.”

While some programming applied to the whole group, families also met individually with facilitators throughout the retreat.

“We held sessions specific to our family, and the facilitator assigned to us was exactly the expertise we needed. The match was thoughtful and extremely effective,” Zarecky said.

Now that the retreat is over, the family is working more actively on estate and transition planning, with monthly meetings to stay on track.

“The Zarecky family is a tremendous example of what getting on the same page can do for a family and the future of their business,” said Stephanie Larscheid, executive director of Prairie Family Business Association.

“By engaging in family communication, engaging with a variety of our programming and ultimately committing to spending three days together at the retreat, the family is in position to execute their shared vision and goals.”

The family’s transition likely will take years, but it’s reassuring to know the process has begun, Zarecky said.

“We are still at the beginning of this process. My father used to say it’s much easier to get into business than to get out of it, and that wisdom stays with me. Mark and I are deeply committed to our investments and real estate in Pierre. While I’m not ready to retire, I want the peace of mind of knowing there is a long-term plan in place for when that time comes.”

To learn more about how the Prairie Family Business Association can support your family business journey through the generations, visit fambus.org, or contact assistant director Mason Van Essen at mason.vanessen@usd.edu or 605-274-9519.