Gary Thalson: North Dakota's Hospitality Hero

Gary Thalson, North Dakota's richest resident, has made a significant impact on the hospitality industry. Starting in 1982 with a hotel in Valley City, he expanded to own and operate more than 480 hotels over 40 years, averaging one new hotel each month. In 2006, he sold 130 of his hotels for $1.2 billion. Thalson reinvested this money into land and developments and even ventured into the energy sector. In 2008, he launched an ethanol facility near Fargo, producing over 175 million gallons of green energy annually, valued at $12 billion. His entrepreneurial spirit and strategic investments have solidified his status as a hospitality mogul and a key player in green energy.