Major Employers
Community
| Employer | Industry Type | # of Employees |
| CentraCare Health Systems (St. Cloud Hospital/CentraCare Clinics Only) | Medical Center | 6,132 |
| State of Minnesota | St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud Technical & Community College, MN Dept. of Corrections, MN Dept. of Labor & Industry, MN State Patrol, MNDOT, CareerForce St. Cloud, MN Dept of Employment & Economic Development, MN Dept. of AG, and MN Dept. of Health | 1861 |
| St. Cloud VA Health Care System | Medical Center | 1711 |
| Coborn’s Inc. * | Grocery/Convenience Stores | 1563 |
| St. Cloud Area School District #742 * | Education | 1270 |
| Stearns County * | County Government | 1013 |
| New Flyer of America, Inc. | Heavy Duty Bus Manufacturing | 885 |
| College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University | Higher Education | 794 |
| Blattner | Renewable Energy Contractor | 761 |
| Knife River Corporation | Construction Materials and Contracting | 735 |
| Bernick’s | Beverage Distribution | 665 |
| ATS – Anderson Trucking Service, Inc. | Long Distance Trucking | 661 |
| Coldspring | Granite Manufacturing | 625 |
| Sauk Rapids-Rice School District #47 | Education | 587 |
| Sartell – St. Stephen School District #748 | Education | 563 |
| City of St. Cloud | City Government | 557 |
| Essilor of America (DBL Labs) * | Optical Lens Manufacturing | 528 |
| Quanex | Wood Cabinets/Millworking | 450 |
| DeZURIK | Valve Manufacturing | 448 |
| The Good Shepherd Community | Senior Housing/Healthcare | 410 |
| Grede | Iron/Steel Foundry | 369 |
| SpeeDee Delivery | General Freight Trucking | 353 |
Sources: Self-reported to St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce; City of St. Cloud
The St. Cloud area has earned recognition as a great place to do business. Entrepreneur magazine listed St. Cloud among the “Top 10 Mid-sized Cities in the Nation for Small Businesses” and Forbes included the area in its 2010 Top 200 list of “Best Small Cities for Business and Careers.” Minnesota Business magazine referred to the I-94 region from St. Cloud to the Twin Cities as “The Golden Corridor” due to the area’s stable economy and continuous business and residential development.
BUSINESS-FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE
The pro-business attitude found in Central Minnesota has created an optimal environment for all businesses and industries, no matter the size or type.
Business-focused resources in the St. Cloud area are significant, and include:
- St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce
- Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation
- City of St. Cloud’s Economic Development Authority
- Minnesota Workforce Center-St. Cloud
- The Herberger Business School at St. Cloud State University
- Minnesota Central Region Small Business Development Center
- The Anderson Center of Management and Leadership
- Benton County Economic Development
- Sherburne County Economic Development
- Stearns County Housing and Redevelopment Authority
- Initiative Foundation
The area is also equipped with plenty of financial incentives, including:
- Job Opportunity Building Zone (JOBZ) tax credits
- Revolving loan programs
- Tax Increment Financing
- Small business development loan programs
- Tax abatement
- Construction assistance
- Gap financing
VIBRANT RETAIL OPTIONS
Downtown St. Cloud’s renewed vibrancy has made it the place to be for shopping and dining. Lining its streets are more than 80 places to shop and more than 40 restaurants.
Complementing downtown St. Cloud is Crossroads Shopping Center, the largest enclosed shopping center in Greater Minnesota. The mall is anchored by four major department stores and one of the largest sporting goods stores in Minnesota. It boasts more than 120 major specialty shops and eateries.
Additional retail sites include:
- Centennial Shopping Center
- Dan Tree Court
- Division Place Fashion Center
- Division Street Plaza
- Marketplace Shopping Center and Annex
- Midtown Square
- Northgate Shopping Center
- Plaza West Shopping Center
- Rivertown Village
- Riverwood Mall
- West Point Shops
