At 75 years old, Paulsen is still evolving
SIOUX FALLS, SD (Sept 22, 2026) - Ag, energy and rural communications leader Paulsen is celebrating 75 years in business and 75 years of evolving to meet the needs of its clients around the U.S. and the world.
As the world enters a new age of technology, led by the introduction of AI solutions, Paulsen is highlighting its history of change alongside its vision for the future of communications.
“If you’re going to survive in this business, you have to be flexible and able to anticipate changes,” Paulsen CEO Marcus Squier said. “Paulsen has always been able to do that well, and we’re continuing that tradition as our industries face new challenges and opportunities.”
Paulsen’s past: All-purpose agency
Paulsen was founded in 1951 by Maurice Paulsen in downtown Sioux Falls. He built Paulsen as a local advertising leader through the 60s, 70s and 80s, serving clients in fields such as health care, tourism, politics, food production and more. Then Maurice passed away in 1987 following a battle with cancer, and his son, Thane Paulsen, took over the business.
In the 80s, the company’s largest client was The Foreign Candy Company, and Paulsen helped them introduce gummy bears to America and later Warheads candy.
In the 2000s, Paulsen’s leadership decided to focus in an area of strong expertise and experience: agriculture, serving clients in areas such as equipment, crop inputs, ag finance and commodity groups. Later, the company built expertise communicating in the energy space, from power generation to co-op dynamics to project communications, biofuels and more.
“We started as an all-purpose agency, and that served us well for many years,” said Thane Paulsen, who is retired but still active in a part-time role with the company’s leadership team. “As the advertising industry evolved, we chose to lean into what we did best, and that has helped us thrive throughout the ups and downs of the economy.”
Moving forward: Building trust
The needs of today are markedly different from those of the past, and Paulsen has evolved in response.
“When we look at how society has changed, the one thing that stands out is we’ve lost our ability to trust,” Squier said. “People don’t trust businesses, the government or any outside group as they have in the past. For Paulsen, our job today is to help bridge that divide.”
Paulsen in recent years has devoted more of its energy to bolstering its trust-building work, through audience research and analysis, coalition building, message training, crisis response and thought leadership such as its latest field guide for understanding rural communities.
It’s an opportunity to not only help clients meet the needs of their customers, but to be part of determining how the world interacts in an increasingly tech-focused society.
“This is an exciting time, with technology like AI changing the nature of what our clients need,” Squier said. “The human element is more important than ever. People need to connect with each other in authentic ways, and what we’re doing will help shape what that looks like in the future.”
To celebrate Paulsen’s 75th anniversary, the company is giving away $7,500 in strategic services to existing or new clients. Companies can submit their names for the contest here.
About Paulsen
Since 1951, Paulsen has helped businesses across the U.S. and around the world better connect with their audiences. Based in Sioux Falls, S.D., Paulsen is a full-service marketing and communications agency, offering strategic insight, digital expertise and creative excellence, with a particular focus on agriculture, rural issues and the energy industry. Learn more at www.paulsen.agency.
Media contact:
Matt Merritt
Director of Public Relations, Paulsen
matt.merritt@paulsen.agency
605-370-9959