VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Lee Isensee talked about the life of Herman Stern and the influence of how this great man helped Isensee while he was growing up and the positive impact Stern had upon the community, the state and the region.

Isensee said Stern was 16 when he came to America from Germany to work in Casselton at Straus clothing store. The 1st store was in Casselton, another in Sanborn and then a store opened in Valley City. In 1910 Stern moved to Valley City and managed the Straus store.

Stern started a Boy Scouts Troop in Valley City, Fargo and Grand Forks and was instrumental in getting landowners in the Park Rapids, Minnesota area to help him and others start Camp Wilderness for Boy Scouts.

In 1927 Stern founded the Greater ND Association to promote the state, in 1938 was one of the founding members to create the North Dakota Winter Show and spearheaded an effort to build the current structure that opened back in 1963. Stern was also the founder of the Community Chest now known as The United Way.

Isensee said Mr. Stern’s biggest accomplishment was helping get some 170 German Jews out of Germany during World War II and to America to escape certain death during the Nazi Holocaust.

Herman Stern received North Dakota’s highest honor when he became a recipient of the ND Rough Rider Award in 2014. A documentary about the life of Herman Stern was released earlier this year. He died in 1980.