OUR EXPANDED Recognizing Acts of Excellence MISSION Across Our State Submit your stories of excellence at Championing a sdexcellence.org, our convenient website. Tell us about the people Culture of and projects that make your hometown and organization great. Excellence The archive at AOE will encourage and inspire excellence of many in South Dakota kinds across the state.
Legends & Learning: Teach Your Children Well Accomplished in 2015 The Hall of Fame bases its programming on the stories of its inductees. Legends & Learning (southdakotalegends.com) is an educational program provided free to Strengthened the all South Dakota teachers and their students. It is designed to meet state Champions for Excellence brand curriculum standards, and is based on the lives of ten outstanding South Dakotans. Teachers who used the program add activities to it, including having Supported Legends & Learning statewide in South their students dress up and give a report on the life and times of these legends. Dakota classrooms This year, our resources were used by the South Dakota National History Expanded Legacy of Program. Selecting Joe Foss as her subject, Brianna Rennas won the state Achievement through competition and wrote this note to us: videos, photos and documents telling stories of excellence “With your help, I was able to produce a winning project with my National History Launched Acts of Excellence Day documentary on Joe Foss…[M]y project for statewide recognition [won]best South Dakota History project, Senior Division, at the state level that came with a Partnership with Public cash prize. [In addition] I was asked to apply Television resulted in shows and will represent South Dakota at the featuring several inductees opening ofCampaigns of Courage: The Road to Continued to update Tokyo pavillion. This is a new exhibit at the storytelling through exhibits National World War II Museum in New Orleans and I will be a guest at the museum and beyond of Louisiana's NHD program. I will research and be prepared to the walls with Building a present about Ralph D. McKee, a WWII veteran who spent time in Culture of Excellence theme South Dakota. Please know that your help was greatly appreciated. Brianna Rennas, 2015 First Place, SD National History Program
Pa ge 2 South Dakota Hall of Fame, Fall 2015
2015 Envisioning excellence Board of Directors in South Dakota The mission of the South Dakota Hall of Fame is to Champion a Culture of Excellence. We envision a state David Olson, Chair Sr. Vice President, Wealth Management (Sioux Falls) where all of our citizens embrace the values of our DAVID OLSON great inductees. We recognize that this is a big dream. Dr. Richard Gowen, Vice-Chair Chairman Some say it is an impossible dream. But, we think the President/CEO, Dakota Power (Rapid City) potential rewards are worth the work. Bob Riter, Secretary Attorney, Riter Law Office (Pierre) A dream this big requires a lot of work and a lot of support. Your staff and board work hard and give generously. But we cannot do it Gailen Meyerink, Treasurer alone. We need our supporters to continue to nominate high quality Chief Lending Officer, First Dakota National Bank (Chamberlain) South Dakotans. We need our supporters to generously support this cause. We need your ideas. Don Barnett Retired Rapid City Mayor (Littleton, CO) We have in place a world class network we call Championing Excel- lence Network. This will allow is to reach beyond to walls of our mu- Miles Beacom seum to touch every South Dakotan that is interested in excellence as President/CEO, First Premier Bankcard (Sioux Falls) a way of life. With your help we can exploit the opportunities to affect Bernie Christenson South Dakota. Retired Director, SD Comm Foundation & Past Asst. Director, State DOE (Pierre) The board and staff of the Hall are in the business of affecting our state’s culture. South Dakota’s culture is often described as hard Randy Houdek working, friendly and self-reliant. The 700 South Dakota Hall of GM/CEO, Venture Communications Cooperative (Highmore) Fame inductees are proof that those values are part of our culture. They are evidence that great things are possible here. It is our mission Janet Johnson to encourage every South Dakota to embrace those values that result Adjunct Professor, Mount Marty College & Bank Director, Reliabank Dakota (Watertown) in the pursuit of excellence. When enough of us embrace that pursuit as a core value, our state will be known as a place that champions ex- Mary Olinger cellence. This is a big, exciting dream. Naysayers say it is impossible. Retired President, Make-A-Wish Foundation (Sioux Falls) We disagree. Judy Olson Duhamel We have exciting programs in place and visionary future programs Former RC School Admin & SD Legislator (Rapid City) that affect people’s lives. We have arrived at this point through hard work and generous support. To continue this work and grow we need Sarah Richardson Larson continued support. If you believe it is possible to make South Dakota Attorney, Davenport Evans (Sioux Falls) an even better place we ask you to consider joining our cause. Larry Ritz SDHOF Director emeritus, Retired CPA (Sioux Falls) Kari Shanard Koenders Use your cell phone or app Director, Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to scan this tag and view the (Sioux Falls) Brg. Gen. Myrna H. Williamson (USA, Ret.) 2015 Honors Ceremony Retired Brigadier General, US Army video speeches (Madison & Virginia)
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2015 OUTREACH EFFORTS Over the past six months CONFERENCES the Hall of Fame has ATTENDED participated in several South Dakota Tourism statewide conferences to Conference help spread the word about our new mission Technology in Education and programs. People South Dakota Festival of are eager to recognize the Book the excellence which exists South Dakota Historical in our state, and are glad Society Conference to know about our efforts to nurture excellence in Hall Exhibit booth at SD Festival of the Book 2015 many ways. Our 2015 Donors: Partners in Excellence FOUNDER $1,000—$2,499 South Dakota Agri-Business Association LEGACY $25,000 & UP Tom Stone Dr. Duane Sander Stan Adelstein Richard Termes Frank & Marilyn Alvine Charles Trimble HERITAGE $10,000—$24,999 Dodie & Jerry Brown Loren & Jean Tschetter First Premier Bank Brule County Treasurer University Of South Dakota Foundation Dr. Richard & Nancy Gowen Capital University Center Foundation, Inc. Venture Communications Lloyd Companies Capitol Bancorporation, Inc. Wells Fargo Bank SD, N.A. Muth Elecctric Margaret Cash-Wegner Earl Nordby Harry & Greta Chapman SUPPORTER $500—$999 Dave & Kay Olson Bernie Christenson Lewis & Charlene Bainbridge Dale & Barbara Clement BankWest Trust Department ANCESTRY $2,500—$9,999 Gary & Kathy Conradi Dwayne Beck Adee Honey Farms Fred & Luella Cozad Henry Carlson, Jr. Rich Cutler Georgia Feist Denise Castor Judy Olson Duhamel & Bill Duhamel Rod Fouberg Farm Bureau Federation Agnes Ekstrum Jim Hansen Dr. Geraldean Fluke Elmen Foundation Peter Hegg Robert Hovey Ernst Capital Group Harvey & Cynthia Jewett Kay Jorgensen Dennis Everson Elmer Karl McLean Kerver Furniture Mart USA, Inc. Patty Kjerstad Bernita Loucks Dan & Arlene Kirby John & Linda Lillibridge Steve Metli Milton & Ruby Mutch Norman & Eunabel McKie James Mollison Mary Olinger Carl McNair Murray M. Thompson DDS, PC Rapid City Regional Hospital Rick & Valerie Melmer Mahylen & Karen Niles Larry Ritz Gailen & Denise Meyerink Pioneer Auto Museum RPM & Associates, Inc. Robert & Deb Mudge Reptile Gardens RPM Innovations, Inc. Steve & Mary Lynn Myers Riverport Insurance Company RPM Solutions, Inc. Larry Ness - SD Assigned Risk Gregory Sands Carol Regier Donus & Lovila Roberts Sanford Health Systems Jack & Joyce Rentschler Don & Harriet Scott Lynn Seppala Sarah Richardson Larson SD Corn Utilization Council Kari Shanard Koenders Helen & Murray Rowe Kevin Stulken Ann McKay Thompson Tim & Karen Schreier Dougherty Scott & Michelle VanderWal Myrna Williamson Lyle & Betty Schroeder William Walsh South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation Jim & Penny Woster SDSM&T Foundation Leon Wrage
Pa ge 4 South Dakota Hall of Fame, Fall 2015 2015 Honor Ceremony
CRAIG LLOYD 2015 Inductee
2015 Board of Directors and Staff “more than I would have expected.”
Savethe Date 2016 Honors Ceremony September 9 & 10, 2016 Lt. Gov. Matt Michels and Dick Muth HALL OF FAME & CEDAR SHORE RESORT
LEON WRAGE 2015 Inductee “an event of a lifetime.” Class of 2015 (left to right) Craig Lloyd, Dr. Duane Sander, Chris LaCroix (for Arthur P. LaCroix), Dennis Everson, Dr. Loren Tschetter, Dick Muth, Dodie Brown, Leon Wrage, Ann McKay Thompson, Robert Mudge
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Richard Adee For more inductee updates, visit the Champions for Excellence Network at our main website at sdexcellence.com. You can also look for the South Dakota Hall of Fame on Facebook for news about our inductees and on YouTube for video.
Richard Adee (2014, Agriculture) was featured in an October 12, 2015, article in AgWeek. The article gave an overview of Adee Farms. Adee and his wife Alice are the largest beekeepers in the world, with more than 82,000 honey hives. The hives produce Dwayne Beck 4 to 5 million pounds of honey and pollinate almonds in California and apples in Washington state.
Agriculture educator Dwayne Beck (2007, General) was featured in an article in the Capital Journal on September 13, 2015, about the 25th anniversary of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm (DLRF). The celebration was attended by about 60 supporters of the cooperative. The farm is managed by Beck who is on staff at South Dakota State University. The article also noted that Beck is internationally known for promoting no-till farming. The DLRF received a $1 million grant earlier this year to conduct three farming Richard Ekstrum research projects. Dwayne Beck was initiated into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2007 for his work in no-till farming.
Agricultural leader Richard Eugene Ekstrum, (2003, Agriculture) passed away September 11, 2015. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Richard’s honor were directed to the SD Hall of Fame and Kimball Protestant Parish. He spend his life in farming. He helped found the SD Pork Producers Council, and was President of South Dakota Farm Bureau for 20 years. He served on the American Farm Bureau Board for 10 years and helped organize the Aurora-Brule Rural Water System, serving as chairman of the board for over 40 years. He was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame for his contributions to Earl Nordby agriculture in 2003 and served as President of its board for several years.
Two of our inductees were honored by the South Dakota chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals at the 2015 awards ceremony held in Rapid City as part of National Philanthropy Day, October 6. Earl Nordby (1997, Professional) was recognized as 2015’s Outstanding Philanthropist. Jim Woster (2001, General) received the Association of Fundraiser Professionals Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser. The event honors the outstanding contributions that philanthropists, distinguished volunteers, corporations and communities have made to enrich the state of South Dakota. Jim Woster
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Books by & about inductees Inductees continue to share their stories to mentor, inspire and connect with others throughout South Dakota. Our recently reorganized Gift Shop is the only central location for Inductee publications and for some materials, the only location. Please let us know of any missing materials as we continue to add to this unique, one-of-a-kind collection of excellence. Don Barnett (2011). I Fled by Don Barnett. 2014. Tormented Al Schock (1990). New Specially Selected Jokes and Stories for All by the constant teasing and giggling of his classmates, Willie Madson Occasions by Al Schock. 1995. A compilation of stories, jokes, flees his hometown to search for therapy for his acute stuttering anecdotes, one liners and puns along with some good sage wisdom problem. thrown in that will provide emcees and speakers with a ready source J. Bruce Blake (2009). Twelve Thousand Years of Human Histo- of useful materials to enliven their presentations. ry by Bruce Blake. 2014. The story of Bruce Blake’s quest, which Al & Oswald Schock (1990). The Schock Brothers Al and Oz- lasted almost a quarter century, resulting in the erection of over 150 zie – A Story of Success and Service by Al Schock. 1997. A true life historical markers around Minnehaha County and culminating in this story of the success and service of two young farm boys who gamble epic chronicle based upon those markers and others he located from all in their efforts to succeed. earlier times. Arlette Schweitzer (1996). Whatever It Takes by Arlette Henry Jr. Carlson (2009). Building To Last – A Personal Histo- Schweitzer. 2004. A book which describes the love and faith in ry by Henry Jr. Carlson. 2013. A book about the author’s life, but family that inspired the author to carry the twins her daughter could also about his father (who started the Henry Carlson Company) and not. all of his contributions to the state of South Dakota. Terry Woster (2014). It’s Great To Be Alive! – Remembering Jan & Herb Conn (2011). The Jewel Cave Adventure – Fifty River Park and Its Pioneering Treatment of Addiction by Terry Miles of Discovery Under South Dakota by Herb & Jan Conn. Woster. 2012. A history of South Dakota’s first privately-funded, 1977. Herb and Jan Conn trace the early history of Jewel Cave and not-for-profit treatment center for addiction, and it is also a collec- describe exploration before 1959. tion or inspiring stories of recovery. Richard Greeno (2005). Greeno – A Winning Tradition of Teaching and Coaching by T.D. Griffith. 2002. A story about im- migrant dreams, family values, hard work in the heartland, the love of competition and the ideal of public service. Sylvia Henkin (1993). Sylvia – A Life in Three Acts by Sylvia Ruth Henkin. 2008. A book honoring Sylvia Henkin’s parents and the past. Aelred Kurtenbach (1992). Daktronics and The Man Who Lit It Up by Chuck Cecil. 2013. A remarkable story…It was just an idea and a dream by a pair of creative electrical engineering profes- sors at South Dakota State University, but Daktronics of Brookings, South Dakota, has grown to become a world leader in visual com- munications and entertainment systems. Frederick Manfred (1985). Duke's Mixture by Frederick Manfred. 1994. A collection of essays from Frederick Manfred, who has thirty-one books to his credit, written over a creative life of half a century. Peter Norbeck (1978). Peter Norbeck – Prairie Statesman by Gilbert Courtland Fite. 2005. From successful well-driller to gov- ernor and United States Senator. The definitive biography of Peter Norbeck. Ralph Palmer (1997). Country Horse Doctor by Ralph R. Palmer. 0. The author expresses some of his personal views and shares some of the most interesting cases he had as a veterinarian over a span of nearly 40 years. Lawrence Ritz (1996). An Accounting of My Life’s Journey by Lawrence Henry Ritz. 2010. The author answers the question ‘who am I and why am I who I am?’
This Mudge Family tribute was mistakenly missed in our Ceremony magazine.
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NEWS from around the Hall
Hall Receives National Planning Grant The Hall of Fame has received a national grant from the American Alliance for Museums, the Museum Assessment Grant (MAP). After participating in MAP, museums may have an institutional roadmap, make changes that improve Director of Operations Manager Keileen Absher visitor experience, be better able to receives a plaque to recognize her years of service Thanks to retiring Board identify their strengths and challenges from Board Chair Dave Olson and CEO Greta and update policies for better operations Chapman. and service.
South Dakota Hall of Fame Non-Profit Org. 1480 S Main Street US Postage Paid Chamberlain, SD 57325 Chamberlain, SD (605) 234-4216 Permit No. 8
Champions for Excellence in South Dakota
The South Dakota Hall of Fame is privileged to have inducted 700 men and women in recognition of their exceptional achievements. These inductees are connected with the many others throughout South Dakota committed to be Champions for Excellence.