Honoring the Class of 2020 In-Person
Watch the 2020 Virtual Medallion Celebration above.
As we draw closer to announcing the new Class of 2021, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor the Class of 2020 in person. Join us this September 10th & 11th for their Honor’s Ceremony, tickets go on sale June 1, 2021. The Class of 2021 will celebrate their Honor's Ceremony April 1 & 2 of next year.
Since 1974, the South Dakota Hall of Fame has sought to honor, recognize, and distribute the stories of everyday people who have found the strength to chase their dreams, no matter the obstacles they faced along the way. These Dream Chasers stand tall and chase their dreams day after day, year after year. The 700-plus inductees in the Hall of Fame come from all backgrounds and corners of our state. Take a look back at the Class of 2020, and prepare to celebrate their in-person Induction this September!
Class of 2020
Mike Cartney
Watertown, SD | Education
A Champion of the Technical Education System of South Dakota.
Mike Cartney is passionate about his life’s work and even more compassionate in its delivery. Retiring as a highly decorated Colonel in the United States Air Force, Mike had the opportunity to go further, but had a longing to return to South Dakota and give back to the state that had always supported him. Upon doing so, he was hired for the position of Vice-President, and eventually President, of Lake Area Technical Institute. His foresight on technical education was exceptional and he began progressively turning the tide for South Dakota. His forward-thinking initiatives have led to an increase in economic development and provided a highly skilled workforce through technical education.
Glenna Fouberg (1942–2021)
Aberdeen, SD | Education
An Innovative Educator Dedicated to Helping Students on the Margins.
Glenna Fouberg was known in the state as “Mrs. Education,” an innovative educator with a firm commitment to helping students on the margins of the state’s education system. She evolved Aberdeen’s Alternative Learning Center, where she changed the trajectories of hundreds of lives. Glenna extended the ALC to middle school, the Juvenile Detention Center, and the New Beginnings Center (a home for at-risk youth). She mentored other school districts on creating alternative education programs. South Dakota recognized her as Teacher of the Year in 1994. In 1998 she was appointed to the State Board of Education where she served 19 years, four as president.
Delta David Gier
Sioux Falls, SD | Arts and Entertainment
An Individual Seeking to Grow, Connect, and Impact Through Music.
Since 2004, Delta David has been music director of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. During that period the orchestra has been lauded for its programming, which includes seven American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awards. Orchestras Delta David has conducted include the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, and the Minnesota Orchestra. The Lakota Music Project was developed under Delta David’s direction to address racial tensions between Native Americans and whites in the region the SDSO serves which explores the role music plays in their respective cultures, seeking to engender understanding and healing between estranged peoples.
Bernie Hunhoff
Yankton, SD | Arts and Entertainment
Showcasing the Vibrancy of South Dakota One Story at a Time.
Bernie’s commitment to sharing the vibrant stories of South Dakota has been the backdrop for his career in journalism. South Dakota Magazine has brought joy to hundreds of thousands of readers since it’s start in 1978. His storytelling showcases colorful historical characters who helped shape our state. They come to life and create a picture in our mind that stays with the readers. Bernie’s talent and those of his staff have helped create a publication that has genuinely deserved the numerous awards and recognition they have received. They include the A. H. Pankow Award from the South Dakota Department of Tourism, and the South Dakota Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities Award.
Kitty Kinsman
Rapid City, SD | Political
Leadership for the Health Landscape of South Dakota.
Kitty Kinsman has demonstrated visionary leadership throughout our state. She served as the South Dakota Secretary of Health in both the Mickelson and Janklow administrations. Her commitment to health and wellness for our state is reflected in much of the work she has done through her business, the K Group, as and through her work as a volunteer. Every resident in South Dakota has been affected by the legislation passed in 2009 as she led the “Smoke Free South Dakota” legislation with the SD Tobacco Free Kids Network and the American Cancer Society, banning smoking in all workplaces. This work has changed the health landscape for the better for South Dakota.
Bruce Long Fox
Rapid City, SD | Education
Saving At-Risk Native Youth Through the Power of Education.
Bruce Long Fox has dedicated his life to the belief in the power of education to change lives. As the Executive Director of Rapid City-based Rural America Initiatives (RAI), he has developed and managed educational programs that have impacted the lives of approximately 9000 at-risk Native American children, from newborn through high school. He accomplishes this through educational programming that is grounded in the traditional Lakota values of respect, compassion, honesty, generosity, humility, wisdom and a relationship with a higher power. Bruce works to break the cycle of poverty by giving vulnerable children a sense of identity, pride and belonging and the tools to succeed in school.
Jack Marsh
Sioux Falls, SD | Business
A Champion of Ethics and Human Rights in South Dakota.
Jack Marsh has been a champion for ethics and human rights in South Dakota for decades. 26 years ago, he first moved to the state and took the role of editor of the Argus Leader for Gannett companies. In this role, his commitment to journalism, and ethics, were evident. His long-time mentor, Al Neuharth, often stated “The First Amendment guarantees a free press. We in the media must make sure it is a fair one.” Through his work, he has held a constant commitment to mentoring individuals both inside and outside the world of journalism. Coupled with his life-long commitment to diversity and the elimination of prejudice, Jack Marsh is a hero of the people.
Walter Panzirer
Pierre, SD | Philanthropic
Impacting the Lives of Nearly Every South Dakotan Through Philanthropy.
Walter Panzirer would have been content spending his life serving as a law enforcement officer and a volunteer paramedic and firefighter. But fate led to a higher calling; a calling that has impacted the lives of nearly everyone in South Dakota. When Walter’s grandmother, hotel magnate Leona Helmsley passed away, she named Walter one of five trustees who were charged with improving lives by creating programs funded by Leona’s fortune. Walter created the Rural Healthcare Program for the Helmsley Charitable Trust which now operates in South Dakota and six other states. He knew from firsthand experience that people living in rural areas don’t always have access to the best medical services.
Senator Larry Pressler
Washington DC | Political
Looking Beyond What is and Pursuing What Could Be.
After two combat tours in Vietnam, Sen. Pressler ran for Congress in 1974 on a shoestring budget, with a positive and clean campaign. His style resonated with South Dakota voters. While not easy, he has demonstrated that you can win by being for something rather than against the opponent. He was the principal author of the epochal Telecommunications Act of 1996 which broadened Internet capabilities in South Dakota. His willingness to champion new ideas is an inspiration to all South Dakotans. At every opportunity Pressler has demonstrated skill, creativity and high moral character. He is a Champion for Excellence in South Dakota.
Mamie Pyle (1866–1949)
Huron, SD | Political
A Champion for the Women of South Dakota During the Women’s Suffrage Movement.
Mamie Pyle moved to the Dakota Territory as a young girl and worked as a school teacher in Brookings and Hand counties. After the women's suffrage amendment was defeated in South Dakota in 1910, Mamie was elected president of the suffrage movement. A widow and mother of 4, Mamie led the effort through three statewide constitutional amendment votes until it passed. When voters passed the amendment in 1918, South Dakota became the 15th state to grant women the right to vote. Two years later South Dakota became the 21st state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, making women full citizens.