South Dakota Storytellers

James ​​Emery was a humble man who overcame challenges in his life to forge a better future for his community. He was born on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in 1904, at a time when speaking the Lakota language was discouraged. One of Emery’s greatest contributions in life was saving his native language. Our host, Miles Beacom joined David Emery, James Emery’s grandson, to discuss his grandfather’s...

Dr. Paul Gnirk was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2022 for his work as an engineer, professor, and dedicated community servant to South Dakota. Dr. Gnirk joined Board Director Steve Flanery to share more about his professional career which has spanned nearly six decades. In this episode, you will hear: How Dr. Gnirk chose the path to becoming a mining engineer The ways in which his...

Grace Martin Highley (1895–1985) was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame for laying the foundation for child welfare practices across the state. Her descendants, Karen Lockhart (granddaughter), Cheryl Zimiga (granddaughter), and Toni Hansen (great-granddaughter), recently joined Steve Flanery, South Dakota Hall of Fame Board Director, for a conversation about Grace’s lasting impact in Sout...

South Dakota Hall of Fame 1987 Inductee Adeline Gnirk had a love for writing, and a drive to tell the collective story of the place she called home. In this Legacy Podcast episode, her two sons – Paul and David Gnirk – share the legacy of their mother’s work to document the lives of the people who called Gregory and Charles Mix counties home.  In this episode, you will hear: Adeline Gnirk’s early...

Mark Shlanta (1965–2022) was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2022 for his life’s work in the telecommunications industry in South Dakota. Mark led by example, and his legacy of vision, community involvement, and a love of work and learning brought an entire region together. He created jobs and opportunities across many communities in South Dakota and exemplified excellence in the wa...

2015 Inductee Craig Lloyd began his career with the management of 100 apartment units, and transitioned into work as a contractor, growing exponentially to include a portfolio of nearly 4,000 apartment units and 1.5 million square feet of commercial space. Lloyd Companies’ construction division experienced a series of record-breaking years with over 50 million dollars worth of construction value b...

2016 Inductee Robert (Bob) Burns made a massive impact on the State of South Dakota and joined Miles Beacom to talk about his legacy in higher education. During his tenure at South Dakota State University, Robert Burns received many teaching awards including being named College of Arts and Sciences “Teacher of the Year” seven different times. In this episode you will hear: Bob’s early life, and ti...

William (Bill) Walsh was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2007 for his service to South Dakota through multiple forms of outreach. Bill has served five parishes as an ordained catholic priest and teacher; he has helped shape prison reform in the state; he served in positions with Social Services for the Black Hills and West River Mental Health Services; he formed the Black Hills Foru...

The impact of Ron Reed’s work can be felt all across the state, from Vermillion to Pierre to the Black Hills. For over five decades, Dr. Reed has worked tirelessly and behind the scenes to enrich the lives not only of individuals with special needs but of all South Dakotans. He joined Marci Burdick for a conversation about his life’s work. In this episode, you will hear: The way Ron navigated chal...

1991 Inductee Duane Reichert has become best known to rodeo fans all over the country as "Dr. Ben Krazy", the nut with the ersatz ambulance. Reichert brought a wide variety of comedy to the spectator. He is highly visible throughout the rodeo with his animals, magic, excitement, and humor. In this episode you will hear: Duane’s early life and career in rodeo, his outreach work with the y...

2021 Inductee Craig Tieszen led a dedicated career as a Police Chief and legislator with honesty, kindness, and integrity. As a leader, he was analytical, practical, and respectful. In this episode of the Legacy Podcast, retired CEO of the South Dakota Hall of Fame Greta Chapman joined the Tieszen family to talk about Craig’s legacy. In this episode you will hear: Craig’s legacy as a husband, fath...

2011 Inductee Lynn Seppala has exhibited what it means to overcome great adversity to continue to pursue one’s dreams. Mid-career as a world-leading designer of state-of-the-art optics for pure and applied science, Lynn suffered a massive stroke, which paralyzed his right side and seriously affected his speech and cognitive abilities. A month into his rehabilitation, still wheelchair bound, he rea...

Believing that the key to success is hard work and caring about other people, 2011 Inductee William A. (Bill) Hinks left his Wisconsin home in 1960, at age 22 with nothing more than $50 and an old Buick, to work with his uncle and make his mark in South Dakota. This led him to start his own furniture company, Furniture Outlets USA. In this episode you will hear: Bill’s early years in South Dakota...

Ryan McFarland is an entrepreneur with a passion for mountain biking and motorsports. He spent his early years with a grandfather who was a race car owner and a father who owned a motorcycle dealership. After the birth of his first son Bode, Ryan was anxious to share his passions with Bode, and the Strider Bike was born. In this episode you will hear:  Ryan’s life story, His goal to see every chil...

Ted Muenster’s integrity and leadership are well known in South Dakota and he has left behind a positive impact wherever he goes. A South Dakotan by choice, Ted’s career spanned over 40 years and included senior positions in higher education, state government, business, and civic affairs. In this episode you will hear: Ted’s early life story, his time working in state government in the Kneip admin...

Adam Weaver is a 2021 Acts of Excellence recipient, for his work exploring and preserving caves across not just South Dakota but the world. He recently joined Miles Beacom to discuss his work, and what it means to be an Acts of Excellence recipient. In this episode you will hear: Adam’s history and how he came to live in South Dakota, what piqued his interest in cave exploration, and the work he i...

For more than 50 years 2019 Inductee Tony Bour has built a lasting enterprise in the cabinet manufacturing business, winning numerous awards including the “Spirit of Sioux Falls” Leadership Award. In this episode you will hear: Stories from Tony’s early years in South Dakota, what set him on the path of his career, and challenges Tony faced, and the choices he made to overcome them. Today Tony’s c...

Johnny Brockelsby, son of 2000 Inductee Earl Brockelsby joined Miles Beacom to discuss his dad’s legacy in the tourism industry in western South Dakota. A visionary of the South Dakota Tourism Industry, as early as 1935 Earl recognized the need to bring and maintain visitors to the state. Through his love and fascination with reptiles, Brockelsby created the Black Hills Reptile Gardens, an enterpr...

2016 Inductee Christine Hamilton’s life journey has taken her many places, but she ultimately returned to South Dakota and built a life that she loves. She is the owner and managing partner of Christiansen Land and Cattle, Ltd. The fourth-generation farm and ranch business includes several thousand acres of farm and ranchland dispersed throughout south-central South Dakota, east and west of the Mi...

Mary Olinger’s life is one dedicated to giving back, serving others, and in truly making wishes come true. At no time was this more evident than during her 18 years as President & CEO of Make-A-Wish South Dakota. Yet, Mary’s giving goes far beyond the wishes granted to hundreds of children and their families. She sat down with Miles Beacom to discuss her philanthropic legacy in South Dakota. I...

After two combat tours in Vietnam, Senator Larry 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 recently sat down with Marci Burdick of the South Dakota Hall of Fame to discuss his life and lega...

With a career spanning more than 40 years, award-winning artist John Moisan demonstrated his artistic talent at an early age. Drawing inspiration from his childhood spent on the northeastern South Dakota prairie, John developed an early appreciation for the state's wildlife and natural beauty—a continuing theme that can be seen in his artwork. Larry Rohrer of South Dakota Public Broadcasting...

2017 South Dakota Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Scherschligt is an expert in insurance and risk management. Under his leadership, he and the firm of Howalt+McDowell have achieved a broad range of industry and community recognitions—including the Argus Leader Best in Business Inaugural Award. In this episode of the Legacy Podcast, our host Miles Beacom sits down with Jeff to discuss:  the life lessons...

In our Newest Legacy Podcast Episode, we were joined by 2016 Inductee Elizabeth "Betty" Meyer to talk about the impact she has had on South Dakotans, and the lives she has saved through her work in Mammography. 2016 Inductee Elizabeth Meyer worked with the first mammography and breast cancer screening program in SD, presenting over 80 educational sessions on American Cancer Society scree...

In this episode, 2015 Inductee Ann McKay Thompson sits down with our host and shares her legacy as an author, businesswoman, and her work to improve educational resources for adults entering the workforce in South Dakota. Ann McKay Thompson is a nationally recognized educator, entrepreneur, and leadership expert. Her support for the arts and culture, and her writing have enlightened lives in South...