Feb. 25, 2025

This paid piece is sponsored by Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

Eli Seeley and his wife, Dawn, could have moved anywhere in the world.

Their military careers found them living in Germany, but as it became time to transition to civilian life, small-town living called.

“She’s from Alcester, and every time we would come back on leave or for holidays, we would drive through Beresford,” Seeley said.

“The south side of town near the golf course was so beautiful, and everyone is friendly. We were drawn there. So after 21 years of active Army, we landed in Beresford in 2018.”

Seeley grew up on a farm in southeast Iowa. Dawn also grew up in a farming family.

“So we were looking for a small town,” he said. “We knew it was going to be a great environment for our kids, who now are 12, 15 and 19. We benefited from growing up in a small town, and what drew us to Beresford was the sense of community.”

He quickly became part of that community, balancing a full-time IT strategy role at Avera Health with serving as director of the ambulance service, a volunteer firefighter and youth sports coach.

When a vacancy arose on the City Council, Mayor Nathan Anderson asked Seeley to step up.

“He served in the Air Force, so we connected on that level,” Seeley said. “After being in the military, I’ve always found where there’s a vacuum in leadership and people need to stepped up, it’s something we’re trained to do.”

Then came the mayor’s race. Anderson was moving on, and someone new was needed to serve. Again, Seeley said yes.

“I didn’t plan it. That was not my intention,” he said. “But Nathan told me: ‘You have a unique perspective. You’re coming from outside the community but obviously invested in leadership, and I think you’d make a great mayor.”

Since he took office last spring, “everything has actually gone really, really well,” he said. “I’m very happy with the city leadership and council and how things are going in Beresford.”

There’s a lot to like.

The Union County community is pushing 2,200 residents and experiencing both commercial and residential growth.

Major employers include Slumberland, which operates a large warehouse in town; Sioux Corp., which does industrial steam cleaning; and K&M Tire, which has a large warehouse.

“Sioux Metro Growth Alliance also connected us with Prinsco, which opened here and provides water management solutions,” Seeley said.

“Plus, we have industrial land available for new businesses or expansions. Because we can offer access to Highway 46 and Interstate 29, we have a desirable location for a lot of industries.”

The success of Beresford is striking, said Tyler Tordsen, president and CEO of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. The community became part of SMGA in 2024.

Photo via Roger Anderson

“Beresford reflects the growing reach and potential of the Sioux Falls metro area,” Tordsen said.

“It’s really a short drive to the city and part of the momentum we see throughout Lincoln and Turner counties and now into Union County. Mayor Seeley is an exciting, emerging leader in the metro area and definitely is the right person at the right time to help Beresford fulfill its potential.”

In another symbol of the city’s evolution, this year has brought a new City Hall, moving city administration from a historic former bank into a newer space across the street.

“It’s a nice, newer building with amenities the staff can take advantage of,” Seeley said.

“We’re planning to bring some real estate agents together to look at options for the historic building because it’s beautiful with phenomenal architecture, so we’re hopeful someone buys it and does something great with it.”

The city’s main street business community also is thriving.

New additions downtown include coffee shop Cream & Sugar, Wake & Bake Bakery, Makers Market featuring work from local crafters and artists, and Kava Rose Brewhouse, which brings a chef-driven bistro option.

Food truck Rainy Day Coffee Co. also expanded to a storefront and roasts beans on-site.

“I’m super-excited by the positive momentum downtown,” Seeley said. “Our businesses are doing a great job pushing the boundary of what you might expect to find in a small town.”

Residential activity is following the commercial growth that Beresford has experienced, with 51 residential lots in a future development on the north side of town.

“It’s designed to be a mix of twin homes, single-family homes and maybe some move-up homes,” Seeley said. “I think it’s going to shift the population center to the northeast somewhat, which I think is great because it should also lead to more traffic downtown.”

Quality-of-life improvements are strengthening the community as well. Three baseball fields were built on the north side of town, creating a five-field complex that’s increasingly attracting tournaments and offers a walkable amenity for future residents of the new housing development nearby.

In mid-June, the municipal golf course plans to open a 10,000-square-foot addition to its clubhouse, including a patio.

“It’s one of the top nine-hole courses in the state,” Seeley said. “It’s nice because during the day if a family wants to golf or is learning the game, it’s very welcoming.”

As for his own family’s experience in Beresford, “It’s everything we hoped it would be,” Seeley said.

“When I was retiring, because I work in health information technology, I had great job offers from D.C. to Texas, Seattle and L.A. But we said no. For my wife and I, our work ethic is a direct reflection of where we grew up. We love the sense of community in Beresford. There’s a tremendous sense of pride here. If I could create an ad for it, I definitely would.”

Listen in

Mayor Eli Seeley was the guest on a recent episode of the podcast “Growing Places” produced by Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. Listen in below.