People You Should Know features new hires, promotions and awards involving top executives and organizations. For consideration, email [email protected]. Guaranteed placement is provided only to partners of SiouxFalls.Business.

Augustana University

The Augustana University board of trustees has installed three new members for three-year terms.

Dr. Maria Bell is a gynecologic oncologist at Sanford Health and the chief medical officer of Sanford Development and Research. She also is a faculty member at the USD Sanford School of Medicine. Bell earned her bachelor’s degree from Augustana in 1984, and her daughter Gabi graduated from Augustana in 2019.

Jillian Klein of Eden Prairie, Minn., is the senior vice president of government and regulatory affairs for Strategic Education Inc., where she works on higher education policy, postsecondary innovation and compliance on behalf of Capella and Strayer universities. She previously worked in financial aid at Capella, Concordia University and the University of St. Thomas. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Augustana in 2001.

Craig Lloyd is founder and board chairman of Lloyd Cos., a regional full-service development, real estate, construction, property management and hospitality company. He and his wife started the company in 1972.

Augustana University’s Diversity Advocate Certification Program has received the Outstanding Diversity Achievement Award-Program from the National Association for Campus Activities. Augustana’s program was developed by Willette Capers, assistant dean of students for diversity, equity and inclusion. Late last year, she received the Innovative Program Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.

Eide Bailly

Aaron Clayton, a partner at Eide Bailly, was recognized for his career accomplishments and outstanding service to the accounting and finance division of the University of South Dakota Beacom School of Business. Clayton graduated from USD in 2006 with a master’s degree in professional accountancy. After an internship at Eide Bailly, he joined the firm in 2006. He was promoted to partner in 2015 and leads the audit department of the Sioux Falls office and serves as the partner-in-charge of the telecommunications and electric utility industry practice.

Eide Bailly ranked No. 17 in the top 50 list of Vault’s Best Accounting Firms. Vault’s rankings are based on information from employees in the accounting industry. Eide Bailly ranked in the top 20 in several key categories, including work/life balance, promotion policies, wellness, firm leadership, client interaction and satisfaction.

Sanford USD Medical Center

Sanford USD Medical Center has been named a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. According to the commission, this program is the most demanding stroke certification and is designed for hospitals that have specific abilities to receive and treat the most complex stroke cases.

POET

POET has promoted two staff members.

Bart Plocher, general manager of POET Biorefining – Chancellor, has been named director of quality control for POET.

Tom Pierson has been named general manager of the Chancellor plant. Pierson started his career at POET in 2020 as the plant’s commodity manager.

Associated General Contractors of South Dakota, Heavy-Highway-Utilities Chapter

The Associated General Contractors of South Dakota, Heavy-Highway-Utilities Chapter has elected officers for its board of directors: president, Jim Soukup, Soukup Construction; senior vice president, RC Scull, R.C.S Construction, Rapid City; vice president, Rob Knight, Foothills Contracting, Webster; secretary/treasurer, Chad Hartman, Myrl & Roy’s Paving; past president, Gary Johnson, A-G-E Corp., Fort Pierre. New board members are Melissa Austin, J&J Asphalt, Rapid City; Travis Haarsma, Asphalt Surfacing Co.; and Shaw Loiseau, Loiseau Construction, Flandreau.

The chapter’s associate division elected officers for its board of directors: president, Wade Planting, Titan Machinery; vice president, Andrew Heitzler, Fringe Benefits Design; secretary/treasurer, Toby Royer, Butler Machinery Co., Aberdeen; past president, Derek McTighe, Brosz Engineering Inc., Pierre. New associate board members are Kevin Silbernagel, Bierschbach Equipment & Supply, Rapid City, and Chad Morgan, Butler Machinery Co., Aberdeen.

Children’s Home Society of South Dakota

Children’s Home Society of South Dakota has named four leaders to fill roles.

Ondrea Patzlaff, a 14-year veteran of CHS, is the statewide director of residential treatment, a new position.

Teresa Pick is the director of human resources, a new position. She previously worked in HR at Sanford Health and Great Western Bank.

Lisa Johnson, a 14-year CHS veteran, fills the position of residential program director for Sioux Falls, replacing Sue Williams, who is retiring.

Chelsie Ogaard, director of the CHS Black Hills community-based services program, assumes statewide leadership of community-based services.

Electronic Systems Inc.

Electronic Systems Inc. has received the Circuits Assembly Service Excellence Award for highest overall customer rating for EMS companies in the $20 million to $100 million revenue range.

Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire

The Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire has presented its annual awards.

Housing Hall of Fame inductees: Candice Menke, Black Hills Federal Credit Union; Paul Nelsen, Paul Nelsen Construction; and Al Schoeneman, Schoeneman’s Building Materials Center.

Builder Member of the Year: Craig Wynia, Red Rock Builders and Jeren Homes.

Associate Member of the Year: Jerry Cook, Audio Video Integrations and Rehfeld’s Art & Framing.

Volunteer of the Year: Adam Balding, Budget Blinds.

Presidential Awards: Michele Rislov, First Bank & Trust, and Terry Konechne, Harrisburg School District.

 

 

 Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee Inc. ranked No. 2 on USA Today’s 10Best Supermarkets national list. A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial supermarket award nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.

Johnson, Janklow, Abdallah & Reiter

Benchmark Litigation has named Johnson, Janklow, Abdallah & Reiter LLP as South Dakota’s Law Firm of the Year. It’s the fourth year in a row that the firm has won the award. Its 12 lawyers are focused almost extensively on civil litigation.

RSA

Architecture and design firm RSA has expanded its leadership and promoted three employees.

Jeremy Christopherson is vice president of business development. He has been a designer on the RSA team for 17 years.

Keith Neuharth is vice president of operations. He has worked at RSA for over 20 years and has practiced architecture for over 30 years.

Justin Oleson is vice president of talent and technology. He has been with the firm for 15 years.