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

Augustana University has received the Call for Code University Engagement Award. The award recognizes organizations that have exhibited a deep commitment to Call for Code, which “invites developers and problem solvers around the world to build and contribute to sustainable, open-source technology projects that address social and humanitarian issues, while ensuring the top solutions are deployed to make a demonstrable difference.”

This year, Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin joined a group of academic leaders, advisers and scholars to serve as a judge for the Call for Code University Challenge. Dr. David O’Hara, Augustana professor of environmental studies and director of sustainability, also joined six other environmentalists, organization executives and industry pioneers on the “expert” judging panel. These two groups, as well as another panel of “eminent” judges, evaluated submissions and selected the top tech solutions for deployment. Assistant professor of business Dr. Matthew Willard also provided mentorship to Augustana students during the Global Challenge. Two teams, consisting mostly of Augustana students, answered the Call for Code this year; one named a global finalist.

Dakota State University

Dakota State University’s Institutional Advancement office has added two staff members.

Emily Wollmann is a foundation records and support specialist. She has worked at the USD Foundation and at Madison Regional Health System in marketing and with its foundation.

DeVonte Garcia is an assistant director of development. He previously worked as the athletic event assistant at DSU.

GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness

Josh Knoll has been named fitness lead of GreatLIFE Harrisburg. In addition to his new role, he will continue to oversee fitness events. Knoll has been with GreatLIFE for two years and helped grow the Harrisburg location, which opened in the fall of 2019.

Creative Surfaces

Creative Surfaces has received the Boyd Hopkins Sr. Excellence in Family Business Award from the Prairie Family Business Association, an outreach center of the Beacom School of Business at the University of South Dakota. Creative Surfaces was founded in 1988 by Ted and Bev Pins. Now in its third generation, Creative Surfaces has grown from a small business of two employees creating custom countertops for the Sioux Falls area to a full-scale operation that employs over 135 people who create a variety of projects across the nation and globally.

East River Legal Services

Executive director Brent Thompson of East River Legal Services is leaving the agency as of Feb. 25 to work at Broward County Legal Services and Coast to Coast Legal Services in southern Florida. He has served as executive director since 2017.

First Premier Bank

First Premier Bank has promoted two staff members to branch managers.

Kimberly Munoz will oversee the Sycamore Avenue branch. She has 10 years of experience in financial services and joined Premier in 2011.

Chris Van Den Top will oversee the branch on Southeastern Avenue. He has six years of experience in financial services in addition to seven years of management experience. He joined the bank in 2015.

First Premier Investment Services

First Premier Investment Services has added Spencer Ulrich as a financial adviser associate. He will work from the bank’s main office and 14th and Minnesota. Ulrich previously served as an intern in teller services at First Premier Bank.

 

Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire

Annual awards have been presented by the Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire.

• Volunteer of the Year: Kris Graff.
• Builder of the Year: Jesse Deffenbaugh.
• Presidential Award: Russ Pies.
• Hall of Fame: Tim Miller.

Missouri River Energy Services

Missouri River Energy Services has promoted Tammie Krumm to vice president of human resources and administration, effective Jan. 1. Krumm has been the HR manager since 2017 and has 23 years of experience in human resources and risk management.

Tim Blodgett will join Missouri River Energy Services as vice president of member support, effective Feb. 28, Blodgett has been the CEO and president of Hometown Connections Inc. for the past 20 years.

South Dakota Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals

The South Dakota Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals has presented its annual philanthropy awards.

• Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year: the late Ray Hillenbrand of Rapid City.
• Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation: KBACK Radio.
• Outstanding Philanthropic Community: Faulkton.
• Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Coca-Cola Bottling Co. High Country of Rapid City.
• Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year: Robin Prunty, vice president at Avera McKennan Foundation.

Thunder Road

Thunder Road has been named among the best new centers by Bowlers Journal International. It was recognized for designing its 30,000-square-foot  indoor entertainment center so guests had room to space out while diversifying revenue with 38 game stations, 63 individual games, miniature golf and ax-throwing.