The 2020 and 2021 Gala Honorees include:
2021
- Exceptional Business Partner - Michael J. Fitzmaurice South Dakota Veterans Home
- Exceptional Scholarship Partner - Black Hills Tire
- Exceptional Legacy Leader - Career Learning Center of the Black Hills
2020
- Exceptional Business Partner - Monument Health
- Exceptional Scholarship Partner - Leona Zastrow and Family - Gilbert Zastrow Memorial Scholarship
- Exceptional Legacy Leader - Howard Owens
Western Dakota Technical College graduates highlighted at the Gala were Wamniyomni Bear Runner and Nathan Hannan. Bear Runner, WDTC 2020 Criminal Justice program graduate, is now an Oglala Sioux Tribe Associate Judge. She was the recipient of the John T. Vucurevich Foundation and Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation scholarships.
Hannan, 2011 WDTC Diesel Technology program graduate and Build Dakota Scholarship recipient, is now employed with Pete Lien & Sons.
The Gala sponsor was West River Electric Association, Inc.
The 2020 and 2021 table sponsors included: The Abbey Group; BankWest; Black Hills Engineering Design Center; Black Hills Community Bank; Black Hills Special Services Cooperative; Black Hills Tire; Career Learning Center of the Black Hills; Complete Contracting Solutions; Costello, Porter, Hill, Heisterkamp, Bushnell & Carpenter, LLP; Fisher Beverage, Co.; Floyd’s Truck Center; Midas; Monument Health; Muth Electric, Inc.; Northwest Pipe Fitting; Pete Lien and Sons, Inc.; Rapid City Medical Center; Michael J. Fitzmaurice South Dakota Veterans Home; Tessier’s Inc. Mechanical Contractors; Vast Broadband; West River Electric Association, Inc.; Western Dakota Tech Foundation; Western Dakota Technical College; Western Dakota Technical College – Diesel Technology Program; WHB Accounting Services, LLC.; and White’s Canyon Motors.
Donna Hanks, WDTC Instructional Technology and Design Specialist, provided the Gala welcome and introductions. The Foundation address was delivered by Veronica Kusser of West River Electric Association, Inc., WDT Foundation Chair. Danita Simons, WDT Foundation Director, provided a Foundation campaign update and message. The Western Dakota Technical College address was given by Ann Bolman, Ed.D., President. Jon Gillam, past WDT Foundation Chair, delivered the closing message.
The mission of the Western Dakota Tech Foundation is to generate resources for Western Dakota Technical College in support of students and workforce development.
PHOTO CUTLINE: clockwise from left: Brad Richardson accepts the 2021 Exceptional Business Partner - Michael J. Fitzmaurice South Dakota Veterans Home award from Foundation Vice-Chair Jonathan McCoy; Gala attendees listen to one of the featured speakers; Gloria Pluimer, of the Career Learning Center (CLC), and Adrian Cox, CLC GED graduate and Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC) student, proudly show the 2021 Exceptional Legacy Leader - Career Learning Center of the Black Hills award; and Weston and Tenise Chapman accept the 2021 - Exceptional Scholarship Partner - Black Hills Tire award from Adrian Cox, a Black Hills Tire employee and WDTC Build Dakota Scholarship recipient/student though BH Tire, and Jonathan McCoy.
Additional gala photos available at: https://www.facebook.com/page/60111741375/search/?q=gala
