Each year at our scholarship banquet, the Ness School of Management and Economics recognizes an Economics Alumni member and invites them to guest speak at the banquet. This spans all the way back to 1955 and is a tradition.
Current Distinguished Alumni:
2023: Soon to be announced.
Past Distinguished Alumni and Guest Speakers:
- 2022: Brian Gilbert, Agricultural Banking Manager at The First National Bank; Tawney Brunsch, Executive Director of Lakota Funds
- 2021: No event due to COVID-19.
- 2020: No event due to COVID-19.
- 2019: Brian Gatzke, ARA, owner, Certified General Appraiser, Northern Plains Appraisal; Pat Lyons, Professor Emeritus of Economics, South Dakota State University
- 2018: Mark Leddy, Five Star Enterprises, LLP; Merl Hackbart, Kentucky Consensus Revenue Forecasting Group
- 2017: Doug Hajek, Banking Lawyer and Partner at Davenport Evans, Sioux Falls and Bob Schmidt, Senior Vice President - North Business Lending Division for Farm Credit Services of America, Pierre
- 2016: Tyler Stowater, Partner/Vice President of Bluestem, Luverne and Jeff Lakner, CEO of Lakner Farms L.L.C., Sioux Falls
- 2015: Bill Even, Commercial Unit Lead for South Dakota, eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota for DuPont Pioneer, Humboldt
- 2014: Kim Tyler, Vice-Chair, SDSU Foundation, Brookings
- 2013: Steve Stahly, CEO, Stahly Financial, Des Moines
- 2012: Kevin Tetzlaff, President/CEO, First Bank and Trust, Brookings
- 2011: Craig Rickert, CEO, C.A. Rickert and Associates
- 2010: Larry Ness, CEO and Chairman of the Board, First Dakota National Bank, Yankton
- 2009: Richard Shane, Former Head, Department of Economics, SDSU
- 2008: Dana J. Dykhouse, President and CEO, First PREMIER Bank, Sioux Falls
- 2007: Jeffery Chicoine, Managing Director, Mesirow Advanced Strategies, Inc., Chicago
- 2006: Dr. Lauri Stenberg-Nichols, Dean, College of Family and Consumer Sciences, SDSU
- 2005: Dr. Ardelle Lundeen-Roberts, Former Head, Department of Economics, SDSU
- 2004: Jeff Muchow, President, South Dakota State University Foundation and Senior Management involvement in business startups
- 2003: Sam Cordes, Professor and Assistant Director of Cooperative Extension, Purdue University
- 2002: David Chicoine, Vice President for Economics Development and Corporate Relations, University of Illinois
- 2001: Sid Bostic, President and COO, FirstMerit Corporation
- 2000: Roger Prunty, Prunty Construction/Past Mayor, Brookings
- 1999: George Roberts, President, Hometown Insurers, Sioux Falls
- 1998: Robert C. Elmen, President/Chairman of Elmen Rental, Inc., Sioux Falls
- 1997: Jeff Newman, Principals - RKG, Inc., Senior Consultant - FTP Consulting Services, Dell Rapids
- 1996: Roger Christensen, Director of Economic Development - Nebraska, Omaha
- 1995: Dr. Sam Cordes, Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director, Center for Rural Community Revitalization and Development, Lincoln
- 1994: Wayne Fischer, Senior Vice President/Operations, First National Bank, Brookings
- 1993: John Sundet, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rollerblade Inc., Minneapolis
- 1992: Jim Nichols, Farmer and Director of Economic Development, Sibley County, Minnesota
- 1991: Rodney Foubery, Chairman of Board, Dacotah Bank, Aberdeen
- 1990: Cal Williamson, Vice President, First National Bank, Sioux Falls
- 1989: Sid Bostic, President, Norwest Bank, Omaha
- 1988: Dr. Mary K. Wagner, South Dakota Representative, District 7
- 1987: David S. Dahl, Manager Corporate Communications, Federal Reserve Bank, Minneapolis
- 1986:Dr. Gene Murra, Head, Economics Department, SDSU
- 1985: Chuck Luke, Citibank, Vice President of Consumer Affairs
- 1984: Dr. Lee R. Kolmer, Dean, College of Agriculture and Director of the Experiment Station, Iowa State University
- 1982: Dr. E. Gerald Corrigan, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
- 1981: Dr. Sherwood O. Berg, President of SDSU
- 1980: Dr. Delwyn D. Dearborn, Dean, College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, SDSU
- 1979: Dr. Hilton M. Briggs, Former President of SDSU
- 1978: Philip Raup, University of Montana
- 1977: Ray E. Switzer, President, Switzer-Besson Co., Inc.
- 1976: Dr. Allyn Lockner, Secretary of Department of Environmental Protection
- 1975: Dr. Bruce MacLaury, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
- 1974: Dr. Mark Powers, Chicago Board of Trade
- 1973: Paul W. McCracken, Economics Advisor to Former President Nixon
- 1972: Harold Pluimer, Professional Consultant
- 1971: Laurn Soth, Des Moines Register and Tribune
- 1970: Warren Eustis, Upper Midwest Research and Development
- 1969: Dr. Laurel Loftsgaard, President North Dakota State University
- 1968: Dr. Carroll Hes, Kansas State University
- 1967: Lester Brown, International Agricultural Development
- 1966: Dr. Dwight M. Blood, University of Wyoming
- 1965: Val Peterson, Former Governor of Nebraska
- 1964: Dr. William G. Murray, Iowa State University
- 1963: Dean Sherwood O. Berg, University of Minnesota
- 1962: Dr. Donald Paarlberg, Purdue University
- 1961: Dr. George McGovern, Food for Peace Administrator
- 1960: Dr. Max Myers, Administration - Foreign Agricultural Service
- 1959: Dr. James A. VanWinkle, Montana State University
- 1958: Dr. O.B. Jesness, University of Minnesota
- 1957: Robert C. Liebenow, Chicago Board of Trade
- 1956: Dr. Raymond J. Penn, University of Wisconsin
- 1955: Dr. J. Ackerman, President - American Farm Economics Association