2021 Inductee Craig Tieszen led a dedicated career as a Police Chief and legislator with honesty, kindness, and integrity. As a leader, he was analytical, practical, and respectful. In this episode of the Legacy Podcast, retired CEO of the South Dakota Hall of Fame Greta Chapman joined the Tieszen family to talk about Craig’s legacy.

In this episode you will hear:

• Craig’s legacy as a husband, father, and community leader,
• his impact on the youth through his work,
• and the way his legacy is continuing to inspire people today.

“In his life adventures, what he wanted most to do, was to help people.” – Deb Tieszen, wife of Craig Tieszen

This lifelong learner was always chasing that big adventure. Craig believed that everyone could learn to be tolerant and care for each other. He never stopped learning and worked hard to make life better in our state and in our world.

Listen to this episode, out now everywhere by clicking the link below or by finding the Legacy Podcast wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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2011 Inductee Lynn Seppala has exhibited what it means to overcome great adversity to continue to pursue one’s dreams. Mid-career as a world-leading designer of state-of-the-art optics for pure and applied science, Lynn suffered a massive stroke, which paralyzed his right side and seriously affected his speech and cognitive abilities. A month into his rehabilitation, still wheelchair bound, he realized with surprise that he could not add or subtract. The doctor in charge of his rehabilitation suggested a career change to a job that would not involve numbers. He chose not to heed that advice.

In this episode you will hear:

• Lynn’s early life that led him to a career in science,
• his recovery from his stroke,
• and his lessons for never giving up, no matter the hand you are dealt in life.

“You aren’t doing good for yourself, your family, or the world, if you don’t love what you are doing.” - Lynn Seppala

With uncommon courage and determination, Lynn overcame or compensated for the physical and mental losses and was able to return to his position as chief optical designer, performing at even higher levels than before.

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Believing that the key to success is hard work and caring about other people, 2011 Inductee William A. (Bill) Hinks left his Wisconsin home in 1960, at age 22 with nothing more than $50 and an old Buick, to work with his uncle and make his mark in South Dakota. This led him to start his own furniture company, Furniture Outlets USA.

In this episode you will hear:

• Bill’s early years in South Dakota
• how he got his start in the furniture industry,
• and his encouragement to the youth in South Dakota today.

“People are so important…find people who dream the same dream as you.” – Bill Hinks

Over the last 50 years, Bill’s company has successfully grown from humble beginnings to employing over 700 people in more than thirty-five retail stores and distribution centers in SD, ND, MN, and IA. Furniture Outlets USA currently ranks 50th among America’s top 100 furniture retailers.

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Ryan McFarland is an entrepreneur with a passion for mountain biking and motorsports. He spent his early years with a grandfather who was a race car owner and a father who owned a motorcycle dealership. After the birth of his first son Bode, Ryan was anxious to share his passions with Bode, and the Strider Bike was born.

In this episode you will hear: 

• Ryan’s life story,
• His goal to see every child learning to ride a bike by the time they are in kindergarten,
• and how he grew Strider Sports into the company it is today.

Now with over 3 million bikes sold, Strider Sports International spans across the globe with distribution in over 75 countries. Even with the astounding success of Strider Bikes, Ryan stays true to his South Dakota roots and knows that this expanding global business will always be headquartered in the beautiful Black Hills - fueling the South Dakota economy and supporting nearly 50 employees and their families.

Learn more about Strider Bikes on their website: www.striderbikes.com

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Ted Muenster’s integrity and leadership are well known in South Dakota and he has left behind a positive impact wherever he goes. A South Dakotan by choice, Ted’s career spanned over 40 years and included senior positions in higher education, state government, business, and civic affairs.

In this episode you will hear:

• Ted’s early life story,
• his time working in state government in the Kneip administration,
• and his dedication to higher education.

Some of his accomplishments over those four decades include acting dean of Statewide Educational Services at the University of South Dakota, serving as Chief of Staff to Governor Richard Kneip, and becoming the first president of the University of South Dakota Foundation. Ted is valued as an honest and true leader in the state.

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Adam Weaver is a 2021 Acts of Excellence recipient, for his work exploring and preserving caves across not just South Dakota but the world. He recently joined Miles Beacom to discuss his work, and what it means to be an Acts of Excellence recipient.

In this episode you will hear:

• Adam’s history and how he came to live in South Dakota,

• what piqued his interest in cave exploration,

• and the work he is doing to preserve caves not just in South Dakota but worldwide.

Adam serves as the current vice president of the Black Hills Nature & Cave Conservancy. His work to explore and preserve caves has led him to be one of the first humans to ever set foot inside sections of caves in South Dakota and beyond.

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For more than 50 years 2019 Inductee Tony Bour has built a lasting enterprise in the cabinet manufacturing business, winning numerous awards including the “Spirit of Sioux Falls” Leadership Award.

In this episode you will hear:

• Stories from Tony’s early years in South Dakota,
• what set him on the path of his career,
• and challenges Tony faced, and the choices he made to overcome them.

Today Tony’s company, Showplace, has over 600 employees in three manufacturing facilities with over 300,000 square feet of plant space in South Dakota. Since 1999 the company has manufactured over 2.5 million cabinets in the state. Showplace has five company-owned stores and over 700 independent dealers throughout the United States.

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Johnny Brockelsby, son of 2000 Inductee Earl Brockelsby joined Miles Beacom to discuss his dad’s legacy in the tourism industry in western South Dakota. A visionary of the South Dakota Tourism Industry, as early as 1935 Earl recognized the need to bring and maintain visitors to the state. Through his love and fascination with reptiles, Brockelsby created the Black Hills Reptile Gardens, an enterprise that would eventually become the world’s largest collection of reptiles and one of the main attractions in South Dakota.

In this episode you will hear:

• The beginnings of Reptile Gardens;
• how Earl helped to establish and grow the tourism industry in the state;
• and the way his legacy lives on today.

To ensure Brockelsby's vision of tourism to the western part of South Dakota, he served as a director of the Black Hills Badlands and Lakes Association for 28 years during which time he served as President.

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2016 Inductee Christine Hamilton’s life journey has taken her many places, but she ultimately returned to South Dakota and built a life that she loves. She is the owner and managing partner of Christiansen Land and Cattle, Ltd. The fourth-generation farm and ranch business includes several thousand acres of farm and ranchland dispersed throughout south-central South Dakota, east and west of the Missouri River.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Christine’s early life in central South Dakota;
• how her career took shape;
• and what inspires her work.

Christine’s company is consistently at the forefront of innovation, embracing new technologies and participating in developing opportunities. Her vast contributions to agriculture have helped her advocate for excellence in rural development across South Dakota.

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Produced by Vela Creative Co.

Recorded by South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

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Mary Olinger’s life is one dedicated to giving back, serving others, and in truly making wishes come true. At no time was this more evident than during her 18 years as President & CEO of Make-A-Wish South Dakota. Yet, Mary’s giving goes far beyond the wishes granted to hundreds of children and their families. She sat down with Miles Beacom to discuss her philanthropic legacy in South Dakota.

In this episode you will hear:

• Mary’s challenge to obtain an education;
• the path that led her to the Make a Wish Foundation;
• the struggles that helped her grow and succeed. 

Mary utilized her business savvy and people skills to bring hundreds of new volunteers and donors into the organization. Financial donations to Make-A-Wish grew by 900% and when Mary retired in 2011 the South Dakota chapter was celebrating its second consecutive year as one of the "Top 5 Chapters in the United States."

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Produced by Vela Creative Co.

Recorded by South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

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Website: www.sdhalloffame.org