10 people with backgrounds in health, philanthropy, arts, business, agriculture and more will be honored in the annual ceremony Sept. 11-12 in Chamberlain and Oacoma.
Here are bios of the 10 people being inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2026:
Dr. Susan Anderson (1970–2024) grew up on a farm near Canistota and rose to become executive dean of USD Sanford School of Medicine. A champion of rural and underserved communities, she maintained an outreach clinic in her hometown throughout her career. Balancing motherhood with medical training and leadership, she inspired countless students. Her guiding principle said it all: "Be kind, and you can do anything you put your mind to."
Brian James Bonde of Sioux Falls is one of only 117 worldwide holding the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive credential. He has raised over $450 million for nonprofits. He received the National Fundraising Excellence Award from AFP Global and founded Arts South Dakota. A noted speaker and consultant, he also earned both the Sioux Falls Arts Council and the Governor's Lifetime Arts Achievement Awards through 40 years of board service.
Dr. H. Eugene Hoyme is a Dell Rapids native, pediatrician and medical geneticist who developed the internationally recognized Hoyme Diagnostic Criteria for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. He held leadership roles at Stanford University, the University of Arizona and the University of Vermont before returning to South Dakota in 2007, where he co-founded Sanford Children’s Hospital and the first genetic counseling graduate program in the Dakotas.
James L. Johnson, a theater educator, spent 30 years at South Dakota State University as director of theatre and Prairie Repertory Theatre, where he directed 105 plays. During his career, Johnson’s dedication shaped careers nationwide, having contact with more than 13,000 students at multiple universities. He championed arts access in rural communities and was one of many instrumental figures in establishing the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center in Brookings. He retired in 2003 as SDSU distinguished professor emeritus.
John (Jack) Neil Kucera, born in Deadwood, captained the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) football team, earning honorable mention all-American honors. Jack built Climatec BTG from seven to 850 employees while also co-founding Huntair and BasX. The Air Force Academy Foundation raised $330 million during his six-year tenure as board chair. As a pilot, he has flown more than 400 charity flights. Kucera and his wife, Vianne, co-chair the capital campaign to renovate the Homestake Opera House in Lead.
Peter Larson heads the Black Hills Institute, the world’s largest private fossil company, which has been operating from Hill City for over 50 years. Internationally known for work with T. rex specimens Sue and Stan, he has authored over 80 scientific articles, shaped federal fossil collection policy, and built a collaborative community spanning business, academia and government. Larson believes discovery is richer when done together.
Michelle Gross Lavallee is a fourth-generation South Dakotan from Hand County. She held senior leadership roles at NorthWestern Energy, University of South Dakota, Avera McKennan and Raven Industries. As CEO of Children’s Home Society, Lavallee reversed an 80% staff turnover rate and championed a $50 million Rapid City campus. She was the 2018 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.
David Ellwood Lust (1968–2021) was a Rapid City attorney, South Dakota legislator and civic leader who devoted his life to making South Dakota thrive. He served 11 years in the state Legislature, including two terms as House Majority Leader, and was instrumental in founding Elevate Rapid City, which honored him with the David Lust Accelerator Building. He lived by his own creed: give back with generosity and purpose.
Matt Paulson is the founder and CEO of MarketBeat, the largest digital media company in the Dakotas with more than 6 million subscribers. His venture capital firm, Homegrown Capital, has invested in more than 80 tech companies. Active in the Sioux Falls community, he serves on numerous nonprofit boards. Dakota State University awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in 2024.
Dr. Daniel G. Petereit is a Sioux Falls native and radiation oncologist at Monument Health in Rapid City. Petereit founded the National Cancer Institute-funded Walking Forward program in 2002 to address cancer disparities among Native Americans. The program has enrolled more than 5,500 Native Americans in clinical trials — the highest nationally — and facilitated more than 2,500 cancer screenings. His work has produced 130 publications and secured $20 million in research funding.
Emily DeCock
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