Having been involved in every class reunion, the 50 year reunion committee has worked especially hard to make this reunion an enjoyable and memorable for everyone. You don’t want to miss it.

Looking forward to seeing everyone next week at our 50th reunion. I hope you agree, what an amazing experience we had in high school! Not many people have ever benefitted from the opportunities, diversity and occasional adversity we experienced in the 1960s and early 1970s in Rapid City. I’ve never meet anyone who had better experiences in high school than we enjoyed at Steven’s High School.

I’m forever grateful for the opportunities and memories the Class of ‘73, the Black Hills communities and the State of SD have provided me and my family.

I’ve enjoyed 42 years being married to my best friend, Jane Olinger from Huron SD, whom I met in college at the University of SD. Jane is the best mom ever, raising our 3 children while employed with the Rapid City Public Schools for over 30 years. We are blessed with 3 grandchildren all under 2 years old.

After graduating from the University of SD in 1977, I was fortunate to find employment in Rapid City. From 1977 until 1995, I enjoyed a career in the local banking industry plus I had a side hustle as a car dealer assisting my father in the car business. When in high school my father had a small interest in Frontier Ford and in 1982 he purchased Liberty Motors the local AMC/ Jeep/Renault dealership. In 1995, I changed careers joining my father as his partner at Liberty Motors. In 2006, I took on a side hustle as a banker accepting an invitation to join the Board of Directors at Security First Bank, a Nebraska chartered bank with Executive Offices in Rapid City.

My community involvement includes numerous committees and boards. Past Chair of Leadership Rapid City Selection Committee, past President of the Rapid City YMCA, past President of the Black Hills Area Council of Boy Scouts, current Vice Chair of the SD Automobile Dealers Association and local coordinator of the Black Hill Jeep Jamboree for Jeep Jamboree USA. In 2020 selected SD Time Magazine Franchised Dealer of the Year.

In 2012, my son Max graduated from college joining me and the management team of Liberty Superstores. Max became my business partner in 2016 which has allowed us to significantly expand and diversify our business interests. Liberty Superstores currently comprises 5 local car dealerships, representing 10 franchises, selling more vehicles than any other dealership group in the market. Liberty has been voted Best of the Black Hills new car dealer and used car dealer for several years in a row. Additionally, we have diversified with a portfolio of local real estate investments and continue to consider future investment opportunities.

Some people say I still play with cars… which is true in many aspects. :)