PIERRE, S.D.(SDNA)- David Owen, president of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is retiring later this year.
Michael Bender of Bender Companies in Sioux Falls, chair of the organization, made the announcement in a media release today. Bender said, “David has led this organization for more than a quarter of a century and has skillfully guided how the Chamber addressed many serious issues that have impacted our state.”
Owen has been the president of the South Dakota Chamber since November of 1998. During his tenure with the Chamber, he served as the main lobbyist for 27 legislative sessions and was a key leader for nine statewide ballot measure campaigns over that span.
Owen was raised in Rapid City and graduated from Stevens High School before attending the University of South Dakota to earn a degree from the School of Education. He began his career as the assistant manager of the Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce and a year later was selected to be the president of the Pittsburg, Kansas, Chamber of Commerce. In 1981, Owen was hired to lead the Missoula, Montana, Chamber of Commerce, a position he held for 11 years. Following that success, he was selected in 1993 to be the president of the Montana State Chamber of Commerce, which he led for approximately five years before returning to South Dakota in 1998 to lead the State Chamber.
“David Owen has been a smart, strategic, articulate, and effective leader of the South Dakota Chamber,” said Dennis Daugaard, South Dakota governor from 2011 to 2019. “He also has a great sense of humor! He’ll leave big shoes to fill, and I wish him well in retirement.”
David will be retiring effective the end of August. In addition, Bender has announced the formation of a search committee for David’s replacement and has tapped Dana Dykhouse of First Premier Bank to lead that effort. Interested parties should contact Dana at 605-376-1223 or dana.dykhouse@firstpremier.com.
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