NGWA Event and Education Recordings Archive

Born and raised in Chamberlain, SD area my whole life. I began a career in the water well industry at an early age. When I was growing up I would spend all my spare time either at the rig or at the shop helping my father and uncle. I have always said that I could run a drilling rig before I could legally drive. I graduated from Chamberlain High School in 1971 and attended the University of South Dakota. Eventually I was at home helping with the well drilling business. I became interested in learning more about water wells and began to attend our state association meetings, and then on to the NGWA conventions. I was elected to President of the South Dakota Well Drillers Association in 1983. I went on to serve other offices, and have been the Sec.-Treasure since 1989. I am responsible for planning and operating shows in the odd number years. ND is partnered with us and hosts the shows in even years. I took my NGWA Certification Test in 1986, for mud rotary, and the pump installer test in 1993. I am a CWD/PI thru NGWA. I have been a SD Licensed Well Driller since the mid 70’s and I am also licensed in Nebraska since around 2000. I have attended many classes and mud schools over the years, including a week long mud school in Huston, Texas. We drill of all types, but mostly deeper sandstone artesian wells. These wells are from 800’ to 2700’ deep, with some having shut-in pressures of 300 PSI. I am experienced with screen and gravel pack wells, geo-loop wells, and irrigation wells. I have served on the Chamberlain School Board from 1980-1994. I then was elected to the SD Legislature from 1995-2002, as State Senator from District 25. I also served as Senate Minority Leader from 1998-2002. Term limits forced my retirement in 2002. I served as a lobbyist for the SD Coalition of Schools from 2003-2011. I also serve on the SD Water Management Board, 2003 to present. This Board licenses the well drillers and pump installers, and issues water use permits. I have managed and operated a successful well drilling business since 1983 to present. My son has now taken over most of the daily management. I began a career for MI SWACO HDD, Mining, and Water Well in July of 2011. I was the US Water Well Manager for them. I also have done consulting on HDD rigs as well as water well rigs, providing on-site service. I was responsible for all the shows MI SWACO participated in the water well market. I am also responsible for some of the training MI SWACO provided to distributors and customers. I have been employed with Wyo-Ben, Inc. currently as a Sales Engineer, since January 2016. My responsibilities include training for customers and distributors, both classroom and on-site settings. I specialize in the fields of water well drilling, environmental, and HDD. I cover eight states in the upper Midwest.