Department of Tourism
Embargoed Until:  10 p.m. January 23, 2003
Contact:  Nicole Nordbye   (605) 773-3301  nicole.nordbye@state.sd.us 

TOURISM’S TOP AWARDS PRESENTED

The Gutzon Borglum family received the South Dakota visitor industry’s highest honor during a banquet Jan. 23 in Pierre.

Gov. Mike Rounds presented the Borglum family with the Ben Black Elk Award during the 2003 South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism. The award was accepted by Phil Lampert of Custer, a friend of the Borglum family. The family was recognized for creating the mountain carving on Mount Rushmore, which now stands as a symbol of American democracy. It was Gutzon Borglum’s vision for the mountain carving to epitomize the story of America and memorialize the birth, growth, preservation and development of the United States. Despite the sculptor’s death, Gutzon Borglum’s family continued his work and saw to it that his wishes were carried out.

Gov. Rounds presented the A.H. Pankow Award to Cheryl Palmlund, executive director of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, based in De Smet, who accepted the award on behalf of the author. This annual award honors a member of the media whose coverage and promotion of the state’s visitor industry is unparalleled.

The award recognizes Wilder’s talents as an author and her skill in portrayine Smet, the prairie and pioneer life in her books, which have drawn thousand of visitors to De Smet, the Little Town on the Prairie. Her books are printed in more than 40 languages and were the basis for a long running, popular television series.

The Rapid City Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) received the George S. Mickelson Great Service Award, honoring a business or organization dedicated to excellence in customer service.

The entire staff of the Rapid City CVB attended customer-service training workshops. The organization exceeds visitor-industry standards for training and actively recognizes employees for providing high levels of customer service.

All three awards were presented during a banquet hosted by the South Dakota Department of Tourism.

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