Gov. Rounds appoints Kurtenbach to District 4 senate seat

PIERRE, S.D. -- Gov. Mike Rounds today announced the appointment of Dr. Al Kurtenbach to the vacant District 4 senate seat.  The vacancy was created when Sen. Larry Diedrich resigned on Monday to dedicate his time to the June 1 U.S. House of Representatives special election.

 “I am very happy that Al has agreed to serve in the state senate,” said Gov. Rounds on the appointment.  “He has been a life-long leader in business and education, and that experience will serve him well as a legislator.”

Dr. Kurtenbach, of rural Brookings, and a native of Dimock, SD is co-founder and chairman of the board of directors of Daktronics, a 35 year-old company located in Brookings.  Daktronics is a leader in the area of large screen video and information displays.

“I am pleased to be able to help,” said Dr. Kurtenbach on his appointment.  “South Dakota has been good to me and my family, and I look forward to serving the citizens of District 4.”

Dr. Kurtenbach served on the Brookings School Board for twelve years and on the South Dakota Board of Regents from 1984-1986.  He also served as Chairman of the South Dakota Manufacturers and Processors Association from 1984-1986 and as Director for the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce.  He currently serves as Chairman of the Education Committee for the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the S.D. District Export Council and Chairman of the S.D. EPSCoR Committee, a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Kurtenbach was twice named South Dakota’s Small Businessman of the Year.  He was honored in 1994 as the S.D. Executive of the Year and South Dakotan of the Year by the University of S.D. School Of Business.  He was inducted into the S.D. Hall of Fame in 1992.

Al and his wife Irene have 5 adult children and nine grandchildren.

District 4 serves Moody, Brookings, Deuel and Grant counties in northeastern South Dakota.

Dr. Kurtenbach will take his oath of office on Monday, February 2, 2004.