125 Years of Health in South Dakota - Health Pioneers

Dr. Loren Amundson

Medical Doctor

1931 -

• Was the founding chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine, serving 22 years in academia

• Appointed by Governor George S. Mickelson as the initial director of the South Dakota Office of Rural Health

• Named to the National Advisory Council to the National Health Service Corps

• Served as a director of the American Board of Family Practice and served on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Residency Review Committee for Family Practice

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame)

Herbert Cleveland

Pastor

1931 -

• Led efforts at Fort Meade and nationally to deal with post traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and psycho-social help for veterans

• Established the first substance abuse treatment center in the Fort Meade Chapel

• Served as chief of chaplains for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

• Served as United States’ director of Ethics for Healthcare Management

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame)

Carveth Thompson

Pharmacist

1932 -

• Owned and operated Thompson Drug in Faith, South Dakota, from 1958-2002

• Played an active role on the Faith Medical Service Team, serving on the Clinic board and as a pharmacy consultant to the Faith Hospital

• Expanded the number of drug stores to seven to serve rural communities in South Dakota

• Appointed to two terms on the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy

• Volunteered with the National Muscular Dystrophy Association and helped raise over $500,000 in donations

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame)

Donald Brekke

Administrator

1933 - 2011

• Worked in health education and planning leadership capacities on the University of South Dakota campus, including the Regional Medical Program, Health Systems Agency, and Area Health Education Centers

• Served as assistant dean for the USD School of Medicine

• Was the director of the State and Local Narcotics Control Program

• Was involved in the establishment of the four-year USD School of Medicine

(Information Source: Obituary from the Capital Journal)

Lyle E. Schroeder

Administrator

1934 -

• Devoted over 35 years of service to Sioux Valley Hospital starting in maintenance and housekeeping and working his way up to president and CEO

• Positioned the hospital to be named one of the top 100 hospitals in the country

• Named to the top 100 cancer treatments and cardiac centers

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame)

Dr. Richard Gowen

Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering

1935 -

• Graduated in 1962, as the first Ph.D. in the nation in biomedical engineering

• Developed an engineering model of the cardiovascular system that led to the first patent to measure blood pressure during exercise by measuring pressure from a finger

• Focused on experiments to measure the effects of weightlessness in space on the cardiovascular system of astronauts during Skylab’s long flights

• As president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Foundation, used technology to improve the lives of the over three billion people who live in poverty throughout the developing world

• Appointed President of Dakota State College in 1984, President of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 1987 and Executive Director of the Homestake Conversion Project in 2001

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame)

T. Denny Sanford

Businessman

1935 -

• Was successful as the owner of First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard

• Contributed much to South Dakota through his philanthropic efforts including helping to transform Sanford Health into a world-class medical research institution

• Donated to build the Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls

• Honored by the University of South Dakota renaming the medical school the Sanford School of Medicine

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame and the Sanford Consortium website)

Dr. Frank Alvine

Orthopedic Doctor

1938 -

• Sioux Falls native and University of South Dakota School of Medicine graduate
• In private practice in Sioux Falls from 1972 - 2007

• Designed and developed the Agility Total Ankle Replacement System and received a patent in 1986, and a revision patent in 1992

• Personally performed over 1500 ankle replacements and assisted with countless others

• Instructed hundreds of orthopedic surgeons worldwide

• Researched Ulnar Nerve Palsy

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame)

Billy Mills

Olympic Gold Medalist

1938 -

• Earned South Dakota’s first Olympic gold medal in 1964

• Inspired youth from both his Lakota Sioux members and youth from the general public to be more physically active

• Appointed by President Carter to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

• Was active in Running Strong for American Indian Youth

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame)

(no photo available)

Dr. James Booher

Rehabilitation Physical Therapist and Athletic Trainer

Birth date unknown

• Developed the Athletic Training major and the Pre-Physical Therapy program at South Dakota State University
• Was a charter member and first president of the South Dakota Athletic Trainers’ Association
• Served on the NATA Board of Directors and chaired the NATA Governance Task Force
• Wrote numerous articles, manuals and co-authored a textbook on the prevention and care of athletic injuries while on the staff of SDSU for 42 years

(Information and Photo Courtesy South Dakota Hall of Fame)