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South Dakota Science and Technology Authority

David Bozied | Steve Zellmer | Casey Peterson | Pat Lebrun | Thomas C. Adam | Dave Snyder

The legislature created the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority in 2004 to facilitate scientific and technological investigation, experimentation and development. Guidance is provided by the Board of Directors appointed by the Governor.

Since its inception, the Authority's primary mission has been to accept the donation of the Homestake Mine property in Lead and to convert it into a science, engineering and education center. The complex is expected to have underground science research laboratory space at various levels as well as above-ground education and visitor facilities.


David Bozied - Chairman

David Bozied - Chairman Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Appointed: August 2004
Appointed by: M. Michael Rounds

David Bozied is president of Stan Houston Equipment Company, with operations in Rapid City and Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Sioux City, Iowa. In addition, he is the Chief Operating Officer of CRMI, a division of GCC of America, with Ready Mix plants in Aberdeen, Big Stone, Brookings, De Smet, Flandreau, Huron, Redfield, Sisseton, Watertown, and Webster, South Dakota and Bellingham, Dawson, and Montevideo, Minnesota. He is Vice President of GCC of America Ready Mix Operations, officed out of Denver, Colorado, with Ready Mix divisions in Arkansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.

He currently serves as the chairman of the board of Entercept in Watertown, on the board of directors of RAC (campgrounds across the United States, including the Rapid City KOA and the Palmer Gulch KOA), and on the Board of Directors of Equity Builders of Sioux Falls.

At the present time Mr. Bozied is a member of the Board of Economic Development of the South Dakota Governors Office of Economic Development. This group oversees the Revolving Economic Development and Initiative (REDI) Fund. He is chairman of the South Dakota State Cement Plant Commission and past chairman of the Municipal Facilities Authority (MFA).

For thirty years Mr. Bozied served with the Brookings Volunteer Fire Department.

501 South Marion Road
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
(605) 336 - 3727


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Steve Zellmer - Vice Chairman

Steve Zellmer - Vice Chairman Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Appointed by: M. Michael Rounds

Steve Zellmer is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for GCC of America, a cement manufacturing company with plants in Rapid City, SD, Pueblo, CO and Tijeras, NM. He was previously President and Chief Executive Officer of Dacotah Cement before it was purchased by GCC in 2001. A South Dakota native, Steve and his wife Kitty Kinsman returned to South Dakota in 1992 from California, where he was a vice president of Bank of America in San Francisco.

Mr. Zellmer grew up on a family farm near Dell Rapids, South Dakota, graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls in 1969, served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971 and received an MBA from the University of South Dakota in 1972.

He spent fourteen years in Pierre, South Dakota: four years as a non-partisan staff analyst with the South Dakota Legislature, one and one-half years as Secretary of Revenue, and eight years as State Budget Director under Governors Janklow and Mickelson.

In 1988 Mr. Zellmer was awarded a Bush Leadership Fellowship from the Bush Foundation in Minneapolis and spent a year at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, receiving a Mid-career Masters Degree in Public Policy.

His past and current industry memberships and civic involvement include: Board of Directors, Portland Cement Association; Board of Directors, Construction Technology Laboratories; Board of Directors, South Dakota Mining Association; Board of Directors, Shurco, Inc.; Board of Directors, Rapid City Chamber of Commerce; Board of Directors and volunteer with Junior Achievement; Chairman of the Rapid City Area Economic Development Partnership; SD Advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation; and President of South Dakotans for the Arts.

5217 Pinedale Heights Drive
Rapid City, SD 57702
Business phone: (605) 721-7011


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Casey Peterson - Secretary/Treasurer

Casey Peterson - Secretary/Treasurer Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Appointed: August 2004
Appointed by: M. Michael Rounds

Casey Peterson, CPA, AEP, is president of Casey Peterson & Associates, Ltd., CPAs and financial advisors of Rapid City, which he founded in 1977. The CPA firm employs approximately 50 people in many financial areas including accounting, income and estate taxation, business valuation and audit/attestation. He serves as a Director, Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Audit Committee of First Western Bank in Rapid City, SD. He is currently on the Board of the West River Estate Planning Council and the Minnilusa Historical Association Board of Directors.

Mr. Peterson was a member of the Board of Economic Development of the South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development. He is also a member of the West River Economic Development Foundation and the Rapid City Regional Hospital Development Advisory Council. He has been involved with Dakota Capital Solutions, a fiscal advisory firm dedicated to helping municipalities, private businesses and government agencies creatively solve their capital needs.

He served on the Rapid City Planning and Zoning Committee and as treasurer and vice chairman of the executive committee of the Rapid City Regional Hospital Board of Trustees.

Mr. Peterson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota, passed the May 1975 CPA exam, holds a NASD Series 65 securities designation, and is an Accredited Estate Planner. He is married and has 4 sons.

Casey Peterson & Associates, LTD.
505 Kansas City Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 348-1930


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Pat Lebrun - Member

Pat Lebrun - Member Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Appointed: August 2004
Appointed by: M. Michael Rounds

Ms. Pat Lebrun is president of Lebrun Investment Management, Inc., a post she has held since 1988. Prior to that, she was vice president of Simmons Financial Management, Inc. Other work experience included teaching vocal music in public schools in Northwood, North Dakota and Rapid City, South Dakota, as well as serving as Executive Director of the Rapid City Symphony and as a private music instructor.

She was a member of the South Dakota Board of Regents from 1987 through March 2005, where she served as president, vice president, secretary, chairman of the Committee on Budget and Finance and chairman of the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs. She chaired the most recent presidential search committees at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and Northern State University.

Ms. Lebrun is currently a member of the South Dakota 2010 Research and Commercialization Council; a member of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, and the Rushmore Rotary Club. She has served on the South Dakota REACH (Research Excellence: A Critical Hallmark) Committee's Board of Directors for the National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research - EPSCoR - from 1994-2005; the board of directors of Rushmore Bank and Trust; the Policy and Priorities Committee of the Education Commission of the States; the Rapid City Area School District Advisory Council; the Rapid City Frontiers "Forging Our Future" steering committee, and the Governor's Task Force on Education. She attended the First Japan-America Grassroots Summit Invitation Conference in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan. She has made presentations to universities, investment clubs and higher education commissions.

A member of the First Congregational Church in Rapid City, SD, Ms. Lebrun has been involved with PEO, the Rapid City Fine Arts Council, the Rapid City Legal Auxiliary and the Rapid City Service League. She is married and has two sons.

She earned a B.S. from the University of North Dakota and an M.B.A. from the University of South Dakota.

4093 Corral Drive
Rapid City, SD 57702
Business phone: (605) 342-8617


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Thomas C. Adam - Member

Thomas C. Adam - Member Location: Pierre, South Dakota
Appointed: August 2004
Appointed by: M. Michael Rounds

Thomas (Tom) C. Adam, was a partner in the law firm of May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson in Pierre, South Dakota for 42 years. As of September 1, 2004, he assumed the status "Of Counsel" to the firm.

He served as General Counsel to the South Dakota Banker´s Association, other trade associations and publicly-owned corporations. His practice was varied, including extensive experience in real estate, mineral law, bond issues for state authorities, municipal governments and school districts, and has served as General Counsel to the South Dakota Building Authority, the South Dakota Housing Development Authority, the South Dakota Community Foundation and the South Dakota Gaming Commission.

Mr. Adam is a member of the State Bar of South Dakota, and has served the State Bar as a Commissioner, as a member of the State Judicial Qualifications Commission and as a member of the South Dakota Bar Admissions Committee, (five years as its Chairperson), as well as having served on various committees of the State Bar.

A resident of Pierre, South Dakota, since 1962, he has been active and taken leadership roles in community organizations including the Rawlins Public Library Building Corporation; the Pierre Oahe Y.M.C.A. and other youth related activities, and the Pierre-Fort Pierre Area Community Foundation. Mr. Adam served as a Director of the South Dakota Easter Seals Society, and as its President; he also served as a Director on the National Easter Seals Board, for two terms. He is currently serving as a director of the South Dakota Guardianship Program.

Born in Deadwood, South Dakota, Mr. Adam was raised in Lead, South Dakota, and was graduated from its public schools. He is a graduate of the University of South Dakota where he earned a B.S. Degree and an L.L.B. Degree. Mr. Adam and his wife Patricia (Pat) are the parents of four adult children and fourteen grandchildren.

P.O. Box 160
Pierre, SD 57501-0160
Business phone (605) 224-8803


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Dave Snyder - Executive Director

Dave Snyder - Executive Director Mr. Snyder had concluded a successful career in business when he was tapped in August 2004 by Governor M. Michael Rounds to serve on the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority Board of Directors. The Board named him Executive Director that November. He helped negotiate the transfer of the Homestake Mine property from Homestake Mining Company/Barrick Gold Corporation to the Authority and the development of the strategy for the Interim Laboratory at the 4850 foot level.

Mr. Snyder was a co-founder of D & D Farms, L.L.C., an operation which custom farmed and managed farm property for absentee owners in Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota. As president and C.E.O., he was responsible for company growth, direction and vision. He managed the company's debt and equity financing and raised its private equity. He was also responsible for all financial planning and reporting, including cash flow projections.

During the 1980s he converted the company to a large-scale hog production operation in Colorado. In 2000 he and his partner sold the company and retired, having seen its growth from zero to a capitalization of $70M. At the time the company was among the top 25 hog producers in the United States, with annual sales of $45M and 200 employees. The company was recognized nationally for its management ability in a very complex industry.

Mr. Snyder volunteered his expertise to help the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department develop the 109-mile George S. Mickelson Trail in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Built on an abandoned railroad bed, the trail is designed for hiking and bicycling. He helped create "The Friends of the Mickelson Trail" foundation and conceived the bridge sponsorship program, which became the major matching-fund money source for the multi-million dollar trail project. In l998 he received the Contributing Individual Service Award from the South Dakota Parks and Recreation Association and in 1999 received the Midwest Regional Council Individual Citation from the National Recreation and Parks Association.

As a member of the board of the Oahe YMCA in Pierre, SD from 1992-2000, he helped create the financial plan for a successfully completed multi-million dollar capital expansion.

Mr. Snyder's civic involvement in Lead has included service on the board of the Historic Homestake Opera House in Lead, SD and on the Steering Committee for the development of the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Lead.

Mr. Snyder received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics in 1967 and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics in 1970 from the University of Nebraska.


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