H- S P r e c i s i o n l B - 2 1 R e c o rd o f D e c i s i o n l T h r i v e Fa m i l y C h i r o p ra c ti c
AUGUST 2021
ROSEBUD RESTORER
Cody McNaught fulfills childhood hot rod dream
Volume 2. Issue No. 8
5
HEALTHY BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS
1. GET A FREE SPORTS PHYSICAL
Any student who plays a school sport needs a sports physical, which is more focused than an annual wellness checkup.
2. UPDATE REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS Make sure your child’s immunizations are up to date. Flu vaccines are also recommended for all school-age children. Children 12 and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
3. MAKE SURE BACKPACKS FIT WELL
As school kids get older, they tend to carry heavier books. That can spell shoulder, neck and back strain and affect their posture.
4. GET BEDTIME ON TRACK
Pediatricians and Family Medicine physicians recommend that children age 6 to 12 get 9 to 12 hours of sleep a night, and that teens get 8 to 10 hours a night.
5. BE MENTALLY PREPARED
Stress can lead to a variety of health issues, like insomnia and sluggish immune systems. Talk to your children about anxiety and fears, and take care not to overload anyone’s schedule, including your own.
For more information: monument.health/backtoschool
2 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
Since 1997, we have donated over 1 million school supplies to over 70 area schools and community groups.
Get your business involved! Drop off supplies at any BHFCU location or let us shop for you by making a monetary donation at
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718.1818 | bhfcu.com
elevaterapidcity.com 3
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AUG. 2021 Volume 2 // Issue No. 8
A FIREARMS FAMILY
8
The family-owned H-S Precision is the only gun company to design, engineer and manufacture every component that goes into its sporting and tactical rifles.
19
RECORD OF DECISION
20
ROSEBUD RESTORER
26
THRIVING IN LIFE
32
DOWNTOWN STAPLE
Now that the B-21 mission has been signed, what's to come at Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Cody McNaught fulfills childhood hot rod dream. St. Thomas More graduate helps locals adjust to healthier living.
Staple and Spice Market approaching 100 years in downtown Rapid City. All photos by Andy Greenman unless noted.
ELEVATE RAPID CITY J U LY 2 0 2 1 E C O N O M I C I N D I C AT O R S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 3.0%
AVERAGE WEEKLY WAGES $ 898
ECONOMY RAPID CITY GROSS SALES $ 720,963,961
AIRPORT PASSENGERS 59,094
BUILDING PERMITS 456
BUILDING VALUATION $23.6M
REAL ESTATE
Rapid City metro statistics
ACTIVE LISTINGS 164
Month-over-month increase
MEDIAN LISTING PRICE $ 365,500
Month-over-month decrease
Monthly comparisons, industry analysis and additional economic indicators available on exclusive investor report. elevaterapidcity.com 5
Working hard towards a larger purpose As much as I wanted to lead this issue pointing out there is an AC/DC cover band playing on Main Street Square August 6th, something even more important comes to mind. Grit. It is something you hear a lot about these days. There is even a bestselling book out by the psychology professor Angela Duckworth that outlines research on the topic and gives tips on how we can be more resilient ourselves and raise more resilient kids. No surprise—the title of the book is Grit. I’ll save you the cash and give you the book’s most important lesson right now: Talent alone is not enough. Passion and perseverance matter twice as much. This doesn’t mean just working hard, but working towards a higher purpose, a calling, a personal mission if you will. Working hard towards a larger purpose turns talent into skill. Welcome to this issue of Elevate, where we are putting some of the area’s grit on display. There’s a piece on the grit shown by the community and the Ellsworth Development Authority in bringing the B-21 to town that we think you’ll enjoy, if nothing else for the up-to-the-minute facts on where the Air Force is in the process. Then there’s two stories of businesses following their passions in two different areas—one for LEGO and the other for healthcare. And then there’s our cover story, a story that actually made my heart swell with happiness over the power of grit when I first heard about it. Cody McNaught, born on the Rosebud Reservation, put his dreams on hold for several decades to raise a family but has finally turned his passion for restoring cars into a full-time gig. During the last year, stories like these remind us of our own grit and determination. To keep moving forward. To keep working hard. To keep facing the challenge. To keep leading the change we want to see in this world. AC/DC covers will still be there when we get back. Stay safe and Godspeed,
Tom Johnson, President & CEO 6 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
Elevate is a monthly publication produced by Elevate Rapid City. It is the premier business magazine for the Black Hills region telling the stories that make our area unique and vibrant. PO Box 747, Rapid City, SD 57709 605.343.1744 elevaterapidcity.com PRESIDENT & CEO Tom Johnson
FINANCE & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Dana Borowski
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matt Brunner
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Shiloh Francis PUBLIC POLICY DIRECTOR Anna Hays
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & INVESTOR RELATIONS DIRECTOR Brandis Knudsen WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & TALENT ATTRACTION DIRECTOR Samantha McGrath
ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Mitch Nachtigall EVENTS & TRAINING MANAGER Rachel Day CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER Andy Greenman BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION MANAGER Garth Wadsworth
OFFICE MANAGER & HR COORDINATOR Liz Highland FINANCE MANAGER & INVESTOR COORDINATOR Debbie Leber
DATA ANALYST & PROGRAM SUPPORT COORDINATOR Loni Reichert EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Becky Knox
DOD SKILLBRIDGE INTERN Brian Rugg DESIGN AND LAYOUT Andy Greenman
PUBLISHED BY THE RAPID CITY JOURNAL Bill Masterson, Publisher, bill.masterson@bhmginc.com ADVERTISING Eddie Hebron, 605.394.8354 ehebron@amplifieddigitalagency.com PRINTED BY SIMPSONS PRINTING
#ELEVATERAPIDCITY
COMMENTS RELOCATING TO RAPID
Rapid City has been a long forgotten diamond in the rough, but I love that there is growth beyond just tourism! - Joel Hayes Very cool to see transplants get involved in growing a stronger community here. - Jenna Carda The Black Forest Inn has undergone many transformations since I started going there over 55 years ago. Welcome Jodi and Ryan to a little spot of heaven. - Vesta Wells Johnson
DOWNTOWN FACADE LOAN
Glad to see this happening. We tried for many years with the historic preservation committee to get this going! - Chris Wehrle
ELEVATE JOB BOARD
This is great! I'm a software engineer looking to relocate to South Dakota. Lots of great jobs posted here! - Roman Tetelbaum
VA CLINIC GROUNDBREAKING
Going to be a great improvement. Our BH VA is awesome and deserves such a facility. Thanks to everyone who has made this possible. - Kevin Ott
CONNECT W I T H U S! Follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/ElevateRapidCity), Instagram (@elevaterapidcity), LinkedIn (/company/elevate-rapid-city) Twitter (@Elevate_RC), and YouTube (youtube.com/elevaterapidcity). Share your thoughts and help us Elevate Rapid City together!
magazine@elevaterapidcity.com
CALENDAR July 27-31
Days of '76 Rodeo
The Days of ’76 Rodeo is the PRCA Midsize Rodeo of the Year. View schedule at daysof76.com.
July 30 - Aug. 1
Mount Rushmore Mayhem Wrestling Tournament
For full tournament details and registration information visit rmnevents.com/mount-rushmore-mayhem.
Aug. 1
Old Crow Medicine Show
The Deadwood Live! Open-Air Music Series welcomes Old Crow Medicine Show. Buy tickets at deadwoodlive.com.
Aug. 4, 11, 18
Wild West Wednesdays at Hart Ranch
Come watch cowboys and cowgirls compete each Wednesday from Aug. 4-18. Learn more at hrresort.org.
Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26
Summer Nights
Summer Nights is a free concert for all ages. View schedule at rapidcitysummernights.com.
Aug. 6-13
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
This year's music lineup features Buckcherry, Tesla, Kid Rock, Clint Black, ZZ Top and more. View schedule at sturgismotorcyclerally.com.
Aug. 6
Golden Hour Live: Thunderstruck
Join us downtown for live entertainment and the SD Made Mini Market featuring local produce, arts & crafts, food vendors and more. America's AC/DC: Thunderstruck will bring high voltage rock n' roll back to the Main Street Square Stage! Learn more at mainstreetsquare.org.
Aug. 16
Storybook Island's 62nd Birthday
Join Storybook Island for their 62nd birthday with 8.5 acres of family fun, train rides, concessions and more. Learn more at storybookisland.org.
Aug. 20-29
Central States Fair
Music, games, rides, performances, petting zoos and more await you at the Central States Fair. The grandstand lineup includes motocross, Joe Nichols, Travis Tritt, and more. For a complete list of events, visit centralstatesfair.com. elevaterapidcity.com 7
TIM
VIVIAN
8 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
A Firearms Family The family-owned H-S Precision is the only gun company to design, engineer and manufacture every component that goes into its sporting and tactical rifles. BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI
I
H-S Precision receiving government contracts nnovation has always been the foundation and partnering with top brands including of H-S Precision. Tom Houghton Sr., an Remington and Savage. The U.S. Army used the Army drill instructor and a world-record company’s stock in its US Army M24 SWS rifle. competitor in benchrest shooting, started “That was the first big government contract, the company in 1978 in Prescott, AZ, with a and it was from there we needed to expand.” goal of being a global leader in the firearms With Arizona unable to provide what Tom industry. His vision continues today with his felt he needed to grow his company; the wife Vivian, son Tim Houghton, daughter entrepreneur decided to look elsewhere. “He Tricia Hoeke, and more than 70 employees checked different states… but he decided on who share his passion. South Dakota not only because there is no While the company began in Arizona, state income tax, but because the deal they its growth in both sales and technological offered to bring us to the state. They were advancement increased substantially after loaning money at very low interest rates and Tom relocated to Rapid City in 1990. “We built a building to lease back at low rates. started off as a barrel manufacturer, but We came up here and it was just booming with my dad’s background in chemistry we from there,” said Tim, who quickly transitioned took over running the family into making synthetic business five years ago. Tom stocks,” said Tim, the "We were the first died in 2014. vice president and chief company in the world operations officer of Since the original building on Turbine Drive, the the company. “We were to integrate the bedding company has added on the first company in the block inside the three times to its current world to integrate the synthetic stock." 50,000-square-foot facility. bedding block inside “We pretty much use every the synthetic stock.” - Tim Houghton square inch of that” Tim said. That innovation led to Vice President, H-S Precision
elevaterapidcity.com 9
"When you build every single component, every bit of tooling…you have hundreds of different parts that are funneling down to create this rifle, and every single part has to be perfect and work perfectly." - Tim Houghton
photo submitted
The have also added to their workforce going from less than 10 when they started in South Dakota to the current staff of 75, and they are still hiring. One challenge the company faces when increasing its workforce is finding skilled machinists to hire. “There is not a huge manufacturing base in Rapid City. We have been pulling people from Minneapolis, Denver and Texas,” said Tim. However, a state program has helped change that. Build South Dakota is a scholarship program created in 2015 to develop skilled workers in high-demand industries. Tim said he has two employees currently enrolled at Western Dakota Technical College and one entering this fall. “Programs like this have been huge for us. It helps us. It helps them. They become a more valuable employee at a higher wage and given more responsibility.” Tim said they expect a lot out of their machinists who are working with 100-year-old machines along with new, stateof-the-art ones. “We are always looking for a
10 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
way to be better.” Following in his father’s footsteps, Tim constantly looks at ways to make their product better. Three years ago, he invested in a laser scanning machine that was suited specifically for the company. Originally developed for NASA to scan the inside of their air tanks, H-S Precision uses it to measure the entire inside of each barrel. A rotating laser probe creates a 3D image of the inside of the barrel. “At the time, there was no one doing anything like it. The [Department of Defense] had one, but they were using it on a much larger scale. No one was using it on a new barrel to say that it is perfect. It is amazing technology, and while it has been around for a while, it has never been used like this. When you build every single component, every bit of tooling… you have hundreds of different parts that are funneling down to create this rifle, and every single part has to be perfect and work perfectly.”
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While the company is leading the way in the firearms industry contracting with organizations like the FBI and the Israel Defense Force, it remains a family-owned business focused on connecting with its employees and customers. Tim’s mother Vivian, who started the business with her husband and remains president, still buzzes around making coffee for the breakroom, cleaning stocks and sweeping floors. Nearly 40 percent of H-S Precision employees have been with the company 10 years or longer including one who moved to Rapid City with the business in 1990. “The employees here are the backbone of our business. Without them we don’t have a business,” Tim said. Josh Cluff, vice president of sales and marketing, has worked at H-S Precision for 16 years moving from Arizona to Rapid City in 2005 after Tom Houghton, Sr., offered him a job. The two met while Josh was playing professional golf on mini tours. “He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.” Josh has loved being a part of H-S Precision, a career, he says, is his passion. “I work for a company that makes a fantastic product. We
12 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
are one of the only, if not the only, manufacturers in the entire world that builds every single component of the rifle. We build all the tooling that goes into the physical production as well. We take great pride in being one of the only companies that do that.” Both Tim and Josh said the best part of the job is hearing the stories from employees and customers who use their products. “We are building guns, but we are also building memories with our customers and employees,” Tim said. “You are meeting amazing people that are coming up and telling you that your product is amazing. ‘I did this and went on this amazing hunt. I’ve had one of your products for 40 years, and it has been passed down.’” Tim is carrying on his father’s legacy. The 8-year-old who was putting catalogs together and attending business dinners as his dad’s sidekick is now the at the helm of the world’s largest supplier of ballistic test barrels to firearms and ammo manufacturers in the world, and the only gun company to design, engineer and manufacture every component that goes into its sporting and tactical rifles. Tom Houghton Sr. would be proud.
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BILL JOANNE
LEGO Mania at the Mall After “Mini” journeys on the road, Joanne Felix Kunz sets up shop at Rushmore Mall. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SIANDHARA BONNET
J
RAPID CITY JOURNAL
oanne Felix Kunz has bought LEGO sets twice or three times a week for the past 11 years after marrying her husband Bill. “We’d be on the road and I’d send them to my mom’s house in California,” she said. “When we got back home to California after being nine months on the road, I’d be like, ‘Honey, I’m going down to Mom’s house,’ and I’d pick up all the LEGO. … They came out with all these wonderful sets they never had as a kid and I just...I’m addicted.” elevaterapidcity.com 15
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16 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
Felix Kunz and her husband opened Robo Briks and Grafix in October 2020 at the Rushmore Mall after living in the Black Hills since 2014 and having a regular stand at the Traders Market since September 2019. The business grew and grew while they were at the Traders Market, so the couple decided to open the storefront. However, it wasn’t just a booming business that built up the need for a store — portions of Felix Kunz’s passions and long-time dream could finally come together. “My dream was to always open up a store like this and now I have it,” Felix Kunz said. “I never thought I’d do it. My husband, who’s very supportive, was like, ‘Well, you’ve got to do it. If you don’t do it, you’ll never know.’ Our philosophy is if it doesn’t work, we pack it up and I get to bring all the LEGO home.” Felix Kunz said when she was a kid, LEGO had six colors: yellow, white, green, red, black and blue. She said she always wanted to play with them, but they were for boys so her parents never bought them. The only time she played with them was when they went to a family friend’s house. After she got to high school and got a job, she bought her first set. Then she bought one here and there. “I was always collecting toys as a kid, always toys,” she said. Felix Kunz also collected stickers, which led to her almost 12-year-old business “Stuck on Minis.” Felix Kunz bought a yellow Mini Cooper after her dad died. The color reminded her of Woodstock, the illustrated bird from “Peanuts,” so she named the car Woodstock and wanted to get a sticker.
"My dream was to always open up a store like this and now I have it." - Joanne Felix Kunz Owner, Robo Briks and Grafix
She paid $13 for it when she realized she could probably make her own. Felix Kunz bought a professional cutter and some vinyl and started making stickers for Mini Coopers with friends from a Mini Cooper club she joined. “The goal was to pay for lunch, breakfast, club meetings, but it got bigger and bigger,” she said. “Then we started doing events in Las Vegas and people all over the country came to this event and it started getting bigger.” Felix Kunz said her husband, who she met at the club, retired and wanted to get on the road in their RV, so they took the sticker business across the country. Stuck on Minis is now in 70+ countries and all 50 states. They even brought their friends to the region and host Mini CoW, or Minis of Colorado and Wyoming. Felix Kunz said they work on Stuck on Minis stickers at Robo Briks and Grafix when it gets quiet. She said they also started doing some stickers for customers at the store. She said the next step for her and Bill is probably retirement. When they first retired, they traveled across the world, and when COVID-19 hit, they couldn’t do that anymore. Now that they have the store, it’s a little more difficult. She said now the focus is hiring other people to expand Robo Briks and Grafix’s capabilities, like hosting LEGO building competitions and Make-and-Takes around the holidays, but there’s not a timeline on it. Robo Briks and Grafix Rushmore Mall Robo-Briks-Grafix-111563536908735
elevaterapidcity.com 17
“Powering You For a Brighter Future”
Question: : How do we divide summertime with children from divorce? Answer: Most DIVORCED or UNWED SEPARATED parents communicate very well for summertime activities and vacations with children. South Dakota Parenting Guidelines encourages parents to share the summer if living in proximity with one another. If living far apart, extended time with non-custodial parent is strongly encouraged. If you need help working out a summer schedule, please call BLACK HILLS MEDIATION AND LAW. CONTACT: Lorie Melone at Black Hills Mediation and Law to get legal assistance. 605-791-4850
Lorie D. Melone 1107 Mt. Rushmore Road, Suite #3A Rapid City, SD 57701 Phone: 605-791-4950 Lorie D. Melone • Family Law Attorney & Certified Mediator
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We support you!
What is a Record of Decision? BY SCOTT LANDGUTH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOUTH DAKOTA ELLSWORTH DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
A
s you have undoubtedly heard, the Record of Decision (ROD) for the B-21 mission was signed in June. This was the final step in the process to declare Ellsworth AFB the home of the first B-21 operational squadron and training mission. There was confusion with the announcement of the ROD, many thought it had already been decided. And it was, for the most part. A ROD is the final step in a long environmental impact study process dictated by National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). In March 2019, the Air Force announced their initial recommendation that Ellsworth be the first home for the new B-21 Raider. That announcement triggered the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) where many potential affects to things like plant life, wildlife, land, historical sites, socioeconomic, and noise we evaluated and presented to the public for input. The EIS studied the potential impact at Ellsworth AFB, Dyess AFB, as well as a ‘no action’ alternative. The EIS identified no significant differences to the impact of the B-21 mission between Ellsworth AFB and Dyess AFB, and therefore supported the initial recommendation of the Air Force’s Strategic Basing Decision to house the first B-21 Raiders at Ellsworth. Along with the environmental factors, the Record of Decision considered family readiness factors. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 required the Air Force to take into consideration housing, health care, and interstate portability of
professional licensure and certifications when determining basing decisions. The inclusion of these considerations denote the important role quality of life of military families plays in the national security mission. The work our community is doing to welcome military families into our schools, workforce, and neighborhoods matters. Now that the Record of Decision is signed the base can start awarding construction contracts on facilities, both new construction and remodeling of existing structures. The B-21s are currently being built and are estimated to begin arriving at Ellsworth in the 2025-2026 time frame. Working back from that date, all buildings, personnel, weapons, and support missions will need to be in place by the time the aircraft arrive on station. Therefore, we will start to see personnel arriving at Ellsworth in the very near future. In total, after the B-21 bed down is complete and the B-1 is phased out, there will be an increase of approximately 3,200 military members, spouses, and children to the area. Bringing the population at Ellsworth AFB upwards of 15,000 Airmen and families. There is much work to be done in preparation of the mission, both on and off base. We will start to see more construction on-base and continue to have conversations on how to best welcome and support the increased population. We are thrilled to welcome the B-21 Raider to Ellsworth AFB and will keep celebrating and engaging community in the important milestones related to the bed down process.
elevaterapidcity.com 19
CODY
20 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
The Rosebud Restorer Cody McNaught fulfills childhood hot rod dream. BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI
A
has always been a huge passion of mine and t 14, Cody McNaught had a plan to now doing this for a living is astounding.” to start his own business. He While his family are mostly ranchers and had an idea, a name, and, most farmers, his dad and grandfather had a love of importantly, a drive to accomplish motorcycles which helped fuel Cody’s passion. everything. His life has taken many twists and “My grandpa owned a Harley [Davidson] turns since those teen years, however, now at dealership in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and my dad 37, Cody is making his childhood dream come always rode motorcycles,” Cody said. “And true. growing up around the Sturgis Motorcycle “I had a little dream, and I’ve been making Rally you can’t help but grow a passion for it happen day to day, every day,” said Cody motorcycles.” leaning again his newly restored 1959 Chevy He grew up in Rapid City and began El Camino. He opened Paha Sapa Customs tinkering on his own cars, reading up on and Cycles in December 2020 and, in less everything from motors to paint jobs. “I than a year, the entrepreneur has enough work would sit in the garage with my friends and to keep him busy seven days a week. “I get customize cars as much as we could.” His to wake up every day and come out here and vision of starting Paha Sapa Customs and spend 10 – 12 hours a day, sometimes longer, Cycles took a slight detour when his daughter working on cool stuff and making a living Hannah, now 13, and already helping her dad out of it. You rarely get to do that in any field restore cars, was born. especially automotive.” Born on the Rosebud “It was my dream to work on cars, but I had Reservation and a "I had a little dream, and to do something, I had a member of the Sicangu I’ve been making it happen kid on the way.” To help Lakota, Cody said he was day to day, every day." provide for his family, born a car guy. “I just Cody began working at a came out loving cars, - Cody McNaught pizza shop while working loving motorcycles. It Founder, Paha Sapa Customs and Cycles
elevaterapidcity.com 21
"I was just spraying the fender, spraying the door. It got boring, so I came here [Olson Auto] and started working, and it basically changed my life." - Cody McNaught
with vehicles on the side. However, in 2009, determined to fulfill his teenage business plan, Cody enrolled in Western Dakota Technical Institute’s automotive technology program. After graduating from the two-year program, he began working at Rapid Chevrolet slowly moving up in the company. “I started cutting in fenders and hoods and painting the inside of them. I would do that for experienced techs. That’s all I did for a year and then they moved me up to junior painter.” He worked with Rapid Chevrolet for four years and then left to pursue his goal of restoring cars. “That is really what I wanted to do and the reason I got into the field of automotive.” After leaving Rapid Chevrolet, Cody’s path led him to Glen Olson, longtime owner of Olson Auto and a local legend in the car community. “I met Glen Olson back in 2014 and started working for him,” Cody said, adding that his job application was doing 22 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
one complete paint job for Olson. “That day I met him I did the complete paint job and after he said, ‘when do you want to start?’” Cody showed up the next day and every day after. “He taught me everything I know about restoring a car. Before I was just spraying the fender, spraying the door. It got boring, so I came here and started working, and it basically changed my life. He made it fun, and I absolutely loved it. It led me to be able to live my dream in life.” Cody helped Olson restore more than 40 cars that now sit in a barn on Olson Auto’s former property, now the home to Paha Sapa Customs and Cycles. Olson opened Olson Auto in 1968 using wood scraps he collected as a garbageman. He retired three years ago and continues to be a mentor. “He guided me every day to show me these old cars. Without him I don’t think I would have been able to open my own shop.”
"We always have all kinds of stuff going on. Every day will bring something through that door that is cool." - Cody McNaught
Did You Know...
Despite having his decades-long dream became a reality, the leap was a scary one. “I had one paint job, and I didn’t know what was coming after that.” However, after that first job on a 1969 Road Runner, people started to notice Cody’s artistry. “Then I worked on a ’71 Cadillac Coupe DeVille and everything started going from there and getting busier and busier.” Cody said a complete restoration takes at least a year. “It is not an in and out process,” he said, adding that it is similar to working on a piece of art. “You do metal work like an artist. You weld; you fabricate with your hands. You make it look like it was prior, or you make it into something different. Artistry has always been a big part of my life.” Cody runs his business with his cousin Dustin McNaught. “We always have all kinds of stuff going on. Every day will bring something through that door that is cool,” Cody said. This fall he is getting a fleet of old cars from
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CODY DUSTIN
"Growing up it may be so hard to get a hand up on things." - Cody McNaught
24 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
Arizona. They are currently working on 1959 Chevy Apache brought in by a man whose brother owned the truck in 1962. After his brother passed away, the man searched all over the country to find it and buy it back. “It’s been a huge labor of love,” Cody said of the job. They are preparing to custom paint a 1986 Corvette C4 and just finished a custom flame paint job on a 2014 Harley Bagger. He hopes to soon purchase and restore one of his dream cars – a 1968 Cadillac Coupe DeVille convertible. While he has only been in business for eight months, Cody already has 2-, 5-, and 10-year plans which include starting a junior entrepreneur program focused on Native American and low-income youth. He hopes to teach other teens to never give up on their dreams. “Growing up it may be so hard to get a hand up on things,” he said stressing that challenges will arise, but it’s important to overcome and move forward. He is already mentoring one youth – his daughter Hannah who has spent much her life watching her dad fulfill his dream. The fatherdaughter team restored a 1960 El Camino. “She already knows how to paint and do body work. I got her in this body shop when she was 7. She grew up in here – in this building, in this industry." Hannah hopes to take over the shop one day continuing Paha Sapa Customs and Cycles, and her dad’s dream, for another generation.
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KILBY
26 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
Thriving in Life St. Thomas More graduate helps locals adjust to healthier living. BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI
A
to my chiropractor for sports, but it usually s a high school and collegiate was after an injury. Now I see that it can be athlete, Dr. Kilby Rech knew the more for health – a true health care system.” benefits chiropractic care had on Spinal correction focuses on the full structure, helping injuries heal. However, changing the posture and curves so people when his path led him to study the practice, can see longer, more permanent, lasting Rech discovered many more advantages to the change. In this technology age, bad posture 120-year-old medical profession. He is now is common with people of all ages slouched bringing that knowledge to the Rapid City over their phones and computers. Repetitive community with the opening of Thrive Family movements in this posture adds strain and Chiropractic on Jackson Boulevard. stress on the spinal cord affecting the overall Rech’s mission is to help all people from health of the individual. Rech said he wants newborns to the elderly “thrive” in health. “I’m to work with patients to improve the posture a young father with a young family, and I love and the function of the spine. “I want to make seeing us being as healthy as we can, so why sure their body functions and heals the way wouldn’t I tell someone else how to do that. it is supposed to. People have so much stress We can’t leave health up to chance. We need to built up – emotional, chemical, physical. I want be healthy by choice.” to make sure the body can adapt to that stress Chiropractic has long been effective in the best way it can to increase health and heal providing temporary pain relief, but Rech faster than it breaks down.” intends to focus on the overall health benefits Good spinal health can begin as early as in the of spinal correction. "We can’t leave health up womb, Rech said. Pregnancy Through his schooling to chance. We need to be adjustments help make and clinicals, he now healthy by choice." birth less traumatic for both views chiropractic mom and baby. Newborn from a whole different - Dr. Kilby Rech adjustments can also help standpoint. “I would go Owner, Thrive Family Chiropractic
elevaterapidcity.com 27
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28 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
"It’s amazing how the little things you do in life set you up for where you are now." - Dr. Kilby Rech
babies sleep and eat better. Rech adjusted his son 13 minutes after he was born. “It had an awesome effect on his health. It did a lot to help him thrive after birth and continues to do so.” Rech, whose parents are from Montana, moved with his family to a ranch near Isabel, SD, when he was five. At the start of his junior year in high school, Rech moved to Rapid City to attend St. Thomas More High School. “It was a life-changing experience. I met some very influential people in my life through basketball and through school.” He also met his wife Samantha during his first class at the new school. “It was a chemistry class, and I sat at the same table as Samantha. We had chemistry in chemistry,” he chuckled. As a firm believer in things happening for a reason, Rech believes his move to Rapid set him up for success. “It’s amazing how the little things you do in life set you up for where you are now – the trajectory, doors opening and closing.” Those doors continued to open and close for Rech. After graduating from St. Thomas
elevaterapidcity.com 29
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30 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
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"People need to be participants in their lives and not just spectators." - Dr. Kilby Rech
More in 2012, he attended Northwest College in Powell, WY, to play basketball. After two years there, he had just been re-recruited to play at Black Hills State University when he blew out his knee at the end of his final season at Northwest. Instead, he attended Montana State University Northern in Havre, only an hour from Great Falls, MT, where Samantha was completing her clinicals in nursing. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science and Health Promotion, Rech was unsure of what he wanted to do with his degree. With his passion for sports, he tried personal training and physical therapy, but neither provided the fulfillment he wanted. Rech wanted to help people be proactive about their health. After a brief move back to Rapid City, the couple moved to Minneapolis so Rech could attend Northwestern Health Sciences University and earn his Doctor of Chiropractic. With only a small percentage of chiropractors specializing in spinal correction, Rech knew he wanted to start his own clinic after graduating this past
December. With Samantha’s family in Rapid City, the couple along with their two boys, Boone, 2, and Kopper, 10 months, and border collie Sona, who also gets regular adjustments, moved back home. He is excited to begin his career surrounded by great resources and in a community that supports small businesses. Despite just opening the doors to Thrive, Rech is already envisioning the growth of his practice. He hopes to add a nurse practitioner, massage therapist, rehab techs, and personal trainer, among others. “I have big goals,” he said. “I really want to set kids and families up to thrive in health because everyone wants the ability to do the things they love to do whether that’s running, hiking, biking, or playing with grandkids. People need to be participants in their lives and not just spectators.” Thrive Family Chiropractic 2800 Jackson Blvd., Suite 2 thrive.familychiropracticsd
elevaterapidcity.com 31
TAMMY
WAYNE
photo submitted 32 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
A Downtown Staple Staple and Spice Market approaching 100 years in downtown Rapid City. BY MAIN STREET SQUARE
A
Wayne Yanders purchased Staple and Spice person’s journey can lead them Market in early 2020 from longtime owner down many roads. Sometimes Carol Pugh, they knew they had a longstanding those roads intersect and lead you tradition to uphold while searching for to where we are supposed to go. ways to bring the local market into the 21st This is especially true in the case of Tammy century. “With the help of Carol, it was an Yanders, owner of Staple & Spice Market in easy transition into the new ownership,” downtown Rapid City. stated Yanders. Three months into ownership Tammy was working as a full-time nurse the Yanders, like the rest of the world, were and navigating her own health journey as trying to figure out how to change their a customer of Staple & Spice Market when business model to remain relevant during a a conversation with longtime owner Carol pandemic. “As new owners we had to adjust. Pugh opened the door for a career change. As people spent more time at home, personal “Carol mentioned to me that she thought I would be great at this health care became a huge priority for many, and we as she was looking to saw people buying vitamins relocate. I thought, all "As people spent more and supplements as well as the things I’ve done time at home, personal in my life have been a stocking up their pantry’s health care became a — unsure what was coming. vessel to this point. So I took this opportunity Like most businesses, we huge priority for many, started offering back door to be a platform to and we saw people showcase my passion pickup for orders and it worked,” added Yanders. and life’s work. Wayne buying vitamins and Although Staple & Spice (her husband) and I supplements as well as decided to purchase the Market has been a fixture stocking up their pantry’s." in downtown Rapid City store and start this new journey,” stated Tammy. for nearly a 100 years, - Tammy Yanders the Yanders are trying to When Tammy and Owner, Staple & Spice Market
elevaterapidcity.com 33
PRES ENTS THE
2021 CRITICAL ISSUES LUNCHEON PANEL
Hani Shafi
Dream Design International
Domico Rodriguez
Main Street Square
Andy Scull
Scull Construction
Jennifer Sietsema
West River Business Council
Jared McEntaffer
Benchmark Data Labs
LOCAL
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS THE PROFILE AND GROWTH OF RAPID CITY CONTINUES TO RISE, UNDERSTANDING STRONG LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES ARE IMPERATIVE TO THE QUALITY
5
AUG 11:30 - 1:00
THE RUSHMORE HOTEL
VIEW ALL CRITICAL ISSUES LUNCHEONS AND REGISTER AT ELEVATERAPIDCITY.COM
34 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
elevaterapidcity.com 34
photo submitted
"We also created an event space as we wanted to make sure we had a platform for our customers to tell their stories, while bringing in local health care professionals to help educate customers on how to best navigate their own health journeys." - Tammy Yanders
introduce their offerings and local producers to the community. “One of the first things we wanted to do was give the space a facelift, this included the sign on the building. We also created an event space as we wanted to make sure we had a platform for our customers to tell their stories, while bringing in local health care professionals to help educate customers on how to best navigate their own health journeys. Education is key,” stated Yanders. “My passion is helping people achieve their goals, that is why I became a certified health coach. While working in nursing, I realized I enjoyed focusing on preventative care. Everyone is bio-individual and the store can offer something for everyone on
their own health journey.” Staple & Spice Market has been a staple in Rapid City thanks to their great service. “We are a familyowned business and strive to give the best service to our customers. We have people that have moved away and come back with their families and talk about the aroma of the store. They remember the smell of herbs, spices and oils. We were lucky to have an opportunity to be a part of an established icon in downtown Rapid City. We are from Rapid City and have been a part of the community and are now invested in the legacy as well,” Tammy proudly states.
Staple & Spice 601 Mount Rushmore Road StapleSpiceMarket elevaterapidcity.com 35
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Elevate Rapid City is a merged organization of the Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development, and Innovation center. Since its launch in 2019 Elevate has been working hard to serve the region for everyone.
BRANDIS KNUDSEN RECEIVES TWO NATIONAL SALES AWARDS After only two years with Elevate Rapid City, Brandis Knudsen, the organization’s small business development and investor relations director, is already being recognized nationally for his achievements in sales. The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) recently announced the 2020-2021 sales winners during a virtual ceremony. “Membership sales professionals are on the front lines of telling their chamber’s stories and showcasing the impact their organizations have on the communities they serve,” said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. “We celebrate the success of our industry’s top achievers, particularly given the challenges they faced through the pandemic.” Knudsen received both the Sales Contest and the Dana Ketterling Lifetime Sales Achievement awards. The Dana Ketterling Lifetime Sales Achievement Award recognizes career sales achievement, with awards based
on the total number or total dollar amount of chamber membership sales. Knudsen earned recognition in the bronze category for achieving 500 transaction or $175,000 in sales in chamber memberships throughout his two years. The award is presented in memory of Dana Ketterling, ACCE’s resource development officer, who was a gifted membership professional and champion of chambers of commerce and the communities they serve. Knudsen also placed first this year in the dollar value of new sales he achieved in the dues revenue under $500,000 category. “It’s an honor to be recognized for my professional achievements this past year and to receive a lifetime achievement award after only two years in the industry. However, this recognition would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the entire staff at Elevate Rapid City and the organizations that support our mission and our community.”
UPCOMING EVENTS LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FORUM AUGUST 5 // 11:30-1:00 P.M. ELEVATE RAPID CIT Y
As the profile and growth of Rapid City continues to rise, the importance of strong local economic development practices has never been more critical. Panel includes: Hani Shafi, Dream Design International; Andy Scull, Scull Construction; and more.
NETWORKING MIXER AUGUST 24 // 4:30-6:30 P.M.
Make new connections at the Bud Light Tent at the 2021 Central States Fair. Appetizers, drinks and fun will be plentiful. Get your grandstand tickets and stay for the Travis Tritt concert after the Mixer!
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER AT ELEVATERAPIDCITY.COM 38 ELEVATE • AUGUST 2021
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