August 2025 Elevate Magazine Rapid City South Dakota
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Common goals Uncommon good
Enjoy the rewards of a life well-lived
Business planning is the foundation of financial security for the life of your business – even if it outlives you. Discover the peace of mind that comes from business planning with a local Modern Woodmen of America representative. And enjoy the sense of purpose that comes from giving back to your community.
I can help you plan for life. Let’s talk.
Andy Bartling, FICF, LUTCF 628 1/2 6th Street, Suite 217 Rapid City, SD 57701 B. 605-341-6115, C. 605-381-7026 andrew.j.bartling@mwarep.org reps.modernwoodmen.org/abartling
GET YOUR SHADES OUT
ELEVATE ELEVATE
For most of human history, the sun wasn’t just a source of light, it was the source of life. We built entire civilizations around its movements, planted by it, prayed to it, and feared what happened when it disappeared. It has been called many names, but the sun was certainly the first CEO we ever answered to. Since then, we’ve traded sundials for smartphones, but our reliance on the sun hasn’t wavered. If anything, we’ve just become more creative.
Welcome to this issue of Elevate, where we don’t just live in the sun’s glow, we build businesses around it. You’ll meet four locals who don’t just soak up the sun—they’ve made it part of their business model.
First, there’s Dr. Lycia Thornburg, who grew up with eczema and a dream to be a doctor. Now a leading dermatologist, she helps others protect their skin while still enjoying the outdoors. She’s the founder of Made for Shade, a nonprofit that blends public health and public parks. If anyone can make sunblock sound aspirational, it’s her.
Then, there’s Dwight Patterson, founder of GenPro Energy Solutions.
Not only is he providing good-paying technology jobs in the region, he saw promise in solar when most people thought it was a punchline. Today, GenPro works with NASA, the Department of Defense, and remote villages alike, proving that light, in the right hands, becomes power.
Next up are Kevin Buntrock and Donny Ward, two long-time friends who just wanted a better place to play golf. Twenty-five years, 500 residential lots, and one top-ranked course later, they’ve created more than a clubhouse—they’ve built community. And they did it with little more than vision, grit, and golf holes drawn on rocks.
Finally, we bring you the story of Mackenzie Turner, co-owner of the Sheridan Lake Marina, whose Florida upbringing and Black Hills heritage collided to create a business that’s equal parts pontoon logistics and lakefront hospitality.
These aren’t just stories about sun exposure, they’re about exposure to risk, reinvention, and reward. Because in the Black Hills, success rarely looks like a boardroom. More often, it looks like sunscreen, utility patents, rental waivers, and a fresh set of oars.
Stay safe, stay bright, and God-speed, Tom Johnson, President & CEO
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
PRESIDENT & CEO
Tom Johnson
SENIOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR
Taylor Davis
SENIOR MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRE CTOR
Shiloh Francis
SENIOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Lori Frederick
SENIOR PUBLIC POLICY DIRECTOR
Garth Wadsworth
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Liz Highland
EVENTS & MARKETING DIRECTOR
WORKFORCE PLANNING DIRECTOR
Reese Niu
HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Laura Jones
ECOSYSTEM SUPPORT & PROPERTY MANAGER
Loni Reichert
Ashley Simonson Elevate
Rachel Nelson
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Kallie Ruland
BUSINESS PROSPECT MANAGER
Drew Staufer
CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER
Bailey Sadowsky
EXECUTIVE
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
August 1 – 10
STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY
Sturgis, SD sturgis.com
August 1 – 3
WAITRESS: THE MUSICAL
Black Hills Playhouse blackhillsplayhouse.com
August 2
BLACK HILLS FARMERS MARKET
Rapid City blackhillsfarmersmarket.org
August 4
FREE ENTRANCE DAYS IN THE NATIONAL PARKS
Badlands National Park home.nps.gov/planyourvisit
August 6
TRIVIA NIGHT
The Park thepark707.com/event
August 7
HAY CAMP TRIVIA THURSDAYS
Hay Camp Brewing Co haycampbrewing.com
August 7
JOHNNY HASTINGS TRIO
The Tinder Box rapidcitytinderbox.com
August 8 – 9
RUTHIE CRAFT
The Tinder Box rapidcitytinderbox.com
August 9
BACK TO SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY
Main Street Square visitrapidcity.com
August 11
MOVIES ON MAIN
Main Street Square visitrapidcity.com
August 15 – 23
CENTRAL STATES FAIR
Central States Fair & Rodeo centralstatesfairinc.com
August 23
SUMMER SUNSET FESTIVAL
Main Street Square visitrapidcity.com
August 30
ANNE WILSON
The Monument themonument.live
Events are curated with the most accurate information available at the time of print. Please check the event website for full details or changes.
RAPIDCITYBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
Rapid City Business Journal is a weekly show and a business news website produced by Elevate Rapid City and The HomeSlice Group. We strive to produce daily and weekly business news supporting Rapid City, The Black Hills, and South Dakota.
333 West Boulevard Ste. 200 Rapid City, SD 57709
605.343.6161
rapidcitybusinessjournal.com
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Mark Houston
PUBLIC SERVICE DIRECTOR
Leslie Cline
IT/ENGINEERING
Chris Jaques
PRODUCER
Amber Clement
PRODUCTION
Oakley Tye
PROMOTIONS
Mitchell Stafford
WEBSITE DESIGN
Brenna Sherry
DATA MANAGEMENT
Hannah Masters
OPERATIONS
Toni Kinney
THE CAST
Mark Houston
Leslie Cline
Dean Taylor
Amy Rose
Mitchell Stafford
Oakley Tye
Brandon Jones
Gary Matthews Francie Ganje
Another HomeSlice Audio Production
EVENTS 2025 AUGUST
SOUTH DAKO
For children and families
Children’s Home Society of South Dakota is healing trauma, raising hope and growing resilience for the children, families and communities we serve. We offer everything from residential treatment and schools to outpatient mental health services, forensic interviewing and more. And now we’re expanding services at our new location on Mount Rushmore Road in Rapid City.
HARNESS
DWIGHT PATTERSON CREATES ENERGY SOLUTIONS LOCALLY AND WORLDWIDE.
STORY BY KORY LANPHEAR \\ PHOTOS BY BAILEY SADOWSKY & SUBMITTED
Despite once having the nickname “The Sunshine State,” which now belongs to Florida, South Dakota only averages about 2,700 hours of sunlight per year. That may seem like a lot, but The Mount Rushmore State doesn’t rank anywhere near the top of the list (Yuma, Arizona at around 4,000 hours each year.)
“A lot of people are like, ‘You’re crazy to start a renewable energy business in South Dakota,’” said Dwight Patterson, CEO of GenPro Energy Solutions, a provider of energy-efficient technologies, which includes solar power. As anyone who has ever been sunburned on a cloudy day can tell you, it might not be visible, but if it’s daytime, the sun is there.
Maybe you’ve passed GenPro while traveling on Interstate 90 near Piedmont—the modern-looking buildings huddled together in a small compound, solar panels on the roofs—and wondered, “What goes on at that place?”
Well, it’s worth your time to find out, because GenPro Energy Solutions makes big ideas happen for big projects. Black Hills State University, NASA, Ellsworth Air Force Base, the Department of Defense,
the Marines—all organizations with which GenPro has worked.
Dwight, 53, a Rapid City Central High School graduate and Rapid City local, cut his teeth working internationally doing power generation projects, usually procuring water for developing nations.
“I started at Black Hill State University for business. I got a little anxious to get on with it, so I didn’t finish there,” he said. “I ended up jumping right into business. In 1997, my brother and I started an export company in the power generation industry.”
During those years, Dwight began to recognize the potential in renewable energy and decided to shift his focus in that direction. Concerns about energy infrastructure failure due to the so-called year 2000 problem brought a larger awareness to renewable energy.
“At that time, rural utilities were getting fairly pricey when it came to bringing power out to a remote area, and ranchers were looking for alternatives.”
Dwight took a risk and dove into solar, founding GenPro Energy Solutions in 2003, as a way to try
“PEOPLE DON’T RECOGNIZE THE TALENT LEVELS THAT WE HAVE IN SOUTH DAKOTA. I WANT TO PROVIDE A PLACE WHERE, IF THEY’VE GOT THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, RIGHT APTITUDE, WE WILL HELP THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.”
- DWIGHT PATTERSON
Photos courtesy of GenPro Team Photos
and meet the need for energy delivery to remote areas. In a pleasant twist, rural utilities frequently recommended his services, which helped GenPro to grow.
“In the early days, we adopted this concept that if GenPro is going to do it, it’s going to work. Before we deploy technology, we’ve taken it through a fairly rigorous process of evaluation before we ever give it to a customer.”
While GenPro doesn’t do many strictly residential projects anymore, Dwight encourages other players to get involved. “It promotes solar technology,” he said. “It’s very cost effective. So it’s here to stay and it’s going to continue to grow. South Dakota happens to be ranked near the bottom for solar deployment in the country in terms of implementation of the technology.”
While the majority of GenPro’s large scale solar projects have been located in other states, Dwight’s love for South Dakota is what made him decide to found—and keep—his business here. “Many times people have overlooked the offerings that are on a local level, because they think they have to go outside of the state to find what they’re looking for.
That’s not the case.”
Still, Dwight stays devoted to his home state. “People don’t recognize the talent levels that we have in South Dakota. Some folks that have been at GenPro for 10 years, in their early days had very simple positions and didn’t even have the education at the time. We will invest in people getting education in whatever area that they’re interested in—our industry, our business—to see where there is opportunity for them to grow. I want to provide a place where, if they’ve got the right attitude, right aptitude, we will help them to achieve their goals.”
In his free time, Dwight often returns to his roots, designing and developing water purification technologies or water supply systems for hospitals, missions and communities in developing countries. Having grown up in a ranching family, he has a keen understanding of the importance of water.
“It’s cool to get involved and see something that actually makes a difference to somebody’s life,” he said. “It’s amazing how many people in this world don’t have access to clean drinking water. It blows my mind.” *
“Good architecture isn’t necessarily only photogenic. You have to put yourself in the place of the client, know what their needs are.”
– Harold “Spitz” Spitznagel
At TSP, transformative design begins by listening to the people who will live, work, and grow in the spaces we create.
LAKE I F
EMACKENZIE TURNER MIXES WORK AND PLAY AT THE SHERIDAN LAKE MARINA
STORY BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI
PHOTOS BY BAILEY SADOWSKY
With sunglasses on, a tank top, and the lake breeze in her hair, Mackenzie Turner lounges in a patio chair—eyes scanning the dock as boats glide in and families haul coolers and lake toys toward the shore. Just as quickly, she’s on her feet again, greeting guests, answering questions and solving problems with a practiced ease.
This is Mackenzie’s world—an energetic mix of summer fun and behindthe-scenes coordination that she’s been orchestrating for nearly five years.
Mackenize and her husband, Jessie, own the Marina at Sheridan Lake, a perfect complement to their other business Black Hills Outdoor, a full-service marine and powersports dealership. While Jessie handles daily operations at Black Hills Outdoor, Mackenzie dives into marina life— combining her love for the water with a gift for connecting with people.
“I feel really lucky to be the hostess of the Hills,” she said. “I tell all my
employees that our No. 1 priority is safety, and No. 2 is we are the fun facilitators.”
Mackenzie grew up in Florida but has had a lifetime connection with South Dakota and the Black Hills. Both her parents, Todd and Sally Kenner, are from South Dakota so she spent her childhood making memories in the Hills.
“I never lived here growing up, but my grandparents and parents are from South Dakota. I just always felt really connected to the area,” she said.
Her parents moved back to South Dakota in 2010 when her dad joined RESPEC as president and CEO. Mackenzie returned to Florida after graduating with a biology degree from John Caroll University in Cleveland. Fate stepped in when she met Jessie, a Florida native who owned a MasterCraft dealership in Tampa.
But their story actually began much earlier. When the Kenner family first
moved to Florida, Jessie had unknowingly crossed paths with them at his first job at a powersports dealership, selling jet skis to Mackenzie’s mom—for her dad. The connection resurfaced years later while the family was packing to move. Sorting through old drawers, her mom pulled out a Rolodex and found Jessie’s original business card, complete with a handwritten cell number—still the same one he uses today.
“That was pretty crazy,” she recalls.
The couple got engaged and moved to South Dakota to be closer to Mackenzie’s family and in 2017 they opened Black Hills Outdoor.
Jessie ran the dealership while Mackenzie worked as an ophthalmic technician for Slingsby and Huot Eye Associates. Their life, like many during 2020, took a slight detour when the pandemic hit. With everyone wanting to be outside, Black Hills Outdoor remained open. However, the couple, who were expecting their first baby in
October, decided they wanted something different.
On December 26, 2020, Mackenzie and Jessie made an offer to purchase the Sheridan Lake Marina. “It was one of those gut feelings,” she said. “We realized this was exactly what we’d been envisioning—something that could complement the boat shop while creating a new income stream. It’s been a perfect fit.”
The Marina rents pontoons and fishing boats, kayaks, paddle boards, jet skis and bikes. Mackenzie has 100 boat slips she rents to locals, many of whom also service with Black Hills Outdoors. Slip holders don’t even touch their boats. The couple winterizes, stores and returns the boat to the lake when the season begins. “Our season is short, so a lot of folks don’t use their boat because it is so much work. This allows people to enjoy their boat a lot more because they don’t have to think about logistics,” she said.
- MACKENZIE TURNER “
I FEEL REALLY LUCKY TO BE THE HOSTESS OF THE HILLS... OUR NO. 1 PRIORITY IS SAFETY, AND NO. 2 IS WE ARE THE FUN FACILITATORS.”
With two little boys now, Tristan 4 and Troy 3, Mackenzie and Jessie are navigating the crazy summer season while still enjoying time as a family. They recently built a tiny house in the Blue Wing community past the lake’s south boat launch. “This has allowed us for when we are finished for the day to enjoy the summer ourselves,” she said.
During the off-season, Mackenzie and maintenance manager Charlie Edmonds focus on upgrades and renovations. This past winter and spring, they transformed the marina’s upstairs into a lakefront vacation rental.
A 2024 Elevate Leadership Institute graduate, Mackenzie looks forward to having more time for community involvement—something her family values. “My dad always stressed the importance of giving back—I want to follow that example,” she said.
For now, Mackenzie is right where she wants to be—anchored at the marina, balancing business ownership with summer moments, and building a life that blends hard work, happy people, family and a love for the Black Hills. *
25YEAR OVERNIGHT SUCCESS
KEVIN BUNTROCK AND DONNY WARD MAKE GOLF A SOCIAL GAME.
LANPHEAR
STORY BY KORY
\\ PHOTOS BY BAILEY SADOWSKY & SUBMITTED
Two friends who love to play golf. It can’t be that simple, can it? Well, yes. And no.
Back in 1999, Kevin Buntrock and Donny Ward, eventual Founders and Managing Members of The Golf Club at Red Rock, took part in a golf tournament in Sheridan, Wyoming. “On the way home, we were talking about how Rapid City could really use a good golf course community, similar to The Powder Horn Golf Club in Sheridan,” said Donny, 61, a Rapid City local.
At the time, Kevin, 67, originally from Aberdeen, worked for a company called Sodak Gaming, Inc., while Donny dabbled in real estate. Neither of them had any golf-related professional experience.
They were serious enough about the idea to acquire property southwest of Rapid City proper, just off Old Highway 40. “When we bought the land in 2000, there was a gravel road from Sheridan Lake Road that came to a single house,” Kevin said. “That’s all that was out here.”
The duo soon discovered that, in order to stand up a golf course, they would have to build additional roads and bring utilities like water out to the property. They found themselves becoming not just golf course owners, but land developers, as well.
“We developed and sold lots. We had to do that to pay for the golf course,” said Donny.
They secured investors, hired construction companies and, of course, recruited a golf course designer.
“The city knew we were building a golf course, but they’d never seen something like that come through, because we really didn’t have an official set of plans,” Donny said. “Our designer, Ron Farris, drew holes on his hand, drew them on rocks, drew them in the dirt, to show the golf course contractors what he wanted them to do.”
The first nine holes opened in 2002. The back nine followed in 2003. Kevin and Donny continued selling lots. Over about 20 years, they created and sold about 500 lots across multiple developments surrounding the golf course.
Residents of the developments walk their dogs on the course. Kids from the area are found on the grounds after school and in the summer. That lone, old house that was there back in 2000 when they bought the property became part of the clubhouse.
“ WE REALLY WANTED IT TO BE AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE AND TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE PEOPLE COME AND LIKE TO HANG OUT”
- DONNY WARD
“We really wanted it to be an enjoyable experience and to create an atmosphere where people come and like to hang out,” said Donny. “We have very good food as well. That’s the thing—it’s not a country club atmosphere.”
There were, however, significant challenges along the way. The 9/11 attacks threatened to end the whole project before it began. The real estate market collapse of the mid-2000s jeopardized the golf club’s financing resources. Then, of course, COVID-19 brought more uncertainty.
The sense of community that they fostered around the club helped ease the anxiety. “During COVID, we had members out here calling and asking if they could help with anything, just because they love this place so much,” said Donny.
It is the social aspect of golf that Kevin and Donny embrace the most, not just with the course and members, but with employees, too.
“We hire good people and let them do their job,” said Kevin. “Our golf pro, Jason Young, has been with us for 20 years. The course superintendent, Rick Wit—his daughter got married here two weeks ago. She was three months old when he started for us. They’re incredibly talented, incredibly dedicated, and we’re successful because of their efforts, as much as anything we’ve done.”
“I joke that it’s taken 25 years to become an overnight success,” said Donny.
It may have been a long time in the making, but it paid off. The Golf Club at Red Rock is the number one public golf course in South Dakota. It’s a challenging course, but there are multiple sets of tees so golfers of all abilities can play. It was designed with the idea that there
Photo courtesy of Golf Club at Red Rock
are many different approaches and that, once you play a round, you immediately want to come back and try again.
“We didn’t reinvent the wheel,” said Kevin. “I think we built a very great golf course on the piece of ground we had. We’ve been very fortunate. I can’t imagine anything I would have done that would have been more fulfilling to me.”
They’re just two friends who love to play golf. It’s that simple. *
RAYS
RAYS -SAFELY UP THE SOAKING
DR. LYCIA THORNBURG EMBRACES
HEALTHY
OUTDOOR
FUN IN THE SUN.
STORY BY MICHELLE PAWELSKI \\ PHOTOS BY SHILOH FRANCIS
Lycia Thornburg grew up knowing she wanted to be a doctor. There was something about science and helping people that drew her in. “I didn’t know exactly what kind of doctor I wanted to be back then, but I knew I wanted to be one.”
A battle with eczema as a young girl sparked an early appreciation for the power of medicine—and a lasting impression of the dermatologist who helped her feel confident in her own skin. That early experience stuck with her, quietly shaping her path through college and medical school.
“In med school, dermatology just made sense,” Lycia said. “It combined everything I loved: medicine, psychology, even artistry. I realized I could not only help people live healthier lives but also help them
feel more confident in their skin. That’s still the heart of what drives me today.”
Now as a dermatologist herself, Lycia is passionate about helping others take care of their skin – especially while enjoying the outdoors. “Our skin tells a story. It reflects our health, our stress and our environment,” she said. “I am passionate about teaching people how to care for it in a way that aligns with both their inner and outer well-being.”
Originally from Wisconsin, Lycia has called Rapid City home since 2003, when she began practicing dermatology and quickly fell in love with the area. “The Black Hills really felt like home the first time I visited. I loved the sense of community, the beauty of the outdoors and the slower pace that lets you actually
I LOVED THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY, THE BEAUTY OF THE OUTDOORS AND THE SLOWER PACE THAT LETS YOU ACTUALLY BREATHE A LITTLE. ”
- DR. THORNBURG
breathe a little,” she said. “As a mom, it also felt like the kind of place where I could raise my kids and build something meaningful.”
And that’s exactly what she’s done— building both a thriving career and a fulfilling life, while sharing her passion and expertise far beyond South Dakota.
Lycia’s work in dermatology extends far beyond the exam room. She’s the author of Chasing Beauty: The Art, Science, and Business of Aesthetics, a book that explores the ethics of aesthetic medicine—an area she believes must balance science, art, and integrity. Most recently, she was one of just 22 professionals nationwide selected for the elite Master’s of Botox program, where she trained under some of the leading experts in the field. “It goes far beyond technique; it’s about deep anatomy, patient safety and learning how to deliver results that feel natural and personal,” Lycia said. “That experience will allow me to bring advanced techniques and connectivity to the Black Hills and beyond.”
Among her proudest accomplishments is Made for Shade, a nonprofit she founded in 2006 with the help of colleagues from the Rapid City Medical Center Skin Institute and Riddle’s Jewelry. The organization funds shade structures to protect kids from harmful sun exposure while encouraging active, outdoor lifestyles.
“We focus on educating children about sun safety and building shade structures in public places. Prevention starts young,” she said. “I want people to hike, bike, garden – but I also want them to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen, reapply it and know how to check their skin,” Lycia said. “It’s possible to love the outdoors and protect your future at the same time. Sun-safe doesn’t mean boring – it means being smart.”
With an active family that loves to be outdoors, Lycia follows a consistent routine balancing fun and safety – sunscreen on all exposed skin, wide-brim hats and reapplying every two hours. “If the UV index is especially high, we adjust – we’ll find a shaded spot or choose a different activity that’s more sun-safe. It’s
KADOKA AREA SCHOOL CLASSROOM ADDITION
KADOKA, SOUTH DAKOTA
Vinyl and Mesh Banners printed in-house
about being intentional, not rigid.” It’s a routine she encourages other individuals and families to adopt.
And just as she’s helped her own family build healthy habits, she’s seen the field evolve toward a more health-centered personalized kind of care.
“We’ve gone from treating only disease to embracing a more holistic, preventive and personalized approach. Science has also caught up. We have data-driven skincare, non-invasive lasers and regenerative medicine. It’s an exciting time to be in this field.”
Whether it’s protection against the sun, treating diseases like eczema or psoriasis, or aesthetics, for Lycia it all goes back to the science and helping people – the same curiosity and compassion that first drew her to medicine as a child. She continues to build a legacy of care that reflects not only her expertise, but her heart for her patients, her community and those sun-loving outdoor adventurers. *
