CRAIG TIESZEN
LIFETIME DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY SERVICE
1949–2017 • CATEGORY GENERAL
• HOMETOWN RAPID CITY, SD •
NOMINATED BY DEBRA TIESZEN
Craig John Tieszen was born October 24, 1949, the son of John and Catherine Tieszen. The oldest of three kids, brother Reed and sister Jan, he grew up on the family farm in Canistota, SD. He went to country school for the first 6 years before finishing his early education in town school.
His character was defined by his rural roots and family, with honesty, kindness, courage, compassion, and unparalleled integrity and civility. He went on to graduate with Honors from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with a degree in chemical engineering. While in college, he began what became a life-long commitment with the Rapid City Club for Boys, a non-profit
46 • 2021 HONORS CEREMONY
aimed at providing support and guidance for at-risk youth. With the lure of adventure and opportunity to serve his country, in the summer of 1971, Craig enlisted in the Peace Corps and moved to Kenya. He worked as a high school teacher in science and math and applied his engineering background on school breaks to help build and repair water systems for rural villages. This two-year commitment turned into four and started a lifetime passion for community engagement and service leadership. After the Peace Corps, he joined the Rapid City Police Department as a patrolman. He loved being immersed in the community, and this on-the-ground experience inspired him to revive the Adopt-a-Cop program, a local partnership between elementary schools and the police department. After rotating through nearly every division in the department, Craig was appointed as Chief of Police in 2000.
