Ray Hillenbrand

GUARDIAN AND GUIDING LIGHT OF THE COMMUNITY

1934–2019 • CATEGORY

PHILANTHROPY • HOMETOWN

RAPID CITY, SD • NOMINATED BY

DAN TRIBBY Raymond J. Hillenbrand was born August 28, 1934. He grew up in Batesville, IN where, being the adventurous lad that he was, caused a variety of excitement for the local townsfolk. Ultimately though, Ray had to grow up, and when he did he excelled at education. He graduated from Denison University in Granville, Ohio with a degree in Mathematics and then went on to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, NY.

Immediately following his college days, he joined the Air Force where he achieved the rank of First Lieutenant. Ray proudly served from 1957 to 1960.

Upon leaving the Air Force, Ray moved home to Batesville where he became very active with the family business, Hillenbrand Industries, Inc. One of his first jobs was to negotiate labor contracts. It was the early 1960's and things were pretty tough back then. Ray had many hair-raising experiences that first year and the labor talks dragged on and on. Ray, who may have been the most premiere negotiator ever, sat with the labor people and listened to the asks. The first year was long and tough. By the end of the next contract, Ray would meet the labor negotiator and they usually had the agreement worked out over breakfast in the local cafe. It remained that way for the entire time he was in that position.

Needing to take a break from the family business, Ray and his family moved west to South Dakota in 1976. They purchased the Triple Seven Ranch and tried their hand at raising cattle. That just did not scratch the itch that this adventurous family had so they switched to buffalo, bison for those who know the difference and have been raising the 1,800 animal herd ever since. The Triple Seven Ranch is now one of the premiere

A brilliant business person and a numerical genius, it is no surprise that Ray was asked to be a member of Governor Mickelson's initial SD Board of Economic Development REDI Fund.

In 1980 Ray and his wife Rita followed their passion for Northern Plains Native American art and invested in Prairie Edge, taking the business from a small chicken coop near Sturgis and turning it into what may be the foremost Northern Plains Indian art gallery anywhere in the world. Ray was so proud of the operation, from the mix of Native and non-Native artists and employees to the customer base who have become such a huge part of the Prairie Edge experience. Ray's daughter Margaret (Mimi) has taken the reigns of both the Triple Seven Ranch and Prairie Edge and continues the proud legacy for both operations.

From there Ray turned to doing everything he could to make Rapid City the most caring community in the US. He started by organizing the group that collectively would inspire the public/private collaboration that would become Main Street Square. Through all of the trials and tribulations of taking this on, Ray never faltered. Despite the critics that could just not see the value of having a public gathering place, Ray plowed on. When questions came up, Ray would simply say, "what a wonderful opportunity to help the people better understand what we are trying to do!” In the end, and when Main Street Square proved itself as a truly huge part of the community experience, Ray would love when people came up and admitted to being one of the nonbelievers who had truly changed his or her mind.

After the Square, it was Legacy Park and the Promenade. Both absolutely wonderful gifts to Rapid City. As Ray started to slow down, he really turned to doing what had always been most important to him and his family, which was helping people. He started by funding the Collective Impact movement that really helped the community re-evaluate how help is given in the community and how it could become more efficient. Once those juices started to flow, he then began the forward motion of One Heart and a place where people could heal while they continued to move forward and better their lives. Ray never got to see the conclusion of the One Heart campus, but he would be proud to know that they opened their doors to their first families on January 4th, 2021, right on schedule!