RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Hall of Fame has announced its 2026 inductee class, naming 10 individuals whose careers have left a lasting mark on the state and beyond. Among them are three with direct ties to Rapid City.

The Class of 2026 spans the fields of medicine, business, education, philanthropy, paleontology, and public service. The formal induction will take place at the Honors Ceremony on Sept. 11 and 12, 2026, in Chamberlain/Oacoma. Tickets go on sale in July.

David Ellwood Lust (1968-2021), a Rapid City attorney and South Dakota legislator, will be inducted posthumously in the General category. Lust served 11 years in the State Legislature, including two terms as House Majority Leader. He was instrumental in founding ELEVATE Rapid City, which honored his legacy by naming its David Lust Accelerator Building after him.

Michelle Gross Lavallee, inducted in the Business category, championed a $50 million Rapid City campus during her tenure as CEO of Children’s Home Society, where she also reversed an 80% staff turnover rate. A fourth-generation South Dakotan from Hand County, Lavallee previously held senior leadership roles at NorthWestern Energy, the University of South Dakota, Avera McKennan, and Raven Industries. She was the 2018 Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor.

Rapid City radiation oncologist Dr. Daniel G. Petereit is among the honorees. A Sioux Falls native, Petereit practices at Monument Health in Rapid City and founded the NCI-funded Walking Forward program in 2002 to address cancer disparities among Native Americans. The program has enrolled more than 5,500 Native Americans in clinical trials – the highest rate nationally – and facilitated over 2,500 cancer screenings. His research has produced 130 publications and secured $20 million in funding.

John (Jack) Neil Kucera, born in Deadwood, built Climatec from 7 to 850 employees before it was acquired by Bosch. He co-founded Huntair and BasX, later acquired by Daikin. He and his wife, Vianne, co-chaired the Homestake Opera House restoration, and as Board Chair of the Air Force Academy Foundation, he raised $330 million.

Peter Larson of Hill City has led Black Hills Institute – the world’s largest private fossil company – for more than 50 years. Internationally recognized for his work with T. rex specimens Sue and Stan, Larson has authored more than 80 scientific articles and helped shape federal fossil collection policy.

The remaining inductees include Dr. Susan Marie Anderson (1970-2024) of Canistota, who rose to become Executive Dean of USD Sanford School of Medicine and maintained a rural outreach clinic in her hometown throughout her career. Her guiding principle: “Be kind, and you can do anything you put your mind to.”

Brian James Bonde, ACFRE, of Sioux Falls is one of only 117 people worldwide to hold the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive credential. He has raised more than $450 million for nonprofits and founded Arts South Dakota.

Dr. H. Eugene Hoyme, raised in Dell Rapids, developed the internationally recognized Hoyme Diagnostic Criteria for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and co-founded Sanford Children’s Hospital along with the first genetic counseling graduate program in the Dakotas after returning to the state in 2007.

Dr. James L. Johnson of Brookings spent 30 years at South Dakota State University as Director of Theatre and Prairie Repertory Theatre, directing 105 plays and shaping more than 13,000 students before retiring in 2003 as SDSU Distinguished Professor Emeritus.

Matt Paulson of Sioux Falls is the founder and CEO of MarketBeat, the largest digital media company in the Dakotas with more than six million subscribers. His venture capital firm, Homegrown Capital, has invested in more than 80 tech companies. Dakota State University awarded him an Honorary Doctor in Public Service degree in 2024.

The South Dakota Hall of Fame, established in 1974, carries the mission “To Champion a Culture of Excellence” and seeks to honor, inspire, preserve, and educate others about the rich histories of excellence in South Dakota.