South Dakota’s “Economic Engine” Celebrated at 24th Annual Lake Area Tech Governor’s Luncheon
- Steve Jurrens
- May 6
- 4 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - State leaders, industry partners, and students gathered Tuesday, May 5, 2026, for the 24th Annual Governor’s Luncheon at Lake Area Technical College (LATC). This cornerstone event highlighted the institution’s pivotal role in shaping South Dakota’s workforce and economic future. The event served as both a celebration of recent milestones and a roadmap for ambitious campus expansions to address critical national labor shortages.
The luncheon, characterized by a spirit of partnership, featured keynote addresses by U.S. Senator Mike Rounds and Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden, along with a poignant testimonial from a successful alumnus.
A Vision for Growth and Workforce Retention
Opening the ceremony, LATC Vice President Cam Corey emphasized that the college's success is measured by the lives it transforms. With a student body representing 53 of South Dakota’s 66 counties, the college has become a vital “workforce driver” for the entire region.
“At Lake Area Tech, everything we do comes down to one mission, and that is changing lives for the better,” noted Corey. “We are not just an institution of higher education. We are a workforce driver for the state of South Dakota... 81% of Lake Area Tech graduates stay in South Dakota.”
Central to the day’s announcements was the expansion of the college’s physical and academic footprint. This includes the new Ag Commodities Trading Center, a partnership with CHS, and plans for a state-of-the-art Trade Center to house programs in wastewater treatment, industrial refrigeration, and HVAC.
“These are not just ideas that come up from us here at Lake Area Tech,” Corey explained. “These are direct responses from workforce shortages in South Dakota. At Lake Area Tech, we listen, we adapt, and then we build programs that meet those needs.”
The Legislative Perspective: “Our Young People are Like Gold”
Senator Mike Rounds, who attended the very first luncheon 24 years ago during his tenure as Governor, reflected on the college’s evolution from 415 students in 1969 to approximately 2,800 today. He underscored the national urgency of technical education, citing staggering labor statistics.
“By 2033, we are expecting a 1.9 million individual shortage in manufacturing jobs in the United States,” Senator Rounds warned. “Last year in 2026, we had a 350,000 shortfall just in the trades practices... Next year, the Manufacturers Association is suggesting the shortfall has risen to 500,000.”
Rounds emphasized that the primary challenge remains keeping South Dakota’s talent within state borders.
“The biggest challenge we have in South Dakota today is the same one that we had 24 years ago, and that is keeping our young people within our state,” Rounds said. “They’re like gold. Once they leave our state, other employers recognize how valuable these young people are, and bringing them back becomes that much more challenging.”
Results-Driven Policy: The Governor’s Pledge
Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden, representing the Governor’s office, pivoted the conversation toward tangible results. He highlighted the Build Dakota Scholarship program and recent legislative wins, such as Senate Bill 63, which established the State Apprenticeship Agency.
“In South Dakota, we don’t measure success by how many programs we create or how many ideas we talk about," Rhoden stated. “We measure success by what actually works—by whether students get good jobs or not, and by whether businesses can find the workers they need.”
Rhoden shared impressive statistics regarding LATC’s efficiency, noting that the average graduate pays off their degree in just five months and the college maintains a 99% job placement rate.
“When you align education with workforce needs, something powerful happens. You start to see results like we’re seeing right here at Lake Area Tech,” Rhoden said. “I will keep chasing opportunities to advance South Dakota’s workforce... Together, we’ll make sure that South Dakota remains open for opportunity.”
From Setback to Success: An Alumnus’s Journey
One of the most moving segments of the luncheon came from Nick Moffenbier, a 2017 Financial Services graduate and current Vice President of Ag Banking at Reliabank. Moffenbier shared his journey of dropping out of a large university after a family emergency and finding his footing at LATC.
“At Lake Area Tech, I wasn’t one of hundreds of students sitting in a lecture hall,” Moffenbier recalled. “My instructors knew me. My advisors cared about how I was doing, not just academically, but personally. They were invested in helping me succeed.”
Moffenbier credited a mock interview organized by the college with shaping his current career trajectory, underscoring the value of LATC’s industry connections.
“Every student’s journey looks a little different,” he said. “And sometimes the difference between staying on that journey and stepping away is simply financial support... The next student whose life is changed might be sitting in a classroom today, just waiting for the opportunity to keep going.”
A Gift of Craftsmanship
The event concluded with a presentation from the LATC Welding Department. In a display of the “hands-on” excellence championed throughout the day, instructors and students presented Lt. Governor Rhoden and First Lady Sandy Rhoden with a custom-fabricated fire table featuring the “Roden Ranch” brand.
As the 24th Annual Luncheon came to a close, the message was clear: through specialized training, aggressive scholarship programs, and deep community roots, Lake Area Tech remains an impactful engine driving South Dakota toward a prosperous, self-sustaining future.
