John Brinkman, Treasurer/Secretary

John Brinkman has been a resident and employee at First Bank & Trust for twenty-eight years. He's been active in various Garretson organizations including the Garretson Industrial Development Corporation, Garretson Commercial Club, Garretson Food Pantry.

"I feel the Garretson Economic Development organization is vital for the future growth of Garretson. The reason I joined the GED is to pass along any knowledge to the next generation of community leaders. I look forward to working with Chris Fields and the City of Garretson." - John Brinkman

Ruth Christopherson, Chair

Ruth Christopherson entered the military service in April 1978, enlisting in the South Dakota Air National Guard while in college.  She received her commission in 1987 as a Public Affairs Officer.  Christopherson held numerous positions in the unit over the course of her 30 year military career participating in numerous deployments in support of the mission.  She was promoted to Colonel in 2004.  In 2007 she was named the Chief of Staff for the South Dakota Air National Guard and served as the J5 for the Joint Forces of South Dakota Air and Army National Guard.  She retired in December 2008.

Christopherson’s civilian career focused on finance and investing for over 30 years.  The last 25 years of her Civilian career were spent at Citi working in Operations, Financial Control, and Community Investing and Development.  As a Senior Vice President at Citi, she served as the Community Investing and Development Market Manager for South Dakota and Texas, and led the Corporation’s Veteran Program, Citi Salutes.  Her work enabled multiple projects to develop safe, affordable housing for Veterans.   Locally, she worked with local and national nonprofits to create and support programs that ensure economic empowerment and growth for underserved communities.  She retired in March 2022.

Ms. Christopherson received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from the University of South Dakota. Although retired, she continues to serve as a director on four community boards and one advisory board. Ruth and her husband, Reid, reside on an acreage near Garretson, SD. They have two grown children and one grandchild.

Ron Luke, Vice Chair

Short Bio – Ron grew up in Marion, SD with 5 brothers.  He worked as assistant manager for 12 years at the grocery store in Marion and 6 years as a sales representative for a grocery brokerage.  He purchased Garretson Food Center in 1996.  He is married to wife Lorie and has 2 girls; Lindsey (Kyle) 30 yr and Lara (Cole) 26 yr.  and one granddaughter, Lakin.  Ron enjoys golf, baseball, community service and spending time with the family.

Why Ron sits on the GED Board: 1) To learn.  There is a lot of knowledge to be taken in economic development.  I enjoy the different challenges that comes with each new project.  2)  To listen.  Listen to the people of Garretson to try to understand which direction they would like to see Garretson grow.  3)  To Execute.  To do the best with the knowledge of the board and myself.  To do what is best for Garretson.  Hopefully that means grow in many areas.

Rod Tillma, Director

Rod has has been a resident of Garretson for more than 15 years now, has a wife, Nicole, as well as 3 children - Taylor, Mason, and Sean. Rod and Nicole are both business owners in Garretson - Nicole Downtown Style Salon and Boutique, while Rod owns or co-owns several businesses in town - Central Valley Dairy Supply, Midwest Dairy Robotics, and Splitrock Ag Services.

Rod's interest and passion for GED is focused on commercial and residential growth, while also acknowledging some "untapped opportunity" in Garretson's tourism market.

Jeff Frerk, Director

Jeff Frerk is a graduate of Garretson High School and a co-owner of Steve's Electric and Plumbing INC. on Main Street in Garretson, a Garretson staple since 1980. After graduating from Garretson High School he continued his education at Mitchell Technical Institute, receiving his degree in Electrical Construction and Maintenance.

Jeff and his Dad offer complete Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC needs for residential, commercial, and agricultural needs in the Garretson area. Jeff's role continues to evolve as Vice President of the business, while Steve is starting to take more time for himself in a retirement role but still helps out with some computer and paperwork.

Chris Fields, Director of Economic Development

Chris Fields is originally from Overland Park, KS, near the Kansas City Metro. Upon graduating high school, Fields attended the University of Kansas, earning his bachelor’s degree in Political Science. While at KU, he served as the Risk Management Chair as a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, as well as served as an intern in the State of Kansas Senate for Sen. Pete Brungardt (Saline County).

Recently, Fields received his Master’s of Public Administration, with honors, from Bellevue University. Along with his B.A. and MPA, he also brings a wealth of knowledge in sales, customer service, and leadership.