Referred to as one of the premier business and cooperative attorneys in South Dakota, Don Petersen was recently inducted into the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is the highest honor that the cooperative community bestows upon individuals who have made significant contributions to cooperatives in South Dakota.
Petersen began acting as legal counsel to Intercounty Electric Cooperative in 1990. He was an integral part of the merger process with Tri-County Electric Cooperative. The two cooperatives became Central Electric Cooperative in 2000, where Petersen still serves. Petersen’s counsel guided Central Electric through several challenges, including relocating its headquarters in 2012, hiring a new general manager in 2015, launching Operation Round-Up and constructing multiple service centers.
Over the past 32 years, Petersen has contributed to economic development throughout the region. He has assisted Central Electric, Dakota Energy and Douglas Electric with an estimated 18 USDA Rural Utility Service loan applications. Petersen’s expertise in economic development helped cooperatives obtain more than a dozen USDA zero-interest loans for fire departments, development corporations, schools, medical facilities and city governments to improve our local quality of life.
Petersen also played a part in obtaining more than 50 loans through the Rural Electric Economic Development (REED) Loan Fund to help fund new businesses and business expansions within the cooperative’s footprint.
Petersen’s commitment to the Mitchell community and beyond is evident through his extensive board and volunteer service. He has lent his expertise to various organizations, including the Mitchell Area Development Corporation, Avera Queen of Peace, Abbot House Foundation, Mitchell United Way, Oscar Howe Art Center, Mitchell Area Charitable Foundation, City of Mitchell Planning Commission, South Dakota State Bar Business Law Committee, Dakota Mental Health and the Mitchell Red Cross. He has also coached Little League, volunteered for Special Olympics and taught business law classes at Dakota Wesleyan University.
For over 35 years, Petersen has been the key advisor and consultant to the Mitchell Area Development Corporation on every major development project in the Mitchell community. He is a trusted counsel for Central Electric and many small businesses with their expansions, acquisitions and government relations. His work on legal and cooperative issues has greatly benefited electric cooperative consumers across South Dakota.
Congratulations to Don Petersen on this monumental achievement! The Cooperative Hall of Fame program is sponsored by CHS, Inc., the South Dakota Association of Cooperatives, South Dakota Association of Telephone Cooperatives, South Dakota Farmers Union and South Dakota Rural Electric Association.