The following article, written by Dave Graves, is shared courtesy of South Dakota State University.
Three women in wide-ranging leadership positions and three men with extensive legal careers comprise the six graduates who have risen to the top of their fields and have been selected for the 2025 Class of Distinguished Alumni by the South Dakota State University Alumni Association.
- Sheryl Doering Meshke, Class of ’88, Garden City, Minnesota
- Charles Gullickson, Class of ’77, Sioux Falls
- Rich Helsper, Class of ’74, Sioux Falls
- Jill Janecke, Class of ’01/M.S.Class of ’05, Pierre
- Hon. Alan G. Lance, Sr., Class of ’71, Caldwell, Idaho
- Dawn Tobacco-Frank, Ph.D. Class of ’10, Kyle
The honorees will be recognized on Hobo Day weekend Oct. 10-11. For the full article with honoree biographies, click here.
Charles Gullickson
Charles Gullickson has practiced law at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith in Sioux Falls since 1980 and has been a partner since 1984. His focus is on financial institutions. Gullickson also serves as executive director and general counsel for the South Dakota Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association.
He grew up on a Moody County farm, earned a Briggs Scholarship to attend SDSU and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in political science. He then attended New York University School of Law.
Gullickson is widely considered to be the primary lawyer responsible for developing the business model used by several banks to market credit products on a national basis, allowing banks to expand their business beyond the borders of South Dakota.
He also has been instrumental in task forces addressing nationwide insurance insolvencies, including chairing Guaranty Association’s national task force appointed to handle the 2017 insolvency of Penn Treaty, a long-term care insurer.
Gullickson is a strong supporter of the arts in South Dakota and took an active fundraising role on behalf of the Washington Pavilion and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra following the 2008 Great Recession.
Charles Gullickson meets Yo-Yo Ma as a guest of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra