Governor Kristi Noem announced that she will appoint Tim Rave of Baltic and Jeff Partridge of Rapid City to the South Dakota Board of Regents. 

“Tim Rave and Jeff Partridge are two seasoned, thoughtful public servants who care deeply about higher education in our state,” said Gov. Noem. “I know they will be excellent regents, and I thank them for their willingness to serve.” 

Partridge is the president of Partridge Financial Services in Rapid City. He served on the Rapid City Council from 2003 to 2005, including as vice president of the council. Partridge served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2015-17 and in the State Senate from 2017-21, spending all six years on the Joint Appropriations Committee. He is a graduate of Augustana University. 

“I am thankful and honored Governor Noem has appointed me to the Board of Regents,” said Partridge. “One of our largest state expenditures is for education, and I look forward to using my experience in helping set the state budget to ensure our education deliverable is cost effective for the State and the student.” 

Rave is the president and CEO of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations. He served in the State House of Representatives from 2003-11, including two years as speaker of the house, and in the State Senate from 2011-15, where he was majority leader from 2013-15. Rave attended South Dakota State University and is a graduate of the University of Sioux Falls. 

“I thank Governor Noem for asking me to serve as a regent,” said Rave. “I know from my own experience how important higher education can be, and during my years in the legislature I was an advocate for our state universities. I will be honored to helping guide our higher education system for the next generation.” 

Partridge will succeed Randy Schaefer of Madison and Rave will succeed Jim Morgan of Brookings, and they will join Tony Venhuizen of Sioux Falls as newly-appointed members of the Board.  All three will serve six-year terms that continue through March 31, 2027. 

The nine-member South Dakota Board of Regents is the constitutional governing board for the state’s six public universities: Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota. The Board also oversees the state’s two special schools: the South Dakota School for the Deaf and the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.