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ROBERT HULL ALUMNI AWARD 

PRESENTED BY STEVE BERGERSON 

TONIGHT IS A SPECIAL ONE FOR ME. I GET TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE A VERY SPECIAL FRIEND FOR A LIFETIME OF PASSIONATE PUBLIC SERVICE.

I KNOW THIS PERSON WELL. WE’VE BEEN CLOSE FRIENDS SINCE THE AGE OF SIX.

WE WERE TOGETHER WHEN MY MOM DISCOVERED – JUST IN TIME, THAT HE AND I WERE CUTTING THROUGH A TELEPHONE POLE WITH A TOY SAW.

WE WERE SIDE-BY-SIDE WHEN ONE OF US – WE CAN’T REMEMBER WHO – THREW A CANE FISHING POLE AT SOME HIGH-HANGING APPLES, THEN BEAT A HASTY RETREAT AS IT WENT THROUGH THE CAHILL FUNERAL HOME WINDOW.

WE WERE SITTING NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER SMOKING CIGARS IN HIS BASEMENT – WINDOWS OPENED WIDE, FANS BLOWING - WHEN HIS AUNT BORGHILD YELLED DOWN THE STAIRS “ARE YOU BOYS SMOKING?” WE, OF COURSE, SAID NO.

WE WERE SENT TO THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL’S OFFICES TOGETHER A NUMBER OF TIMES.

HE AND I BUILT DOZENS OF MODEL CARS, AIRPLANES AND SHIPS TOGETHER.

WE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS SHOOTING BASKETS TOGETHER IN BACK YARDS, AT THE CITY PARK, ON SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS (OFTEN WEARING PARKAS, GLOVES AND STOCKING CAPS) AND IN SCHOOL GYMS.

HE WENT FOR HELP WHEN I NEARLY CHOPPED A FINGER OFF WITH AN AX (I STILL HAVE THE SCAR) AND I HELPED HIM WHEN HE FELL OUT OF A TREE ON THE OLD FADER FARM.

AND, IN A BASKETBALL MOMENT THAT IS BURNED INTO MY MEMORY, I

WATCHED AS HE SANK THE GAME-WINNING SHOT AS TIME EXPIRED IN THE 1963 SECTIONAL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. IT NOT ONLY WON THE GAME, IT PRESERVED OUR UNDEFEATED SEASON AND GOT THE TEAM INTO THE STATE “A” TOURNAMENT, WHERE THE REDMEN TOOK IT ALL.

THAT BUZZER-BEATER – THOUGH WE PROBABLY DIDN’T REALIZE IT THEN – WAS PROPHETIC: IT SHOWED US A LOT ABOUT THE RECIPIENT OF THIS YEAR’S ALUMNI OF THE YEAR AWARD, ROBERT HULL.

ROBERT HAS THE HEART OF A CHAMPION. HE’S A GO-TO GUY. HE HAS A DEEP DESIRE TO WIN, AND HE NEVER GIVES UP. LIKE HANNIBAL, IF HE CAN’T FIND A WAY, HE WILL MAKE ONE. HE IS VERY, VERY PERSISTENT. LIKE A POSTAGE STAMP, ROBERT STICKS TO SOMETHING UNTIL THE JOB GETS DONE.

ROBERT EPITOMIZES WHAT WINSTON CHURCHILL MUST HAVE HAD IN MIND WHEN HE SAID “WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET. WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE.” ROBERT HAS GIVEN A LOT.

AFTER HE GRADUATED FROM SISSETON HIGH IN 1963, ROBERT ATTENDED USD FOR ONE YEAR BEFORE GRADUATING FROM NORTHERN STATE IN 1968.

AFTER TEACHING FOR TWO YEARS, HE CAME BACK TO SISSETON TO BECOME DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA COMMUNITY ACTION’S HEAD START PROGRAM. THREE YEARS LATER, IN 1974, HE BECAME NESDCAP’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

WHEN ROBERT STARTED, NESDCAP SERVED THREE COUNTIES. IT NOW SERVES 17 COUNTIES IN BOTH NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA.

DURING ROBERT’S 30 YEAR TENURE, NESDCAP WEATHERIZED 5,000 HOMES (ROBERT WAS FOR A TIME THE WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM DIRECTOR), AND REHABBED ANOTHER 550 HOMES. EVERY YEAR, IT PROVIDES EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER FOR NEARLY 50 INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES, PLUS 800 HOURS OF HOUSING COUNSELING.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE REALIZED THEIR DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP AS A RESULT OF NESDCAPS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND LOAN AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS. INCLUDED IS THE BUILDING, DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING, AND FINANCING (BOTH PARTIAL AND FULL) OF OVER 500 AFFORDABLE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES PLUS THE MANAGEMENT OR OWNERSHIP OF OVER 100 AFFORDABLE MULTIPLE FAMILY HOUSING UNITS.

IN 1978, ROBERT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE IN CREATING THE NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA ECONOMIC CORPORATION (NESDEC), TO HELP LOW-EQUITY BUSINESS PEOPLE IN 22 COUNTIES ACCESS CAPITAL SO THEY CAN OWN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES AND CREATE JOBS FOR OTHERS. NESDEC HAS CREATED OR RETAINED 2,500 JOBS ON ROBERT’S WATCH.

WHILE SERVING AS NESDCAP’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ROBERT SIMULTANOUSLY SERVED AS NESDEC’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

NESDEC WAS STARTED WITH $7,200 OF SEED CAPITAL, WHICH HAS GROWN TO OVER $15 MILLION IN ASSETS. IT LENDS THAT MONEY TO CLIENTS AND USES IT TO GUARANTEE LOANS ITS CLIENTS OBTAIN FROM BANKS.

ITS BEEN SAID THAT EVEN A LIVE WIRE CAN’T GET MUCH DONE WITHOUT CONNECTIONS, AND ROBERT HAS THOSE IN SPADES.

ROBERT HAS DEVELOPED A VAST NETWORK OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS, FOUNDATIONS, UTILITIES, LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS, CHURCHES AND SOCIAL INVESTMENT FUNDS FROM WHICH NESDEC RAISES BOTH OPERATING AND LOAN CAPITAL.

UNDER ROBERT’S LEADERSHIP, NESDEC HAS FINANCED OVER $20 MILLION IN LOANS, CONSISTING OF 1,100 LOANS TO 800 NEW AND EMERGING BUSINESSES, WITH AN INCREDIBLE 98 PERCENT PRINCIPAL RETURN ON ITS LOANS.

NEDSCAP CURRENTLY HAS 253 ACTIVE LOANS TOTALING OVER $7 MILLION.  OVER 60 BANKS IN THE REGION HAVE PARTICIPATED IN NESDEC PROGRAMS.

SANDY MENCKE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SAYS – AND I QUOTE - “BOB’S EFFORTS IN DOING WHAT HE CAN TO BUILD RURAL AMERICA ARE ENDLESS. HE IS MR. RURAL DEVELOPMENT.”

BERNIE CHRISTENSON OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SAYS “BOB HULL IS THE MOST DEDICATED PERSON I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH, AFTER ALL THE YEARS BOB WORKED WITH NESDEC, HE STILL HAD THE SAME FIRE TO PROVIDE TREMENDOUS SERVICE TO HIS MEMBERS.”

ROBERT ALSO BROUGHT MANY BUSINESS INCUBATORS TO FRUITION, INCLUDING A WINDOW FACTORY (WHICH HE MANAGED); PRAIRIE CRAFTS (A CONSIGNMENT CRAFT STORE), A NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFT STORE, A BAIT AND TACKLE COMPANY AND A RECYCLING BUSINESS. HE ALSO LED THE RENOVATION OF THE OLD PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFT STORE, THE FORMER HEALTH CLINIC FOR COMMERCIAL OFFICE RENTAL SPACE, THE SISETON THEATER AND A HISTORIC GAS STATION, ALL OF WHICH WERE SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD TO PRIVATE INVESTORS.

HE HAS ALSO HELPED DEVELOP THE NORTHEAST LIVESTOCK COOPERATIVE, NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA HEAD START PROGRAM; AREA IV TRANSPORTATION, AND AREA IV NUTRITION PROGRAMS.

MANY ORGANIZATIONS FROM THROUGHOUT THE STATE, NATION, AND OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE USED NESDCAP AND NESDEC PROGRAMS AS MODELS.

DURING HIS CAREER, ROBERT PROVIDED LEADERSHIP TO AN AMAZING NUMBER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUPS. HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA HEAD START DIRECTOR’S ASSOCIATION AND THE COTEAU INVESTORS. HE WAS THE LONG-STANDING PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM DIRECTOR’S ASSOCIATION, AND HE SERVED ON THE REGION VIII COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM DIRECTOR’S ASSOCIATION’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

ROBERT HAS ALSO CHAIRED THE DISTRICT IV EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING BOARD, NORTHEAST MULTI-DISTRICT VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD; DUANE PHILLIPS SCHOLARSHIP FUND COMMITTEE AND TEKAKWITHA FINE ARTS CENTER AND GIFT SHOP ADVISORY BOARD.

HE HAS BEEN THE SECRETARY OF THE EASTERN DAKOTA COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND TREASURER OF DAKOTA NOW, A MARKETING COOPERATIVE. HE HAS BEEN A MEMBER, DIRECTOR, VICEPRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE SISSETON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. HE IS THE HEARING JUDGE FOR THE SISSETON PUBLIC SCHOOL’S FREE/REDUCED MEALS PROGRAM. HE SERVED ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND AS TREASURER OF THE HILLS AND VALLEY RIDING CLUB. HE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SOUTH DAKOTA MICRO BUSINESS MARKETING ALLIANCE, AND IS PAST CHAIRMAN OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA RURAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. HE MORE RECENTLY HAS SERVED ON THE RURAL LEARNING CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, IS CHAIRMAN OF THE VALUE ADDED FINANCE AUTHORITY, A BOARD MEMBER OF THE HOMES ARE POSSIBLE, INC., THE GOED REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD, THE SOUTH DAKOTA STRATEGIC HOUSING COALITION TASK FORCE, AND THE DAKOTA’S AMERICA ADVISORY BOARD, THE LATTER FOR WHICH HE WAS RECENTLY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING OBTAINING A $50 MILLION GRANT.

CIVICALLY, ROBERT HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE HILLS AND VALLEY RIDING CLUB, THE NORTHEAST DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION; DUCKS UNLIMITED; PHEASANTS FOREVER; SISSETON KIWANIS AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

ROBERT HAS MANY OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND A LONG LIST OF “FIRST’S”, BUT BY NOW YOU GET THE PICTURE: ROBERT’S 30+ YEARS OF DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE EFFORTS HAVE CREATED A STAGGERING LIST OF BENEFITS FOR SISSETON AND NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. YOU CAN BE SURE LITTLE OF THIS WAS EASY, IT REQUIRED PERSISTANCE, PATIENCE AND COURAGE. SOMEONE ONCE SAID “COURAGE DOESN’T ALWAYS ROAR, IT’S OFTEN JUST A VOICE AT THE END OF THE DAY SAYING ‘I WILL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW’.” THAT IS THE ROBERT I’VE ALWAYS KNOWN.

ROBERT HAS RECEIVED MANY AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS, INCLUDING REGION 8’S OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY ACTION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S AWARD AND THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION’S STATE AND REGIONAL SPECIAL ADVOCACY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT. ROBERT IS, OF COURSE, PROUD OF HIS AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT HE NEVER BRAGS OR BOASTS ABOUT THEM. HE IS THE MOST HUMBLE PERSON I KNOW. BEST SELLING AUTHOR KEN BLANCHARD WROTE THAT “HUMILITY DOES NOT MEAN YOU THINK LESS OF YOURSELF. IT MEANS YOU THINK OF YOURSELF LESS.” THAT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF WHO ROBERT IS.

BOB SUPPOSEDLY RETIRED IN JULY ’04 BUT STILL SERVES AS ADVISOR TO BOTH NESDCAP AND NESDEC. HIS ‘ADVISOR’ JOB DESCRIPTION LOOKS LIKE WHAT MOST WOULD CONSIDER A FULL-TIME JOB, AND INVOLVES CONTINUING ACTIVITY ON NUMEROUS BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES.

ROBERT AND HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW, DANA STAPLETON, CREATED AND MANAGE PHEASANT HAVEN, WHICH HAS RAISED BETWEEN 2,000 AND 6,000 PHEASANTS ANNUALLY SINCE 1997, HELPING THE ROBERT’S COUNTY PHEASANT POPULATION RECOVER FROM THE DEVASTATING 1996-1997 WINTER. HIS PERSONAL INTERESTS INCLUDE PHEASANT HUNTING, BASKETBALL, SOFTBALL, PUREBRED HUNTING DOGS, ARABIAN HORSES AND CLASSIC CARS.

THOUGH HIS WORK HAS BEEN DEMANDING, ROBERT HAS ALWAYS FOUND TIME TO TREASURE HIS FAMILY AND EMBRACE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HE IS MARRIED TO COLETTE AND THEY HAVE TWO LOVELY DAUGHTERS, ANDREÉ AND DAWN, SON-IN-LAW DEREK, AND TWO GRANDSONS, TREY AND TYLER.  YOU CAN’T BE AROUND ROBERT VERY LONG AND NOT KNOW HE IS VERY  PROUD OF THEM ALL.

WELL, ROBERT, WE’RE ALL VERY PROUD OF YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE SISSETON ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, IT’S MY GREAT PLEASURE TO PRESENT YOU WITH YOUR HIGH SCHOOL’S ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR AWARD.

CONGRATULATIONS!