New S.D. Hall of Fame class announced

After being inducted to the South Dakota Hall of Fame at age 39, what’s left?

Quite a lot, hopes award-winning photographer and writer Greg Latza, who was announced Thursday as part of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2010.

He was selected for a body of work that both documents and celebrates the South Dakota lifestyle.

Latza, who was raised in rural Letcher, will be among 13 South Dakotans to be honored at Sept. 11 induction ceremonies at Cedar Shore Resort in Oacoma. The Hall of Fame is located in Chamberlain.

Latza said during a Thursday telephone interview that he isn’t worried about peaking too early. He admitted, though, to being surprised upon learning the news in April.

“I told them I thought I was a little bit young for that,” said Latza, who first learned of his nomination in April. “My wife and kids took me out to dinner and told me, and I was really shocked.”

Latza said he was nominated for the honor by Katie Hunhoff, managing editor of South Dakota Magazine.

Hall of Fame board member Jim Woster wasn’t certain if Latza is the Hall’s youngest inductee, but said that if Latza is “not the youngest, I don’t know who would be. Most of our nominees are in their 60s or older. He deserves it. He’s a very gifted young man.”

Latza, his wife Jodi and their children, Anna 12, Luke, 11, and Jack, 7, live in Sioux Falls.

Parents Eugene and Carol Latza are Mitchell residents, and sister Sherri Stekl and her husband, Wes, live on the family farm near Letcher.

A 1988 graduate of Letcher High School, Latza graduated in 1993 from South Dakota State University, where he majored in journalism and geography.

The Latzas have published eight books to date, including “Back on the Farm: Celebrating South Dakota Farm and Ranch Families,” “Blue Stars: A Selection of Stories from South Dakota’s World War II Veterans,” and the most recent, “Fort Bennett to Fort Pierre: The Casey Tibbs Memorial Ride.”

When he isn’t involved in publishing his own books, Latza works on commercial assignments for various corporate clients.

“Right now our current project is raising kids,” he said.

Listed below are the other members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2010:

• James Kuehn, Rapid City;

• Larry Piersol, Sioux Falls;

• John Lillibridge, Burke;

• Eagle Woman, deceased;

• Gordon Garnos, Watertown;

• Dr. Geraldean Fluke, Custer;

• Dr. Clarence Auld, deceased;

• Dr. Thomas Stone, Chamberlain;

• Dale Clement, Rapid City;

• Sam Dupris, Bloomington;

• Howard Wood, deceased;

• Al Schoeneman, Sioux Falls.

Tags: hall of fame, news, state, fccnetwork