Dusty Johnson among those named to Daugaard transition team

PIERRE — Dusty Johnson, of Mitchell, has been named to the transition team for Gov.-elect Dennis Daugaard and Lt. Gov.-elect Matt Michels.

Daugaard and Michels announced their team Thursday.

Johnson, who won a resounding re-election to the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Tuesday, is the chairman of the PUC. Prior to being elected to the PUC, Johnson was a senior policy adviser on transportation, economic development and energy for Gov. Mike Rounds.

Tony Venhuizen, of Sioux Falls and originally of Armour, is also on the team.

Venhuizen was the campaign manager of the Daugaard-Michels campaign. His prior experience includes stints in the office of Rounds, and five years as a member of the South Dakota Board of Regents.

The transition will be chaired by Jeff Erickson, of Sioux Falls. Erickson recently announced his retirement as president and CEO of Great Western Bank, a role in which he has served since 1995.

Other team members are:

• Deb Bowman, of Pierre, secretary of social services.

Prior to that role, she was a senior policy adviser for Gov. Bill Janklow and Rounds, as well as the state’s first homeland security director for Janklow.

Bowman also serves on the Federal Rural Health and Human Services Advisory Board.

• Ryan Budmayr, of Belle Fourche, the Daugaard-Michels field director for western South Dakota. He has served as president of the USD Students Association and as executive director of the South Dakota Student Federation.

• Jason Glodt, of Pierre, political director for the Daugaard-Michels campaign. Prior to that service, he worked as a senior policy adviser for Rounds.

Glodt is a former member of the Pierre City Commission and a former executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party. He previously served as an assistant attorney general, focusing on Medicaid fraud.

In addition to these team members, Daugaard said he will invite other South Dakotans to participate in the transition process.

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