Kay Jorgensen

Kay S. Jorgensen has dedicated her life to public service. A former District 26-31 Legislator, Kay served in the South Dakota House from 1978 to 1984 and again from 1992 to 1998. She also served a term with Spearfish School Board and was chair of the South Dakota Centennial Committee between 1984 and 1992.  For nearly 20 years, Kay worked with Black Hills Corporation, where she was the lead Director for two years and spent 10 years on the board of Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

In addition to serving on the Cultural Advisory Committee for Sanford Lab, Kay is an emeritus director of the Mt. Rushmore Society where she supports the preservation and promotion of Mt. Rushmore.  She also serves as the chair of the Crazy Horse Foundation and the Educational Telecommunication Board at South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

Kay works in land development in Spearfish with her children Merideth and Christopher Pangburn and her brother, Joe Jorgensen. A graduate of the Black Hills State University, Kay was named to the 100 Outstanding Graduates during BHSU’s Centennial celebration and is a 2014 inductee to the South Dakota Hall of Fame.  

 Her motto in life? “Seize the day, serve the best you can and love your family.”