Cooperative Hall of Fame Honors 2026 Inductees
South Dakota's cooperative community gathered in early August to recognize, celebrate, and thank four key leaders during the Cooperative Hall of Fame Induction Banquet.
Induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor that the cooperative community bestows on those who have made significant contributions to the state. Their leadership, integrity, and personal commitment have served not only cooperatives, but also their local communities, the state, our region, and the nation.
This year’s inductees are:
Jeff Lakner, Wessington, SD – nominated by Agtegra Cooperative, with support from Dakota Resources, Land O'Lakes, and the President of South Dakota State University.
Todd Oster, Gettysburg, SD – nominated by CHS River Plains, with support from REH Farms, Agwrx Cooperative, and Mallett Enterprises.
Ken Schlimgen, Mitchell, SD – nominated by Central Electric Cooperative, with support from Charles Mix Electric Association, the President of Mitchell Technical College, and East River Electric Cooperative.
Donna Sharp, Bath, SD – nominated by Northern Electric Cooperative, with support from East River Electric Cooperative and Brown County 4-H Leader Kristie Erickson.
Jeff Lakner, Wessington, SD – Jeff Lakner is a lifelong steward of the cooperative model and a relentless driver of rural resilience in South Dakota and beyond. His career merges hands-on farming with visionary governance, enriching farmers, communities, and member-owners through steady leadership, strategic investments, and a steadfast commitment to sustainability.
Notably, Jeff spent two decades on the Board of Directors for Agtegra Cooperative, guiding one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned co-ops through significant growth, modernization, and strategic investment. His board leadership coincided with a period of expansion, enhanced service capabilities, and strengthened operating efficiency that benefited thousands of producer-owners across the Upper Midwest.
In 2010, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives honored him as Cooperative Director of the Year, recognizing his exemplary leadership, business acumen, and commitment to advancing the cooperative model nationwide.
From 2014 to 2022, Jeff served on the Land O’Lakes Board of Directors, representing nine states from the Dakotas to the Pacific Northwest. He brought a robust South Dakota voice to national conversations on sustainability, governance, risk management, innovation, and the future of agriculture, enriching policy discussions with practical insights from family farming and member-owned enterprises.
Jeff’s dedication to rural development extends to Dakotas America, where he served as vice chair of the Governing Board and as a Dakota Resources board officer. His leadership helped channel six New Markets Tax credit allocations totaling $400 million, catalyzing job creation and private investment in distressed communities. As a SDWG director, he led initiatives that leveraged a $17 million NMTC allocation to upgrade agricultural businesses, boosting efficiency, service capacity, and local employment.
A prolific mentor and advocate, Jeff has educated and inspired countless cooperative leaders, advised agricultural and research institutions, and championed precision agriculture, conservation, and sustainable farming. He remains a committed farmer, managing Lakner Farms LLC with his wife Myrna and their children, focused on no-till, rotational grazing, and soil-health-informed practices. Jeff Lakner’s legacy is measurable impact, shared prosperity, and a healthier rural America.
Ken Schlimgen, Mitchell – Ken Schlimgen stands as a dedicated steward of the cooperative spirit, embodying steady leadership, service, and a deep commitment to rural communities. After a remark able 41-year career with Central Electric Cooperative, Ken’s impact extends far beyond a single organization; it touches members across eight counties and the broader South Dako ta cooperative network.
Ken began his journey in 1985 as a Member Services Advisor with Intercounty Electric, laying the groundwork for a career built on understanding member needs, power quality, and load management. Rising to Manager of Member Services in 1990, he expanded his scope to marketing, communications, and community support, always guided by a simple belief: lead with service to producer-owners.
A pivotal moment came with the consolidation that formed Central Electric Cooperative in 2000, followed by his appointment as General Manager in 2015. Ken led with a team-driven approach, championing an aging asset replacement plan that has substantially enhanced reliability across an eight-county service area. Since 2018, roughly 350 miles of overhead copper lines have been replaced, signaling his commitment to modernization and resilience.
Ken’s impact also resonated through innovation and advocacy. He advanced AMI and load management upgrades, championed distributed energy initiatives, and spearheaded the construction of new operations centers in 2016 and 2026. His leadership extended to education and workforce development, including roles in Rural Electric Economic Development Fund, East River Managers’ Advisory Council, and most recently, the Mitchell City Council. He’s heavily involved in his community including leadership on Mitchell Technical College initiatives that strengthened energy workforce.
His career honors a lifelong ethic of mentorship, community service, and collaborative progress. Ken Schlimgen leaves Central Electric and South Dakota stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the future.
Todd Oster, Gettysburg – Todd Oster stands as a beacon of cooperative leadership and rural service, whose 44-year career has shaped South Dakota’s agriculture and strengthened the cooperative system for tomorrow’s producers. From his beginnings in 1979 with GTA Feeds, a CHS predecessor, Todd learned the cooperative model from the ground up, progressing from sales to increasingly responsible leadership roles. His deep expertise spans feed, energy, agronomy, and grain operations, anchored by a service-first ethic and a clear commitment to producer-owners.
Todd’s leadership pinnacle came as General Manager of CHS Northern Plains in Gettysburg, S.D., where he championed and led the unification with CHS Midwest Cooperative to form CHS River Plains. This strategic consolidation created a resilient, 22-location cooperative designed for long-term stability in a dynamic agriculture landscape. Under his guidance, the organization delivered strong financial performance, reinvested in infrastructure, improved operational efficiency, and returned meaningful patronage to producers, all while preserving local service and core cooperative values.
Beyond organizational success, Todd’s enduring impact lies in developing people. He mentored employees, encouraged strategic thinking, and reinforced integrity and cooperative principles, cultivating a generation of leaders who carry forward the cooperative legacy. His influence extended to the broader sector through his service on the South Dakota Agri-Business Association Board, where he served as President in 2016, advancing education, advocacy, and policy for agriculture and cooperatives statewide.
Todd’s community investments mirrored his belief that strong cooperatives fuel vibrant rural communities. Through CHS Foundation partnerships and Seeds for Stewardship initiatives, he supported schools, 4-H, childcare, volunteer fire departments, and emergency services, linking cooperative vitality to community well-being.
Todd Oster’s career embodies humility, integrity, and a relentless focus on people – producer-owners, employees, and communities. His induction honors a lifetime of measurable impact and a lasting, positive influence on South Dakota’s cooperative and agricultural future.
Donna Sharp, Bath – Donna Sharp embodies the spirit of a truly member-owned cooperative, balancing service, learning, and community advocacy. A lifelong learner, she consistently sought knowledge about every organization she touched, ensuring decisions were informed and purposeful. Donna and her husband Gary become the third generation to operate Sharp’s Inc., a family agricultural enterprise with dairy, beef, and crop operations. Their children, Brian, Brad, and Kristin, along with their families, continue this multi-generational farming legacy.
Donna’s commitment to the cooperative way began on the Northern Electric Cooperative board, where she served nine years – becoming the first woman to occupy the presidency and providing steady, principled leadership. Her tenure included guiding bylaw revisions to better reflect current and future needs and ensuring decisions honored member-owners across eight counties served by the cooperative.
Beyond her electric co-op leadership, Donna has been a passionate advocate for the beef and dairy industries. She held numerous leadership roles on national boards, including the National Dairy Board, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Board, the United Dairy Industry Association, the United Dairy Export Council, and more. She also contributed to the Midwest and national dairy and beef advocacy ecosystems as a steward for industry checkoffs and policy initiatives, and she was present at pivotal moments such as the U.S. Supreme Court beef checkoff case.
A devoted community partner, Donna supported 4-H for 18 years, co-founded the Brown County 4-H 4-Ever Fund, and earned multiple recognitions for service. Her unwavering commitment to cooperative values - education, community concern, and collaborative leadership - makes Donna Sharp a worthy inductee into the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame.
