New officers, award recipients announced at annual conference

Keith Hansen MD, of Sioux Falls became the 144th president of the South Dakota State Medical Association (SDSMA) during the organization’s annual meeting Friday, May 30 in Sioux Falls. Outgoing president Jen Tinguely, MD, MPH presented the presidential medallion to Dr. Hansen at the association’s Annual Awards & Scholarship Recognition Banquet at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown. Dr. Hansen has been an active member of the association since 1998. He is a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist in Sioux Falls at Sanford Fertility & Reproductive Medicine Clinic. He has been involved in leadership in medicine for many years. Prior to becoming SDSMA president, he held several positions on the SDSMA Board of Directors, SDSMA Policy Council, committees, his local District 7 Medical Society and is a member of the American Medical Association. Dr. Hansen also serves on the boards for the SDSMA Foundation and the SDSMA Political Action Committee (PAC). Additionally, he is the editor of the SDSMA’s monthly peer-reviewed medical journal, South Dakota Medicine.

Originally from Wall, Dr. Hansen received his medical training at Washington University in St. Louis and has practiced and held faculty appointments at medical institutions in Virginia, Georgia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. During that time he served 10 years in the U.S. Navy. In 1998, he returned to South Dakota to practice medicine and teach at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine (USD SSOM). He is currently chair of the medical school’s OB/GYN Department. He was named the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Karl Wegner Chair in Medicine at USD SSOM from 2014-2017 and was re-appointed from 2017-2020. “Protecting the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship is a core principle of the SDSMA,” said Dr. Hansen. “I am deeply honored by the trust my peers have placed in me and am eager to work alongside our members to fight for the highest quality health care for every South Dakotan.”

The Board of Directors members for 2025-26 are:

• President – Keith Hansen, MD – Sioux Falls
• President-Elect – Benjamin Meyerink, MD – Sioux Falls
• Vice President – Mandi Greenway Bietz, MD – Mitchell
• Secretary-Treasurer –Deepak Goyal, MD, MBA – Rapid City
• At-large Director – Sarah Flynn, MD – Sioux Falls
• At-large Director – Laura Hoefert, MD – Madison
• At-large Director – Ty Hanson, DO – Aberdeen
• Policy Council Chair – Megan Smith, MD – Burke
• Immediate Past President – Jen Tinguely, MD, MPH – Sioux Falls
• AMA Delegate – Robert Allison, MD – Fort Pierre
• AMA Alternate Delegate – Robert Summerer, DO – Madison
• AMA Alternate Delegate – Mary Carpenter, MD – Winner

The SDSMA presented awards to recipients at the Annual Awards & Scholarship Banquet on Friday.

• The SDSMA’s Distinguished Service Award recognizes a physician or lay person who has been of outstanding service to the medical profession in South Dakota. This year the Distinguished Service Award recipient is William Fuller, MD of Sioux Falls.
  
  
•  The Outstanding Young Physician Award was presented to Matthew Schaffer, DO of Mobridge. This award is given to a young physician under 40 or within the first eight years of professional practice after residency and fellowship training. This physician is recognized for outstanding achievements, dedication and service to the community and the SDSMA at the local, state, or national levels.
  
  
• The SDSMA’s Community Service Award is presented each year to a physician who separates himself or herself through outstanding work in the area of community affairs. This year the award was given to Jacob Quail, MD of Vermillion.
  
  
• Sheila Agee of Sioux Falls is the recipient of the SDSMA’s Richard P. Holm, MD Media Award. The award is in recognition of her contributions to the Humanities supplement of the SDSMA’s medical journal, South Dakota Medicine.
  
  
• The Young at Heart Award is presented to a physician who has inspired young physicians as a mentor, role model and leader. This year’s recipient is Roy Mortinsen, MD of Vermillion. 
  
  
• Denise Hanisch, MD of Centerville is the recipient of the SDSMA’s Past President’s Award. This award is presented each year to the immediate past president of the SDSMA in recognition of their many years of work and dedication to the SDSMA.
  
  
• Barbara Smith, SDSMA CEO who will be retiring this fall, is the recipient of the Special Presidential Award. This award is chosen by the SDSMA president to recognize the recipient’s contributions to the medical profession.
  
  
• Eight physicians were recognized with the SDSMA’s 50-Year Award for medical practice in South Dakota. Physicians who received this award were: William Fuller, MD of Sioux Falls; William Howard, MD of Rapid City; Rif’at Hussain, MD of Sioux Falls; Dennis Knutson, MD of Sioux Falls; Norman Neu, MD of Rapid City; Ken Vogele, MD of Rapid City; H. Bruce Vogt, MD of Sioux Falls; and Larry Wehrkamp, MD of Rapid City. These physicians have been practicing medicine for a half-century and have contributed greatly to the medical profession.

American Medical Association Distinguished Service Award Recipient

• The American Medical Association Distinguished Service Award, a national honor, was presented to Mary Carpenter, MD, of Winner. The award recognizes a physician member of the AMA for meritorious service in the science and art of medicine. AMA Board of Trustees President-Elect David Aizuss, MD, presented the award to Dr. Carpenter.

Copic Humanitarian Award Recipient

• The Copic Humanitarian Award honors a physician for volunteer medical services and contributions to their community. Margaret Becker, MD of Spearfish, medical director of Good Shepherd Clinic, is the recipient of this year’s award. The award recognizes individuals who unassumingly volunteer outside the spectrum of their day-to-day lives. The recipient of the award designates a $10,000 donation from Copic to be provided to a health care-related 501(c)(3) organization in South Dakota. Good Shepherd Clinic is the donation recipient.