Governor Dennis Daugaard has appointed three people to the South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority.

They include Pat Burchill of Rapid City, Kenny McNenny of Sturgis and Michael Bender of Sioux Falls.  In addition, the Governor named Burchill as chairman of the Ellsworth Development Authority.

Burchill is a regional president of U.S. Bank.  McNenny is a rancher and former nine-term member of the South Dakota Legislature.  Bender is the founder and a partner in Bender Commercial Real Estate Services.

"I commend these three individuals for agreeing to spend their time and energy on the Ellsworth Development Authority," Gov. Daugaard said.  "Ellsworth is a great economic engine on the western end of the state, and it's important that we pitch in to help foster its continued progress."

The South Dakota Ellsworth Develoment Authority was formed in 2009 to protect Ellsworth Air Force Base from closure efforts.  After the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission recommended abandoning Ellsworth in 2005, state and local officials successfully worked with South Dakota's congressional delegation to prevent the air base from being closed by the President.

Burchill, McNenny and Bender succeed Mark Johnston of Sioux Falls and Bruce Rampelberg of Rapid City, who both resigned from the Authority after being selected to the state Senate, and Glen Kane of Rapid City, whose term expired in January.

Appointments to the Ellsworth Development Authority are subject to confirmation by the South Dakota Senate.