Creating Connection in South Dakota: the Legacy of Mark Shlanta

Mark Shlanta (1965–2022) was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2022 for his life’s work in the telecommunications industry in South Dakota. Mark led by example, and his legacy of vision, community involvement, and a love of work and learning brought an entire region together. He created jobs and opportunities across many communities in South Dakota and exemplified excellence in the way he connected the state.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Mark’s life and early years.
• The way Mark led, as a boss and community member,  
• and the ways he brought South Dakota communications to the forefront of the nation.

“He was a good connector; a good human connector,  and a good technology connector, and always the last one to take the credit”. –Vernon Brown, a colleague of Mark Shlanta.

Mark’s 23 years at SDN communications, 21 of which he spent as CEO, changed the technology and communications trajectory of South Dakota. SDN worked with the governor’s office to connect the schools and universities with a fiber optic network, opening schools to new technology and collaboration opportunities.

To learn more about Mark Shlanta, visit his legacy page here.

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