Our Mission
The purpose of the South Dakota Electrical Council is to promote and improve the electrical industry within South Dakota.
The council strives to promote technical and product knowledge, continuing education, and better communication among its members through trade shows, joint utility training, newsletters, awards and individual chapters of the South Dakota Electrical Council.
The SDEC and its membership are committed to building cooperation, fostering goodwill, and developing pride among all segments of the electrical industry.
Note: The South Dakota Electrical Council is a non profit organization supporting the electrical industry in South Dakota. We are not the same as the South Dakota Electrical Commission, which is the SD State Commission in charge of licensing electricians. Their website is at Electrical Commission
SDEC Annual Conference
Unfortunately, the South Dakota Electrical Council Annual Conference for 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19. The 2021 conference is scheduled to be held at the Huron Event Center in Huron, South Dakota on April 16-17, 2021. More information will be provided here as the time draws near. Hope to see you all next year!
The Annual SDEC State Board meeting will be held April 15, 2021 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Crossroads Hotel in Huron SD.
SDEC 2019 Annual Conference
The 2019 Annual Conference was held April12-13, 2019 in Spearfish SD. We all had a great time renewing acquaintances, and learning more during the educational sessions.
2019 Person of the Year-Steve Arne
Steve Arne
Training Director
AETech Electrical Training Center
Rapid City, South Dakota
Steve Arne has worked as an electrician, electrical contractor, and electrical instructor for 45 years. Steve spent 10 years In the electrical field, then the next nineteen years as a teacher and department head in the Electrical Program at Western Dakota Technical Institute. Since Steve retired from Western Dakota Tech in 2003, he has provided industry-direct training specializing in continuing education Electrical Code classes and Electrician Exam Preparation classes for Journeyman and Master’s level exams. In 2012, Steve and Deb’s son Ryan returned to Rapid City SD to help Steve expand his training business at AETech Electrical Training Center to include a 640-hour full-time day-time Apprentice Electrician Training Program.
Steve earned a Technical Education Teaching Degree from Dakota State University and a Master’s Degree In Administrative Studies from the University of South Dakota. Steve served two terms as a Board Member of the SD Electrical Commission and serves on the State and Local Chapter Boards of the SD Electrical Council.
Steve worked with Mike Holt as the Technical Editorial Director and served as a technical editor and video team participant from 2002 until 2014 and uses Mike’s books in his classes. He is very thankful to have been associated with an industry leader like Mike who provides excellent training products to help students progress in the electrical industry and has a real heart to help others.
Steve grew up on a farm in eastern South Dakota, and has lived in Rapid City, South Dakota since 1970 where he and his wife Deb are both active in their church and community, and love to spend time with their children and grandchildren. Most of all, Steve and Deb both strive to put God first in their lives, in their home and in their relationships.
SDEC Website Sponsors include:
