Person of the Year 2015 - Glenn Arneson
Glenn Arneson was honored as the SDEC person of the year at the 2012 Annual Conference.
Glenn Arneson was born on January 23, 1931 in the home where his grandparents had homesteaded the land near Hayti, SD. Glenn went to a country school for his first 8 grades. He graduated from Lake Norden high school in 1949. In spite of a handicap from polio he had when 2 years old, that never kept him from anything he was determined to do.
He decided that he wanted to be an electrician and chose to attend the electrical trade course at Southern State Teacher’s College in Springfield, SD. He graduated from the 2-year course in 1951. He worked as an appliance repairman in St. Paul that summer but when the ducks started to fly that fall, he headed back to South Dakota.
Glenn began Arneson Electric in October 1951 with his brother, Baine, working with him. At that time, they wired farms to be connected to REA. There was no temporary power so the electrical wiring was done with hand tools. Later, Glenn was able to trade some wiring for a portable generator which was hauled to jobs by a trailer.
Glenn was married to Judy Belkonen in November 1952. Judy became bookkeeper for the business. They established their home across the road from Glenn’s childhood home. The business operated from that location over 40 years.
Arneson Electric began with electrical construction for residential including many electric heat installations, farm wiring and animal feeding operations. The business continued to expand to more electrical construction in commercial buildings and grain handling facilities.
When South Dakota began to require electrical licenses, Glenn was issued license EC-7. He has belonged to the South Dakota Electrical Council for many years. He went to many conventions where he attended classes and met many friends and acquaintances from the electrical field.
Glenn and Judy had a family with two sons and three daughters. The boys grew up helping their dad with electrical work and went on to get Journeyman and Contractor licenses. The girls ran errands and assisted in the business, also.
Son Tim purchased Arneson Electric, Inc. in 1993 and built his warehouse and office in Lake Norden. Tim, his wife, Char, and his son, Jason, continue to operate the business there. Glenn is very proud that the business continues after it was begun more than 63 years ago. He is amazed at the type of construction and technology that is being installed now by Tim and Jason and their crew.
Glenn and Judy, wife of 62 years, are spending their retirement years on the farm home where they operated Arneson Electric. They belong to New Hope Lutheran church and support school and community. Glenn enjoys attending family activities and events, travel, fishing and garden. He especially looks forward to more fishing.